Home & Garden Blog » This Week in Home & Garden

Recipes of the Week: Easy Appetizers!

brendan — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 17:25:53 +0000

Hi All! I hope your week is going well. It’s been a long week for me, and I’m sure glad that it’s almost over. I’m going to go to bed early tonight, probably. But before I do I’m going to make the mother of all unhealthy dinners. If you want to cook along with me, please go ahead. I’m cooking up two of my all-time favorite appetizers and making a meal out of it.

The menu: bacon wrapped dates and iceberg lettuce wedges. I’m going to finish it up with some fudge brownies a la mode–the old fashioned kind. From a Betty Crocker box topped with Haagan Dazs ice cream. (Hey, you can’t cook everything yourself. Unless you have an ice cream maker. In which case, you are way cooler than me.)

Bacon Wrapped Dates: This is the easiest, most delicious appetizer ever. Ingredients: a pound of bacon. (Don’t do the turkey mess–go all the way. We’re being unhealthy on purpose, which somehow makes it ok. K?) Other Ingredients: pitted dates, toothpicks, and brie cheese. Process: Preheat the oven to 375. Stuff the dates with brie cheese, and wrap them with bacon. One slice of bacon per date. Bake for 45 minutes in a baking pan, turning them occasionally for even cooking. Note: a lot of recipes call for slicing the bacon in two so that its the right length to wrap around the dates. I say wrap it around twice. It’s your call though. We’re talking fats and sugars. You basically can’t lose.

Iceberg Lettuce Wedge: Get a nice, crisp medium sized head of Iceberg lettuce. Cut it into four equally sized wedges. Then get these ingredients: a delicious blue cheese dressing, finely chopped scallions, two cloves of minced garlic, and the juice of half a medium sized lemon. Process: gradually mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. Plate each iceberg lettuce wedge on a seperate plate. Top with the dressing mixture and serve. If you have extra bacon from the dates, fry it, and crumble it over the top to make it the most delicious and least healthy salad you will ever eat.

Brownies are, of course, super easy. Make fudge-like brownies from a box (I’m all about the shortcuts after a long week of working). Top with a delicious ice cream from Haagan Dazs or Ben and Jerry’s. Accept no substitutions. I recommend a Vanilla flavor or a coffee flavor. Your topping a brownie with this, so get a complimentary flavor. (No one loves Mint Chocolate Chip more than I do, but it was not made to go ontop of a chocoholic brownie.)

The final step in my evening: do absolutely nothing. I’m probably going to pass out in front of the TV. And leave all the dishes for tomorrow. (Which I’m going to wash, coincidentally, with eco-friendly soap). It’s going to be glorious. If you’ve had a tough week, I think it’s totally cool to make yourself an easy, delicious, bad-for-you-in-a-good-way dinner, and just chill. I hope you have a relaxing weekend! If you do decide to cook along with me, let me know how it turns out!

Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/scaredykat/451571324

Reducing Cooling Costs: Eco Tips for Summer

brendan — Mon, 31 May 2010 06:15:50 +0000

In a few weeks, it will officially be summer, but the warm weather is already here. As we gear up to enjoy the beach, the barbecue, and the pool, I have a few tips for you to keep in mind to keep your environmental footprint small and your cost savings large.

First, get some thermal curtains. You draw these curtains during the day, and they keep sunlight – and the associated heat gains in your home – far far away. If you don’t want to outfit your entire house with these curtains (it could be rather pricey) just put curtains in the rooms that get the most sunlight. Just draw the curtains when you go out during the day and reap the energy savings.

Another simple tip is to turn of your AC during the day. This is pretty basic, and I’m sure that you’ve heard it before, but it is a really, really simple way to reduce your energy usage, and consequently, your energy bill. If you are a person who really enjoys coming home to a cool house (I admit it feels fantastic to walk out of the heat of the day and into a really cool home and relax) then seriously get those heat curtains! That way, you can turn of the energy and still have a fairly frigid house to come home to.

To all people really serious about dropping cooling costs: do not use a blanket when it is unnecessary. I admit, some of my friends (OK I mean me) used to keep it really cool in the house AND sleep with blankets. It is totally unnecessary. Don’t use a heavy winter comforter with the AC on. It doesn’t make sense. At the very least, find a lighter blanket – or just get a pair of fairly thick sheets. That way you can still feel cozy, but you can also reduce your AC usage.

Also, get your AC unit cleaned (if you have central air) or uprgraded (if you have standalone units). Cleaning your central air conditioning unitl means you will have a summer of a cooler home and lower bills. Ka-ching, ka-ching. Just call your local AC repair person. If you have an old air conditioning unit, it is probably an energy hog, and it does not even work that well. Get it replaced with an Energy Star unit. Your wallet – and the earth – will thank you.

Finally, make sure your AC unit / units are in the shade. They won’t have to work nearly as hard, meaning that you will save money. If you have window-based AC units, and you are trying to decide which window to put them in, make sure to put them in the windows that get the least sun exposure. If you have a central unit, maybe plant some shady trees around it, or some bamboo. It’s a really inexpensive way to save yourself lots of dough.

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/alohateam/4474291634

Cool Chairs from the Wilsonart Design Competition

brendan — Wed, 26 May 2010 17:53:54 +0000

Wilsonart, a decorative laminate manufacturer, sponsors a design competition every year. This year, they told contestants at the Pratt Institute, one of the leading design schools in the world, to design chairs that featured their product. The finalists and winning entries are below, along with my commentary.

The finalists’ entries were all very strong. Note that what Wilsonart was looking for in their competition (primarily inventive use of their product) is different from what I will be critiquing – use in a home setting. This is not to suggest that this is what the contestants had in mind – some of them definitely didn’t have home use in mind- but this is a homes and gardens blog, afterall.

The first up is Esin Arsan’s One-For-Two chair. It’s actually a loveseat, and if you look carefully at the image, you can see that it has two “arms” that seem to be reaching towards you. The loveseat is supposed to actually hug the people who are sitting on it. This is a gorgeously designed piece, with the vibrant optimism of a Jeff Koons sculpture. The takeaway lesson here is that a centerpiece for your living room – or really any room – doesn’t have to be elaborate or ornate. A dash of bright color or an unusual form – or both, in this case – can make a piece a show stopper.

The next up is the Nabolis chair by Mike Jozewicz. This chair is even simpler and more sculptural than Esin Arsan’s piece. I think it is actually way prettier. It looks like something I would like to sit on. The actual pattern is overcomplicated: on a chair sculpted this well, it is gilding the lilly – the visual busyness detracts from the elegantly simple sculpture. The impact of the chair would be greatly improved if Jozewicz stuck to simpler colors or effects. The takeaway – don’t try to make something amazing too complicated. Simplicity is better.

Next we have the Lunch Bag Chair by Alexandra Pulver. Her chair was not intended for the home – it was imagined as part of her popuplunch.com series on urban street design. Still, her devotion to simplicity, clean lines, and bold color are great confines for anyone designing a modern living space.

Anyway, I hope you liked talking about some more strictly design stuff than we normally do. Let me know what you thought! Until next time!

–

Image Source: Clint Blowers

Spring Sport Spectacular!

brendan — Mon, 03 May 2010 17:14:24 +0000

I’ve been saying it for a while, but spring is in full bloom, and I keep posting about ways you can enjoy it. I highly recommend that you set up some sort of outdoor court to encourage yourself to get outside more. Here are some thoughts:

Badminton: this sport is often thought of as a backyard tennis and with good reason. It takes up less space than tennis courts do, and oh yeah, most people can shell out the $75-200 to get started with badminton but can’t afford the many thousands to put in a tennis court. There are a few differences in how they are played, but badminton is a much more laid back game in general. The court is smaller; you don’t need to hit as hard. So get a badminton set, and play barefoot. You won’t start sweating buckets – it’s a great game for after dinner.
Volleyball: a fantastically fun game. I have absolutely no motor skills, and I still enjoy it. It’s the perfect game to play when you through your first BBQ of the summer. While you may be no Misty May or Kerri Walsh, you’ll still have a great time chilling in the sunshine. Check out Smarter’s volleyball nets and volleyballs.
Croquet: I had wanted to play this game since reading Alice in Wonderland. I finally got to play it last summer, and I got hooked. The sport is somewhere between pool and bowling, except I think it’s more fun. (Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it, skeptics.) The general idea is that you have to hit a small ball through a series of targets in the right order. After you hit them through, your ball is then poison, and you try to get others out by hitting your ball against theirs. This game takes absolutely no physical exertion, and it is a great afternoon game. (It’s also fun if you throw a Gilded Era themed party.) Get your croquet set at Smarter.
If you want to get even closer to playing backyard bowling, try playing Petanque. Petanque (which is very similar to bocce ball) is a French game, and it is as easy as it is fun. You play with several people. First, you roll a small wooden ball out at random, and then each person tries to roll their own (larger metal) ball as close as possible to the first one. Read up on the sport here.

Let me know what you think. If you have any thoughts/questions post those too. Happy gaming!

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/joeshlabotnik/2212905631/sizes/s/in/photostream

Creative Gifts for Mother’s Day

brendan — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 16:56:14 +0000

Hello all! This is a friendly reminder that Mother’s Day is right around the corner. It’s a week from this Sunday: May 9th, 2010. You want to buy and ship a gift to Mom ASAP, so that it reaches her in plenty of time. Wondering what to get her? Wonder no more, my inquisitive reader! Check out these ideas:

Get Mom flowers. This one is pretty obvious, or so you think. While everyone gets Mom a bouquet, how about you give Mom the gift of a beautiful garden? Get a sibling or one of your Mother’s friends to get her out of the house for a few hours and then give Mom’s garden a makeover while she’s out. Plant some daffodils or tulips in the garden, or get some hanging flowers for the porch or patio.

You could also surprise Mom with some awesome garden furniture, like the stuff I’ve been talking about in my recent posts. I don’t know about your Mom, but my Mom would really enjoy a place to sit outside in the shade (yes I’ll sell you on the idea of hammocks). Or, if you don’t have a green finger, get a gardener to come take care of it for you.

Another thing you could give mom is a gourmet coffee maker. The Keurig coffee makers have been selling briskly, and with good reason. People absolutely love them. Alternately, you could give mom a great delux expresso machine. If mom is all about tea, then consider getting her a delux tea sampler kit from the local health food store or from the farmers market.

You could also give mom things that require the two of you to spend time together. How about you get her a scrapbooking kit – something that the two of you can work on together? Scrapbooking communicates that you want to spend time together. Mom will like that.

Get mom something really fun, like an old fashioned ice-cream maker, and the ingredients to make some really awesome ice cream (rocky road anyone?) Offer to make it with her.

As long as you are thoughtful, I’m sure your Mom will love your gift. The most important thing is of course to try to be there. Giving things to mom that let s her know you want to spend some time with her is a really nice gesture.

What do you think? Let me know! Happy buying! I’ll bug you again soon to remind you to get something awesome for mom. Let me know if you have any awesome ideas!

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/visbeek/3635309026

Home and Garden Weekly Roundup

evette — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 21:06:44 +0000

Click on the image above to check out this video from MSNBC.com featuring Design on a Dime host Frank Fontana. He shows us how to turn pre-fabricated furniture into pretty and creative looking furniture using cute decals and items you might have thrown away otherwise.

This week on Smarter Home & Garden:

Spring on Sale: Perennial Flowers and More
How to Choose the Best Roman Shades
Coolest Energy Saving Lamps
Furniture Deal: Vancouver Convertible Sofa

This Week in Home and Garden Blogs

evette — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:17:59 +0000

(Source Image: YankoDesign.com)

If carpets, hardwood, and concrete floors are too passe for you, how about one that generates floral patterns underneath every squishy step? The Blooming Step flooring system is a vinyl carpet containing nontransparent gel that appears clear when undisturbed. When you step on it flowers seemingly bloom from the surface tension and just as quickly disappear – creating a visual conversation as people walk across the room and interact with furniture.

Designer: Tae-Jin Sim

(Source: YankoDesign.com)

While in Smarter Home & Garden Blogging:

Childrens Furniture – Monte Carlo Balloon Ceiling Fans
My Neck Hurts - Shop for Neck Pillow Support
Discount Salt and Pepper Shakers – Unique and Nifty
Unique Furniture – Coffee Drum Table

Home and Garden Weekly Review

evette — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 18:04:02 +0000

I love hearing awesome news about people who are thinking outside of the box while going green! Here is more news from MSNBC.com. A Salt Lake City company called Gorilla Designs is designing homes made out of idle shipping containers. They are said to be affordable and will last a lifetime.

Check out more details and the full story here.

This week Smarter Home & Garden covered:

Spring Cleaning Ideas: Another Use for Shoe Boxes
Cool Deal: Denver Adjustable Microfiber Sofa Sleeper
Kimberly-Clark Goes Green with Scott Naturals

Home and Garden Weekly Review

evette — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 17:23:22 +0000

MSNBC.com wants you to “go green” and drink wine from old windshields. Sounds weird, but you can purchase Recycled Windshield Wine Glasses from UncommonGoods.com for $22. They show us a ton of options for other kitchen goods that were made from recycled wine bottles, recycled rubber, recycled milk cartons, recycled juice cartons and more.

Check out the full article here.

Spring Decorating Ideas
Affordable Easter Decor: Bunnies, Eggs, You Know
Junk Drawer Drama: How Do You Deal?

The Week in Home and Garden Blogging

evette — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:54:32 +0000

The Obamas are making a vegetable garden out of part of the South Lawn of the White House. I think it sets an excellent example for us all!

Check out the news article from SeattleTimes.com here.

On Smarter Home & Garden this week:

Home & Garden Coupon Codes Expiring Soon
Low Priced Scented Candles – Jungle Stripe Scented Candles
Discount Furniture – XXL Fuf Bean Bag Chair

Source: The Seattle Times, Getty Images