I've Moved

After careful consideration I have decided to move my blog.  Please follow me to our new home at

www.charmingupthejoneses.com

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The Lazy Gardner....

Want to know a way to make your yard look beautiful year after year?  Plant bulbs.  Yes it's that simple.  Not only do these little wonders come up every year, but they multiply all on their own so your garden gets fuller each year.  There is only one trick with bulbs, you have to think about planting them in advance.  For example, spring bulbs need to be planted in the fall and summer in the spring.  Normally you can find bulbs in abundance at local hardware stores or superstores as well as places like Costco at the time of year you should be planting them.  There isn't much maintenance to these little guys either.  Fertilize them in the spring with a bulb fertilizer when the snow melts and then again in the fall before it starts to snow.

Once you have decided to plant your bulbs, find a spot in your yard that has quite a bit of full sun and that doesn't have drainage problems.  Work the soil a bit with some potting soil and or fertilizer so that it is soft and nutrient rich.  If you live in an area that has a lot of clay in the soil you may choose to add some compost or clay buster to help soften the soil.  Next, dig a hole between 5" and 8" deep depending on the bulb (follow the directions on the back of the package).  Place the bulb point up (not the flat side) so that it will grow up out of the ground when the time comes.  Cover with dirt but don't pack it down to hard as to avoid damaging the bulb. Fertilize and let them be.  In the spring you will see your little bulbs emerge.  Keep in mind that not all bulbs have the same growing season so you may want to plan out your garden area so that you have several types of bulbs coming up in the same area so that you don't have any empty spots.  For example, daffodils bloom before tulips so if you place them near each other, as one dies back the other will be growing in.

After the blooming has stopped I recommend letting your bulbs die back a little.  Don't just go out and whack them all down.  They need the nutrients from the plant in order to grow again the next year.  Once they have dried out and turned brown, then you can remove the excess leaves and such my gently twisting to one side and pulling to release.  Don't pull too hard though or you will have to replant your bulb.

If you aren't sure when you should plant bulbs or what type will do well in your area, check out this handy reference.

In the meantime, enjoy springtime and happy planting.

The Quest For The Perfect Lawn

As the spring weather sets upon us you might just get a chance to reacquaint yourself with your neighbors that have been in hiding all winter.   Most weekend mornings you will likely hear the rev of lawn mowers and weed whackers as the annual "greenest lawn" race begins.  It is the unwritten competition between neighbors to have the "best" lawn on the block...a tradition carried from fathers to sons as time passes.  Sure the conversation may be friendly as they share a cup of coffee, but they are actually covertly observing each others crab grass, dandelions and brown spots.  Wondering how they can win the competition this year.  Do you have that neighbor that no matter what his lawn is always perfect?  The one who is always trimming and fertilizing and mowing the summer away?  Do you wonder exactly what is the obsession he has with his lawn?  Did they at one point bond when it was being installed?  I have a neighbor that is meticulous with his lawn.  Now mind you, my lawn isn't perfect but it is an average lawn.  However, I am sure he probably looks over and mumbles under his breath on occasion about living next to the Clampetts.  Especially when the dividing grass wall gets a little longer than four inches.  There are times that our yard work takes a back burner because we have three boys who have baseball games, soccer games, karate tournaments, swim lessons and so forth...usually all on the official "lawn maintenance" morning.  But the lawn gets tended to eventually.  We sometimes joke about this neighbor coming out with his yard stick and scissors to make sure the grass line is exactly 2 1/4".  If you have this neighbor, you know what I mean.  If you don't have this neighbor.....I suggest you take a good look at your lawn.....you might be this neighbor.  ;)  I propose forgoing the competition this year.  Who cares if you have some brown spots and a couple of dandelions.  Your six year olds in the neighborhood might want to pick them as gifts for their mom.  Give up the quest for the perfect lawn.  Instead get out and meet or reconnect with your neighbors.  Give each other a long deserved break from yard work.  Pull up lawn chair, have a donut and relax....the grass isn't always greener on the other side.  

Eggcellent Egg Ideas

If your refrigerator resembles mine in the least, you likely have at least half a carton of hard boiled pretty shelled eggs sitting there staring at you, begging you to "eat me, eat me".  So I thought I would give you some helpful ideas or recipes for those eggs.  First let me give you some nutritional information about eggs, because really they have gotten kind of a bad rap over the past few years.  Eggs really are one of nature's most perfect foods.  They are jam packed with protein, and are a good source of Riboflavin, Vitamin B12, phosphorus and selenium.  
I created a little comparison chart for you of some popular breakfast foods, I think for overall nutrition you will find eggs are very competitive and for staying power (meaning they stay with you a long time) they win hands down.

Food	Calories	Protein	Fat
1 Large Egg	80	7 grams	6 grams
1 piece of whole wheat Toast with 1 Tbsp. of butter	128	4 grams	2 grams
1 8oz bowl of Cheerios cereal with 1 cup of skim milk	189	11 grams	2 grams
Cinnamon Raisin Bagel with 1 Tbsp Plain Low Fat Cream cheese	186	2 grams	8 grams

Nutrition information found at http://nutritiondata.self.com

Hopefully I have convinced to give eggs a fair shot and now, to give you some new ideas on these fine yellow and white friends and how to add them into your diet (and lose weight) responsibly.  A new recipe I ran across while researching hard boiled eggs is simply.  You slice your new hardboiled friend using an egg slicer.  Next, toast a multi grain or whole wheat english muffin after brushing on a small amount of olive oil.  After it's toasted top it with a slice of tomato, followed by your sliced eggs and a little mozarella and oregano, stick it under the broiler for a few minutes to melt the cheese and give a nice texture to your eggs, and voila a healthy nutritional breakfast or snack.


Next idea, how about deviled eggs you can actually not feel guilty about?  I am not a fan of deviled eggs but I have many family members who are, so I found a way to make them their favorite treats but trim the fat a bit.  Take your boiled egg, slice it in half and gently scoop the yolk into a mixing bowl.  I prefer my KitchenAid, but if you just have a regular bowl, it will work too.  Add in (for six eggs) 1/4 cup greek yogurt (I like Faje but there are other brands that will work too); 1 tbsp of dill pickle juice, 1 tsp. of dill weed, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp white pepper and mix until creamy.  If it isn't creamy enough add a little more pickle juice and yogurt.  Pipe it into your egg whites or spoon it in, top it with a sprinkle of paprika and either a tinsy bit of dill pickle relish or a pimento and you have tasty deviled eggs.


Egg salad sandwiches are always a favorite.  My egg salad recipe is very similar to my deviled eggs recipe only I add more yogurt, dill pickle relish, celery, chopped onion and put it all on a whole wheat tortilla or some toasted bread, top it with some green leafy spinach and you have a delicious sandwich.

My last suggestion is for an Asian noodle bowl.  Growing up my mom always made a dish we referred to as Chinese Noodles, based on a recipe my grandmother created from a dish she tried at a Chinese restaurant in Denver back in the 50's.  The basic recipe is you take cubed pork (pork chops or pork roast work best) and brown it.  I use a dutch oven because that is how my mom always did it.  To the pork you add minced onion while it is browning.  Once it is browned on all sides add the following spices to taste:  salt, pepper, Chinese 5 spice, parsley and soy sauce.  Add about eight to ten cups of water to create a broth.  Bring this to a boil and then lower the hit and simmer for at least an hour.  The longer you cook it the more tender the meat will be.  When you are almost ready to eat, cook up a package of thin egg noodles or rice noodles separately.  Pile each bowl to be served with noodles, top with the broth and meat and then serve with hard boiled eggs and sliced scallions. 


Happy Eating! 

It's Planting Time

One of the best ways to save money on one of your highest expenditures, is to grow your own food.  Planting a garden can be done easily, and with a little TLC you will have food a plenty to fill your table at harvest time and well after.  If you haven't noticed the price of produce is beginning to sky rocket (as is all food) because gas prices are going up.  Today's post will cover how to plant your own seedlings which can be transplanted into either potted plants or your garden.  The growing season here in Colorado is short, so starting your seedlings inside is a must and it will save you money in the long run from buying pre-grown plants which ranged last year from $5-7 depending on size.  They will likely be higher in price this year because of inflation and the costs associated with such.  So I headed to my local hardware store today and purchased a few essentials.  To start your own seedlings you will need the following.

A container to plant them in (I chose Jiffy Strips)
Potting Soil
Seeds
Water
A place that is warm and sunny to help them grow
Popsicle Sticks or other markers

Jiffy Strips are easy for replanting

I chose Jiffy Strips to plant my seedlings in because they are inexpensive (under $2 for 32 spots) and also because you can plant them right in the ground without transplanting them because they are biodegradable.  I like earth friendly or recycling, so this works for me.  Other options could be old pop bottles, yogurt containers, egg carton, and other small or compartmentalized container that will hold dirt and water.

Next you need to choose some potting soil.  I chose this miracle grow potting soil because it was a smaller bag and it was made specifically for starting seeds.  It was very light and airy as good potting soil should be.  Fill your container(s) about 3/4 of the way full and then water.  Because the soil is light is might take a little while for the water to soak in, I went over my soil a couple of times to make sure it was moist.  Then following the directions on the seed packet, I made a hole in the soil for the particular seed I was planting.  For example carrots required a very shallow depth so I made a slight indentation with my finger tip to create a 1/4" divet for the seeds.  The seeds for green peas or peas are quite a bit deeper 1 1/2-2"...so I did an eyeball measurement of that and then placed the seed inside.  After putting a seed or two into your created space, gently cover the seeds with soil.  If the soil feels dry you may choose to water them a little more.  Seeds like moisture.  Next I labeled a popsicle stick with the type of vegetable and placed it into the container.  Set them near the windows and now I just need to keep them watered until they start to grow.  I will likely transplant them in about a month into the garden.

Another option for planting is to use an old pop bottle, cut it in half, fill the bottom half with soil and plant your seeds, using the top half as a mini green house.  Once the seeds germinate, you can transplant them to a regular pot or outdoors.  I have had good luck with both foods in the ground and in pots.  Because pots normally don't retain water as well, you may have to water them more frequently and check for bugs.

Now, for what I planted.  I usually grow things in my garden that are expensive in the store or that just plain taste different if you grow them yourself.  A short list is tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, swiss chard, spinach, summer squash, zucchini, and various herbs.  The tomatoes and the green beans can be trellised on a triangular teepee shape so they don't take as much room.  Everything else I make room for on my garden design.  I recommend you create a drawing of your garden and how much space you need for each type of vegetable you want to grow.  You can find plant size on the back of the seed packet as well as required sun and time to germination and harvest.  It's perfectly fine to park yourself with a notebook in front of the seeds at the hardware stores.  Many beginning gardeners have done the same.  Something to remember during harvest is to keep some of the seeds from the food you eat.  Put them in ziplock bags or envelopes and label what they are, then you won't have to buy seeds next year.  This is a trick my grandpa taught me.  Some items don't need to be started from seedlings, in fact depending on where you live you may be able to just plant everything directly in the ground.  That information can also be found on the back of the seed packet.  I plant all my greens (lettuce, spinach, swiss chard) and earthy vegetables like onion, garlic, carrots and winter squash in the ground.  If you have questions, asking your local garden shop is your best bet.  They are jam packed full of information and LOVE to talk about their passion.

If you love to use fresh herbs in your cooking, you can't beat an herb garden.  I am astonished by the prices of fresh herbs when one plant will continue to give you herbs for a long time, and at your convenience because it is right there at home.  A snip of fresh parsley or chives will liven up your scrambled eggs for sure.  So while you are buying your seeds, maybe take a look at some herbs you might like as well.

I recommend buying items at the grocery store that take up a lot of room (unless you have a spacious garden area) like potatoes and corn.  Plant the things you and your family enjoy and will eat.  In later posts I will teach you how to store some of those great items from your harvest.  In the meantime, get on out there and get your fingers dirty...it's good for the soul.

The Passing of the Easter Corsage

One of my fondest memories from Easter is that my dad would buy Easter corsages for my mom and I.  I always looked forward to putting on my Easter dress and having my dad pin my corsage onto my dress.  It made me feel special and always like I was much more grown up than I really was.  It was a sweet gesture and one that still makes my heart smile a little.  


I wonder if Easter traditions like this are being tossed aside for neon colored peeps and other overdone Easter phenomenon.  The pastor at church told a story today about a conversation between a little girl and her mother regarding Easter.  The little girl would ask if the Easter bunny would bring her purple jelly beans.  The mother answered with yes, but do you know how much Jesus loves you and that is why we celebrate Easter?  It went back and forth between the two with the daughter continuing to ask about purple jelly beans and the mother continuing to reference Jesus' part in Easter.  Finally the little asked her mother if Jesus would be bringing her Tootsie Rolls too.  Humorous yes, but also a reflection of the commercialization of this and other holidays.  It makes you wonder if we are missing the point.  Another part of the service asked if we are simply walking through our lives or if we are truly living.  I have to wonder if we have lost the art of living and instead are trapped in a perpetual trap of commercialism and getting ahead.  When are there enough video games?  Enough cars?  When is the house big enough?  It causes me to reflect back to the house I spent much of childhood in.  Modest, two bedrooms and one bathroom, with a yard as big as a park.  I didn't care much that I had to share the bathroom or even a bed with my cousin or brother.  It made the memories stronger and it helped us to learn the art of adaptation.  We loved the big back yard with the fruit trees, the smell of fresh cut grass, the walks to the park with grandpa.  We hadn't a care in the world, everything was right, we were at grandma's house and ANYTHING was possible.  The land of homemade bread, canned jelly and fruit and endless hours of checkers and cards.  Easter meant a new outfit (usually sewn by grandma) and a small basket with a bunny and his little yellow scarf  made of chocolate, and maybe a few jelly bean eggs.  We were thrilled by this little treat. We didn't need giant Easter baskets with video games, the latest and greatest sports tools, stickers, crayons, or whatever else they cram into the baskets these days.  Simpler was better and it taught us to appreciate the little things, like malted milk eggs.  


How did you celebrate Easter today?  Did you make memories or create your own Easter traditions?  Were they simple or extravagant?  Which Easter traditions do you miss from your past that still make you smile to yourself?  Leave a comment and share them...I would love hear what they are.  As for me, next year I will bring back the corsage tradition, it will always make me think of my dad and perhaps my sons will take that simple tradition into their future.  


Happy Easter.

Birds Nests Treats

If you know anything about me in the kitchen you know that I am not one to follow a recipe, I like to put my own little spin on things.  I thought it would be fun for the boys to help me out with a little side project for Easter dinner so we made edible birds nests.  I based my version of this recipe on other I had seen, but mostly on what sounded good in my head at the moment.  Needless to say, there are no exact measurements...I suggest you just get in there and play with your food.  Yes, I said it - play with your food...ignore that little voice inside your head just this once....and play with your food.  :)


The main ingredients for these delicious almost nutritious nests are as follows:
Peanut Butter
Nutella
Crunchy Chow Mein Noodles
Coconut (unsweetened preferably)
Either Jelly Beans, M&Ms or Malted Milk Eggs


Now let me ask you if there is some sort of shortage on malted milk eggs this year?  I went to two different stores and they were sold out.  It's Easter for Pete's sake...how can you be sold out of malted milk eggs?  Regardless, we ended up using Jelly Belly's because they were donated by grandma and you can't beat free.  :)  However, I think the colors of the malted milk eggs would have made these look more realistic.

To start, mix the Chow Mein noodles with equal parts peanut butter and nutella.  I think I used about a cup total for two packages of noodles.  This made 27 nests.  Heap a spoonful into a lined muffin tin and press it down to create a nest like physique.  Sprinkle with coconut and add jelly beans.  Place them in the refrigerator for about an hour or so and they will harden up enough to handle.  You could also substitute all peanut butter or even marshmallow creme if you didn't want peanut butter.  I just wanted mine less sweet.  They were plenty sweet the may I made them, but they are your nests so jazz them up in your own way.


Enjoy!