EPISODE #75 - SATURDAY MAY 28, 2011

Memorial Day is here and it is time to thank and remember all those who have served our country.  It is also a time to get together with friends and family as we kick off the unofficial beginning of summer.  We kick off the summer by including a great recipe for fish tacos that you can do on your grill!  We also have a story that will help you give your patio furniture a new look.  So sit back, stay dry inside as you watch this week’s episode of the Fusion show.

Ludeman’s Cushions

If you are looking to change the look of your deck or patio furniture it is easy to do with a quick and simple change.  Just replace your cushions on the furniture.  It is easy and inexpensive.  You can find replacement cushions at many local furniture and variety stores.  We found a huge selection at the Ludeman’s (503-646-6409) in Beaverton.  When you go looking for new cushions look for ones that are water resistant and UV protected.  Get a couple of different patterns and then you can have 2 or 3 different looks all summer long.

Pendleton Home Décor

If you mention the name Pendleton in the Northwest you will get the response ‘oh, the blanket people’.  Well the Pendleton Woolen Mills is known for their wonderful blankets and throws, but they are also becoming known for their incredible line of home decorating and décor items as well.  We stopped by the Pendleton Home Store (800-248-8144) in downtown Portland to learn about the store and their new items from Shelly.  Pendleton has been associated with western outdoor style, but she took us to a bedroom setup in a nautical theme.  She called it her ‘east coast Hamptons’ look.  The bed was handmade with recycled wood and was covered with the comfortable and long-lasting Pendleton blanket and sham.  It is a washable wool!  Some of the items that you can use to accessorize include a lamp with shells, wall art and a recycled mantle.  This bedroom had a very masculine feel to it.  Next we moved over to another part of the store to another bedroom set-up that was a little more feminine.  This bed was covered with a quilt featuring the Crow Creek design which is made just for Pendleton.   The hand beaded pillow was also kind of cool with a unique design made especially for Pendleton.   The final touch was a pottery piece made by local artists at LoneSomeVille pottery.  You have probably figured out by now that they like to use local artists and designers in their décor work at the store.  If you would like to check out some of these décor ideas (and even some Pendleton shirts or blankets) you can stop by their store on Broadway in Downtown Portland. 

Kids Cooking Corner

A lot of today’s kids don’t have a very good idea about healthy cooking and what it means to their body.  We found someone who wants to help teach kids about cooking and how it can help them grow.  Heidi O’Connor started the Kids Cooking Corner (503-381-0933) to help kids focus on nutrition, kitchen safety, proper food preparation, etiquette, cleanliness and FUN!  They learn how the reading, math and science they are being taught in school are applied in the kitchen.  They also have classes in sewing, crafts, pottery and painting to name a few.  David joined them to make tilapia fish tacos, oven baked sweet potato fries and a strawberry desert.  The kids learned how to prepare everything so that it was all ready at the same time and they didn’t have to wait.  After it was all done we were able to have a bite with them and it was wonderful!!!   The Kids Cooking Corner is a non-profit and if you would like to learn more or to make a donation we would welcome you to check out their website!  While you are there check out the entire list of classes they have coming up for the summer. 

NYC – Fish Tacos

Grilling season is here and so our ‘Now Your Cooking’ segment is perfect for the outdoor chef.  Chef Adam Zwerling from Evo joined NW Natural Host Jenna to show us how easy it is to make ‘Tilapia Fish Tacos’.   Of course the star of the segment was the Evo Grill.  This grill has a double burner system that allows it to get hot very fast, so you don’t have to wait to cook.  The surface is huge and because of the double burner it can have different cooking temperatures over the whole surface of the grill.  Chef Adam started by oiling the surface of the grill with olive oil.  He then placed the fish filets on the surface and let them sear on both sides.  That took about 4 minutes per side.  When they were close to being done he warmed up the tortillas on the outer edge of the grill where it was a little cooler.  Then he built his tacos on a plate with some shredded cabbage, some homemade salsa, some chipotle sour cream, cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.  It was fantastic!  If you would like the recipe you can check it out here and if you would like more information about the Evo grill you can see them at the NW Natural Appliance Center and on-line at www.evoamerica.com

Call 811

There is no better feeling than turning some soil in your garden.  That feeling will disappear quickly if you dig into a utility line.   We found out that there is an easy way to avoid this problem.  Mike and Jenna from NW Natural Gas told us about the 811 number.  This number is a nationwide number to help homeowners and businesses locate buried utility lines so you can stay out of trouble.  The ‘Call Before You Dig’ program is not new, it has been around for a few years now and the program has really help reduce the number of accidental gas line breaks by quite a lot.  One call will help you locate any line, including fiber optic and even cable.  Don’t think that the lines are buried deep.  Over time the lines can work their way to the surface and it only takes a little digging to hit one.  If you don’t call you can be held liable for the damages of cutting a line.  Just call 811 two business days before you dig!

New Hot Water Heaters

There are lots of new innovations in water heaters and to learn about the latest in hot water we went to the water heater kings at George Morlan (503-224-7000).  You may not think you need to worry about your water heater, but in the Northwest the average water heater lasts about 12 years, so you will have to worry about replacing yours soon.  The conventional water heaters come in 2 main styles, one for natural gas where a flame heats the water and an electric water heater which uses two heating coils to heat the water for your home. 

Next, we moved to the new ‘Cadillac’s’ of energy efficiency in water heating.  First was the Rheem Marathon water heater.  The main cause of failure for most heaters is a leak in the tank.  This new model from Rheem is guaranteed to never leak.   Next we saw the GE Hybrid water heater.  This one uses a heat pump to pull heat from the surrounding air to complement the normal heating process.  That extra heat from the heat pump can lower your water heating costs by half.  The final model we saw was a ‘heat on demand’ water heater.  This one only heats water when you turn on the faucet so you don’t have to pay money to keep a tank of water hot, even if you are not using it, like a normal water heater.   You can even get an on-demand electric water heater for those hard to reach areas in your shed or garage.  The thing to remember when you are choosing a new water heater is to figure out the water needs of your family and then find the right unit to meet those needs.

No matter which type of heater you use, remember you have to secure it to keep it safe in case of earthquakes.  Also, for most areas you may need a permit to install a new water heater.  Be sure to check with your local municipality.  For any of your hot water needs, check with your local ‘Water Heater Kings’ at George Morlan.

 
 

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June 03, 2011.