Re-Use It: Clementine Boxes

I get really excited when the first shipments of clementines show up in the grocery stores in November and enjoy them all winter long.  I know that my consumption of clementines here in CT is by no means green. I try not to think about the carbon footprint of each juicy morsel that has been shipped from as far as Spain, but it is a luxury I am not willing to give up - at least not yet.  

One way to feel less guilty about them is to re-use the sturdy wooden crates they come in.   I just can't justify throwing them out, it makes me cringe when I think of the trees cut down to make them so I have turned them into storage bins. As they saying goes "A place for everything and everything in its place", so in an effort to get the upper hand in my war against clutter and Re-Use at the same time, I offer this easy DIY project: Clementine Storage Bins.

Now you can use them as they are and neatly stack them one on top of the other or you can take it up a notch and paint them. Personally, I like to use chalkboard paint so you can write the contents on the side/end. I got my chalkboard paint ready-made at a home improvement store but you could get really crafty and make your own chalkboard paint in a color that works with your decor.  Here is a link to Martha Stewart's chalkboard paint recipe: http://www.marthastewart.com/article/make-custom-color-chalkboard-paint.

Here is my finished product, not living room worthy but certainly an improvement in the basement.

Go ahead, have your clementine and eat it too, just be sure to re-use those wooden boxes!

All Organics LLC

This is a shameless plug for my friend Brian's company All Organics, LLC.  If you are looking to give your plants a boost then do yourself a favor - skip the miracle grow and opt for All Organics.  Worm castings are the key to healthy plants and gardens, and the results are amazing!

I know it is too cold in most of the country to begin gardening, but if you are like me and find that making plans for spring planting in the winter helps to get your mind off the cold, then now is the time to check this out!  If you can't wait until spring then use it on your house plants, they will thank you.

To find out more please be sure to visit their website or follow them on facebook.  This product is not yet in stores but you can contact them to place an order. http://www.allorganicsllc.com

Happy Growing!

To Bee or Not To Bee

To bee or not to bee, that is the question...

Whether t'is nobler to have a hive in my yard or keep it simple and just plant some bee friendly plants this year.  I have been considering keeping bees for a while now but I am just not sure if I am ready to take the plunge or not.  The greatest motivating factor for me in is that bee populations all over the world are dying at an alarming rate.  

Bees have a enormous impact on our food supply, over $15 billion dollars in crop value.  Approximately 1/3 of all food grown in this country is a result of bee pollination.   Compounding the loss of these bees is the fact that there are fewer managed honey bees in this country - managed bee colonies have dropped from 5 million in 1940 to only 2.5 million today.  The hives we do have are shipped from farm to farm like migrant workers to pollinate crops throughout the year which places a huge stress on the colonies.  Another article was just released today re-stating the urgency of this issue http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110104/ts_afp/usanimalagricultureresearch

So, it is clear that we need more managed hives.  I think that every farmer, especially those who grow crops, should be required to keep their own hives.  Even so, we all have to do our part to keep their populations from dwindling away.  Michelle Obama has helped to bring this issue to the forefront by starting her own hive at White House as a compliment to her organic kitchen garden.

Ok so pros and cons of starting my own hive:

In the pro column I have a friend in town who had kept bees for years and would be a great mentor.  My best friend in Maryland is a successful bee keeper and my father who grew up on a farm also used to keep bees, so there are many people to turn to for advice.  Another plus is that my garden would certainly thrive with all that pollination.  Then there is the obvious benefit - HONEY! 

I guess the big item in the con column is placing yet another demand on my very limited time.  Does my husband's objection count? If so, I should add that one too.  Then there is the cost, not astronomical but in this economy maybe better to put off till next year.  Then there is the summer travel, can't manage a hive if I am away.

Alternatives:

Well I already have many goodies in my garden that the bees really love, raspberries, lavender, blueberries (not sure if they will survive the winter or the groundhogs that have burrowed under them), winter savory and rosemary although this too seems to have fallen victim to a very harsh winter.  Perhaps I could just add a few more bee friendly plants this year to keep our winged friends coming to my garden.

If you are like me and are not ready to start your own hive here are some ways you can help.  Haagen Dazs has a campaign called Help the the Honey Bees, the website is terrific and fun for kids as well: http://www.helpthehoneybees.com.  Here is another article with easy tips http://www.ehow.com/how_4838802_help-honey-bees.html.  PBS has a great article too http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/silence-of-the-bees/how-can-you-help-the-bees/36/

Last but not least, if you plan to become a bee keeper or if you are just looking for honey bee products be sure to go to Draper's Super Bee at http://www.draperbee.com/.

If any of you out there have other suggestions I would love to hear them!  Till next, time be sure to opt for local honey next time you shop!

Quick Quesadillas

Right about the time I gave up eating wheat (more on that later) my mother bought me a quesadilla maker.  I thought, "great what am I going to do with this?".  Now if you have ever tried to make a quesadilla with a corn tortilla you know what I mean - I love corn tortillas but for quesadillas they just don't work.

One day, not long afterward, while perusing the free samples at Trader Joe's I inquired if the sample had gluten.  Luckily for me the gal giving out samples was also living gluten-free and she proceeded to take me around the store showing me all the tasty gluten-free foods I had never noticed before.  I hit the gluten-free jack-pot!  One of the best discoveries I made that day was Trader Joe's Brown Rice Tortillas.

I have to admit the rice tortillas don't work well for wraps (although they will do) as they have very little give to them when rolling up, but they make fabulous quesadillas!  In my opinion the rice tortillas actually taste better than flour tortillas when making quesadillas as they get crispier and have a subtly sweet flavor.  Quesadillas can come in really handy either for lunch, a light dinner, appetizers or as a way to use up leftovers!  Even if you are dairy free there are still many ways to make them - the possibilities are endless. 

The Quesadilla maker that I use is the Santa Fe Quesadilla Maker, it works like a sandwich press that scores the tortilla into sections while it cooks.  You can either use two tortillas which makes 6 slices or fold one in half for 3 slices.

Here are two of my favorite quick quesadilla recipes:

Chipotle Quesadillas 

Trader Joe's Brown Rice Tortillas

Chipotle hummus

Guacamole

Trader Joe's Smoky Peach Salsa

Slather one half of the tortilla with chipotle hummus, cook in quesadilla maker until crispy. Garnish with guacamole and peach salsa.

*Gluten-Free, Dairy Free and Vegetarian*

Goat Cheese and Corn Quesadilla

11oz. Plain Goat Cheese

3/4 cup sweet corn kernels (defrosted frozen corn is fine)

1 tablespoon fresh chopped chives (scallions would work well too)

Rice Tortillas

Combine corn, goat cheese and chives in a bowl,  spread evenly on tortilla and cook until crispy. Garnish with chives or salsa verde.

*Gluten-free, Vegetarian* This recipe is adapted from Cooking Light

How do you make your quesadillas?  If you share your recipes I'll post them too!

Stone Barns

The recession hit very close to home last week when my husband was laid off with the closing of the magazine he worked for.  We were one of the lucky families because he was hired right away within the company and our anxiety was short lived.  We decided to take advantage of this brief hiatus between jobs to have some much needed family time.  Since it is a recession we decided to stay local and be tourists in our own area.

One place that I had wanted to visit for some time is the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in Tarrytown, NY.   Stone Barns is the former Rockefeller farm donated by David Rockefeller in loving memory of his wife Peggy.  It has been said of the Rockefeller family's mansion Kykuit, "It's what God would have built, if only he had the money", well Stone Barns may not be the kind of farm God would have built but it certainly would give Marie Antoinette's farm a run for her money.  It is beautiful.

The mission of Stone Barns is to educate people about the importance of sustainable and local agriculture in a hands on way.  Both the Blue Hill restaurant and cafe offer seasonal menus supplied by the food grown there.  A real farm-to-table experience.  I have been dying to go to the restaurant however it is only open in the evening so for lunch we sampled the tasty fare in the cafe.  One word, delicious!  My husband had an open face bologna sandwich (yes they make their own bologna) and I had an open faced goat cheese and asparagus sandwich with a hint of vinaigrette.  The kids being the finicky eaters they are settled for chocolate milk and croissants.  For dessert we had chocolate brownies and carrot cake.  If that does not drive home the benefits of local sustainable agriculture I don't know what will. 

My husband's bologna sandwich, resting in a shredded paper bed...

For the most part, we (dog included) just enjoyed a beautiful day outdoors, with fresh air and open space.  The kids loved seeing the animals.  The new baby lambs were a real treat, cute enough to make me a vegetarian  - well almost.  

As a child I was lucky to spend my summers visiting my grandmothers' farms in the country.  There I learned where food comes from, the importance of farming and how hard people have to work to get it from the farm to the table.  My kids may not have the same opportunities to visit the country, but they can still have an appreciation for food they eat and Stone Barns is a fun way to learn.  We can't wait for our next visit!

For more information or to plan your visit to Stone Barns visit their website: http://www.stonebarnscenter.org/

Plant Nannies

Last November my husband and I actually got away for a weekend to celebrate our anniversary in Old Lyme, CT.  We spent a day in Mystic and decided to get out of the rain by doing a little shopping in Olde Mystic Village.  There we found one of the best garden stores I've ever been to called Garden Specialties.  The first thing to catch my attention was an artist named Guy Wolff in front of the store demonstrating his technique for making beautiful clay pots - well needless to say I had to see what else was in store.  Once inside I found some unusual Christmas gifts, a snowy owl made of white feathers, a brass rain gauge for my father, a turtle clock.   I also picked up some great garden gadgets, and after waiting all winter, I am so happy that it has finally warmed up so that I can use them!

One of my favorite purchases was the plant nanny.  I bought two varieties, one that uses old wine bottles (16.95 for a set of four) and one that uses a plastic water bottle ($4.25 ea).   I have seen the same items in catalogs and on line for much more, these not only save my plants but my wallet as well!

Of course my daughter thought I should get the cool swirling glass Aqua Globes because she saw a commercial for them.  Not that I have anything against Aqua Globes, they are attractive and my sister swears by them, but personally, I prefer the plant nannies.  One because they hold a great deal of water and secondly because if a kid (or grown-up) happens to break one I won't mind  - I certainly won't have any trouble coming up with another bottle!  These little gadgets are a great way to recycle and if you are like me and don't water as often as you should they will buy you some time too!

If you happen to be in Mystic be sure to stop by Garden Specialties and if you don't plan to be in Connecticut any time soon you can also order the plant nannies and Guy Wolff's hand made pots on their website: http://www.garden-specialties.com/

The Thermos

Another great item whose time has come again is the thermos.  I have fond memories of choosing my new lunch box and matching thermos at the start of each school year.  The thing I remember most about those squat plastic thermoses is that they leaked - a sticky residue generally coated the inside of my lunch box.  Still, I was fond of them.

The school lunch box has certainly come a long way so too has the thermos - some are better than ever.  I have decided to re-use drink containers as often as possible and use less plastic (since the jury is still out on plastic safety).  Today's thermoses really fit the bill.  My kids' lunch boxes didn't come with matching thermoses so they think the ones I have picked up are pretty cool and are eager to use them.  

The thermoses we use are made of stainless steel, no more leaky plastic, no glass insulation to break.  One of my favorites is a petite size that I picked up at Home Goods for only $8.  It comes to work with me most days.  It is great for tea, add one tea bag and some hot water and you have hot tea for hours.  By far the best that I have found is the Stanley thermos,  we picked ours up at Walmart.  Big and rugged, it looks like something an old time construction worker would have used.  Last summer we took it to the pool and it kept our water icy cold all day; in fact we even left if out over night and there was still ice in it the next morning.  No more tepid water in plastic bottles here!

I love being able to bring my favorite drinks with me (I am a bit picky) and have them stay hot or cold for hours.  This is also a great way to save money and reduce the amount garbage going to your local landfill.  Great for the pool, sports games, the beach or picnics - be creative, think margaritas!  Next time you are out pick one up!