Serves 10 to 15!

This variation of the popular Jalapeņo poppers is sure to delight. If you are not feeding a crowd this size then reduce the ingredients accordingly.

1/4 box (1/4 pound) saltine crackers
20 jalapeņo chiles, seeded and halved lengthwise
2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
5 pounds ground pork sausage
Bring your grill to medium heat.

CRUSH the crackers finely into a bowl.

FILL each jalapeņo half with about 1 tablespoon cream cheese. Set aside.

FORM the sausage into 20 small, flat patties; each should be about 1/4 pound, the size of a small hamburger.

WRAP a sausage patty around each jalapeņo half. Dredge each in the bowl of cracker crumbs to coat thoroughly and arrange on baking sheet.

Place armadillo eggs on the grill over direct heat and cook for 35 to 40 minutes (turning several times) until the "eggs" are golden brown.. Serve immediately.

Do you have a favorite recipe you'd like to share? Email it to: OSSJournal@ossone.com. If your recipe is chosen you'll receive a Free "Thank You" gift so be sure to include your name and address!

A first impression doesn't always come down to what we see - hair, face, clothes and accessories. If you are making a first impression on the phone, it all comes down to your voice and the confidence you exude.

Imagine you've just cleared the dinner table. The doorbell is ringing, the TV is blasting and your child just spilled grape juice on her homework when your cell phone rings. You answer to find it's a prospective client that you've been waiting to hear from for days.

Career-management experts estimate that more than 80 percent of interviews are won or lost during the first five minutes of conversation. That means that what you do next could have a major effect on your future not to mention, your salary.

Since you didn't place the call and you're in the middle of chaos, the caller has the advantage. How can you level the playing field?

The key is to gather your thoughts so you can shift your focus from family to workplace. Gain time by telling the caller that you must go to another extension. When you pick up the phone, ask the caller to repeat his or her name. Verify the spelling and write it down. Use the person's name in your response. If it's truly an inconvenient time for you to talk, ask for a telephone number and a good time to call back. You're now ready to make a lasting first impression.

1. Be prepared.
Have a place to keep notes and files. Keep paper and pencils by the phone. Prepare three to five key statements about your company's or product's strengths and list them on 3-by-5-inch index cards for easy reference. Review questions that you can reasonably expect to be asked and prepare answers for them.

2. Sound positive, self-confident and focused.
Put a smile on your face and into your voice. Some people find they sound more animated if they stand while talking on the phone. Others say it helps to keep one hand free. Having a lively sounding voice makes you seem upbeat and full of energy. Check how your voice sounds by taping yourself while role-playing a telephone conversation. What would your impression be of the voice you just heard?

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Get it free, try it free, free seminar, free assessment, free workshop, is all that stuff really free? If it is then why doesn't everyone take the free stuff? Even though you may think that it's a great deal, corporate decision makers don't. They're not stupid. They know there's no such thing as a free lunch. Anything that is free usually requires one of two things; an investment in time, or a decision that ultimately requires time.

That's why free isn't selling these days. People don't have extra time to waste. Either something is worth doing or it's not. Free is entirely irrelevant. It is easy to say "get this widget free if you buy so-and-so" but consumers are smart enough to know that the cost of this so called free product is being paid for by someone, somewhere and somehow. The cost is included either in the cost of goods sold or is added back into the cost of the product(s) they are buying. Your parents were wise when they told you early on that there is no free lunch. They knew without a doubt that nothing comes without a cost and time is the one constant we can not put a price on. If you are purchasing products from a company that makes bold claims about all the free stuff you get just for doing business with them ask yourself, how are they paying for this? Also, what is the true value of the free product? If their prices and service are so great then why should they need to give away free products? Giving away free product samples in order to get you to buy the product is one thing but giving away, let's say a food item, as a freebie for making a purchase seems a little peculiar. Bottom line is where's the catch? When you stay at a motel and they advertise free internet access is it really free? Of course not! It is included in the price of your room rate so whether you use the internet or not you are forced to pay for it in the cost of your room.

Consider also the quality of the services and support you get from the company. Great customer service carries a much higher value just like relationships. You should focus on the business value. Decision makers know that unless it will reduce costs, increase productivity, shorten time-to-revenue or such, the product isn't really free. Experienced business people also know that the free products cost is hidden either in the true value of the free product or in the price they pay for other products. They understand the business value of the relationship they have with companies and how that value supersedes a can of pretzels or some other gimmick.

Great service, knowledgeable staff, extensive product and/or service offerings is what defines the real value of doing business with a company, not the pretzels.

Meet our Staff! Each month we will introduce you to one of our associates. This month our Featured Employee is Mrs. Annette Middleswarth. Annette is a Customer Service Professional at OSS. Annette is very devoted to her customers and has been at OSS for over fifteen years and has been in our industry for over 25 years. She has four children and six grandchildren. Annette enjoys time at the beach and hiking in the mountains. Her favorite movie is Gone With the Wind and her favorite food is steamed oysters. You can write to Annette at amiddleswarth@ossone.com. Thanks Annette for being a part of the OSS family!