do-it-yourself | green household cleaners

super easy, earth-friendly, cheap household cleaners that you can make yourself... Everything you need to have a super clean house can be found right in your own kitchen. These cleaner recipes come from Reader's Digest Homemade: How to Make Hundreds of Everyday Products You Would Otherwise Buy.

Love the smell of those orange-scented cleaners? Save yourself some cash and make it yourself:

Citrus Disinfectant

Here's what you'll need to start:

Peel from 1 orange, grapefruit, lemon, or lime

3 c. white vinegar

1 clean quart jar with lid

1 clean 32 oz. spray bottle

1. Combine the citrus peel and vinegar in the quart jar. Fasten the lid on the jar and store the mixture in a cupboard for two weeks, giving it an occasional shake.

2. Remove the peel from the jar, strain the vinegar, return it to the jar.

3. Pour 1 cup of the citrus vinegar in the spray bottle and fill with water.

Lemon Oil Furniture Polish

Here's what you'll need to start:

1 c olive oil

1/3 c lemon juice

1 clean 16 oz. spray bottle

1. Combine the oil and lemon juice in the spray bottle. Shake well before using.

2. Apply a small amount to a soft flannel cloth or chamois, and apply it evenly over the wood surface.

3. Use a clean, dry flannel cloth to buff and polish.

recipe | marinated soybeans and applesauce nut cake

eat your way to a smaller footprint... I found the most intriguing cookbook this evening during my weekly pilgrimage to our local library. The book is called More-with-Less and its subhead reads "recipes and suggestions by Mennonites on how to eat better and consume less of the world's limited food resources." Not a shabby combo... healthier eating, healthier earth. Funny thing is that, though this topic may seem like a hip subject to write about today, this book was written over 25 years ago and has established a cult-like following of avid readers who sing the praises of this book.

Just giving the book a quick first glance page flip, I came across these tasty sounding recipes:

Marinated Soybeans

(serves 6-8)

Combine in a bowl:

1/4 c extra virgin olive oil

1/3 c cider vinegar

2/3 c honey

salt and pepper to taste

Add:

3 c cooked soybeans, drained

1/4 t basil

1/2 t garlic salt

1/2 t oregano

1/2 c chopped celery

1/2 c chopped scallions or onion

1/2 c chopped parsley

1/2 c chopped green pepper (optional)

1 clove garlic, minced

Mix well and chill for several hours before serving.

Applesauce-Nut Cake

(serves 10)

Preheat oven to 350º

Combine and set aside:

1 c sweetened applesauce

1 t lemon juice

Measure and mix together:

2 c flour

1 t soda

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t ground cloves

1/2 t salt

Chop and set aside:

1/2c dates

Cream together:

1/2 c margarine

1 c brown sugar

Add:

2 eggs

Beat well. Measure:

1 c walnuts, chopped OR sunflower seeds

1/2 c raisins

Grease and flour an 8x12" pan.

Add applesauce and dry ingredients alternately to creamed mixture. Beat well. Stir in nuts, dates, and raisins. Pour batter into pan. Bake 35-40 minutes.

daily photo | majestic mushrooms

april 29, 2009 | majestic mushrooms

recycle | repurposed propping

repurpose propping... My favorite R-word that I often add to the mantra "reduce, reuse, recycle" is repurpose. Similar to reuse, yes, but in more of an out-of-the box way that many people across the nation are turning too... both out of a desire to step kinder on the earth, as well as a frugal alternative to today's economic woes.

Though it ended up being more by chance than plan, my floor-to-ceiling bookshelves are now propped with found objects that take on the form of everyday art. I found a block of wood (shown above) littered with drill marks the other month at work (I work for a hardwood furniture maker). Though I know that this was a discarded piece of one of our trademarked spindle chairs, I thought that the object, when removed from its wood shop surroundings, took on a sculpture-like form. Plus, it makes a great bookend. My other favorite piece of late are the wood spindles of thread that I found in my grandmother's old, tattered sewing basket. The colors of the thread, combined with the elegance of the worn wooden spool seems to weave a tale of its own.

These newly cherished items are just the start of my reintroduction to many little treasures that I have already in my possession, but just had never truly noticed or appreciated. This is just my start. I'm sure a bounty of treasure awaits me whenever I get up the nerve to tackle those boxes in my basement. How about you?

daily photo | beech seed pod

april 28, 2009 | an empty beech seed pod

wishlist | denyse schmidt quilts

not your grandma's quilt... I came across a stunning quilt in an old magazine this weekend by designer Denyse Schmidt. Denyse's modern approach to this old-fashion craft creates almost more of an art piece than a bed linen. Her signature designs like Swirly Rose Appliqué (above, top) and What a Dish (above, bottom), part of her collection for Sarita Handa, reinvent what we commonly think of as quilts. Bedtime would be all the more happier if I had one of these designs gracing my bed.

daily photo | emerging fern frond

april 27, 2009 | the emerging frond

daily photo | spring ferns

april 26, 2009 | ferns waking up to spring

recipe | cheese puffs

cheesy puffs of perfection... As my excitement for my garden grows, so do my plans to throw a garden party this June. Garden fresh ingredients are the central elements for this shindig and come early summer summer we'll be having an abundance of fresh herbs. So, for fun this morning, I decided to try out a potential recipe for the party... Herbed Cheese Puffs, courtesy of King Arthur Flour's The Baker's Catalogue. The result were light, airy, delicate puffs of happiness and joy to your tastebuds. Best of all, the recipe was super easy to make.

Herbed Cheese Puffs

Yield: about forty 2-inch puffs.
1 cup water
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3 large eggs
chopped leaves of 1 stalk fresh rosemary (about 2 tablespoons, packed)
10 leaves fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley (loosely packed), chopped
1 tablespoon King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 cup (4 ounces) grated Gruyere or sharp Cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

In a heavy saucepan bring the water, butter and salt to a boil. Add the 1 cup of flour all at once and stir with a spoon until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball. Remove the pan from heat, and beat until the mixture cools slightly. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Mix the chopped herbs with 1 tablespoon of flour, and add them to the batter. Beat in the grated cheese and black pepper.

Drop the batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving 1 1/2 to 2 inches between each, or place it in a pastry bag or cookie press and pipe it through a large star tip. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment, or grease them lightly. Bake the puffs for 25 minutes, or until they're puffed, golden and crisp.

Remove the puffs from the oven, and transfer them to a rack to cool slightly; serve warm. If the puffs don't seem crisp enough, put them back in the oven for 5 minutes, then turn the oven off, leaving the puffs inside till you're ready to serve them.

daily photo | leaf buds on a lilac

april 25, 2009 | lilac leaf bud blushing in the sun

wishlist | picnic in style

picnic in style... Yesterday we kicked-off our picnic and grilling season. In celebration, I went down to the dungeons of our basement to hunt for our melamine (plastic) plates and picnic basket. In lieu of my plates now being repurposed out in my son's sandbox (a late morning discovery), I decided to take a peek around Target and online to see if I could find anything that strikes my fancy. Turns out, my son can keep my old plates because I'll falled smitten with Smith & Hawken's Italian Countryside Tableware (shown above top: dinner plate $15). They exude the charm of Tuscany, but because it is melamine, it can survive in the hands of a three-year-old.

Then while out at Target yesterday in an effort to find a suitable replacement for our 12-year-old coffee maker who was unable to be resuscitated earlier this week, I found this delightful set of melamine appetizer plates (shown above bottom: $23.99 for a set of 12). Temptation is futile.

daily photo | spent lily seed pod

april 24, 2009 | a spent day lily seed pod found while tilling my herb patch

frugal fun | annual plant sales

annual plant sales abound... I look forward to the month of May so much. It's our first true peek into the future of our garden. Each year, one of my favorite must-dos is to make my annual pilgrimage to the local plant sales. Many local Maine organizations use plant sales as one of their major fundraisers. Sure, the organization benefits from the sale, but you do so much more. First of all, you are getting mature plants (mainly perennials) at a complete steal. Secondly, these are proven plants for your growing zone. If they've existed for seasons in your neighbor's garden, chances are they'll bloom beautifully in yours. The Echinacea, Phlox, and Black Eyed Susans in the photo above were purchased years ago at Wolfe's Neck Farm's annual plant sale (by the way, their sale is on May 16th this yet). And my Lily-of-the-Valley are starting to naturalize so nicely across my moss and tree lined woods.

Definitely log on to find out what local plant sales are going on around you this Spring. Locally here in Maine, check out...

Wolfe's Neck Farm annual plant sale on May 16th. Bring bins, buckets, etc...

The McLaughlin Foundation plant sale on May 13-14. They're the go to stop for wildflowers.

Portland's annual Master Gardener plant sale on May 27.

Friends of Maine Wildlife Park annual plant sale in Gray on May 23-25.

And don't forget to stop along the way on your Sunday drives. Chances are you'll drive right right past a local plant sale going on.

recycle | soda bottle cloches

recycle bin cloches... Sure, I love the aesthetics of those beautiful glass cloches, but I certainly do not like the price. Honestly, who can afford to pepper their garden with those? Believe it or not, you have the perfect garden cloche right in your recycle bin. Being a Maine gardener often means that warmer weather plants like tomatoes and peppers have to wait until the first week of June to be transplanted outside. Using a simple 2-liter soda bottle allows me to bump up that date by a week or two and ensures that my precious little seedlings will thrive, regardless of the outside temp. On those really cold days, keep the cap on your cloche. On warmer days, take the cap off and continue this cycle until the weather and soil temps are good enough to go cloche-free. For more detailed instructions, check out Garden Gate magazine's step-by-step info for making your own soda bottle cloche.

daily photo | hemlock pinecones

april 23, 2009 | these little hemlock pinecones litter my driveway

garden | brussel sprouts

sprouting up everywhere... So my new addition to my garden this year are Brussel sprouts. I know, I can feel people cringing at the mere sound of those words, but honestly, these mini cabbages are incredibly tasty when drizzled with some olive oil and sea salt and roasted on a high heat. I have turned many a Brussel sprout detester into lovers with this simple recipe. I wanted to grow these plants not only because they are a great vegetable, but they also help me with my goal of raising a three season garden. You don't harvest Brussel sprouts until after they've been cured with a hard frost, the same frost that kills off many of the remaining fall plants in the garden. But the thing is, I needed more info on how to grow these things, so I turned to my alma mater's website for the good word. Penn State's Life Sciences Library is a great resource of information for the home gardener. Fun fact learned... you should raise around five plants per person.

daily photo | feather moss

april 22, 2009 | feather moss

recipe | sour cream, cheddar and green onion biscuits

light, fluffy, and delicious... We were over at our friend's home for dinner the other night when they put out a plate of the most yum drop biscuits. Normally I am not a huge fan of biscuits. I tend to find them heavy and dry, but these biscuits proved me totally wrong. And most amazing of all, they were low in fat too! My friend's got the recipe from Cooking Light magazine. It's too good not to share.

Sour Cream, Cheddar, and Green Onion Drop Biscuits

Roll out these biscuits, or drop into 12 muffin tins and bake the same amount of time. These are best the same day they're baked, but you can store them in an airtight container for up to two days. To warm them, wrap loosely in aluminum foil, and place in a 300° oven for five to 10 minutes.

Yield: 1 dozen (serving size: 1 biscuit)

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1 cup fat-free buttermilk
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
Cooking spray

Preparation
Preheat oven to 450°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cheese and onions; toss well. Add buttermilk and sour cream; stir just until moist.

Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 15 minutes or until edges are brown. Remove biscuits from pan; cool on wire racks.

Krista Ackerbloom Montgomery & Ann Taylor Pittman, Cooking Light, MARCH 2005

daily photo | radicchio rebirth

april 21, 2009 | a radicchio sown last spring germinates a year later. the sole sign of life in the tilled soil.

daily photo | fern mummy

april 19, 2009 | beneath the mummified casing exists the fern waiting to emerge

wishlist | aprons on etsy

Shown above: GreatGoods Cooking Hostess Apron ($27)

and a Cherry Tart Potholder ($12) by BellaBeeDesigns.

itching for a little etsy... So last night I finished sewing my first set of curtains for my family room. I used Amy Butler's Lotus Tree Peony in Sand and I've got to say, I love the results. I had been on an Amy Butler fabric binge for a while now. After I finished my curtains, I decided to surf around etsy to see what others are doing with some of this great fabric and I came across some of the cutest aprons and pot holders that I have ever seen. Since my sewing skills are still on a grade one level, I'd definitely look into buying some of these great items for gifts for friends (and maybe one or two for myself).

frugal fun | free seeds

Lettuce and Lavender sproutlets popping up, courtesy of Earthbound Farm and Aveeno.

seed surprises in the mail... Over the past month or so, I have received four seed promotions in the mail. Two were happy surprises, like the lavender seeds from Aveeno and the Money Plant seeds that arrived with my last order from fabric.com. Money Plant... I don't think I've seen one of those since my grandmother's backyard. I'll definitely have to do some research around growing those heirlooms. The other two packets I ordered as part of a promotion at both Earthbound Farm (organic heirloom lettuce seeds) and Campbell's (tomato seeds). Check out Campbell's "grow your own soup" website to sign up for your own packet of tomato seeds. When you request your seed packet, Campbell's will donate 100 seeds to FFA (Future Farmer's of America) chapters across America.

daily photo | forced forsythia

april 17, 2009 | first forsythia flowers (forced bloomed inside from pruned branches)

recipe | grilled jalapeño poppers

I think I need this... Over at Sur La Table, they are featuring this Chile Pepper Grill Rack ($20) on their grilling tools page. Normally I'm not a big proponent of buying kitchen items that only suit one need. I'm more of a multi-purpose kitchen tool kinda gal. But that is not to say I can't find a way to rationalize why I really, really need this jalapeño roaster for my grill. It could be the knowledge that at some point this summer by garden will (hopefully) be overflowing with these spicy, stuffable, fresh tasty peppers. Or it could be this recipe from Sur La Table...

Grilled Jalapeño Poppers

(makes 18)

18 jalapeños (larger straight ones work best)
6 oz. sharp cheddar or other cheese, cut into 18 sticks that will fit inside the jalapeños
6 thin slices smoked bacon, each cut crosswise into thirds
18 smoked almonds

Cut off stem end of the jalapeños and remove the seeds, using the jalapeño corer included with your rack. Be careful not to touch your eyes or face, as the pepper juice can sting. It may help to wear latex gloves to protect your hands. Slice the cheese into uniform sticks just big enough to fit in each jalapeño, and roll each cheese stick with an almond in a slice of bacon. Stuff the wrapped cheese stick into each jalapeño and arrange on the jalapeño rack. Grill the jalapeños by indirect heat at a moderate temperature (about 375ºF/190ºC) until the peppers are tender and lightly browned, about 20 to 30 minutes. For spicier poppers, cook a few minutes less. Enjoy piping hot!

Recipe from Steven Raichlen’s Best of Barbecue