Tuesday's Tip: Better Plants

As I was walking down the street recently, a woman chatted with me in the drizzle and said she puts crushed egg shells in her plants as to help them grow and stay nourished.

Tuesday's tip...Moist sugar

To keep brown sugar moist, drop a chard of a terra cotta planter in the box. (I bought a plant pot saucer and broke it with a hammer.)

Connecting to nature

At the gym this morning, I got on the Elliptical and pushed the courses button for hike through canyons in Utah and when I was done, I not only felt the rush of endorphins, but also felt a connection to nature even though I had been indoors the whole time (and this is way better then mindlessly turning on the TV function for some "cop" drama).

Tuesday's Tip: Watering Plants

Watering plants at night allows them to soak up as much water as possible without the sun light evaporating the water or drying out the plants.

In the kitchen on Thursday: A new take on a classic

Linguine with Pesto, Artichoke Hearts and Green Beans

1 Box Linguine
2 C. fresh green beans
3/4 C. Pesto sauce
3/4 C. Artichoke hearts
2-4 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Cook the Linguine according to the box. Wash the green beans, trim the ends and cut in half. Add the beans to the pasta with 5 minutes left in cooking. Drain the artichokes. Cut into quarters and set aside. Drain the pasta and the beans. Toss with the Pesto sauce and artichoke hearts. Place in 4 bowls and sprinkle cheese on top. Serves 4.

Keep in mind picky eaters or kids can have the pasta without the veggies.

(Not a great photo of a great dinner.)

Tuesday's Tip: Better Salad

Rip, don't cut salad greens

Except for Romaine, lettuce fares better when ripped then when cut. Tearing encourages breakage along naturally occurring cellular fault lines, while cutting damages cells, producing bruising and browning

From 101 Things I Learned in Culinary School by Louis Eguaras and Matthew Frederick

In the kitchen on Thursday: No Cook Strawberry Jam

1 Lb. Strawberries
2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
2 Tbsp. Chia Seed
1 Tbsp. Honey

Wash strawberries and remove leaves. Chop strawberries and place in a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mash with a potato masher or pastry blender. Pour into Ball Jars. Keep refrigerated. Makes 3 jars.

What I learned from having a new fence installed-- Quiet Time

At this very moment work is being done our house (new front fence, backyard lights and basement drain) and I am realizing that as a house needs to be reviewed and updated every so often, so do we as humans and that is what quiet reflection time is for, so today amid the sounds of drills and hammers, I plan to take some quiet time (and hope to do so every day this week) and you should too.

In the Kitchen on Thursday: Pesto Reinvented

Spinach Pesto

2 C. Spinach leaves, washed
5-10 Basil leaves, washed
1/2 Tbsp. dried minced garlic
2 Tbsp. Walnuts
1/4 C. Olive Oil
1/3 C. grated Parmesan (or Romano) cheese

Put all ingredients in the bowl of an electric chopper (i.e. Cuisinart) and pulse until the leaves and walnuts are finely chopped. Toss on your favorite pasta and garnish with more grated cheese and chopped walnuts.

Tuesday's Tip: Spring is here..Have a Taco Party

How to Host a Taco Party....

A family of three distinct personalities and one plan for the back deck....

Last night my family had Chinese take-out for dinner with each family member getting their own dish to highlight that we all have distinct personalities and at dinner I introduced a plan for the back deck that worked with all personalities and my family was a go (to quote an old favorite TV show, the A-team, "I love it when a plan comes together.")

To elaborate—one planner, one who does well under pressure and one with an organizing gene and the plan: to order a new picnic table and benches in 48 hours from internet research and the organizer gets to set it all up and have a budget to buy cushions (she is only 8 years old).

Not the usual Monday

Tea with one friend, lunch with another, the gym in between and the solution to our backyard dilemma-- just replace the table and benches now and the rest when we someday redo the backyard (removing the PIA above ground pool).