Table of contents for Nov/Dec 2023 in Empowered

This is a new season for us, and we are so excited to share some news with you. The Empowered Magazine, and our sister magazine, Heart of Hospitality Magazine, are merging into one publication. In this issue, you will see our Heart of Hospitality Magazine and all its beautiful pages and content, and you will get that for each magazine moving forward. You will also get the same great content with The Empowered Magazine as they merge into one amazing women’s lifestyle magazine under the Heart of Hospitality Magazine title. Now, along with all of our topics from finance to agriculture, to legal matters, and everything in between, you will also be receiving all of our hospitality content. We are so excited to merge these two publications, and we know…

Follow me on instagram @les_callaway I can almost hear Andy Williams sing, “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year.” Don’t get me wrong, I love all of the year, but Thanksgiving and Christmas are special. Parties, decorations, special dishes, times with family and friends, movies that are magically predictable, and nights sitting near the fireplace. I just can’t get enough. I am a Christmas girl. The year always moves too slowly to get to this time and passes too quickly. The goal of our Holiday Edition is to help you make this time more than lists and extra obligations, to make it a celebration all the way to the end of the year and beyond. The season begins with the regeneration we can discover through Thanksgiving time. Food that…

Let the Decorating Begin! Elevate Your Tree Décor & More! Have you noticed that Christmas colors seem to have expanded in recent years? Holiday decorations that used to be only red and green with hints of white and gold are now offered in many different color schemes. While perusing the stores, I’ve seen vibrant teals, purples, and pinks, as well as icy pastels, and even a section of neon holiday décor! Even though they aren’t all that traditional, I’ve come to appreciate just how much variety is now available, so no matter your favorite color scheme or your home’s aesthetic, you have a plethora of options. Isn’t that good news? I’ve always loved collecting Christmas trees and ornaments, so a few years ago, I decided to embrace the new trend…

Are you looking to bring in additional income? Once you’ve eliminated unnecessary expenses and established a solid budget, you know the target amount required to meet necessities and the dollars needed to achieve goals. “Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time,” observed Jim Rohn. When seeking to add additional income to your budget, the two most time-efficient ways to increase revenue include: • Working for others • Working for yourself Which is best for you? Both have strong points and weaknesses. When choosing to increase your finances, consider how you work best based on your personality, preferences, and the demands of the current season of your life. For instance, an empty nester may have more time or freedom than someone…

Family Egg rolls 1 lb Ground Pork2 Cups Mini shrimp (finely chopped if large, cooked, frozen, peeled, deveined)2 Cans Water Chestnuts (diced small)1 Chinese Cabbage - also known as Napa Cabbage (shredded)1 Bunch Green Onions (diced)¼ Cup Corn Starch3 Tbsp Soy Sauce3 Tbsp Sesame Oil1 Egg beatenWanton WrapsCrisco Oil (other ingredients to add if you like, shredded carrots, purple cabbage, black fungus, oyster sauce, honey, garlic - all ingredients must be minced/diced small - add slowly to taste) Place sesame oil in your wok and heat on medium. Add shredded cabbage, water chestnuts, and frozen shrimp. Cook through until shrimp are done, about 10 minutes. Remove mixture and set aside. In the same wok, place ground pork and cook through. Drain any liquid cooked out of pork. Add the veggie…

STRESS FREE HOLIDAY GUEST CHECK LIST! If you’re looking for a quick cleanup list for unexpected house guests, this is the list for you! Living Room and Dining Room • Declutter• Dust furniture• Vacuum/sweep• Light Christmas tree• Light candles KITCHEN • Quickly declutter all counters• Spray and wipe down cabinets, stove/microwave,• Damp mop floors BATHROOM • Spray down sinks, counter, toilet and tub• Clean mirrors - go back and wipe down everything you sprayed• Spot clean floor• Put out clean towels GUEST ROOM • Declutter room• Vacuum and do a quick dusting• Change bed sheets and pillowcases• Add a basket, or tray, with snacks and water Bottles Remember guest towels…

Supplies • Craft Paper• Christmas berries• Green leaves• Tartin plaid ribbon• Linen ribbon• Scissors• Tape It’s in the details! To create this unique bow, you need to tear craft paper into strips, and then tape each strip into a circle. Gather three circles together and cinch in the middle to create a bow. Secure with ribbon. Next, create a fabric ribbon bow, then connect paper bow with fabric bow. Now add leaves and berries this makes a beautiful topper to any package. After your package is wrapped and ready to go add a coordinated gift tag as the finishing touch!…

Despite the chaos swirling around me, I stared attentively down at my feet, wishing I was wearing practical, waterproof, closed-toed shoes instead of the carefully chosen gold-beaded sandals that matched my outfit. Walking slowly, I guarded every footstep carefully to avoid stepping in anything messy, dirty, wet, or untoward. Ambling through the narrow pathways of a slum community in one of India’s largest urban areas was challenging. On that day, however, I had a unique destination for which I was mainly glad to risk the well-being of my footwear. I hobbled over an uneven pathway scattered with trash, rocks, old rags, plastic shopping bags, and puddles filled with things other than water, trying not to focus on the unfamiliar and unpleasant smells, which were overwhelming. I did my best to…

Fall is my absolute favorite season. I know I say Christmas is my favorite time of year, and that is true, but my favorite season is fall. I just love the smell of a wood-burning fireplace, the gorgeous color of the leaves changing (even though it’s not quite so prevalent in Los Angeles), and the beautiful decorations of amber gold, orange, red, and many more. It’s also the harvest season and I had a huge harvest this year of butternut squash, figs, and pomegranates. Since my birthday is close to the beginning of the season, I decided this year for my birthday we would have a fall harvest party celebration. It wasn’t a “milestone” birthday for me, although my friend Yvette says every year is a milestone if we are…

As many of you longtime Heart of Hospitality readers know… I am not a Christmas girly. I Can appreciate the lights, trees, the gifts, and watching my 5 yr old get so excited about Santa coming. However, as a “non-traditionalist” of the Christmas season, it normally seems like more work than it’s worth. I spent many years of my life as a worship pastor planning and presenting Christmas concerts with the big theatrics and lights, honoring our Lord and Savior and those memories are always sweet to me. Watching my daughter run in yelling, “Santa ate the Christmas cookies I left him!” on Christmas morning…Those things I can appreciate even as a person who doesn’t “love” Christmas. This year is a little different for me. Most of y’all could gather…

As the merry-making season gusts onto the threshold, a drift of invitations pile at our doorsteps. Events and parties vie for positions on the calendar. We scrutinize the scarce hours to divvy up among friends, career contacts, and family, but some hosts have planned festivities at the same time. How dare they? We can’t attend all the gatherings, so we must make difficult choices. Sorting through the onslaught of emails, text messages, and traditional cards takes time. Though each one requests a reply, guests often neglect to RSVP for the sake of convenience. The holiday hustle makes it all too easy to forget how our lack of response might affect the host. Seasonal rush isn’t the only challenge in the RSVP issue. Even if we had ample time, many of…

My husband, Ray, played a massive role in our big family, so when the church ordained him to be an elder, I needed to keep the kids busy in his absence. By then, Ray and I had visited England and learned to make tea like the Brits, which tasted wonderful. I decided to capitalize on our newest obsession with tea. Every time he had a meeting, we would plan a fancy tea party. The girls would cook special desserts, and everyone spoke with a British accent. They enjoyed our time so much that they shoved my husband out the door so we could get started. Eventually, he wanted to join in the fun, so the tea party turned into a family tradition. Church people often wanted to talk to Ray,…