Chalupas

1 lb dried pinto beans

2.5 lb lean pork loin roast

1/2 t ground cumin

1 T salt

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 t oregano leaves

Flour, Whole Wheat, or White Tortillas (soft taco or burrito size)

Shredded sharp cheddar cheese

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:

Sour cream

Sliced avocado

Sliced black olives

Salsa

Sort & wash beans; set aside.  Place pork loin in a large stockpot or crock pot.  Pour beans atop; add next 4 ingredients.  Pour water into pot to cover ~1" above beans.  Cover & cook on low ~6 hours (or overnight).  Check occasionally & add water as needed.

Remove roast after cooking & set aside to cool ~10 minutes.  Slice off any visible fa; cut into chunks, across the grain of the meat.  Stir back into beans.

Assembly:

Place tortilla on plate. Sprinkle "strip" of cheese down center & across diameter of tortilla.  Using slotted spoon, place meat & bean mixture atop cheese.  Fold one side of tortilla over toppings then roll atop other side.  Warm in microwave ~20-30 seconds (to soften tortilla; can soften tortillas prior to topping with cheese, if desired).  Top Chalupa with additional mixture (don't use slotted spoon if moisture is desired), cheese & preferred optional toppings.  Serves at least 8, one Chalupa/person.

Enjoy!!

We made these several times during the holiday season and have had several requests for the recipe.  Enjoy!!

Start with one box of Wind & Willow Double Chocolate Brownie Mix.  Prepare as directed on the box, adding 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract.

Let the brownies cool completely.

For the frosting you will need:

1 3/4 cups (1/2 pound) powdered sugar

1/4 cup butter

2-3 drops of green food coloring

1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

approx 1 tablespoon milk

1 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

Cream powdered sugar, butter, food coloring and peppermint extract; add milk to spreading consistency.  Spread over cooled brownies.  Melt chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler or in the microwave.  Carefully brush over frosted brownies.  Refrigerate to harden.

Since many of you have been taking down your Christmas decorations, the most popular question we are hearing is, "What are the hot colors for spring?".  Well, be prepared to introduce more color into your life!  Pantone, the global authority on color, recently revealed Tangerine Tango, a reddigh orange hue, as the color of the year for 2012.

A Preview of the most prominent colors for 2012 reported by Pantone.  "For over 18 years, Pantone, the global authority on color, has surveyed the designers of New York Fashion Week and beyond to bring you the season's most important color trends." - Leatrice Eiseman Pantone Color Institute / Nanette Lepore New York Fashion Week.

These colors are a must for updating your home, wardrobe, mood, and lifestyle. 

Get ready to shine this Spring!!

Are you ready to

Eat Better, Feel Better, & Save Money? 

Join us for Menu Planning 101 on Thursdays. 

Choose which 30 minute session works best for you...

Noon or 5:15pm!

Join us Friday evening after the Thanksgiving Concert for a Community Reception!  Catering provided by Big Sky Bistro!

Looking forward to seeing everyone!

For Immediate Release:

Contact:

Stephanie Reitemeier

Upscale Country

620-423-0450

admin@UpscaleCountryHomeDecor.com

www.UpscaleCountryHomeDecor.com

Consumers Can Show Their Support For Small Business This Holiday Season on “Small Business Saturday”

Parsons, KS, November 15, 2011 - First there was Black Friday, then Cyber Monday.  On November 27th comes Small Business Saturday, a day to support the local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods around the country.  Small Business Saturday is a national movement to drive shoppers to local merchants across the U.S.

Small Businesses are critical to the nation’s overall economy.  According to the US Small Business Administration, there were nearly 28 million small businesses in the United States last year.  Over the past two decades, they created 65 percent of net new jobs.  Their importance to local communities extends even further.  For every $100 spent in locally-owned, independent stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures, according to the small business advocacy group The 3/50 Project.

“We’ve all heard about Black Friday and Cyber Monday.  This year, if you have the opportunity to shop on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, make it a point to visit local small businesses.  It really can make an enormous difference for merchants trying to succeed,” said Stephanie Reitemeier,

Business Manager, Upscale Country.  “When we heard that American Express was giving a $25 statement credit to Cardmembers who register their Card and use it to shop on Small Business Saturday at any locally-owned, independent small business, we knew we had to get the word out.”

“When we invest in small businesses, we are investing in Main Streets - the places that give our towns and cities a unique sense of place,” said Reitemeier.  “By celebrating Small Business

Saturday and shopping at independent businesses, everyone can play a part in strengthening our economy and supporting revitalization on our Main Streets.”

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Don't limit yourself to thinking you can only put ornaments on your Christmas tree!  Take any of your favorite items and wire them into your tree for a creative flair that is all your own!

 Here we used a sign that most people hang on their wall...

Here's a lantern wired in the tree.  We've also used these as tree toppers...

And finally, any of your favorite florals will look great in your tree.  Here we used an artificial succulent...

What's the most creative thing you've put in your Christmas tree?  Send us a picture and enter for a chance to win a $50 Gift Certificate! 

Email your picture to admin@UpscaleCountryHomeDecor.com.

Happy decorating!!

If you haven't made it into the store yet to check out our Winter Wonderland.  Here is a glimpse of what you've been missing.  Hope to see you soon!

Colorful Table Linens

For a more casual Thanksgiving dinner, a colorful runner on a bare wood table sets the scene for the festivities. For more formal occasions, a solid tablecloth in a neutral color, complemented by colorful napkins and placemats, makes an elegant statement. We have the perfect holiday linens for either occasion.

Centerpieces

A centerpiece ties together the various elements of your holiday table and impresses guests. Use your centerpiece as a chance to show off your creativity. Instead of buying one pre-fab, make your own. Set a pumpkin in your favorite basket, set some pinecones in a clear hurricane, or adorn a pillar candle with a natural candle wreath. We have all the home décor accessories you need to create your one-of-a-kind look.

Lighting

Candles set the mood. Candlelight is universally flattering because of its warm, comforting glow. It immediately relaxes guests, allowing for the easy ebb and flow of conversation. The right candleholder can set the tone of your dinner to anything from whimsical to sophisticated. It’s up to you. We have candles and candleholders in every shape and size—from pillars to votives, from tealights to tapers.

Don’t forget—pitchers, platters, bowls, and servers are a chance to make a statement. Good serveware complements your dinnerware and adds warmth and charm to the table. Take a look at the Thanksgiving table put together at the top of the page. There’s a lot of color on the table, but it’s pulled together by the neutral serving pieces.

Join us this Friday and Saturday (Sept 30 & Oct 1)

for our Fall Open House. 

We will have food, fun, and a great fall door prize!

We will also be introducing a new candle line you will want to check out! 

Imagine these scents...

Fall Harvest, Holiday Seduction, and Orange Vanilla!