Tax free weekend in Massachusetts...

This past weekend was tax free here in Massachusetts (which just went up this past year from 5% to 6.25%), so I believe for some people this was an added incentive to get out there & buy something, just because it was tax free! I'm going to do some research & see if I can't find the statistics for spending trends here in the Bay State this past weekend. Check back for an update to this (short) post.

** Yes, we did go out shopping, it was my son Patrick's birthday on Sat.,, so I went out Sat. morning to get all his presents!!**

Organic Clothing ~ too expensive??

Here is just one example of a site for organic clothing Gaiam (and all sort of other green, or fair trade items) : http://www.gaiam.com/home.do. At first glance might seem to expensive - here's how to make it work on a budget; immediatly go to clearance section: http://www.gaiam.com/category/outlet-sale.do Now you're talking!! Well worth the cost, plus shipping is only .99 cents per order, that's great!! Check it out!

Free Family Film Festival | Regal Theaters

Free Family Film Festival | Regal Theaters

You can't get more economically friendly than free!!

Need Green! (need some work, telecommuting)!!

So, I search every day, driving myself crazy sometimes; all in the name of trying to find legitimate work from home, telecommuting jobs. I'm overqualified for a lot, but willing to take the work, my family does need some extra money. First & foremost I am a Stay at Home Mother, homemaker, so I only look for work from home positions. There are so many scams online to sort through. I have had fairly consistent work for a specific company, but when they have no projects, I have no work. And right now I'm in that situation, I have no work & really need the extra income. At a loss, any suggestions would be great. I would ideally like to find work for a "green" company, something I can really get behind.

I check monster.com, craigslist, indeed & so on.

Real Men Eat Pink Pancakes

Last year was our first year participating in a CSA share (Community Supported Agriculture) (from Plato’s Harvest – Middleboro, MA) & we wasted a lot of food, because we either didn’t know how to cook it, or didn’t think we’d like it. This led to a lot of google searches for recipes & the trying of more & more foods. Our next hurdle came about 6 months ago when my son (then 2 1/2) started being a lot more picky about what he ate, i.e. – not wanting veggies!! UGH, he’d always been a great eater, anything we put in front of him, he’d try & love. So, I buy “Deceptively Delicious” by Jessica Seinfeld for some creative options. One of the very first recipes that piqued my interest was “pink pancakes”, P.143 (Deceptively Delicious). Beets, one of the main items we wasted last year, because we really didn’t think we’d like or didn’t know what to do with them. Well, now we had our answer. So, this year, we roasted up our beets & pureed them & got to work. Now, I say this started with the Deceptively Delish recipe, which I changed slightly to make even more healthy for my family. I will first give you Jessica Seinfeld’s recipe & then give you mine:

Recipe for “Pink Pancakes” from Jessica Seinfeld’s book “Deceptively Delicious” copyright 2007

(with Beet)

* 3/4 cup water

* 1/2 cup ricotta cheese

* 1/4 cup beet puree

*1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

* 1 cup pancake mix

* 1/4 cup grated apple

* Nonstick cooking spray

* 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil

* Pure maple syrup or fruit for serving

1 In a blender or food processor, combine the water, ricotta cheese, beet puree, vanilla, and cinnamon and blend. Dump the mixture into a medium bowl, add the pancake mix and apple, and stir until just combined. Do not overmix – the batter will be a little lumpy.

2 Coat a griddle or large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. When hot, add the oil. Spoon the batter onto the griddle or skillet, using about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook the pancakes until bubbles form on top and the batter is set, 1 to 2 minutes. Then flip the pancakes with a spatula and cook until golden brown on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve warm with syrup, or fruit.

NOW HERE ARE MY CHANGES:

* I use “Bisquik” wheat pancake mix(or I make my own)

* I DO NOT use ricotta cheese (you don’t need it)

* I use blueberries if I have them fresh.

* I use Agave nectar in place of the vanilla (sometimes I use both)

* I use cinammon, or a nice little trick – apple pie spice

* I also don’t use the oil, I either just use the cooking spray, or the cooking spray w/a tiny bit of vegetable spread (or margarine, or butter – whatever you prefer)

Cook, eat & enjoy!! My boys love them & so do I!!

Friday; "Green" Jargon Day

Eco-Chic (Eeko-Sheek); in its simplest explanation is a combination of current trends (trendiness) and a consciousness of the environment.

"her home is very Eco-Chic, using a mixture of green materials, such as bamboo & organic cottons, but making it look modern & current"

Confessions at the McDonald's Drive-Thru

Yap, yap.... I did. I rolled on through the McD's drive-thru for a quick lunch for my son today after gymnastics class. I rolled on through with my (seemingly) hypocritical "Buy Fresh, Buy Local" bumper sticker on the back of my "low emissions" CR-V!! I did it, I did it because it was fast & convenient & I couldn't bear the thought of making lunch when we got home; couldn't think of what to make, and didn't feel like wasting time searching before Patrick's nap. Of course these are all fairly lame excuses for my own laziness & desire for some chicken selects mind you. This is my very honest confession of the day! As I hang my head in shame, enjoy your own little bit of laziness & self indulgence today; please.