Beth Rauch

Savvy Social Security Planning Worried about whether or not there will be Social Security benefits for you when you retire? Instead of worrying about whether or not your benefits will be enough to last your retirement, start planning for it now. Your financial decisions today will impact your benefits when you are ready to collect them. Join Drew Waterbury for the Savvy Social Security Planning class to learn more about how to maximize your future benefits so that you can retire comfortably and enjoy it. Register: Savvy Social Security Planning Date: November 28th, 7:00pm to 8:30pm Location: CLC, Room 2, 6135 Park South Drive, Suite 510, Charlotte, NC 28210 ~~~ Gifts from the Kitchen There is nothing like giving a homemade holiday gift…except maybe receiving it. Instead of buying your friends and family a gift that may collect dust in the back of a cabinet, consider making your gifts. It will be a gift from the heart and everyone in the family will love it. Join Andria Gaskins for the Gifts from the Kitchen class and learn how to make Coconut Petite Cakes, Macaroon Sandwich Cookies and more…all items that can be given as a gift this holiday season. Register: Gifts from the Kitchen Date: November 29th, 6:30pm to 8:30pm Location: Ferguson – Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery, 2000 South Boulevard #510, Charlotte, NC ~~~ Advanced Technology Concepts Windows 8: is it a PC, a tablet, or a smart phone? The answer is “all of these”. See a live demo along with the latest Apple products so that you understand what this new tech is all about. Join Mike Grabowski for the Advanced Technology Concepts class to learn what the current trends in technology are all about and how you can use it to enhance your life. Register: Advanced Technology Concepts Date: November 20th, 6:00pm to 9:00pm Location: CLC, Room 1, 6135 Park South Drive, Suite 510, Charlotte, NC 28210 ~~~ Elemental Healing Charlotte Open House Interested in learning alternative healing techniques? Trying to find a way to stay de-stressed during the holiday season? Attend Elemental Healing Charlotte's Open House and enjoy a wide range of classes, demonstrations and more to feel rejuvenated. For more information on the open house, visit http://www.elementalhealingcharlotte.com/. Register: None required Date: November 18th, 1:00pm to 8:00pm Location: 5200 Park Road, Charlotte, NC 28203 ~~~ Thanksgiving Recipe: Harvest Mashed Potatoes Yield: 8 servings Ingredients  4 large red potatoes (2 pounds)  2 medium-size sweet potatoes (1 1/2 pounds)  1/4 cup butter or margarine  1/2 cup milk  1/4 cup sour cream  1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese  1 tablespoon prepared horseradish  1/4 teaspoon salt  1/4 teaspoon pepper  1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon  1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg  Butter or margarine (optional) Preparation Peel potatoes, and cut into 1-inch pieces. Cook in a Dutch oven in boiling salted water to cover 15 to 20 minutes or until tender; drain and place in a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup butter and next 8 ingredients; mash with a potato masher until smooth. Top with additional butter, if desired. Article found at http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/harvest-mashed-potatoes-/