Boo to You From the CWMP Team!

We hope that you have a Spooktacular Halloween this year!

Our Home of the Majestic Flathead

We are blessed to live our lives, in the gem of the Flathead Valley!  It is such a wonderful place, that someone like Phil Jackson, who has won more championships than any other coach in NBA history, comes to spend his time with his family and find his inner peace. 

What a wonderful compliment that he pays to our home in this article from The Wall Street Journal. 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324577304579059013077824956.html?KEYWORDS=Jackson

 

He says his home on Flathead Lake is his clinic where he comes to in order to get back in tune with his innermost self after a long emotion-filled season and to break away from the frenzied world of professional sports.  His home on Flathead Lake is where he can feel a strong connection to the earth and where all three generations of his family can connect and sing songs around a bon fire under the starlit sky.

The Rich family can’t agree more with Phil, the Zen master, about their home in the majestic Flathead Valley.  Don and Leslie’s family is also spread around the country and all three generations of their family come together and reunite at their Kalispell home for their “Family Soiree” each summer.  Amongst the many blessings that come from their annual gatherings in such a beautiful place is just being together with their three grandsons, siblings, friends and Leslie’s 83 year old father brings sparkle to their eyes and warmth to their hearts!

 

Rough Seas Create Opportunities...

Scholarship donations help students acheive their dreams!

 

 

Cornerstone Wealth Management Partners loves to be a part of events that give back!  Especially events that help the people of the community reach their educational goals.

 

An event that you can always look forward to each year is the Festival of Flavors. This signature event, hosted by FVCC, brings our community together for 10 days to experience exceptional food and wine while celebrating and discovering the heights FVCC has gone to in order to provide affordable education to the community!

 

Don and Leslie have had many experiences during the festivals. They recall the 6^th annual Festival of Flavors as being one of their greatest experiences.  Don and Leslie chose a Sunday dinner at the lovely home of Marylou and Tony Patterson.  The event was presented by Steele Winery and Bill Bishop and featured Chef Andy Blanton and Café Kandahar.  The Rich’s absolutely adore Chef Andy who ran the culinary program at FVCC for several years and they have taken cooking classes from him in the past.  As always the glamorous evening on Big Mountain with wine and food was wonderful!

 

Don and Leslie believe in giving to The Festival of Flavors as this very important event generates over $100,000 to help provide scholarships for FVCC students in need.  Several CWMP team members over the years have been able to experience the blessings that events, such as the Festival of Flavors, can do for a student’s life. We believe in education and we believe in the scholarship program at FVCC.

 

Katie, Cornerstone’s very own FVCC scholar, has experienced first-hand the impact that receiving scholarships can have on a student’s life. In many cases, scholarships can determine for students to even consider attending college. With the assistance of scholarships from various sources, Katie has been able to maintain a full-time class load at the college and manage to afford the many expenses that come along with being heavily involved in school. Without this assistance, Katie doesn’t believe she would be where she is today. She is extremely grateful for all of the scholarships she has received and for the opportunity to continue her education past high school. She is certain, that without a doubt, scholarships have not only changed her life, but the lives of many others students. She hopes that scholarship programs will continue to grow as they truly do aid in achieving the dreams of many students.   

 

LPL Financial is not affiliated with and does not endorse FVCC.

Harvest your Montana Gold!

There are few outdoor adventures that are more satisfying than spending a summer afternoon picking huckleberries from a majestic mountainside…  It has been another amazing above average year for easy huck picking in the Flathead Valley!  This isn’t always the case because the best huckleberries take time to grow and ripen so you must wait for just the precise moment to pluck the culinary jewels from the most luscious bushes of your secret hillside!  The payoff is always worth the time spent picking huckleberries and if you are able to get some home with you before eating them fresh off of the bush they bake into very delectable treats. 

Financial planning with Don Rich is a lot like harvesting “Montana Gold” as many locals call our huckleberries.  To get the most out of your harvest, sew your seeds early, be patient, invest regularly, and pick a good Certified Financial Planner in Kalispell, Montana at Cornerstone Wealth Management Partners PC!

We hope that you enjoy huckleberry treats as much as we do at CWMP so we would like to share some of our favorite epic huckleberry recipes with you.  We would like to invite you to share your family’s favorite huckleberry recipes with us too!  From our family to yours…enjoy!

Huckleberry Cobbler

¼ cup butter

½ cup sugar

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup milk

2 ½ cups huckleberries

¾ cup sugar

½ cup boiling water

1 Tablespoon butter

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  While your oven is preheating, grease the bottom of a 9 inch square pan with butter.  In a large bowl, cream 1/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup sugar.  In a separate small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Add the milk to your mixture and it will be thick and lumpy.  Spread batter into the prepared pan.  In a large bowl, combine berries, 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup boiling water. Pour the berry mixture over the batter in your prepared pan. Dot the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.  Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes.

Huckleberry Sauce

2 cups huckleberries

1/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoons water

Directions

In a saucepan over medium heat, add huckleberries,  sugar and lemon juice.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes.  In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water.  Slowly stir the cornstarch mixture into the huckleberry sauce and heat until thoroughly combined and thickened.  Serve the sauce over ice cream, yogurt or shortcake with a dollop of real whip cream on top. 

Huckleberry Pie

1 cup water

¾ cup sugar

2 Tablespoons white karo syrup

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

3 rounded Tablespoons raspberry or black raspberry jello

3 cups fresh or frozen huckleberries

Baked pie shell

Directions

Bring ¾ of a cup of the water, sugar, and syrup to boil.  Mix the remaining ¼ cup water with the cornstarch in a small bowl.  Add the cornstarch slurry to the syrup mixture slowly while stirring to thicken.  Add the jello and then let cool slightly before mixing the huckleberries.  Pour the huckleberry mixture into the baked pie shell.

 

Huckleberry Delight

Crust

1 ½ cup graham crackers

½ cup powdered sugar

¼ cup butter melted

Cheese Layer

2 eggs

½ cup sugar

8 ounce package cream cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping

4 cups huckleberries

¾ cup sugar

4 Tablespoons cornstarch

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

¼ teaspoon salt

Whipping cream

Directions

Mix the crust ingredients and then press mixture into the bottom of a 9” square pan.  Mix until smooth the soft cream cheese, eggs, ½ cup sugar and vanilla.  Pour the mixture over the crust and bake at 325º for 20 minutes.  Cool to room temperature.  Crush half of the berries and mix with ¾ cup sugar, cornstarch and salt over low heat stirring constantly until thick.  Blend in the remaining huckleberries and lemon juice and then spread over the crust and cheese layer.  Chill thoroughly and serve with whip cream.

 

 

Essential Montana Outdoor Experiences Part 2

 

Tour the Lewis and Clark Caverns…

The Lewis and Clark Caverns is a million-year-old limestone labyrinth and is one of the largest caverns in the United States.  The tour of these wondrous caves, which are lined with stalactites, stalagmites, columns and helictites were created by mineral-laden water dripping and seeping from the tall ceilings.  During the tour that is led by a state park guide you will learn about the caves history, the big-eared bats that make the caves their home, and wonder over the colorful otherworldly formations and shapes.

Visit wild Bison at the National Bison Range Wildlife Refuge…

The NBR which is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is approximately 18,500 acres!  The wildlife refuge is home to between 350 and 500 American bison, over 200 bird species and 50 other mammal species including elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, and black bear.

Adventure into the Bob Marshall and see the Chinese Wall…

 

It takes a lot of hard work to view the Chinese Wall in the heart of "The Bob" as the locals call the Bob Marshall Wilderness but the payoff is huge.  The Chinese Wall is a long limestone escarpment that averages 1,000 feet high from its base and extends for 15 miles along the Continental Divide in the heart of the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

 

Photo Courtesy of Channel Outfitters

 

Fish one or all of Montana’s blue ribbon rivers… 

Photo Courtesy of Channel Outfitters

Fish, Wildlife and Parks categorizes 12 of Montana’s great waters as “blue-ribbon” rivers!  The productive waters are, the Beaverhead, Big Hole, Bighorn, Blackfoot, Flathead (main), Flathead (North Fork), Gallatin, Kootenai, Madison, Missouri, Rock Creek, and the Yellowstone River. 

They say that every angler should experience a guided fishing trip at least once in their lifetime but whether your fishing adventure is with a guide or in your own special fishing hole it is sure to be a legendary Montana experience!

 

View Kootenai Falls from a swinging bridge…

 

Kootenai River enters a canyon, downstream from Libby Montana and flows over Kootenai Falls, one of the largest free-flowing waterfalls in the northwest. The main falls is 30 feet high and can be viewed from a "swinging bridge" that crosses the river.  The falls and surrounding area are considered sacred to the Kootenai Indians whose ancestors inhabited the region.  During the Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps crews did a lot of work in the area constructing roads and bridges, including the first swinging bridge, across the Kootenai River.

 

 

 

Stay tuned for

Essential Montana Outdoor Experiences Part 3...

Essential Montana Outdoor Experiences Part 1

Hike to an Alpine Lake…

Glacier National Park is home to several scenic alpine lake hikes that don’t require any special skills.  Be ready to experience wildlife, impeccable views, wildflowers, and a feeling that you’ve just discovered a secret mountain paradise!

 

 Experience Flathead Lake…

 
      Keep your eyes open for the  Flathead Lake Monster!

Flathead Lake is the jewel in the Crown of the Continent ecosystem and is the largest natural freshwater lake West of the Mississippi River.  The Flathead Lake has a surface area of 192 square miles and has a maximum depth of more than 370 feet. 
 The crystal-clear mountain water is perfect for swimming, boating with great friends, fishing or kayaking.  Consider taking an afternoon drive around the lake to fully experience its majesty but make sure that you stop at one of the five Montana State Parks speckled around the lake for a picnic or camping adventure.
  

                     
                                                                Pick Huckleberries…

 Few outdoor activities are more satisfying than spending a summer afternoon picking “Montana Gold”.  The abundant Montana fruit is delicious freshly picked, made into jam, pie, or one of the many other popular Montana flavored treats such as ice cream and fudge.

Drive up Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park…

People from all over the world come to visit Montana and experience the breathtaking scenery from the Going-to-the-Sun Road!  This engineering marvel climbs over 3,000 feet from West Glacier to St. Mary.  While winding around glacier carved mountain sides you will experience carved-by-hand arches, the weeping wall, colorful wildflowers, fascinating waterfalls, and abundant wildlife, including mountain goats right on the road!

Walk under the Roosevelt Arch at Yellowstone National Park…

 

The Roosevelt Arch is at the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park in Gardiner, Montana.  The five story tall structure was constructed under the supervision of the U.S. Army at Fort Yellowstone.  Its cornerstone was laid down by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903 and there is an inscription at the top of the arch that reads “For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People.”

 

Stay tuned next week for

Essential Montana Outdoor Experiences Part 2...