In honor of Cinco de Mayo, I decided to whip up one of my “pantry favorites” — a healthy, quick, and tasty blast of Tex-Mex flavor in the form of a black bean burger. I base my recipe off of one I found two years ago in Gourmet magazine. Though the original was tasty, I’ve tweaked it a bit to make it “just right” by adding canned green chiles, for example. These black bean bad boys are best grilled hot, preferably on seasoned cast iron, and freeze beautifully for a super-fast, satisfying and flavorful meal for pennies. Just don’t forget the guacamole! — Megan B.
Click for the recipe, after the jump! (more…)

If you’ve been reading us awhile, you may remember the hidden bookshelf door how-to from a few years back. Well, if you’re really into the idea but are too busy in your laboratory (pronounced “la-BOR-uh-tory,” of course) to take on a construction project, check out Creative Home Engineering, the subject of a recent article in Wired. They’ll build you hidden entrances and secret rooms to your heart’s content, including features such as “a door that opens when certain piano keys are pressed or when pieces on a chessboard are arranged just so.” I am both frightened and intrigued! — Mary T.

Once you have kids, benches and booths seem to become the dining furniture of choice. Which is why we’re selling our practically new IKEA ARHOLMA patio set on Craigslist and looking to replace it with a simple yet stylish picnic table. There’s just something so casually charming about this humble outdoor table. If money were no object, I would gladly fork over $1,000 for Pottery Barn’s Chesapeake Picnic Table set, made from FSC-certified solid eucalyptus. Or Loll’s more modern Alfresco table and benches. But, sigh, my price range is several hundred dollars below that. Leave it to Target to save the day once again with its own version of an FSC-certified eucalyptus picnic table. For just $199! Not as wow as the Pottery Barn option, but what do you think? Should I go with the more basic Target one and put that $800 toward a new grill and outdoor lounge chairs? –Ginny F.

The first is from the 1930s. Made entirely out of silk swatches, it’s as textural as it is graphic. It’s also probably out of my price range, given that it’s on 1stdibs. The second is a print by Jodi Fuchs that was inspired by the social network. On Etsy for $34. That I can afford. Yet despite the difference in price and styles, both exude happiness. Given that we went from cold to rain, rain, rain, I could use a pop of color right about now. — Sarah L.

Just in time for warmer weather, West Elm has a new collection of Windsors. This time, they’ve gone modern outdoorsy with a driftwood finish. The Dexter Outdoor Bench is 60” long and is on special right now for $279. (Regularly $329.) I haven’t seen it in-store — road trip time! — but compared to the ones at the hardware store, that seems like a deal. The collection also includes a chair (on special for $169), lounge chair (on special for $228) and two different-sized tables. Anyone seen it in store? — Sarah L.

It’s that time again – time to get our gardens started! I’m a casual backyard gardener, and this year I’ve decided to grow my usual things – herbs and tomatoes – and perhaps some cucumbers. And it’s time to get those seeds going! I’ve learned a few things over the past few years that have helped my seeds and garden flourish:

1. Start seedlings between damp paper towels, loosely sealed in a zip-top or plastic bag. The bag will help keep the towels moist, and create a terrarium-like effect when placed in the sun.

2. Once the seeds have sprouted (a few days to a week, depending on the plant), using tweezers or a gentle hand transfer them to a clean paper egg carton filled with sterilized soil. You can sterilize your own soil by dampening it slightly and microwaving for a minute (or until steamy) and let cool. This will help kill bacteria and inhibit mould growth. Again, loosely cover with plastic and place in a sunny window.

3. Once the seedlings are about 1cm tall, remove the cover and gently water. I use a turkey-baster to slowly drip water into each cup. Rotate the carton in sun every few days, letting the seedlings grow up to 2 inches (any taller than that, and the roots will probably need more soil to properly grow). Once they reach 2 inches, you can cut the carton up into individual cups and plant directly into larger pots (yes, you can plant the carton! It will decompose), or, gently scoop out the plant and dirt with a spoon to transfer.

Tips:
- Rotate seedling containers every few days so they get even sunshine.
- Do not overwater or you could cause seedlings to rot. Soil should be damp, but not flooded.
- Be sure the dirt in seedling’s final growing spot is fertile. Add compost or organic fertilizer to boost nutrients, based on your local garden supplier’s recommendations. It will immensely help the growth and stamina of plants as the summer goes on!
- Don’t be afraid to start too many seeds! You may loose a few plants to rot, dehydration, etc., so plant extras to start. You can always give away the extra seedlings to neighbors and friends. Have any of your own tips to add? Sound off in comments! – Rebecca F.

Photo: Rebecca Firlik

1) Ikea fabrics: WIN. Even if you don’t like other aspects of Ikea, the fabric selection is an all around winner for selection and cost, and the proof is in Rebecca’s adorable pillows. Susan Abramson says: “I love the orange and white – such a happy colour and design!! And you can’t go wrong with an Ikea fabric – it’s almost always 100% cotton and priced great so it won’t owe you anything once you tire of it.”

2) Book cataloging sites are helpful in theory and in practice. Shelfari and GoodReads are two options that count Shelterrific readers as fans. SarahB says: “I started using Shelfari 3 or 4 years ago, when someone in my book club told me about the site. I’m an avid reader (I read 63 books last year), and Shelfari is a great way to keep track of what I’m reading, what I’ve read, and what I want to read in the future.”

3) Subtle wall stencils have mass appeal. Rebecca F.’s idea to paint a stencil in the glossy finish of her bathroom wall color has fans. We love the subtlety! Christina says: “Oh I love this! Great stencil and I love the idea of stenciling the same color on a wall but in gloss. Thanks for the awesome idea.”

4) Toothpick holders have a following. Very collectable, they have multiple uses and might make great Mother’s Day gifts! Kimberj says: “One thing I always keep an eye out for is cut glass salt and pepper shakers. I only look for singles that have no mate. I fill them with some kind of lovely organic spice or a cinnamon sugar mix and use them as hostess gifts for parties, holidays, or even a housewarming. I never thought about toothpick holders. What a lovely idea. They could even be filled with festive party picks for appetizers or specialty cooking salts.”

5) Money saved on booking a non-Saturday wedding is worth it for many of you. Our reasons for Friday weddings differ from those of Will & Kate. Sara says: “I got married on a Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. One of the best parts was that our rehearsal dinner was a catered Thanksgiving dinner. We did save some money on the venue because it was a Friday. Another bonus was that guests had time to travel home on Saturday instead of Sunday.” Did you save money by avoiding a Saturday wedding?

photo by Kletia Garies