It’s a thrill to watch leaves call attention to themselves in autumn by turning rich red, fiery orange or glowing gold and gently fluttering down to earth to blanket the ground? But clearing them off the lawn once they land isn’t so exciting. To make the job easier consider the Leaf Rake from Fiskars, which transforms a raking project into a fast, efficient and satisfying effort. It’s got flexible, durable, extra-wide resin tines that transport leaves without trapping them, a 24-inch rake head sized for moving a high volume of leaves with minimal effort, a sturdy light-weight, easy-to-maneuver aluminum handle, a teardrop-shaped shaft that provides a surer grip and reduces hand fatigue and a lifetime warranty. The company’s Shrub Rake has similar qualities and also helps ease and speed this necessary seasonal chore.
To find out more about the rakes and a whole lot of other great outdoor gardening tools and supplies, visit Fiskars’ Web site.
P.S. In the midst of your yard work, you may find a few tomato plants continuing to thrive in your garden thanks to the consistently warm days this summer. If so, you might want to put them to use by trying this Corn and Black Bean Salsa recipe posted on the Fiskars site by blogger Kendra McCracken.
Corn and Black Bean Salsa Salsa
2 cups of whole kernel corn
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained 1 large green or orange bell pepper chopped
1 cup diced tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes 1/2 cup diced onion
Dressing: 3/4 cup Italian Salad Dressing* 1/8 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1-2 tablespoons lime juice 1 clove of garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon hot sauce
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn and jalapeno, cooking and stirring frequently until the corn begins to brown on the edges. Transfer to a large bowl to cool.
2. While the corn is cooling, prepare the dressing by combining the Italian dressing, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, cumin, and hot sauce.
3. When the corn is cooled, add the black beans, bell pepper, tomatoes, and onion. Pour the dressing over the corn mixture. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving.
*Kendra likes Ken’s Steak House Lite Northern Italian with Basil & Romano dressing.
