Tips for Setting Up a Christmas Tree

Setting up a Christmas tree is a major undertaking. Before you rearrange your home to fit in your tree, there are a few very important things to consider. After all, you don’t want that pretty tree to end up endangering your loved ones! These tips help me decorate my home for Christmas safely:

• Check all light cords before using them. Any cords that are at all frayed should go into the trash, not onto your tree!
• Think about where you’re going to put the tree. Toddlers, cats and dogs will make a beeline for the tree and could get hurt pulling it over or eating an ornament from the branches. Also, think about whether that location is out of the way. Believe me, as much as I adore Christmas, squeezing by the tree six or seven times for 25 days in a row gets old really fast.
• Consider how steady the tree is before you worry about decorating. Adjust the stand, add extra weight to it, etc. to make sure the tree stays up after you put it up.
• Avoid ornaments that involve candle flames. You’re just asking for a pyrotechnic display in the living room with candles on a dried out cut tree.

Do you have any tips for setting up a Christmas tree?

Photo: SXC

Turkey Tater Tot Casserole

By now, you’ve probably used up every turkey recipe you could find! This is about the last day that turkey can be reheated, according to the Martha Stewart website. Turkey can be stored in the fridge for up to three or four days (or frozen for four to six months). So if you had your Thanksgiving meal on Thursday (which most of us did), it’s best to use up your leftovers tonite.
Hopefully you had a chance to use one or two of the unique leftover recipes I posted the other day, but even if you didn’t this tater tot casserole will give you a last chance to enjoy that Thanksgiving turkey.

I came up with this one after having several leftovers from Thanksgiving as well as a family get together. The turkey puts a nice twist on this old favorite that usually contains hamburger. Here’s how you prepare it:

• 2 cups cooked turkey, cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 8 ounces frozen peas
• 15 ounces frozen tater-tots
• salt and pepper
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together oatmeal, egg, garlic, and milk, and place in bottom of a greased 9×13 inch baking pan. Scatter turkey on top. Then add cream of chicken soup over the top of that, followed by the peas and then finally the tater tots. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for one hour or until completely heated through.

Image: sxc.hu.

Three Spinach Appetizers

Most of us probably ate some Popeye’s canned spinach as a kid. I was a big fan of Popeye the Sailor Man. He was smart as well as strong! Spinach is actually good for you. It’s a great source of iron.

I’ve included below three spinach appetizer recipes from Allens — the largest family owned and operated vegetable company in the US. The recipes are Popeye’s Spinach Triangles (or slices if you’d rather do that), Spinach-Stuffed Mushrooms and Hot Spinach Dip. Yum.

Plus, spinach being the festive green that it is, these appetizers would be great for holiday parties.

Popeye’s Spinach Triangles

Ingredients

• 1 can (14 oz.) Popeye Curly Leaf Spinach
• 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 lb. butter
• 6 green onions, minced
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2 Tbsp. fresh bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1⁄4 cup minced parsley
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill weed
• Fresh ground pepper
• 8 or 12 phyllo pastry sheets*
• 1⁄2 cup fresh bread crumbs (for slices)

Directions

• Drain spinach well, pressing to remove as much moisture as possible.
• Melt butter; sauté onion in 1 Tbsp. butter.
• Combine onions, spinach, cheese, 2 Tbsp. bread crumbs, egg, parsley, dill, and pepper.

Triangles:

• Brush 1 sheet phyllo dough with melted butter.
• Cut into 2-inch wide strips.
• Cover remaining dough with wax paper and damp towel to prevent drying.
• With 2-inch edge toward you, place 1 level tsp. cheese mixture on left hand corner of strip.
• Fold corner with filling up and to the right, diagonally and straight until a triangle is formed.
• Place on a baking sheet; brush with melted butter. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Bake in a 375°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes until puffy and brown. Serve warm.

*Refrigerated, canned crescent rolls may be substituted for phyllo pastry sheets.

Slices:

• Place 1 phyllo sheet lengthwise in front of you on a sheet of waxed paper.
• Brush with butter and sprinkle with fresh bread crumbs.
• Repeat until 4 phyllo sheets are stacked.
• Spread 1/3 of spinach mixture over top phyllo sheet.
• Roll tightly as for a jelly roll, using waxed paper to lift and guide the roll.
• Transfer to baking sheet. Brush with melted butter.
• Repeat until 3 rolls are made, keeping the remaining phyllo dough covered with waxed paper and a damp towel as you work to prevent drying.
• Bake in a 375°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes.
• Cut into 1-inch slices using a serrated or electric knife.

Makes 40 to 50 appetizers.

Spinach-Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 3 dozen large fresh mushrooms (about 11⁄2 lb.)
• 1⁄4 cup butter or margarine
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 can (14 oz.) Popeye or Sunshine Chopped Spinach, drained
• 1⁄2 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1⁄2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1⁄4 tsp. pepper
• 1/8 tsp. dry mustard
• 1⁄2 cup dairy sour cream
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Wipe mushrooms.
• Remove and chop stems.
• Set caps on baking sheet. Set aside.
• Melt butter in medium skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add onion and mushroom stems, and sauté 5 minutes until tender.
• Squeeze spinach dry. Add spinach,bread crumbs, garlic, nutmeg, pepper, and mustard to onion mixture. Mix well.
• Stir sour cream into spinach mixture.
• Fill mushroom caps with spinach mixture. Sprinkle cheese over mushrooms.
• Bake 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Microwave Directions:
Prepare mushrooms following method given above. Arrange 12 mushrooms in a circle around edge of 10-inch microwave-safe plate. Cover lightly with waxed paper. Cook on high (100% power) 4 to 5 minutes until steamed. Repeat with remaining mushrooms.

Yield: 36 appetizers.

Hot Spinach Dip

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 2 Tablespoons chopped onion
• 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cans (13.5 oz. each) Popeye Spinach, drain well, reserving 1/2 cup liquid
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1 roll (6 oz.) jalapeno cheese, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon celery salt
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• Dash of red pepper

Directions

• Combine butter, onion, and flour. Stir well and cook about 1 minute.
• Gradually add reserved spinach liquid and evaporated milk; cook until slightly thickened, stirring constantly.
• Add cheese and seasonings to sauce, stirring until cheese is melted.
• Add spinach, mixing well.
• Serve hot with party crackers or fresh vegetables. May add fresh or canned chopped mushrooms.

(Recipes via Allens; Image via stock.xchng)

Chicken Tagine

A tagine is a spicy Moroccan stew typically made with meat or poultry; it is also the name of the cone-shaped vessel traditionally used to cook the dish. This delicious recipe for Chicken Tagine is courtesy of The Food Channel.

Why try? The exotic aromas and comforting flavors of this delicious tagine will transport you to North Africa’s Mediterranean shores with every bite.

Though the number of ingredients in this recipe may appear daunting, the dish can be assembled quickly. Only the onion, preserved lemons, cilantro and parsley require knife work; the rest of the work is just measuring. All the ingredients should be available at your local supermarket with the exception of the preserved lemons, which may be purchased at specialty stores or can be easily prepared at home (though they can take weeks to become fully preserved). Click here for The Food Channel Preserved Lemons recipe.

This is a great dish to serve company. The combination of spices is a bit off the beaten path, so it will please the foodies on your guest list. However, all the flavors are familiar, so it won’t scare off any guests with conservative palates.

Foodie Byte: To reduce the spicy-heat of this dish, cut back on the cayenne pepper. Though the tagine is a one-pot meal, it is even more delicious served over basmati rice or couscous.

Prep Time: 3 1/2 hours
Cook Time: 1 hour
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 8 small chicken thighs, bone in, skin on (approx. 3 pounds total)
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1½ tablespoons ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 5 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion sliced 1/8 inch thin
• ½ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 can (14 oz) chick peas, drained
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
• 1½ preserved lemons, rinsed, pulp removed, cut into strips 1/8th inch wide
• 1 cup kalamata olives

Preparation

1. Rinse chicken, pat dry and set aside.
2. Mix together salt, coriander, cinnamon, cumin, cayenne pepper, black pepper, turmeric and garlic powder. Stir in 5 tablespoons olive oil. Coat chicken with spice/oil mixture, place on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 3 hours.
3. Remove chicken from marinade, reserving any marinade left on the plate.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on both sides, in batches if necessary, approximately 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a clean plate.
5. Add onions to the Dutch oven and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add reserved marinade, parsley, ½ cup of cilantro, lemon juice, chick peas, tomatoes, preserved lemons, olives and reserved chicken. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover.
6. Cook until chicken is falling off the bone, approximately 60 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste and sprinkle with remaining cilantro. Serve 2 thighs and a few large spoonfuls of the chunky sauce per person. Serve over basmati rice or couscous if desired.

This recipe is part of The Food Channel’s Holiday Gifts for Food Lovers series.

Veggie Dog Bagels

I like making my own treats for my dogs because I know exactly what’s gone into them and how fresh they are, and I also like that I can make a smaller batch of something and know that they’ll be used before they go bad or stale.

These doggy bagel treats are vegetarian, though you could easily substitute some beef or chicken broth for the water, and even add some shredded cheese for a little bit of extra flavor.

Veggie Dog Bagels

1 Teaspoon of Vegetable oil
1/2 cup of Wheat Flour
2½ cups of White Flour
1/4 Teaspoon of Baking soda
1/4 Teaspoon of Baking powder
1/2 cup of Chopped spinach
1/2 cup of Chopped carrots
1 Egg
3/4 Cup of Water

~ Preheat to 350 degrees.

~ Combine wet and dry ingredients separately and then mix together.

~ Knead by hand and form into ball shaped pieces (depending on your dog’s size, golf or tennis ball).

~ Flatten and poke a hole in the center and shape into a bagel.

~ Bake for 45-50 minutes.

~ Garnish cooled bagels with poppy seeds or sesame seeds by spraying lightly with water and then sprinkling seeds over top.

[image: flickr]

Nine inexpensive green gifts for kids

Earlier this week we looked at 10 inexpensive green gifts for adults. It’s not fair to leave the kiddos out though. Luckily there are tons of eco-friendly kids gifts that can be had for $40 or less. Following are some eco-friendly, non-toxic toys for the holidays that will amaze the kids while keeping your budget in check.

$10-$30 – Sprig toys are battery-free, eco-friendly, paint-free, kid-powered toys made with Sprigwood, a child-safe bio-composite of recycled wood and reclaimed plastic that smells like pine and has visible wood flecks. Sprig makes adventure play sets, trucks, sand and water toys, and much more. AND only one item they sell clocks in at over $40 – all other products can be had from about $10-$30.

$28.99 – Eco-Friendly Tea Set from Green Toys – made with recycled milk cartons AND comes gift ready wrapped for free.

$25.00 – Organic Joobles from Fair Indigo are made of soft organic yarns and eco-friendly dyes and come in many adorable characters from penguins to bears to lions and more.

$20.00 – Eco Playdough all natural, made with plant, fruit and veggie extracts with no chemicals, artificial dyes or metals. Containers are made from cornstarch and are 100% compostable and colors include orange, yellow, green, and pink.

$19.99 – Imaginarium Green Triangle Activity Center – made with eco-friendly rubberwood and non-toxic paint.

$25.00 – Eco-Friendly Tool Set – made by Green Toys with recycled milk cartons.

$24.99 – Cardboard treehouse – totally creative, fun, and 100% recyclable. Comes in unpainted cardboard so kids can paint it however they like.

$38.90 - Plan Toys – Water Blocks made with eco-friendly rubberwood and non-toxic finishes.

$24.95 – Earth-opoly is a game made with all easily recyclable paper, soy inks, and game pieces are made made by nature or completely recyclable. Plus this game celebrates the Earth one turn at a time. “Players buy properties, collect Carbon Credits and trade them for Clean Air. As they travel the board visiting each impressive land form, they will learn about the planet and pick up Go Green tips from each deed card. Learn about Earth and how to care for it as you play. There is Traditional Play or One Hour Version.“

Making Art with Coffee Foam

Here’s another reason to put a cappuccino machine on your shopping list: cappuccino or latte foam art. Why bother with coffee art? After all, it’s even more transient than dirty car window art. I believe coffee foam art is popular because it adds comfort and a special gift to an already dreamy and friendly drink. Plus, when else do you get a chance to drink art? Never!

Which milk should you choose: non-fat, 2% or whole? According to coffeegeek.com, non-fat milk is indeed the easiest to foam, yet it won’t be as decadent. Next up, 2% milk will foam easily, says coffeegeek, and it’s a “nice balance” between foaming ease and fat. And, finally, whole milk is tasty, but much more difficult to use if you want foam. It sounds like 2% may be the best choice.

Foam Art Around the Web

WomansDay.com published an article on cappuccino art. Do go visit the story by Brynn for frothy art like a panda, apple, zigzag, straw hat, leaf, lady, monkey, elephant and more.

The first video below is a slideshow of latte art from the artistic barista Sammy Lin, while the second video of Japanese barista Chiharu Yokoyama will reveal how to make a cappuccino foam bunny. It’s all in the initial pouring and later the instrument dipping to create swirls and  lines.

Sammy Lin Latte Art: Don’t miss the impressive solar system art or the wonderful cats.

Japanese Barista Chiharu Yokoyama: Find out how he makes a cappuccino bunny face.

(Image via flickr/yoppy)

Five Ways to Get Your Bedroom Ready for the Holidays

Now that your kitchen is all spruced up for the holidays, you’re ready to move on to decorating the bedroom. This can be an expensive holiday makeover for some people, but you can do it very cheaply if you have a neutral foundation in the room, such as a solid colored spread and a  tan carpet.

I like to start by switching out my bedspread for one with a holiday design or a solid spread in jewel tone colors. A cheap alternative in a kids’ bedroom is to buy a few yards of fleece on sale and make a holiday spread with it. (Just enlarge the no sew blanket in the tutorial.)

Next, swap out some of the pictures on your walls for holiday swags and artwork.

Put a poinsettia or a Christmas cactus in a window. They aren’t terribly fussy plants once they’re already blooming, so you should be able to keep them looking nice til after the holiday. If you have the thumb of death instead of a green thumb, try a mini swag or a few small ornaments on your window sills. (When I had a house without a fireplace, I treated my windowsills like mini fireplace mantels during the holidays.)

Pull out a holiday throw and a cheery pillow to dress up any chairs you have in the room.

Hang wreaths or stockings on your closet doors. (If you use stockings, you can store scarves or other small items in them.)

Do you decorate your bedroom for the holidays?

Photo: SXC

Hosting a Holiday Crafting Party

By Dawn Meisch

Looking for an interesting and new way to spend time with your friends during the holiday season? Try something new this year and invite your friends over for a Holiday Craft Party. Not only is this a way to spend a relaxing evening, but you can complete presents for those on your holiday gift list.

First, you will need to decide on what project you and your guests will be making. You might want to consider something that is simple enough to finish in one evening, or if you are feeling adventurous you can teach your guests a new skill, like knitting or rubber stamping. It is a good idea to make the project ahead of time, or at least to have a photo of what you’ll be making so guests can see an example. If you need ideas for your activity, many holiday magazines have numerous ideas for holiday crafts as well as online sites like JoAnn’s Crafts or Martha Stewart.

Project Ideas

Cookies - Ask guests to bring their cookie cutters, decorations or recipes, and let the baking begin. Sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies are traditional holiday favorites, but be creative and try something new or use your year-round specialty.

Ornaments - A big assortment of supplies, available at any craft store, can be used to make a variety of ornaments, from clear glass balls to undecorated wooden shapes or even flexible foam. Creating recycled ornaments from old Christmas cards, tin cans, even cardboard boxes is a good way to save money and decorate for the holidays.

Greeting Cards – If you schedule your party early enough in the season, you can make holiday cards to send out for that year. Create cards around a theme, like snowmen, stars, snowflakes or trees.

Shrink Plastic - Shrink Plastic, commonly known as Shrinky Dinks, starts off as thin pieces of plastic that when baked shrinks down to 35% of the original size. Wine charms, earrings, or pendant projects are good choices for this material. They can be colored with colored pencils or stamped on with rubber stamps. Just be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions on the package.

Mystery Craft – Give your guests a bag filled with supplies like papers, ribbons, buttons, beads, yarn, bottle caps, and anything else that looks intriguing and have access to glue, scissors, and hole punches. Tell them just to make whatever they want with the supplies in their bag. When they are done, have everyone show off their new creation.

The Finishing Touches

Enhance your festive atmosphere with holiday music and decorations. Be sure to include some treats to snack on before or after craft time or ask guests to bring their favorite potluck dish. For tempting recipe ideas for foods to serve for your crafty celebration, check out the Food Network or Martha Stewart website. Set your table with colorful dishes like Noritake Colorwave, which comes in a variety of colors that easily mix and match with any holiday palette. Most importantly, relax, have fun and engage in the creative spirit of the holidays while enjoying the company of your friends.

Find the best eco-sex toys

Currently there are plenty of eco-sex toys sweeping the market – good news for a tree hugger or for someone concerned with their personal health. The problem is that all these choices can be totally overwhelming. Below is a breakdown of some eco-friendly toys and where to find them.

I Rub My Duckie: Bondage a phthalate-free little guy from Big Teaze Toys

JUST THE BASICS:

The first step is to avoid the baddies. This means toys made of plastics which may contain phthalates and other icky chemicals – which are bad enough in bottled water products but to put them you know where, well… Look for sex toys made of medical-grade and body-safe materials that can be recycled. Wood, glass, and silicone are some options. You also can look for sex toys that are rechargeable, use rechargeable batteries, or even find unique hand-cranked, organic, or solar-powered erotic toys.

SILICONE SEX TOYS:

Vixen Creations is a woman owned sex toy company making hand-crafted adult toys with eco-friendly silicone. Silicone has many advantages when used in sex toys. Silicone is flexible and naturally warms up to your body temperature. It’s a toxin free material, vibrates smoothly, cleans easily and silicone sex toys come in a wide array of colors and shapes – enough to please just about everyone. Vixen even offers a great lifetime guarantee on all their silicone sex toys.

You can also shop at sex toy king Good Vibrations through their earth-friendly Ecorotic collection which includes silicone toys as well as many other all-natural and organic sex fun products.

WOODEN SEX TOYS:

Wooden sex toys have the disadvantage of being inflexible BUT are beautiful when well made and long lasting. Plus, if made in an eco-friendly manner won’t contain any of the icky chemicals found in plastic.

NobEssence makes wooden sex toys, or “sculptures” as they call them with hand selected wood and then carve and polish with care using state-of-the-art bio-compatible Lubrosity. Lubrosity coatings and processes meet USP Class IV and VI Medical Standards can be soaked in water, have zero odor, and have no petroleum distillates. Because of the hand crafted process, each sculpture has it’s own unique color, shape, texture and grain.

GLASS SEX TOYS:

Of course the major concern with glass sex toys is breakage – what a way to ruin a fun night right?! Glass sex toys are also, like wood, inflexible and won’t warm in the same natural way that wood and silicone will. However, there are advantages. According to Glass Dildo Me, makers of all things glass and sexy, “Pyrex, Borosilicate glass is hypoallergenic, odor free, and non-deteriorating.” You can also heat or cool glass sex toys manually with warm water or ice water.

Kaleidoscope by Glass Dildo Me shown above

Other advantages of glass include easy recycling and beauty. Glass can be blown in amazing shapes and colors (see above), although for this sort of gorgeous work a downside is cost. Good quality glass sex toys will cost more than other eco-friendly sex toys, and if they don’t you should actually look elsewhere. PS at Glass Dildo Me you can even design your own glass dildo.

OTHER PLACES TO SHOP:

• JuicyLogic makes the only solar-powered vibrator on the market – the Sola Vibe and also carries a wide array of other eco-friendly sex treats.
• Babeland has many eco-friendly sex toys and their website is chock full of sex advice, reviews, and more.
• Jimmyjane offers patented non-toxic vibes that come housed in their own clever recharging cases.
• If bondage is your game, then check out Madame Butterfly for greener ropes made of raw silk and bamboo plus you’ve got a natural dye option. Twisted Monk offers an eco-friendly bondage rope as well made with hemp PLUS has handy bondage safety and use videos to view.
• Big Teaze Toys offers adorable and fun AND phthalate-free little duckie vibes; among other items.
• Smitten Kitten has an array of nice green sex toys to browse.

Coming up soon some extra tips including ideas for eco-friendly lube, eco sex books, and where to recycle those toys.

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