Mini Container Gardening: Eggshells

So, my hubby and I live in this great apartment that is like a townhouse.  (Read: Two level apartment attached to a couple others just like it with a small porch in front and small patio in the back.)  We have some space to do some gardening but we are really just limited to container gardening inside and out.

We've started beans, cabbage, tomatoes, more herbs, wildflowers and petunias from seeds.  And we got a nice sized strawberry plant from the store.  I guess you could say that we've gotten pretty into it this year, which is definitely thanks in part to my Mom's suggestion getting some lettuce plants while she was out here a couple weeks ago.  We picked some up at the Farmer's Market and Rocket Scientist re-potted them promptly.  Tonight we actually got to eat some of the fruits of our labor (or our plants' labor) of some lettuce and one strawberry.  It was great too!  :)  

Really, if it were up to me...it would probably all die.  I forget to water things, and well, with the heat we've been having things definitely would be dead by now.  So it's a great thing that RS is into this too and takes care of watering all the plants!  :)  We also have a ficus, aloe, some heather (thanks to my Mom!), mini rose, basil, parsley and some african violets (thanks to my MIL).  Oh and a pineapple, and some other things...I guess you could say we're a little into this whole plant thing.  Anyway, when I saw a pin on Pintrest of this a couple weeks ago about using eggshells as little mini planters I just had to do it!  So here a the ones we started tonight.  I will post more pics later when they sprout!  :)

 Carefully break away some of the top of the eggshell and pour the egg out.  (Use in recipes, or for breakfast, etc...)  Then carefully wash or at least rinse out the shells.  Then place some potting soil inside.  (No need for a drain whole because eggshells are porous)  Plant seeds, cover with more potting soil, water and set to germinate!  :)  Pretty easy peasy.  (Read: I could do it, so can you!  Although I had the hubs do one so I could more easily take photos of the process, so those man looking hands really are man hands, not mine.  k?:)

I can't wait till these sprout!  They are going to be SO cute and I plan on using them to decorate our table on Easter!  :)

Microwave Hasselbeck Potatoes

I've seen several posts about Hasselbeck Potatoes throughout the last few weeks.  And I remember my Mom making them, and me eating them (or something very similar to them) growing up.  So, when I was looking for an idea for a main dish side for dinner the other night, I decided to make some of these.  I found several recipes online...but they all took a long time to bake in the oven.  And I suppose that's so they crispy on the outside and soft on the inside...well, I didn't want to wait that long.  (When do I ever?)  I whipped up a batch and threw them in the micro and viola ~10 minutes later they were perfectly cooked and devoured.  Yum.  Love em.  Here's what I whipped up...

4 Potatoes (I used russet)
2 T.  Olive Oil
2 cloves  Garlic, minced
1/8-1/4 c. shredded/grated Parmesan cheese (I personally think the fresh kind is best)
Parsley for garnish

1.  Cut the potatoes in thin slices almost all the way through except for the last 1/4-3/8" of the bottom, so they stay together.  Tip:  Set a wooden spoon (or table knife) on each side of the potato you are about to cut.  That way you won't cut all the way through the potato and you won't have to think about it. :)
2.  Place cut potatoes on a microwave safe plate.
3.  Toss together the olive oil, garlic and cheese until combined.  Then evenly distribute it over (and into the slits) of the potatoes.
4.  Place in the microwave and cook on your potato setting for 4 potatoes or for about 5 minutes a potato!  :)  (If your micro doesn't have a plate that rotates inside be sure to turn it every few minutes so they don't cook unevenly!)

5.  Serve hot and along with some protein, or as a mid-day snack.  These are that good.  Simple, delish and they'll make you want to watch some football.  :)  (And no, I have no idea why they call these Hasselbeck Potatoes, but it does make me think of Elizabeth Hasselbeck's football playing buddy, whenever I see them!)