Play the Game Tangle - Indoor Craft with Scented Herbs

Below I will be giving you instructions for making a simple game like Twister with an herbal twist.  And the best part is you make it from recycled materials.  It is actually part of my kids program called "Play-it-Again Games." 

If you needs some calming and some activity, then this is a great game to play.  It is raining here for the third day in a row, so there is no outside play going on, so to keep from becomeing couch / computer potatoes, my hubby and I decided to try the game after I made it.

What this really caused was a great deal of laughing, because my husband and I are not as limber as we thought we were.  Thank goodness there is no photographic evidence.

Make the Game of Tangle

All you need is:
 2 milk or juice cartons
 Scissors
6 colors of construction paper
Glue

Steps to Create Tangle Game:
      1.                Cut 2 squares boxes from carton bottoms.

     2.                Cut a slit at one corner of one box 

 3.   Create a combo of aromatic herbs in any amount inside one box.  Use about 2 to 3 Tablespoons of mixed herbs. Roses, lavender, lemon herbs mints, etc.  

If you do not have herbs, but have some essential or perfume or potpourri oil, place a few drops and some scraps of paper.

4.  Push the 2 boxes together with the scented items inside.  They fit tightly, no glue required.  When you shake it (toss it,) the herbs stay inside, but give off their scent.

5.              Trace the sides of the box onto 6 different colors of construction paper.

6.              Cut out 5 squares of each color.

7.              Glue one square of each color onto the 6 sides of the cube, creating a colored die.

The splash of almond milk makes it look like I poured glue on the box, but that is actually a glue stick, which worked perfectly.  I smoothed the paper over the glue putting one color on each side until entirely covered creating a color dice.

Now you are ready to play the game.  The entire process took me about 15 minutes, so you can have a game ready in no time.

TO PLAY TANGLE – 2 to 6 players

1.   Find a clear space on the floor for play.

2.   Scatter the paper squares (4 of each color) on the floor.

3.   Roll the colored dice once.  The color on top is the color to use.  

4.   Try to get both hands and both feet on the matching color in the scatter on the floor.

5.   Try not to get too tangled. I put the phone down and hubby and I tried the game.  With me getting blue first and him getting red, he had to stretch over me to reach his colors and when I tossed the dice for my next color we ended up in a pile on the floor laughing!

6.   Play continues with other members of the team. If you have more than 4 players, you can work with 2 squares instead of 4 for each person and alternate hands and feet.  Have fun!

Still More Edible Gifts

Prepping for the Holiday

Wrap up some bread pans, bread mixes and flavored butters or spreads tied up in a table cloth or apron. 

Here is another idea for a bread basket that is a bit easier than baking bread.  Make seasoned pita chips.  In a basket provide several packages of pitas, a bottle of olive oil and a seasoning mixture in a shaker made with this recipe.

Seasoned Pita Chips

4 pitas, cut in 8 wedges

3 Tbls. extra virgin olive oil

Shaker of seasoning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Arrange pita wedges on a rimmed baking sheet.  Brush top of each wedge with olive oil.  Sprinkle seasoning mixture evenly over wedges.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until nicely toasted but not hard.

Possible Shaker seasonings:

Blend #1

1 Tbls. sea salt

1 tsp. dried dill

¼ tsp. black pepper

Blend #2

Backyard Patch Pizza Seasoning

or Backyard Patch Pesto Blend

Blend #3

2 Tbls. Parmesan Cheese

2 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. basil

Products we recommend if you do not have time to make your own:

Cornbread in a Can (a savory cornbread mix you prepar in the ribbed can provided).

Lemon Tea Bread

Lemon Cream Scones

Scottish Shortbread

Friendship (chocolate chip) Scones

Cardamom Scones

Jam Surprise Muffin Mix

Spiced Right Pan-Fried Potatoes - Weekend recipe

Today - Saturday - I am giving a program at the Northshore Unitarian Church in Deer field, Illinois.

It is a cooking demo for which I will post a few photos this coming week.  I sent a few recipes in advance which volunteers will make for the event, and I am making samples for the participants.  This recipe is one of those I sent ahead and the herb blend that is part of it was one of the samples guests received.  So this weekend you can enjoy the same recipe we will be enjoying in Deerfield.

Have a great weekend!

 Spiced Right Pan-fried Potatoes 

Yield:  4-6 servings 

2 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon olive oil

4 medium baking potatoes, peeled

3 tsp. Basic Potato Blend, divided (recipe below)

additional salt, if desired 

Directions:

Melt the butter with the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Carefully slice the potatoes directly into the skillet, cutting random thin pieces.  Season with 2 teaspoons of the potato blend and salt to taste, if using.  Use a spatula to mix well and stir the potatoes regularly as they begin to brown.  After 5 minutes or so, reduce the heat to medium; cover.  Continue to cook and stir. When the potatoes are cooked through, season with remaining teaspoon of potato blend; cook and stir for another minute.  Serve hot.   You can keep these warm in a baking dish covered with foil.  These can be made in advance and reheated.  Save the remaining seasoning to toss into the potatoes after reheating.

Basic Potato Blend 

2 Tablespoons dried parsley

1 teaspoon Sweet paprika

3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon garlic granules

3/4 teaspoon onion granules

½ teaspoon rosemary

½ teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon dillweed 

Measure all ingredients into a small jar. Shake well to mix. 

Seasons about 5 pounds of potatoes.   

 I adapted the above recipe from Sandra Bowens which I originally found at www.apinchof.com

Five Benefits of Herbal Tea

Whether you want to shed some few pounds or simply desire to have good heath, herbal tea is definitely good for you. Herbal tea is a great substitute if you find drinking mineral water plain. Make sure you drink five glasses every day to relish all the benefits. Here are five top reasons  (one for each cup of tea) why you should drink herbal tea.

1. Great for weight loss

Herbal tea has been known to help in losing weight. This is a popular topic, reason being that teas can actually help in weight loss as they increase the body’s metabolism thus improving your blood circulation, cholesterol level and ultimately enhances cardiovascular health.

2. Prevents Cancer

People who drink herbal tea are less susceptible to lung cancer and other common diseases. Believe it or not, research indicates that herbal tea helps to treat stroke, heart ailments and even certain cancers.  But it could also be the lifestyle those that drink tea tend to adopt?!

3. Cures stomach ailments

If you suffer from frequent stomach ailments, try drinking at least a cup of tea every day after your meals. Herbal tea reduces the acids in the stomach and therefore digestion takes place ably.  Ginger and any of the mints can quiet digestive ailments.

4. Enhances the immune system

According to recent scientific studies, herbal teal strengthens the body’s immune system to ensure you are not prone to flu and other lung diseases. With a strong immune system, your body now has the ability to repair and regenerate the damage cells rapidly.  Echinacea is said to be a marginal assist with this, but germ fighters like lemon grass, thyme and sage will certain help.  And a bit of extra Vitamin C you get from parsley and rosehips cannot hurt either.

5. Reduces stress

When your work and lifestyle seems stressful, drink one cup of tea. It is relaxing and therefore very effective at minimizing stress levels.  Lavender and chamomile will both help your body calm down in stressful situations.

On the other hand, herbal tea has been known to interfere with medication, so always consult your physician. For instance, it prevents proper absorption of iron in the gut. Herbal tea is also considered an expensive habit, especially if you become addicted, like me – it could lead to large gardens and tea pot collections and many other bad habits.

Weekend Recipe - Herb Flower Salad

This weekend it is to be so hot and right before the grilling event of the summer, that I thought I would share a quick salad recipe with you.  You can make this as a meal by serving over a chicken breast, or as a side salad.  It is the perfect way to enjoy all the blooming flowers in your herb garden.

Herb Flower Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

2 Nasturtium flowers and 8 leaves

6 red clover blossoms

6 to 8 young plantain leaves

2 stalks lambs quarter greens and seeds

12 pepper grass leaves

    you can use kale instead

2 purple mustard leaves

    you can use kale instead

6 catnip leaves

6 violet leaves

4 dandelion leaves

Dressing

½ cup good olive oil

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

      add about 1 to 2 tsp. lemon thyme or lemon basil, crumbled dry or minced fresh.

 

Gently toss the flowers and herbs in a bowl.  Prepare dressing by combining ingredients in a jar and shaking briskly.  Toss with greens just before serving.  To add texture to the salad, drop in some slivered almonds or plain roasted nuts.  To give it strength mince in some fresh garlic.  

Don't Forget your last days to comment and get into the drawing for some citrus bath salts is June 30th.  See this post for details.

Herbal Beverages for Summer

Summer has finally decided to stay in Illinois. (We were not sure for a while there.)

My sister-in-law and her husband were just in for a visit and she & I had to go shopping for flavored selzer water because she cannot get her favorite brand since moving to Wisconsin from Chicago.  That got me to thinking about summer-time drinks.  I tend to drink sugar-free fruit drinks in the winter, but come summer I lean to iced teas and lemonade.

Lavender Lemonade

Lemonade is a summertime classic. We dress it up and make it unique by adding lavender to the recipe. Start by steeping a handful of lavender flowers in 2 cups water for about 10 minutes. Strain out the buds and use the remaning liquid with water as you make lemonade.   And that can be any kind of lemonade, both freshly squeezed lemons and sugar or the powdered stuff. To make it special, garnish the glasses with a sprig of lavender.  I have also used Backyard Patch Lemon Lavender Splash Tea to do this as well.  Just make 2 cups of tea and continue as above.  The Lemon Balm in the tea only enhances the Lemonade.

Quick Gingerale

A homemade ginger ale is simple to make and tastes better than what you can buy at the store. Make a simple syrup by combining one cup of water and one cup of sugar and bringing it to a a boil. Chop one large rhizome of ginger root into small pieces add it to the syrup, then simmer for 15 minutes. Allow the syrup to cool and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. If you prefer to strain out the ginger pieces, do it while the syrup is still warm. However, leaving the pieces in will continue to intensify the flavor. Add 2 tablespoons syrup to a glass filled with ice.  Fill the glass with club soda and stir. Store the syrup in the fridge for up to a week.

Flavored 7-up or Gingerale

My husband loves gingerale.  A dash of bitters in a tall glass of gingerale with ice and he is quite refreshed.  If you want to add a colorful, flavorful items to store bought 7-up or Gingerale, try this:  Add 3 or 4 tea bags of your favorite fruit tea to a bottle of gingerale. Be sure to tighten the top of the bottle back down to keep the carbonation in the soda. Allow to steep for at about an hour. Serve over ice.  I have used Citrus and Cinnamon Black Tea to flavor gingerale.

Best Backyard Patch Iced Teas

Not all herbs give great flavor when iced, but mints, flowers and sweet herbs tend to work best.  I have experimented with all my herbal teas, trying them hot, cold and as a syrup.  The results include these three best summer-time iced teas: Rest Easy, Calming Spirit and Rose Blush.  We even market them as Sun Teas in large tea bags for summer brewing.

Syrup Iced Tea Base

If you or your family prefer traditional iced tea, try making a simple syrup of equal parts honey and water.  Place the honey and water in a sauce pan and heat until the honey is dissolved and liquid.  Add herbs or tea bags to steep in the syrup after removing it from the heat.  While it is still warm, strain out the herbs or tea bags.  To use the syrup add 1 to 2 Tablespoons per cup of water and ice. You can also add a splash of lemon juice to the glass for added flavor.  The syrup can be kept in the refrigerator for about 1 week.

Easy Chessy -- Artisanal Cheeses

This week is National Herb Week, deemed so by the International Herb Association back in 1995.  This week we will have a post everyday to help you explore herbs more fully.  I am going to start with how do you become familiar with cooking with the herbs.

I once planned to be a linguist, and I still have a fascination with words, especially those that come and go in popularity and roll off the tongue sounding unique.  One of the new phrases to say is easy peasy.  I think it is on par with peachy keen which was popular when I was in high school, much to my mother’s annoyance.  Another word that seems to be popular these days is “artisanal.”  That is just a fancy word for something in the food world that is out of the ordinary and considered upscale.  So today I took liberty with the both of these and create this post – Easy Cheesy Atrisanal Cheeses.

Cheese is one of the best ways to grasp the unique flavors of herbs and how they work blended together.  You can start with simple and easy to get cream cheese then expand to the more exotic and “artisanal” cheeses.

When I test an herb blend I first blend it in to cream cheese.  I actually use the low fat cream cheese called neufchatel. (doesn’t that sound “artisial?”)  Neufchatel, because it is lower in fat, is less likely to mask the flavors of the herbs so I can tell if a blend is right.  With more herb flavor you don’t miss the fat either which is a nice trade off.  If an herb blend tastes good in cream cheese it is simply impossible for it to taste bad when used elsewhere.  However keeping the following information I mind will help you not to make blends you dislike from the very first bite:

Strong flavors – I call these pungent and include herbs like rosemary, sage, cilantro, garlic and the like among the strong flavors.  These herbs can overpower anything if overused.  Never use two pungent herbs in one blend because they tend to fight one another.

Mild Herbs – I call these the savory herbs.  Savory herbs are the gentle flavors we expect when we say herb seasonings, these would include thyme, savory, oregano, parsley, basil, tarragon, onion, and so forth.

Sweet herbs – sweet is a relative term in relation to herbs, because we are not talking about a flavor that is sweet like sugar but something that takes away acidic tastes or leaves a lingering lightness on the palate.  These would include, dill, lemon balm, lemon and orange peels, fruit leaves like raspberry and blackberry, scented geranium leaves, and any lemon herbs.

When you start blending go for a combination that includes one of each category, or two savories and a sweet or two sweets and a savory. Or even 3 savories, although I do not recommend three sweets unless you are making a fruit dish.

If you just want to dive into crafting artisanal cheese, here are a few recipes that can be made with Herb Mixes from the Backyard Patch.

Fine Herb Soufflé

3 Tbls. dry bread crumbs

¼ cup milk

8 large eggs, separated

4 Tbls. Backyard Patch Fines Herbes

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

1 ¼ cups shredded Gruyere cheese

2 Tbls. unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, stir bread crumbs into milk and soak until mixture becomes pasty, 10 to 15 minutes.  Whisk in egg yolks, herbs, salt and pepper.   Stir in ¾ cup of the cheese.

About 20 minutes before serving.  Beat egg whites with an electric mixer until they form very soft peaks.  Scoop whites into yolk mixture and quickly fold them in.  Heat a 12 inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat.  Add butter and swirl until melted and sizzling.  Pour batter into the pan and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Immediately put skillet into middle rack of oven and back 15 to 17 minutes or until puffed and deeply browned.  Serve soufflé immediately, using a large spoon to scoop it onto warm plates.

Cheese Filled Pastry with Herbs

12 oz. feta cheese

4 Tbls. parmesan cheese

1 egg, lightly beaten

Pinch nutmeg

1 pkg. Marcy’s Dill Dip Mix

2 Tbls. Mint, chopped

4 Tbls. Pine nuts, toasted

Salt & pepper

8 ounces phyllo dough

6 Tbls. butter, melted

Directions:

Make the filling by mashing together cheeses, egg, butter, nutmeg and herbs with pine nuts, salt and pepper.  Set aside.  With scissors, cut phyllo into 3 inch wide 18 inch long strips.  Keep moist with a damp towel. Melt butter.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place one strip of phyllo on a piece of parchment or wax paper and brush with butter.  Place another on top and brush with butter. Place one heaping teaspoon of cheese mixture in center of one edge and fold corner up to form a triangle. The fold the triangle over and over like folding a flag until the whole strip is folded into a small triangle. Brush the top with butter and place on baking sheet. Repeat until all phyllo and cheese is used. Bake triangles for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.

Herbed Goat Cheese Pasta

1 Tbls. unsalted butter

½ cup ricotta cheese

3 ounces mild soft goat cheese (cherve)

2 to 4 Tbls. Backyard Patch Butter N Cheese Herb Mix

2 Tbls. Backyard Patch Herbs De Provence

½ tsp. salt

12 oz. fettuccini noodles

Fresh ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Put butter in a large stainless steel mixing bowl and set it on top of the boiling water.  When butter has melted, removed bowl and stir in ricotta, goat cheese, herbs and salt.  Boil pasta until tender and slightly firm, about 2 to 4 minutes for fresh or 8 to 10 minutes for dried.  Scoop a cup of the cooking water from the pot to thin the sauce, then drain the noodles.  Using tongs, toss pasta with ricotta and herbs along with as much of the reserved pasta water necessary to create a creamy sauce.  Grind black pepper on top and serve right away in warm bowls.

All the products featured here can be found on our website http://www.backyardpatch.com/