Composting the preferred fertilization method of organic farmers and gardeners for centuries has taken off in ordinary households, recycling advocates say, and officials are racing to keep up with the demand. The latest trend in kitchen gadgets among North Jersey homeowners is a stainless-steel compost pail, filled to the brim with fruit scraps, vegetable peels and coffee grounds. With solid waste on the rise in Bergen and Passaic counties, an increasing number of residents are doing their...

The Mexican cowboys of west Texas who first turned a cut of a steer tough as boot leather into a meal would be hard-pressed to recognize today's tonier versions. Leftovers? Slice last night's beef, chicken, pork or roasted vegetables and reheat on the grill for fajitas. This once no-frills vaquero (cowboy) meal is now seasoned with chilies and citrus, and paired with slivers of onion, chilies and peppers. Despite its radical remake, this Tex-Mex staple's appeal has grown in gigantic leaps...

All the cooking and eating that's so central to how we celebrate Thanksgiving is meant to get the family together around the table to spend time sharing and talking. Fortunately, local restaurants, bakeries, grocery stores and delis offer a selection of almost-homemade dishes you can pick up early in the week and serve on Thursday. They include port wine-poached pear salad, braised red cabbage, roasted autumn vegetables, root vegetable gratin, Brussels sprouts with pancetta, braised Swiss...

Changes identified in recipes of leading brands Even so-called healthy options are not immune Fran Abrams Saturday November 10, 2007 The Guardian Fast food, fizzy drinks and larger portion sizes have all been blamed for rising levels of obesity. Of a dozen leading brands for which we were able to compare nutritional information from a decade or more ago with today, nine showed an increase in calories, sugar or saturated fat. But figures obtained by the Guardian suggest changes to the...

Then you come through the doorway and it opens before you into this wonderful space with enormously tall ceilings and an open kitchen to your right with all the clatter and gorgeous smells you could want. Andrea and I entered from the parking lot and promptly came to a halt as we headed past the outdoor oasis that is the patio. Despite the cool temperature, sunlight angled in, basking the stonework and rustic, wrought-iron furniture, emulating the feel of a Tuscan terrace. But usually,...

Responding to the blockage, Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Friday signed a memo ordering the Army to begin planning for a series of expected cuts, including the layoffs of up to 100,000 civilian employees and another 100,000 civilian contractors, starting as early as January, Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said. Responding to the blockage, Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Friday signed a memo ordering the Army to begin planning for a series of expected cuts, including the...