EPISODE #91 - SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2011

Welcome to fall!  David loves this time of year and I think it is because he is a chef.  He looks forward to getting back inside because of the weather changes and whipping up some comfort food in the kitchen.  I have to tell you, when we have show planning meetings, we always vote on meeting at David’s!  Yum!  Of course the rest of the crew would like to hold on to this warm weather for just a few more weeks.  There is still time to catch some ‘rays’ and enjoy some quality hammock time before we have to worry about cold weather, right?

Enchilada Sauce

Chef David returns to the kitchen to share another recipe that uses our basic tomato sauce that we prepared a few weeks ago (check out the Tomato sauce recipe here).  We started by tearing up, removing the seeds and soaking some New Mexico chilies.  Remember when you are working with chilies, peppers or other spicy foods to wear gloves or wash your hands.  You don’t want the oils to get into your eyes by accident.  This recipe also uses white onion, garlic, and some chicken stock.  You start by sweating down the onions (cooking out the moisture) then we add the garlic, the chicken stock and the tomato sauce.  After a few minutes the peppers are added and once they are allowed to simmer you can blend and strain the mixture to get a great sauce that you can use on chicken or cheese enchiladas.  For the full recipe you can check it out here.

Food ‘Old Wives Tales’

We have all heard the saying ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’, but is that really true? To get the lowdown on the truth to this story and some of the other popular food myths we contacted food expert and author Elizabeth Somer.  We met her at the Community Health Education Center at Salem Hospital in their demonstration kitchen where they teach classes in healthy eating because it seemed like the perfect setting for this topic.  She covered 5 of the top myths and we found out some very interested ‘facts’.  Most of the myths, like ‘fish is brain food’ and ‘carrots are good for your eyesight’, are totally correct.  But there are other foods that can give you more of the same healthy compounds and are not so popular.  For example, the myth that ‘tomatoes are an aphrodisiac’ is true, but did you know that, cup for cup, watermelon has just as much of the important compound as tomatoes?  To learn more about food and healthy eating check out Elizabeth’s books ‘Eat your way to Happiness’ and ‘Age-Proof your Body’ or go to her website for healthy eating tips and recipes. 

Replacing your Faucet - Part 2

Last week Robin picked out a new faucet and David picked up the tools.  This week David gets a little help with the installation!  Dave from George Morlan (503-224-7000) came out to get David some tips.  First shut off the water under the sink and disconnect the water supply tubes.  Use a bucket to catch the water that leaks out of the tubes.  Next disconnect the pop-up assembly which operates the drain.  Remove the clips and screws that hold the old faucet on to the sink and lift it out.  You should have the faucet removed now, but we still need to remove the drain.  The new drain will have the same finish as the new faucet so you need to do this so they both match.  Remove the trap from under the sink.  There will be a lot of water in this so make sure you have a bucket handy.  Take the rest of the pop-up assembly off and then loosen the nut and remove the old drain assembly from the sink. 

The sink should be bare of all hardware now.  Use some cleaner to remove the hard water stains before you begin to install the new faucet.  To start, insert the new faucet in the hole and line it up so it is straight.  Then make sure your fittings are ready for the water supply lines at the bottom of the faucet.  Next, install the new drain.  Be aware of the opening for the overflow.  It has to line up with the overflow discharge holes in the sink.  Adjust the drain so it fits snug and use some plumber’s putty to create a watertight seal.  Install the new pop-up assembly and we are ready for the next step; reconnecting the water supply.  Use your Teflon tape on the new connectors and then attach them to the water supply tubes.  Install the new drain at this time as well.  Once everything is assembled and tightened you can turn on the water.  Run the water for 1-2 minutes and check for leaks.  Tighten nuts and use more putty if you see leaks. 

This is a job that can be done by one person in a weekend.  If you want to try doing this we recommend that you stop by George Morlan to get the faucet, tools and tips you need for the job.  They really made it easy!

Indoor NASA Plants

NASA has expanded our learning in lots of different fields, and not just the fields of science.  They have also found out a lot about the different types of plants and their uses.  We caught up with Deby at Cornell Farm (530-292-9895) to talk to her about the recent NASA findings about indoor plants.  She told us that NASA investigated the use of indoor plants as a means of cleaning the air in the space station.  They came up with some interesting results.  They found that indoor plants are great at absorbing toxins in the air.  Chemicals like formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene can be taken up by certain plants and that can make your living space healthier.  Common household items like carpet, paint, insulation, cleaners, plastics and detergents all can release toxins into your home. Philodendrons, Boston ferns, spider plants, mums and gerbera daisies are just a small selection of plants that can help your air stay clean.  To see these and many others you can stop by Cornell Farm and talk to their staff.

 
 

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September 30, 2011.