We try to run a sustainable household, as much as we can. We think it’s important to surround ourselves by things that were made by fair labor practices, using natural materials and are organic where ever possible. That’s why using plastic storage containers in my kitchen has bothered me for quite some time. When heated, who knows how many chemicals from the plastic are leaching out into our food. We’ve felt healthier since we switched over to a mostly organic, vegetable-heavy diet that doesn’t rely on processed foods. So I think that we can further improve our health (and the environment’s) by eliminating plastics from the kitchen as much as we can. Now I’m not saying that I’m throwing out every single plastic item I own. That’s just not practical, at least at this point. For packaged goods, I try to buy my soymilk in paper containers and my meats from the butcher counter, where they come wrapped in butcher paper and not shrink-wrapped plastic and styrofoam. But the biggest culprit in our kitchen is the plastic containers we use to store leftovers and for freezer storage. And all to often I find myself popping one in the microwave to defrost frozen dinners or heat up leftovers, and I’m a firm believer that it’s just not a good idea. So I bit the bullet and purchased a couple of sets of glass storage containers today. I purchased a fourteen piece set that includes larger containers like casseroles, as well as four 1-cup rectangular containers and four 2-cup round containers. The large dishes will be excellent for freezer meals and the smaller ones will be great for leftovers and lunches. I just can’t wait until they arrive so I put them to use!
Archive for February, 2007
Midwestern Winter Chili
There are probably a billion recipes for chili in existence, and how to properly make it can be a hot topic. I’ve been playing with creating my own recipe for the past couple of years, and I think I finally got it right. The best part is, the whole things takes about 45 minutes from prep to table. Give it try while the weather is cold!
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste (get the tomato paste that comes in the tube instead of the can– makes storage so much easier)
2 large cans crushed tomatoes
2 cans dark red kidney beans
2 1/2 cups of chicken broth
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly ground cumin (use a mortar & pestle to crush/grind the seeds)
1/4-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon oregano
1/2 bag thin egg noodles
Instructions
1.) Sautee the onions in the oil until just translucent. Add the beef and cook until no longer pink.
2.) Add the tomato paste and cook 2 minutes.
3.) Add the tomatoes, kidney beans, chicken broth and spices and cook for 20 minutes.
4.) While the chili is simmering, cook the egg noodles in water, drain and set aside.
5.) Stir the noodles into the chili and serve hot. If you like, serve it with your favorite garnishes– grated or cubed cheese/soy cheese, diced green onions, sour cream, or crackers.
Surviving the Bitter Cold
Chicago (and much of the immediate Midwest) is the middle of a blizzard! You can barely see down the block, snow has been coming down for over a day and is blowing from all directions, and it’s cold. So what can you do to keep warm in this weather? Here are a few tips.
Unfortunately, snow days don’t seem to apply to adults. In a commerce-driven society, we all have to go to work no matter what it seems, so when you go out in the cold for that brutal commute keep the following in mind:
– Keep your feet warm and dry. Appropriate footwear is key– ideally a sturdy pair of snow boots and two pairs of socks. If you don’t have a pair of snow boots and you have to settle for the footwear you have, bring an extra pair of socks and dry shoes to change into when you get to your destination.
– Wear a hat and scarf. We lose most of our body heat through our head and neck, so keeping these areas covered is vital to staying warm. Don’t forget a good pair of gloves for your hands!
– Wearing several layers instead of one bulky sweater will actually keep you warmer, because air gets trapped in between the layers, providing extra insulation. A winning combination for me is a long sleeved t-shirt, a medium-weight cardigan and if it’s really cold, and a fleece pullover or sweater, followed by my coat.
At home, keeping warm is just as important. Here are some tips for maintaining comfortable temperatures at home:
– Keep the curtains or shades closed. They’ll provide an extra layer of insulation.
– Keep your clothing layered at home too. You can always keep adding!
– Electric space heaters can be excellent supplemental heating. Just make sure to keep them at least three feet away from any other furniture or clutter, and I would recommend keeping them even further away from curtains and bed blankets– anything that comes into contact with the heater can start a fire.
– Keep doors to unused rooms closed. That will keep the warm air in the room where you are.
– Put extra blankets on the beds.
– Drink lots of warm tea, eat lots of hot soup and think warm thoughts about spring!
Food For Thought
“The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways; the point, however, is to change it.” — Karl Marx
“Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains.” — Karl Marx
“Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government.” — Thomas Jefferson
“In politics, the middle way is none at all.” — John Adams
And did you know that the tomato is a perenniel tropical plant? South of the equator, tomatoes can produce fruit for several years, everbearing, and the original ancestor of our modern-day tomatoes are the tiny currant types. It’s a fascinating world out there…
The Gift of a Garden
With Mother’s Day and Easter approaching, you may be wondering what to give as gifts this year. Well fortunately, it’s February and we’ve got plenty of time! Giving a set of six plants as a gift this time of year is pefect and special. And you have the perfect opportunity to start seeds now and raise them to transplant size by the time you’re ready to go gift giving. That means you don’t have to give run-of-the-mill nursery plants– you can carefully select unusual varieties from the seed catalogs and start them yourself. Think about what your recipient would like best– a six-pack of heirloom tomatoes, a selection of hot peppers or speciality Asian greens, perhaps? And think about how you will present them. For my transplant gifts this year, I found some small plastic pots for six for a dollar at a local dollar store. But you can get even more spiffy than that– nestle the small pots in an old-fashioned milk carrier, wine crate, or bushel basket. Make sure you include cards with varietal information and care instructions. Who wouldn’t love it?
Lady Apple Pockets
A fantastic treat on a cold winter’s day– there’s nothing better than your own little tart of apple pie heaven! These are great for brunches and fancier desserts alike.
Ingredients
6 lady apples
Pie crust for a two crust pie (So, I always cheat and use Jiffy… you’ll need one box 
)
6 pats of butter
1/2 cup of cinnamon sugar (add a dash of nutmeg if you like)
Instructions
1.) Peel and core the lady apples. Since they are so small, you’ll have to do the coring very carefully with a paring knife. If it’s easier to just cut them in half and remove the core that way, it’s okay to do that; the recipe will still work.
2.) Roll out the pie crust and cut out six 6-inch diameter circles. Place a lady apple in the center of each circle. Top each apple with a pat of butter and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top.
3.) Fold the dough up around each apple and pinch together (like you would for a pot sticker). If you need to, use a little water to help the dough stick.
4.) Line the apples up on baking sheet over a layer of parchment paper, and bake for 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve warm.
Shameless Self Promotion
So, how much do you love Apartment Farm? I know I do! (But I might be a little bit biased). Well, if you like reading about all of the crafting, gardening and cooking going on, you might also like a few of my labors of love in your own home! So I’m very pleased to annouce the opening of my new Etsy shop in March 2007! I’ll be showcasing my crafty side in the form of fun jewelry, spa goods, garden accessories, and home goods that have the appeal of a vintage farmhouse and urban paradise all rolled into one. You’ll find my storefront at http://shadetreestudios.etsy.com. I’ll be listing my inventory in early March, but in the meantime, you can mosey on over and take a peek at my shop and check out my favorite sellers and products. But why shop at Etsy, you say? Because you can pick up some awesome, one of a kind gifts and items and put your dollars where it counts– into the hands of independent folks who are some of the best crafters and artisans out there! You don’t need Walmart when Etsy is just a click a way! Thanks for checking it out!
A New Look for Spring!
Okay, it’s not spring exactly, but almost-spring. Green is on it’s way, and what better way to anticipate it than with some spiffy new wallpaper? Hope everyone likes the new look!
Seed Starting Day!
Well folks, tomorrow is the Big Day! I’m going to be doing my seed starting tomorrow and I’m so excited. I’m starting quite a bit early this year because I’d like to have my first salad greens by the end of March, and I’m determined to get tomatoes in July. I debated for awhile over whether to direct sow or start seed in flats, and then decide to start transplants in flats when my Mom sent me an Earthbox as a present. I’m going to put two tomatoes in the Earthbox, and I’m anxious to see how big they get. I still have to go out and pick up some more potting soil, but I’m going to do that in the morning. And this year I am taking my hand cart! Last year I hauled everything (including a 40 pound bag of pea gravel 12 blocks which my husband carried most of the way) by hand. Starting seeds will be a nice activity for tomorrow morning, since we’ve had -20 (with the wind chill) temperatures for almost a week straight.
Letter Writing: A Lost Art?
I love the internet. It allows me to have this site, and email is so fast and easy. But it can also be impersonal. There is something magical and exciting about checking the mail at the end of the day and finding something addressed just to you. I have always loved mail. But there is nothing more depressing than opening the box and finding a stack of bills to be paid and and junk mail to throw away. Letters are nice that way. All they demand is your attention. They ask you to slow down, open them, unfold the paper, and read them start to finish. Letters from friends are like good novels. They are dated in a good way– they preserve a particular moment in time, a particular sentinment, and once the envelope is sealed and sent it has to travel, hand to hand, to get to where you are. You can’t delete sentences that aren’t perfect or change your mind about what you’ve said and shoot off another email to rescind it. Letters are permanent. You can tie a stack of letters together with twine, and put it in a box and read them over and over again as though you are having a conversation. That stack of letters will not crash, or have their memories erased, or get deleted. With reasonable care, they will remain. Letters have preserved the greatest and worst moments in our collective history, and are what allow us to know who came before us in an intimate way– if they are written, and if they are saved. With that in mind, I go off to write some letters to people whose history I wish to share.
