Green, Green, Green!

We have always been good recyclers. Recently we even volunteered to take the empty bottles and cans from a friend's party (a friend who is not a recycler!) home with us to put in the recycle bin.
So, it has always irked me that after a couple of years my computer, printer, fax machine, cell phone, palm, etc. are all useless and going to a landfill somewhere. We regularly donated some of our equipment to an organization locally that re-use some of our equipment. It's a great resource.
New Outlook Pioneers (ex-lucent Pioneers)
230 Diamond Spring Rd.Denville, NJ 07834
www.telecompioneers.org
Bob Hofacker 973-386-4671
Drop-off from 10-3 M & W (they'll take PII and PIII machines, so you old lap top, printer, so on...).
We will continue to do that, of course, because re-use is even better than recycle. But I recently read about a program by the Costco organization.
It is called Costco Trade-in & Recycle Program and you may even get a few bucks for sending in your old equipment. Here is how you find it and use it.
Go to www.Costco.com, click on "Electronics" on the top part of the page, then click on "Trade-in & Recycle" on the left side of the page. Follow the easy instructions.
They also take MP3 players, game systems, monitors, etc.
Check it out and help our world stay GREEN!

Happy St Patrick's Day to you! And to me!

Italians have some unusual customs, much like anyone else, if you think about it. what's that got to do with St Patrick's Day, you ask? Well, St Patrick is my patron saint and as such today is my "Onomastico" or name day. I know it's a bit of a strange word but for all my life my family celebrates it like another birthday so it's an extra special day for me. Imagine, in this country they even have parades and lots of parties!

Speaking of parades, Jake and I and friends attended the Morristown Parade last Saturday and it was fantastic! Lots of fun for kids and adults alike. If you've never been, give it a try next year! Bring family and friends and plan for a fun-filled day!

Happy St Patrick's Day! :-)

Montclair, NJ Sales ... 2006 vs 2007

Hi,
Do scroll down to January and February posts check out the stats for other NJ towns and please let me know what you think. Post a comment or question!

Montclair, NJ .... 2006 ...vs... 2007

Number of homes/condos sold .... 448 ...... 401
Average sales price .... $714,037 ...... $711,423
Average sales to list price .... 102% ...... 102%
Average days on the market .... 48 ...... 61
Highest sales price .... $3,650,000 (7 Heller Drive) ...... $3,000,000 (4 Duryea Rd)
Number of homes sold over $1 million .... 63 ...... 66
Number of homes sold over $2 million .... 13 .....8

As you can plainly see, there has not been much shift in the statistics. Yes, the real estate market has slowed ... in some parts much more than others. Always remember that more than anything else, real estate is local. A well-maintained home in a solid town will hold up its value, not only as an investment but as a place to hang your hat and call home!

Location, location, location! Buy smart, work with a smart realtor!

Food, Glorious Food!

So, since we're talking about food, I'd like to share an easy and delicious recipe we "created" the other evening … at home! We call it:

Jake's Spinach & Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast
Ingredients:

• 4 Chicken breasts
• 4 tablespoons goat cheese (creamy is better)
• 2-3 cups chopped spinach 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 chopped shallots
• 1 ¼ cup dry white wine
• Butter
• Olive oil

In a small pan, sautee the chopped shallots with a small pad of butter and a teaspoon of olive olive oil. Add a tablespoon or so of white wine as the shallots start to turn soft and golden. Put aside.

In a larger pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium high for 30 seconds, add the sliced garlic, sautee until golden. Add the spinach and cover. Uncover in a minute and turn the spinach. Cook only until wilted and mixed with the flavor of the oil and garlic (this makes a great side dish too). Chop, and set aside to cool.

In a bowl, combine the goat cheese, the shallots, and the chopped spinach.

Pound the chicken breasts so that they are uniformly 1/4" think. For larger breasts, slice breasts in 1/2 or 1/3s, approx. 1/2" thick and then pound to 1/4" thick.
Create a pocket in the chicken breast by slicing the side. Do not completely butterfly, but the pieces should be approx. 1/8" thick on either side of the pocket.

Use a spoon to stuff the spinach mixture in the chicken. An even 1/4-1/2" layer is sufficent. Over stuffing will cause the cheese to spill out while cooking.

Coat a large pan with cooking spray and add a small pat of butter. Cook the stuffed chicken, 2-4 minutes per side, until golden. Removew the chicken from pan to a warm platter, add 1 cup white wine to the pan and cook at high heat to deglaze the pan and reduce to about ¼ cup. Pour demi-glaze over chicken and serve.

We served this with baked potato and salad. It was delicious!!! Try it and let me know what you think.