swap your stuff

urbanMamas are having a spring clean and Earth Day swap. Saturday, April 24 @ 2:00 - 4:00 @ Milagros. Here is the urbanMamas post with all the details.

Garden Planner

Not sure how much of each veggie to plant give the space of your planters? This website lets you choose the type of garden (kitchen veggies, herbs, etc.) and put in your dimensions. It's a great way to get the most out of your space.

http://www.gardeners.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Gardeners-Site/default/Link-Page?id=kgp_home

Working Mom's Recipe of the Week (Bonus)

Risotto Cakes with Aioli
Number of Servings: 8
Prep to Serve: 30 min

Ingredients
2 T olive oil
2 T mayonnaise
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
½ garlic clove, minced
1 ½ c panko
3 c prepared risotto
24 mozzarella cubes (fresh, water packed)
2 T olive oil

Directions
Mix 2 tablespoons olive oil with the mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice and garlic clove in a shallow bowl and put in refrigerator.

Place panko in shallow bowl. Using generous 1 tablespoon cold risotto for each cake, shape 24 risotto balls. Make indentation in each; push in a cube of mozzarella. Reshape balls, enclosing cheese. Dredge balls in panko; press to flatten. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 12 risotto cakes; cover and cook until golden on bottom, 5 minutes. Turn cakes over. Cook uncovered until crisp on bottom, 3 minutes. Set on a plate and keep warm. Repeat with second 12 cakes. To serve, set 3 cakes on each plate and drizzle with aioli.

Notes: Service with side salad.

Submitted: Jamie Waltz, from Bon Appetite

Working Mom's Recipe of the Week

Cauliflower Gratin
Number of Servings: 4
Prep to Serve: 1 hr

Ingredients
3 T butter
6 chopped shallots
2 c Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 c heavy cream
¼ c plus 2 T chives
1 t celery salt
¼ t salt
1 head cauliflower, chopped

Directions
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook until lightly browned (about 10 minutes). Transfer to a large bowl and mix with cheese, cream, chives and salts. Add cauliflower and gently toss. Arrange in an even layer in a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Bake at 375 F until browned and very little liquid remains, about 40 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 T chives and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Submitted: Mindy Brooks, from Rachael Ray Magazine

Working Mom's Recipe of the Week

Taco Seasoning

Ingredients
12 tsp chili powder
10 tsp paprika
9 tsp ground cumin
6 tsp onion powder
5 tsp garlic powder
1 Tblsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions
Mix all and store in an airtight container. Makes about 1 cup of seasoning. Add about 1 Tblsp to ground beef or chicken for tacos or fajitas. Or use as a rub on ribs.

Notes: The combination is mild for my tastes. If you like spicy foods, up the cayenne pepper to 1/2 tsp or even 1 tsp

March Notes - Toxic Free Family

Thanks to our two guest speakers, Jen Coleman from the Oregon Environmental Counciland Caran Goodall from Metro. They both specialize in helping families reduce their household toxins and find environmentally friendly solutions.

Jen gave an overview of family related toxin's policy and how we can advocate for our children. She gave an update on the recent legislation to ban BPA in baby bottles that failed. She encouraged us all to throw away old bath toys (or any soft toy that smells). Toys made after 2009 should be safe, but the smell test is important.


Healthy Child Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home

Caran shared about healthy alternatives and provide some household cleaning recipes, and a great reference index from one of her favorite books, Easy Green Living.



Easy Green Living: The Ultimate Guide to Simple, Eco-Friendly Choices for You and Your Home

Both presenters got lots of questions from the Mamas who came, so notes are a bit tricky. There were also lots of hand outs. Please email Darcy if you would like copies or have specific info you're looking for.

We also had a fun activity at the end of the meeting, we made a very quick, easy and safe soft scrub.

Basic Soft Scrub Recipe:
1/2 cup baking soda
Enough liquid soap or detergent to make a frosting-like consistency
5 drops antibacterial essential oil such as lavender,tea tree oil, or rosemary (optional)

Pour the baking soda in a bowl; slowly pour in the liquid soap or detergent, stirring all the while, until the consistency reaches that of frosting. Scoop the creamy mixture onto a sponge, wash the surface, and rinse.

Michelle rocks my world!

If you haven't seen this yet, here's a quick article about the White House's new campaign to make workplaces more flexible:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/31/white-house-launches-push_n_520909.html