Win $500 from Marvin's Organic Gardens

Today is the day! The big day! The day we announce how you can WIN $500 towards a landscape job from Marvin's Organic Gardens!

We know that it is cold outside - and today, there is even snow on the ground. But think about April and May - when the sun is out and the ground is starting to get warm. New growth is showing up all around you. Your neighbors are in their yards preparing their beds and mowing their lawns. WAIT! You take a look around your yard and it is NOT looking like what you want it to look at. Actually - you have been looking at it this way for a few years but haven't done anything about it. You are just so busy that you haven't had time - and even if you did have the time, you would have no idea about how to even start.

Well, before you just start tearing things out of your yard and pouring gravel over all your grass so you don't have to worry about it anymore, Marvin's Organic Gardens wants to help you - by giving away $500 to one lucky Facebook Fan, to use towards their landscaping job this Spring. That's right - $500 to start the makeover in your yard.

All you have to do to be entered to win is become a Fan of Marvin's Organic Gardens on Facebook. Here's the deal though - we MUST have 650 Fans by January 15th, 2010 in order to give away the prize - and we need your help to do this. Tell your friends, your family, your co-workers to become Fans of Marvin's Organic Gardens on Facebook. The easiest way to do this is by going to the Marvin's Organic Gardens page on Facebook and clicking on the "Suggest To Friends" button on the top left of your screen (right under our logo). Then, you can select everyone you want to send a suggestion to.

Want another way to be entered to win? Leave a comment on our blog and we will enter your name in to the drawing again! If you leave 5 comments, we will enter your name 5 more times! You still have to be a Facebook fan, but this gives you additional chances to win that $500!

Here are the rules:
1. Promotion is running from December 21st through January 31st.
2. In order for us to give away this prize, we MUST have AT LEAST 650 fans by January 31st, 2010!
3. You MUST be a fan of Marvin's Organic Gardens on Facebook to be entered to win.
4. This prize is non-transferable and cannot be split between multiple people.
5. The prize is $500 to be used towards a landscape job with Marvin's Organic Gardens.
6. Prize will be announced and winner will be contacted by February 15th, 2010.

Got questions, email Audrey and she can answer all your questions.
Thank you for all your support and good luck!

Winter Potpourri

INGREDIENTS:

- 6 Cinnamon sticks

- Several Pinecones

- 2 cups Dried Sage

- Grated & dried Citrus Peel

- Allspice, whole or ground

- 1 cup Fresh Balsam or Evergreen needles

- 2 cups Juniper berries

- 20 drops of your favorite natural scented oil

(such as winterberry, peppermint or lavender)

DIRECTIONS:

Toss and place in a decorative bowl. Smell and enjoy!

Easy Corn Chowder

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 onion, chopped

- 3 cups milk

- S&P to taste

- 4 slices bacon, diced

- 1 (14.75 oz) can cream-style corn

- 1 1/2 cups cubed potatoes

- 1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cream

of mushroom soup

DIRECTIONS:

In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute bacon and onions until onions are tender, about 7 minutes. Add the corn, potatoes, soup, milk, and salt & pepper. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer about 25-35 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.

Recipe of the Month- Easy Pumpkin Pie

INGREDIENTS:

- 3/4 cup sugar

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin

- 1 1/4 cup evaporated milk

- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

- 2 eggs, beaten

- 1 pie crust

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 425°. In large bowl, mix filling ingredients. Pour into pie crust. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°; bake 40-50 minutes longer or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool for 2 hours. Serve or refrigerate until serving time. Top with whipped cream or serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Store in refrigerator.

Recipe of the Month -Hot Mulled Cider

INGREDIENTS:

- 1/2 gallon of fresh, unfiltered apple cider

- 1 orange

- 15 cloves

- 4 3-inch sticks of cinnamon

- 15 allspice berries

- 1 teaspoon of nutmeg

- 7 pods of cardamon

- 1/4 cup brown sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Put cider into a 3qt saucepan, cover, turn the heat on medium-high. While

cider is heating up, take a vegetable peeler and peel away a couple thick strips of peel from the orange. Press about half of the cloves into the peeled part of the orange. Place orange, orange peel strips, the remaining cloves, and the rest of the ingredients into the sauce pan with the cider.

Keep covered and heat the mulled cider mixture to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes on low heat. Strain the hot mulled cider away from the orange, cloves, and other spices. Serve hot. Add a cinnamon stick to each cup if desired.

* You can add a touch of bourbon, brandy, or rum!

Recipe Of The Month - Fresh Pico De Gallo

INGREDIENTS:

- 8-10 Roma tomatoes (seeded)

- 1/2 Red onion (to taste)

- 1 Jalapeno pepper (or more to taste)

- 2 Medium cloves garlic

- Juice of one lime

- 1 Tablespoon olive oil

- 4 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

- 1 Teaspoon coarse salt

- 1/2 Teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Seed and dice tomatoes. Chop onion, jalapeno and garlic to a fine consistency. To these ingredients, add the fresh cilantro, salt, pepper, olive oil and lime. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!

Recipe Of The Month - Blueberry Jam

INGREDIENTS:

- 6 cups blueberries

- 7 cups sugar

- 2 (3 oz) packs of pectin

- 3/4 tsp unsalted butter

- 3 tbsp lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

Combine the blueberries, lemon juice and 3 and a half cups of sugar in a pan and let stand for 1 hour. After 1 hour, add the remaining sugar and place the pan over a medium-high heat; stir constantly until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mix to a boil for two minutes. Remove the pan from the flame and skim off any foam that accumulates. Place the pan over the heat again for 1 minute to boil. Again, remove and skim off the foam. Add the butter and bring the mixture to a boil again. Add the pectin and stir constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Skim off the foam. Allow the jam to cool for 7 minutes before adding it to canning jars. Close the jars and bath them in 250-degree water for 10 minutes to create a seal.