101st post!

I know everyone celebrates their 100th post, but I felt that I had to actually write 100 posts in order to celebrate :) So, here's to the 101st post on My Apples and Oranges!


I thought I would post something that amuses me regularly - keywords. I'm sure others, like me, track their blog stats through Google Analytics. Well, one of the things you can track is the keywords that are used to reach your blog. Some of them are hysterical! Here are a few of my favorites:

• "lemon bar" score card
• are oranges fattening (this one is popular!)
• oranges happy
• apples and oranges battle
• are oranges bad to eat at night
• giant canner
• people buying bags of apples and oranges
• tim love chili
• when are the oranges ready
• how many degrees should my fridge be set at?
• eat apples and oranges together
• key lime orchards in the US
• "don't like melted cheese"
• apples and oranges are not like at all
• apples and oranges i like but i don't like

I think my favorite is "tim love chili" - I think they were looking for Tim Love's chili, but instead they got my post on how my husband Tim loves chili :)

Thanks for reading everyone!

Great Top Ten List

I totally admit that I am an internet/web fanatic - but isn't everyone? I get most, if not all, of my news and information from the web. I do occasionally read the paper and I have a definite cooking magazine addiction, but all in all, the web is just the best resource for interesting articles and the latest info on current events. Sometimes, I just can't believe how much time I spent on the web compared to just a few years ago. Anyways, back to my point.

Here is a great article from CHOW which talks about tips for carnivores to help reduce the impact of their meat-eating ways. I'm totally included in this group and if you follow this blog, you already know that I have been trying to incorporate similar ideas into my lifestyle (you can read about it here and here).

Love it, cook it well, eat it responsibly.

I'm happy to say that so far I have accomplished numbers (1), (4), (6), (7), and (9) on that list(yes!) and hoping to learn more about my local grocery store animal-handling and feeding practices in the near future. Anyone else trying some of these ideas? I'm not saying that this list is groundbreaking or totally new or anything like that, but its always helpful for me to see ideas put together in one place.

(image & Meat Week 2008 slogan - www.chow.com)

A New Attitude...

So, our house is making a small overhaul in terms of our weekly mealplan. Currently we eat a variety of mostly heart-healthy fats (olive oil, peanut butter, etc), vegetables, fruits, whole grains (I've been slowly making the switch from white to wheat), and primarily lean proteins such as chicken, ground turkey or pork and legumes. We don't eat any offal (although I do enjoy Chris Cosentino's informative and funny blog) or a lot of red meat - maybe some form of beef (london broil, stew, steak) about once every two weeks (for home meals, a bit more if we are eating out a lot) and we eat virtually no ground beef.

In the last few months, I have been trying to make more vegetarian meals for two reasons: 1) I have issues with the handling & slaughtering of farm animals. Have you seen this video on cheap meat (warning - its not pretty)? and 2) I feel that diet full of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, along with a mix of non-animal protein and some lean animal protein is much healthier than a diet high in red meat (for us :), not trying to tell others what is good/bad for their family).

I'm definitely not against eating meat - as I said - we eat meat (including fish), but I feel like cutting down and purchasing high-quality meat (check out this information about humane standards) is really the way to go for us. Better for us, better for the animals, better for the environment.

Anyway...the point of all this (finally, right?) is - we have decided to make it official and have at least one vegetarian night per week (usually more like 2 per week) and one fish night. So, say hello to Sunday Fish Nights (check out these guidelines from Seafood Watch about sustainable fisheries) and Monday Vegetarian Nights! We are excited - I think dedicating a specific day/night to this will make it fun to find and try new recipes and we will be more likely to actually stick to it. Of course, its not like we can't trade off for a Tuesday or Thursday and the sky will fall down on us or anything :)

I'll try to blog as many of these nights as I can so be on the look-out for new, healthy ideas! Feel free to pass along any good recipes!

Recycled & Natural

I'm a recent convert to recycled paper products and natural cleaning products - meaning that now I'm really trying to not buy household paper goods (paper towels, bathroom tissue, tissues, etc.) that are not at least partially composed of post-consumer waste or cleaning products that have harsh chemicals in them. In my regular grocery store, "green" products are definitely a bit more expensive, which can make it difficult to fit into your regular budget. You can get a better deal at a store like Target (where you can buy Method products), but I just bought a bunch of Seventh Generation products online for a better price than the regular, non-recycled products in the store. I'm so pumped!

If you are skeptical about the good buying recycled products can do, read this article from the Natural Resources Defense Council. Not only will you be saving some trees, but your house will be free of dyes and chemicals!

Great Article

I know that I have posted about reusable bags (here and here) in the past - I love mine and use them for all sorts of things besides groceries (lunches, vacation, labtop bag, etc). This new article featured on Chow is awesome - it breaks down the different types of containers/packaging available and gives you the pros and cons of each type. Check it out.

My Christmas Gifts...

So I blogged about the gifts that I gave this year, but have not mentioned any of the awesome gifts that I was given this year! I am such a lucky girl - my husband is definitely someone you want to have around at Christmas time. This year, he definitely took my hints regarding my love for Etsy (maybe he read this post or this post?) and I guess he realized that I like to cook a bit :) My mom always gets such great and thoughtful gifts for me - we love to shop for each other. I thought a few of these gifts were such great finds that maybe some of you would enjoy them too - check them out!

Letterpress desk calendar from ilee via her etsy shop - it is even more gorgeous in person! I bought this as a gift and loved it so much that my husband got it for me as a gift! It is sold out at the moment, but she usually puts them back up as she makes them.

Notebook from Nantaka Joy. She sells beautiful things - including gorgeous notecards, like these and these. I love having a small notebook in my purse/bag all the time - this is the perfect size.

My mom hooked me up with this awesome ribbon box! It is from Martha Stewart Crafts, but can also be found at Michaels.

These salts with the spoons were also under the tree for me - so cute! I have been wanting to try different types of salt, so I'm pumped about this. These seem to be very reasonably priced to other salts I have seen available on the web for tasting and testing. Check out the website - http://www.clay-company.com/ for other great kitchen gift products.

I also was lucky enough to receive a bunch of great cookbooks, but I'm saving those for future posts...

Gift Baskets - 2007 Edition

I wanted to post about the various things that I put in my holiday gift baskets this year - hopefully, if you were lucky enough to get one (ha!), you won't be reading this post because then you will realize just how easy the items are to make. I love making food and homey gifts for the holidays - it is so difficult to know what to get everyone and I like to give something that has just a little bit of thought put into it. I love giftcards as much as the next guy, but to me, the holidays are about making it a bit more special. Mind you, this is coming from someone who won a $15 giftcard to Target in our Christmas Eve White Elephant gift exhange and is totally pumped about it, but you get what I mean.

Here are some of things that my gift baskets included:

• Bittersweet chocolate-covered peppermint sandwich cookies
• Bittersweet chocolate-covered pirouline cookies
• A mixture of vanilla brownies, fudge brownies and blondies
• Homemade Vanilla extract
• Punition cookies
• Brownie biscotti
• Chocolate-peanut butter fudge (in cookie cutters!)
• Apple butter
• Pomegranate jelly
• Gourmet hot cocoa and holiday marshmallows

I did not take as many pictures as I would have liked of the finished baskets before I gave them away....but I used supplies that I have been collecting for awhile. I try to package my cookies in airtight jars, tins or these wax-lined kraft paper bags. Here are a few great websites for bottles, boxes and packaging (also check around at your local discounts stores for good deals throughout the year):

• Specialty bottle
• Papermart
• Nashville wraps
• Container store (I like their food-safe wax tissue paper; you can also get it from Martha [glassine paper])

Is it really the last minute?

Already? Nah, not in my book. Its only 12/21 - I still have at least 3 more days to get everything ready for the holidays - and 2 of those days are on the weekend baby!! Everyone keeps asking me - did you do this, did you go shopping, did you prepare your menu, what are you bringing. To be honest, I'm a little behind, but I have it all in my mind :) I have made a few things and I am planning on a few holiday posts (hopefully they will be of some help to all you last minute folks out there like me!), but here is my pseudo-to-do list for the next few days....

• 5-6 types of cookies
• Cheesecake (& maybe another cake for Christmas at my mom's)
• A main dish/side dish for Christmas at my mom's
• A bit more shopping & a whole lot of wrapping
• Design, shop, and make a light cocktail menu for my Christmas Eve Open House
• Finish gift baskets (more to come on that later)

I think thats it - totally doable, no?

Until I get all the pictures and posts that I have been collecting this week up here, I thought I would post a few websites that have great last minute recipes, gifts and other holiday ideas.

• Great-looking (and easy) recipe from Smitten Kitchen (starred on my google reader this morning) for icebox cookies (with unlimited variations!)
• I love these as ornaments or just as small vases hanging in a kitchen window - from CB2 [they have a store now in SoHo in NYC - I can't wait to check it out!]. The green hourglass photo above is from CB2 as well - they come in two sizes (either 15 minutes or 1 hour)
• A really cute online cookbook (that you can print and give away with some cookies as a gift!) from Allrecipes
• Last minute gifts from Red Envelope! Use the code: MCRUSH and your mastercard ($50 minimum required) and get free overnight shipping (offer deadline: 12/22 @ 2pm)
• Some additional holiday baking ideas from Martha Stewart & Everyday Food
• Tree looking a little bare? Need something to do with the kids on Christmas Eve? Check out this homemade ornament roundup by How about orange
• Decor inspiration? Run over to Hostess with the Mostess and check out the many holiday decor themes like Peppermint Twist

Eco-friendly holidays

Growing up we always had a fake tree for Christmas, but now that I'm married, my husband likes to get a real tree and I'm happy to go along with that tradition. We go and cut it down locally - its really fun and gets you in the holiday spirit. I'll be sure to post some pictures of our adventures this year.

I'm hoping to have a few posts on the topic of eco-friendly holiday ideas throughout the month, but I just wanted to quickly post an article this morning regarding the most "eco-friendly" type of Christmas tree - real or fake?

Check it out here! Happy Holidays!

A Holiday Toast!

I love an excuse to make a new drink...at our Thanksgiving, there will be drinks, even if I'm the only one who has one. I don't need an excuse to rim a glass, cut up some garnish, and take out the cute glasses, do I? Here are a few good-looking recipes from around the web for festive, season-appropriate libations.

I think I'm going to go with an easy-but-delicious champagne option; probably cranberry for us, but Food Network has a recipe for a pomegranate champagne cocktail that looks delicious (I'm a sucker for pomegranate).



This amaretto-cranberry martini looks great too!




Slashfood posted a recipe for a pumpkin pie martini - I'm thinking that this might be similar to what I call "dessert-in-a-glass" (akin to the Chocolate Martini). I find these type of drinks to be quite filling and I can never finish them, but maybe someone else will like this! I won't stand between anyone and their holidaze...:). Back to the recipes...

How about something a bit more traditional? I love apple cider - we usually serve it warm spiked with a bit of apple brandy. Some other ideas:

• Spiked Cider Cocktail (Michael Chiarello via Food Network)
• Spiked Apple Cider (Rachael Ray)
• Hot Spiked Cider (Different RR recipe via Fine Living)
• Spiced Rum Cider (Sunset Magazine)
• Hot Spiked Cider (Nick Mautone via CBS News)

Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

Photographs: (1) Food Network, (2) Epicurious, (3) Slashfood

It's that time of year again...Holiday Cards!

I know that everyone is busy - all the time. Busy with family, work, whatever. It's not just you - I'm guilty too. Some weeks it is difficult to find a free moment, but this does not free you from holiday cards :) I mean, you can skip them and then feel guilty when you get one in the mail and tell yourself that you'll find time next year, but why not just put forth a bit of effort and find a spare moment in that insane schedule to send out a card. I'm not saying that everyone needs to send out those tedious "family updates" as I'm a bit over those myself (at least for close friends/family members or "updates" that are over 1 page long!); but, a little card definitely adds to the feeling of the holiday season. And, let's be honest - those email cards are just not the same. Ok, I'll end my rant here with a few web resources for cards...feel free to send one my way!

My favorite websites for quick, but cute personalized photo cards are Kodak and Shutterfly. They have really added to the options they offer this year and now offer a ton of different, unique designs - plus, you can add a personal photo (or photos) to all the designs. And, they both also offer folded cards (always my preference because who wants to tape up flat cards!).

Photographs: [top] Shutterfly; [bottom] Kodak Gallery

You can also get really beautiful custom cards from a number of sources - try out Papersource or Paper + Cup for unique designs. And, for those who just have to do it themselves - there are a host of ideas available from Martha.

Photographs: Martha Stewart

Note: Just to clarify, if you are not into cards or the holidays, please don't take offense - that's cool too :)

Love these...

Red sunflowers - the colors are so beautifully vibrant and striking. They automatically put me in a good mood; especially when I come home from work and they are just sitting there, making my table look so beautiful, seemingly without any effort at all.

I decided to put my hat into the blogging event ring again for Centerpiece of the Month (originally from Talk of Tomatoes, but hosted this month by Whistlestop Cafe Cooking) using my beautiful flowers.

My lighting was not optimal for the below photos, but you can still see the insane depth of the color of the blooms. I paired them with some maples leaves I collected and the whole design just seemed to glow.

Blog Action Day!

Blog Action Day is meant to encourage people to think about the environment - obviously, this is a huge topic and not something that can be changed or turned around in a day, a month or even a year. Changing the outcome of our current projected pathway is difficult, and requires daily lifestyle changes by enough people in order to really begin to crack the surface of the problem. Sounds a bit idealistic, but if you want to be pessimistic, then natural resources are going to be severely reduced, if not gone, as we know them very soon.
In honor of Blog Action Day, I thought I would post some of the ways that our family has been trying to reduce our carbon footprint. Some of these are very easy to input into your daily schedule, but others are more difficult and require a few months to get used to - the changes will help the earth and as well your family (in terms of health and finances too!)

• Recycling - I know this sounds repetitive, but if you really take a look at all the things you throw away, I would bet that at least 50% of the items could be recycled (metal, paper, plastic, glass) in your neighborhood. If you are not sure what recycling services are available, you can contact your Town Hall. Most towns now have recycling pick-up for free (or included with your garbage pick-up fee). We can recycle glass, plastic and metal with our garbage and we just found a 2nd place that will take paper and cardboard for a very small fee ($3/bag).
  
  
• Buy recycled products - Increase the demand for these types of products. Ask for them at your local Staples, Kinko's, OfficeMax, etc. My office only prints their promotional materials on recycled paper. The quality is the same, and many times, it looks better/more stylish on the recycled paper!
  
  
• Reduce/Reuse - I'm guilty of this as well - using paper towels when I could use a dishtowel or leaving the water on too long, turning up the heat when its not really that cold, using the air conditioner when its not really that hot, etc. It is important to become aware of small things that could potentially make a difference if they were all added up! Do you really need all those plastic bags from the grocery store? Grab a reusuable bag instead - not only are they durable and reduce waste, but you get money back! Turn down your heat, get energy-star appliances & energy-saving light bulbs, make sure your windows close tight, unplug appliances (easier if you use a powercord) - all these things will reduce your energy usage and energy bills!
  
  
• Carpool/Walk/Double-duty trips/Gas-guzzlers - This can be difficult at times depending on how far you live from your job, whether you live rural or urban, etc., but its worth becoming conscious about. Is it really necessary to drive your SUV somewhere when you can walk or bike or ride with someone else? Questions like this will reduce the carbon emitted as well as save you gas money. If you can, buy a hybrid - you can still get a tax break on some of the 2007/2008 models.
  
  
• Buy Local! This one is huge. Take advantage of local farms, farm markets, CSAs, Co-ops, and family owned-local grocery stores. If you are a cook, plan your menus around seasonal fruits and vegetables - not only are you helping your local economy (mom & pop shops!) and likely getting fresher produce and dairy products, but you are also reducing the amount of trucks, planes & trains that need to criss-cross the country by road, air and ocean to bring out-of-season items. Supporting stores that support local farmers will also help preserve your community.
  
  
• Spread the word! Not that your Grandma Millie is going to be able to change her ways, but speak up when you get the chance. A few years ago, the grocery store employees looked at me like I was crazy when I brought my own bags - now they are totally aware, packing them up, giving me money back and asking where I bought the bags. It pays to speak up. My husband and I gave out reusable grocery bags to all of our wedding guests - we have had at least 25 people either ask us for more or tell us how they have incorporated them into their lifestyle. Sometimes, it only takes an explanation or example for someone to change. just a little :)

It is really easy to be discouraged due to the extreme size of the problem, but the solution has got to start somewhere - don't push it away to the next person. Here are some links to interesting products or organizations to help work towards a greener lifestyle:

• Freecycle - Reduce your garbage! Exchange items for free with members - Check it out!
• Carbon calculator - see where you stand!
• Join a CSA! Check out Local Harvest to see what is available in your neighborhood.
• Greening Info - TreeHugger provides a series of very informative (and sometimes amusing) articles on how to "green" your life. Check out this one on greening your car.
• Buy cool green bags - you can get the ones at the market with their logo on them, but you can get logo-less bags - check out the info in my previous post. Then again, you can really use any bag you like!
• City-by-City info - Check out the NYC Plan reduce carbon emissions by 30% by 2030 - GreeNYC. Check out San Francisco's policies here.
• Also, some other bloggers have posted great items about how they green their lifestyle - check out Oh Happy Blog!, Style Me Pretty, and Toasts & Tables

Many other bloggers are taking part in Blog Action Day so check out the website for more information!

Ready for the Holidays?

I love to entertain and have people over during the holidays (or anytime) - now that we live closer to our families, we're hoping to have a holiday get-together (although fitting a number of people into our small apartment could pose a serious challenge - hopefully everyone likes to stand...close together :). Anyway, I've found that my favorite (and most versatile) items to use for parties (small or large) are non-decorative platters, stands and other serveware. More simple and sleek - white ceramic, clear glass, and aluminum (silver) are my usual go-tos. I've found that they can be used for any time of year, any holiday; they don't break or chip easily and they look great. Plus, they can play double-duty as a centerpiece with some fruit/flowers/organic materials and spruced up very easily.

So, I've collected some of my recent favorites - check them out - just in time for the holidays! The prices are actually quite reasonable and they should last for a really long time (note that I'm not vouching for the quality of any of these particular items; just providing suggestions!).

(clockwise) (1) C&B: Square serving platter ($28.95) & Delish Cake Platter ($28.95), (2) Target: White rectangular serving platter ($19.99 - [I own this one]), (3) Pottery Barn: Great white soup tureen ($40), (4) Macy's: Martha Stewart Collection Whiteware Cake Stands (circle/square available, $14.99-$29.99), (5) Target: Aluminum beaded cake stand ($24.99), (6) Kmart: Martha Stewart Everyday footed dessert dish ($3.99), (7) Target: Tiered pedestal serving plates (set of 3, $24.99), (8) [center photo] Pottery Barn: Great white square dinnerware ($28-$36 for varied pieces/sets)

Note: You can also find really good deals on similar items at discount stores like TJMaxx and Marshall's, if you have those stores near you.

Love these - New Gifts from Around the Web!

Just shopping around the web - here are a few of my favorite new finds...

[from left to right] (1st row) Dinnerware (price varies): Crate & Barrel; Dessert Plates ($12 each; different designs): Anthropologie; Necklace ($35): Etsy seller: vintaj; (2nd row) Recycled glasses ($40 for a set of 4): Green glass; Lotus bowls ($79): Zanisa; Kitchen towels ($18 for a set of 4): Etsy seller: MichelleBrusegaard

Foodie Blogroll - Newest Member :)

I just joined the Foodie Blogroll - started up by The Leftover Queen, the blogroll is host to a number of really cool food-related blogs. Check them out by scrolling through the list in my sidebar. If you are interested in joining, find more info here.