Ernst & Haas Management Blog

Join Ernst & Haas tomorrow at Granada Beach in Long Beach from 9-11 a.m. for a city-wide Earth Day Beach Clean-Up!

We’ll be wearing red…and rubber gloves

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Cal Heights United Methodist Church is hosting an Easter Eggstravaganza tomorrow, April 23, from 10 a.m. to noon.

Children through fifth grade will have the opportunity to participate in an Easter egg hunt, crafts, games, and face painting. The Easter Bunny will also be stopping by to join in on the festivities!

Cal Height Church is located at 3759 Orange Ave. in Long Beach. For more information, call (562) 595-1996.

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Here at Ernst & Haas, we love the holidays. Each one symbolizes something different to each of us, but the one thing we all have in common in how we celebrate is that we celebrate with good company and excellent food. Easter is no different and comparisons of Easter plans have already started being discussed throughout our office.

Here are some traditional Easter dishes (with a twist) we all hope to enjoy over the weekend:

Mother-In-Law Deviled Eggs

Ingredients

6 eggs

2 Tbs. mayonnaise

1 Tbs. spicy brown mustard

1 tsp. hot mustard

1 tsp. white sugar

salt and pepper to taste

paprika for garnish (optional)

6 pimiento-stuffed green olives, cut in half

Directions

1. Boil eggs; peel once cold. Halve the eggs lengthwise and scoop the yolks into a bowl. Mash the yolks with a fork.

2. Stir mayonnaise, spicy brown mustard, hot mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper into the yolks until well combined. Spoon into quart-size, resealable plastic bag. Snip a corner off the plastic bag.

3. Squeeze the yolk mixture into the egg halves, sprinkle each stuffed egg with paprika, and top with an olive half.

Apricot Brown Sugar Ham

Ingredients

1 (10 lb.) fully-cooked spiral cut ham

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup apricot jam

1 tsp. dry mustard powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

2. Place the ham cut side down onto a sheet of aluminum foil (shiny side up). Mix together the brown sugar, apricot jam, and mustard powder in a small bowl. Brush onto the ham using a pastry or barbecue brush. Reserve any leftover glaze. Enclose the foil around the ham and place on rimmed baking sheet.

3. Roast for 2 hours in the preheated oven, or if your ham is a different size, figure 14 minutes per pound. Apply the remaining glaze 20 minutes before the ham is done.

Three Cheese Garlic Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced

2 Tbs. butter, divided

1 pint heavy cream

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

4 slices provolone cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 1 1/2 quart or larger casserole dish with butter and nonstick spray.

2. Layer half of the potato slices in the bottom of the casserole dish. Dot with half of the butter cut or pinched into small pieces. Arrange half of the garlic slices over the potatoes, then pour half of the heavy cream over. Sprinkle one cup of Cheddar cheese over the layer, and season with salt and pepper. Repeat layering of potatoes, garlic, cream and cheddar cheese, then top with the slices of provolone cheese. Season again with salt and pepper.

3. Bake for 1/2 hour in the preheated oven, then sprinkle the Parmesan or Romano cheese over the top. This will create a semi-hard cheese crust. Continue baking uncovered for another 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender when tested with a fork.

Grandma’s Green Bean Casserole

Ingedients

2 Tbs. butter

2 Tbs. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. white sugar

1/4 cup onion, diced

1 cup sour cream

3 (14.5 oz.) cans French style green beans, drained

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup crumbled buttery round crackers

1 Tbs. butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Melt 2 Tbs. butter in large skillet over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in salt, sugar, onion, and sour cream. Add green beans, and stir to coat.

3. Transfer the mixture to a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Spread shredded cheese over the top. In a small bowl, toss together cracker crumbs and remaining butter, and sprinkle over the cheese.

4. Bake for 30 minutes in preheated oven, or until the top is golden and cheese is bubbly.

Mushroom Rice Pilaf

Ingredients

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

2 Tbs. chopped onion

2 tsp. butter

1 (8 oz.) can mushroom stems and pieces, drained

2/3 cup water

1/3 cup uncooked long grain rice

1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules

1 tsp. dried parsley flakes

1/8 tsp. salt

dash of pepper

Directions

1. In a saucepan, saute green pepper and onion in butter until tender. Add mushrooms; heat through. Stir in water, rice, bouillon, parsley, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 14-16 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Sam’s Famous Carrot Cake

Ingredients

3 eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 cups shredded carrots

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple with juice

1 cup raisins

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 8×12-in. pan.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour mixture and mix well.

4. In a medium bowl, combine shredded carrots, coconut, walnuts, pineapple and raisins.

5. Using a large wooden spoon or a very heavy whisk, add carrot mixture to batter and fold in well.

6. Pour into prepared 8×12-in. pan, and bake for 1 hour. Check with toothpick.

7. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

*Cream Cheese Frosting: Combine 16 oz. cream cheese, 1 stick butter, 1 tsp. each almond and vanilla extract, and 32 oz. powdered sugar sifted.

We hope your Easter is as yummy as ours and we wish you and your family a happy holiday!

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In celebration of Earth Day, Peet’s Coffee & Tea is giving away a FREE medium beverage with the purchase of any full-priced mug or tumbler.

Purchases must be made today and in stores only, and the FREE beverage will be provided at the time of purchase.

Peet’s every day earth-friendly offers include 10 cents off when you use your own cup, 25 cents off when you reuse your coffee bag, and free coffee grounds for your compost or garden.

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In honor of Earth Day, Starbucks will be pouring FREE coffee and tea this Friday, April 22 to customers that bring their own reusable mug or tumbler.

The event will take place all day at all Starbucks locations.

Be sure to check out the video on their Web site promoting earth-friendly coffee-drinking!

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If you’re one of those people that waits to the very last minute to do your taxes – and you have yet to do them still – don’t fret because Tax Day this year has been extended to April 18.

Normally, Tax Day is on April 15 – unless it falls on a weekend or federal holiday. But that’s not the case for this year. This year’s Tax Day was moved to April 18 because today commemorates Emancipation Day, the anniversary of the day Abraham Lincoln signed the Compensated Emancipation Act. The Act freed more than 3,100 slaves in the District of Columbia, making D.C. residents to be the first freed by the federal government. Emancipation Day was made an official public holiday in 2005 and although normally celebrated on April 16, is being celebrated today since the 16th fell on a Saturday.

See, this year’s Tax Day isn’t all that bad…at least there’s some fun facts about it – and a few extra days!

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Most of us here at Ernst & Haas were fortunate enough to grow up receiving baskets filled with chocolate bunnies, decorated eggs, and little trinkets for Easter.  But with the economic conditions being what they are, many kids are having to miss out on the simple joys that come with receiving a basket full of goodies this Easter season.

So we decided to team up with the Long Beach Rescue Mission to donate a few baskets. Whether it was candy, toys, books, school supplies, or stuffed animals, we all brought in donations to make our baskets overflowing with goodness.

While we’re grateful to be able to provide for our own families, we’re also excited to help provide for others. We encourage you to do the same!

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October may seem like ages away, but it’s only a stone’s throw away in the running world. On October 8 of this year, the 2011 Long Beach International City Bank Marathon & Half Marathon will take place throughout 26.2 miles of Long Beach.

Some of us here at Ernst & Haas have been throwing around the idea of getting a team together to tackle the marathon together, and while some of us would rather drive than run, the idea of exercising on a daily basis and accomplishing such an event is almost too good to pass up.

But if you’re anything like the majority of us, you have no idea where to start. How do you train? What type of clothing and shoes do you wear? What does your diet entail? These are all very important questions that need to be answered months before the marathon, as running 26 miles takes a lot of preparation – both mentally and physically.

With that being said, it was almost as if Competitor, a magazine dedicated to runners, read our minds and came out with their April issue. The issue details how to master your first marathon in 20 weeks – outlining a marathon training plan, spotlighting the best footwear to sport, and featuring the foods that will provide the vitamins and energy needed prior to and day of the race.

Now that we’ve got the information, we need the motivation and determination! Will you join us in our running endeavors? We sure hope so!

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It’s been three weeks since Japan’s devastating earthquake and tsunami occurred. And in the wake of such disaster, one can’t help but wonder how prepared we are if such events were to happen to Southern California.

Although it’s agreed that there’s only so much you can prepare for, it’s important to know how to react in emergencies and what might be needed. Below are some suggestions everyone can use to prepare their family and their home in the event of a natural disaster:

When preparing your family and home for a natural disaster, it’s important to recognize danger spots, become familiar with safe zones, and create an evacuation plan. Danger spots are areas that may contain windows, mirrors, hanging objects, fireplaces, and tall furniture. Safety zones can be located in different rooms and are typically found under sturdy tables, desks, or against inside walls.

Creating an evacuation plan will help guide your family to know where to safely leave a building and where to meet if separated. It’s also important for one person to be in charge of shutting off valves for water, gas and electricity. Although only one person is given this responsibility, everyone should know where the valves are located and how to operate them in the event the appointed person cannot turn them off.

Keep in mind that there may be special provisions needed during an emergency. The elderly, disabled, and those under medication may have difficulty evacuating and may need additional assistance. Be sure to have special foods or medications readily available if needed as well.

Below are some basic items that should be included in a disaster kit:

○ Antibiotic ointment

○ Pain relief medication

○ Eye drops

○ Cold/cough medicine

○ Antihistamines

○ Ear and nose drops

○ Hydrogen peroxide

○ Skin disinfectant spray

○ Band-Aids, large and small

○ Medical latex gloves

○ Instant cold and heat packs

○ Ace bandages

○ Butterfly bandages

○ Gauze pads

○ Cotton swabs

○ Adhesive tape

○ Sterile bandage rolls

○ Toilet paper

○ Handi-wipes

○ Toiletries

○ Tent, tarps, and blankets

○ Local road map

○ Fire extinguisher

○ Flashlights with extra batteries

○ Matches

○ Small radio with extra batteries

○ Water and dry food (when you rotate your clocks, you rotate your supplies)

○ Cash money

 

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