Grilling with Fresh Garden Vegetables

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to grill. I have tried to cook just about anything that I can on my backyard barbecue. I love grilling in the summer, not only because it makes my food delicious, but it keeps my house cooler. But, one of my favorites is grilling fresh garden veggies. Here are some recipes:

Grilled Corn on the Cob: Alright, so I didn't grow my own corn. I bought it at the Downtown Farmer's Market. But, here is how I grill it: 1) Pull back the corn husks and remove the corn silk. Do NOT remove the husks. Instead, pull them back up. 2) Soak the husks fully immersed in water for at least 20 minutes. I find that I get the best results if I soak the corn for about 1 hour. 3) Remove the husks from the water and place on the grill without letting the excess water run out of the husks. Turn the corn about every five minutes. The husks will dry out, turn brown, and then start to burn. That is when they are done. 4) Carefully pull of the husks and enjoy.

Grilled Veggies: There are a wide variety of veggies that you can grill. I love to grill zucchini, crook neck squash, patty pan squash, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and eggplant. Here is how I do it: 1) Cut veggies into pieces that are large enough not to fall through the grill. For smaller veggies, it helps to kabob them or use a grill basket. 2) Brush veggies with italian salad dressing (Wishbone Italian Salad Dressing is my favorite) on both sides and place on the grill. 3) Grill for approximately 20 minutes or until done brushing occasionally with more salad dressing. 4) Remove from grill and enjoy.

Grilled Potato Wedges: I also got the beautiful potatoes pictured above from a little kid and his grandpa at the Downtown Farmer's Market. But, potato wedges on the grill can round out your grill cooked meal. Here is how I made them. 1) Wash and quarter potatoes. 2) Drizzle enough olive oil over them to coat. 3) Add salt, garlic powder, and paprika and stir to completely coat. 4) Place in grill basket on barbecue and stir frequently until potatoes are fully cooked (about 1 hour). 5) Remove and enjoy.

Happy Grilling!

Using your fresh garden produce.

Like many of you this August, my garden is running over with fresh produce. I have zucchinis, eggplant, basil, dill, carrots, about 10 types of peppers, green beans, chives, cucumbers, mint, peppermint, crook neck squash, and tomatoes, tomatoes and tomatoes. And that is just in the vegetable garden. I also have two red currant bushes and an apricot tree full of fruit. I have been pulling out old recipes and coming up with new ones to use my garden produce. So, I have decided to tell you what I am cooking to give you ideas on how to use summer's bounty.

Red Currant Jam

My family has two large red currant bushes that were filled with fruit this year. So, I decided to make one of our favorite, old world, delicacies: Red Currant Jam. This is how I made it:

First, I sorted the currants and removed leaves, stems, and icky currants. I then washed them throughly. I then had about 4 cups of fruit for my jam.

Next, I placed the currants in a pan and added 1/2 cup water and about 2 tbls. lemon juice. I add lemon juice to all of my jams, whether the recipe calls for it or not, because it is a natural flavor enhancer, preservative, and prevents botulism from forming.

I then brought the fruit mixture to a boil and then reduced it to simmer for 15 min. The fruit mixture had formed mostly a juice. I crushed some of the currants with a potato masher, added 2 1/4 cups sugar, and simmered for another 20 min. until set. I then filled my jars and topped with my heated lids. I processed the jars in a boiling water bath for 15 min.

When I was done, I had five half pints of amazing Red Currant Jam. Time to bake some biscuits!

Green your Wedding

With wedding season rapidly approaching and brides-to-be planning their nuptials, I decided that it would be timely to post suggestions on greening you wedding while saving money. Here are my tips:

Engagement and Wedding Rings:

Previously worn engagement and wedding are widely available for a fraction of the cost of new. A wide variety of previously worn rings are available on websites like Craigslist or E-Bay or in local consignment stores. Or, check out vintage and antique rings like these. By choosing previously worn rings, you are not only saving money, but also resources by reusing rings that

Or, consider having rings made from recycled gold. GreenKarat, will make wedding rings from gold submitted by you and your family. They offer a registry which allows family to send in old, unwanted, gold jewelry for use in your rings. If enough gold is send, then your rings are free.

E-invites: Although e-invites are generally considered tacky for wedding invitations, consider them for bridal showers, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and any other pre-wedding events. As and added advantage, e-invites can include a link to your wedding site, blog, or registry information. E-invites save money and are eco-friendly simply because they skip the paper and the delivery miles.

Invitations: Invitations and envelopes without metallic printing and lining are more easily recycled. Also, skip the double envelop. The inner envelop really serves no purpose other then wasting paper and increasing the weight of your invitations

Or, make your own paper by recycling newspapers or used office paper. Flower petals, seeds, tinfoil or bits of ribbon can be added to homemade paper to create a unique look. Homemade paper can then be printed on a home printer.

Location: Plan locations for your ceremony and reception as close to home as possible. That way, you will minimize the travel time and expenses for your guests.

Limit your Guest List: The fewer people you invite, the fewer invitations you send out thus saving paper, envelopes, and postage. You will also have fewer people attending the ceremony and reception. That means that you will be using less food and fewer drinks for your reception.

Use Bridal Registries: You have heard the horror stories. Newlyweds receiving four toasters, six hand mixers, and no blender only to search the state for a store that will return the excess gifts. Many stores offer free bridal registry services. Using a bridal registry not only saves your guests the time and energy of shopping around, it reduces duplicate gifts and helps insure that you only receive the items you really need. With a registry, you can chose not to register for the items you already own. Already have a great set of cookware? Then don’t register for another. There is no need to waste energy and resources replacing perfectly good items.

Rewearable attire for the wedding party: It was a running gag in 27 dresses that the main character could rewear all 27 of her hideous bridesmaid dresses. And, lets face it, most bridesmaids dresses really aren’t rewearable unless we start throwing grown-up proms. Purchasing special occasion wear for weddings that will hang unworn in a closet is a waste of energy and resources; not to mention money. When deciding on what the bridesmaids, groom, mothers, fathers, groomsmen, flowergirls, and other members of the wedding party will wear,consider whether the items you chose are really re-wearable. When doing so, consider the individuals lifestyle and style of dress. Does the person go to church? Then look for something that can also be worn on Sunday. Can a mothers outfit convert to a business suit for a working mom? Can items be dresses down for a more casual look? Can they be paired with other accessories to be worn to the office?

Previously Worn Wedding Dress: Wedding dresses use a tremendous amount of fabric, resources, and energy to produce. They are also very expensive for a one-time wear item. However, there are an abundance of adds on classified sites like Ebay, Craigslist and KSL.com advertising previously worn wedding dresses for sale in current or vintage styles. Most are at steeply discounted rates and have only been worn once or twice. Deseret Industries usually has a selection of current and older style gowns, often for under $50. Or, consider wearing your mothers or other family members wedding dress. Not only will you save money and resources, but you will add to the sentimental value of the dress.

Reception Décor: There are many things that can be repurposed or borrowed for your reception décor both helping the environment and saving money. Consider the following for your floral centerpieces:

Tin cans, either bare or covered in a decorative paper, can create an urban contemporary look.

Use tin cans with pretty or interesting labels.

Or, consider covering tin cans with fabric, birch bark, or anything else you can think of to create a unique look.

Canning jars or brown glass bottles filled with wildflowers are excellent for a country or english garden theme.

Or, consider using canning jars for tea lights.

Terra Cotta pots filled with flowers can create a fun garden look or add a touch of rustic charm:

San Pelagrino, Izze Soda, or Coca Cola bottles used as flower vases, create a fun retro feel and a casual party atmosphere. These bottles are fun displayed in rows or clusters with single floral stems (also saves flowers).

Cut crystal vases that your mother or grandmother already have create a classic look. They don’t all have to be the same shape or size for your table. Consider borrowing vases from friends and relatives if your family doesn’t have enough.

Or borrow simple glass vases from family and friends.

Reusable grocery bags

Reusable grocery bags are a great way to reduce your environmental impact while saving money. According to this article from Treehugger.com, either paper or plastic bags are detrimental to the environment and to human life and health. The answer is to take reusable bags with you shopping. You probably do not have to go out and purchase bags to take. Before you purchase bags, go shopping in your closet. You may find canvas tote bags or beach bags that you have not been using that would be suitable to take shopping. Otherwise, thrift stores often have a variety of tote bags available.

Reusable grocery bags that have been offered by grocery stores over the past couple of years, although they cost a nominal amount of money (often a dollar or two), meet the criteria for saving money because many grocery stores will give a 5¢ or 10¢ credit every time the bag is used. Therefore, the bags will pay for themselves in as little as ten uses. Since these bags are designed to be used hundreds of times, the savings will gradually add up. If you are purchasing bags, look for ones that are designed for 500 uses per lifetime.

If you don't want to purchase reusable shopping bags, you can reuse the paper and plastic bags from the grocery store. You will still be saving resources by giving these bags an extended life. Grocery stores typically will still give you the bag credit for reusing these bags. If you chose this option, I suggest using paper bags and ask the bagger to make them full. Paper bags are designed to hold much more then plastic bags and you can usually get many more uses out of them. When the bag rips, recycle it.

Happy shopping.

Green for Nothing

Awhile back, I read a comments post from someone lamenting that she could not go green because she was a poor college student. She discussed how she could not be eco-friendly because she could not afford a hybrid car or solar panels. She commented on the multi-million dollar eco-friendly homes that some celebrities and politicians are building. She concluded that, because she lives in an apartment, can only afford her old gas-guzzling truck, and she can't afford organic foods, that she can not do anything for the environment.

It is not hard to imagine where she got this impression. I have found many green products are more expensive then their conventional counterparts. All we have to do is stroll through the local Whole Foods store. I looked at www.treehugger.com and found jeans made from designer organic cotton starting at $270 a pair and a designer reusable shopping bag for $80. They feature many more sustainable and eco-friendly products that, while fabulous, are unaffordable for most people.

Her post bothered me. I began thinking of many, many ways that a person can live a more eco-friendly lifestyle without spending money. I decided to create this blog in order to highlight these ways. Every post on this blog will feature green tips that either cost nothing or save money.