Ways you can put old kitchen tools to use in your garden
Summer is a wonderful time to go through your home and get rid of the items you are no longer using. Whether you decide to donate, sell, or toss out, it feels good to clean out stuffed kitchen cabinets, junk drawers, and over-flowing baskets. Keep in mind that some of the things you no longer have use for in some areas of your home, might be perfect tools for your flower or vegetable garden. Check out these tips finding new purpose for ordinary kitchen items:
■ Turkey Basters — Too much water in your potted plants? Use a turkey baster to suck up the excess.
■ Spoons — Spoons are just the right size to be a petite shovel for moving around seeds.
■ Salt and Pepper Shakers: Use these as seed dispensers or to spread fertilizers in small areas.
■ Pots and Pans — Old saucepans are perfect for scooping out potting soil. Old baking pans can make a great herb garden (don’t forget to add holes on the bottom.) A shallow pizza or sheet cake pan is perfect for a butterfly bath. Place a parched potted plant in a pot of water.
■ Ice Cube Trays — Use trays as seed starters or organize and store seeds in them for the winter. Just wrap in plastic wrap to keep them safe. Dig a space in a sunny area in your garden and place an ice cube tray filled with sand in it. Keep the sand wet to attract butterflies.
■ Colander — Turn an old colander into a decorative hanging basket. Line it with moss, or cheesecloth and plant whatever comes to mind. And the best part is there will be lots of drainage! Colanders also make great compost sifters and if you add a wire handle to one, it makes a great basket to collect fruits and vegetables right from your garden to the sink to rinse.
■ Dishes: Place an old dish on a stump or cement block and fill with water. This makes an instant birdbath. Damaged dishes can make a great border for your garden.
■ Chopsticks — Use a chopstick or two to make the right size holes when you are planting seeds. Poke, drop, cover, and move on. Use them as small stakes for your floppy flowers or support several small branches at once by inserting two chopsticks in a crisscross pattern into the soil to hold them up.
■ Barbecue Tongs — Use a pair of barbecue tongs to hold a rosebush’s stems while you are pruning. Extend your reach when harvesting fruit from your fruit trees or use them to pick the hornworms off your tomato plants.
■ Barbecue Fork — a sturdy barbecue fork makes a great weeder in your garden or flower beds. Stick it in, pry it around, and pull out the weed.
■ Stick upside down empty wine bottles in the dirt to mark off your vegetable garden.
■ Use an old vintage sink as an interesting planter.
CUCUMBER YOGURT DIP
Makes 5 (¼ cup) Servings 30 Calories per Serving
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely diced or grated (about ½ cup) 1 cup nonfat or low-fat plain Greek yogurt ¼ to ½ teaspoon garlic powder or 1 to 2 cloves of garlic, minced ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ to ½ teaspoon dried mint or dill for 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh mint or dill ¼ teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar
Wash hands with soap and water
In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together
Chill in the refrigerator until serving. Taste and add more seasoning as desired.
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Tip: For a chunkier dip, add more cucumber.
SPINACH AND CHICKEN ITALIAN
Makes 7 cups
140 Calories per Cup
1 cup tomato pasta sauce 1 lb. chicken breast cut or pounded into ½ inch thick slices ¼ teaspoon each, salt, and pepper 1 package (10 ounces) frozen spinach, thawed and drained or 4 cups fresh spinach leaves ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Pour ½ cup of pasta sauce in a large baking dish. Lay the chicken pieces over the sauce, then sprinkle salt and pepper on the chicken. Top with remaining ½ cup of pasta sauce, spinach and mozzarella.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (165 degrees F) and the cheese begins to turn brown.
Notes: Do not rinse poultry. Try other fresh or frozen thawed leafy greens.
WATERMELON TOMATO SALAD
10 cups cubed seedless watermelon 2 pints yellow grape or pear tomatoes, halved 1 medium red onion, chopped ½ cup minced fresh parsley ½ cup minced fresh basil ¼ cup lime juice
In a large bowl, combine watermelon, tomatoes, and onion. In a small bowl, combine parsley, basil and lime juice. Pour over watermelon mixture and toss to coat.