Easy Gourmet Breakfast At Home

One recent Saturday morning, my thoughts drifted to how my mother made every birthday special just for me. See I was born just four days before Christmas, so nobody was thinking about a birthday; it was the holidays that had the attention of everybody. My mother, however, had me in her mind; making sure my day was warm with memories during that hectic season. I decided I would write about what she did to achieve that.

However, before tackling a task that I knew would make me ravenous, I had to eat something first. I wanted breakfast; fast and light because I was going to the Clarendon, Virginia, Festival later with my daughter and some of her friends. I did not want to take time for an omelet or a favorite scrambled eggs dish with ham, mushrooms, onions and green peppers. Yes, that is right; scrambled eggs, not an omelet.

I went to the fridge and pulled out a couple of mini bagels, some peach preserves and some light cream cheese, because my thought was to have something sweet. However, my eye caught sight of the shallot, juicy fat plum tomato and avocado I had on the counter in a Guacamole Kit I had bought the day before. I knew the taste I wanted. It was not something sweet I wanted.

I put the peach preserves to the side and toasted the whole-wheat mini bagels. They get such a nice golden color with a nice crunch on the outside and the right amount of softness on the inside. I spread cream cheese on each half for an open-faced sandwich. Next, I pulled out some smoked salmon pieces. I used Hardwood Cold-Smoked Nova salmon pieces from Trader Joe’s; great for the budget.

I cut four slices from one plum tomato and some really thin, almost transparent, slices of the shallot. Out of habit, I looked in the refrigerator, checking on what else I could add and spied the half of an avocado I had wrapped tightly in plastic wrap from lunch the day before. It had not turned brown, I was happy to see.

To assemble everything, I placed the tiny slices of onion directly onto the cream cheese, added some pieces of the smoked salmon and a tomato slice. Then I topped each half with a couple of slices of the avocado. Wow! What an easy, fast, healthy gourmet breakfast. No drive through fast food restaurant chain or expensive deli, cafe or bistro to deal with. Everything came right from the comfort of my own kitchen.

Ummm! Delicious! By the time I got to my computer, I had eaten half of one of the bagels. Actually, I ate it before I moved away from the counter. What a quick wholesome meal; in just a few minutes, too! I washed it down with some delicious ginger peach green tea. Now, I could write my article about my favorite chocolate cake without passing out from hunger. Better than any restaurant recipe!

Do yourself a real favor. Have a fast, healthy and easy delicious gourmet breakfast right from the comfort of home. No drive through chain restaurant or expensive breakfast deli involved. Great on your budget. Smoked salmon, plum tomatoes, shallots or onions, mini bagels. Yummy! No cooking! You can do it yoursel

Why would go out when you can cook at home? Get your favorite secret restaurant recipes from America’s top restaurants. and learn how to cook them with easy step-by-step instructions in your own kitchen. Learn the Jealously Guarded Secrets Behind Actual Dishes From Billion Dollar Restaurants like Olive Garden, Cheesecake Factory and Benihana.

Women: A Resilient Force In Society

Women create value. Despite the many roadblocks we have to building our businesses or careers and being recognized for our abilities and capabilities, we still succeed. Years ago I worked for a government agency that was being abolished. It took several months to shut down all operations. Meanwhile we had resources to help us find jobs.

I was struck by the fact that, as job-hunting progressed, a strange phenomenon surfaced. Some found jobs right away while others took several months. Many had not found jobs by the time the agency closed.

I noticed that the men who did not find jobs right away had great difficulty and got depressed after a few weeks. There were fewer crude jokes than before. (A good thing.) They complained: they had mortgages, credit cards and other expenses. They had been with the agency for years. They didn’t know what they would do. There would only be one paycheck coming into the home. Many lost hope. They felt victimized and let everyone know how unfair life was. It made the situation worse.

The women, in contrast, had a different reaction. They, too, were devastated with the prospect of having to look for yet another job, go through interviews and get rejections. Nevertheless, they continued to do their jobs, go to trainings, send out resumes and continue their searches. After work, they went home, took care of the family, cooked dinner and helped with homework and baths.

They were under the same stress as the men. Sometimes worse. Many were single parents who took care of all the bills, got children to school or doctor’s appointments, shopped for groceries, and did laundry with no help. They had much lower salaries and less prestige on the job. Yet, their spirit and outlook were different.

Why, I wondered? In some cases, the situations were dire. I surmised that the women were accustomed to having to scramble to find or keep jobs. Whether in administration or support, some had to scrimp to make ends meet. They could not afford depression or complain for long, because no one would take care of them. So they got busy and did what they had to do for themselves and families.

Women have always been resilient. We have the spirit that, even when we get knocked down 10 times, we get up 11. It is true that most did not play football growing up, however, we learned to take the hits and keep moving forward. It is the same whether we are stay at home moms, entrepreneurs, in professions and careers, or in jobs our society depends on to advance. We keep moving forward. We continue to rise to the challenge and come out victorious.

Angela Baden is a former practicing attorney, teacher and personal chef, turned internet marketer. She enjoys her beautiful family: two fabulous adult children and a soon-to be 14-year old granddaughter. Angela lives in the nation’s capitol surrounded by beautiful cherry blossom trees and some lovely lesser-known venues. She is a home-based business owner and founder of DivaBiz Enterprises and Millionaire Health Secrets.

She is an Independent Representative of The Prosperity Cast Network and a student of Val Smyth and the Master Key System. As a WF/AHGM, (Work From/At Home Grand Mom) she loves the Internet Marketing/Networking Marketing Industry. She shares her knowledge to help others succeed in life and in business from home. For more information contact 206-350-2120 or http://www.divabizinc.com

I Love Cooking at My Home-Based Business

I am always grateful for the opportunity to be an entrepreneur, working from home. There are the standard reasons; no boss, time freedom, setting my own schedule and so on. Today, I thought about another one.

I get to indulge in two of my favorite passions. Cooking and eating! Working from home allows me to do that. Let me explain: I just fixed myself a delicious lunch. It was one of my specials. This, for me, is an added benefit from working at home. I love cooking and do lots of cooking for one. Did I mention that I love food?

People often ask me to bring one of my creations to potlucks or other gatherings. I realize I never write anything down; I just throw things in the dish, or the pan. So, for the most part, when they ask for a recipe, I have no measurements. This time, after the sandwich turned out so well, I decided to think about the ingredients I used and exactly how much. Well, it did not quite work, as you will see, because I do not know how much a handful of grated cheese is. Perhaps an ounce or two.

When I was a kid, my mother always made her own tartar sauce for fish. I have adapted her recipe to fit my taste. She never used dill relish. (We always had dill pickles, though.) This was sooo yummy:

Chicken Cheese Sandwich with Spicy Sauce by Diva Chef Angie

2 slices light-style oatmeal or whole wheat bread
2 small onions or 1 medium, thinly sliced
Large handful reduced fat shredded cheese (recommended 4 Cheese Mexican)
2-4 slices rotisserie chicken
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Dried Oregano or Italian seasoning
Garlic salt
Freshly ground pepper
Diva Chef’s Spicy Sauce (Recipe below)

Toast the bread. Heat oil in a small heavy skillet (I have a small cast-iron) on low to medium heat. Add onions and cook slowly until soft and caramelized, but not brown, about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally with wooden spoon.

Add chicken to onions, rough chop chicken and mix well (About 30 seconds). Sprinkle with oregano or Italian seasoning, garlic salt and pepper to taste.

Add shredded cheese. Cut off heat and cover with heavy top for about a minute until cheese is melted. Pile mixture on toasted bread slathered with tartar sauce. Cut in half. Enjoy with low-salt potato chips for an added treat.

*Diva Chef’s Spicy Sauce*

1 cup light mayonnaise
¼ cup light or non-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons dill relish
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
Mix well

*My granddaughter and her friends love this sauce with my fried catfish nuggets. It is great also on deli sandwiches and in potato or chicken salad.

Enjoy!

Angela Baden
http://www.myspace.com/divabizinc
206-350-2120

16 Steps to Becoming A Success in Your Home-Based Business: A Success Guide for Women Entrepreneurs

Business women are a different breed. We are insightful, ambitious and compassionate in our dealings. That is a fact of life. How do we capitalize on that fact to build a successful business?

Business is about taking action and being in control of your own destiny. One thing I know about women is that we know how to take action. All too often, however, we take action for the sake of others at the expense of our own progress. Here are 16 steps to empower you to take action for yourself and build the prosperity you deserve.

1. Be passionate and love what you do.

2. Do whatever you must to eliminate the negative self-talk. Chant, pray, pretend, affirm, do whatever is necessary, and then get rid of it.

3. Have a persistent desire to have a successful business.

4. Look at yourself as the strong, capable, compassionate woman you are.

5. Stop comparing yourself to others. Your success may depend on it.

6. Be strong in your belief in your own uniqueness.

7. Do not look at where you are right now to define yourself or your business.

8. Have a HUGE dream and visualize it as if it is yours already.

9. Find a support system where you can all be mutually empowered.

10. Know your business, in and out.

11. Keep up with trends in your industry.

12. Recognize and realize that you deserve prosperity.

13. Show confidence! Fear is usually a result of a lack of confidence. If you find you do not have it yet, behave and speak as if you already do and you will develop that quality.

14. Be the professional entrepreneur people want to do business with!

15. Make sure to follow-up with your customers/

16. IMPORTANT! Realize that it is permissible for you to refuse a request to do something you do not want to do.

Cheers to your success!
Angela Baden
http://www.myspace.com/divabizinc
206-350-2120

Notes From A Personal Chef

If you like shopping in grocery stores and kitchen section of department or specialty stores, love the look and taste of food and enjoy cooking for yourself and others, you may like the idea of being a personal chef. My journey to being a personal chef took some twists and turns, however, I have always liked food and cooking.

Shopping for clothes and shoes has always been an unwelcome chore for me. Mind you, I enjoy looking good and wearing great clothes. Even today, although I love clothes, especially designer and new fashions, I have to psych myself up to go buy clothes or shoes.

But get me in a grocery store and I am in the world of rapture. And, I don’t just visit one store. Oh no, I can enjoy going to several stores to find just the right ingredient or the best looking product. My plan for the day may include a deliberate trip to as many as 4 or 5 food shopping sites. I look at everything.

I may get my certain veggies in one of the local chain stores. And drive a half an hour to get fresh tomatoes from my favorite stand. Then, a trip to my favorite Korean market where the fishmonger fillets my bluefish and cuts it in into small sizes for me to put in my freezer. Then somewhere else for poultry or lamb. And, onto another place for some exotic spices. Then, perhaps a short visit to Sur La Table or Williams-Sonoma to see what’s new in cookware or just to browse.

So, being the entrepreneur that I am, when it came time for me to find another business after having become burned out from many years of practicing law, I looked at the idea of becoming a personal chef. I liked my own food and am a pretty good cook, so it seemed a natural course to take.

The thought of doing something I really loved and getting paid for it really appealed to me. I joined a personal chef association and started making preparations to start my new business. I had done some catering previously and had my own cake baking business so getting back into the industry excited me. I did lots of research regarding funding, certification and starting a small home-based business. I would be cooking in the kitchens of my clients. A commercial kitchen would have to come later.

I took a semi-professional course at a well-known culinary school for six months, although it wasn’t required to become a personal chef. I wanted to do it for me; to learn some fundamental culinary skills and techniques. That was quite an experience.

I took the food service course, got certified in food preparation and set up my business entity. I planned recipes, purchased cookbooks, cookware, utensils, carrying carts, chef coats and other gear for my new business. I talked with other personal chefs, planned my advertising, developed my menus, reviewed my budget, set my fees and prepared questionnaires for my future clients.

Then I started getting calls and I was off to the races. I always enjoyed my time working with clients, getting to know their likes and dislikes so I could give them what would make them happy. I visited their homes, surveyed their kitchens, reviewed their questionnaires, made a schedule and planned their menus with them.

At home, I made out the shopping lists and customized the menus. On the day before or the morning of the appointment, I went shopping for the groceries. Then to the client’s home to prepare meals for two or more people for a week or two, place them in the refrigerator or freezer, leave general instructions for reheating later in the week, clean up, pack up and depart.

Later, at home, I would savor the compliments from happy, satisfied clients. Then do my accounting, check my staples and make my lists. Then to the next client.

Eventually, I went back and practiced law for awhile, however I knew I could not have the prosperity I wanted through either of those avenues. I stumbled onto MLM, network marketing and internet marketing where I find even greater rewards.

Angela Baden

DivaBiz at the Prosperity Cast Network

http://www.myspace.com/divabizinc

206-350-2120

Seven Steps To Finding The Right Business Mentor For The 21st Century

Technology moves so fast today that it’s easy to get bogged down in the chaos of everything that’s going on. The road to business success is almost always littered with obstacles. Some of them are internal hindrances, like self-doubt; sometimes they come from outside of you. In my experience, finding the right mentor is essential to overcoming these obstacles.

Even if you are already a successful entrepreneur, the right mentor can benefit your business. In the “The E-Myth,” (E for entrepreneurial) Michael E. Gerber says that the people who succeed in business don’t do so because of what they know, but because of their need to know more. The most successful people are those who are determined to get it right, no matter what it costs.

He goes on to say that the reason many small businesses fail is not because the owners don’t know enough, (“They don’t,” he says) but because “they think they know enough.” He also says that because they think that, they “spend their time defending what they know, rather than discovering what they don’t.”

Knowing what to say and how to say it while respecting another person’s needs and desires is essential in this industry. Knowing the appropriate technology to use in whatever your business is extremely important. Keeping your mind open to learning how new methods and up-to-date strategies is important today. The right mentor can lead you to the solutions you need. And, it must be one that can prepare you for your journey to business success in the 21^st century. Here are seven steps for seeking the mentor that is right for you.

Step One: Remember that the student chooses the mentor.

Even though in today’s marketing industries, the teacher or the mentor may search for clients, it is the protégé or student who ultimately decides who her or his mentor will be. It is not the other way around.

Step Two: What characteristics are important to you?

After several years of being in this industry and choosing many mentors, I realized that I couldn’t work with a mentor that was not in synch with my principles and values. Think about your own values and principles. Choose a mentor whose values match yours and whose teaching you are willing to follow.

Step Three: A mentor is a role model to emulate, not someone to worship.

The mentor should be one that you are proud to say that “this person is my mentor.” He or she has high standards and is respected for his or her integrity and honesty. If this is someone to you need to worship, you can’t get the real attention you need. You and your mentor should be able to look at each other as partners in this relationship.

Four: Choose a mentor who has “been there, done that.”

In other words, choose a mentor who has the experience and background in your industry. This person has been through the pitfalls and overcome many obstacles and can guide you through them so you don’t have to continue to make the same mistakes. This person may not have written books or sold DVDs and tapes, and may not be a motivational speaker. Yet they have specialized knowledge of how to make your business grow, because they have been in the trenches. The important thing is that he or she has become successful using the same methods being taught.

Five: Your mentor should motivate you to reach your highest potential.

Your mentor should have your interests at heart and be willing to counsel you in such as way that you feel inspired and encouraged to advance. The mentor should also help you develop your leadership capabilities, with a view toward helping someone else in the future.

Six: A mentor should give you the real truth about building your business.

Your mentor must be willing to share the real truth about how he or she built their business. They should not be hesitant how about teaching you how to have a massively profitable business. There should be no sugar coating or attempts to deceive you about what it really takes.

Step Seven: The mentor should be a person you can trust so you can be open about any questions or concerns you may have.

The mentor should be accessible to answer your questions and assist when you need help or make mistakes. He or she should help you develop your business skills set. They should be open to learning from you and listening to your ideas without feeling he or she has the only correct ideas. They should always be continuing to learn themselves.

In conclusion your mentor should have a positive effect on you. You should not come away from your interactions feeling disappointed or defeated. You should feel hope that your business can thrive. The mentor who can not help you build your business immediately is not worth your time or your money.

Cheers to your success

Angela Baden
AngelaBaden.com

206-350-2120

A Lesson In Prosperity For Marketing Professionals

A Lesson from The Little Parrot

I first heard the story of the Little Parrot a few years ago. It comes out of Buddhist tradition and is a striking example of the power of determination and the power of the mind to move the universe. As a marketing professional you can harness this same power to build your business and enjoy prosperity. Here it is:

A small and beautiful parrot lived in a great forest with many animals. One day the forest caught fire and went out of control and threatening to engulf the entire forest. The little parrot circled helplessly above the fire until she remembered the river not so far away.

She flew to the river and dipped her wings into it. And then she flew to the forest and shook little drops of water on the flames. They sizzled away to nothing. She flew back to the river and returned again and again and again and again. Just the little drops of water that she could shake from her wings fell and disappeared in the flames. The great deities saw her from above and laughed at the absurdity of what she was doing.

But one of the gods, moved by the compassion and dedication of this little bird, changed himself into a golden eagle and began to weep. And while the little bird alone could not put out the fire, the tears of the eagle fell like a torrent of rain saving the forest, the animals and the little parrot herself.

This is a cute little story for children, however, it illustrates a lesson for those of us who are marketing professionals. Whether it is internet marketing, MLM, real estate, insurance, mortgage, or a business you’re operating from home, this lesson could ultimately influence your financial prosperity.

Let us say, for example, that things are not going as well as you hoped. You have made so many efforts. You have spent money on advertising and products. You have called friends and family and people you do not know to join your enterprise. You have harassed co-workers to buy your products. You have bought leads that have only led to a few sales. You have had rejection after rejection.

You listened to your upline, your trainers, and the so-called gurus. You have gone to many conventions. and watched them parade across the stage. You have attended seminars and workshops. You have invested lots of money in books, DVDs, tapes, e-books, all kinds of tools. And you have got little or nothing to show for it.

You have all but given up. By now your family and friends doubt you. They say you can not make any money. You are silly to to do this. It takes too much time. Too much effort. You start to agree with them. It is impossible! You can not do it!!

What happened? You had such a dream. You were determined to make it, no matter what. However, the fire got too hot. The flames are scorching your wings. The smoke is too thick. You are not able to even see the people who could be helped by your business. It is so much easier to fly away to safety. You think the universe is telling you it can not be done. Look, everyone is laughing at you.

Okay, Little Parrot, you have two choices. Which one will you make? Will you give up and run to safety, never knowing whether you could make it? Or, will you keep going, learning, seeking until you find the power within yourself to find the right person or the right direction you need to help you make your dream come true?

I work with people everyday who want to quit after one or two or three rejections, so I relay my own story of taking the bar examination ten times before I passed and became a lawyer. What if I had quit because my circumstances stopped me? I would never have known the thrill of victory. When I left the practice of law, it was on my own terms, not because I allowed myself to be defeated by circumstances.

You are an entrepreneur. If something is important to you, do not give up, no matter what the odds of success. You do not know what the outcome might be, or who might be inspired by your action. Do not make excuses. Persevere!!!

Cheers to your success

Angela Baden
http://www.AngelaBaden.com

Hello world!

Welcome to my weblog.

Angela Baden

DivaBiz at
the Prosperity Cast Network