Introducing a new Tea Blend - Fruit Infusion

Today we will be at the Elmhurst Garden Walk and Faire 9 AM to 4 PM.  Please stop by and see us.  One of the items we are debuting this summer is a tea made with fruit and herbs,  It is a departure for me to make a tea with fruit, but I found an organic supplier of the items to make it and felt it was finally time to combine my fresh dried herbs with some fruit to make an entirely different taste.

I named the tea Fruit Infusion as it has a combination of different fruits and herbs and it contains: blueberries, cranberries, goji berries, and pear along with hibiscus, chamomile, blackberry leaf, borage, lemon and orange peel.

When brewed it is a lovely shade of pinkish/red with a flavor that tastes of  berries and with hints of apple and citrus.Goji berries and blueberries are super fruits that are high in antioxidants and other wonderful flavonoids that boost immunity, reverser aging and many other beneficial attributes. Blackberry leaf and borage are high in vitamins A & C and anti-inflammatory herbs that can help with management of arthritis, diabetes and other chronic illnesses.

Today in Elmhurst we will have zip seal bags of this brand new blend for the discounted price of  $4.00 or you can buy them on the website with this link.

And if you stop at the booth we will be sampling the perfect Summer iced tea, that I made last year. It contains lemon grass, hibiscus, lavender, rose hips, orange peel and some cooling peppermint. We title this one Summer Surprise and it is getting rave reviews across several states!

Christmas Cocktail- Cranberry Orange

The perfect flavors of the holiday season include cranberries and oranges.  I found a dozen recipes on Pinterest using cranberries for a holiday drink.  I love cranberry and my hubby came home with two large boxes of mandarin oranges from a fundraising sale.  These are the tangerines that are sold under brand names like Cuties.  They are quick and easy to peel and just the right size for a snack.  They are also perfect for sweetening and taking the edge off of tart cranberry. 

Cranberry Christmas Cocktail

1 mandarin orange (Cuties)

8 large ice cubes

1 ½ cups Cranberry juice

1 12 oz. can ginger ale

And a good pour of Rye Whiskey

Place everything in a blender and run until ice is crushed. Garnish with a couple fresh cranberries or a skewer of candied cranberries.  You can leave out the whiskey to make it a mocktail or substitute prosecco or other sparkling wine to make it more bubbly.

Pour into a glass strained or unstrained. This recipe makes about 30 ounces or 5 6-ounce servings.

To find the rest of the Herbal Cocktails posted this month use the search code MOCKDEC, or for any of the 2018 monthly recipe themes use these search terms:

  January - Chicken Soup (ChickJan)  February - Beef Stew (StewFeb)

  March - Jambalaya (JambMar)

  May - Ham and Shrimp Dishes (ShrHamMay)

  June - Bread recipes (BreadJun)

  July - Grilling (GrillJul)

  August- Garden Delights (GardAug)

  September - Salsa, Corn and Jelly (SCJSep)

  October - Squash Dishes  (SquashOct)

  November - Pumpkin Recipes (PumpNov)

  December - Herbal Cocktails (MockDec)

Acorn Squash Dessert

To end the month of squash, I thought I would share a recipe for something unusual, like a dessert.  The natural sweetness of Acorn Squash make them perfect for a dessert dish and this recipe with cranberries makes it amazingly seasonal. The added plus is it is vegetarian too.

                                                       

Acorn squash can be a little difficult to cut in half, but they are worth it in flavor. Use a sharp knife to slice in half.

Acorn Squash Dessert with cranberries and walnuts

With each spoonful try to catch a little bit of everything, the walnuts, the cranberries and some of the syrup built up at the bottom of the squash. If it is not sweet enough, add a spoon of honey. Enjoy!

1 Acorn Squash, cut in half
1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1/2 cup cranberries, frozen or fresh
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons savory, crumbled
2 tablespoons butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F. Toss to combine walnuts, cranberries, savory and brown sugar. Cut each acorn squash in half. Remove and discard seeds.  Split the mixture between two halves of the squash. Top with 1 tablespoon butter each half. Place in a baking dish, loosely cover with foil and bake in a for 1 hour 15 minutes, to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until fork inserted into the squash goes in easily. Remove from the oven, place on a plate and serve right away.

To find any recipe featured this month - use the search box and type: SquashOct

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)

   May - Ham and Shrimp Dishes (ShrHamMay)

   June - Bread recipes (BreadJun)

   July - Grilling (GrillJul)

   August- Garden Delights (GardAug)

   September - Salsa, Corn and Jelly (SCJSep)

   October - Squash Dishes  (SquashOct)

   November - Pumpkin Recipes 

   December - Herbal Cocktails 

Upside Down French Toast - Weekend Recipe

This is a Tyler Florence recipe that I adapted with my Cinnful Dessert Blend.  I will say, make sure you make this is in a well-seasoned cast iron pan or dutch over, because contact with unseasoned cast iron makes cranberries turn black.  We used a dutch oven which is coated so that would not happen.

Upside Down French Toast

4 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon Backyard Patch Cinnful Dessert Blend
1/2 loaf challah bread, cut into 1 inch-thick slices
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 cup light brown sugar, plus more for sprinkling, divided
4 Granny Smith apples
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Confectioners' sugar, garnish, optional

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a flat dish, crack eggs and add milk, vanilla extract and cinnamon. Whisk until well combined then lay challah slices in mixture to coat and absorb it all, turning occasionally.

Set a 10-inch skillet, seasoned cast iron if you have, over medium heat. Add the butter and 1 cup sugar and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar has melted and caramelized, about 8 minutes. While the sugar is melting, peel apples, core and cut into halves. Remove from heat and gently whisk in the heavy cream. Sprinkle in the pecans, dried cranberries and gently press in the apple halves so there is a flat surface. Lay soaked slices of challah over the top so it is completely covered - you should be able to arrange the large slices and small slices so there are no gaps. Sprinkle the top with some brown sugar and place into the preheated oven. Bake in the middle of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is golden and puffy.

When done, allow to cool for 2 to 3 minutes then invert onto a large plate. Dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired, and serve.

How Tuesday - Lighted Potpourri Jar

This is such a great item to make quickly and place in the bathroom.  It is festive, holiday themed and leaves a great scent when you have guests in the delicate room!

How to -

Step one - Gather your supplies.  You will need:

• 1 wide mouth 1 quart canning jar
• 1 string of 20 to 30 christmas lights (I got mine from the dollar store)
• potpourri
• two rubber bands
• a paper or cloth doily

Step two - Potpourri

       I suggest making your potpourri rather than buying it, but in the essence of time, you can get some store-made at your local hobby center.  Here is recipe for seasonal potpourri if you want to try your hand at homemade.

Potpourri for the Holiday

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 2-3 cinnamon sticks, crushed
• 1 to 3 star anise, broken is fine
• 1 tablespoon cardamom pods, crushed
• 2 teaspoons whole cloves
• 1/4 cup candied ginger or 1/8 cup dried ginger root pieces
• Needles from a pine branch, or from one sprig of rosemary (about 1 tsp. dried rosemary)
• 5 to 7 slices of dried orange
• 1 to 2 tsp dried mint leaves
• 1 Tbls. dried bay leaves

Combine ingredients in a jar and shake to blend.  Store in the jar for a few days to meld the scents.

Use as the potpourri in this project or add 1 cup mixture to a medium saucepan and fill 3/4 full with water and use as a potpourri simmer on the stove.

Step three - Fill the jar with lights and potpourri

Place a layer (about 1 inch deep) of potpourri in the bottom of the quart jar.  Thread in the lights and arrange on top of the potpourri.  Plug them in while you are working so you can see your progress. 

Add more potpourri as you thread in the lights and arrange the lights and potpourri artfully so you can enjoy the lights and the colors of the potpourri together.

Top off the jar with potpourri, leaving the tail end of the light cord outside the jar.

Step four - top the jar

Place a rubberband around the top of the jar to hold the string of lights in place over the rim.  Add the doily to the top and, using the second rubber band, secure the doily in place.   Now you have a scent opening.  Tie a bit of ribbon around the rubber band to cover it.

Step five - plug in to final resting place and enjoy!

We also had the one with the multi-color lights on the book shelf in the livingroom.

National Eat a Cranberry Day

Today, November 27, is National Eat a Cranberry Day

This year it falls after Thanksgiving, but I bet you still have some leftovers don't you?

Cranberries are a very useful and versatile berry.  Grown in bogs in New England and Wisconsin, I often vacation in Wisconsin cranberry country.  Native Americans applied crushed cranberries to wounds.  We now know that Cranberries contain hippuric acid, which has antibacterial effects on the body, as well as natural antibiotic ingredients, which would make it perfect for treating wounds.  The berries were also used them to treat scurvy, a disease caused by a lack of vitamin C.  Mariners in the 18th century carried a large supply of cranberries on their voyages to treat this illness.  It was much easier than trying to keep oranges.

There is a great museum with Native American and Cranberry History in in Sawyer County Wisconsin.  The Sawyer County Historical Society just moved into a new building, but when we last visited they had a lot of things in a small space and a great collection of vintage snow mobiles.

More recently, these tart red berries have been shown to prevent urinary tract infections, reduce the risk of kidney stones, and help fight gingivitis. For a peck of great-tasting cranberry recipes check out the Wisconsin Cranberry Growers Association website. 

I love making things with cranberries and have posted recipes previously.  You can check out my highly recommended cranberry sauce here. And we have a set of recipes and other things you can do with cranberries for the holiday here.

Enjoy this amazing fruit on its special day!

How to make Stuffing

1. Cook vegetables, fruits, herbs and/or meat in butter, then add broth.
2. Toss with beaten eggs and cubed bread.
3. Transfer to a buttered baking dish and dot with butter or drippings. Bake, covered, at 375 degrees F, 30 minutes; uncover and bake until golden, about 30 more minutes (or cook the cooled stuffing in the turkey).

Here are two variations on that theme that you might like to try this year.

Cranberry-Apple Stuffing

Melt 1 stick butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 chopped apples and 1 cup dried cranberries with 2 cups each diced onions and celery and 1 tablespoon each minced sage and thyme; add salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes. Add 3 cups turkey or chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Beat 2 eggs with 1/4 cup chopped parsley in a large bowl; add 16 cups cubed stale white bread, then pour in the vegetable-broth mixture and toss. Transfer to a buttered baking dish and dot with butter. Cover and bake 30 minutes at 375 degrees F; uncover and bake until golden, 30 more minutes. (Or stuff in your turkey and bake.)

Bourbon-Pecan Stuffing

Melt 1 stick butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cups each diced onions and celery and 1 tablespoon each minced sage and thyme; add salt and pepper and cook 3 minutes. Add 2 chopped pears, 1 cup chopped pecans and 1/2 cup bourbon to the cooked vegetables and cook another 2 minutes. Add 3 cups turkey or chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Beat 2 eggs with 1/4 cup chopped parsley in a large bowl; add 16 cups cubed stale white bread, then pour in the vegetable-broth mixture and toss. Transfer to a buttered baking dish and dot with butter. Cover and bake 30 minutes at 375 degrees F; uncover and bake until golden, 30 more minutes. (Or stuff in your turkey and bake.)

Healing with Herbs - a new Twist

I get on a kick each fall about my health.  Most people do this either at the beginning of the year or when they realize summer is around the corner and exercising is more fun in the summer.  I do it when I finally slow down after the growing season begins to wain.  I look at my garden and start making plans for next year and I do the same with myself.  I bought a car two years ago in December and as a result I stopped riding my bicycle everywhere I wanted to go.  As a result I have put on weight.  I spend too much time, blogging, I think (wink wink!)

So part of my plans for rejuvenating me are to increase the use of healthy herbs for my immune system and general health in my average day.  That requires working with my chef (I mean hubby) to use certain herbs for certain things.  Last week I saw my opening when he asked for tea and PBS Mystery! and I was able to serve one of my own blends  “Tea Time Tea.” He loved it and drank a whole pot.  Now I have the opening to introduce several new ideas in the kitchen.

This is what I am going to start with:

1.      A few teas to have in the morning.  Not sure I can get him to give up coffee, but I never have drunk the stuff….

2.      Add a few herbs more regularly to the cooking repertoire.

3.      Include some fall fruits in our menu.

Teas

Now I have touted the benefits of green tea for years (even before it was popular)  I make three green tea and herb blends, but finally I pulled all my resources together to determine just how good it was for me.  This is the result.  Green tea helps burn fat, protects against heart disease, help lower blood pressure, help protect against diabetes, it can kill bacteria so help prevent food poisoning, It prevents the growth of dangerous intestinal bacterial strains such as clostridia and E. coli and promotes the growth of friendly bifidobacteria (you recognize that from the commercials right?) which protect against cancer, improves your immunity, protect against Alzheimer’s disease and can help fight allergies!  Since all those items play in the lives of my husband and myself I decided that perhaps when he makes his morning coffee I will have my first cup of tea at home.

Now in the winter a robust tea on a cold day is a must on an Illinois evening.  I love chai tea for that.  A Chai tea with its spices including Cinnamon and Nutmeg can aid digestion, improve circulation, boost the immune system and reduce inflammation.  My circulation is not good and once the evening temps drop below 65 my feet turn to ice, so anything that can improve circulation and work as an anti-inflammatory will be an aid to my winter.

Herbs

My father and I love the flavor of licorice which made fennel a popular herb for me, but not so much with other people I know, however, when I discovered that it helps regulate the healthy levels of cholesterol in the blood stream, I started to preserve the leaves and seeds in new ways.  It is a rich source of potassium and for those who cannot eat bananas due to diabetes and other drug interactions, fennel may be a nice alternative.  You also get the anti flatulent qualities too!

bronze fennel with swiss chard

Potassium, by the way, is an essential nutrient in our bodies and can help prevent heart disease, strokes and heart attacks.

Garlic has many properties for goodness and health.  This will be the easiest item to get incorporated into my diet.  The hubby loves garlic and onions. Garlic is another heart healthy herb.  It protects the heart against cardiovascular problems like heart attacks and atherosclerosis. Garlic has the ability to moderately lower our blood triglycerides and total cholesterol and reduce arterial plaque formation. Daily intake of garlic has been found to lower risk of most types of cancer. This anti-cancer property is due to allyl sulphides found in garlic.  Garlic is great at combating colds and flu as well due to full of antibacterial and antiviral properties.

One of my favorite herbs (second only to lemon verbena) is thyme.  Thyme contains anti-inflammatory properties and may help prevent chronic inflammation of the body. Thyme has antibacterial properties which are proven to help fight a variety of bacteria and fungi, including E.coli. That is why thyme vinegar is a must in our household cleaning.  Thyme can also help to improve bone health as it is an excellent source of vitamin K and a good source of iron, calcium and manganese which are all essential to promoting proper bone growth.

I read a study that said thyme was effective at fighting the bacteria that causes skin acne so I will be trying some in a salve this winter too. The antioxidant protection of thyme combined with its anti-inflammatory effects help to prevent cardiovascular disease as chronic inflammation is one of the leading causes of heart disease. With all this going for it, not only do I like to use thyme (lemon thyme) in teas, but I also love to cook with it.  This year we made an herb paste with it so we could freeze fresh thyme in cubes and add them to dishes while cooking in the winter.

Fruits

Fall is also the season for Cranberries.  I am missing the Cranberry Festival in Warren, Wisconsin http://www.cranfest.com/ that is taking place this weekend.  Cranberry juice is widely known as a treatment for bladder and urinary tract infections, however so much of the cranberry juice on the market is filled with sugar that then promotes the growth of bacteria they cancel each other out.  Instead I find other ways to eat cranberries.  Dried in scones, dried or fresh in tea, fresh in salads and jells.  In a tea cranberry is widely recognized as containing powerful anti-oxidant properties. You can use the drinking of this tea to help prevent and slow the progression of the gum disease, or gingivitis.   Cranberries are also said to protect the vital organs, such as the heart, from falling prey to free radical damage.  They, like green tea, are very high in anti-oxidants.  If you can keep away oxygenation of the cells you live longer, stay healthier and feel better.

The cranberry contains organic acids that actually eat away at fat deposits in the liver and kidney, flushing them out of the system. Regular intake in combination of a healthy diet can result in weight loss & can be used to cure urinary tract infections through its ability to filter the system.

This year, my goals of improving my eating through use of herbs and teas is going to be the best and easiest way to keep me healthy through the winter and give me the energy needed to ride that bicycle that goes nowhere.  I’ll keep you updated and share the recipes we create.

Weekend Recipe - Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry Sauce

This fall specialty is perfectly enhanced with a few herbs and spices.  And this is a truly easy recipe to whip up for the big day especially because you make it a day before you serve it so that it can chill and set.

2 cups water

2 cups sugar

4 cups cranberries (1 lb. package)

1 Tbls. grated orange zest

½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. almond extract

1 ½ tsp. lemon balm

Bring water and sugar to a boil.  Boil for three minutes.  Add cranberries and return to boil. Boil until berries pop (about 5 to 7 minutes.)  Mix in the spices and seasonings and stir well.  Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerator until completely cool.  Serve the next day.

If you have Backyard Patch Cinnful Dessert Blend, you can substitute that for the Cinnamon and Nutmeg called for the in this recipe!

Herb of the Week (sorta) Ginger!

Ginger Snaps a Holiday Tradition!

I have been looking for a ginger snap recipe that is reminiscent of the one we used to make when I was a kid.  This is not exactly like that, as using cranberries never occurred to my family, but the flavor is the closest I’ve found and I think it is the combination of both ground and grated ginger that does it.  Ginger is a long giving flavor, so you will have an entirely different cookie when these are stored and eaten later than you will when they pop warm from the oven.  Enjoy!

Cranberry Gingersnaps

(makes 5 dozen)

Ingredients

·         2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

·         1 teaspoon baking soda

·         1 teaspoon ground ginger

·         1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·         1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

·         3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter or margarine, softened

·         1 egg

·         2 tablespoons peeled grated fresh ginger

·         1/4 cup molasses

·         1/2 cup dried cranberries

·         1/4 cup sugar

1.      Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.      Combine the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.

3.      In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together the brown sugar and butter on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, grated ginger, and molasses, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce the speed to low and mix in the flour until a dough forms. Mix in the cranberries.

4.      Pour the sugar in a small bowl. Roll level tablespoons of the dough into balls, then roll the balls in the sugar to evenly coat.

5.      Arrange the cookie balls about 1 1/2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake on the center rack of the oven until the cookies flatten and darken slightly, about 14 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Allow the baking sheet to cool before adding another batch of cookie balls, or use multiple baking sheets and alternate the pans with each batch.

Just a reminder we are almost half-way in the advent calendar presentation, so stop by and check out the herbal recipes, crafts and tips we are sharing daily.  Click here!