I am now finding myself deluged with questions from people who think I’m the local expert. All I’ve done was grow stuff to eat every year, continuously, without taking years off. And now, those who were ignorring yards or making nice flowerbeds full of annuals think I’m some kind of guru or something. ROFL... I’m not. I just have been doing it. Am finding it humorous.<<<
I was considered a knowledgeable orchid grower, but when I switched to vegetables, it was an all new learning experience for me, as it is for your neighbors, who grew annuals.
Rejoice that folks want to grow their food, it is the best thing that can happen, for when they taste real freshness they are not going to ever be happy going back to the tasteless/treated stuff from the grocery stores.
I am running across lots of blogs, who now hold classes and charge for them.
Don’t Throw Out Your Food Thursday: Use Up Your Vegetables Making Risotto
Posted on March 5, 2009 by Home Economistas
Risotto is one of those dishes I always thought was hard to make- before I discovered how to make it. Sure- you have to stir a little bit, but it’s easier than a lot of people would expect. Also, it is a good way to use up vegetables that you might otherwise have to toss. By cooking your veggies, you keep them from going bad and get to enjoy them a few days longer!
Today, I had asparagus and mushrooms on hand, so that’s what I used. However, you should feel free to be creative. Once you have the general idea of how to make risotto, the possibilities for what you can make it with are endless.
Asparagus and Mushroom Risotto
Ingredients and Equipment:
Medium Pot
Large Pot (I have a LeCreuset and it is perfect for making risotto as I find the rice does not stick to the bottom as much but use what you have and just soak the pot in warm water after cooking to remove caked rice)
4 cups Chicken Broth or Stock (I like reduced sodium)
1 bunch Asparagus (woody part at end removed and stalks cut into bite size pieces (I quartered mine))
1 package Mushrooms
olive oil
1 small onion finely chopped
1 cup Arborio Rice
1/2 cup white wine (optional)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or more to taste)
Directions
Put broth in medium pot and heat on medium flame till warm. Reduce heat to low and cover pot so broth stays warm. Meanwhile, put some oil (2-3 Tbsp) in the large pot and warm over medium heat. Add onion, asparagus and mushrooms and cook while stirring frequently. Once onions start to turn transparent, add risotto. Cook for approx 2 minutes while stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add wine if desired and stir till absorbed. Otherwise, start adding broth- one cup at a time, stirring occasionally. When each cup of broth has been incorporated into the rice, add the next. Stir as you are able but you don’t have to stir constantly. You may not need to add all the broth. On the other hand, you may need to add some water if the rice doesn’t seem to be cooked adequately for your taste as you find yourself coming to the end of your broth. Making risotto is a somewhat fluid process. Taste the risotto as you get to the end of the process and go with your gut. If you like the risotto and think it is done, then stop the cooking process- even if you have some broth left. If you taste the risotto and think it is still too al dente, add some warmed water and keep cooking till absorbed.
When the Risotto is done, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the the parmesan.
Enjoy.
SALMONELLA, BIRD FOOD - USA: (NORTH CAROLINA) RECALL
****************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org
Date: 10 Mar 2009
Source: North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer
Services press release [edited]
http://www.ncagr.gov/paffairs/release/2009/3-09recalledbirdfood.htm
Bird food recalled due to Salmonella contamination
Burkmann is recalling 20-pound packages of Wild Birds Unlimited
Wildlife Blend bird food with the specific manufacturing date code
of 81132200 2916 08124, sold exclusively at Wild Birds Unlimited
Stores. The department initiated an investigation following reports
of salmonellosis in dead wild birds found in various locations
throughout the state. NCDA&CS is working with the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration to identify the source of contamination at the manufacturer.
“We are pleased that the testing has enabled us to remove
contaminated feed from the market,” said Agriculture Commissioner
Steve Troxler. “Food safety is a number one priority for this
department, for both humans and animals.”
Salmonella can affect animals, and there is risk to humans from
handling contaminated bird seed or pet food products. People handling
contaminated wild bird food can become infected with Salmonella,
especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after
having contact with the product or any surfaces exposed to these
products. Symptoms [in people] include: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or
bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can
result in more serious aliments, including arterial infections,
endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary
tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact
with this product should contact their health care providers.
Wild Birds Unlimited Inc. and Burkmann Feeds are cooperating to
remove all affected product from Wild Birds Unlimited franchisees.
NCDA&CS is advising consumers to discard the product, avoid touching
unsealed product with bare hands and wash their hands thoroughly
after touching unsealed product.
—
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
promed@promedmail.org
[Salmonella has been in the headlines quite a lot lately, from peanut
butter products to bird seed. Salmonella and other bacteria have
caused problems in bird feeders in the past when the feeders become dirty.
Some birds, such as sparrows may carry Salmonella without being
affected by it, and may pass it to people if there is contact.
It is good to see industry and regulatory people cooperating to
control a contaminated product.
Readers are encouraged to read the moderator’s comment on ProMED-mail
post 2011225.3113. - Mod.TG]
[see also:
2001
“Talk It Out” Question
Finding Reputable Mystery Shopping Companies
Have you ever been a mystery shopper? If so, which mystery
shopping companies did you find to be both reputable and
profitable? These are the questions one of our readers asked
in our last “Talk It Out” question. Gail wrote:
“I have been looking into different ways to make extra
money. I was reading on your tips that one of your readers
is a mystery shopper. I have looked into many of the sites
and all want an upfront fee. I was wondering if anyone knows
some companies for mystery shoppers that you can trust and
make money. I would appreciate any suggestions.” ~ Gail
Many years ago, I did a lot of mystery shopping, but have
been out of it so long that I cannot give any personal
recommendations. Here are some of the responses we received:
“I did mystery shopping for 3 years. I know many will
probably respond as I am about to, but if you they say you
have to pay, go somewhere else! When people ask me about
mystery shopping, the first site I send them to is
www.volition.com/mystery.html. They list more companies than
you would ever enroll for and are a good place to start. I
signed up for about 25 companies to receive e-mails from.
The one thing I DID pay money for was to earn the silver
certificate. It cost about $25 and was an online ‘class’ and
test. Having that certificate number definitely increased
how many higher-paying jobs I was offered/accepted for. I
did NOT go for the $100 gold certificate class so I don’t
know if it would have been worth it. That one involved a
day-long in-house type seminar.” ~ Melissa in MD
“…My first advice would be to go on the National Association
for Retail Marketing Services website (www.narms.com). A few
years ago, when my kids were babies, I NEEDED some ‘adult
time’ and wanted to help add some income to our budget. I
knew some people ‘on the inside’ at a large national retail
chain and was able to get a job through one of their
vendors. These retailers have vendors who look for employees
through this website. These vendor representatives go into
retail stores and do a lot of their stocking, cleaning,
ordering, etc. for specific companies. The first job I had
was for a book and magazine distributor based in Georgia. My
manager lived in the Dallas area and was always available
through email and cell phone, but would come to work with me
every 10-12 weeks. My job was to go in to the stores on a
weekly basis to stock items, clean displays, order new
merchandise and so forth. I worked 5 different stores here
in my city and made on average $25 per visit. Each visit
usually lasted about 1-2 hours and I only worked one day a
week! Although I have not been working in the last couple
of years, I kept my application open on this website and was
recently called by a vendor who works for a national brand!
So I will be merchandising again for another large chain
retailer, basically doing the same things I did before but
working in the Pharmacy/Healthcare area. I will work about 5
days a month and do a little travel within a 45 mile radius
around my area. My wage is $10 per hour plus mileage and
drive time. And this company also offers incentives, so with
a little extra work, I can earn bonuses as well.
As for ‘mystery shopping,’ here are two companies that I
know of. One is Market Force (www.marketforce.com). I have
done grocery shops, fast food and larger retail shops
through this site. It hasn’t proven very lucrative, but does
give you a few extra dollars. The other company is Certified
Field Associates (www.certifiedfieldassociates.com). This is
a part of MarketForce that I have recently signed on to. I
don’t know much about it yet, but from what I understand,
you are reimbursed to watch movies and eat at nice
restaurants. You don’t actually make money, but you do get
to go to the movies and eat out for free! All you usually
have to do for these is be a customer, asking questions and
taking mental notes. Then you go home and fill out surveys
online. You receive different fees depending on which
company you are working for and what you are doing. Some of
these places also offer extra incentives, too…” ~ Shonda
Editor’s Note: I just wanted to add my thoughts on mystery
shopping as a way of making additional income. In my
experience (I did mystery shopping for four years), the
money I made (or free meal/service I received as
compensation) was generally not worth the time and effort I
had to invest. For example, I might spend a half-hour
preparing for the mystery shop, 1.5-2 hours driving to and
doing the shop, and then another hour writing the report
about the shop when I got home. So for 2-3 hours of work
(and in some cases, a lot of stress), I might be reimbursed
for a $30-40 meal. In other cases, I make actually be paid
$10-15 for a total of 1-2 hours work. Over time, the novelty
wore off and I decided to invest my time elsewhere. I am not
saying this to be negative. But realistically if you want to
contribute significantly to your family’s income, mystery
shopping is generally not the best use of your time.
Thanks to all of our readers who responded. If you’d like to
read all of our readers’ responses in their entirety, visit
“Reputable Mystery Shopping Companies” page on our website
at: http://www.countingthecost.com/tio/mystery.htm. To
peruse previous “Talk It Out” questions and the responses
our readers submitted, visit our “Reader Input” page at
http://www.countingthecost.com/readerinput.htm
Creative Frugality Topic:
Creatively Frugal Dream Vacations
Is it possible for a frugal family to make a dream vacation
a reality, even on a limited budget? Yes, it is. And in our
last Creative Frugality column, many of our readers shared
how they did it.
For the last issue’s Creative Frugality question, I wanted
to hear how your family has made a dream vacation become a
reality. The question asked, “Has your family ever taken a
dream vacation? If so, how did you do it on a budget? What
saving strategies did you use to make it affordable?” Here
are just a few of the strategies our readers shared:
“Our dream vacation was when we spent thirty days visiting
the Northwestern United States. We found bargain tickets on
Southwest from Tampa Bay to Las Vegas, stayed in Vegas at a
super discounted motel, then hit the road with a rental car
(they upgraded us to a van for no extra charge since we were
renting for a month!). We stayed in a combination of hostels
(family rooms usually run much cheaper than hotel rooms),
KOA cabins, with family for four nights, yurts in state
parks, and a few nights in hotels based on points we’d
accumulated by putting all of our purchases on a single
charge card. We visited Las Vegas, Seattle, WA, the entire
West Coast down to Los Angeles, then headed back to Las
Vegas via the Grand Canyon. We went through three
inexpensive Styrofoam coolers during the trip. Most of our
food came from grocery stores and yes, we shopped the sales.
We once found ten pounds of potatoes for $2! We cooked
whenever we had the chance, at hostels and campgrounds and
carefully chosen motels with microwaves, picked fruit off
the side of the road, shopped at fruit and vegetable stands
along the way and made sandwiches and easy no-cook
breakfasts most of the time. We took advantage of free
festivals, hiking, factory tours and anything else that was
fun and free. What we tell people is where there’s a will,
there’s a way…” ~ Marci
“We’ve been able to afford, so far, five dream vacations
that would have been totally out of our reach if we hadn’t
discovered house swapping. We’ve used www.Intervac.com and
now use www.homeexchange.com (yes, like in the movie!). On
our first swap, our children were 2, 5 and 6 years old, and
we traded homes with a family in London with 3 kids. After
the first 2 days there we gave up on eating lunch out — too
expensive, the kids didn’t like anything, and we saw many
other families packing lunches. So our routine settled in:
big breakfast at home, chicken sandwiches, granola bars and
frozen juice packs in a ziplock bag, in my pocketbook. It
was so hot that the juice packs thawed by lunchtime. We had
a roast chicken, veggies and potatoes from the supermarket
at night. We used whatever special passes they had for the
buses and Underground, and AAA discounts wherever possible.
Except for the airfare, we probably didn’t spend much more
than we would have spent on a ‘staycation’ here in New York,
which would have included trips to theme parks, eating out,
and going to museums in New York…” ~ Fran
“One year we had my brother and sister coming for a visit to
Georgia and another friend flying in from Japan. We drove
from Georgia to Washington, DC and the friend flew into the
DC area where we picked her up. We knew getting hotel rooms
in the area for a week for five people would be pretty
expensive and we were definitely on a budget with a military
income to live on! So we looked at house swapping websites
online and though we did not want to swap our own house, we
found someone who was willing to let us rent their basement
rooms for a week (it was fully finished.) Their basement was
lovely and one morning they even made us scones as a nice
surprise. We paid around $300 for the week’s rental (in DC
that’s a real steal!) and had a fantastic time!” ~ Melissa
(now living in MD)
“I am only 5 weeks away from my dream vacation which is a
tour of the Northeast with my teen. Hubby has to stay home
to work but my daughter wants to visit as many states as
possible over her spring break. My only input is that we
will not do the typical tourist items except Niagra Falls
and the Liberty Bell. Other than that, she has had to
research each state for free and unusual places and Mapquest
our trip to maximize our time and gas. It should be a lot of
fun. Because I travel for my job, I have made sure this year
to stay each night in a hotel that allows me to earn points
for a future free night. As a result, I have 10 free nights
at a national hotel chain which includes a free breakfast.
Our only food expenses will be lunch and dinner. As far as
gas, I have been ‘rounding up’ at the pump and the grocery
store. Every time I make a purchase, I take the difference
between what I paid and the next highest dollar and sock it
away for our gas money. Not a lot of cash each time (less
than $1) but it has added up and I have $432 for our gas
expenses.” ~ Anonymous
Editor’s Note: We received many great tips. If you are
planning a vacation anytime soon, I suggest that you read
through our readers’ responses to get some ideas for
planning big fun on a limited budget. You can find them at
http://www.countingthecost.com/cf/cf159.htm.
Thanks to all of our readers who took time to respond. If
you’d like to read all the responses we received to this
question or browse through previous discussion questions,
visit the “Creative Frugality” page on our website at:
http://www.countingthecost.com/cf/creativefrugality.htm
[You should be able to join at the link, a nice newsletter, about 2 X each month...granny]