MiltonSearch.com Home and Garden

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The 40-year mortgage is popular with homebuyers, especially in Toronto where prices have risen sharply.

Let’s look at the pros and cons of extending a mortgage past the traditional 25-year limit.

Harriet and Henry are buying a home in the Greater Toronto Area. They both have RRSPs, from which they plan to borrow $40,000 for the down payment, and parents who can make up the difference.

The average home in the GTA sold for $380,000 last month. So, this couple puts down $76,000 (or 20 per cent) to avoid paying a costly mortgage insurance premium.

They shop around and get a five-year fixed mortgage term at 5.64 per cent with President’s Choice Financial.

Here are arguments in favour of a longer payback period:

You can qualify for a bigger house with a lower income: Mortgage lenders want to see a maximum of 32 per cent of gross income going for mortgage payments, property taxes and heating – and no more than 40 to 42 per cent of income going for total debts.

If Harriet and Henry have too low an income – or too much other debt – they won’t be approved for a mortgage without stretching out the repayment.

You don’t have to wait for your salary to go up: Waiting can be risky. You may cool your heels for five to 10 years before qualifying for the home you want.

By that time, you may find interest rates are higher than they are today. And you will be closer to retirement.

Let’s say Harriet and Henry are in their early thirties when buying their first house. They have at least 25 to 30 years left in the workforce.

But if they’re 40 or more before they can buy a home, they won’t likely pay off their mortgage before they retire.

You have more cash for living expenses: If your mortgage costs are punishingly high, you may have little left for other payments.

Harriet and Henry have a $304,000 mortgage. They pay $1,880.44 a month with a 25-year amortization.

But with a 40-year amortization, they pay $1,583.45 a month, cutting their monthly payments by $296.99 – or almost $3,600 a year.

They have more cash flow to pay for property taxes, utilities, repairs, insurance, transportation – and yes, maybe even a holiday or two.

Here are arguments against a longer payback period.

You pay more interest over the life of the loan: With a 25-year amortization, Harriet and Henry will pay $564,131.35 in total (assuming they renew every five years at the same interest rate).

They will pay a whopping $760,061.81 if they take 40 years to pay off the mortgage.

Let’s look at the cost of interest alone.

With a 25-year amortization, it’s $260,131.35. And with a 40-year amortization, it’s $456,061.81 – or half as much again as the initial loan.

You build equity more slowly and get back less of the money you paid in when you sell the house: Suppose Harriet and Henry go for a 40-year amortization.

A decade after buying a home, they still owe $276,589.17 on their $304,000 loan.

After 20 years, they still owe $228,783.96.

And after 25 years – when others have paid off their mortgages in full – they still owe $192,856.70.

So, how can you avoid this trap?

Increase your mortgage payments as much as you can.

Throw any other cash you have (such as income tax refunds) into the mortgage.

Your goal is to shorten the payback period and interest paid – and to fatten your own bottom line instead of the lender’s.

– by Ellen Roseman of the Toronto Star

Comment: Do you think the banks should offer 40-year mortgages, Milton?

The garden takes on a different and enchanting personality in the evening hours when we often have more time to sit, relax and entertain. You can make your garden shine at night by using different types of lighting to set a special mood.

Lighting Sources
More than ever before there is a variety of different kinds of lighting to consider for the garden.

Low voltage: Easily installed low voltage systems are probably the most popular garden lighting options for today’s do-it-yourselfers. Typically these garden lights are low to the ground and placed along paths or around the garden to highlight a featured tree or garden ornament. Low voltage systems use a transformer to drop your 120-volt house current to 12 volts, about the same amount of electricity used to run a car battery.

Line voltage: Line voltage lights use the same 120-volt electrical current as the house. These lights are “hard wired” and should be installed by professionals.

Solar: Solar lights are widely available, many housed in whimsical casings (like turtles, frogs, etc.) to double as garden art during the day time. Solar lighting uses photovoltaic cells that convert the sunlight absorbed during the daylight hours into electricity to charge a battery after dark. No wiring or external power source is needed. Most solar lights run for eight to 10 hours when they receive a full day of direct sunlight. Generally this light is diffused and doesn’t illuminate a wide area.

Torches and candles: Candles and torches provide a flickering light that creates a soothing and romantic ambiance.

Designing with Light
When planning your night time landscape lighting, of course personal preference rules. However, here are a few considerations:

- Avoid placing your lights in a straight line along pathways. Rather, stagger the lights to avoid a harsh “airport runway” look.

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Lights that are not shielded tend to create an unpleasant glare that is hard on the eyes.

- Most plants are not bothered by night lights, but there are some that may have their growth or bloom patterns disrupted by being exposed to light during the night.

Plants for the Night Garden
Don’t overlook the use of plants to light up your garden at night. For example, though many flowers disappear as dusk approaches, white flowering plants continue to shine. Some flowers bloom only at night, and then release their fragrance into the still night air. Locate these plants near a deck or patio, or where you are most likely to be in the evening. Here are some favourites to light up your garden:

Evening Primrose opens in the evening with soft, clear white petals that gradually fade into pink as the flower matures. Their perfume is similar to honeysuckle with a hint of citrus. The flowers open every evening throughout the summer until the first frost.

Sweet-scented nicotiana has creamy tubular flowers on gracefully arching branches. The trumpet-shaped blossoms are closed during the daytime but in the late afternoon and evening they fill the air with a jasmine-like scent.

Moonflower has large, very fragrant, trumpet-shaped blooms that unfurl in slow motion each night as the sun sets. Pure white with faint green tracings, the blossoms bloom all night. By noon the next day, the flowers are closed up and barely seen among the plant’s dense foliage.

Angel’s Trumpet has 15-cm (6-inch) white trumpet-shaped flowers that open at night and remain open well into the following day.

Evening Stock is a multi-branched plants with grey-green leaves and 2.5-cm (1-inch) pale mauve, star-shaped flowers. The blooms are closed tightly all day but open at dusk with a spicy fragrance.

Four O’Clocks open in late afternoon, with 5-cm (2-inch) trumpet-shaped flowers that release a jasmine like scent. They bloom in pink, rose, white, orange and yellow and are very easy and fast growing.

– by Veronica Sliva of HGTV.ca

Microwaves, refrigerators, ranges, oh my! Before making a big-ticket purchase, learn your options

5 Things to Look for in a Washing Machine
Top-loaders ($350 and up) are easy to use, since they don’t require bending over. Front-loaders ($600 and up) use 65 percent less energy and a third less water because their basins don’t completely fill with water. Note, however, that new, pricier top-loaders ($900 and up) rival the energy-efficiency of front-loaders.

Look For:
A machine that heats only the water it needs. “This is the most important thing that people overlook when buying washers,” says John O’Meara, manager of Standards of Excellence, an appliance showroom in San Rafael, California. The feature, which is becoming more common, saves energy by heating only the water you need rather than the entire household water tank. In general, “washers made now are one-third more efficient than those made seven years ago,” says Jill Notini, a spokeswoman for the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, in Washington, D.C.

A speedy spin cycle. The faster the cycle, the more water will be extracted, and the less time clothes will spend in the dryer. Look for “a high rpm (rotations per minute), which adds up to energy-efficiency,” says Alex Cheimets, editor of www.applianceadvisor.com. Go for at least 900 rpm. To save even more energy, pair the washer with a dryer that has a moisture sensor, which shuts off the unit when the clothes are dry.

Minimal water usage. Most conventional washers go through 40 gallons of water per cycle, so “if you do a load a day,” says Audrey Reed-Granger, a spokesperson for Whirlpool, “that’s more than 14,000 gallons a year.” Check the labels; some machines consume as little as 14 gallons a cycle.

Pedestals. Some washers (and dryers) can be equipped with pedestals ($100 to $200), which sit underneath the appliance and raise it up a foot or more for easier loading and unloading. Many include built-in drawers for stashing detergent, bleach, and stain-removal sticks.

An additional rinse cycle. This option, which dispenses extra water during washing, is great if you need to fight a stubborn stain or want to remove excess detergent that can irritate allergy sufferers or babies. However, it will increase your water bill.

Tip: If you put a 1,000-rpm (rotations per minute) model on the second floor without shock absorbers, “when it hits the spin cycle, the floor will shake,” says Whirlpool’s Audrey Reed-Granger. But don’t worry about a basement or the ground floor; they’re often reinforced.

5 Things to Look for in a Refrigerator
Top freezers ($400 to $1,200) are the most space- and energy-efficient of all the models; bottom freezers ($700 to $1,500) locate the refrigerator section at eye level and offer deep freezer storage. Side-by-sides ($800 to $2,000) have two full-height doors — a freezer on one side, a refrigerator on the other.

Look For:
A just-right size. Refrigerators are measured in cubic feet, but that number can be misleading, because it also includes space taken up by the freezer, the shelves, and the bins. For two to four people, an 18-cubic-foot refrigerator (with about five of those cubic feet devoted to the freezer) should suffice. Keep in mind that an ice maker will use about one cubic foot of the freezer cavity; some newer models locate the ice maker on the freezer door to save room.

Space-expanding features. Motorized shelves can be raised and lowered at the push of a button to accommodate the height of the items you’re storing. Elevator shelves, which adjust with the crank of a lever, are just as effective. Also look for movable door bins, as well as pullout shelves, which offer access to goods stashed in the back. Some units have caddies that hold soda cans and racks for storing wine bottles horizontally.

Easy-care materials. Stainless steel is sleek, but it shows streaks and fingerprints; faux stainless doesn’t. As for the interior, glass shelves are easier to wipe down than metal grills and have lips that contain spills, says Chris Hall, cofounder and president of the appliance-maintenance website www.repairclinic.com.

Energy efficiency. Bottom freezers use 16 percent less energy than side-by-sides; top freezers consume 13 percent less. You’ll use 14 to 20 percent more energy if you opt for a through-the-door water dispenser. The most efficient refrigerators bear the Energy Star label, which ensures that they use 15 percent less energy than federal efficiency standards require.

Water filters. Some appliances contain a water dispenser with a filter for the ice maker — ideal for minimizing lead and chlorine in ice and drinking water — in a through-the-door configuration or inside the refrigerator.

Tip: Some refrigerator doors open on the left, others on the right. Consider this when shopping around. If the layout of your kitchen changes after you purchase the appliance, see if you can have the doors rehinged.

5 Things to Look for in a Dishwasher
Although there aren’t different categories to consider, models vary in terms of capacity and special features. While some entry-level units start at $200, those with bonuses, such as hidden controls, can cost upwards of $2,000.

Look For:
The number of place settings it holds. Dishwashers with standard-size tubs fit 12 five-piece place settings. If you entertain frequently, consider ones with tall tubs, which store 14 place settings and can easily handle large stockpots, vases, and cookie trays. Ideal for tight areas, compact 18-inch models hold six to eight settings. Don’t feel guilty loading up these workhorses; they actually use less water than you would doing the dishes by hand. Isn’t technology great?

A delay-start option. This allows you to set the machine to turn on at a later time, like when you’re tucked snugly into bed. (Plus, in some areas, utility rates are lower at night.) If you’re concerned about noise, opt for an insulated machine or one that touts whisper-quiet capabilities.

A forced-air mode. Without forced air, which involves a fan circulating dry air downward throughout the drying period, “anything with a concave top — like plastic cups, bowls, and upturned wineglasses — will collect water,” says Chris Hall of www.repairclinic.com. “It’s a pain.”

Space-saving details. Some have tines that fold down to accommodate large platters; others have adjustable top racks or ones that can be removed.

Multiple cycles. Choose a sanitizing cycle for baby bottles or a gentle cycle labeled specifically for glassware. Some new units have a steam cycle to get baked-on grime off dishes while using less water. If you would like to run small loads or quick loads of glasses during a party, “look for dishwashers with short cycles,” says Whirlpool’s Audrey Reed-Granger. These can be as fast as 25 minutes, compared with more than two hours for normal cycles.

Tip: Most new dishwashers are so powerful that there’s no need to prerinse dishes. So you save time — and water.

5 Things to Look for in Ranges
You can control the flame with precision on gas models; electric versions heat food and boil water faster. For both, prices start at $500 and can cost as much as $10,000. Dual-fuel ranges ($1,400 to $10,000 or more) pair gas cooktops with electric ovens.

Look For:
Convection capabilities. This option, which uses a fan in the back of the unit to circulate heated air, cooks more evenly and about 25 percent faster. Convection ranges cost about $200 to $300 more than standard ones.

An easy-to-clean cooktop. Electric units have coil tops (for the easiest cleanup, look for ones with porcelain rather than ceramic or enameled-metal drip pans) or smooth surfaces that wipe down in a flash. The grates on gas models need to be removed before you start scouring. Some have continuous grates, which are sturdy and allow pots to be slid from burner to burner without lifting; the downside is that they’re heavy. Look for seamless edges and corners.

Warming drawers. Typically located beneath the oven cavity, warming drawers keep food warm before it hits the table. They can also serve as extra storage space when not in use.

Steam technology. Thanks to this feature, which can be used manually or automatically, you can infuse anything, from roasts to baked goods, with moisture.

Commercial-style units. If you’re an avid cook, check out these professional-looking ranges. They boast up to eight burners and can span 60 inches, so they’re ideal for preparing multiple dishes at the same time. Some have grills, griddles, and built-in woks. Note that you will pay top dollar for them.

Tip: Induction cooking is faster and more energy-efficient than gas or electric — but it’s twice as pricey. When a pot is placed on a burner, an electromagnetic charge generates heat; the burner shuts off when the vessel is removed.

5 Things to Look for in a Microwave Oven
Countertop versions ($30 to $250) can be placed anywhere; over-the-range models ($100 to $700) save space and often have lights and exhaust fans on the bottom, so they double as vent hoods.

Look For:
Power! A microwave’s power is measured by its wattage; the higher the wattage, the quicker food will cook. If you use your microwave mostly for reheating, a 600-watt unit should do the trick. But if you use it to prepare full meals, especially for a large family, opt for 900 to 1,300 watts.

A convection mode. If you entertain a lot and would benefit from a second oven, or if you want superfast cooking results, consider machines with convection technology, which uses a heating element and a fan to circulate air for roasting, baking, browning, and grilling in half the time needed by a regular oven.

Turntable size and function. Microwaves with 16-inch-diameter turntables are large enough for most cooks, says Jill Notini of the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. Look for turntables that rotate automatically for even cooking results and that can be removed for easy cleaning.

Sensors. If you tend to overcook or undercook meals, seek out units with sensors that shut off the microwave when food is done by calculating how much steam is being emitted from the food.

Childproof doors. Some microwaves have door locks (which can be activated and deactivated via the keypad) so curious hands don’t get burned on hot dishes.

Tip: Because they work so quickly, microwaves use two-thirds the energy of standard ovens. And they release minimal heat into the kitchen, so you may save on air-conditioning bills, too.

Disaster DIY: The six deadly sins of do-it-yourself projects you should avoid

Time
DIY’ers think they can renovate a bathroom or kitchen, build a deck or finish a basement in a weekend or in the evenings after work. They can’t. People often underestimate how long it takes to do a job properly. It takes even longer to learn how to do things right - I don’t know many people who learned to walk in a weekend!

Money
Buying the proper materials costs money. Hiring a professional costs money. There are so many variables in a renovation that it’s almost impossible to foresee all the costs. People don’t understand that for every dollar that’s saved, if it’s done wrong, it will end up costing more than double to fix it properly.

Skill
It takes lots of practice, trial and error to set straight and level tiles, create seamless joints in drywall or install trim or crown molding. But people buy a book, watch a show, put on a toolbelt - and abracadabra - they’re experts. Except they’re not.

Planning
Proper planning will result in a smooth(er) renovation. A lot of weekend warriors are the “shoot first” type. There’s only one way to plan a project: design, destroy, rebuild - in that order.

Mess
Renovation is a war - on dirt. A lot of people expect thousands of pounds of lathe and plaster to come down without creating a mess. Clean up regularly – it’s easier to see what you’re doing and it’s safer. When it comes to laying drop sheets, try taping up plastic sheets to keep dust down - an ounce of prevention is worth its weight in gold.

Enjoyment
When starting a DIY project, many people have expectations that far exceed the reality of the project. When the honeymoon’s over and the DIYer realizes that the project will take more time, more money and more skill to get the job done properly – that’s when the problems begin. The job is either left unfinished or finished incorrectly because it was rushed. Doing your own home renovation project is like getting married – you’ve got to know what you’re getting into. There will be good days and there will be bad days. It’s important that once you tear down that wall, you stay committed and do the very best you can.

Easy ways to spice up your holiday

Make Valentines from Household Supplies
Paint samples, playing cards, sponges, sugar packets, matches…

Original Purpose: Taking up space in your kitchen and desk drawers.
Aha! Use: It’s all there, and now you know why you’ve never gotten around to throwing it out: a private, inexhaustible stock of Valentine-card-making props. Dead AAA batteries ("I get a charge out of you"), old lollipops ("I’m a sucker for you"), stray keys ("the key to my heart"). Sit yourself down and grab a pile of craft supplies — construction paper, scissors, markers, tape, X-Acto blade, large-eyed needle and strong thread (or dental floss!), doilies, ribbon saved from the last party. Don’t worry about getting the edges straight. It’s the message that counts.
Reward: Recycling with heart.

Candy Canes as Valentine’s Day Treats
Original Purpose: Adorning Christmas trees and stuffing stockings.
Aha! Use: Valentine candy. With some minor melting, they can decorate cupcakes and gift boxes, or cards that will be hand delivered.
How to Do It: Remove the cellophane wrapping from the canes and form hearts by placing them hook to hook and tail to tail on a nonstick baking sheet or one lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350º F for 2 to 4 minutes (depending on the canes’ size) or until they stick together when you pinch the ends lightly. Cool thoroughly and remove with a spatula. If you want to make flat hearts with psychedelic stripes, bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
Reward: Leftovers that say "love."

Greeting Cards as Gift Tags
Original Purpose: Mantelpiece clutter, proof of popularity.
Aha! Use: Gift tags. Last year’s holiday and birthday cards may be too pretty to throw away, but they’re probably not meaningful enough to keep. Cut out hearts, flowers, or any other whimsical illustration from the card’s cover, avoiding handwritten notes on the opposite side, and stash them with your ribbons and wrapping paper.
Reward: It’s not regifting; it’s recycling.

Quick Valentine’s Day Treat
In between dropping the kids off, picking up the dry cleaning, and making your to-do list for the week, you’re supposed to fit in romance? Try this easy trick: Melt a Hershey’s bar in a saucepan over low heat and dip some fresh strawberries in it to make a treat for your sweetheart. Let them cool on wax paper. Candles and canoodling optional.

DVDs for an Instant Holiday-Theme Party
Struck by a mad urge to play Cupid, you’re throwing a Valentine’s party. First head over to Blockbuster and pick up an appropriately themed DVD—preferably a romantic favorite like When Harry Met Sally, Casablanca, or An Affair to Remember. Come party time, pop it in the machine, press Play, then mute the sound so the film can serve as a quiet but not-too-subtle backdrop for the evening. Bonus: If a partygoer gets tired of small talk, he can zone out and tune in to the on-screen romance until he makes his own love connection with bachelorette number three.

Wrap Presents with Newspaper
Original Purpose: Looking up words, getting the news, finding your way.
Aha! Use: One-of-a-kind wrapping paper. Leftover paper of all kinds — wallpaper, old maps, last week’s Sunday comics — begs to be recycled as gift wrap. You’ll see: Almost any mundane printed matter is transformed by a big, shiny ribbon. Use a copying machine’s enlarger function to make much of small things. Choose a dictionary definition to suit the occasion: love for Valentine’s Day, shamrock for Saint Patrick’s Day, ageless for an anxious friend’s birthday. Photocopy the page onto an 11-by-17-inch sheet of paper (if possible) at the highest magnification, repeat as needed to increase the word size, and squeeze in the choice part of the definition. When the boss catches you wasting paper and toner, offer to run off a set for her wedding anniversary.
Reward: Oohs and ahs from the impressed recipient.
Other Use: Lining a birdcage.

Decorate Plates with Ketchup Squeeze Bottle
Original Purpose: Dressing French fries.
Aha! Use: Decorating dishes like a professional. Run an empty plastic ketchup bottle through the dishwasher (or pick up a fresh one at the Container Store; $1, www.containerstore.com), then fill it with your favorite sauce or condiment. Drizzle some rosemary-scented olive oil across a bowl of white bean soup, a squiggle of fudge or raspberry sauce around the rim of your Valentine’s dessert plate. (If calligraphy is not your strong suit, practice on a paper plate or stick to abstract designs.)
Reward: Five-star-chef presentation in less than five minutes.
Other Use: Fill with a week’s worth of homemade salad dressing and squirt as needed.

Create the Perfect Setting
For a romantic and fragrant centerpiece, float a few small orchids and some tea lights in a glass bowl.

Tips to liven up your living space

With the dreary winter months spent scurrying from driveway to duvet, Seasonal Affective Disorder is bound to set in. Take some therapeutic measures and follow these tips on how to beat the winter blahs by spicing up your space.

Colour
Colour is the most powerful element to consider in vitalizing your living space. Not only does colour reflect our likes and personalities, but it also has the power to enhance or affect our moods. Warm colours (reds, yellows, oranges) evoke joy and excitement, while cooler hues (blues and greens) promote rest and relaxation. During the winter months when you want to "let the sunshine in," consider accenting your space with bright, energizing and uplifting colours. The trick is not to overpower your space with colour, but rather to create visual dynamics by placing colourful elements throughout your space.

If you consider taking on a painting project, create an accent wall that evokes vitality without overpowering your space. Use one solid colour or investigate painting techniques that incorporate appealing colour or texture combinations. If painting is too much, shop for colourful fabrics that can be framed or stretched like art canvases. In this way you can play around with colour, texture and pattern combinations without making a formal commitment to your walls. You can also change the arrangements on a regular basis, eliminating the feeling of commitment to a design or colour scheme. This also applies to accent items like throw cushions; draperies; table, bath and bedroom linens; and even tableware, which can be mixed and matched for variety. Use contrasting colours for dynamics, or complementary colours to create a more soothing, harmonious effect. Never be afraid to use colour!

It’s Alive!
There’s nothing that speaks vitality in your home like the presence of living things. Consider greening up your space with plants or—if you’re feeling ambitious—an aquarium. If you find you don’t have a green thumb or haven’t the patience or budget for an aquarium, consider bringing fresh, colourful flower arrangements into your home on a regular rotation. The colours and fragrances will have you hearkening to spring and summer, ultimately lightening your spirits.

Personality
Blank walls, neutral colour schemes and an overall lack of identity in a space do nothing but nurture the winter blahs. Make your home speak "you" by injecting a little of your personality into it. Display collections of your favourite items or showcase your own hobbies/creations/accomplishments. Liven up a dull corner or hallway by creating a collage of family photos arranged either chronologically or thematically. Consider colourful groupings in fanciful frames or dramatic black and white shots in more minimal frames. If you’re a crafter, create colourful, textural or "just plain fun" accent pieces for your home. Embroider some funky tea towels, quilt an exciting pillow cover, knit a new throw or have some of your favourite needlework projects framed. Consult crafting resources and speak with fellow crafters. You’ll quickly realize there are limitless possibilities when it comes to energizing your space and putting your own personal stamp on it with fresh, new ideas and projects!

– Kathryn Bailey, HGTV.ca

Got your game face on for the most watched TV broadcast? Host a Super Bowl party that die-hard fans — and those there just for the commercials — can enjoy

Here’s everything you’ll need to throw a winning Super Bowl party.

Beer and Beer Steins: Stock up on brands of brews that represent the two opposing teams. (For examples, go to www.realsimple.com/beer.)

Decorations: Show off your home-field advantage with a festive football-themed decor (shown). Cut coasters out of AstroTurf ($1 per square foot at www.ondecksports.com, or go to your local hardware store). Set out potted wheatgrass (available at flower shops and nurseries) topped with pennants and mini footballs (check out www.michaels.com and www.partycity.com). Design your table runner to look like a football field; just spread out Con-Tact Chalkboard Contact Paper ($6 for a roll, 18 inches by six feet, at www.amazon.com) and draw yard lines with chalk and a ruler. Then leave out the chalk and let your guests strategize their own plays throughout the party.

Food: Upgrade traditional tailgate fare with these healthier — and tastier — versions: Spec-Taters, Pigskins in a Blanket (with chicken sausage), and baked Kickin’ Chicken Fingers (see recipes).

Party Game: You will need tags, string, and a marker. In lieu of a football pool, have each guest predict the winner’s final score. Write each guess on a tag and tie it to his or her beer stein. Whoever gets closest to the correct score wins.

Recipes

Kickin’ Chicken Nuggets

1 6-ounce bag spicy pita chips (such as Stacy?s Texarkana Hot)
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
1 egg
1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets, cut into 3-inch pieces
1 cup sour cream
4 scallions, trimmed and chopped

Heat oven to 400° F.

Place the pita chips and Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until coarsely ground. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the parsley, if using.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water. Dip the chicken in the egg, letting any excess drip off, then in the pita-chip mixture, pressing gently to help it adhere. Place the chicken pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the sour cream and scallions and serve with the chicken for dipping.

Yield: Makes 8 servings

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 285(71% from fat); FAT 14g (sat 4g); SUGAR 4g; PROTEIN 21g; CHOLESTEROL 90mg; SODIUM 301mg; FIBER 3g; CARBOHYDRATE 17g

Pigskins in a Blanket

1 12-ounce package fully cooked chicken sausage
1 8-ounce sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1/3 cup whole-grain mustard

Heat oven to 400° F.

Cut the sausages in quarters lengthwise, then in half crosswise.

Cut the puff pastry into strips 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. Roll the sausage pieces in the pastry strips and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake until puffed and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Transfer to a platter and serve with the mustard for dipping.

Yield: Makes 8 servings

Spec-taters

Swap a sports-bar favorite for a snack that’s more refined and better for you, too. Create a potato bar by baking a 15-ounce package of Alexia Oven Fries frozen potato wedges (available at supermarkets) and serving them warm with a variety of toppings, like chopped red onion, salsa, grated Cheddar, jalapeños, and low-fat sour cream.