Graze - Snacking Re-Invented!

I am so excited that UK based food company has started selling their product Graze in the USA.
My first "Nibble Box" has arrived.  It can be delivered to your home or workplace.  I am looking forward to just popping it into my "Mary Poppins Organizing Bag" so I can graze away at my next job.  My choices total about 600 calories - this can be reduce if you pick other products.  The overall size of the box is about 6x9" rather like a paperback book.

Pantry Reorganization - Before & After

Before & After

I used a mixture of sturdy baskets for heavier items, such as canned goods and bright soft cubes for lighter items such as cereal, pasta etc.  I also re-purposed some metal filing bins for heavy bulky items such as flour, sugar and  baking items.

The large baskets at the top hold seasonal items:

•     Christmas & Thanksgiving themed tins, paper goods, dishcloths and oven mitts
•     Picnic/Patio paper goods, caddies and baskets.

Still with room for whimsy - a collection of tins on the top shelf add some interest.

Below, I used two plastic desk stationery drawers to organize the medicines and labeled each drawer for easy identification.  

The basic categories are; Pain - Allergy - First Aid - Cold & Flu. 

My Summer Vegetable Garden

Wish me luck with my first attempt at growing a 

Summer Vegetable Garden

I ordered two raised bed garden kits from Home Depot.  

1 Miracle-Gro Pod kit and 17 cubic ft of garden soil.

In addition I will need 2 tomato cages and trellis for the cucumber and peas.

I will be planting soon and will post updates on the progress.

I'm using this app for task by task instructions!

Top Tips for March

Delicious St. Patrick's Day Dinner

Slow Cooked Beef Brisket

Cook the Beef Brisket in a slow cooker with spices provided in the package (if you have) a generous glug of Worcestershire Sauce and Beef Stock ( fluids no more that 1/3 of the way up the joint of meat.  If no spices were provided add your own - pepper corns, bay leaf, salt and pepper.  Cook for 6/7 hours until tender, remove from pot and slice

Celebration Colcannon

1 medium Swede (Yellow Turnip), peeled, cubed

2 medium Parsnips, peeled, cubed

4 good sized Potatoes, peeled, quartered

I carton of chicken stock

1 stick of Butter

Ground White Pepper

Salt

2 Medium Onions, peeled, cut into rings

EVOO

I Head of Curly Kale

Using 2 tblspns of Butter and a glug of EVOO cook onions on a low heat until they are caramelized.

Wash and tear into pieces the Kale, sprinkle with salt and wilt with boiling water.  Cook until tender, drain

Place Swede and Parsnips in a pot with chicken stock, bring to boil, cook for 15 minutes, then add potatoes, cook for 10 mins longer until all vegetables are soft.

Mash root vegetables with remaining butter, add white pepper.  Fold in cooked kale, top with onions.

Pea & Carrots

Six Carrots, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp sugar
2 oz butter
1 cup frozen peas

Cook carrots in water, sugar and butter on low until just tender.  Add frozen Peas cook for a further 2/3 minutes.