Go Green With An Eco Friendly Barbecue By Acline Wyle

Barbecues are a huge symbol of the fun and freedom of summer. Barbecues are all about family, friends, and having a good time. They are also a great opportunity to go green and save money.

Green Up Your Barbecue

I think anybody would agree that the most important part of any barbecue is the grill. Grills come in many shapes, sizes, and forms, but not all of them are eco friendly. For example, charcoal, gas, and propane grills would not be considered energy efficient because when they burn, they release carbon monoxide and other volatile organic compounds into the air. This results in pollution and other effects that are harmful to the environment. Woodflame grills are an eco friendly alternative because they burn woodchips instead of charcoal or gasoline.

Another way to go green during a barbecue is by avoiding styrofoam and instead using paper plates and plastic cups. Styrofoam takes a staggering 500 years to decompose in a landfill, so you should use it as rarely as possble. Plastic cups are great because after they are used they can be rinsed out, recycled, and ultimately reused. You can take things a step further by buying plates and napkins that are made out of recycled paper because supporting the recycling industry is just as important as actually recycling.

You can also go green at a barbecue by using food products that are locally grown. Such foods can be found at a farmers' market or any other type of local marketplace. A big advantage of eating locally grown food is that it is usually organic and pesticide-free. Not only is this better for your health, it is also better for the environment because pesticides lead to greenhouse gases and global warming.

For more information about how you can go green and save money, please visit http://www.go-green-live-long.com Also make sure to visit http://www.eco-friendly-green-coupons.com for eco friendly discount coupons and savings

Entertaining Overnight House Guests - Made Easy By Mary Ahearn

I have truly enjoyed entertaining overnight house guests and since we live in Florida near a beautiful beach, we have guests who look forward to the change in scene and for some to get away from frigid weather up north. It is fun and enjoyable simply because of pre-planning and organization.

Below are some tips that work very well for entertaining overnight guests:

*Planning - put together a plan for meals to be served including breakfast, lunch and dinner far in advance to allow sufficient time to shop for groceries and have the right food on hand.

*Food Preparation - prepare most foods ahead, freeze or refrigerate.

*Breakfast - this meal tends to be more difficult to prepare in advance. Have on hand cereals, yogurts, protein powder to make smoothies, fresh fruit, eggs, bacon/sausage, pancake mix, frozen waffles. Preparing omelets and pancakes makes breakfast special and my guests enjoy watching this activity. Also, I have on hand a few additions so that my guests can personalize their omelet.

*Lunch - sandwiches are the quickest and easiest to prepare. Have on hand a variety of deli meats, tomatoes, dressings. Package salad mixes work well along with a variety of bottled dressings. Leftovers from dinner the night before also works well including fried chicken, cold sliced roast beef served over salad greens topped with dressing.

*Dinners - meals that can be made ahead include casseroles, tomato sauce, either with meat or marinara style, fried breaded chicken breast. I do the breading early in the day and refrigerate till ready to fry. Fry an hour before serving, and place in a warm oven. This gives you additional time to set the table, prepare a salad and visit with guests. I also prepare breaded veal cutlets and fry in extra virgin olive oil or bake until brown. An easy meal is serving the cutlets with lemon slices, a vegetable and a salad. Also, the cutlets can be served cold the next day in a sandwich.

*Morning Coffee - if you have an auto-timer coffee maker, prepare coffee the night before and set to the time guest awake. Have cups, sweetener, and cream set out for guests to help themselves until breakfast is prepared.

*Preparing the House -place an alarm clock in the bedroom. Have adequate hangers in the closet and provide drawer space. Find a space to store luggage.

*Bathroom - should be equipped with fresh soap at the sink and in the shower along with shampoo and conditioner. Have an extra supply of towels stored in a convenient place for guests to reach. Since traveling by air these days makes packing some toiletries difficult, have on hand in the guest bathroom small bottles of lotion, toothpaste, toothbrush, small size package of aspirin/ibuprofen, Band-Aids, even a spare hairdryer can come in handy. I also like to include a small package of TUMS, as it's easy to over indulge when on vacation and always have a few extra rolls of toilet tissue.

*When Children Come To Visit - keeping children entertained is easy. Just be sure to have things like books, puzzles, crayons, paper, scissors, and Silly Putty. Also have a small variety of toys and a large basket to store the toys, making cleanup easy. Kids can sometimes be picky eaters, but most children enjoy chicken fingers, macaroni and cheese, bagels, waffles, canned soups and fresh fruit.

I have found planning in advance has made my time with guests relaxing and gives me more time to spend visiting with them.

Mary Ahearn blogs about Family, Friends and Homemade Italian Recipes. View her cooking videos and delicious recipes at http://maryahearn.com