Stackable washer mod

Washer top with mounts added

About 10 years ago we bought a stack-able 4.3 cu ft Kenmore front load washer. We also bought the matching dryer.

Fast forward 10 years and we have had to replace our washer because of a laundry list of problems (sorry for the pun!) The dryer is doing fine (after a bearing replacement last spring).

The issue is that apparently the designers at Sears have not maintained compatibility between the old and new machines so that they can be stacked. The conspiracy theorist in me believes that this was design obsolescence! I won't be foiled that easily!

I removed the old mounting kit, from the previous washer, and simply screwed them onto the top of the new washer.

My wife was a little perturbed when I was using a drill on her new machine but she was duly impressed and relieved when they fit together like a hand in glove.

So, don't believe the sales guy when he tells you they can't be used together.

Dehydrated Spaghetti Sauce

Dehydrated spaghetti sauce is super easy to make and is great for backpacking trips or any situations where space and weight are a concern. 

This works best if you use less chunky sauces since the chunks are more difficult to dehydrate thoroughly. I used Catelli Sauce this time. Of course homemade sauce would be great, if you are into that, but I usually think of preparing this stuff the night before I'm leaving. 

Dehydration

1 jar of sauce on 4 trays

•  Cover your dehydrator with parchment paper. Make sure there is still airflow.
• Spread an even amount of spaghetti sauce around the tray. It should be less 5mm thick.
• Dehydrate for 7 - 10 hours. You will know that it is done when it is completely dry and the consistency of a fruit roll-up. 
• Peel the sauce off the tray and let cool
• Pack in an air tight bag

Spaghetti Frisbee 

Use

To use the spaghetti sauce simply add a bit of water and heat. Add water a bit at a time until it is the proper consistency. 

For backpacking, where fuel is a concern, I find that capellini (angel hair) pasta works best since it cooks quickly.

Recipe: Chickpea "fish" cakes

Chickpea "fish" cakes

By Andrew Jefferies

These patties are good when placed on sandwiches or by themselves as a substitute for fish cakes. They don't really taste the same at all but that was the concept that I started with. Anyways, here goes:

Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 5 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• chickpeas rinsed, drained and mashed -1 Can
• onion minced   -  1/4
• red bell pepper minced   - 1/4
• celery seed - pinch
• curry powder - 1/4 tsp
• Eggs - 2
• mayonnaise - 1 tbsp
• Olive oil - as needed for frying

Mix all ingredients together well. Make into patties. Heat oil in pan and fry until golden. It only takes a couple of minutes per side.

I used my patties in a baked sandwich with avocado, thin sliced apple, lots of jalapeño,Havarti cheese and honey mustard. Very tasty.

Published: March 11, 2011

Veggie Sausage and Kale soup

This is a great soup for a chilly fall day. It was my first experiment with kale in a soup. Turned out pretty well. I think.

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium onions
• 5 cloves garlic
• 4 cups of McCormick All-vegetable bouillon (chicken flavor)
• 2 cups water
• 1 can chickpeas
• 1/2 tsp rosemary
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 package Yves Sweet Italian Veggie Sausages
• 8 carrots
• 1 bunch kale (approx. 1 lbs)

Instructions
Saute the onions in half of the olive oil until almost translucent. Add garlic and saute for an additional 2 minutes. Add stock, water, chickpeas, rosemary, salt and pepper. Simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.

Cut the sausage into 1/4" pieces and fry in remaining olive oil until browned. Chop the kale roughly and the carrots into 1/8" slices. Add these ingredients to the stock and simmer for 15 minutes until kale and carrots are cooked.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Fruit (flavoured) Smoothy

I tried to make the Groovie Smoothie from Lip Smackin' Vegetarian Backpackin' but the orange crystals that I bought had an ass factor of about 13. The stuff tasted horrible.

Anyways, I modified the recipe to use juice crystals (kool-aid stuff). It tastes pretty good now.

0.4 cups of Vanilla pudding powder
1/2 cup soy milk powder
1 pouch (75 ml) juice crystals (peach is good)

Mix together.

Use 3 tbsp per 1 cup water. Shake and drink.

Calorie count: Approx. 150

Homemade Energy Gel

I found a great recipe for homemade energy gel. I was looking for an energy gel recipe because the stuff is pretty expensive and generally tastes terrible. There really isn't much to them either. So, I figure, with my own recipe I can tweak it to my liking, save some money and even buy organic ingredients!

The original recipe was for a 5 ounce batch. Since I'll need a whole lot more for Race the Phantom I quadrupled the recipe. Luckily I liked the taste! Actually, it really tastes VERY good. Also, I do like the taste of molasses so I added more molasses.

Here is the 20 serving recipe:

12 oz brown rice syrup
6 oz honey
6 oz blackstrap molasses
1 teaspoon sea salt

Just mix all of the ingredients together until smooth. It doesn't get much easier. Place the finished product in a squeeze bottle appropriately sized for the activity. I'm using 250ml bottles for the adventure race.

I am going to experiment with a couple of variations as well this weekend. My plan is to add 1/2 of instant cafe mocha to half of the batch. That will give a bit of a caffeine boost in the middle of the night to keep me awake.

Recipe: Roasted Butternut Squash and Pepper Rigatoni

My son has been taking an interest in cooking lately. We've been experimenting in the kitchen and came up with this good pasta recipe last night. It only took around 20 minutes to prepare and it gave him his first experience with roasting veggies. 

2 Bell Peppers (1 green & 1 red looks good)
3 cloves garlic
1 onion
1 butternut squash
1/2 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
3 tbsp olive oil
1 box Rigatoni
1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese

Slice, coat with oil and roast the peppers until starting to char.

Cube, coat with oil, and roast the squash until tender.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta until tender.

Fry the onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent.

Peel and chop the roasted peppers.

Combine all of the ingredients into a pan and toss. Salt and pepper to taste.

Christmas Songbook With Guitar Chords

There are tons of tabs and chords and songbooks out there. Of course none of them are exactly what I want in a songbook so I've created my own. Here is a doc that is formatted in a nice clear font (verdana) and reasonably sized (12 point). I will keep adding to this (probably once a year for obvious reasons) and I'll update the list of songs included when I do.

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dcr9vmqk_78q8gdmpfm

The current songs included are:

• The first Noel
• Frosty the snowman
• God rest ye merry gentlemen
• Holly Jolly Christmas
• Grandma got run over by a reindeer
• War is over
• What child is this
• Jingle bell rock
• Rockin' around the christmas tree
• Rudolph the red nosed reindeer
• Silent night
• Oh come all ye faithful
• Jingle Bells
  

Recipe: Sweet and sour veggie meatballs

Here is my take on a veggie meatball recipe. It uses pretty standard ingredients and it's easy to make.

Sauce
1 can (400ml) pineapple chunks or fruit cocktail
2/3 cup vinegar
1 cup vegetarian (chicken flavored) broth
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. soy sauce



Meatballs
1 tbsp oil
1 small onion
1 pkg Presidents Choice "World's best meatless meatballs"

Mix all of the sauce ingredients together and heat over medium until bubbling.

Meanwhile, fry the veggie meatballs and onion in the oil until browned and hot.

Combine and serve or refrigerate until needed.

Tears for Fears - Shout

I couldn't find a good version of this tune with the chords and lyrics so...here's what I came up with.

SHOUT - TEARS FOR FEARS

Chorus X2
G#(IV)
Shout, shout, let it all out,
B(VII)
these are the things I can do without
C#(IX)            G# (IV)
Come on, I'm talking to you, come on


verse
B(VII)                  C#(IX)
In violent times, you shouldn't have to sell your soul
B(VII)                  C#(IX)
In black and white, they really really ought to know
B(VII)                    C#(IX)
Those one track minds that took you for a working boy
B(VII)                     C#(IX)
Kiss them goodbye, you shouldn't have to jump for joy
C#(IX)
You shouldn't have to shout for joy

Chorus

They gave you life, and in return you gave them hell
As cold as ice, I hope we live to tell the tale
I hope we live to tell the tale

Chorus x2


And when you've taken down your guard
If I could change your mind, I'd really love to break your heart
I'd really love to break your heart

Chorus x2

Guitar solo

Chorus jam out

Vegetarian Sheppards Pie Recipe

Here's a good recipe that I came up with for Sheppard's Pie. I hope you enjoy!

1 package Yves Meatless Ground Round Original
6 medium potatoes
2 cups corn and peas
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp butter or margarine
1/4 cup milk 
3 cloves garlic
1 medium onion
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Cook the peas and corn and set aside.

Boil and mash the potatoes with butter and milk.

Fry the onions and garlic for a couple of minutes and then add the veggie ground beef and veggies. Continue to fry for a couple of minutes until onions are cooked.

Poor the mixture into the bottom of a casserole dish and spread the potatoes on top. Sprinkle with the cheese.

Bake at 350F until the cheese is melted and it starts to get brown.Enjoy!

Book Review: Lipsmackin' Vegetarian Backpackin'

I bought my copy of Lipsmackin' Vegetarian Backpackin' a couple of months ago in the Fundy National Park bookstore. I'm REALLY liking it! Great recipes and the format of the book is perfect. If you are a backpacker, whether of not vegetarian, you need this book.

All of the recipes are broken into the steps that are required beforehand and then the steps that are required on the trail.

Many of the recipes use dehydrated ingredients or your own dehydrator.

So far I've tried:
Spaghetti sauce - Loved it
Brunswick Stew - Loved it
Coleslaw - I'm not sure if something went wrong but it tasted terrible
Tofu jerky - Loved it
Chili - Made it with the scouts and they loved it

Tofu Jerky

So, I tried dehydrating tofu to make tofu jerky. I used this recipe, which is supposed to be THE original tofu jerky recipe.

Making the jerky was pretty straight forward. Just throw all of the ingredients together and marinade for a few hours and then stick it into the dehydrator. It took approximately 8 hours to complete. In the end the stuff was more the consistency of fruit leather than jerky.

I sampled a little bit before running out the door for my sailing adventure. It tasted pretty good! It's been around 18 years since I last ate meat jerky so I'm not sure if it tastes the same or not. I think so...

As I mentioned in my trip blog post, I had a bit of a stomach issue on board that prevented me from trying more of the jerky (or even thinking too much about it!) but I finally dug it out again today and tried it while on solid ground. I really like it. It's very salty and strong tasting but I guess that's part of the appeal of jerky.

I'll definitely do it again. There are a few other jerky recipes in Lipsmackin' Vegetarian Backpackin' that I'm going to try for comparison. Stay tuned.

Food Dehydrator

After buying a copy of Lipsmackin' Vegetarian Backpackin' on my last hiking trip to Fundy, I have been inspired to buy a dehydrator. I finally found one the other day on Kijiji ($25) and picked it up.

As the book says, they are big, they are ugly and yes they do take up a lot of counter space...but I'm pretty excited to try it out.

Tonight we try Tofu Jerky, Brunswick Stew and South Sister Stroganoff. Our pending trip to PEI will serve as a test bed for these meals in the rough.

Stay tuned for pictures and reviews!

Reel mower - The good the bad and the ugly

I bought a reel mower last year as an alternative to my gas munching power mower. I really hate using a gas mower. They are loud, smell terrible, are wicked on the environment and completely NOT relaxing.

I did a fair amount of research but in the end I went for a cheap model, against most review recommendations. My thought was that I would use it as a proof of concept before spending more money on a deluxe model. The one I ended up choosing was the Yardworks Reel Mower 18" from Canadian Tire.

Overall I have been fairly happy with it. I have a fairly large lawn but this mower does a good job keeping it neat. There are some tricks though:

• Mow often. The more the merrier. If you wait until your grass is too long it will not cut it properly.
• Allow yourself a half width overlap. That will give you a more consistent cut.
  
• Keep the blades adjusted properly. This is easy to do and saves a lot of annoyance in the long run.
  
• Get rid of your dandelions. Try the Fiskar tool! Those little yellow buggers will drive you nuts if you don't get rid of them. This mower will not trim them.

I find that I enjoy cutting the grass now. It is quiet enough that I can use it first thing in the morning without worrying about bothering the neighbors.

I do still use my power mower for the first cut of the year when things are straggly and also when I get negligent and let my grass get too long.

I still haven't tried one of the deluxe models but I assume they work better. If they do, spend the extra cash.

My new favorite tool: Fiskars Weed Remover

I really don't mind weeds ...generally. I have lived peacefully with dandelions for years with no problems. I would not normally have been a person to go out and spend $35 on a week puller.

That being said, last year I bought a Yardworks 18-in Reel Mower as an environmentally friendly alternative to my smoke spewing gas mower. I've been mostly pleased with it and it does a good job on most grassy plants. It does not, however, handle dandelions well at all. Usually they simply slip underneath and survive unscathed, only to rear their heads tall and proud once I've passed. This does annoy me!

So, I bought the Fiskar Weed Remover tool as a last resort (before resorting to my gas eating power mower). I have been VERY happy with the tool. This thing actually makes pulling dandelions fun. Really! You can actually pull and launch the weeds several feet in one smooth motion. It has a similar action, and pleasing feeling, to loading a shotgun.

My only comment, they call this thing a "weed remover" but it isn't really that great at any weeds other than dandelions. That's ok for me though. They should just rename it "Dandelion Destructor" or "Dandelion Tormentor".

Craftsman 1350 B&S 27" Snowblower

http://www.sears.ca/gp/product/B001J13KC4/178-0874935-2786800?ie=UTF8&searsBrand=core

Last January (2008) I decided to take the plunge and pick up a snowblower. We had a crazy year for snow in this part of the world and it was getting to the point that I couldn't get the snow out of my driveway because of the size of the snowbanks. 

My selection was limited at the time because everyone else in the world also decided at the same time to do the same. After much searching I found a Craftsman model (Craftsman 1350 B&S 27") that was only backordered 3 weeks. (that was good at the time!) Anyway, I jumped at it. 

It has been almost a year now that I've had it so I thought I would write a review. 

Things didn't start off well with this machine. The 3rd time I used it I had a major failure. A pully that drives the augar snapped in two. Of course, since this was a very common problem in that model (according to the repair guy) I had to wait two weeks (and two major storms) for a replacement.  

Since then it has worked relatively well. 

The good

• Throws snow like a demon. Easily throws snow 30'. (be careful of cars and windows!)
• Starts effortlessly with the electric start
• Doesn't mind the odd stone (I have a crushed rock driveway and thus blew as much stone as snow until it froze)

The bad

• The controls freeze quite easily and require manual intervention to free
• Eats gas (I'm not sure if this is common in snow blowers)
• The drift cutters won't stay adjusted and keep falling
• The reverse gear is almost useless

Summary

I don't have a lot of exposure to these as this is my first one snow thrower. I'm guessing that there are better models out there than this one and I would try a different one next time. That being said, it has saved me a LOT of shoveling again this year and I'm happy every time that can leave the shovel in the garage.