IN SIDER YOUR WORLD. Get out. Get fresh. Get local.

The CommunityAmerica Magazine

VOLUmE 7 + OCTOBER 2008

Welcome to the FALL edition of the INsider. Ah, fall. the kids are back to school and a chill is in the air.

But just because summer’s gone doesn’t mean that the fun’s

over, too. look inside to discover how to have a blast this

autumn, and make a few seriously tasty meals while you’re

at it. You (and your taste buds) will be really glad you did.

TIP 1: SAFETY FIRSTWe know it sounds dumb, but being safe on Halloween is easy, and doesn’t have to interfere with the trick-or-treating. Just follow these easy steps:• Take your buddies. They’re fun, and

they help keep you safe.• Stick to the sidewalks – because

that’s what they’re there for, right?• Wear a brightly colored costume

that won’t block your vision.• Stick to familiar neighborhoods.• Only approach houses that have

lights on and look inviting.• Carry a flashlight.• Let your parents inspect your candy

to make sure it’s safe to eat.

TIP 2: GET CREATIVESure, you could just go to a store

to buy a costume, but what’s the fun in that? Instead, try and make your own costume using only your imagination and stuff you can find around the house.

You’ll get a big kick out of creating you own outfit, and people handing out Halloween

treats tend to appreciate that you aren’t wearing the same

Without a doubt, today’s economic climate is a stormy one, and banks have been hit just as hard as anybody by a little bad financial weather. But we at CommunityAmerica have steered clear of the storm and are not only surviving, but thriving in the financial world. And just to make sure you’re fully reassured about the safety of your money, we want to make you aware of some of the security measures we have in place to insure your deposits.

• First off, you should know that we’re fully insured by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund

JUst for kids

reAL AdvANtAgesCommunityAmeriCAn

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costume they’ve already seen 1,000 times. And that means more smiles – and candy – for you.

TIP 3: STRATEGIZE AND mAXImIZEAt Halloween, almost everybody gives out some kind of candy, but there are a few people in every neighborhood who go above and beyond their Halloween duty and give out tons of cool stuff to trick-or-treaters who visit their front doors. The key to a successful Halloween trip is to find as many of these fine folks as you can, and make sure you get to their front doors. If you’re an old pro at the trick-or-treat routine, then you know what I’m talking about. But even if you’re not, the jackpots can still be found with ease. A good place to start is with older siblings or friends. Any older kid worth his salt will help you find the best candy stashes in the neighborhood. And once you’re out and about on Halloween night, ask other costumed crusaders where they’ve found the best treats around.

TreaT yourself To some Halloween Tricks.

For loads of cool costume ideas, check out http://www.coolest-homemade-costumes.com

(NCUSIF), which is backed by the U.S. Government. And for large deposits, we also have Excess Share Insurance (ESI) for primary savings accounts (i.e., 00 suffix: regular share savings or trust) for an additional $250,000 for regular share deposit balances over $100,000 up to the amount of $350,000. And don’t worry, all this fancy stuff comes at no cost to you.

• CommunityAmerica is a responsible lender, and doesn’t offer sub-prime mortgage loans. That means we have been able to avoid the significant losses that many financial institutions are currently experiencing. Instead, we’re concentrating on growing the credit union to better serve you.

• We have a strong balance sheet and are well capitalized. The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)

defines well-capitalized credit unions at 7 percent equity to asset ratio. CommunityAmerica is at nearly 12 percent.

In short, what you really need to know is that we’re working every day to keep your money as safe and secure as possible. That’s why we’ve been able to supply our members with over $14 million in ownership participation dividends over the past 10 years – a statistic that we’re pretty proud of. As always, we’re striving to come up with even more ways we can best serve you and your personal financial needs. We look forward to building even further financial success and stability – both yours and ours – in the future.

thAt’s it, kids. You’ve got All the

trick-or-treAt tips thAt ol’ sockY

knoWs. noW go And get plAnning –

the Big night is onlY dAYs AWAY!

Hey, kids! As you all know, Halloween’s coming up fast, and pretty soon you’ll have more candy than you know what to do with. That’s why I’m here to make sure you get more than just a stomachache this October 31st. Follow my tips and tricks to maximize your fun (and treat bag).

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For the cake: Heat oven to 375 degrees and butter two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper. In a large bowl, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together until creamy and light. Gradually add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until all of the eggs are blended in and the batter is pale and fluffy. (If the mix looks like it’s starting to separate, add 1 teaspoon of the flour, then continue.) Combine the cornmeal, flour and baking powder in another bowl. Beat the vanilla extract and lemon zest into the egg mixture, then fold in the dry ingredients. Spoon into prepared pans. Bake for 35 minutes or until risen and golden, but the center is still just a little moist and mixture wobbles under the crust. Allow to cool to room temperature before serving. For the chutney: In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients except the butter. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20-30 minutes or until the apples are soft and the sauce becomes the consistency of maple syrup. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Serve the chutney warm over slices of the polenta cake.

Makes 8 servings

* To toast the pine nuts, spread them in a single layer in a baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees for about 5 to 7 minutes or just until golden.

POlenTA CAke wITH wArm APPle And PIne nuT CHuTneyFor the cake:

2 cups butter, softened1 (16-ounce) package confectioners’ sugar8 eggs, beaten2 ¼ cups finely ground cornmeal or

polenta (12 ounces)1 cup less 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (4 ounces)1 tablespoon baking powder1 teaspoon vanilla extract grated zest of 3 lemons

For the chutney:3 cups diced apples½ cup pine nuts, toasted*¼ cup brandy1 cup packed brown sugar2 tablespoons cold butter

Place sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan and add water to just cover. Cook over medium heat until sweet potatoes are just fork-tender. (Cook potatoes until they are about as tender as you would for potato salad.) Drain and place potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Add butter, goat cheese, chiles and seasonings. Mash lightly with a fork until just combined. (Do not mash until smooth like mashed potatoes; leave them slightly chunky.) Divide the sweet potato filling among the six tortillas and fold over to create the quesadillas. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place the filled tortillas, two at a time, in the hot oil for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until crispy and brown. Repeat with remaining filled tortillas, adding more oil as needed, until all the quesadillas are cooked. Cut each quesadilla into thirds.

Makes 6 servings

SweeT POTATO QueSAdIllAS wITH GOAT CHeeSe & Green CHIleS

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered2 tablespoons butter4 ounces goat cheese1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon pinch nutmeg salt and pepper to taste1 tablespoon olive oil, plus additional as needed6 flour tortillas, about 10 inches in diameterH

ARV

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IPES

Simple, freSh mealS right from your own backyard.Everybody knows that the best meals begin with the best ingredients. To make sure you’re eating well, try one of our delicious seasonal dishes that your family will love.

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Slice the butternut squash in half and remove the seeds with a spoon. Brush the cut surface of the squash with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place flesh side up on a baking sheet. Roast at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Scoop out flesh of squash, leaving rind and place flesh in the work bowl of a food processor. Add ricotta, mascarpone cheese and eggs and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat a large sauté pan heat over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 cup olive oil and sauté garlic until soft, stirring frequently. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, 1-2 minutes or until soft. Add arugula and cook, stirring frequently, until just wilted. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Add roasted red peppers. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray coating or brush lightly with olive oil. Spread a thin layer of the butternut squash mixture on the bottom of the pan and then place about 1/3 of the lasagna sheets on top of mixture. (Cut lasagna sheets to fit, if necessary.) Spoon about 1/3 of the squash mixture over lasagna, then spread lightly to cover evenly. Top with about 1/3 of the sautéed vegetables. Spoon about 1/3 of the cheese mixture over the vegetables and spread lightly to cover evenly. Repeat each layer, in order, two more times. Top with shredded mozzarella. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes.

Makes 8 servings3

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and add the chopped bacon, onion, celery and garlic. Sauté, stirring frequently, until bacon is lightly browned. Add chicken broth and cauliflower and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until cauliflower is tender, about 20 minutes. Add cream. Remove from heat. Purée using an immersion blender or, in batches, carefully ladle into a blender and blend until smooth, according to manufacturer’s directions. Return to the heat and heat over low heat until hot, stirring frequently. Add ½ cup Parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, ladle soup into cups, drizzle with truffle oil and sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings

CAulIFlOwer SOuP wITH wHITe TruFFle And PArmeSAn

3 bacon slices, chopped1 cup chopped yellow onion¼ cup chopped celery3 garlic cloves, minced4 cups organic low-sodium chicken broth6 cups cauliflower florets 1 cup heavy whipping cream½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional as

needed for topping, divided salt and pepper, to taste truffle oil (may substitute olive oil or other oil)

BuTTernuT SQuASH & AruGulA lASAGnA

3 medium butternut squash ¼ cup olive oil, plus additional as needed for brushing salt and pepper, to taste1 (9-ounce) package no-boil lasagna 1 (15-ounce) carton ricotta cheese 1 cup mascarpone cheese2 eggs3 cloves garlic, minced2 cups sliced mushrooms8 ounces baby arugula ½ cup diced roasted red peppers, drained2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

And to make our recipes as delicious for your wallet as they are for your taste buds, check out your local farmer’s market. For more information, visit thecitymarket.org (Kansas City), soulardmarket.com (St. Louis) or topekafarmersmarket.com (Topeka).

Recipes submitted by TK Peterson, executive chefTEN Restaurant, Lawrence, Kansas

While summer may be the most popular season for getting out and about, it definitely isn’t the only season that’s synonymous with loads of outdoor fun. Whether it’s picking the perfect pumpkin or getting lost in the maize maze, you can have one rip-roarin’ good time in autumn – and without getting seriously sweaty like you would in the middle of summer. So grab your favorite sweatshirt and a good pair of jeans and come along as we explore the greatest pumpkin patches in CommunityAmerica country.

cArolYn’s countrY cousinsWithout a doubt the biggest and baddest pumpkin patch around, Carolyn’s Country Cousins in Liberty, Missouri, doesn’t stop with just big orange gourds (although they do have over 50 acres of them). The activities here are endless. Want to go on a hayride? Done. Train ride? You betcha. Petting zoo? Uh-huh. Corn maze? Absolutely. Plus, if you head out on the weekends, you can check out even more cool stuff like pig races, a carousel and special events that both you and the kids will love. “But surely,” you say, “a place such as this must cost a fortune.” Nope. You can get an individual pass for $8 or a family pass

for $30 (prices subject to change). Pretty reasonable for what amounts to an entire day of entertainment. For event schedules, directions, contact information and more, just hop online and jet over to carolynscountrycousins.com.

relleke fArmsThis pumpkin patch, located just north of St. Louis in Granite City, Illinois, is definitely a horse of a different color. Sure, it has all the activities like corn mazes and petting zoos that you see at most patches, but it also features cool and totally unique activities like camel rides, live music and straw slides that you’ll find at no other patch around. And as if you needed any extra incentive to have a little outdoorsy autumn fun, Relleke Farms donates a portion of each weekend’s profits to a different local charity. So even though

they don’t charge a whole lot for admission, feel free to donate as much as you want. It will most certainly go to a great cause. For more information, go to rellekefarms.blogspot.com or call 618.931.1529.

Weston red BArn fArmIf tasty natural treats are your cup of tea, then your taste buds will really love the Weston Red Barn Farm. This pumpkin patch and petting zoo also features a country store that is chock full of delicious delicacies for the whole family. They’ve got private label jams, jellies, butters, preserves, soups, salsas, olives, dips and even varietals and specialty foods that aren't usually found in even the most upscale of grocery stores. Plus, these delicious morsels are very reasonably

priced, so you can eat very well for considerably less than you’d spend at a gourmet store.

Any day is a good day to visit the Farm. Give them a call at 816.386.5437, or stop on by.

The Farm is open seven days a week from 9 am to 5 pm.

Fall into a season of fun.

Autumn ACtivities

OPEN SUNDAYS

64th street 6390 n cosby Avekansas city, mo 64151

ANtIoch ANNex5400 ne Antioch kansas city, mo 64119

Bresette’s suN Fresh7613 nW prairie view rdkansas city, mo 64151

chouteAu crossINgs inside festivAl foods 4357 ne chouteau trfykansas city, mo 64117

cLAycomo8100 ne us 69 hwypleasant valley, mo 64068

eNgLewood hy-vee207 ne englewood rdkansas city, mo 64118

LIBerty hy-vee1332 kansas stliberty, mo 64068

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d North KANsAs cIty hospItAL2800 clay edwards dr, 4th floor (in “the link”)north kansas city, mo 64116

North oAK 9310 north oak trfykansas city, mo 64155

shoAL creeK 8450 ne flintlock rdkansas city, mo 64157

tIFFANy sprINgs 9060 nW skyview Ave kansas city, mo 64154

whIte oAK7932 n oak trfy kansas city, mo 64118

BLue vALLey 6280 W 135th stoverland park, ks 66223

NALL hILLs 5601 W 95th stoverland park, ks 66207

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oLAthe 13590 s Black Bob rdolathe, ks 66062

prAIrIe vILLAge hy-vee7620 state line rdprairie village, ks 66208

rIdgevIew hy-vee18101 W 119th stolathe, ks 66061

shAwNee stAtIoN16110 W 65th stshawnee, ks 66217

23rd street hy-vee1525 e 23rd stindependence, mo 64055

40 hIghwAy hy-vee4545 s noland rdindependence, mo 64055

BLue rIdge11501 Blue ridge Blvd kansas city, mo 64134

BLue sprINgs hy-vee601 W 40 hwyBlue springs, mo 64014

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BLue sprINgs outer roAd1800 s outer rdBlue springs, mo 64015

BLue sprINgs wAL-mArt 600 ne coronado drBlue springs, mo 64014

hIddeN vALLey3100 s m-291 hwy independence, mo 64058

NoLANd roAd3622 s noland rd independence, mo 64055

topeKA1129 s kansas Avetopeka, ks 66612

topeKA hy-vee2951 sW Wanamaker rdtopeka, ks 66614

trANs AIr10895 lambertinternational BlvdBridgeton, mo 63044

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GETTING $75FOR OPENING A CHECkING ACCOUNT:

Bad

$75 FOR A BRAkE jOB:

Make sure you spend it wisely.

good

this credit union federally insured by the national Credit union Administration.

COmmUNITYAmERICA LOCATIONS

For new checking accounts only, defined as new checking relationship with credit union opened between 9-22-08 and 12-31-08. individuals with existing CommunityAmerica checking account in household, or who have closed one of our checking accounts within previous three months, do not qualify. Available on the Free, interest or Premier Checking for personal accounts only. Limits: one per person, one per account, not valid with any other offers. minimum age to open account is 18 years old. other qualification requirements may also apply. upon opening of checking account and funding with a minimum of $100, member will receive a $50 visa Gift Card. Additional $25 visa Gift Card will be mailed within 30 days after the receipt of the first payroll direct deposit. We may report to the irs the value of any premium, and a 1099 will be issued at year-end. Any applicable taxes are the responsibility of the applicant. Annual Percentage yield on Premier Checking is 0.60%. APy on interest Checking is 0.40%. this credit union federally insured by the national Credit union Administration.

This contest has made a major impact on our lives. We used to say, “Someday we’ll save.” But it seemed “someday” just never got here. With the help of Leslie and CommunityAmerica, we now have a plan and understand what to do to secure our retirement." -theCarmichaels

the FINANcIAL mAKeover hAs chANged theIr LIves. who’s Next?The four Financial makeover families have decreased debt, increased savings, budgeted expenses and cut costs. They’ve made changes that will stick for life, and you can, too.

APPLY FOR THE 2009 COmmUNITYAmERICA

FINANCIAL mAkEOVER! Visit your nearest branch or go to cacufinancialmakeover.com to sign up. Hurry, applications

must be received by november 30, 2008!

[ the Carmichaels ]

[ the weinands ]

[ the Blinzlers ]

[ the morrows ]

po box 15950 lenexa, kS 66285-5950