Commons Ground: Three ways to Live Eco-Friendly

Living sustainably doesn’t mean living off a steady diet of granola and kale or wearing Birkenstocks. In some respects, it simply means making smarter choices about energy consumption. The Commons team is passionate about green living and want to give you information that helps you lead an eco-friendly lifestyle without compromising on comfort or convenience. Let’s take a look at three convenient ways to make your lifestyle more energy efficient.

1. Maximize Machines

Machines work for you, but they don’t have to work all the time. Here’s how you can reduce the energy consumption of three major appliances:

Washing Machines

Save water and energy by washing full loads only.

When possible, use cold water to wash clothes. According to Energy Star, heating water accounts for 90% of the energy used to wash your clothes.

Clothes Dryer

One of the simplest ways to make your dryer more energy efficient is to clean the lint filter. This step helps improve air circulation and reduce fire hazards. Get into the habit of cleaning it before each load.

Dishwasher

Always run your dishwasher with a full load. For many people, that means running it once every two or three days.

Instead of rinsing off your dishes (which wastes water and energy), simply scrape off any food. With the aid of detergent, most modern dishwashers are powerful enough to clean your dishes without pre-rinsing them first.

2. Work Your Windows

When the weather gets frightful, a closed window is so delightful. Keeping drapes closed in the wintertime reduces heat loss. Alternately, keeping those drapes closed in the summer can mean cooler indoor temperatures, and reduced energy costs.

Although any curtain is better than nothing, opt for insulated curtains, when you can. These curtains often have a high-density foam layer that helps maintain your indoor temperature.

Hang these curtains floor to ceiling. It’s not just for aesthetics. Floor to ceiling curtains blocks cold or hot air from entering and leaving through your windows.

3. Smart TVs

TVs present a great way to save energy. Replacing your 10 year old model with a newer television can save up to half the amount of energy consumption. When you’re shopping for a TV, here are two energy-saving features to look for:

Automatic Brightness Control- Sensors raise and lower the screen brightness for optimal viewing, and better energy management.

Local Dimming- On LED TVS, this energy-saving feature dims or turns off sections of backlighting to produce deeper blacks.

Almost all new TVs offer power saving, or sleep, modes. After a period of inactivity, your TV will automatically shut off. This saves on energy.

Energy Star® rated TVs for 2014 rates TV efficiency here:

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=most_efficient.me_tvs_under35_inches

Remember, little changes can significantly reduce your energy consumption. Let us know on Facebook and Twitter if you have any go-to energy saving tips!

@CommonsCooks: Steak Your Claim To Great Summer Taste

For many Americans, summer time grilling season can be the best time to eat steak. Combined with the easy availability of farm fresh summer veggies like eggplant, zucchini, summer squash and bell pepper, steak lovers can elevate their meaty meal with this simple, easy to prepare ‘salad’ dish.

           

Any cut of steak goes well with this recipe but we recommend hangar steak, a.k.a. the “butcher’s steak” (the meat cutters of yore would keep this cut for personal use because of its rich flavor and tender texture.)

Regardless of your favorite, when it comes choosing steak, be sure to remember the following:

• Ask your local butcher what’s best. It’s important to have a cut in mind and how much steak you want to buy, but a good butcher can steer you to the freshest cuts and best values.

• Understand the ‘grades.’ The U.S. government assigns four different grades to meat found in supermarkets and three are sold as steak. Ratings are based on tenderness, juiciness and flavor. “USDA Prime” is the most expensive and hardest to fine steak (less than 2% of American meat falls into this category) identified by significant ‘marbling’ (fat interspersed with lean meat.) “USDA Choice” offers very high quality with less marbling and is available in most supermarkets. “USDA Select” is widely available and features uniform, lean cuts.

• Fresh meat is red meat. Fresh steak will have a very bright red color. Meat slowly turns less red and changes to dark red with the passage of time. For darker cuts of steak, avoid meat with a distinctive sour smell or the hint of ammonia. Steaks that feel sticky at home should be returned for a refund.

As always, check out “Grocery Guru” below for the best places to get fresh, local ingredients. And, of course, do share pictures of your dinner creation with us and other residents on our Facebook page!

Grilled Summer Steak ‘Salad’

Prep and cook time: 40 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Veggie prep tip:  Cook veggies in batches, allowing more time for peppers and eggplant. This will prevent burning and/or uneven cooking.

Ingredients

·         1 pound hangar steak (or your favorite cut)

·         Salt (to taste)

·         Pepper (to taste)

·         1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grill

·         ¼ cup fresh rosemary (stems removed)

·         ¼ cup fresh thyme (stems removed)

·         3 garlic cloves, minced

·         1 eggplant, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

·         1 zucchini, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

·         1 summer (yellow) squash, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

·         2 tomatoes, halved

·         1 bunch scallions

·         1 sweet bell pepper (any color), sliced  (remove seeds and stem)

·         ¼ cup favorite steak marinade/flavoring  such as:

·         Worcestershire Sauce

·         Teriyaki Sauce

·         Balsamic vinegar

·         Allegro

·         1 loaf, fresh bread (wheat, French or Italian)

·         (If cooking indoors, cast iron pan)

INSTRUCTIONS

1.       Heat a grill to medium-high or 400 degrees

2.      Clean grill, then apply small amount of oil to hot grill rack by pouring onto paper towels

3.       Wash, dry  and coarsely chop rosemary and thyme, and mince garlic

4.      Combine oil, rosemary, thyme and garlic in small bowl and set aside

5.      Slice all vegetables except for scallions

6.      Place herbed oil into small saucepan and heat on stove over low heat until first sign of ‘smoke’

7.       Remove herb oil from heat and set aside to cool

8.      Brush steak with herb oil, applying generously, then season with salt and pepper

9.      Grill steak for 18 minutes (for medium rare), turning once halfway through cooking time then remove from grill, cover with aluminum foil and set aside for 10 minutes

10.   Brush veggies with remaining oil, applying generously, then season with salt and pepper. Grill in small batches starting with pepper and eggplant. Wait 5 minutes, then add tomato, zucchini and squash later. Tomatoes will be ready when the skin splits open ((3 to 5 minutes.) Other veggies are done when they produce ‘juice.’ Place cooked veggies onto serving platter

11.   Lightly brush oil into slices of bread and toast on both sides, then arrange slices of grilled bread around edges of platter

12.   Uncover steak, slice thinly against the grain, and place atop grilled veggie ‘salad’  

13.   Add marinade/flavoring to 2 tablespoons of remaining herb oil, whisk together, season to taste with salt and pepper, then drizzle dressing over steak and vegetables

Grocery Guru Advice

Faxon Commons

Meat market:                                  Bistecca Meat Market, 51 Franklin Street, Quincy (5 minute drive from The Commons.) Fresh meat, meat to order.

Get Up and Go! Five Under $25

The sun is shining in New England, which means it is the best time to get out, enjoy and explore.  With so many fun activities outside your front door, we figured it would be fun to find new adventures that won’t break the bank!  Here are five local things to do for under $25 this summer. In fact, these are five cool and mostly-FREE local events, so get up and go have some fun!

National Sand Sculpting Competition at Revere Beach, July 18th-20th.  This event is free and includes concerts and fireworks!  Bring the kids for sand sculpting lessons, check out the amazing exhibits and get your toes wet while you’re there!  Since we haven’t spent any of your money yet….bring your $25 just in case the aroma from the food trucks or world-famous Kelly’s Roast Beef grabs your attention!

Free Flicks Fridays on the Charles River at the Hatch Shell beginning Friday, July 11^th and continuing for the following six weeks.  This is a great opportunity to bring your family into the city. Break out some blankets or lawn chairs and pack a picnic basket.  Movies start at dusk and feature a variety of box offices smashes including Frozen, the Goonies and Despicable Me 2.  Aside from feeding the meters or parking lot fees, this is another freebie!

Shakespeare on the Common July 23^rd-Aug. 10th featuring the Shakespeare play Twelfth Night, which follows the journeys of twins separated by a shipwreck. Free culture in a beautiful setting – what could be better!  Shows take place at the Parkman Bandstand at Boston Common, Tuesdays thru Saturdays at 8 pm, and Sundays at 7 pm for the live performance. Public transportation is available via the Red Line. Or take the Green line, and then walk up Newbury to catch the best people watching experience in Boston.

Cape Cod Canal 100^th Anniversary Celebration will take place July 25^th – August 3^rd.  The week-long celebration of Cape Cod’s centennial features everything from tall ships to fireworks to clambakes to baseball games. Be sure to check out the Parade of Lights on July 26^th, which takes place at 9 p.m. at Mass Maritime Academy (throughout the length of the canal).  The Cape Cod Baseball League will have an All Star game at Upper Cape Tech in Bourne at 2 pm on July 27^th and the Tug Boat Parade is on the 29^th at 4 pm along the banks of the canal.  Don’t miss their fireworks that evening – a display that soars above Buzzards Bay.  There are plenty more historical and family themed events to check out as well. Best of all, it is free!

Endless Summer Festival at Nantasket Beach, Hull on Saturday September 20^th from noon – 5 p.m. Not only is the event free, parking is too!  The annual event features live music, shopping, art and food from over 25 area restaurants – and given Hull’s reputation for great eats, this will be a delicious day! There are plenty of contests as well – Kid’s Street Art Competition, Daddy’s Hot Dog Eating Competition and Touch A Truck will entertain visitors of all ages!

@Commons Cooks: Key Limes Not Just For Pie

Most folks outside Florida and the Caribbean associate the Key lime with the sweet, tart pie made famous in the Florida Keys. In fact, key limes  are a fruit in itself! (Don’t feel bad, we didn’t know either!) and are great for all sorts of recipes in the summer time. A key lime is actually much smaller than the average lime that you slice up for lime-ades and summer beers like Corona – it ranges in size from a ping pong ball to about a golf ball. The fruit is tarter than traditional limes and has a stronger aroma. When buying key limes, remember that while they are green at the time of purchase, they are not ripe until they turn yellow!

We recommend this quick dinner recipe because it's tasty, easy to whip up and ready to eat in under 30 minutes. But remember, when you head out with your shopping list – key limes can be hard to find. If fresh key limes are not available, no worries! Key lime concentrate juice works just fine. This dish is ideal with a side salad and a side of rice and beans.

In closing, please share pictures of your dinner creation on our Facebook page!

Key Lime Chicken Skewers 
Prep and cook time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

When using this quick marinade – remember to give the meat time to soak up the delicious flavors of this recipe! And if using  wooden skewers, don’t forget to soak them in a shallow dish of water while the chicken is marinating!

Ingredients
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 2 key limes (for juice)
• 10 key limes (for skewers)
• 2 teaspoons of minced garlic
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Key limes for garnish (optional)

Preparation Requirements
• Small bowl
• Gallon sized plastic bag
• Four skewers
• Cast iron pan or baking (if cooking indoors)

Instructions
1. Cut chicken into one inch cubes
2. Slice 10 key limes, thin as possible
3. Mix soy sauce, honey, vegetable oil, lime juice, and garlic in small bowl to make marinade
4. Place the chicken breasts in gallon sized bag, pour marinade over chicken, seal bag tightly and shake for 20 seconds. Place aside in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes
5. Once chicken is marinated, slide chunks on skewers, alternating with thin slices of lime that are folded in half and placed in between chicken pieces
6. Preheat grill or pre-heat over to 350F.
7. Baste chicken skewers with remaining marinade
8. Grill for 5-10 minutes on each side until no longer pink in center (or bake for 15 minutes, turning once)

Grocery Guru Advice
Supermarket: Roche Brothers, 101 Falls Boulevard. Or Sunshine Fruit Company & Farmers Market, 52 Franklin Street.

Commons Ground: An improved blog that suits your lifestyle

Life at the Commons is about, well, life. The Commons seeks to create comfortable, active and healthy environments for every resident. The Commons values clean living and earth-friendly features while promoting green and eco-friendly lifestyles. We are proud of the cities and towns we call home. We love the easy access from any part of the state to an amazing amount activities, events and happenings. And yes, we love to cook! 

These are a few of the reasons why you (hopefully) noticed a few changes on our blog in recent weeks. Our goal with the blogs is to provide you with quick, easy-read items that suit your lifestyle. We hope the new blog format – which will be published three days every week (Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays) – gives you information and insights into things that matter to your life!]

Each week, we’ll provide you with a quick, fun and tasty recipe via @Commons Cooks (Tuesdays) and through Get Up & Go! (Thursdays), insider info on events around the state. The Commons Ground (Mondays) will rotate subjects between community news, ‘green’ lifestyle tips, home décor and design info, and digital/tech features that make sure every resident is up to speed on the latest apps and gadgets that help make life at home a bit easier.

On behalf of everybody at The Commons, thanks for reading. Of course, please be sure to let us know what you’d like  to see on these pages via our Facebook and Twitter accounts!  

Get Up & Go! Fireworks Delights

Go 4th and enjoy – rain or shine!

Pop! Bang! Each year on Independence Day, firework makers sell 25 million pounds of pyrotechnics to cities and towns across the land. You don’t need a calculator  to break down these radiant displays—that adds up to a whole lot of and “oohs” and  ”aahs.” Massachusetts offers hundreds of fireworks’ displays to celebrate the Fourth of July. Even with this weekend’s uncertain weather forecast, here is list of local fireworks destinations. Hope you get to sit back and enjoy the show!

Boston - Where the Fourth … Third, Really Pops!

The Boston’s Pops Fireworks Spectacular is the best known fireworks display in Massachusetts. Due to the threat posed by Hurricane Arthur, this year’s big event will take place TONIGHT at the DCR Memorial Hatch Shell. This year's free Pops concert features special guests, The Beach Boys and the lead performers from Phantom of the Opera. The music begins at 8:30 p.m. and the fireworks take flight over the Charles at 10:30 p.m. If you don’t wants to squeeze into the crowd at the Hatch Shell, there are plenty of places on the Cambridge side of the river to set down a blanket for ideal viewing and listening. For the more adventurous soul, head over to Paddle Boston in Kendall Square to enjoy the show on the water from a canoe or kayak and watch from the river, or bring your kayak.

Weymouth fireworks by the beach - TONIGHT

If you’re looking for something a little bit closer to home, visit Wessagusset Beach (aka George Lane Beach) in Weymouth TONIGHT. The celebration begins at 5:00 p.m., with plenty of parking and free family entertainment including a DJ, The New Band, inflatable slides and bounce houses for the kids, food vendors and dessert concessions. Fireworks soar at 9:30 p.m. Note: The rain date for the event is Sunday, July 6^th.  Get more information at the 24-hour Fireworks Hotline, (781) 340-2133.

Star Spangled Plymouth – On Saturday July 12^th!

The hurricane has blown Plymouth’s Independence Day celebration a week ahead to SATURDAY, JULY 12^TH. The fireworks will be launched over Plymouth Harbor at 9:15 p.m. Be sure to check out historic downtown Plymouth and wander the harbor before the show. Or visit Plymouth Plantation, which features the Mayflower II and a range of events including Wampanoag cooking demonstrations.

NOTE: This event is usually an all-day affair with an early morning 5K followed by a parade and waterfront concert. Organizers have not announced whether these event will be postponed until the 12^th. Please check http://july4plymouth.com/ for more information.

@Commons Cooks: Independence Day Treats!

Red, White & Blue Platter and All American Cookie Bars

The Fourth of July is one of the most exciting holidays, featuring beaches, late sunsets, and (we hope!) fantastic weather. Celebrations like Independence Day deserve treats as festive as fireworks, but when we’re busy having so much fun, who has time to sweat over a hot stove?

This year, declare your independence from boring treats and time-consuming concoctions. These two recipes are not only festive and flavorful; they are easy to prepare – dessert sparklers that we’ll be ready in 30 minutes or less! If you want to save time while showing off your Fourth of July pride, buy prepared vanilla flavored frosting for the cookie bars.

Please be sure to check out the end of the recipes for “Grocery Guru Advice,” which provides information about local supermarkets that carry ingredients for these recipes – or farms located a short drive from the Commons that offer you a great way to make these recipes explode with fresh, local flavor.  We hope you enjoy this week’s @Commons Cooks recipes. And don’t forget to share smartphone pictures with us on Facebook!

Red, White and Blue Platter

Prep and cook time: 10 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

·       1 quart of fresh blueberries (in a box)

·       1 quart of fresh strawberries

·       1 pound of white chocolate pretzels

Preparation Requirements

·       Rectangular cookie sheet

·       Wax Paper

Directions

1.                   Line cookie sheet with wax paper.

2.                 Wash and dry blueberries. Put cleaned fruit back into the original container and place box at upper left hand corner of cookie sheet.

3.                Wash and dry strawberries. Remove stems, and then cut strawberries into halves.

4.          Lay fruit out in a straight line at top of cookie sheet followed below by line of white chocolate covered pretzels. Repeat pattern to resemble stripes on the American flag. (view photo for reference.) Serve with toothpicks.

All American Cookie Bars

Prep and cook time: 20 minutes

Yield: 24 cookies

Ingredients

Cookie base

·       1 cup of unsalted butter; softened

·       2 cups granulated sugar

·       4 eggs

·       2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

·       5 cups of flour

·       1 teaspoon salt

·       1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

Frosting

      

·       1/2 cup of unsalted butter; softened

·       5 cups of powdered (confectioners’) sugar

·       1 and ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract

·       6 tablespoons of milk

·       Red and blue sprinkles

Preparation Requirements

·       Handheld or stand mixer

·       Medium bowl

·       Two large bowls

·       10” x 15” baking pan

·       PAM or other non-stick baking spray

Directions

1.                   Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.                  Mix dry ingredients (sugar, flour, salt, baking soda) in a medium sized bowl and set aside.

3.                   In a large bowl, “cream” the butter and sugar together by whipping butter with mixer until light and fluffy, then adding sugar until well mixed. (Note: If you don’t have a mixer, cut butter into tiny pieces, and then blend with fork until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to blend with fork until well mixed.)   

4.                  Add eggs, one at a time, into mixer (Note: If you don’t have a mixer, beat eggs in a 3^rd bowl until frothy, then pour slowly into creamed butter, then beat again until well mixed.)

5.                  Add vanilla to the mixture and stir. Slowly add dry ingredients. Mix until batter is smooth.

6.                  Cover baking pan with non-stick spray, then spread batter evenly across pan. Bake for 12 minutes until the cookie bake is a light golden color and you can stick a toothpick in and it comes out clean.

7.                   While cookies cool, get another large bowl and cream butter and powdered sugar (see above.) Add vanilla and milk until smooth.

8.                  Frost cookies and then add equal amounts of red and blue sprinkles until festive!

Grocery Guru Advice

Supermarket:                                  Roche Brothers, 101 Falls Boulevard.

Family Farm:                                   CN Smith Farm, 325 South Street, East Bridgewater, MA (35-40 minute drive from Faxon Commons.) Pick your own strawberries and blueberries. Link here.