Bottle To Pen!

Knowing my propensity to be "green" whenever possible, a friend of mine bought me a few B2P pilot pens a while back.  I love them and wanted to share this great idea with you all.   Pilot created the Bottle to Pen (B2P), a retractable, refillable gel ink pen, which is made from recycled plastic bottles,

Hopefully you are aware of the alternatives to using disposable bottles and recycle the ones you do use. Here are some facts about how plastic bottles pollute. 

• Plastic bottles take 700 years to begin composting
• 80% of plastic bottles are not recycled
• 38 million plastic bottles go to the dump per year in America from bottled water (not including soda)
• 24 million gallons of oil are needed to produce a billion plastic bottles
• The average American consumes 167 bottles of water a year
• Bottled water is the second most popular beverage in the United States
• Plastic bottles make up close to 50 percent of recyclable waste in landfills

These pens are made from 89% recycled plastic bottles.   One plastic water bottle can be used to create two B2P pens, and the pens use the same gel ink as in Pilot's number one selling gel pen.  They work great and I love the bottle-styled barrel.  It reminds me of the bottles they are made from, and reminds me that we can find all kinds of new ways to go green!

They can be found at any office supply store or online and can be purchased singularly or in multiples.  I found a 5 pack of B2P pens at Staples for $5.99.

Would you buy these B2P pens?

Tuesday's Tip! Storing Fresh Mozzarella!

I love using fresh Mozzarella whether I'm making a caprese salad or a homemade pizza, but I don't always use it all in one recipe.  A lot of people are nervous about saving fresh mozzarella and how you can safely store it.

The best thing to do is only buy as much fresh mozzarella as you think you will need for a recipe or that you will be able to use in a few days.  If you have some left over the best thing to do is store it in a small air tight container.  I usually fill the container with tap water so that the mozzarella is covered and add a pinch of salt.  It will keep like this in the refrigerator for a few days.

Can I Grrow My Own Garlic?

Like I stated in my post yesterday Grow Your Own Garlic? I wanted to try it for myself.  So last night  I planted my own cloves to see if they will grow.

It really was easy!

Using a square glass vase that I had, I filled it with potting soil I also happened to have.  The soil was a bit dry so using a spray bottle i misted water throughout the soil to add some moisture.

Since I am using a container that is bigger than a small plant pot I decided to try and double my chances by using two garlic cloves.  This was also easy since I always have fresh garlic on hand in the kitchen.

 Simply peel the skins off the garlic cloves.  This was a bit funny for me, I haven't peeled garlic in a long time since becoming favorable to quickly pressing each clove with a large knife to remove the skin when using the garlic for cooking.  Obviously that method wont work in this situation.



I made a small hole and placed the clove inside with the pointy end facing up, then covered the clove with a thin layer of soil.  I did the same with the second clove.

When I was done I again misted the top layer of soil with a little water, hopefully to jump start the growing process.

After that it is out of my hands.  I placed the vase in a window where it can receive ample sun light and now I wait!



You can follow my hopeful success, I will be posting all the highlights of this adventure on my Hungry For Living Facebook Page!

Grow your own Garlic?

Did you know that you can grow your own garlic? Supposedly one planted clove can produce up to  twenty cloves! It doesn't seem very hard, So I am going to try this out for myself and keep you updated on the process over at my Hungry For Living Facebook Page.

It doesn't seem that difficult to cultivate your own garlic at home.  Here is how you can try it yourself!

 Simply plant a garlic clove in a small pot. If the clove has started to sprout that is even better. If your cloves have yet to begin to sprout you just want to make sure to plant them with the pointy end up. If you have a bigger pot or flower box you can plant multiple cloves, just make sure to plant them a few inches apart.  You can also plant them in a garden if you have the space.

 You want to make sure it is placed in a location that gets a lot of sun and that the soil isn't too damp.

If you plant your clove inside water it occasionally like you would an indoor plant. As the garlic begins to grow it will sprout leaves. Eventually they will turn brown die.  This is good though, it means it's time to harvest the garlic.

Simply dig out the garlic and hang the bulbs in a cool, dry location to allow them to dry.  After about a week the garlic should be dry.  Now you can clean it off and cook your favorite recipe.

Would you try to grow your own garlic?

Rosemary Chicken!

Below is an easy recipe for a contemporary chicken dish made with fresh vegetables.

Ingredients:

4 skinless/boneless chicken breast halves

1 5.8oz box of quick-cooking couscous

1tsp lemon pepper seasoning

1Tbsp fresh rosemary chopped (or 1/2tsp dried and crushed)

3 garlic cloves minced

1/4tsp salt

1 medium zucchini

1 yellow squash

15 cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup apple juice

2Tbsp apple juice

2tsp cornstarch

fresh rosemary springs for garnish (optional)

• To start prepare your vegetables by slicing the zucchini and squash in half lengthwise, then make 1/4 inch cuts with-wise. 
• Cut each of your tomatoes in half.

TIP: If you are using fresh rosemary the best way to remove the leaves from the stem is to hold the  top of the stem with your left forefinger and thumb with the leaves facing up.  Then with your right hand grasp the stem right below your left fingers with your right forefinger and thumb  and move slowly down the stem easily stripping the leaves off.

Here is an easy tip for shopping the fresh rosemary

• Cut your chicken breasts in half. If your chicken breasts are thick you will want to pound them out.
• Next prepare your couscous as instructed on the box
• Place olive oil in a skillet over medium heat
• Once hot place chicken in skillet and dust the chicken with 1/2 tsp of lemon pepper.

•  After approximately 7 minutes turn the chicken and dust with the remaining 1/2tsp of lemon pepper.  Continue to cook the through approximately 7 more minutes.

• Place chicken aside and keep covered to keep it warm
• Place garlic, zucchini and squash in skillet after 30 seconds add a 1/2 cup of apple juice, salt and rosemary.

• Allow the juice to come to a boil, cover and then reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes.
• In a small glass mix cornstarch into 2Tbsp of apple juice. Slowly add this slury to the skillet while stiring slowly.  Continue to stir until the broth becomes thick and starts to bubble, then add tomatoes.  
• Plate chicken and vegetables over couscous and garnish with a rosemary spring if desired.

 

What do you think?

Will you try this new recipe?

Easy Marinade!

Here is an easy marinade you can use for a last minute steak dinner or to give your meat dish a little extra flavor.

Using a Ziploc bag or air tight container place your meat inside with the following.

1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup Vinegar
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic (or granulated garlic)
1 tablespoon fresh minced onion (or onion powder)
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes. 

Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 24 hours then prepare meat as desired.

 

Easy Homeade Tomato Sauce!

I never use tomato sauce from a jar, so whether I am making a quick pasta sauce or sauce as part of a larger recipe, I have a quick and easy way to make fresh homemade tomato sauce.  Below is a recipe that will generate 2 Cups of tomato sauce.  It is perfect for a pasta dinner for 2 or 3 people.  For a larger amount of sauce, just double or triple the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 Can of basic plain tomato sauce

1Tbsp Olive Oil

A handful of fresh cherry tomatoes

3 Garlic cloves (minced)

1/4tsp Salt

1/8tsp pepper

Basil (1Tbsp fresh or 1tsp dried)

Oregano (1Tbsp fresh or 1tsp dried)

Thyme (1tsp fresh or 1/4tsp dried)

TIP: here is an easy way to cut fresh herbs

 

In a large skillet over medium heat add Olive Oil and Garlic.  

Cook and stir for about 30 seconds and then add tomatoes and herbs.

Allow the tomatoes to cook in the hot oil while occasionally stirring until the skins begin to crack.

 

Once the tomatoes begin to break apart, you can use your spatula or spoon to help break down the tomatoes.

After the tomatoes start to break apart, you can add the tomato sauce.

   

After adding the tomato sauce, you can add the salt and pepper.

Continue to stir the sauce occasionally, and using your spatula or spoon, you can continue to break down the tomatoes further.

 Allow the sauce to simmer over a low heat for ten minutes

Then Enjoy!

 

Tip:If you don not have tomatoes on hand or prefer a thin pasta sauce just omit them from the recipe.  They do however add a great deal of flavor and texture to the sauce.

Do you think you would like this recipe?

Wordless Wednesday! Remember!

Tuesday's Tip! An Easy Way To Chop Fresh Herbs!

I always love cooking with fresh herbs.  Since it's been summer I have been using them more than ever.  It can be tricky and time consuming chopping or mincing lots of fresh herbs for a recipe. I recently started using an old trick for finely chopping herbs quickly.  

Using a small glass and a pair of kitchen shears you can quickly cut any kind of herb quickly.

Just put a handful of whatever leaves you are using in a tall glass, then using the kitchen shears snip the leaves until they are minced. The glass holds the leaves compressed in a small space so it is easy to cut them up. The sharp scissors are much better at cutting the herbs more finely than a rougher knife would be.

 

I used this trick the other night while making homemade pasta sauce.  I filled the glass with Basil, Oregano, Greek Oregano & Thyme picked fresh from the garden and in 30 seconds they were all chopped.

It was quick, easy, and no mess. All the herbs went straight from the glass into the sauce.

Have you ever used this method to cut herbs?

A New Look For Only $0.96!

While I was organizing my new place I came across a piece of furniture that I didn't have much use for.  It was an old shelf that I have had for a while.  I remember when I was a kid we had it in our house, at that time it was a dark stained wood.  A while back my mom gave it a new life by painting it white and putting on a some new white knobs with a flowery design.  In my new place though I didn't have any place where this shelf would look good.  I got to thinking and decided to give this old shelf a facelift.

 I started by taking the shelf outside and with a drop cloth behind it I spray painted a fresh coat of black paint that I purchased for only $0.96.

 After I allowed the shelf to dry I brought it inside.  I didn't need to buy new knobs since I had some old knobs saved from old furniture.  I had both silver and brushed brass knobs to choose from.  After trying both I decided the brushed brass looked better.

 

Once the shelf was fully dry it was ready to hang.

  

I decided to use my new shelf as an addition to my homemade bar.  Now I have somewhere to display my glasses in the same area.

 

The shelves also come in handy for a bar idea.  They are the perfect size to hold bottle openers, cork screws  and bottle stoppers.

    Here is the whole bar area now.

 So for only 96 cents I was able to breathe new life into an old shelf and spruce up my new home.

Thoughts?