Winter Fun is Calling You!

You know, one of my least favorite seasons is winter. Or, at least it used to be…recently I was enlightened about the seasons. That every season has its purpose, and can be appreciated for its beauty and purpose in the cycle of life. Okay, if that was too weird for you, let’s see why else you can appreciate the winter…

Activities

Nothing beats going outside in the winter, after a lot of snow has fallen, and grabbing a sled to head out to the nearest hill for an afternoon of sledding, snowball fights, and laughter. Especially if you have children. Kids want to play with you—the biggest kid on the block! And the best way to get exercise is to go outside and play with your kids in the fresh fallen snow.

Another fun activity in the winter, if you have access to it, is going to an ice rink and go ice skating. Fun exercise while enjoying the cold, yet fresh, air. This is just as good as getting on the treadmill and walking in place for a while—better actually, because you are working muscles you don’t normally work while walking. The best part? You can have fun and socialize with others…

Let’s build a snowman! Remember when you were a kid and built a snowman every time it snowed with that “packable” snow? Remember how much fun you had? Why not give that joy to your kids? Just bundle them up, take them outside, and build a huge snowman with them. You can even pretend he’s Frosty…

When you are done playing and are ready to come back inside, you all will be pretty cold. The best way to warm up is to eat and drink hot things, like hot cocoa, soup, etc. Here are some new and fun recipes that will help warm you up while giving you new taste sensations…

Warming Recipes

Minty Hot Cocoa

1 ½ cups Milk (any kind is fine)

2 cups water

½ cup cocoa mix, or to taste

Several fresh mint leaves, bruised

Using a small pot, heat up milk and water. Add in bruised mint leaves before boiling to add that fresh minty flavor to the liquid. Once boiling, take off heat, and mix in the cocoa. Serve immediately. For an added flair, add some whipped cream to the cocoa after pouring mugs, and add a sprig of mint to the cream. Yummy!

Crockpot Country Chicken Rice Soup

3 Onions; chopped

4 Stalks Celery; sliced

20 oz Peas; frozen

2 1/2 lb Chicken pieces

5 1/2 c Water

3/4 c Rice; raw converted

1/2 tsp. Sage

1/2 tsp. Thyme

1 tsp. Basil

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Place all ingredients, except rice, into slow cooker in order listed. Cover and cook 1 hour on high; reduce heat to low and cook an additional 8 to 9 hours. One hour before serving, remove chicken and cool slightly. Remove meat from bones and return to slow cooker. Add rice. Cover and cook an additional hour on high. You can set this before you go out to play, and when you return, it should be ready for you!

And for dessert…

Crockpot Pina Colada Bread Pudding

1 lb Loaf french bread

3 Large eggs

10 oz Frozen pina colada drink mix

1/4 c Light rum

6 oz Pineapple juice

1 c Raisins

12 oz Evaporated milk

8 oz Pineapple; crushed w/juice

½ cup Cream of coconut

1 ts Lemon peel; grated

2 Large bananas; sliced crosswise

Fresh mint sprigs

With a sharp knife, peel crust from bread; discard crust or make into bread crumbs for use in another recipe. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes; set aside. In blender or food processor, fitted with a metal blade, combine 1/2 of the following ingredients; drink mix, pineapple juice, evaporated milk, cream of coconut, and banana slices.

Process until pureed; pour puree into a 6-cup bowl. Puree remaining 1/2 of liquid ingredients and banana slices as well as eggs and liqueur, if desired. Combine both purees; set aside.

Combine raisins and crushed pineapple (and the juice); set aside. Place about 2/3 of bread cubes in slow cooker, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel and spread 1 cup of the raisin-pineapple mixture over bread in slow cooker. Top with remaining bread cubes, then with remaining 1/2 tsp lemon peel and raisin-pineapple mixture. Pour pureed ingredients into slow-cooker. Cover and cook on low 6 hours.

Spread pudding into 8 or 10 dessert dishes and serve hot. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs.

Resources

Don’t have everything you need? Well, here is where you can go, without heading outdoors once you are in from the cold, to get the supplies you need. Now, you can go to the store on your own and buy what you need…and this works great in a pinch. But why would you want to, when Internet security has been beefed up tremendously??

Herbs and Vegetables

Aerogarden

Online Grocers

Mex Grocer

Home Bistro (Prepared Gourmet Meals delivered to your door)

Growing Marijuana with the Aerogarden?

Okay, I want to tell you that if you do grow marijuana with your Aerogarden, don’t tell me about it. It’s against the law, and you will get caught eventually for doing something illegal. I am not telling you to grow this, and I would discourage you from doing this if I were there with you and we were talking about this. There…having made that disclaimer, I feel better, and we are ready to get on with this article.

You can grow anything you want with the Aerogarden, including the illegal marijuana. (Don’t do that, though!) Aerogrow, the company who created the Aerogarden, has created the Master Gardener’s kit. This contains several grow pods that you can put your own seeds in, so that you can grow whatever seeds you want, or have on hand. This keeps you from having to limit yourself to the particular kits they have. You can run with this and create an entire indoor garden with no need to build an expensive greenhouse. But I am getting ahead of myself here…that comes a little later.

Here is an example of some of the additional seeds you can grow in your Aerogarden Pro or Deluxe models:

1. Peas
2. Sugar snap peas
3. All your flowering plants that yield fruits and vegetables
4. Anything else that you want—even flowers!

I have heard of people growing marijuana in their Aerogardens, and there are even some forums on this topic. But I am not going to give you that information as I do not want to get in trouble with the law in case you get caught. You never heard it from me!

So, you could build an entire garden with these things! They have different sizes of wall shelves made especially for the Aerogarden that you can hang up, keeping them off your surfaces, giving you more room in your kitchen. But the best part about this is that you can literally create an entire room of these wall Aerogardens that are growing anything from flowers to tomatoes to strawberries and salads—during any part of the year you desire! All year round, you could be growing the vegetables and herbs that you use every day—fresh and organic.

If this sounds like a great plan to you, and if you want to know more, why not find out more here? In fact, they are running a promotion right now that you can try it free for 36 days. If you like it, pay for it at the end of your trial period. If you do not like it, you aren’t out any money and you can send it back, no questions asked. So, try out one…if you like it, try out another one…build up your garden one machine at a time. Enjoy!

What is the Aerogarden Pro?

First off, let me tell you what the Aerogarden is. Have you ever heard of hydroponics? Aeroponics? There is a distinct difference between the two. Hydroponics involves growing plants in water, with the roots completely submerged; whereas Aeroponics involves growing plants with the roots not touching the water. While there is water involved, of course, the roots get their nutrients from the air, as well as from the water that sprays the roots. The Aerogarden uses aeroponics technology in a convenient and attractive machine that is programmed to grow your seeds into useful plants.

Now, what does this have to do with the Aerogarden Pro? The Pro model has a few subtle differences compared to the original Aerogarden. The differences are noted below:

1. Bigger and more grow bulbs, giving more light to the plants to help them grow faster and bigger.
2. Adaptive growth intelligence that tells you when to change the bulbs, add nutrients, and add water.
3. Longer arm for the hood, so that you can grow plants that are normally bigger.
4. Super grow 24 hour cycle. The lights and the motor stay on 24 hours for certain plants that need light 24 hours per day.

Conclusions

Now, if you like the idea of having a super grow cycle, and the other differences the Pro model has, then go for the Pro here. However, let’s go over a few things.

First, the added differences of the Pro from the original Aerogarden will cost you an extra $20, and will give a couple extras that you really don’t need, such as the adaptive growth
intelligence. The original model also will tell you when to add nutrients and water.

Second, You can buy upgrades for your original model if you need the longer grow arm and bulbs. If you don’t need them, don’t get them.

Third, and last, is the super grow cycle. You actually have the option of bypassing the cycles with the original Aerogarden. There are instructions in your owner’s manual on how to do this.

Overall, the Aerogarden Pro seems to be a way for the company to get a few extra dollars from you with features that are almost the same as the original Aerogarden. If you need the upgrades, you have the option of buying them. If you don’t need them, save your money and go for the original Aerogarden. You can buy it here.

What Aerogarden Supplies do You Really Need?

So, you have an Aerogarden, and you love how well it grows the default kit of gourmet herbs that came with it when you got it. But now, your garden has completed its first season of growing, and your herbs are finished. You have cleaned out your machine, and are now ready to try your hand at the other kits you have seen on their site, and in their catalog that came with your garden. As you’re looking through their kits and other supplies, you’re getting all excited because they are telling you that you need this thing, or that thing. And the more you think about what they told you, the more you justify it logically, thinking that you do need it for one reason or another. But really—do you really NEED everything they are selling you?

Take, for example, their little blue and orange butterflies that you set on the garden—after all, it adds a “touch of whimsy”. And how much are they charging you for this additional “touch of whimsy”? $19.95! For a little butterfly that, if you really want whimsy with your garden, you can buy at the local hardware/home and garden store for about $5.00 or less. Or, you can just bypass them altogether, and leave the whimsy to someone who gives a darn. Do you really need this??

Another similar item that they try selling you on that really doesn’t add to the functionality of the garden is their dragonfly—which costs the same as the butterfly, and is the same concept.

Other items that you don’t need that they say you do are:

1. The OXO Watering can that sells for $14.95. Truth be told, if you wanted a watering can, you could go elsewhere and buy one for $2.00. Better yet, take one of your plastic cups, squeeze it to be narrow, and pour your water into your garden that way. It’s free!
2. Dog and Cat repellent. This natural formula works as a training product, designed to keep your pets away from your plants. It is a blend of cinnamon, garlic, black and red pepper oils that act as irritants to pets’ noses. It sells for $12.95. There are other ways to train your pets to stay away from your plants…research the many ways online. Save your money.
3. Herb processor. This device works just like a food processor, but for herbs instead, and it sells for $19.95—the same as the “whimsy” crap, but at least this has a purpose. Or, stop being so lazy and chop your own herbs the way others have done it for years—with a knife! J
4. The Herb Appeal Collection Kit. This includes all you need for success with your herb garden, and it sells for almost $70. Here’s the kicker, though, you get this, plus three cutting boards for free with your Aerogarden. Save your money…read the materials that come with your garden.

Items that aren’t essential to the maintenance of your Aerogarden, but you may want to have to heighten your experience are:

1. Garden Starter tray
2. Master Gardener deluxe kit
3. All the cookbooks
4. Herb keeper

Essential items you will need to maintain and extend the life of your Aerogarden and your plants:

1. Grow bulbs
2. Replacement pumps
3. Nutrient tablets
4. Replacement filter packs
5. Various seed kits

And that’s it! All the other stuff is just fluff, and are not needed to maintain your plants or your Aerogarden.

If you do not have an Aerogarden, what are you waiting for? This thing is really, really fun and simple to use, and will save you money on many of the foods and herbs you already use. Get yours here at this link: Aerogarden and Supplies.

Aerogarden First Month Grow Results

So, I have had the original Aerogarden for about a month now, and have been very pleased with the results, barring the cilantro seeds that never came up. I have used the basil already and it has only been four weeks. This is unheard of when growing with other methods. But in just four short weeks, the herbs are ready to be harvested. The timeline of the plants:

Week 1: Small sprouts came up from the Italian and Purple Basil.

Week 2: Small sprouts came up from the Dill, Chives, Parsley and Mint. The Cilantro still hasn’t come up. I believe that the seeds were bad from that batch.

Week 3: The herb plants grew taller and bigger.

Week 4: The basil plants are ready to be harvested and used. Fresh is always better than from the store.

I will be adding more in the weeks to come on the progress of my plants while using the Aerogarden.

These plants grew so much better than when my spouse tried to grow an outdoor garden, using traditional methods, such as dirt and fertilizer. His plants barely sprouted, let alone produce any vegetation. It was sad really…he is more knowledgable than I am when it comes to gardening. My plants are doing awesome and are ready to harvest in a four week time period. I haven’t a clue on how to garden—that’s the funniest part!

Does this sound like you? Are you garden challenged, but want to have the results of a garden? Then this will work for you. Get a free 36 day trial through this special link to start your own worry free garden.

My Pleasant Surprise with the Aerogarden

I found out about the Aerogarden through Amazon. Most products that are on the market always have a hyped up site about how things are supposed to work, what promises each product is supposed to fulfill, and why it's better than any other product like it out there. Promises, promises, promises. We've all heard it before, right? And then, the product doesn't deliver. So, I admit--I was suspicious, yet intrigued by the Aerogarden.

The way it's supposed to work is that the roots are suspended in air, getting more of the nutrients and water delivered to it, making the plants grow faster and healthier than plants in dirt. The seeds come in pre-made grow pods--just insert in the holes on the bowl, add water, nutrient tablets, and turn on the machine. That's it--then the seeds grow 4 times faster than seeds planted the traditional way!Their official site even had a short video showing the plants in the Aerogarden was side by side with plants in dirt. It was amazing on the site anyway. But how would it work for ME?

I was sure there was someone who had a bad experience with the Aerogarden, so I began searching the Internet for others' experiences with the Aerogarden. Out of over 200 experiences I read, about 10% of the people had bad experiences with it. The rest had glowing experiences. So...I had to figure out a way to get one. I told my mother-in-law I wanted one for my birthday. And...I got one!

It was pretty simple to put together--reading the instructions first helped. After getting it together, I put in the seed filled grow pods, filled the bowl with water, turned it on the "Herbs" setting, and put in the nutrients. It was fascinating...

So far, after two weeks, all but one pod has produced sprouts. The Cilantro has not sprouted yet, but maybe it will soon. This product is perfect for those who do not have a "green thumb" or do not have a lot of time on their hands for gardening, but want the fresh herbs whenever they want them. It takes only minutes per month to maintain, and it grows way better than with any other gardening method.

However, if you like working with your hands for hours a day, and have a green thumb, then save your money. It wouldn't be worth it to you. However, in the winter, this is a perfect solution to having fresh herbs or vegetables.

So--get your Aerogarden now--they make great gifts for any time of the year!

PS. I just got word that you can now try the Aerogarden for free for 36 days, and then, if you are completely satisfied with the Aerogarden at the end of those 36 days, then you pay the rest. But you can only get this through my special link, right now. I don't know how long they are going to keep this up, so act now.

http://www.newcreationtechnologies.com/suggests/Aerogarden_Free_Trial