Workout Recovery Bath Bag Blend - Bath Blend of the Month

This Bath Bag Blend was originally shared on this blog when I did the Herb of the Week featuring Hyssop.  I thought it was worth sharing again as it is a go-to blend for a bath after a long day in the garden

You can use the blend after a long day of gardening or after a serious workout or a day hiking, biking or playing.

Workout Recovery Bath Bag Blend

Combine equal amounts of:

•  bay leaf
•  rosemary
•  hyssop
•  lavender

Combine the herbs in a container with a tight-fitting lid and shake to mix the ingredients. Use a part that is 1/4 to 1/2 cup in size to give you enough herbs for several batches for the bath.  Measure out 1/2 cup of the blended herbs to use in your bath water.

Two ways to prepare your bath:

1. Soak about 1/2 cup of herbs in water overnight. The next day, simmer for about 10 minutes and strain the liquid into the bath water.
2. Place about 1/2 cup of herbs into a drawstring bag made of fairly loosely woven material (cheesecloth is ideal), or place in the center of a circle of fabric, and secure tightly. Tie the bag on the tap so that hot water flows through it.

 

Splendor Bath Blend - Bath Blend of the Month

March is a time to rejuvinate.  Spring is coming. Daylight savings time is around the corner. And we emerge from the coccoon of a northern hemisphere winter. This year more than ever I am all about emerging, changing, growing, and being aecited about change.  So this is a perfect time to boost the body, cleanse the skin and help the rest of me get ready for change.

Splendor Bath Blend 

• 1/2 cup thyme
• 1/2 cup sage
• 1/2 cup lavender
• 1/2 cup mint
• 1/2 cup bay leaves
• 1/2 cup rosemary
• 1 1/2 cup powdered milk
• 1/2 cup Epsom salt
• 1/8 cup baking soda
• 2 Tbls cornstarch

Basic Instructions:

Make drawstring pouches out of cheesecloth, organza or muslin, enough to hold anywhere from 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of the herbal. Tie them tightly shut so the loose ingredients won’t float out. After use the contents can be emptied, the pouches rinsed out then washed to be refilled and reused.  Or use a large drip coffee filter or bandana and tie with ribbon.

Preparation:

Two ways these can be enjoyed, either hang them on the tap while the hot water is running, making sure the water is running through them. Once the tub is filled, let them float around.

Infusion Method: Boil a quart of water, turn off heat, add pouch, cover, then steep (for at least 20 minutes for best results). Add the piping hot infusion (and the bag) to a full tub, being careful while pouring to avoid burning yourself.

Mexican Refrigerator Pickled Vegetables - Pickled Things Recipe Theme

This is a Mexican pickled vegetable recipe which is much different from a traditional pickled vegetable recipe.  The secret ingredient is Mexican Oregano. Mexican Oregano (Poliomintha longiflora), not to be confused with Cuban Oregano or Cuban Thyme which is a succulent, this is a leafy herb the looks more like tarragon than oregano. Although not a true oregano, Mexican oregano is native to Mexico, Guatemala and parts of South America. Lavender flowers bloom from summer to fall. The leaves have a spicy flavor that many gourmet chefs prefer. Placing whole branches over hot charcoal impart incredible flavor to grilled foods. We have a Secret Recipe DIY Refrigerator Pickles, but it has our special pickling spice, not Mexican Oregano. 

From this seasoning, which is a great companion to hot and spicy, you can make great pickled vegetables.

Mexican Refrigerator Pickled Vegetables  (Verduras en Escabeche)

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

12 cloves garlic

1 cup sliced carrots

1 cup small cauliflower sections

8 jalapenos and 4 serranos, slit vertically down one side

1 large onion, sliced vertically

1 cup mild vinegar: cider, white wine, or herb-flavored

1 cup water

2 bay leaves

2 whole cloves

3 Tablespoons dried Mexican oregano

6 peppercorns

2 teaspoons kosher salt

Directions:

Heat oil and add garlic. Sauté until garlic turns golden and remove from oil. Add carrots to hot oil; cook two minutes then add cauliflower, chiles and onion. Continue to cook & stir for about two more minutes - keep veggies crisp.

Add cooked garlic back in along with vinegar, water, and spices. Bring to boil then remove from heat. Transfer veggies and liquid to a clean, hot jar. Let cool and cover. Let develop overnight in the fridge. The oil will cloud up, so let sit for 10 minutes at room temp before serving.

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018, or Recipe2019 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2020 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Feb 2020 - Footbal Tailgate Favorites (AppFeb)

March 2020 - Kabobs (KabobMar)

April 2020 - Brunch (BrunchApr) more in 2021 also

May 2020 - Non-Traditional Pizza (PizzaMay)

June 2020 - Stir Fry Dishes (StirJun)

July 2020 - Salads with no lettuce (SaladJul)

August 2020 - Pickled things (PickleAug)

September 2020 - Quiche (QuicheSep)

October 2020 - Squash Soups (SquashOct)

November 2020 - Pumpkin (again) (PumpNov)

December 2020 - Turkey Recipes (TurkDec)

Recipe Theme for March - Jambalaya

I wanted to start the month with a recipe.  The weather here was warm this week, but today is back to winter and a warming Jambalaya is a perfect pick me up of rich flavors and hearty broth that can shake away the I-Am-Done-With-Winter feeling that seems to spread this time of year.

I love Jambalaya because it is generally a one pot meal perfect for the family.  And fancy enough to serve to company. Don’t confuse Jambalaya with Gumbo. Gumbo is a stew or soup that is traditional in Louisiana – it is almost always made with a roux to thicken the broth. In Louisiana every family has their own unique gumbo recipe. Jambalaya on the other hand is a rice-based dish which is usually made in one pot. It is considered by some to be a Cajun cuisine.  Originating from the French-speaking Acadian or “Cajun” immigrants deported by the British from Acadia in Canada to the Acadiana region of Louisiana. It is what could be called a rustic cuisine — locally available ingredients predominate, and preparation is simple and many time one-pot.

To make the best Jambalaya you need a heavy bottom Dutch oven.  We got a small food network one a few years ago and my husband realized he had never really cooked until he had a Dutch oven.  We soon needed a larger one, so as a gift I got him a bigger gray one.  Now armed with this and kosher salt, my hubby can cook anything!

We are going to start with a traditional Louisiana Jambalaya and then over the month branch into different variations on the Jambalaya theme.  This one does take some time, as you are going to make the chicken stock and cook the chicken as step one, then make the other parts which go a bit faster.

Traditional Jambalaya

1 small broiler-fryer chicken

1 stalk celery (cut into bit size pieces with leaves)

1 onion (quartered)

4 garlic cloves

2 cups converted long grain rice

1lb cooked and peeled shrimp

1lb smoked sausage (sliced) Andouille if you can get it.

1lb ham (cubed)

1⁄4 cup butter

1 cup yellow onion (chopped)

3⁄4 cup green bell pepper (chopped)

1⁄4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)

2 garlic cloves (minced)

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

1 large bay leaf

1⁄4 teaspoon thyme

2 teaspoons salt

1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot, cover chicken with water and add the celery, quartered onion, and the 4 cloves of garlic. Boil until tender, approximately 1 hour.

Reserve the stock. Remove the chicken from the bones & either cut, slice, cube or shred.

In 5 cups of stock, cook rice until liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes. The rice should be slightly moist.

In a Dutch oven, sauté the sausage and ham until slightly browned, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Remove the sausage and ham from the Dutch oven and set aside.

Add butter to Dutch oven and sauté the chopped onion, green bell pepper and parsley until tender, about 3 minutes.

Into the Dutch oven, add the chicken, sausage, ham, the 2 cloves of minced garlic, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper.

Mix, and then add the rice and the cooked shrimp and mix thoroughly. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, about 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve.

To find any recipe featured this month - use the search box and type: JambMar
To find any theme recipe from this year type: recipe2018

For 2018 the monthly recipe themes will be:
   January - Chicken Soup (ChickJan)
   February - Beef Stew (StewFeb)
   March - Jambalaya (JambMar)
   April - Ham & Shrimp Dishes
   May - Bread recipes
   June - Garden Delights
   July - Grilling
   August - Salsa, Corn and Jelly
   September - Squash Dishes
   October - Pumpkin Recipes
   November - Chili
   December - Herbal Cocktails

Valentine's Day: It's Not Just Chocolate and Roses

I have to admit that my two favorite Valentine herbs are chocolate (oh, yes, it's really an herb) and roses.  In fact I make a great black tea blend using both crushed chocolate and rose petals that I call “Valentine Lover's Tea.”   But there are actually many herbs that can help you celebrate the season of love.

Herb Lore 

Periwinkle (also called Vinca minor). It was believed that people who ate periwinkle leaves together would fall in love.

Honeysuckle. The scent of honeysuckle was thought to induce erotic dreams; hence, many parents forbade their daughters to bring it into the house.

Bay laurel. If you want to dream of your future lover, pin five bay leaves to the four corners and the center of your pillow, before you go to bed tonight. Be sure to repeat the traditional charm (it won't work if you don't) St. Valentine, be kind to me, in dreams let me my true love see.

Yarrow. A lady hoping to attract a reluctant lover was advised to walk through a patch of yarrow, barefoot at midnight under a full moon.  In the Language of Herbs, Yarrow means EVERLASTING LOVE, so giving it in a blend for bath may make the perfect Valentine gift.

Modern Love Herbs

Herbs have romantic meanings, and can bring a romantic touch to your Valentine's Day. Combine any of these special Love Herbs to tell the story of your love and devotion and enjoy an Herbal Valentine!

1. Basil 

Basil, with it's spicy scent, has meaning in the language of love. It's very meaning is LOVE.  Try this spicy sweet cocktail made with Lemon Basil:

Lemon Basil

Lemon Basil Tequila Cocktail
1 serving

2 parts Tequila
1 part premium Triple Sec
1/2 lemon
6 lemon basil leaves
1/2 part simple syrup
Club soda

Muddle lemon, basil and simple syrup in a chilled glass. Add ice, triple sec and tequila. Top with club soda. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

Basic Simple Syrup Recipe
makes approximately 1 1/2 cups

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved. Allow mixture to cool, then decant into a clean container with a tight-fitting lid. Keeps in the refrigerator for several weeks.

2. Calendula

According to the language of herbs, Calendula means JOY. What a lovely thing to say to your beloved. Add calendula to your teas of course, but how about a soothing treatment to make your skin shiny and soft for you special someone?

Special Calendula Facial

Petals of 2 calendula flowers (about 2 Tbls.)

2 Tbls. instant non-fat dry milk

1/3 c. boiling water

Combine the milk and flowers in the water and allow to steep for 5 to 7 minutes.  Remove herbs and use the mixture to wipe face or soak a cloth in the liquid and lay over face and relax for 5 minutes to let the calendula soften the skin and bring back a rosey complexion.

3. Thyme 

According to the language of herbs, Thyme brings with it the meaning of AFFECTION. Perfect for young love or deep friendship. What better way to express your devotion to someone, than to include a sprig of thyme in their Valentine?

Or you can try this thyme seasoned Red Soup –

Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup

2 ¼ pounds tomatoes, halved lengthwise

2 large red bell peppers, seeded and quartered

1 onion, cut into thick slices

4 large garlic cloves, peeled

2 Tbls. olive oil

1 tsp. fresh, ½ tsp. dried thyme

water

Preheat over to 450 degrees.  Arrange tomatoes (cut side up) bell peppers, onion, and garlic cloves on a large baking sheet.  Drizzle oil over, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.  Roast vegetables until brown and tender, turning peppers and onion occasionally about 40 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Cool.

Transfer vegetables and accumulated juices to food processor and all thyme.  Puree soup, gradually adding about 2 cups of water to thin soup to desired consistency.  Chill until cold, about 3 hours.  Can be prepared 1 day ahead.  Cover and keep refrigerated.  If soup becomes too thick, thin with water to desired consistency.  Serves 4.

4. Patchouli

The heady scent of Patchouli is not surprisingly included in a list of romance herbs. According to the Language of Herbs, Patchouli means PASSION. Associated with love, wealth, and sexual power, patchouli can be used in incense blends, potpourri, and ritual workings. To use patchouli to it's fullest extent, tuck some dried into small sleep pillows, or sachets. The rich, lusty scent, will entice your love to feel romantic.

Blessing Oil

Use 1/8 Cup base oil (like almond oil, walnut oil or even canola oil),

    then add the following:

5 drops Sandalwood

2 drops Camphor

1 drop Orange

1 drop Patchouli

5. Lavender (lavender sachet photo)

In the Language of Love, Lavender means DEVOTION and UNDYING LOVE. It is no surprise that lavender has always been considered the herb of love. It's delicious and romantic scent is loved by most of us.  Make a sachet and place it in the dryer with your bed sheets to infuse them in wonderful scent.

Or try one of these wonderful lavender creations:

Lavender Aioli

1 cup olive oil

6 cloves garlic, unpeeled and crushed

2 fresh sprigs lavender (leaves and flowers), bruised

3 eggs

1 Tbls. lemon juice

In a small saucepan, gently heat the oil with the garlic and lavender over low heat for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat just before it starts to bubble.  Allow to cool to room temperature.  With a sieve over a small bowl, strain the lavender oil, pressing with a spoon to extract soft solids from the garlic and lavender.  Discard herbs. 

In a food processor or blender, process the eggs and lemon juice until well blended.  With the motor running, add the lavender oil a few drops at a time, then in a thin, steady stream until all the oil is absorbed and the mixture is thickened.  Season to taste with salt and black pepper.  Refrigerate for up to 2 days or use immediately.  Aioli thickens on chilling.

Great on sandwiches, as a spread on toast and stirred into steamed vegetables.

Soothing Oat Bath

2 cups rolled oats, ground to a fine powder in the blender

1 cup baking soda

1 Tbls. dried Lavender buds

10 drops lavender essential oil

Grind 2 cups rolled oats to a fine powder in a blender then add baking soda, lavender flowers and lavender oil.  Add 1 to 2 Tbls. to a muslin bag and place in the bathtub while it is filling.  Squeeze the bag and relax into the water with your sweetie!

Weekend Recipe - Hungarian Baked Vegetable Stew

I love Hungarian sweet paprika.  Hungary is a place with a large number of sweet and chili peppers and they make a sweet paprika that has all the smokiness and robustness of paprika, but is sweeter than a paprika made from chili peppers.  I love it because I can eat it without causing a flair up of my rosacea.  It is a wonderful ingredient in meat rubs and marinades and I use it in Paprika Chicken Rub, Barbeque Spice Blend, Italian Dressing and Marinade and several other blends.  This recipe proves it is also good on vegetables.  I found this recipe in a great cookbook called Herbs in the Kitchen by Carolyn Dille and Susan Belsinger.  If you have a great number of root vegetables this is a wonderful wintertime baked dish you can serve as a main dish and it is perfect when the weather turns cold like it is this weekend here.  And freeze the extra, because it tastes better with age!

 Hungarian Baked Vegetable Stew 

•4 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 large shallots, diced
• 1 medium red or green sweet pepper, diced
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 or 4 bay leaves
• 1 pound potatoes
• 2 large carrots
• 2 turnips or parsnips
• 1 rutabaga, about 4 inches in diameter

• 1 Daikon radish
• 1 tart green apple
• 19-ounce can of chopped tomatoes
• About 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 
• 1 tablespoon light honey
• 2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika (you can also use BYP Paprika Chicken Rub)
• 1 chili pepper, ground or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3 cups rich red wine (of course a Hungarian Wine is best)
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over moderate heat and add shallot, pepper, and onion. Stir in the minced garlic and bay leaves, and cook for about 5 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350º F.  Wash, peel if necessary, and rough chop potatoes, carrots, turnips or parsnips, radish, rutabagas, and apple. Add to skillet along with tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes.  Stir in salt, paprika, chili pepper, parsley and red wine. Mix ingredients thoroughly and transfer to a lightly oiled earthenware or ceramic casserole. Cover and bake for 1 hour.  Reduce heat to 300º F and bake 1 hour longer. Remove the casserole from the oven and let stand, covered, for about 15 minutes. Serve in individual bowls, and pass with sour cream.

Once a Month Bath Recipe - Hard Days End Bath Blend

January is a hard month.  The recovery from the holidays as well as the cold and harsh winter weather in the north combine to make this month difficult for the skin and the mind.  A soothing bath will help to soothe these ills. Here is a perfect blend to create.

Hard Days End

• 1/2 Cup Lavender
• 1/2 Cup Uncooked Oatmeal
• 1/4 Cup Dry Orange Peel
• 1/2 Cup Chamomile
• 1/4 Cup Rosemary
• 12 Bay Leaves, Crushed

Mix any of the following blends as dry ingredients. Stir well and stuff a metal tea ball or muslin bag with the blend (lace or cotton fabric will also work). As you run your bath, place the tea ball or bag in the tub, under the running water. Then, relax and enjoy!

** Each month around the fourth, we post a bath salt, scrub, or other blend or recipe that you can make at home for your bath!

If you love Bath and Sap items, check them out on our website.

Day Before Thanksgiving Potpourri Simmer

Do you want your home to spell great when the guests arrive and set the stage for the holiday?

Try this --

Grab a small sauce pan or an old mug and a mug warmer.  Then slice 1/2 an orange and 1/2 a lemon.  Add ten cloves, two bay leaves, and two cinnamon sticks.  Add enough water to the container to cover.  Then simmer mixture on the stove or the warmer.  Add more ingredients as desired to keep your house smelling delightful for the holiday season even after Thanksgiving!

Come back Saturday to learn about our special Advent Calendar...

 

Herb of the Week - Bay laurel

An aromatic evergreen shrub native of the Mediterranean.  The plant has stiff, shiny green leaves with a sharp, slightly peppery flavor with a medium bitterness due to an inherent sweetness.  Reaching as high as 30 feet in height in is native land, in most of the United States we grow it in pots and to makes it to 3 feet or so at most.

I am talking about Bay Laurel - this week's Herb of the Week!

The leaves of the Bay Tree (Laurus nobilis) are 1 to 2 inches long and 1 ½ inches wide, with a characteristic finely serrated and wrinkled margin. Since you need a male and female plant to produce seed, most do not.  Bay Laurel is the source of the bay leaves which are used for their flavor in cooking. It was also the source of the laurel wreath of ancient Greece, and therefore the expression of "resting on one's laurels." A wreath of bay laurels was given as the prize at the Pythian Games because the games were in honor of Apollo and the laurel was one of his symbols ever since his unsuccessful pursuit of Daphne. In the Bible, the sweet-bay is often an emblem of prosperity and fame. In Christianity it is said to symbolize the Resurrection of Christ and the triumph of Humanity thereby. It is also the source of the word baccalaureate (laurel berry), and of poet laureate.

Bay can be a natural insect deterrent. Try putting some dried leaves in the flour or sugar bowl, with whole grains, or stuff them in the clean toe of an old pair of stockings and use as a sachet in pantries. You could even tape some leaves to the sides of kitchen cupboards, drawers and shelves.

Making Bay Thrive

Bay is a container plant in most regions of the US and Canada because it is outdoor hardy only up to Zone 8.  The good news is it does very well in container and can be moved indoors in the winter.  Find a nice bay plant at a local nursery and bring it home.  They will grow in the shade outdoors, but since light is reduced inside, keep them in a sunny window and feed them with a top dressing of ½ inch of well-aged compost when new grow appears in the spring.  Harvest the leaves to use fresh or dried in the kitchen.  Because potted bay plants are prone to developing scale insect infestations, move them outdoors in summer so beneficial insects can feed on the scale.  You will need a horticulture oil spray to control it if it develops indoors in winter.

To Use

Bay seasons slowly, so it should be added at the beginning of cooking.  Used whole it can be removed or left in foods, but should not be eaten.  Crumbled or crushed bay leaves should be enclosed in a bag or tea ball, as they can still be sharp and can injure the intestines.  Bay is wonderful flavoring for fish or meat stock, soups and sauces, and goes well with port and beef roasts.

This herb is indispensable for pickling and can make an ordinary stew extraordinary.  It brings out the savory flavor of meats in all its forms, oven or pot roasted, goulash, corned beef, lamb, kidneys, and beef stock.  Bay will accent the goodness of most tomato dishes.  Add one leaf to a can of tomato soup for a wonderful flavor.  Add a few pay leaves to the skewer when making beef or lamb kabobs.  Give canned vegetables a lift by adding one to cooking water, especially with asparagus, green beans, carrots, beets and kidney beans.  Even boiled potatoes can come out of the ordinary with a bay leave added to the water before cooking.

One leaf if usually ample for meat dishes, soups or gravies.  Two small leaves in the bottom of a pan provides just the right flavor for pot roasted beef and gravy.  Delightful in fish and seafood sauces use one leaf with peppercorns to a tomato based sauce for cod.

Recipes

Pasta with Marinara Sauce

2 garlic cloves, sliced

1/3 cup olive oil

3 Tbls. minced fresh parsley (or 1 ½ Tbls. dried)

3 Tbls. minced onion

1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained

2 bay leaves

Pinch salt & pepper

1 Tbls. chopped fresh basil

Cooked Pasta

In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté garlic in oil for 3 minutes.  Add parsley, onion, tomatoes, bay, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add basil. Serve over pasta.  Serves 4.

Bay Blend for Meat & Poultry
3 parts powdered bay leaf
2 parts rubbed sage
2 parts dried savory
1 part dried marjoram
1 part dried thyme
1 part dried basil
1 part dried rosemary
½ part garlic powder
½ part onion powder

Mix all ingredients. Store in lidded container. Rub into meat or poultry before roasting or broiling.

One of my favorite places to use Bay in mixes at the Backyard Patch is in Bouquet Garni.  It is also an important ingredient in my Beauy Monde Seasoning.  If you want to try either one, please visit the Backyard Patch e-store!