Friday Recipes: Fourth of July

I apologize for my absence this week. Brenda has been taking up the slack posting her Monday Gardening Tips and Wednesday Reader's Questions. I on the other hand have been working feverishly on a different project that has consumed all of my time.

However, this weekend in the US we celebrate American Independence Day. I just couldn't bring myself to pass up the opportunity to share some of the amazing recipes that Old Fashioned Living has to offer. Traditionally, we Americans tend to cook out on the 4th, whether it be at a park over a charcoal grill, or at home on the gas grill surrounded by family and friends. 

I've already posted some recipes such as Summer Herb Drinks, a variety of Fruit Salads, several for Iced Tea, and some really great recipes for the grill.

So this week I'm going to focus Pasta Salads and Desserts. I hope you and enjoy them. Brenda and I wish you a happy and safe 4th of July weekend! 

Tuna Macaroni Salad

3 cups uncooked macaroni

2 cans light tuna in water, drained

1 stalk celery, diced

1/2 small red onion, chopped

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 tsp. seasoned salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Cook macaroni, drain and rinse with cold water. Place in a large bowl. Add the drained tuna, celery and onion. Toss gently to mix. In a small bowl mix the mayonnaise, juice and seasonings. Add to the macaroni mixture and toss with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Chill and serve.

Seafood Pasta Salad

1/2 pound medium or small pasta shells

1 cup salad shrimp, precooked type

1 cup chopped crabmeat, fake is okay

1/4 cup diced celery

1/4 cup green onions, chopped

1 can sliced mushrooms

3 hard boiled eggs, chopped

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 can artichoke hearts, diced

1 8 ounce bottle Italian dressing (light or fat free)

Optional: chopped olives

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water and chill. Add the chilled pasta to a large bowl and mix well with salad dressing. Add the shrimp, crab, celery, onions, mushrooms and artichoke hearts. Chill again until ready to serve. Just before serving add the eggs and cheese; mix again.

Spicy Macaroni Salad

1 pound elbow macaroni 

4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

1 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1/3 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

2-1/2 tablespoons wine, herb or cider vinegar

3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives

1-1/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black or red pepper

Cook pasta according to pkg. directions, rinse in cold water and drain. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl until well blended. Add cooled pasta and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.

Cilantro Tomato Pasta Salad

1 cucumber

1 cup ripe red tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, fresh

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup dry small shell pasta, cooked and drained

Peel the cucumber and cut in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to gently scrape away the seeds. Cut in half again lengthwise and dice the cucumber. Place cucumber, tomato, red onion, lime juice, cilantro, sugar, salt and pepper in a bowl with pasta Toss gently. Transfer to a serving bowl; chill at least 15 minutes before serving.

Bean and Pasta Salad

2 cups cut green beans

1 1/2 cups garbanzo beans

2 cup cooked pasta, macaroni or shells

2 T. red onion (minced)

1 cup Italian salad dressing

Toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss again. Refrigerate several hours. Toss right before serving.

Garden Pasta Salad

2 cups pasta of your choice

1 cup Italian or Caesar dressing

1 cup cubed mozzarella or provolone cheese

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

3/4 cup mushrooms

1/2 red onion

1 cup chopped green pepper

1 cup chopped smoked ham

1 firm fresh tomato

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside. Cube the ham into medium size cubes. Chop the green pepper. Mushrooms need to be rinsed if canned, or washed and sliced if fresh. Seed and chop the tomato. The red onion should be sliced then cut in half again for smaller pieces. The cheese should be cubed very small. Place the vegetables and meat in a bowl with the pasta, add both cheeses, pour the dressing over and gently mix with a wooden spoon.

Note: If you ask at the deli counter they will give you a section of ham by weight, instead of slices. This recipe should take only about 1/2 pound. You can then chop it at home. You may substitute chicken, turkey or pepperoni.

Italian Rotini Salad

1/2 of a one pound package of Rotini Pasta

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1 cup diced pepperoni

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3 large green onions, sliced

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook Rotini according to directions, rinse and drain. Combine Rotini, mushrooms,pepperoni, cheese, and green onions. Blend oil, vinegar and spices. Toss dressing with salad. Serve immediately or chill. Makes 6-8 servings.

Low Fat Potato Salad

10 small New (red) potatos baked in slow cooker with a little water until soft, and then sliced (don't peel) 

1-3 cloves garlic, crushed and sliced

1/4 cup sweet pickles, diced, or relish

1/4 cup firm tofu, diced

Chopped chives, to taste

1 small radish, diced

1/4 cup fat free sour cream

1/8-1/4 cup mayo

Red pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients the day before serving, chill, and enjoy.

Herbed Potato Salad

1/8 cup olive oil

1/4 cup wine vinegar

2 tablespoons minced shallots

4 anchovies, minced

2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil

2 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram

3 cups green beans, trimmed

2 pounds potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 cup red onion, sliced thinly and chopped

Mix olive oil, vinegar, minced shallots and the minced anchovies in medium glass bowl. Whisk in 1 teaspoon each of parsley, basil and marjoram. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside. Cook beans in boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain. Rinse under cold water; pat dry. Boil potatoes until just tender. Transfer to large bowl. Heat dressing in microwave just until warm, about 30 seconds. Pour half of the warm dressing over potatoes and toss to coat. Place potatoes on a very large platter in the center. Toss the beans and remaining dressing in same bowl. Arrange beans around potatoes. Sprinkle with onion and remaining herbs. Serve warm or at room temperature. Note: You can mix together all the leftovers after the meal to store and eat the next day.

Banana Split Squares

Ingredients:

1 large package (21.5 or 23.7 ounces) fudge brownie mix

2 bananas, thinly sliced, dipped in lemon juice and drained

1/2 cup crushed nuts

2-3 flavors of your favorite ice cream

Chocolate topping, whipped cream, extra nuts, cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare brownie mix as package directs; spread in a 9x13 pan. Bake 20-25 minutes; cool. On brownie, layer bananas, nuts and four cups one flavor ice cream, then 2 cups another flavor and 4 cups another. Cover and freeze for 6 hours or until firm. Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving. Cut into squares; offer additional toppings. Serves 12-16.

White Chocolate-Mint Tart with Strawberries & Blueberries

Makes One 9-Inch Tart; 6 to 8 Servings

5 tablespoons unsalted butter 

2 tablespoons sugar 

1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs 

4 ounces white chocolate 

1 1/2 cups heavy cream 

1/4 teaspoon pure mint extract 

1 pint fresh strawberries

handful of blueberries

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in the butter warmer or saucepan. Combine the sugar and graham cracker crumbs in the medium-size bowl and stir in the melted butter. Press the graham cracker mixture evenly across the bottom and all the way up the sides of the tart pan, packing it tightly with your fingertips so it is even and compacted. Bake until crisp and golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside to let cool.

2. Finely chop the chocolate and place in a large bowl. Heat the heavy cream in the saucepan until almost boiling. Whisk the hot cream into the chocolate until smooth. Whisk in the mint extract. Refrigerate until completely cooled.

3. Whip the chocolate mixture with the electric mixer until it holds soft peaks. Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 3 hours. Spoon into the cooled tart shell and smooth with the spatula.

4. To serve, slice the tops off the strawberries and slice thin. Place wedges of the tart on 6 individual dessert dishes and spoon some strawberries and blueberries alongside each wedge.

Patriotic Swirl Cake

1 box French vanilla or white cake mix

1/2 can cherry pie filling

1/2 can blueberry pie filling

Frozen whipped topping, thawed

Mix the cake as directed on the box, pour into a 9x13 pan that has been buttered or sprayed well. Open the cherry pie filling and dot on tablespoons full of the glaze/liquid part of the filling in 3 or so spots on top of the batter. Alternate pattern using the blueberry pie filling. Using a butter knife run it through the batter and the filling to swirl it together. Bake according to the box directions. When cake is done and cooled add the remaining cherry and blueberry pie filling over the top of the cake evenly. Cut and spoon out pieces of the cake onto plates and top with a spoonful of whipped topping.

Variation: You can frost the cake with the whipped topping and spoon the filling over the whipped topping.

Tip: Save the remaining 1/2 cans of pie filling to spoon over pudding or ice cream!

Sponge Cake with Raspberry Sauce

Ingredients:

6 eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tsp. grated lemon or orange peel

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup cake flour

2/3 tsp. salt

Sauce:

1 cup fresh raspberries

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease and flour the bottom of a 10 inch tube or Bundt pan. Sift flour and salt. Set aside. Break eggs into a large bowl. Add lemon juice and grated rind. Beat at high speed with electric mixer until soft peaks form, 12-16 minutes. Add sugar to egg mixture in a fine stream while beating eggs for about 2 more minutes. Change to lowest speed and add flour mixture. Scrape sides and beat for 30 seconds. Pour batter into pan and bake 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Place pan upside down on cooling rack, but do not remove cake until cooled.

Sauce: Combine cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water; stir to make a smooth paste. Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in sugar, raspberries, and cornstarch mixture; bring to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Cool. Cut the cake into slices and top with sauce. You can sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and top with chocolate shavings for an extra touch.

Amazing Fruit Salad

1 pint fresh blueberries

1 pint fresh hulled strawberries or raspberries

2-/12 cups fresh pineapple chunks

2 cups seeded watermelon chunks

2 bananas, sliced 1/2"

2 tbs. lemon juice

2 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced

1 small can mandarin oranges, drained

2 pkg. (3 ozs. each) cream cheese, at room temperature

1/3 cup confectioner's sugar

1-1/2 tsp. fresh lime juice

1 cup whipping cream, whipped

1/4 tsp. grated lime peel

Toss bananas and lemon juice to keep from browning. Place in a glass bowl. In a layering effect, place the pineapple, blueberries, one half of the strawberries, oranges, kiwifruit, watermelon, and the remaining strawberries/or raspberries.

In a bowl, with a mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar slowly and continue beating. Add lime juice and incorporate; then the lime peel. Lower speed, and add one-half of the whipped cream. Mix until blended. Lower speed again, and add the remaining whipped cream. Pour dressing over fruit allowing it to drizzle inside the bowl. Chill for at least 1 hour.

 

Patriotic Poke Cupcakes

1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix 

1 (3 ounce) package strawberry or cherry flavored gelatin mix 

1 cup boiling water 

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed 

1 (3 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 cup milk

fresh blueberries, red and blue sprinkles, nonpareils or colored sugar

Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions for a cupcakes. Poke holes in cupcakes while still hot with the round handle of a wooden spoon. Be careful not to poke all the ay through to the bottom. 

Make gelatin with only 1 cup of boiling water. Pour gelatin over cupcakes while warm. Cool the cupcakes. Beat together whipped topping, pudding mix, milk and vanilla extract. Frost mixture over cooled cupcakes and refrigerate until ready to serve. Easy but good!

Decorate with fresh blueberries, red and blue sprinkles, nonpareils or colored sugar.

Visit our recipe section and our holiday section for even more!

Reader's Questions: Herbs and Composting

You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear as young as your hope, as old as your despair. ~Douglas MacArthur

Today I have more readers' questions today.

I have one cilantro plant and by reading your article, once it flowers it becomes bitter and should not use anymore. So, do I just cut everything away? Will it grow back? or do I need to replant another cilantro plant? ~Sue

The article Sue referred to is on OFL here: http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/cilantro.html

You have a couple of choices. You can pull up the plant and sow seeds again or you can let the plant flower and form seeds. The seeds can be used to grow more plants or they can be ground and used as a spice. The seeds are actually known as coriander.

Many people sow cilantro seeds every 2-3 weeks so they have a steady supply. Once cilantro "bolts" or shoots up flower stalks, the plant is done. No matter what you do-- cut it back etc.-- it won't grow more of the foliage needed for cilantro. The herb basically changes. The foliage still has flavor and some people use it though its flavor is different and it has a ferny, thin appearance. Also, the hotter it is, the faster cilantro will bolt.

I have a question for you that I have not been able to resolve myself. My son laughs at me because I won't put rhubarb leaves in the compost pile - but we know rhubarb leaves are poisonous! It may sound silly to you too, but we are so carefully organic, and conservative with everything we use in the house and garden, it just seems wrong to put something poisonous back in to our garden. Can you tell me the real story? I would really be grateful. ~Fran

I don't think it's a silly question at all! I had a gut feeling about this, but did research to be sure, and according to good sources it's okay to put rhubarb in your compost. Remember, when we talk about "poisonous" plants, it's much different than toxic chemicals, which are man made and often don't even break down. The Colorado State University Extension website had this explanation:

"What actually occurs when rhubarb is added to a compost pile is that the oxalic acid is decomposed and pH balanced rather quickly. Thus, rhubarb leaves tend to break down to non-toxic components quickly in the average composting situation."
~Colorado State University Cooperative Extension

I really think you are safe in adding the rhubarb. One thought is that oxalic acid is also in potato plants and a few others, but we add those-- I wouldn't go so far as to put in poison ivy, oak or sumac though:)

Some of our lilac bushes or trees did not bloom this year. This is a new house to us and we discovered the trees behind some very large pine trees so the lilacs do not get any light. We plan to cut the trees down. But is there something else to do for the lilacs to help them for next year? ~Mary

Lilacs need full sun, so cutting down the pine trees would help a lot. Lilacs form next springs blooms soon after they are done flowering. Do not prune during the summer. In early spring you can prune off any dead wood--but leave the other branches alone.If you need to "shape" your bush, just be aware that any branches you prune will not have blooms the next spring. There are a few other things you can do to give your lilacs a little boost.

In the fall and spring sprinkle 1-2 cups of Epsom salt around the bush. Make sure if you are using lawn fertilizers that they don't get on or near the lilacs--it's meant for encouraging grass/foliage not blooms. You can also work wood ashes and/or bone meal into the soil around the lilacs in the spring and fall.

How do you harvest your seeds?
http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/seedharvest.html

~Brenda

Nasturtium Tips and a Recipe

At first people refuse to believe that a strange new thing can be done, then they begin to hope that it can be done, then they see that it can be done-then it is done and all the world wonders why it was not done centuries ago. ~Francis Hodgson Burnett

Nasturtiums are one of my favorite edible flowers. If you haven't grown them before you can still sow them and have blooms before fall. They are gorgeous!

Nasturtium seeds can be pickled and used much like you would capers. In 'The Joy of Cooking' by Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker (Bobbs-Merrill Co., Inc., New York, 1975) they give a nice recipe for preparing the seeds.

After the blossoms fall, pick off the half-ripened Nasturtium seed pods. Continue as your crop develops to drop them into a boiled and strained mixture of:

1 quart white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Pickling Salt
1 thinly sliced onion
1/2 teaspoon each allspice, mace and celery seed
3 peppercorns

Keep refrigerated and use as a variation for capers.

How do you know if your potted herbs have become too large for the pot they are currently in? The roots will start growing out the drainage holes of the pot, and you'll notice that the pot dries out very quickly, though it didn't used to. Both of these symptoms tell you that the herb needs to be moved to a bigger pot and placed in new soil.

On OFL I have more tips on growing and using nasturtiums:
http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/nasturtiums.html

~Brenda

Friday Recipes: Summer Herb Drinks

I actually am going to share an article with you today that my co-author, Brenda wrote. It was perfect, I was looking on Old Fashioned Living for some refreshing summer drinks and this really hit the spot. I thought it would make the perfect piece for Friday Recipes!

Cooling Off With Herbs

by Brenda Hyde

You simply can never have too many summer drink recipes, especially when you grow fresh herbs! There is nothing that refreshes more than a glass of herbal iced tea or punch made from herbs you've grown. Also, learn to be creative--substitute another lemon herb for the lemon balm, or lavender for the mint in a cooler. Try different combinations and come up with your own unique summer beverage!

Summer Herb Tea Punch

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 sprig lemon balm
5 sprigs borage (young leaves best)
1 sprig salad burnet
3 anise or anise hyssop leaves
2 cups of hot black tea
Juice of 3 oranges
Juice of 2 lemons
ginger ale
Fresh Mint

Pound the sugar, salt and herbs in a mortar or a bowl with a wooden spoon. Pour the tea and fruit juices over them. Cover and allow to stand for several hours. Strain and pour over ice in the punch bowl, fill the rest of the way with ginger ale. Use fresh mint to float as a garnish.

Iced Spearmint Tea with Strawberry Nectar
From: Herbs: A Country Garden Cookbook
by Rosalind Creasy and Carole Saville

Sugar Syrup:

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
Zest of 1 orange, cut into strips

4 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup dried spearmint, or 3/4 cup fresh spearmint
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup strained freshly squeezed orange juice
Ice cubes
Fresh spearmint sprigs and strawberry slices, for garnish (optional)

To make the sugar syrup, in a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, water and orange zest. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and let cool. Pour the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve placed over a bowl, pressing down on the orange zest with the back of a spoon to extract as much of the flavorful oils as possible. Discard the zest and set the syrup aside.

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil, then remove from the heat. Crumble the spearmint and add to the water; let steep for 5 minutes to obtain a strong infusion. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve placed over a large bowl. Discard the mint and let the infusion cool. Meanwhile, place the strawberries in a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl. With the back of a spoon, press the berries through the sieve, leaving the pulp and seeds behind. Scrape any purée clinging to the bottom of the sieve, and then add all the purée to the cooled infusion. Add the orange juice and 1/2 cup of the sugar syrup to the tea and stir vigorously. Taste and add more sugar syrup as desired. (Store any remaining sugar in the refrigerator for when you make another batch of tea.) Cover and refrigerate the tea until well chilled. Just before serving, fill a large pitcher with ice and add the tea. Pour into chilled glasses. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a slice of strawberry, if desired. Serves 6.

Borage Cucumber Drink

Sprig of borage
1 cucumber, peeled and cut into chunks
Juice of 2-3 fresh limes
1/4 cup granulated sugar or more to taste
borage blossoms
water
ice

Place the borage, cucumber, sugar and lime juice in blender with enough water to reach an inch or so below the top. Blend well. Strain and serve over ice. Garnish with a borage blossom.

Honeydew Mint Cooler

3-pound honeydew melon
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups fresh lime juice (or mixture of lime and lemon)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
3 cups cold water
1 cup cold ice cubes

Remove rind from melon, discarding it, and cut enough fruit into 1-inch chunks to measure 6 cups. In a blender puree melon in batches with sugar, lime juice, and mint until completely smooth. Pour into a pitcher with the water and ice. Add the lime juice just before serving and garnish with fresh mint leaves. About 9 cups.

Lemon Balm Mint Cooler

2 cups loosely-packed lemon balm
1 cup loosely-packed mint (apple or pineapple works well)
6 cups hot water
juice of 4 fresh lemons (1 cup)
honey or sugar to taste

Place the leaves into a 2-quart jar or pitcher. Bruise them to release the flavor with a wooden spoon. Pour hot water over leaves and let sit for 1 hour. Strain and discard the leaves. Add lemon juice and honey or sugar to taste. Mix and serve over ice with sprigs of lemon balm or mint for garnish.

More on Old Fashioned Living

Iced Tea Tips

Party Punches

Thirst Quenchers

Reader's Questions: Gardening and Herbs

The courage to imagine the otherwise is our greatest resource, adding color and suspense to all our life. ~Daniel Boorstin

We're leaving for a camping trip later today, but I'll be back on Monday with more garden tips. Cross your fingers that we don't get rained out:)

My Iris get leaf spot every year. Do you have any ideas for them? I have sprayed them, but they seem to get it again. I have a batch by the house which don't get them, but other places on the property do? ~Ginny

I wonder if you don't need to move them from that soil. From what I've found you need to remove ALL foliage that is infected and burn it-- plus in mild climates you may need to actually destroy the plants that have it because it can continue to live in the soil. That would explain why some of yours have it and others don't. I would start by removing all of the foliage now--and burning it--don't leave even a little piece on the ground. Then see what happens next year and if they still have it I'd try moving to a different location.

Do you have any info. on Bergamot? Mine is blooming up a storm and I can't remember what to do with it! Any recipes? ~Marty

Try replacing mint in recipes with bee balm flowers or leaves. This is really good in teas and punches. To make a tea with bee balm/bergamot add one tablespoon of the fresh flowers or leaves to a mug or pot and add one cup boiling water. steep for 5-8 minutes or so, strain and sweeten with honey.

I also found a recipe for vinaigrette from a Shepherd's Garden catalog I kept around after they went out of business.

Bergamot Vinaigrette

1/4 cup bergamot, fresh chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 small garlic cloves
1 tsp. kosher or sea salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. dried red chile flakes
2/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

Pour lemon juice into a large mixing bowl. Crush garlic clove, add to bowl. With the back of a wooden spoon, press garlic into lemon juice to release its oil, then discard. Add sea salt and chile pepper, and stir with a whisk. Add olive oil in a thin stream, stirring with the whisk until the dressing emulsifies, then stir in chopped mint and parsley. Serve over steamed beans or other vegetables. Cool and serve.

When, and where do you prune back the snapdragon? I have some planted, they bloomed out beautiful, but are now all brown and falling off! I still have some un-bloomed buds, some of the leaves and stems are turning yellow? Thanks, Steve

Snapdragons should be deadheaded after they bloom. It will keep them blooming until a hard frost in the fall. After they bloom then you'll see a roundish green pod form, which has tons of little black seeds inside. Cut all of these off and the dead blooms. You can trim off a few yellowed leaves if you want. It might mean they need a little bit of fertilizer. I use organic, and it can be put on anytime, then just watered in to the soil. Leave the buds on the plants, and if you deadhead you should get more. In the fall I stop deadheading and let them reseed.

Discover the sweet side of herbs with these recipes on OFL:
http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/herbs6.html

~Brenda

Saving Money on Utility Bills in the Summer Heat

This week in my neck of the woods, we have massive humidity and heat index warnings. 

That means the shades are all shut, windows and doors are closed, there's no using the oven, and the air conditioner is cranked. That can lead to some hefty utility bills!

My good friend, Gary Foreman of The Dollar Stretcher, has shared some great tips with us today on how to stay cool but keep the high costs down. Some may work for you and some may not, but hopefully you can glean something from Gary's financial know-how. 

Way Cool - Keeping Cool In Summer
by Gary Foreman

It's that time of year when most of us begin to wonder how we'll keep cool in the summer without running up a huge electric bill. And there should be a way to do it. After all, the air conditioner wasn't common in homes until about forty years ago. So let's take a look at what we can do to keep cool that doesn't require large amounts of energy.

From the time of the pharaohs the most common method of cooling people has been the fan. And there's a reason for that. Fans work by creating a wind-chill effect on our skin. The movement of air can make it feel like it's 6 to 8 degrees cooler. That's a lot of comfort for just a little breeze!

Fortunately for us, there's a variety of different fans that work with or without air conditioning. Let's take a look at some of the different choices so you can decide which would work best for your home.

We'll start with something called the 'whole house fan'. They create a breeze through an entire house with just one fan. A large belt driven fan is located in the ceiling of the home top floor in a hallway area. The air is pulled through the rooms and halls and into the attic. The idea is that cooler outside air replaces the hot air that would normally be trapped in your home. You can control which rooms benefit by closing doors to block air flow.

Installing a whole house fan isn't cheap. A typical installation by a professional will run in the $1,000 neighborhood. The good news is that it only costs about three cents per hour to operate. The bad news is that you can't use it with your air conditioning and it can be noisy.

A cheaper alternative is to use box fans. Box fans can be placed in windows on the warmest (sunlit) side of the house to pull cooler air through the house. They're relatively inexpensive $20 to $40 and require no special installation. Just set them on a window sill and make sure that they're secure enough not to fall off. Again, they're cheap to operate. About one cent per hour. But they're noisy and work best when the outside temperature is about the same or cooler than the inside temp.

Many of us can't conceive of living without air conditioning. When the outside air is ninety a breeze just isn't enough for comfort. But, you don't need to crank the A/C down to seventy and watch the electric meter spin wildly all summer long.

Fans can help your air conditioner work more effectively by moving the cold air produced around the room. Ceiling fans are excellent for this task. Use of a ceiling fan will allow you to raise your thermostat 2 to 4 degrees. That will result in between 10% and 25% less energy use by your air conditioner. A real bargain when you consider that most residential ceiling fans use about 1 cent of electricity per hour even on the fastest speed. They actually consume less than 100 watts per hour. And they can be used with or without air conditioning.

The biggest disadvantage to ceiling fans is getting them installed. Because of the weight and the motion they need to be safely secured to your rafters. And if you want the wiring hidden you'll be trying to fish it through ceiling and walls. Not an easy or inexpensive task.

Fortunately, portable oscillating-type fans offer an alternative. While they're not able to move as much air as a ceiling fan, one or more in a room can make it much more comfortable.

And installation is a snap. Plug it in and aim the airflow. If you'll be sitting in the same spot for awhile, just direct a gentle breeze at your chair. If a number of people will be in a room or you'll be moving around, aim the fan along one wall so that the air blows in a circular pattern around the room. And one fan can do double duty. During the day in the living room and in your bedroom at night.

Another alternative doesn't work so well. Some of us living in homes with central heat and air are tempted to leave the circulating fan on all the time. Not a good idea. The air being blown into the room circulates through ducts that often pass through uncooled portions of the house. The effect is that you'll be adding warmer air to your living space. So it's best to set it to 'auto'.

Finally, a word about comparing fans. It looks really hard to do. How can you factor in blade size, motor speed, number of blades, the angle of the blades and the size of the motor?

Fortunately, selection can be simplified. Begin by comparing the fans 'CFM'. That's the maximum Cubic Feet per Minute of air that the fan can move. A bigger number is better. Then consider the blade size. Get the biggest that your space and budget will afford. When possible you want to run a fan at a slow speed to reduce noise. It's easiest to do that when your running a fan at a fraction of it's capability.

So don't just watch your electric meter spin you big electric bills this summer. Use fans to replace and supplement your air conditioning. You'll be just as cool and have some money left over for a pitcher of lemonade!

This article originally appeared on FamilyCorner.com

Garden Tidbits: Sunflowers and Herbs

Don't be afraid to fail. Don't waste energy trying to cover up failure. Learn from your failures and go on to the next challenge. It's OK to fail. If you're not failing, you're not growing. ~H. Stanley Judd

Consider recycling your 1 gallon plastic milk jugs. Use a pin to prick 4 holes in the bottom of the jugs. Bury the jugs between plants, fill with water, and it will slowly drip into the soil. You can cut the top off the jug and add more water as it's needed. Sink the jugs about 8 to 10 inches into the soil. If you do use a sprinkler instead or along with this, be sure to do it early in the day, so the water has a chance to evaporate off the leaves before evening.

Try growing chervil this summer. You'll need about 6 weeks to start harvesting, so those in warmer climates can plant outside, while the rest of us can use pots, so we can bring them in this fall. Plant chervil seeds about 1/4 deep-1/2 inch apart and cover lightly with sand. Water carefully in the mornings and it should germinate in about a week. Indoors try planting 3 or 4 seeds in a medium sized pot, using the same method. When you start harvesting, use the bigger leaves on the outside first. Chervil can be used in soups, salads and eggs. It doesn't dry well, so try planting it and enjoy it fresh!

If your sunflowers are in a sheltered position they may not need staking, but that said, mine almost always do. If you can plan ahead and plant them in front of a fence that's the best thing to do. Then tie the stems to the fence. Use ripped cloth or soft plastic (I cut up the plastic shopping bags) that won't dig into the stem. Give it room to move some, but tie firm enough that it won't bend over. If you need to put in an actually stem, then use something thin like bamboo, and you will have to do it a little away from the roots or you could damage them. Next season it would be best to locate them near a place you can tie them, or put in the stakes when you sow the seeds.

On OFL we have tips on how to mulch properly:
http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/mulching.html

~Brenda