Earth Day: Baby Steps

"Going green"... what a broad concept. To some it means trading in motorized vehicles for bicycles, or installing solar panels in their homes. To others it means cutting back on unnecessary consumption... I remember a former employer claiming they were "going green" by replacing their bottled water with filtered water machines and styrofoam cups -- good idea, wrong follow through.

I've always been the girl carrying around a reusable canvas bag in my purse to avoid the pileup of plastic bags under my kitchen sink. Thankfully many of the major grocery stores are starting to catch on, offering a cash back incentive to using reusable bags. It feels great for finally being rewarded for something I've always tried to do!

At home we really try to do our part in the little ways that we can... paper plates are only used when absolutely necessary, we limit our time in the car and group errands together, we're teaching the kids to turn off lights and water when not in use ... baby steps!

All of the recent recession talk has really got me thinking that maybe the victory gardeners of the older generations were on to something.

If fruit and vegetables grown at home taste better and cost less money than produce bought at the grocery store, why not try to grow my own victory garden?

We live in Central Jersey, where gardens and farmers markets are prevelant. The previous owners of our house had already started with a small garden, a strawberry patch, and grapevines. A great start, but we have more in mind! We're starting our vegetable garden this weekend, planting a few more berry bushes, and have plans for a pumpkin patch and an apple tree trellis.

To kickstart our plans, the kids and I took a trip yesterday to Lowes to pick up a few plants for outside, take a look:


Connor decided to help me move my herbs from the AeroGarden to outdoor pots


"Brittany, let me pose... it's very important that I have a picture on Earth Day!"


One of the flower baskets on our front porch


One of the window baskets that the kids filled -- they even picked the flowers


My herb garden on the back porch


The kids, proud of their work


Look... they're even getting along... maybe I can convince them that Earth Day happens more than once a year

Minnesota Nice - Being Polite Has it's Benefits

Minnesota nice, according to Annette Atkins:

...The cultural characteristics of Minnesota nice include a polite friendliness, an aversion to confrontation, a tendency toward understatement, a disinclination to make a fuss or stand out, emotional restraint, and self-deprecation...

I've often been accused of being too "Minnesotan", in reference to this standard. I'm often the last to make a fuss about something (once, actually eating fettucini that smelled like wet dog for the sake of not adding fuel to a frustrating situation in a restaurant), and I believe there's something to be said for general politeness.

I joke with the kids often about karma when trying to teach them to be nice to others. "You'll be surprised at how nice others will be if you simply smile and ask how their day is...", I say. Once, Ryan fell off our kitchen stool after teasing Connor, to which Connor yelled, "HA! Karma got you, Ryan!" I'm not quite sure they understand the concept yet...

Anyway, a neighbor down the street just dropped off a box of treasures on my doorstep:




It turns out that a produce truck broke down in our town, and our neighbor who owns an autobody shop was given a large gift of vegetables and fruit as a thank you for service. They knew that I like to cook and bake and decided to share their gift me. I can't wait to use everything! I'm making homemade GF tortillas tonight, and the peppers, tomatoes, and potatoes will make a great addition to dinner!

If any other trucks accidentally break down in Marlboro, like maybe one filled with pastries, please stop by!

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

I really want to post about my jam making experience.

Hmmm... not sure if I should post about that... it's probably not that interesting...

Maybe someone wants to know about how to make jam, or at least will be entertained by my clutzy adventures in the kitchen.

Nope... too boring... I'm too tired... I should really just think of something better to write about...


Three days later:

DARN IT!!! So-and-so just wrote about making jam and now everyone is excited about making it! I should have gone with my gut...

Then again, who really wants to read about my jam anyway? I'm not a real cook or baker, and ugh... I'm a stepmom... does that diminish my credibility when it comes to "family fun"?



Ohhhh, self-doubt, you plague me. I've had hundreds of these battles with myself over the past few months, which explains why my new posts have been absent. Change "jam" to any other recipe or idea that I've had, and change "so-and-so" to any chef, blogger, or friend, and there is my constant issue. Combine that with months of too much stress, not enough down time, and a lot of "it's ok that you spilt your coffee on my face... here let me help you order another", and you've got one stressed out woman.

My dear husband and I had a chance to slip away to the Caribbean for a week, just returning this past Saturday, for what I like to call our "second honeymoon". It was a life refresher, and a great reminder that no matter how full we choose to make our lives we must always take time for ourselves together and individually.

Upon returning home I realized, among other things, how much I've been missing being creative in the kitchen AND sharing my adventures with others. The weeks leading up to our vacation were filled with mediocre dinners and tired deserts, and I've been craving to dive back in a la Julia. In the past few days I've experimented making pesto courtesy of the overgrown basil in my Aerogarden, a dutch oven chicken (the most moist chicken you'll ever eat -- recipe soon!), and yes, jam.

It feels good to be back in the kitchen... I've missed it.

Thank you, dear husband, for encouraging me to always do what I love... even if you and I are the only ones who take pleasure in my cooking and in this silly little blog :)