Summer 2023 Bainbridge Living Magazine

Local Financial Services

Did you know that where you bank can make a huge difference in your community? Choosing a local bank not only supports your local economy, but it also helps to strengthen your community. First Port City Bank reinvests in the community by providing loans to small businesses and supporting local initiatives. By banking locally, you contribute to the growth and development of our neighborhoods. At First Port City Bank, you’re not just a number. You’ll receive personalized attention and support from staff who genuinely care about your financial well-being. It’s like having a financial partner who’s always there for you! Contrary to popular belief, local banks can offer competitive interest rates and fees. Remember, every choice we make can have a positive impact on our surroundings. So, let’s make a conscious decision to support our local economy and community by choosing First Port City Bank.

Your Hometown Financial Help

Welcome to the Summer 2023 edition of our Bainbridge Living Magazine! This time, we wanted to give a focus on basic financials here in Bainbridge.

The economy has been tumultuous as of late, but there are many friendly faces here in Bainbridge capable of providing guidance and advice. From loans and savings, to planning for retirement, whatever your financial need, there are many local experts that can help.

There’s never a bad time to invest in your future, and I hope this magazine can help, whether you’re just getting started on your own financially, or already thinking of the end with retirement.

20 SAVINGS First National Bank

14 INVESTING Edward Jones

26 BUDGETING Youmans & Gardner 32 RETIREMENT Burke, Worsham & Harrell

6 HOUSING ERA Simpson, First Port City Bank

38 BUDGET RECIPES

HOUSING MARKET

Local experts give a breakdown of the current housing market, from both the banking and realty perspective.

Buying a house is one of the biggest decisions a person can make, both in regards to deciding where to settle down and start a family, and especially in regards to a person’s financial future. Even simply renting and entering into a lease agreement is still a significant decision. Prospective homeowners need to know

what the market is like and what to expect, especially in today’s economy. Fortunately, several local experts broke down the basics for the Post-Searchlight.

When asked about the current state of the housing market, Pamela Simpson, co-owner of ERA Simpson Realty, joked,

“Well, the phone’s still ringing, so that’s a good thing!” On a more serious note, she went into the market specifics, saying, “With all the rate hikes, it has slowed some, but we’re not seeing the crash that was predicted.” According to Simpson, last year, economic indicators like inflation and higher interest rates led to predictions of another housing crash, which has yet to manifest. “I lived through the 2008 crash, which was supposed to last two years, and it lasted about 10 years, really. But it seems to be different this time.”

As for why no crash has manifested“Probably the reason for that is low inventories,” she explained. “We’ve got more demand than we have inventory.” This has resulted in little to no drop in house prices, an unnatural occurrence. “But, that also has to do with new construction,” she explained, stating that higher building costs are keeping prices high as well. “We’ve seen it through the years, new construction goes up, re-sales go up.”

Kyle Staples, Vice President and Commercial Loan Officer at First Port City Bank, gave

his view on home demand, based on customers taking out home mortgages. “We’re still seeing a good influx of mortgages come through,” he said. “People are seeing a lot of stagnant things throughout the country, but I think our good, small local area, we’re still seeing pretty good traffic for mortgages.” He described demand for homes not necessarily as high or low, but steady. As for high house prices, he described it as “the new normal.”

With no end in sight to these high prices, this makes things difficult for first-time

home buyers, who are a core part of the housing market demand. “We do need some $200-$225,000 housing in this area, because that’s kind of the meat and potatoes around here,” Simpson explained. “We sell $500-$600,000, but probably our median price is probably more like $250,000.”

In a separate interview pertaining to loans and savings, local bankers discussed the recent raising of interest rates. Simpson explained how the relatively low interest rates in prior years, versus the much higher current rates have contributed to lower inventory:

“We’ve got more demand than we’ve got inventory.”

-Pamela Simpson, ERA Simpson

Georgia House Price Index All Transactions House Price Index

(Data from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and the US Federal Housing Finance Agency)

“All those that were able to get 3% loans, pre-pandemic and through most of the pandemic, they’re very reluctant to let that go, and I don’t blame them, I’d hold onto that price too. Because if they put that house back on the market, and it sells, then they have to re-buy, then they may be talking about 7% interest.” She reiterated that, ordinarily, prices should come down as rates rise.

While higher rates may be deterring people from selling their homes, and things may be difficult for first-time home buyers, the demand is still there, in part locally to the influx of new busi-

nesses and industry to Bainbridge. “It can affect qualifications maybe,” Staples said of the rates, “but it hasn’t deterred people from buying homes, especially if they’re moving here. They’ve gotta have a home.” With new housing projects being built, such as Southgate off Tallahassee Highway, there are efforts to add inventory to match the demand, though Simpson was skeptical if this would be enough to lower prices.

“I think it’s gonna keep them where they are, they’re not gonna continue to go down,” she said. “I don’t think we’re gonna have so much supply that it’s

gonna mess the mix up, I think we’re maybe just gonna need more housing at that point.”

That said, Simpson wanted to reassure prospective buyers about their options. “I don’t think buyers should let 6-7% scare them to death on a rate, we’ve seen them a lot higher than that,” she said. “The best thing you can do is buy a home, that’s the American dream... It’s still worth buying a home if you can secure that loan.”

For those looking to buy a house, Simpson encouraged them to be mindful of their credit. “Keep that credit score clean, that’s gonna be one of the number

“Be mindful of what you’re purchasing. Let’s make sure we’re not paying way, way over price.”

-Kyle Staples, First Port City Bank

one things that’s gonna affect their ability to buy. No slow or late payments for 12 months, lenders do not like to see slow or late payments within a 12-month period. And of course, income’s always in the mix.”

Staples admonished those looking at taking out a loan to, “Be mindful of what you’re purchasing. Let’s make sure we’re not paying way, way over price.” He further emphasized being able to pay back a loan: “Higher interest rate causes higher payments.”

Again, buying a house is a significant decision. Between inter-

est rates, demand and inventory, and the regional housing market around Bainbridge, there are a lot of factors potential buyers need to keep track of. Fortunately, there are more than enough local bankers, realtors and financial advisors in the community like Staples and Simpson that are willing to make such a daunting task, much easier to understand.

INVESTING

Roland Hancock, of Edward Jones, describes investing as “a journey”, one he helps guide individuals through.

Rolie Hancock is a financial advisor at the Edwards Jones office in Bainbridge. Hancock holds initial meetings with clients to establish an investment plan and works with recurring clients to assess their current plans.

According to Hancock, investing is putting your money to work now in assets to help increase its value for the future or help generate cash flow. It involves purchasing assets (stocks, bonds, etc.) that are expected to be worth more in the future and selling them for a profit.

Investing is a journey, and it takes a plan, according to Hancock. He helps individuals make one and works with them to invest in the right assets.

“It’s just like climbing a mountain,” Hancock said. “You’re going to go through valleys. There’s going to be highs and lows. But

eventually, you’re going to get to the peak.”

Before making an investment plan, Hancock advises that a potential investor should set aside an emergency fund. The fund is a lump sum in a secure account that an investor can use in an emergency. Hancock said this ensures they are covered financially in unexpected costs or misfortune.

Having a goal for an investment plan is very important, according to Hancock. He said having a goal gives your money purpose. An investment goal can look like building a retirement or college fund, saving up for large costs such as car or house purchases, or supplementing extra income. Along with other goals, Hancock said one of the main reasons to invest is to keep up with inflation.

He explained that individuals can grow their money alongside

inflation. Inflation increases at an average rate between three and four percent, meaning everything gets three to four percent more expensive yearly. Hancock said that investing allows individuals to grow their money at the same rate, negating the effects of inflation.

“If you’re going to be outside working, trying to earn a salary and provide for your family, you do not want your money just sitting there and not working for you just as hard as you are,” Hancock said.

Every investment plan has to have a defined duration. The duration of an investment plan gives it a framework to build a portfolio around and aids in prioritizing what kind of investments an individual should make. Hancock explained that individuals invest in different assets for different reasons. Some can yield short-term gain, while others are better for a long-term plan. Knowing the duration of an investment plan aids in creating the best portfolio.

Along with duration, risk plays a significant role in deciding what investments to make. Hancock explained that the market fluctuates, which means assets are constantly increasing or

decreasing in value. Fluctuation can lead to your investments losing money at points during your investment plan.

Risk tolerance measures the degree of loss an investor is willing to endure. Knowing this, an investor can more accurately pick the best assets. Stocks, equity funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are generally higher-risk options, while bonds, bond funds and income funds are lower-risk.

Once a potential investor has decided on a goal, duration and comfortable risk tolerance, it’s time to build a portfolio. A portfolio is a name for a collection of investments. An individual’s portfolio will be unique to them based on their investment plan.

Hancock advocates for individuals to diversify their portfolios. Diversifying is a concept centered around investing in different types of assets, assets of varying risk levels and durations. Hancock explained that diversifying a portfolio is a protective practice.

“You want to make sure to diversify because it’s going to help mitigate some of the risk,” he said. “There’s not one investment vehicle that is going to work well in every situation, … you want some that are performing well at certain times throughout the

year. And then there’s going to be other times where it might underperform. But your other investments are performing well during that time.”

He explained that diversifying can also help a portfolio serve different purposes simultaneously. For example, a middleaged married person is looking to start investing. They want to have a portion of their portfolio for building a retirement fund. Equities assets, such as ETFs, would make up that portion. They also want to buy a new car within the next three years and would tailor part of their portfolio to reach that goal. They have bills and family expenses that they need help covering month to month. They would allocate part of their portfolio to short-term investments to help supplement their income. Diversifying a portfolio in this way is essential for accomplishing multiple investment goals.

Diligence is key to reaching investment goals, according to Hancock. He said making an investment plan a priority and contributing to it regularly will help an investor accomplish what they set out to.

“There are certain individuals where they’re very, very diligent with their budgeting, and they make it a priority to work towards those goals, and they’re going to pay themselves first before they worry about going out and purchasing something else.”

A final piece of advice Hancock gave was to check your portfolio sparingly. He explained that investing mostly grows money in the long term and that shortterm change will be minor and could even be negative. He said that checking a portfolio quarterly is a good plan and compared growing an investment plan to growing a tree.

“When you plant a tree, if you go out every day, you’re not going to be able to appreciate the growth that you see,” Hancock said. “When you go out every couple of months and look at it, you’re going to be able to appreciate how much it’s grown over time.”

Hancock said individuals looking to start investing can start with a financial advisor or on their own. A handful of investing apps and

internet platforms enable individuals to invest personally and Investing resources are available through online searches and educational videos. Hancock advises individuals who invest on their own to be wellinformed about their investments before making them.

Nothing presented in this article shall constitute the provision of investment advice by Edward Jones or your employer sponsoring the article, and nothing provided or stated in the article should be interpreted as such.

In addition to and not in limitation of the foregoing disclaimer, Edward Jones will not provide investment advice regarding any specific security or mutual fund during this article and nothing should be interpreted as as such. No specific recommendations for the purchase or sale of any particular investment shall be deemed given to any readers of this article, and the mention of any particular security or investment is for example only.

“If you’re going to be outside working, trying to earn a salary and provide for your family, you do not want your money just sitting there and not working for you just as hard as you are,”

-Rolie Hancock

SAVINGS

Bert Hines and Lorenda Smith of First National Bank give their insights on how interests rate changes can affect your savings and loans.

In today’s rocky economy, many people are struggling to find ways to get ahead, or just to break even. Some may take on a second job, or look to diversify their stock portfolio. Some people have been forced to take out loans, while others may seek to open a savings account as a means to fall back on in these uncertain times. The Federal Reserve’s ever-shifting rates may make such decisions seem complicated to some. First National Bank broke down the rates and the economic situation in an interview with the Post-Searchlight, and provided helpful pointers for those considering opening an account or taking a loan.

“Despite rates being typically better at a community bank,

even we are not immune from the current market volatility,” said Senior Vice President of Retail and Marketing Lorenda Smith. “The rates changed daily… It’s a combination of both, the Federal Reserve, and the economy.”

Market President Bert Hines also gave his advice on the current situation as well. “The economy, the Fed, when they raise and lower rates, banks take notice of that, and they have to adjust their rates.” According to Hines, the Fed’s rates have been rising steadily for roughly the past year. This time last year, prime rates were 4%; as of the writing of this article, the rates are 8.25%. While this means a higher interest payment on loans, it

-Bert Hines, First National Bank

also means a higher rate of interest earned on a savings account.

“People want to earn as much interest as they can, and pay as little as they can,” Hines said, “but those rates are tied together.” At most banks, savings interest is compounded daily, and posted to the account quarterly.

In her 40 years of experience in banking, Smith told that, while she has seen higher rates than the current ones, she has not seen the current volatility, the speed at which rates have changed. “I’ve never seen this,” she said.

As previously stated, however, Federal Reserve rates are not the only factor affecting people’s ability to save. The economy does as well, especially the ever-growing cost of living, limiting

the amount of available money to save. “The cost of everything is so high,” Hines said, “so it makes it harder for folks to save, because goods have interest… But that goes back to the philosophy of savings, where you have to be diligent in putting money back for these types of events.” He summarized this savings philosophy in a single phrase: “Don’t save what is left after spending, but spend what’s left after saving.”

Smith also stressed the importance of savings accounts; “It is recommended to have three to six months of savings in an account for emergencies. In this higher rate environment, it is the opportune time to put money in a savings account, even if you start small. ” She continued, “There really is no amount too small. You can open up a savings account with as little as $100,

“Regardless of the amount of money, it’s about creating the habit.”

and you can open up an account for your children for far less than that, and it will grow.”

While discussing the Federal Reserve, both Hines and Smith emphasized how little control or predictability there is with their rate decisions. Rumors and speculation as to what decisions they will make are ultimately just that, unsubstantiated rumors. “They meet regularly to discuss rates, and what they do, we don’t know,” Hines said, “We really don’t know what they’re gonna do. We have an idea, but my idea could be different from the person down the street’s idea, or the person in another town’s idea.”

For those looking to open up a savings account, Smith had some final bits of wisdom, emphasizing that every penny

helps. “There’s no amount too small. I mean you can open up a savings account with as little as $100. Your children can open an account for far less than that. That will grow… it will grow, and with the interest rates being much higher than they’ve been in the last few years, that money is gonna grow.”

“Regardless of the amount of money,” Hines added, “It’s about creating the habit. It’s about doing it, because if you don’t start doing it, it’s very easy to say, ‘I’ll do that next time.’”

As for those considering taking out a loan, they encouraged building a relationship with your local bank. In this economic situation, taking on debt is a serious matter. “Know your banker. Talk to your local community bank, and

speak to somebody that you know and trust,” Smith said. “Because the truth is, when you take out a loan with these rates, you’ve got to be capable of paying that back.”

“It’s not about the transaction, it’s about the relationship,” Hines added, “and in any relationship, you have to have conversations. ‘Is it a good time, not a good time?’”… That’s the advantage with having a local community banker, that you can come in and sit down and talk with them.”

There are multiple community banks around town, both for newcomers looking to set up a new bank account, those looking to move their money, and those thinking forward with loans and savings.

“Talk to your local community bank, and speak to somebody that you know and trust.”

-Lorenda Smith, First National Bank

Budgeting

Managing monthly expenses is a challenge. One that, according to Ashley Gardner, requires both personal forgiveness and discipline.

Budgeting is the process of evaluating how much money is spent compared to how much money is made. In personal budgeting, this is comparing expenses to income.

Ashley Gardner, a Bainbridge Certified Personal Accountant (CPA), spends his days working on his clients’ finances. As a CPA, he helps clients with bookkeeping, financial planning and preparing financial documents like tax returns and profit-andloss statements. Budgeting was a struggle for Gardner and his family.

“The hardest thing to do is coming up with that initial

budget,” Gardner said. “I had our income, I had our expenses, and everything accounted for. And at the end of each month, I would reconcile our checkbook and realize we were still over budget.”

Creating a budget is setting an allowance for certain expenses — $500 for groceries, $100 for restaurants, etc. Gardner said individuals should develop budgets to reach financial goals. Goals can look like saving for retirement, making a big purchase such as a car, or, in Gardner’s case, eliminating debt.

His budgeting journey began after he attended a Dave

Ramsey seminar at his church. Ramsey is a notable personal finance consultant. Ramsey suggested the “Cash Stuffing” approach to budgeting.

Cash stuffing is a monthly budgeting method that involves creating envelopes with the names of expenses on them and putting cash in them at the beginning of each month.

“You have an envelope for groceries. You have an envelope for utility bills, for clothing, for entertainment,” Gardner explained. “And you pull from that envelope until the money is gone.”

Gardner found success with this method but said if an individual budgets differently, they should keep the concept of cash stuffing: allocate money for expenses at the beginning of the month and only spend that much. According to Gardner, this way, individuals can see how much money they have left during the month.

He said creating a budget like this makes it easier to recognize where an individual can reduce spending. It can also feel like a game of guess and check.

He and his wife spent months evaluating their budget before they got it right.

“Finding out how much money to divide up and put in the envelope takes a little bit of work,” Gardner said. “It took three or four months of adjustments for us to figure that out.”

Gardner said it’s important for individuals to give themselves mercy in the early stages of budgeting. He said budgeting can be frustrating and take time and that individuals should forgive themselves in advance for the road bumps in their budgeting journey.

“The very first step is to forgive yourself,” Gardner said. “I mean, you’re going to make mistakes. And just because it did not work the first pay period or the first month doesn’t mean it doesn’t work.”

After enough time with a budgeting method, Gardner said individuals will understand how much they are spending and won’t have to rely on a system. He said it’s not easy, and the timeline will look different for

everybody. It took him multiple years to pull back on cash stuffing.

“My advice is, especially for somebody who needs to get out of debt, this is going to take a lot of discipline and a lot of giving up some conveniences to master your budget,” Gardner said.

“Once you improve your financial situation, once you get rid of some of that debt,... it becomes a lot easier.”

Gardner said anyone who wants to budget can. Budgeting templates along with educational resources and content are available online. According to Gardner, money is “complicated,” but with discipline, he said financial goals can be reached by budgeting.

“My advice is... this is going to take a lot of discipline and a lot of giving up some conveniences to master your budget.”

-Ashley Gardner, Youmans & Gardner

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Contact 229-243-6920 for more information.

Scholarships

the heART of Bainbridge

RETIREMENT

There are many significant financial decisions a person must make throughout their life: loans, savings, investments. What sort of house to buy, or whether or not they should sell it. One of the lasting significant financial decisions a person will make is their retirement, which impacts how they will spend the later years of their life. There are different ways to plan for retirement, and like so many of the other topics in this magazine, it can seem overwhelming for those looking to get started. It’s recommended to seek the advice of an accountant or financial

consultant to help determine what’s best for you and your situation.

When it comes to retirement, one simple tip is, the earlier you begin saving and preparing, the better. That’s according to William “Billy” Walker, a Certified Public Accountant and Managing Partner at Burke, Worsham & Harrell. “Hopefully, someone would start before they’re thinking about retirement,” he said. “I say, when you get out of college or get out of high school and you start working, that’s when you need to start planning. Once

When planning for the rest of your life, you need a plan. That’s where accountants like Billy Walker come in.

“Once you’re earning an income, you need to start planning for retirement.”

-Billy Walker, Burke, Worsham and Harrell

401(K) IRA Roth IRA

you’re earning an income, you need to start planning for retirement.”

To help those looking to get an early start on retirement planning, accountants like Walker evaluate a person’s current assets, and try to predict their future expenses. This can include helping plan for a child’s education, and evaluating other factors like insurance, as well as disabilities. “One thing people don’t always plan for is becoming disabled,” Walker said. “You know, not being able to work, it’s always good to have a disability policy in place, and we’ll make sure that’s part of the portfolio of assets… and asset protection vehicles that individuals may have,” he continued.

One thing Walker specified is that, while he may help set up a financial plan for retirement, investment decisions are not something in an accountant’s wheelhouse. “We’re not licensed to make specific stock investments and make trades for individuals. That’s where we’d have to work with an investment advisor,” he explained. “We kind of develop the overall plan, and then involve the investment advisor to execute the specific investments, you know, what funds you want to invest in, what stocks you may want to buy.”

Getting further into the weeds,

he discussed the different types of retirement plans out there, going into the details of what they offer. With a 401(k), while some rules or aspects may differ from company to company, the principle idea is the same: “You can set aside a certain percentage of your salary, up to a certain dollar limit each year, and typically there are company matching contributions to that as well.” Walker gave some pointers on deciding how much to set aside for a 401(k), should there be a company match contribution; specifically, set aside the bare minimum required to get that match.

As for an individual retirement account (IRA), as the name suggests, an individual can simply go to an investment advisor themself and open up one themself, with no business/ employer involvement. Additionally, there are Roth IRAs to consider, with IRA contributions being made pre-tax. “But when you draw it out at retirement, you’re taxed on that distribution,” Walker explained. Conversely, while a person doesn’t get a current tax deduction with a Roth IRA, their withdrawals during retirement are not taxed.

Of course, while a person can try to predict future expenses that may come later in life, there are external factors beyond control or predic-

tion that can impact retirement. One that is very apparent these days is inflation, as well as changes in interest rates. When asked how one’s retirement could be impacted, Walker clarified, “It depends on the investment mix… People that are in maybe more liquid investment, such as money market or CDs, they’re seeing an improved return now.” He continued, “Somebody in the stock market or bonds, the returns may be a little suppressed because of the rise in interest rates, and really the rise in inflation is the bigger contributor to hindering people’s retirement plans right now.” Naturally, and unfortunately, with inflation raising the cost of living, retirees find their savings not going as far as they had initially planned. “That’s where a good, systematic plan early on would help, and enable you to take out those distributions as required.”

“Until you go through the calculations, it’s amazing how systematic contributions and time will grow your money exponentially,” Walker concluded.

Planning for retirement isn’t just planning for the short-term, or for one large, singular purchase, it’s planning for the rest of your life. With that in mind, you can’t be too careful.

Celebrating almost 200 years of better living in Bainbridge!

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Miles of parks and trails to enjoy

Access to quality healthcare

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Bainbridge is one of southwest Georgia's hidden gems! From plentiful recreation opportunities to a thriving job market to a downtown bustling with shops and dining options, Bainbridge is great place to live, work and play! www.bainbridgecity.com

25-Minute Sweet Potato & Bean Enchiladas

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups)

• 1 tablespoon water

• 1 tablespoon canola oil

• 1 cup thinly sliced yellow onion

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• ½ teaspoon chili powder

• ¾ cup rinsed no-salt-added pinto beans

• ¾ cup mild green enchilada sauce (such as Hatch), divided

• 12 (6-inch) egg wraps with cauliflower (such as Crepini)

• 3 tablespoons crumbled queso fresco

• 2 tablespoons roasted unsalted pepitas

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

• Place oven rack 8 inches from broiler; preheat broiler. Coat a 7-by-11-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

• Place sweet potato and water in a medium

microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a plate. Microwave on High until tender when pierced with a fork, about 5 minutes. Drain.

• Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add cumin and chili powder; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in beans and the drained sweet potato; cook, stirring constantly, until coated with spices and lightly browned, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/4 cup enchilada sauce.

• Place 2 heaping tablespoons of the sweet potato mixture in the center of each egg wrap; fold the wrap around the filling and place, seam-side down, in the prepared baking dish. Pour the remaining 1/2 cup enchilada sauce evenly over the enchiladas. Broil until hot and bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes.

• Combine queso fresco, pepitas and cilantro in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the hot enchiladas. Serve immediately.

Cheesy Marinara Beans

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/3 cup tomato paste

• ¼ cup dry white wine

• 1 28-ounce can no-salt-added whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano

• 3 cups cooked corona beans or two 15-ounce cans no-salt-added cannellini beans, rinsed

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano, plus more for garnish

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more

for garnish

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

• 2/3 cup whole-milk ricotta

cheese

• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

• 1 cup shredded fontina cheese

Directions

• Heat oil in a large broilersafe skillet over mediumhigh heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it starts to darken, about 2 minutes. Add wine and cook, scraping up any

browned bits, until thickened, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and their juice, crushing the tomatoes with your hand as you add them. Stir in beans, basil, oregano and parsley. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 18 to 20 minutes.

• Meanwhile, place rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler to high. Combine egg, ricotta and 1/4 cup Parmesan in a small bowl.

• Gently stir the ricotta mixture into the bean mixture. Sprinkle fontina and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan on top. Broil until the cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with more herbs, if desired.

Sweet Potato-Black Bean Tacos

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• ¾ teaspoon garlic powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• ½ cup finely chopped red onion

• 1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed

• ½ cup water

• 1 tablespoon lime juice

• 8 (5 inch) corn tortillas, warmed

• 1/3 cup crumbled queso fresco

• 1 medium avocado, thinly sliced

• Sour cream, salsa, toasted pepitas and/or fresh cilantro leaves for serving (optional)

• Lime wedges for serving

Directions

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Combine sweet potatoes, paprika, garlic powder, salt and 2 tablespoons oil in a large bowl; toss to

coat. Spread on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast until tender and browned, about 25 minutes, flipping and tossing halfway through.

• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add beans; cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Transfer 1/3 cup of the bean mixture to the baking sheet with the sweet potatoes; toss to combine.

• Add 1/2 cup water to the remaining bean mixture in the skillet over medium-high heat; stir and mash the bean mixture with the back of a fork or a potato masher until it’s almost smooth but some bean chunks remain. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice.

• To serve, spread 1 1/2 tablespoons mashed bean mixture onto each tortilla and spoon 2 tablespoons sweet potato mixture over the bean mixture. Top evenly with queso fresco and sliced avocado. Add sour cream, salsa, pepitas and/or cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 pound ground chicken

• 1 cup chopped red onion

• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes

• 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 8 ounces whole-wheat penne

• 2 cups unsalted chicken broth

• 1 cup marinara sauce

• ½ cup heavy whipping cream

• 5 ounces fresh baby spinach

• ½ cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish

Ground Chicken

Pasta

• ½ cup low-moisture partskim shredded mozzarella cheese

• Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

• Heat oil in a large, highsided skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook, stirring often to break up the meat, until cooked through and beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add onion, tomatoes, Italian seasoning and salt; cook, stirring often,

until the onion is softened and the tomatoes are breaking down, 4 to 5 minutes.

• Stir in pasta, broth, marinara and cream; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in spinach (in batches, if necessary), basil and mozzarella; cover and cook until the spinach wilts and the cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Garnish with more basil and Parmesan, if using.

THE

MOST RELIABLE RIMFIRE PISTOL FAMILY

Easy-to-rack slide

Double stack 13-round capacity

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FOR YOU!

Southwest Georgia Oil’s family of companiesSunStop, Eat’s, Inland and Total Petroleum - are proud to be a part of this community. We greatly appreciate your business and will continue to shine for you!