The 9 Worst Things to Order at a Restaurant

CSPI's Xtreme list:
The Cheesecake Factory Chocolate Tower Truffle Cake. Six inches long, three-quarters of a pound, and over 1,600 calories, this "slice" of cake is the equivalent of eating fourteen Hostess Ho Hos.
Outback Steakhouse New Zealand Rack of Lamb. The lamb alone has 1,300 calories and 60 grams of saturated fat, but add the buttery sides (even the veggies) and you're up to 80 grams of saturated fat.
California Pizza Kitchen Pesto Cream Penne. Before you add any chicken or shrimp, this creamy version of an Italian classic has 1,350 calories, 49 grams of saturated fat and 1,920 mg of sodium.
Chevy's Crab & Shrimp Quesadilla. Technically an appetizer, this cheesy platter has 1,790 calories and 63 grams of saturated fat.
Bob Evans' Cinnamon Cream Stacked & Stuffed Hotcakes. Take pancakes, stuff them with cinnamon chips, spread cream cheese, top with cream sauce and whipped cream and you get a breakfast that brings in 1,380 calories and 34 grams of saturated fat. You could eat a hungry man's breakfast: two country-fried steaks and four eggs for about the same.
California Pizza Kitchen Tostada Pizza with Grilled Steak. The equivalent of a pepperoni pizza plus six beef tacos, this pie weighs in at 1,680 calories and 32 grams of saturated fat.
Five Guys Bacon Cheeseburger. This burger alone is 920 calories and a day-and-a-half's allowance (30 grams) of saturated fat. Adding a large order of French fries adds 1,460 calories (three times the amount in large McDonald's fries).
P.F. Chang's Double Pan-Fried Noodles Combo. It's hard to know what's more impressive: the days' worth (1,820) of calories in this dish, or the five days' worth of salt.
The Cheesecake Factory Pasta Carbonara with Chicken. Bacon-y, buttery, creamy, and carb-y -- this pasta dish brings 2,500 calories and 85 grams of saturated fat to the table
source: abcnews.com

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Gardening season is (finally) upon us!  Many of us turn to man-made, synthetic fertilizers to enhance our lawns and gardens, simply because we are unaware of the more natural, less expensive alternatives.  Here are some recipes for homemade fertilizers you can try at home:

1.  Coffee Grinds - Put your used coffee grinds to work as food for your acid-loving plants and lawn.  Coffee grinds are rich in Magnesium, Potassium, and Nitrogen, which are all essential plant nutrients.  You can use them by spreading them directly on your lawn, or by sprinkling them around the base of acid-loving plants such as roses, rhododendrums, and blueberries.  Be sure the grinds are dry before using them.
2.  Vinegar - This ingredient works best to make fertilizers for houseplants and for all types of acid-loving plants, as it works by increasing the acidity of the soil.  Mix 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar into 1 gallon of water, and water your plants with the solution every 3 months for fertilization. 
3.  Fireplace Ash - Fireplace ash that is produced from burning wood contains ample amounts of needed potassium and phosphate.  It can be used in place of Lime, as long as your soil is not alkaline. 
4.  Egg Shells - Dry out your used egg shells and blend them in a blender until they form a fine powder.  They can then be used in place of lime in your lawns, as egg shells and lime are composed of almost the exact same ingredients.  The main purpose of lime and its relatives is to balance soil acidity, increase beneficial bacteria activity, and to make other nutrients more easily available.
5.  Seaweed -   Sounds odd, I know.. but seaweed can be beneficial to our plantlife in many ways.  First off, it is a major source of carbohydrates which serve as food for the beneficial bacteria needed for optimal plant growth.  They also contain a plethora of necessary plant nutrients in their most bio-available (chelated) form.  If you live near the water, you can use whole pieces of collected seaweed (dried-out) directly on your lawn or plants.  It is also available as a liquid extract from many gardening stores or nurseries. 

Please feel free to share any homemade fertilizer recipes you may have!

Sources:  http://frugalliving.about.com/od/doityourself/tp/Homemade_Fertilizer.htm; http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/158/1/Natural-fertilizer.html; http://www.jasons-indoor-guide-to-organic-and-hydroponics-gardening.com/seaweed-fertilizers.html