Chocolate Mint Dessert Tea - Tea Blend of the Month

I tried to refrain from creating another Valentine Tea for February, but I realized I never made up one with mint and chocolate, so here you are a dessert-inspired tea perfect for February evenings. This tea uses Rooibus as the main flavor, this caffeine-free plant from Africa has a taste similar to green tea.

Chocolate Mint Dessert Tea

• 1 part rooibos
• ½ part chopped pieces of dark chocolate
• ½ part peppermint
• a sprinkle of vanilla seed or powdered vanilla

Blend ingredients together and store in tight sealing lidded jar.

TO USE: Add one tsp per cup of hot water to a mug or teapot and steep for 5 minutes

Chicago Cocktail - Happy Hour

This weekend I am speaking at the PBS Wisconsin Gardening and Green Living Expo and one of my presentations is on Edible Flowers, so if you are stopping in from there, here are two edible Flower Mocktails to try!

I love to create Cocktails and Mocktails.  They use herbs in some of the greatest ways.  One of the coolest things to do is to use a ticture method (alcohol as an extraction method to obtain the best of the herb propeties) to create bitters that can be used to flavor and cut the sweet of cocktails.

We shared a recipe for herb citrus bitters previously, so check out this post.

This is a cocktail I found in a book called Danny's Bar Book -- Chicago Cocktail.  I like to play with this one in winter, becasue it uses curacao which is a blue liqure. I created a mocktail version of curacao last winter.  It takes a few weeks, but the flavor is citrus and wonderful and is fun to make drinks with, like the Jack Frost and other winter drinks, even though it is normally seen as a tropical drink additive.

Simulated Blue Curacao

Blue curaçao is a liqueur that’s made with laraha, an orange-like citrus fruit that grows on Curaçao (an island in the Caribbean). This liqueur is used as an ingredient in many alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails and drinks. Making non-alcoholic blue curaçao at home is relatively simple, but the process does take about three weeks. The juice and the vinegar replace the vodka and brandy used in the original recipe.

You will need:

1 ¼ cups white grape juice

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup peach syrup or peach nectar

¼ cup apricot syrup or more grape juice

3 navel oranges (or 6 clementines)

1 T bitter orange peel, dried

4 whole cloves

2 cups sugar

1 ½ cups water

Blue food coloring

Peel the oranges, skin only, absolutely no pith at all. Combine juice and syrups with peel in a quart jar. Allow to steep in a cool dark place for three weeks, shaking or stirring once a week.  On the last day add the cloves and allow to steep 24 hours.  Then create a simple syrup with the water and sugar in a saucepan.  Allow the simple syrup to cool to room temp and while waiting strain the peels and cloves from the steeped liquid.  Combine the cooled simple syrup and the steeped liquid in a bowl and add blue food coloring in 5 drop intervals until you reach the desired shade.  Allow to rest at room temperature for 24 hours before you serve.  Will keep up to 2 months in the refrigerator.

Finally the Cocktail!

Chicago Cocktail

2 oz. Brandy (or red grape juice)

1 dash citrus (or other) bitters

1/4 teaspoon blue Curacao

"Frost the edge of a rocks glass with lemon juice dipped in powdered sugar.  The add ingredients to glass with cracked ice and stir to chill.  Garnish with a slice of lemon and sip to enjoy the chill of a Chicago Winter.

FYI- follow us on Instagram as we share a mocktail or cocktail every Friday at 5 PM Central time for an herbal happy hour!

Rose Petal Relaxation Bath - Bath Blend of the Month

Give yourself some love this Valentine’s Day with this soothing, heart-opening bath for self-love and relaxation.

Rose Petal Relaxation Bath: Love Yourself This Valentine’s

• 1 cup Epsom salt
• ½ cup dried rose petals
• 2 tbsp baking soda
• 3 drops rose geranium or rose absolute essential oil.

Combine ingredients in a jar and shake well to blend.  

To Use: Add ¼ cup to warm bathwater swirl to dissolve salts, slip in and relax with a mug of rosehip tea.

NOTE: If you do not want to clean rose petals from the tub, wrap the salts in a wash cloth or place in a muslin bag. 

How to use Herbal Vinegars in Winter Cooking

Herbal vinegar is a summer activity generally, as it is best made with fresh herbs, but if you can get fresh herbs where you are, then follow the instructions in this previous blog post to create your own herb vinegar.

People often ask what to do with herb vinegar and I find it is the best ingredient to jazz up soups (add a couple teaspoons as cooking is finishing.) A splash will brighten up fresh steamed vegetable just before serving. Marinades are also a great way to use vinegar, to tenderize meats and add flavor to poultry. And at this time of year when salads and dieting are part of most meal conversations, a vinaigrette dressing made with herb vinegar will add a bunch of flavor and no calories.

Here are a couple recipes to try 

Herb Shallot Marinade

Great on pasta and vegetable salads. Tenderizes less expensive cuts of meat. Chicken breasts are delicious marinated 3 to 4 hours or overnight, then broiled or barbecued.

• 3/4 cup oil (olive)
• 3/4 cup of any Herbal Vinegar
• 3 Tbls. shallots, finely chopped (you can substitute finely chopped white onion)
• 1 Tbls. fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients in small shallow bowl, beating until well blended. Use to marinade any cut of beef or pork or chicken breasts or thighs.  Use enough to over the protein and allow to marinade overnight or at least 4 hours.  If using on fish, marinade only about 1 hour before cooking.

Vinaigrette Dressing

•  3/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
• 1/4 cup herb infused vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 3 to 4 drops hot pepper sauce

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the ingredients and shake well.  Chill and use over mixed salad greens or vegetables.  Makes 1 cup.

If you are looking for a few more creative ways to use your herb vinegars try these tips:

1. Make fluffier, great tasting rice add a teaspoon of vinegar the boiling water.  The rice will be easier to spoon and less sticky.
2. Revive vegetables that look tired and wilted, soak them in one quart cold water and a tablespoon of vinegar.
3. Prevent hard-cooked eggs from cracking by adding 2 tablespoons of herbal vinegar per quart of water before cooking.  This also helps shells peel off faster and easier.
4. Cut grease and absorb odors on your wood cutting board, wipe down with a lemon, thyme or basil vinegar.
5. Prevent cut fruits from darkening.  Apples, pears, peaches, avocadoes and potatoes all darken when the starches oxidize.  Drop the cut items into a bowl of water with 2 teaspoons of lemon vinegar.
6. Keep food from sticking to a new skillet.  Boil about 1 inch of any herb vinegar in the skillet before using.
   
   
   
7. Season your favorite meats.  You can use an herbal vinegar to moisten the meat before rubbing in a spice rub. 
8. Honeydew melon, cucumber, grapes, and celery make a beautiful green salad. But it's a simple dressing of honey, white wine vinegar, and mustard seeds (1 – 2 tsp) that can "pickle" and elevate these ordinary ingredients into a sweet-tart masterpiece.
9. Place chicken breasts in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with garlic powder and a pinch of salt, then pour vinegar over all. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 minutes or until chicken is browned and cooked through, and juices run clear.

New Year’s Revive Tea - Tea Blend of the Month

A Detoxifying Herbal Brew

Rejuvenate with a tea that aids digestion and boosts energy. Starting with antioxidant green tea, this blend will protect the body and boost brain function, aiding weight loss, and improving cardiovascular health. Sweetness is added with peppermint to soothe upset stomach and protect against bacterial infections.  Peppermint and Lemon balm will boost the mood and relieve anxiety associated with depression. Ginger is a workhorse in this blend that can strengthen the immune system as well as reduce inflammation, nausea and even improve blood sugar levels.

New Year’s Revive Tea

• 1 part green tea
• 1 part lemon balm
• ½ part peppermint
• ½ part ginger. 

Blend ingredients together and store in a jar with a tight fitting lid.  Use 1 to 2 teaspoons per cup of hot water just off the boil for for 3–5 minutes. Enjoy daily as you recover from holiday excesses.

Bath or Shower Ball - Bath Blend of the Month

This quick blend is a nice combination of sweet scents for relaxation as well as soothing herbs for skin.  Use it in a tea ball or muslin bag and enjoy as a soak in the bath or as a rub in the shower.

Bath Tea Ball

1/3 cup rosemary

1/3 cup rose petals

1/3 cup lavender buds

Combine dry herbs into a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well. Scoop 1 to 2 Tablespoons in a tea ball for the bath or in a cotton muslin bag for the shower.

TO USE: Add 1 to 2 Tbls to a tea ball and hang under the tap while filling the bathtub.  Or add 1 to 2 Tbls to a muslin bag and hang from the shower head while letting water warm.  Then use the bag to scrub skin while showering to enrich skin with the herbal benefits.

Quick Lip or Cuticle Balm - Bath Blend of the Month

This quick and easy balm can be used on lips or cuticles and is simple to make with three ingredients and a microwave.  It is a perfect last minute gift or a way to pamper yourself in this hectic season.

Lip or Cuticle Balm

5 Tble coconut oil

3 Tbls beeswax, grated

12 drops essential oil your choice of scent

Place coconut oil and beeswax in a glass bowl and microwave on high in 30 second intervals, stirring in between.  Add essential oil to melted mixture and stir well. Pour liquid into a two ounce tin and allow to cool.

To USE: spread by finger on lips or cuticles to avoid and repair dryness.