REPOST- Portabello Parmesano!

From September 8, 2009 Portabello Parmesano - one of my favorite Meat Free Recipes!

PORTOBELLO PARMESANO

Not being a big fan of eggplant, or veal (Okay I lie, I love veal, just not how its raised) I resorted to making Portobello Parmesan years ago. I saw it somewhere on TV. I like this as much as veal. Really!
(You can use Canned tomato sauce or fresh- it works either way)
4 portobello mushrooms
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Tomato Sauce either 1 jar canned or one and a half cups fresh sauce
1 cup of fresh, shredded parmesan cheese
Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet, the kind you can put in the oven. Remove the stem from the portabellas. Brown the portabellas on both sides when browned, dump the sauce on top, Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Then cover with parmesan cheese. Put the whole pan in the oven at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is a bubbly brown. Serve

A Recipe for Fresh tomato sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
6 tomatoes, chopped
3 onions, minced
2 green bell peppers, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; add tomatoes, onions, green bell peppers, garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Mix ingredients well; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Midnight Maniac Meatless Mondays

Melon Bowl Salad/ Melon Bowl Dessert

Ever go to a picnic and have no bowls? Or ever just want to eat your bowl? Well when you use a half of a cantaloupe, feel free. Have been doing this for awhile now ever since a retired army/navy cook showed me. And yes he served in both branches.

Summer Salad
1 Cantaloupe or Honey Dew Mellon, cut in half
Broccoli slaw or cabbage slaw, undressed
Optional some nuts, raisins or sunflower seeds
Vinaigrette Salad dressing (I used Balsamic Vinaigrette)

Summer Dessert
Half the melon, scoop out the seeds... Now you have two bowls... Place a serving of your slaw in the scooped out part of the bowl, place some vinaigrette on it (about 2 Tablespoons), top with optional toppings.
1 Cantaloupe or Honey Dew Mellon, cut in half
1 Scoop of Vanilla Ice cream
1/2 Tablespoon of bourbon or dark rum or caramel sauce

Half the melon, scoop out the seeds... Now you have two bowls... Place a scoop of Ice Cream in each mellon half, top with bourbon, rum or caramel. Serve.

Midnight Maniac Meatless Mondays

Special Twice Baked Potatoes

What's so special about them? well besides being loaded with everything but the kitchen sink, No Meat!!!

Special Twice Baked Potatoes
* 6 large russet potatoes
 * 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1 medium green pepper, chopped
 * 1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
 * 4 garlic cloves, minced
 * 1 package (16 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables
 * 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
 * 1 tablespoon tomato paste
 * 1 tablespoon steak seasoning
 * 1/4 teaspoon salt
 * 1/8 teaspoon pepper
* Dash cayenne pepper
* 2 teaspoons paprika, divided
 * 1/2 cup butter, cubed
 * 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
 * 1/4 cup sour cream
 * 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
 * 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
 * 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
 * 2 tablespoons minced chives
 TOPPINGS:
* 1 teaspoon paprika
 * 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
 * 1 tablespoon minced chives

  Scrub and pierce potatoes; rub with oil. Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until tender. In a large skillet, cook the onion, peppers and garlic over medium heat until translucent; drain. Add the mixed vegetables, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, steak seasoning, salt, pepper, cayenne and 1 teaspoon paprika. Cook and stir until vegetables are tender. When cool enough to handle, cut a thin slice off the top of each potato and discard. Scoop out the pulp, leaving thin shells. In a large bowl, mash the pulp with butter. Add the whipping cream, sour cream, cheeses and chives. Mash potatoes until combined. Spoon 1 cup of the veggie mixture into each potato shell; top with 1/2 cup potato mixture. Sprinkle with remaining paprika. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese; bake 5 minutes longer or until melted. Sprinkle with chives. Yield: 6 servings.

Winter Soup

Cold Nights call for a warm inviting soup- but who has the time to make it? Here is an alternative to canned soups that is cheap, easy and filling;

Winter Soup:
1 Can (15 Oz.)organic pinto beans, drained
1 Can (15 Oz.) organic Black Beans, drained
1 can (15 Oz.) organic diced tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Tarragon
1 bay leaf Crushed
 pepper to taste
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon Olive oil

Mirepoix: 1 cup each:
 Diced celery
Diced Carrots
Diced onions

Place olive oil in pot- turn heat up to medium. When hot add the Mirepoix- Saute until translucent- Add the beans and tomatoes- If dry add small amount (1/2 cup) of stock or water add the chili powder, tarragon pepper and salt- bring to a simmer, add the bay leaf,, simmer for half an hour, remove bay leaf. Hint: put bay leaf in a tea infuser first for easy removal. Serve.

Betty's Fried Green Bell Peppers

One of the things I love about gardening is fresh Bell Peppers. I owe a debt of thanks to my late friend, Betty, for introducing me to the wonders of fried green bell peppers for breakfast! Better for you than fried potatoes, part of a good breakfast

Betty's Fried Green Bell Peppers
Olive oil
Two green bell peppers, sliced, about 1/4 inch thick
Salt and pepper

Place about two tablespoons of olive oil in a fry pan, let it heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place green bell peppers in, stir frying until translucent. Serve with scrambled eggs and toast!

Revisiting a favorite recipe... Portobello Parmesano

Meatless Monday @ Midnight Maniac

I thought I would revisit some of my favorite recipes... this week my favorite vegetarian dish... Portobello Parmesano! Ciao Bella!


Not being a big fan of eggplant, or veal (Okay I lie, I love veal, just not how its raised- therefore I don't eat veal) I resorted to making Portobello Parmesan years ago. I saw it somewhere on TV. I like this as much as veal. Really!
(You can use Canned tomato sauce or fresh- it works either way)
4 portobello mushrooms
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Tomato Sauce either 1 jar canned or one and a half cups fresh sauce
1 cup of fresh, shredded Parmesan cheese
Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet, the kind you can put in the oven. Remove the stem from the portabellos. Brown the portabellos on both sides when browned, dump the sauce on top, Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Then cover with Parmesan cheese. Put the whole pan in the oven at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is a bubbly brown. Serve

A Recipe for Fresh tomato sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
6 tomatoes, chopped
3 onions, minced
2 green bell peppers, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; add tomatoes, onions, green bell peppers, garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Mix ingredients well; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Simple Meatless Supper: Local and Fresh

"A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins." - Laurie Colwin

My simple supper monday- a tomato with Muenster. This is how I choose to use my first tomato of the year- Vine ripened and fresh. This is a take of on the Tomato W/ Provolone recipe I posted here. I didn't have any provolone, but had some muenster. A little bit of Rosemary and some pepper and a dab of olive oil, 5 minute under the broiler and I had supper! Top that off with a slice of homemade bread and I was in bidness!

Doing Without

Oh Ok. Rebecca Jean at midnight maniac is nagging encouraging everyone to give up things for lent. Give it up for 40 (actually 46 days).So let me put on my pious pope hat and see what I can do.

Not a bad idea this. It gives one the oppurtunity to do a self check on some things We I may be getting a little slack on doing. And gives one the oppurtunity to save some cash as well.

For my part, I won't eat meat on Fridays, won't eat candy, give up buying lattes and mochas (note: coffee itself aint included). I reserve the right to eat fish on Fridays (if it works for Duh Pope, then it works for me) Anyway, It is a good challenge.

Hunting the Wild Tofurkey!

For my mother- Ok, Mom. So I bought a ToFurkey. Deal with it. Get over it. I am not swearing off turkey (or chicken, duck or goose) I just thought I would try this TOFURKEY to see if I liked it.
My mom's first reaction was "you're such a bleeding heart". Which pissed me off. Since when is entertaining the idea of not killing a bird for a meal make you a "bleeding heart?" Really, mother? You are the one who raised me to eat different foods and trying other's cultures, not keeping a closed mind. Well anyway I have ranted enough about mother.
So I had this TOFURKEY to cook. It had wild rice stuffing already in it. So I Just followed the directions on the package and roasted it for an hour and a half. I have to say - the texture is meat like and very pleasing; the aroma is very good; my tofurkey roll came stuffed and with gravy- the stuffing was unbelievably tasty, the gravy, as with most "store bought gravies" was a little salty. And best of all Tofurkey passed the "sandwich-ability test" Made a great sandwich the next day! So I would definitely buy it again and I would definitely serve it to guests! And lets talk affordablilty- I bought a "6 serving" tofurkey, it comes with Stuffing and gravy for under $10 at Trader Joes- that comes to a measly $1.67 per serving!

TASTE- 8 out of 10
Texture- 8 Out of 10
"Sandwich-ability" 8 out of 10
Cost- 9 out of 10
So in short, The TOFURKEY Surpassed my expectations! A few turkeys are breathing a sigh of relief!
Whatsmore? There are tremendous recipes on the inter-webs for some amazing things to so with your Tofurkey, you can deep fry it, use the left overs in a stroganoff. Makes a Meat Free Monday so much more interesting!

Bad joints and christmas decorating- the Weekly Challenge Update

Kind of a bad week- My mom went in for knee surgery, so have been doing double duty here and at her home- taking care of her cat and putting up christmas decorations; prepping the apartment for when she gets home (hand held shower head, buying frozen food she can just pop into the microwave, etc.) so not a lot of play time for me. Mom got a total knee replacement- or as my uncle said "What's a joint like you doing in a lady like this?" (See where the sick sense of humor comes from?

Sharon's Independence Days Challenge- Year two, week 32
1. Plant something: nope
2. Harvest something: Some sprouts
3. Preserve something: Apple cider jelly
4. Reduce Waste (recycle, reuse, reduce, repair or compost something): Put 4 resin patio chairs and a student desk out by the curb for “Free- Cycling” the chairs went the first day- the desk is still there, but will be donated to goodwill or maybe I have another use for it- we'll see
5. Preparation and Storage: mope
6. Build Community Food Systems: Went to a meeting with fellow SUBU members on starting a garden for the residents of Burien Heights, a low income apartment complex nearby- they have around 2500 people living there, and lots of space for a community garden!We are going to work with the boxes they have, and give them four of ours from the BIAS. The other four are destined for the High School (the one I dropped out of!) We will be doing all this on the 12th.
7. Eat the Food (cook or eat something new): some stuffed french toast stuffed with homemade apple cider jelly, some sprouts in salad, pumpkin puree in pumpkin soup

Melinda’s Growing Challenge: LAST REPORT OF THE YEAR! I got tomato seeds saved- Window Box Romas,Tumbler and Robin’s Egg, worked particularly well for me, so I am hoping their offspring do well next year. Other seeds saved- Acorn squash, summer squash, sugar pie pumpkin and banana squash- also saved a variety of ghourd seeds. This year I learned to not to fear the Heirloom tomatoes, growing a number of them not from seed, but as plant starts. For next year I am excited to try amaranth (your influence there Melinda!) I also had one prolific Hungarian wax pepper plant- Have been enjoying pickled peppers (this one plant gave me 5 quarts of pickled peppers- nice peppers with just a hint of heat) and was producing peppers until the end of October! Yes I saved some seeds from those peppers! I also have “Jurassic Kale” seeds given to me from a friends garden.


Meat Free Mondays: Big fail this week. Mom made lunch Steak potatoes and carrots- She said she forgot it was Monday so I ate the tasty lunch she made. Other than that I had a Vegan brownie for breakfast, and pasta and tomato sauce for dinner

Nothing New- The Weekly Challenge Update

Sharon's Independence Days Challenge- Year two, week 31
1. Plant something: Nope
2. Harvest something: Potatoes, Carrots
3. Preserve something: Froze Thanksgiving leftovers to use later

4. Reduce Waste (recycle, reuse, reduce, repair or compost something): Made a lit Christmas ornament out of a bottle and some LED Lights-
5. Preparation and Storage: Got the new light fixtures for the garage, started installing
6. Build Community Food Systems: Trying to talk Mom’s apartment manager into installing dome P-Patches
7. Eat the Food (cook or eat something new): Potatoes, Used thanksgiving leftovers- Used gravy for Biscuits and Gravy, Used Cranberry Cream Cheese dip as a filling for Stuffed French toast, Ate braised turkey, made some Crispy Fried duck ( A favorite Thai dish) out of leftover duckling
Melinda’s Growing Challenge: Did no growing this week or seed saving.

Meat Free Mondays: Ate the normal muffin at coffee, Mac and Cheese for lunch, Soup and salad for dinner. Fruit for dessert.

Ditch The Disposables - I should take more time off work! No sins this week! A lot easier when you don’t have to have your mug with you or you eat at restaurants real silver and cups


Buy Hand challenge: Taking a break this week from gift making, but I did buy Martin's present from a pawn shop!

Bean pots and clocks- The Weekly Challenge Update

Well let's see this week has been busy at work, tieing up loose ends and working the weekend so I can take all this thanksgiving off! I finished the clock for my Uncle, got a bean pot that was my paternal grandmother's, a butter belle-the one we had while I was growing up- great booty from Mom's closet! Repaired the small George Foreman grill I keep at work so I can have a hot lunch, And installed some LED Lights on the back porch with a switch - it is so dark back there but not anymore!





Sharon's Independence Days Challenge- Year two, week 30
1. Plant something: Nothing
2. Harvest something: Acorn Squash

Preserve something- nope

4. Reduce Waste (recycle, reuse, reduce, repair or compost something) -Repaired my George Forman Grill at work, Obtained my Grandma's Bean Pot- older than me and still making beans
5. Preparation and Storage: Installed LED lights and a switch on back porch;
6. Build Community Food Systems: Got some local Parmesan cheese from Eat Local store; found out he is also the drop off for two CSA’s!
7. Eat the Food (cook or eat something new): Acorn Squash, Pumpkin Soup from pumpkin that I pureed and froze; potatoes


Melinda’s Growing Challenge: Not much to report on. Got a Bhut Jolokia pepper in the mail from Red Icculus's Blog- plan on saving seeds and growing

Meat Free Mondays: Had a muffin and coffee for breakfast, mac and cheese for lunch and some vegetable soup and a baked potato for dinner

Ditch The Disposables - Big FAIL this week went to a potluck at work- didn’t bring my utensils so had to use plastic cutlery, although I used the same fork for the meal AND dessert

Buy Hand challenge: My Uncle’s clock for his garage (man- cave) is done

Ya gotta love your mother~

I was trying to explain the 100 mile diet, and the locovore movement to my mom, and the fact I found local flour from Winthrop, WA. Then I told her I needed to get some local bacon. She asked if I could use prosciutto or pancetta in making the Parmesan bacon wrapped breadsticks. I told her it was possible but had no idea where to find them locally. She replied Oh- just go to Trader Joe's- they're only a mile away! Looks like I have more work ahead of me. Mom just doesn't get the 100 mile concept. But she tries. She is surprisingly supportive of Meat free Monday, as long as I am the one who doesn't eat meat on Mondays. Of course I mentioned that in regards to MFM, I don't need to eat TVP Chicken, I am happy with cheese and fruit, but she likes to see it as a challenge for her to make lunches using TVP products.

Bling Bling- the Weekly Challenge Update

Sharon's Independence Days Challenge- Year two, week 29
1. Plant something: Transplanted Chard, Kale, Garlic, Lavender, Chives from community garden plot to my home garden
2. Harvest something: Cherry tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, potatoes, Cauliflower
3. Preserve something: made and froze dog and cat food
4. Reduce Waste (recycle, reuse, reduce, repair or compost something) - Used some scrap wood trying out the scroll saw; found an old section of picket fencing- will use to make a Holiday decoration, plus the usual recycling, composting
5. Preparation and Storage: Trying out Pellet stove pellets in place of Kitty's Feline Pine, about 1/4 of the cost of the feline pine litter- so far it is working out well. Bought new light fixtures for the garage- it is dark out there!
6. Build Community Food Systems: Working with Sustainable Burien on adding a Community garden at a low income apartment complex
7. Eat the Food (cook or eat something new): Roasted game hens in the slow cooker with Cauliflower, potatoes and onions that I grew!


Melinda’s Growing Challenge: Broke down my plot at the community garden; transplanted plants from there


Meat Free Mondays: Danish and coffee for breakfast, Cheese and bread for lunch; spaghetti squash and sauce for dinner, some little sugar free cookies for dessert, and some fruit


Ditch The Disposables - Couple of fails this week. I had to buy lunch from the wheel of death one night - Tuna Salad with crackers, it had a small plastic spoon built in. That and one coffee cup lid combo- although the coffee was not for me, but for a co-worker but still.


Buy Hand challenge: Working on earrings this week- 2 Christmas balls attached to earring posts, for my aunt and cousins. And of course for my Etsy shop!

Funky spaghetti: The Weekly Challenge Update

Spaghetti Squash w/Sauce

This week I prepared spaghetti, not using pasta, but instead used spaghetti squash for the noodles. Made enough for tonight and tomorrow

Sharon's Independence Days Challenge- Year two, week 28
1. Plant something: Sprouts
2. Harvest something: Sprouts, Cabbages, Kohl Rabi
3. Preserve something: Bought a couple of sugar pie pumpkins and processed, Made and froze dog/cat food- slowly becoming a weekly ritual- found it doesn’t take much longer then going and buying their food and the food processor is wonderful for doing this
4. Reduce Waste (recycle, reuse, reduce, repair or compost something) -The usual recycling, food waste in the compost; GARBAGE FINDS: Found a 5 gallon bucket next to a garbage can, will use for a planter, a box for taking my started garlic plants and chard home in;
5. Preparation and Storage: Setting up an Etsy shop, Bought a scroll saw to make gifts and clocks out of wood scraps (set it up in the garage or as the artsy folks call it "my Studio"!)
6. Build Community Food Systems: Starting to take the last of the veggies from the community garden plot to prep of leaving the community garden
7. Eat the Food (cook or eat something new): Pumpkin soup, veggies in the dog food, Spaghetti squash with sauce


Melinda’s Growing Challenge: Time to start breaking down my plot in the community garden, I have some plants started in my plot will take them home


Meat Free Mondays: Muffin and coffee, for lunch I ate crackers and cheese, for dinner a veggie flatbread pizza


Ditch The Disposables - I forgot muggsly one day this week- reused the paper coffee cup - no lid, from the espresso shop all day. Other than that a good week


Buy Hand challenge: Painted Martins clock, getting ready to finish. Decided to give one of my Turkey fryer burners to a friend who is getting into home beer making and borrows mine to brew the beer- figure I have one that is not being used so why not?

Pumpkin Fest 2009- The Weekly Challenge Update

I have been busy this week processing and pureeing pumpkins, making soup and dog and cat food. Participating in the Day of the Dead festivities at the BIAS.
Sharon's Independence Days Challenge- Year two, week 27
1. Plant something: Nothing
2. Harvest something: Sprouts
3. Preserve something: Processed the last of the pumpkins, Made and froze dog/cat food
4. Reduce Waste (recycle, reuse, reduce, repair or compost something) -Repaired my old favorite sweater; Recycled some Halloween decorations- used the cloth from an umbrella to make a cape for one of my skeletons, Participating in the BIAS Day of the Dead celebration, where the city parks has arranged for people to bring their pumpkins, to be lit and at the end composted!
5. Preparation and Storage: Still working on cleaning out (using up the food) the freezer in prep for a new freezer
6. Build Community Food Systems: Nothing this week. Participating in the BIAS Day of the Dead celebration, saying goodbye to the community garden
7. Eat the Food (cook or eat something new): Pumpkin soup, veggies in dog food,


Melinda’s Growing Challenge: Nothing new to report


Meat Free Mondays: Did not have a muffin for breakfast- had a bean burritto for lunch, cheese and crackers for dinner, fruit for dessert


Ditch The Disposables -No FAILS this week.


Buy Hand challenge: Nothing new got done for Christmas. Was a busy Halloween week.

Soap Stands and Homemade Dog Food- The Weekly Challenge Update

Sharon's Independence Days Challenge- Year two, week 26
1. Plant something: Started some sprouts in my fancy new fangled sprouter
2. Harvest something: Carrots, Tomatoes, Kale, Chard, Acorn Squash, Summer squash, Onions, Beets
3. Preserve something: Froze the homemade dog food I made Romeo; Processing pumpkins, saving seeds for roasting and growing
4. Reduce Waste (recycle, reuse, reduce, repair or compost something) -Reused and brought out of retirement an old 1 cup coffee brewer instead of buying a new brewer at work;
5. Preparation and Storage: Made some homemade Dog Food for Romeo and froze it, Bought some Mason Jars at the thrift store; Working on cleaning out the freezer in the garage in prep for the new one; Cooked potato sausages, boiled the game hens to make dog/cat food, roasted turkey thigh!
6. Build Community Food Systems: Took 5 pounds of tomatoes that I was ripening from the community garden to the food bank
7. Eat the Food (cook or eat something new): Roasted Carrots, Beets and onions, Veggie Soup: Made some bean burritos with shredded Chard and onions on them,


Melinda’s Growing Challenge: Nothing new to report - except processing pumpkins and saving some of the seeds


Meat Free Mondays: At a muffin and coffee for Breakfast. Soup and salad for lunch. Bean burritos for dinner


Ditch The Disposables -This weeks DTD FAILS: I got some soup at work cafeteria, as I had a Gift chip from there, and used a plastic soup spoon. That and the Styrofoam bowl. But got right back up on the horse again. I forgot Muggsly when I went for a coffee- Couldn’t drink coffee there, so they made it in a paper cup, I didn’t put a lid on it and took the cup home for reuse (I use the cups in my vertical garden and for seed starting)


Buy Hand challenge: Made a Soap pedestal for my mom

Working Dogs and Cider Jelly- The weekly challenge update

Proud to be a "working dog"

Been a cold rainy week here in Burien. I gave up on my green house project- need to go back to the drawing board, on that one, Bought Romeo a Dog pack, and made some Apple Cider Jelly using Abbie’s Recipe Used the low sugar recipe. Snaps to Abbie for this recipe. Like having a fresh apple on my toast! Still processing pumpkins

Sharon's Independence Days Challenge- Year two, week 23

1. Plant something: Transplanted a honeysuckle vine in my yard that had out grown a pot at my mom’s
2. Harvest something: Tomatoes and onions for the food bank.
3. Preserve something: Apple Cider Jelly- thanks to Abbie for the recipe
4. Reduce Waste (recycle, reuse, reduce, repair or compost something): Made some poop bag holders out of prescription medicine bottles. Maybe sell them if I get a booth at next season’s Farmer’s Market.
5. Preparation and Storage: Bought Romeo a Dog Pack. He’s a working dog now! He can help carry some groceries and such.
6. Build Community Food Systems: Getting ready for to say goodbye to the community gardens at the BIAS by joining in on the Night of 1000 pumpkins/Day of the dead celebration on November 1st. Bought ½ gallon of Local Apple Cider at Eat Local store to make Cider Cinnamon Jelly
7. Eat the Food (cook or eat something new): Apple Cider Cinnamon Jelly, Roasted pumpkin seeds,

Melinda’s Growing Challenge: Nothing new to report


Meat Free Mondays: Breakfast muffin and coffee, Lunch- TVP Chik’n patty, mac and cheese, Lunch at work- Cheese and Rye Crackers, dinner Omelet


Ditch The Disposables -Still going strong. Nothing to report.


Buy Hand challenge: Finished the Popcorn movie bags. Getting started on the rest of my clocks.

Greenhouses and Christmas Gifts- the Weekly Challenge Update

Week was pretty busy- starting a greenhouse, my Idea of using a very large plastic bag for the roof went hopelessly awry, got an idea from a gardening book for another "greenhouse", and working on Christmas gifts (buy Hand challenge)

Sharon's Independence Days Challenge- Year two, week 23

1. Plant something: Started some basil, chives and parsley seeds indoors for a windowsill herb garden
2. Harvest something: Thai Peppers, Kohl Rabi, Corn Salad Greens, Mesclun Greens, Chard, and Lettuce;From the Community Garden: Basil, Tomatoes, beets; Swiss chard
3. Preserve something: Processed and froze pumpkins, Roasted and stored pumpkin seeds;
4. Reduce Waste (recycle, reuse, reduce, repair or compost something): Repaired my favorite winter Jacket for work- sewed new buttons, repaired tear in sleeves
5. Preparation and Storage: Found out my Big plastic bag for the greenhouse isn’t big enough, going to use 10 foot wide plastic sheeting- but will keep large bag for another winter gardening project already in my mind.
6. Build Community Food Systems: Did my volunteer day at the community garden; took harvested veggies to the food bank
7. Eat the Food (cook or eat something new): Pumpkin seeds, ate Swiss Chard, Corn Salad greens, Mesclun greens and Lettuce in a salad;

Melinda’s Growing Challenge: Saved some gourd seeds and saved some pumpkin seeds that I did not roast


Meat Free Mondays: Breakfast muffin and coffee, Lunch- TVP Chik’n patties, potato salad, orange, Lunch at work- Cheese and Rye Crackers, dinner Almond Butter and Banana stuffed pita French toast


Ditch The Disposables -Still going strong. Guy at work notice I used my fancy hankie made out of a T-shirt- told him they are the best snot rags! One problem I had this week- Even though not a part of my personal DTD challenge-I forgot my shopping bags at the Farmers Market- so used the plastic produce bags- one vendor was reusing old plastic shopping bags Since I was buying gourds and a few pumpkins, I told him the small sugar pumpkin would fit in with the gourds, saving a bag- all the bags will be reused or recycled. Another problem I had this week was I ate at a teriyaki place, while the food on my plate was an actual plate- they only offered plastic cutlery or chopsticks- not having brought my own I opted for chopsticks- while not plastic, they are made from bamboo, I took them home with me as chopsticks have 101 uses. Julia Child and I beat our omelets with them.

Charging Cradle for the buy hand challenge

Clock for the Buy Hand Challenge

Buy Hand challenge: Made a clock- actually, I changed the face of one for my friends at the coffee shop; making same for my uncle(did not buy a new clock for it- using one I already had), and one for martin(an alarm clock bought from the as-is at Ikea). Made charging cradles for I-phones and blackberries.

Ditching the Disposables- The Weekly Challenge Update

Sharon's Independence Days Challenge- Year two, week 20

1. Plant something: Planted the last of the Dutch Corn Salad plants I started; Planted Garlic; Planted Garlic in the community garden as well
2. Harvest something: Basil, Tomatoes, Spaghetti Squash, Pumpkins; Out of the community garden- Tomatoes, cucumber,
3. Preserve something: Pickled Hungarian wax peppers; Pureed and froze pumpkin
4. Reduce Waste (recycle, reuse, reduce, repair or compost something): Don’t know if it counts but I got a replacement for my beloved commuter mug through eBay. Used some old recycling bins as planters;
5. Preparation and Storage: Made a couple of planting beds for next season, converted some recycling bins into planters (when the city changed to different service the Garbage company said to keep your old bins, for free! Never had a use for them until I started thinking about it. Found some old Milk Crates to use to store crap; Figured out a plan to make a green house using the Canopy frame I have with no top, will make it moveable
6. Build Community Food Systems: Took this weeks donation of food from the community garden to the food bank- Tomatoes, cucumbers
7. Eat the Food (cook or eat something new)-Ate pickled cherry tomatoes and onions, Pickled Hungarian Wax Peppers; Started eating the food in the freezer- ate Game hens and corn (from last year)

Melinda’s Growing Challenge: Am planing on building a greenhouse using a canopy frame I happen to have; saved the seeds from pumpkins, spaghetti squash


Meat Free Mondays: I had a “Morning Glory” Muffin- (Raisin, Mango and Carrot) and coffee from Burien Press, lunch- had TVP “chicken”, beets; lunch at work - A flatbread pesto and tomato Pizza; Dinner pickled onions, pickled tomatoes and an omelet.




Ditch The Disposables- Yes Ms. Amy, or rather Crunchy Domestic Goddess to you and me is starting this one up again, For the love of me I don’t remember what I ditched last year; But Oh well this year I am going to concentrate on Plastic Cutlery and Drop the tissues for Hankies- I mayhave done one or both last year but need to try harder if I did as I am getting sloppy about both!