Come tomorrow, December 15th, Amazon is all about giving customer satisfaction specifically to PS3 gamers. That’s right, it’s the Gold Box day tomorrow, and it’s all about Sony’s power console.
 
 
 
 

Eco Factor: Ecofriendly service station captures solar energy and saves water.

The Emirates National Oil Company is planning to open the Middle East’s first ecofriendly service station that will be equipped with state-of-the-art environmental systems, including a solar array to power lighting systems and a waterless car-washing system.

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Glass is truly the safest material to drink from, but often parents are worried young children will break glass and be injured. Silikids has a solution with its food grade silicone-sleeved glass cup for young children. Silikids Siliskin Glass provides a non-slip surface for little hands to grasp and feel like big kids drinking out of a real glass.

The Siliskin Glass is a clean alternative to plastic drink-ware. For toddlers who want to drink from a “big kid” cup. Silikids makes this easy to do with a small BPA free silicone covered glass. This Siliskin glass helps prevent slipping and adds extra protection to the glass inside. Glass is the cleanest option for drinking and it lasts because it’s reusable, and recyclable. The Siliskin is hypo- allergenic, has no open pores to harbor bacteria and is dishwasher safe. Two simple ideas have come together to make the perfect drink ware better for your family and the environment.

Even though there are a lot of BPA-free plastic cup products on the market, I still feel safest with real glass, and I don’t have to worry about placing them in the dishwasher.

Silikids also makes Silibibs. These bibs are easy to put on and easy to clean. They are even safe for the dishwasher. I personally prefer cloth bibs, but many parents prefer silicone for the ease of cleaning.

If you visit www.silikids.com, you can use the discount code OHBABY to receive a 15% off any order through 12/31/2009

Disclosure: I was sent a free sample of these products to review. No prior assurances were given as to whether the review be positive or negative

During the holiday season, your kitchen can often feel like a war zone instead of the heart of the home. At any given time you can find one or more of the following in our own kitchen: Cookies for shipping, cooling cakes to be frozen for later parties, jerky and fruit being dried, plus our nightly dinner preparations. Here’s 10 things to take a look at to keep things under control.

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Eco Factor: LEED Gold-certified residential building.

The Cherokee Lofts by Pugh + Scarpa Architects is the first LEED Gold-certified mixed-use or market-rate multifamily building in Southern California. The five-story building features 2800-square-feet retail space on the first floor, and it has 12 lofts located on the second, third and fourth floors.

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I’ve got an HD2, and recently in the wonderful, soggy weather we have in Bristol, I dropped it onto a concrete pavement. Needless to say, the HD2 came of worse than the pavement.

If it didn’t have a flush screen, and had a plastic body, I’m fairly sure the stress concentration wouldn’t have been that great, and the whole thing would likely be better off…

It’ll be booked in for repairs on Monday, and I’ll keep you posted on how long it takes, but I’ll be using a much tighter grip in future!!!

Daily Random Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups dried wakame seaweed
  
• 1/2 sweet red bell pepper, chopped
  
• 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
  
• 1 1/2 red tomatoes, chopped
  
• 1/8 t cayenne
  
• 1/2 t onion powder
  
• 1/2 t garlic powder
  
• 1/8 t dry mustard
  
• Pinch of sea salt or other salt substitute
  
• 1 T sesame oil
  
• 1 T olive oil
  
• 1 T tamari (or soy sauce)
  
• 1 T raw honey or maple syrup
  

METHOD:
In a large bowl, add just enough hot spring water to the seaweed to cover it. Allow this to sit for 5 to 6 minutes, until the seaweed has absorbed most of the water and has a green-leafy consistency. Squeeze the remainder of the liquid out of the greens. Add the chopped vegetables and mix well. To this mixture add the dry ingredients and again mix well until the spices are evenly distributed. Following this add the remainder of the ingredients. Mix well and serve.

NOTES:
From ‘Delights of the Garden’ by Imar Hutchins.

Eco Factor: Solar farm to generate 80MW of renewable power.

Enbridge Inc. and First Solar have announced an agreement to expand the Sarnia Solar Project in Canada from its current generation capacity of 20MW to 80MW. The upgrade would cost about CDN $300 million. Once completed, the project would provide enough energy to power about 12,800 homes.

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Chipotle chicken is a popular dish in restaurants around the country. If you love chipotle, try this recipe for delicious chicken tacos at home. This recipe uses avocados, cucumbers, red onion and other great ingredients. This recipe was created by chef Curtis Stone for the Hass Avocado Board.

© Courtesy of the Hass Avocado Board

Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Hass Avocado and Cucumber Relish

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped red onion
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 2 medium, vine-ripened tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced
• 2 green onions, finely sliced
• 2 cups coarsely shredded roasted chicken breast
• 8 small corn tortillas
• Hass Avocado and Cucumber Relish (below)
• Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Hass Avocado and Cucumber Relish – Make Ahead

• 1 ripe, Fresh Hass Avocado, peeled, seeded and diced
• 2 Tbsp. peeled, seeded and finely chopped English cucumber
• 3 Tbsp. finely diced red onion
• 1 small red radish, diced
• 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the oil and the onions to the pan; cook for 2 minutes stirring often.
3. Add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the peppers, honey and tomatoes.
4. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until most of the liquid from the tomatoes has evaporated and the mixture begins to thicken.
5. Add in the green onions and chicken and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.
6. Heat the tortillas in a separate small sauté pan over medium-high heat for 15 seconds on each side to warm through.
7. Divide and spoon the chicken mixture among the tortillas, top each taco with the Hass Avocado and Cucumber Relish, garnish with cilantro leaves and serve immediately.

Hass Avocado and Cucumber Relish – Make Ahead

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the avocado, cucumber, red onion and radish.
2. Add in the parsley and red wine vinegar, and slowly drizzle in the oil until combined.
3. Season with salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate until use.

Nutrition Facts:
Nutrition Information Per Serving: Calories 360; Total Fat 15 g (Sat 2.5 g, Trans 0 g, Poly 2 g, Mono 9 g); Cholesterol 60 mg; Sodium 105 mg; Potassium 610 mg; Total Carbohydrates 30 g; Dietary Fiber 5 g; Total Sugars 10 g; Protein 26 g; Vitamin A 759 IU; Vitamin C 84 mg; Calcium 44 mg; Iron 2 mg; Vitamin D 0 IU; Folate 60 mcg; Omega 3 Fatty Acid 0.1 g

% Daily Value*: Vitamin A 15%; Vitamin C 140%; Calcium 4%; Iron 10% *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 Calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

*Large avocados are recommended for this recipe. A large avocado averages about 8 ounces. If using smaller or larger size avocados adjust the quantity accordingly.

Post from: Blisstree

Chipotle Chicken Tacos

The musical Broadway sensation Fela! is the hottest ticket in New York City streets; as this one of a kind dancing extravaganza pays homage to the life of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. As one enters the doors of the Eugene O’Neill Theater you are leaving the environment of tall New York City skyscraper buildings for about three hours and entering into the famous Shrine.

Fela

This Lagos nightclub on a New York City Stage is filled with authentic African décor, beautiful men and woman dancing to the Afro-beat rhythms and the spirit of the ancestors. As an audience member you are immediately pulled in and engaged by the star of the show, Sahr Ngaujah, a first generation Sierra Leonean who plays Fela Kuti on most shows. His stellar one-man band performance accompanied by the dynamic choreography of his dancers educates, enlightens and highlights poignant periods of Fela’s life as a legendary artist, revolutionary and political activist.

Fela is recognized as a hero to many although in western culture the genre of Afro-beat music has never become mainstream. His political activism through his music remains unknown to the general American public. Since the star-studded grand opening on Monday, November 23rd of this African masterpiece, many theater critics have given unfavorable reviews as a result of expecting more of a detailed biopic storyline of the true essence of Fela’s life. Well, everyone is entitled to their opinion and, as I watched the audience shake their hips, dance in their seats and chant with the music, the true critics have spoken and the hard work of Tony Award winner director/choreographer Bill T. Jones, and producers Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, and Will & Jada Pinkett Smith has paid off. This show is simply powerful and an honor to African music. Welcome na de Shrine and to Fela’s legacy.

The last step in weed control should be chemical herbicides, which are technically pesticides; not healthy for humans or the planet. Better choices for long-term weed control include:

Wrap your mind around management not eradication. Weed elimination in total usually involves chemical weed killers. A better choice is to visit your local extension or talk with a local landscaping expert so that you can learn the difference between actual noxious and harmful weeds vs. non-problematic weeds. Aim to get rid of the noxious weeds, but be realistic about weeds in general – allowing some weeds will not harm your garden but trying to get rid of all weeds with a nasty chemical can harm your health.

Improve your soil. Healthy soil means healthy plants that grow proficiently, leaving less room for weeds. Weeds are more easily pulled out of healthy non-compacted soil as well.

Mulch often. Once you clear weeds out of a specific area of soil, mulching can help prevent weeds from popping up as new plants get established.

Design a weed-control minded garden. Landscaping plans that include multi-layered ground covers crowd out weeds and allow healthy plants to thrive.

In the vegetable garden – Veggie gardens need special weed control because most vegetable gardens have larger spaces of undisturbed soil. Try shallowly cultivating the soil frequently which helps to kill weeds before they pop up.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

Plan for long-term weed control

There is so much to love in these pretty table settings from Emersonmade: Lovely handprinted linens, rustic paper runners, and all those colorful flowers.

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It’s funny that when I look back on life, from the cupcakes I’d bring into school for birthdays to the ice cream my family ate on that summer vacation to the time where my parents and my brother ate lobster while wearing giant plastic bibs, I often seen things in terms of food. Like Christmas.

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If Square Enix were to have their way, they would want to have the Final Fantasy franchise live forever. This came from no less that the company’s developer, Akitoshi Kawazu, in an interview with German game site

This December we have invited a handful of The Kitchn’s friends and fellow bloggers to share their own holiday memories and recipes with us. These guest posters will bring you holiday food from around the world and from their own cultures, and hopefully this will open up some new-to-you blog reads as well! Starting today and running until the New Year we’re so pleased to invite some of our friends, new and old, to join us. Welcome!

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