Bath Ball Gift Jar

Need something class and special at the last minute.  Try this bath ball mix in a decorative jar. I have shared bath ball recipes in the past, but this recipe is minty and floral, curative, and makes a wonderful gift. Place a collection of bath balls, tied up in seasonal fabric in a quart canning jar, and present them to a teacher, pet sitter, or another person you want to reward with a little me time.

Bath Ball Blend

1 cup mint, dried
1 cup rosemary, dried
1 cup lavender, dried
1 cup rose petals, dried
1 cup comfrey leaves, dried and crumbled
1 cup lemon balm
4-inch squares of fabric
ribbon

Combine dried herbs. Scoop 1 heaping teaspoon of mixture into the center of the fabric and tie the ends up with ribbon. Place balls in a glass and tie on instructions

To use: Use one ball per relaxing bath. You can tie the ball under the tap and let the water run through it, or steep the ball in 1 cup of boiling water for 15 minutes and add the liquid to the bathwater.

Holiday Gift Items and a Craft show announcement.

 My first Craft Show in over a year is this weekend.  Close to home, so if I forget anything I can at least send hubby home for it.

For those local to me (Chicagoland) - Willowbrook High School WPO 5th Annual Craft show 9 AM to 3 PM Saturday 11/13/21

As a result I am making gifty items and getting a few things made up in advance for online sales.  There are more that 15 soups in our list of items now and we added two this year that will be available only around the holiday, then be retired.  These two new soup mixes are:

Hearty Italian Soup

This is a bouillon included (vegetable) add water only soup that has several kinds of beans.

Five-bean Soup

This interestingly flavored soup is rich in herbs.

And we have made these great gift items.

A Charcuterie Starter Kit that has herb cheese spreads and dips included as well as a recipe for serving 6 to 12 people with a Charcuterie tray.

DIY Grilling Kit with materials and instructions for making your own marinades, meat rubs and other grilling spices.

Popcorn Lovers gift with corn you can pop on the cob and two of our salt-free popcorn seasonings to use with it.

Olive Oil Dipping Sauce with a bottle of virgin olive oil.

We have a fun new item, Cinnamon-scented Fire Starters.  These special scented pine cones can be used as kindling in your fire place or just tossed onto a fire to give off the wonderful seasonal scent. Or you can hang them with the band included in your car, faux tree or on a wreath.

We also have our Wine Dips and Spreads which will be packaged with wine glasses and holiday plates and spreaders.

And something brand new (like this week) -- By client request we modified our spiced wine blend to create something you can use in cider or apple juice, so we now have a new product called Wassail Drink Mix and have changed the packaging on our spiced wine to match calling it Wine Wassail.  Both allow you to create flavored cider or wine with holiday spices and smells.

Holiday gift making posts are in the works, so stop by in the next couple weeks and I will share herby ideas for gift giving.  Also this year we are doing the advent calendar as a daily email.  Sign up now to receive these, as we will not just blast the entire mailing list with daily emails, only those who sign up.

You can do so here ===== Advent Calendar Daily Idea sign-up

Holiday Swapping - a great way to save money and reduce waste

Reduce, reuse, recycle has been my thing the last few years.  I really wanted a lighted snow flake on my house, but the price was making me unhappy, so when I saw one at the resale shop last summer I bought it, even though when I plugged it in at the store, I realized that the upper corner did not light. So this year when I put it up, I found a way to disguise the broken section.  I recycled a decoration no one else would probably buy and still have my snow flakes!  

I was trying to figure out how to apply the idea of recycling to other Holiday excesses I see in December and I finally figured it out. 

Holiday Swapping

Now when I say Holiday swap most people think of a cookie swap.  Cookie swaps are great.  You bake your favorite cookies and swap with others who make their favorite cookie then everybody has an assortment. Churches often do it as a fund raiser too!

However if you think outside the cookie box, there are a few other things you can swap at Christmas that can help reduce waste and encourage recycling.

Holiday Decoration Swap. Some holiday decorations are near and dear to us.  Others are the equivalent of movie extras, just adding to the overall effect.  Trade away the ones you don’t love for some new-to-you items. You can get your snowflakes too!

You can also recycle your Tomato cages into a Christmas tree.  There are a million (maybe I exaggerate) ways to do this posted on Pinterest.  I just wrapped one cage in faux evergreens and a silver garland, then put old-fashioned Christmas lights on it that I got in a trade with a friend who wanted strands all in one color that I was not interested in using anymore.  The rings on the cage make it easy to clip or wrap things, so I was able to make the tree in about an hour with these faux evergreens I recycled from a bunch of mini trees I dumpster dived about 6 years ago. I guess the sled is recycled too!  It was my childhood sled which was faded and rusted.  A bit of spray paint and it became part of my snowflake Christmas theme.

Accessory Swap You can also reuse the items you decorate yourself with, find a few friends and have an accessory or scarf swap.  You know you get tired of that scarf after a full season, so have everyone bring a few winter accessories in like new condition.  This can include jewelry, gloves, sweaters, and scarves.  You can swap and exchange and update your look instantly with no money!

pounded flower note cards

Wrapping paper Swap Another big part of the holiday is the wrapping paper. It is a drag to wrap all your gifts in the same paper, but gift wrap can be expensive.  So divide each roll you buy in half and trade with a friend for half a roll of their paper.  You get twice as much.

You can also make your own wrapping paper. I save packing paper which comes in boxes that get delivered and smooth it out and stamp it, or pound it.  Pounding is actually a very old activity that includes taking flowers and leaves and pounding them onto paper to get the colors and textures of the plant.   You use a rubber mallet and a hard surface cushioned with layers of paper so you do not smoosh the items totally flat, but allow the colored pigments to transfer to blotting paper, card stock or kraft paper. 

I have also used fresh herb leaves as a stamper.  Press the leaves into the ink pad and onto kraft paper.  Wrinkled paper hides slips, tears and other blemished and just makes rustic wrapping paper.  Makes some torn fabirc ribbon and you have great homemade packages!

You can make wrapping paper and cards this way, and the plants vary from season to season, so you can do it all year.

Mini Mall with Etsy Freinds

This week I have been participating in a mini mall that highlighted 6 products from my shop as well as those of several of my Etsy Friends, we have glass bead crafters, vintage items, jewelry pieces, fun party favors and gifts, and special crafty items.  You can take advantage of the online shopping Mini Mall through Sunday December 9, 2018. With some special discounts and coupons!

It is an elective mix of items and the links will take to websites or Etsy shops so you can find other items by these same creatives.

I wanted to introduce you to the folks in this #MINIMALLETSY

The organizer of the Mini Mall was Elke of Ozark Glass.  She makes fused glass and glass bead items.  They have classical looks and the fused glass is very elegant.

Having lived and worked in Germany and  the USA, Elke has a broad interest in the arts and crafts. She has done sewn crafts as well as beading.  THe best part for her is picking the materials, coming up with the design, and the techniques. Her love is fused glass items so she sells other craft items to feed her fused glass habit.

Another member of the Mini Mall is a long-time Etsy Friend Elizabeth from LizP Originals. Liz makes great beaded ornaments and the lovely polished stone suncatchers.  For winter she is crafting beaded sweater  and scarf clips that are quite lovely.

                
Liz started making beaded items back in 1988 after getting married and moving to the US from Austria.  It sparked something in her, as she has not stopped designing since.  She is most proud of her new Christmas ornaments for pets, wing ornaments for pet loss and supporting special causes.  She likes to do custom work as well, so don't be afraid to ask!

Isabel of Isabel's Vintage has a great selection of vintage items that gifts for that distinctive person in your life.  My favorite in the Mini Mall is the men's neck tie from the Museum of Art. I like that her items go beyond the typical plates to more interesting vintage materials.

Jacqueline of JNJgiftsNcrafts is more traditional in her crafting with knitted items and sewn pieces, but she has nice variety.  According to Jacqueline she has been doing some sort of crafts all her life. She had a ceramic studio years ago and was taught to knit, sew, embroider, and crochet by her mother and grandmother. She says now that she is older she likes the extra money from crafting and has expanded it to include all areas of crafting . I love the bibs and the animal knitted hats, but my favorite item in the mall is the GIVE A FOX mug.  Do you give a FOX?

Chalk Couture is a unique member of our group.  Alicia also has an Etsy shop called TheMillers House.  With these chalk art based items you can create  your own chalkboards, farmhouse signs and vintage window items using the design elements special easy dry paints and washable paste colors.  It is a great set of accessories for those into the farmhouse design theme. Alicia is the individual designer working here and you can check out her website at tmh.chalkcouture.com or her facebook page

In a unique twist we have Oil Patch Burlesque. This fun party supply shop created by Terry, has hand crafted risqué items as well as other party supplies for your next hen party or raunchy gift item. They are fun, some are obscene and clearly even more fun and some are just hilarious. So indulge your naughty side and check out Terry and her penis chocolates (with nuts.) Terry has other shops with similar handcrafted edibles as well as those in the Mini Mall.

Last but by no means least is Aspen Tree Jewelry.  Frances is a unique jewelry maker and also a great customer of mine as well as an advocate for persons with disabilities.  In addition to lovely agate jewelry, she also designs graphics and has lived in all four time zones in the US!

I also like the mismatched earring sets, clever and different from what you might get elsewhere.

Of course this all came up because I have some Backyard Patch Herb items in the Mini Mall also and my fav is the Wine Dip Mixes that I made new this holiday season.

So visit and explore the Mini Mall and all that my Etsy friends have to offer you might find that perfect Holiday gift you never knew existed.

Another Edible Gift - Herbal Holiday Cookies

Check out the first post with Tarragon Mustard that also shows all the links for the Gift Card Giveaway.  You can enter the giveaway until Midnight on Wednesday November 22, 2017

This rosy cider simmers for just 10 minutes, making a great choice for drop-in visitors or last-minute parties. Great served with Christmas Cookies.

Rosie Christmas Cider

1 small orange, halved
1 teaspoon whole cloves
8 cups apple cider or apple juice
4 cups cranberry juice
1 tablespoon honey
6 inches stick cinnamon

Push tips of cloves into orange rinds.  In a 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven, combine cider, cranberry juice and honey. Add clove-studded orange halves and stick cinnamon. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Discard orange halves and cinnamon sticks before serving.

Holiday Spice Cookies

Cookies always take some planning and a bit of effort, but the recipients of these cookie gifts will be grinning all through the holiday.  And the spicy flavor makes them a perfect complement to the Cider recipe above.

Chewy Spice Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled 

3 1/4 teaspoons Cinnfull Dessert Blend*

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 

3/4 cup vegetable shortening (preferably trans-fat-free) 

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar 

1 large egg 

1/2 cup molasses 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

1/4 cup granulated sugar 

Heat oven to 350° F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, Cinnful Dessert Blend, baking soda, salt, and pepper. Using an electric mixer, beat the shortening and sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and beat in the egg, molasses, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture, mixing just until combined (do not over mix).  Place the granulated sugar on a plate. Roll heaping tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls; roll in the sugar to coat. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Using a glass, press the balls to a ⅜-inch thickness and sprinkle with more granulated sugar.  Bake, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the edges are firm, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool slightly on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

*Email me at Marcy@backyardpatch.com if you want a substitute spice blend for the Cinnful Desert Blend mentioned in the recipe.

Shipping Deadlines 2016

SHIPPING DEADLINES

The last first class retail shipping day is December 15.
The last first class shipping day is December 20 and
The last Priority mail shipping day is December 21. 

To help you not procrastinate I have pulled together 12 days of Herbal Gifting.  Each day I will place an item on sale in my shops and post it as the deal-of-the-day at the top of the blog.  The blog may then be other ideas and information but the top will give you your herbal gift.  The sale item will expire at midnight CDT.  These herb-inspired items make great holiday gifts for yourself and others.

Shop that item and we will make sure it arrives to you or your recipient in plenty of time for Christmas.

Barley Vegetable Soup - makes a great gift!

Find this mix on Etsy right here!

This quick and easy soup mix is salt-free and tasty in cold weather! And the packaging is so cute for gift giving you might want to give it to all your friends and office mates!

12 Herby Ways to Make Stuffing

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).

Yield: Each recipe serves eight and is enough to fill a 12-14 pound turkey.

Lets start with a classic stuffing that you can then modify in herb influenced ways.



Classic 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 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.)


More Herby Versions:

1 Apple-Herb Stuffing: Make Classic Stuffing (above), cooking 2 chopped apples with the onions

2. Apple-Fennel Stuffing: Make Classic Stuffing (above) with potato bread. Use diced fennel bulb instead of celery. Cook 1 cup each chopped apples and dried cranberries with the onions and fennel.

3. Porcini Stuffing:  Make Classic Stuffing (above) with shallots instead of onions and rosemary instead of sage. Cook 4 ounces chopped prosciutto and 1 pound sliced porcini mushrooms with the shallots and celery.

4. Sausage Stuffing:  Brown 1 pound crumbled sausage in 6 tablespoons 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 5 minutes. Add 3 cups chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Beat 2 eggs with 1/4 cup chopped parsley in a 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 at 375 degrees F, 30 minutes; uncover and bake until golden, 30 more minutes.

5. Kale-Garlic Sausage Stuffing: Make Sausage Stuffing (No. 4), adding 4 cups chopped kale and 1 head peeled roasted garlic cloves with the broth. Use semolina bread.

6. Herbed Cornbread Stuffing: Melt 1 stick butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cups each diced onion and celery and 1 tablespoon each minced sage and thyme; add salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes. Add 3 cups chicken or turkey broth and bring to a simmer. Beat 2 eggs with 1/4 cup chopped parsley in a large bowl; add 6 cups cubed stale cornbread and 8 cups white bread, then pour in the vegetable-broth mixture and toss. Transfer to a buttered baking dish and dot with butter. Cover and bake at 375 degrees F, 30 minutes; uncover and bake until golden, about 30 more minutes.

7. Mustard-Ham Stuffing:  Make Herbed Cornbread Stuffing (No. 6), but cook 1 pound diced ham in 6 tablespoons butter before adding the vegetables. Use rosemary instead of sage. Add 1/4 cup whole-grain mustard with the broth.

8.  Herbed Rice Stuffing:  Brown 2 cups each chopped onions and celery in 6 tablespoons butter. Toss with 8 cups al dente cooked white rice, 1/4 cup each chopped parsley and chives, and 1 tablespoon chopped thyme; add salt and pepper. Transfer to a buttered baking dish, drizzle with 1/4 cup chicken or turkey broth and dot with butter. Cover and bake at 375 degrees F, 50 minutes.

9. Cranberry-Rice Stuffing: Brown 1 cup each diced onion and celery in 6 tablespoons butter. Toss with 4 cups each cooked wild rice and al dente cooked basmati rice, 1 cup dried cranberries, 1 cup crumbled goat cheese, and salt and pepper. Bake as directed for Herbed Rice Stuffing (No. 8).

10.  Spiced Rice Stuffing:  Brown 1 pound ground beef with 2 cups diced onions in 4 tablespoons butter. Toss with 8 cups al dente cooked white rice, 2 teaspoons cumin, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 cup chopped parsley, and salt and pepper. Bake as directed for Herbed Rice Stuffing (No. 8). Top with toasted sliced almonds.

11. Vegetable-Rice Stuffing: Toss 10 cups mixed chopped vegetables with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees until golden, about 40 minutes. Toss with 4 cups al dente cooked white rice, 1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning, 1/2 cup chopped parsley, and salt and pepper. Bake as directed for Herbed Rice Stuffing (No. 8).

Rosemary, Lemon & Feta Spread

Feta cheese is often relegated to a crumble on top of a finished product, but that robust tangy flavor is great used in other ways too.  Here is a tasty spread you can serve with vegetables, crackers, toasted baguette slices, pretzels, etc. that makes a wonderful appetizer for holiday entertaining and the rosemary is a great seasonal herb.

Rosemary, Lemon, & Feta Spread

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped (only use 1/2 Tbls. if using dry)

1 tsp. fresh or dried lemon thyme (optional)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

In a medium mixing bowl mix together cream cheese, feta, rosemary, lemon thyme, lemon juice, and garlic until well combined (or place in a food processor and process several times until just combined). Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Easy ways to dress up a Holiday Event

I am traveling around the holidays this year, but in between I still intend to have a party at my place and perhaps do some decorating., so as result I am dusting off my information on Prepping for the Holidays and I thought I would start with a few easy items.  How to dress things up and give a Holiday flair.

Food Presentation

Before slicing a cucumber, run the prongs of a fork down the length of the sides at intervals.  The slices will then have a fluted edge.

Make radish spinner garnishes.  Trim off the top and bottom of a radish.  Then cut two 1/8” thick slices.  Cut reach slice from the center to the outside gently push the two slices together where they have been out as a right angle to form a spinner.

Craft a cucumber blossom.  Peel long, thin strips from a cucumber.  Boil strips for 3 minutes.  Remove and cool.  Cut ¼ inch wide slits in the center of strip, being careful not to cut through the edges.  Gently wind strip into circles forming a flower.  Secure with a toothpick. 

Serve your dips in a hollowed out pumpkin or colored cabbage.  Use red and green peppers on your Christmas table.  Fill each vegetable with dip.  Line the inside with plastic wrap before adding the dip.

Create a cucumber spring.  Chop cucumber into 3 inch pieces.  Poke a wooden chopstick into the knife hits the chopstick.  Continue turning and cutting around the cucumber.  Remove the chopstick and gently pull the ends to form a spring.

For extra fancy veggies use a crinkle cut knife or madeline blade to chop carrots rounds, cucumbers and even pepper rings.

Garnish with strawberry fans.  To make, start at the tip and cut the strawberry into thin slices with out cutting through the end.  Spread slices open to form a fan.

To make a tomato rose garnish you need a large tomatoes and a serrated knife.  Stating at the bottom end of the tomato use the knife to saw off a continuous strip of tomato skin about ½ inch wide around and around the tomato.  Carefully roll this strip into a tight coil, then let open up slightly to create a blossom.

Make Carrot/Cucumber rings.  Cut cucumbers into 3 inch lengths, hollow out the seeds and insert a carrot into the center, then slice the combo into ½ inch slices.

Table Dressing

Do you have fall leaves or pine cones on the lawn?  Bring them in and place in a clear glass vase for a holiday festive natural decoration.  Closer to Christmas or if snow is on the ground, use colored holiday glass or plastic bulbs inter-spaced with sticks of cinnamon and star anise.  It will create a colorful and seasonal scent.

Seasonal Pomaders (oranges decorated with cloves) are a great seasonal decoration that only gets more fragrant as the season continues.

Choose a solid color - make the table all green or all red with a solid color runner, solid color Christmas bulbs in a bowl and an accent plate of the same solid color it makes whimsy without clutter.

One of my standbys is a poinsettia table cloth that was my grandmothers.  I then put a plain white runner down the center to remove clutter and accent with poinsettia flowers in bud vases.

Sometimes simple is perfect.  A pine or juniper branch in a clear champagne flute may be just the elegance your table likes.

Ideally, large parties should have more than one food location with different choices at each spot.  This motivates guests to move from place to place and thus circulate and socialize.

Join us again as we share more ideas for "Prepping for the Holiday" in the coming weeks.

Herb-themed Holiday Gift Sets - Backyard Patch style

This year I had abundant herbs.  The cooler weather with hot flashes and abundant rain made the herbs happier than any of my vegetable plants.

On the left is the thyme bed at my community garden and on the right is a portion of the Mediterranean wing, with savory, oregano, fennel and calendula.  The purple flowering plant in the back is traditional hyssop.

With the herbs being lush we were able to craft more tea and herb cooking blends then usual and this got me to thinking about ways to package them to make the perfect gifts.

For the Tea Lover

Tea to go sampler

A pretty window box holds a demi tea cup (no saucer) and three small (.5 oz) tea tins with blends of your choice.  Each box with be perfect for gifting, tied with ribbon including a tea infuser and ship-ready.  

Tea Towers

Along the same lines as the sampler we have full-sized Tea Tin Towers.  With a tea tower you get 3 or 5 teas in our full-sized 2 oz. tins gathered with ribbon into a tower of flavor.  Tied to the ribbon will be a bead-decorated tea infuser.  You can choose the teas included in the tower, or use our premade-choices. We have a three-tea tower  or a  five-tea tower  

For the Foodie in your life

Popping Popcorn Sprinkles 

We have had a popcorn shaker seasoning for several years, but this year we crafted two more to make it a threesome. We placed two (your choice) in decorative shaker jars holding .75 oz., along with an ear of microwavable popcorn.  The set is packaged in clear cellophane bag with a decorative ribbon tie and full instructions.  This gift will have a pretty tag and each flavor will be labeled.  They include: Original Popcorn Sprinkle, Cheesy Herb Sprinkle, Spicy Hot Sprinkle.

I have long thought that packaging herb seasoning blends in groups was a great idea, but I never could find the right medium.  This year I found the perfect jars and containers. We have two different sets

Everyday Seasoning Kit

This is a single herbs kit with 6 different individual herbs. We call it a Seasoning Tower.  The tins are in a colorful cardboard tube with a holiday ribbon.  Serval different colors of tube are available.

Soup Mix Gift Sets

Our soup mixes are a popular gift item and the new packaging we created last year has really helped with that.  This year we decided on a few gift combinations you can check them all out in our soup collection on the website

For the Queen (or King) in need of relaxation

Bath items are very prolific online so our items, even though they are crafted without chemicals from herbs raised organically, do not stand out.  We have decided to fix that.  We are repackaging our Bath and Spa items in a whole new way.  

Bath Salts

Many different versions of Bath Salts -- the Skin-Soothing Bath Salts, Relaxing Combination Salts and the Milk Salt Blends will all be available in lovely and colorful organza bags instead of the envelopes we have used in the past.  And the best part of this is there will be no change in price. They are still available for $3.25 for 3 ounces.  Now you can mix and match to create sets too.  We have them listed in a Bath Collection.

Bath Salt Sundae

Is this not a cleaver idea.  I was tossing around bath scrubbies as I was putting them away and one fell onto a mason jar and suddenly I got to thinking if it was a parfait glass it would look like a Sundae!  So here is a bath salt-filled parfait glass, complete with a red tulle wrapped rose herb soap as the "cherry" on top! This is another gift perfect for teachers, groomers and others life helpers!

Bath Tower

Like our tea tower this collection of 3 bath salts will be packaged in square boxes tied together with colorful ribbon to create a wonderful gift package that will need no additional wrapping. 

Bath Tub Tea

With 4 different blends of Bath tub tea to share we thought it was time the presentation got a facelift.  We are making a decorative tea bag with raffia tie that can hang from the faucet.  The tea filter bags will be filled with a single bath measure of herbs and packaged in groups of 3 ($4.95) and 5 ($7.95) in a pretty decorated cellophane bag or a set of 10 that will be presented in a colored mason jar ($20.00).

We are hoping you enjoy our special gift selection as much as we enjoy making them!

Fall Herbal teas

In the Fall I begin thinking about making new tea blends.  I do not know why the fall affects me that way, but as soon as the evenings cool, not only am I making tea, but I am crafting new tea blends in my head.  It could be the abundance of dried material that I have available come fall or it could be a reaction to the gathering of scents from the garden that I have absorbed during the growing season.  Either way I start formulating blends. 

Some of this mental formulating I  turn into blends to try and each Fall I make two tea blends that are only available only until January that i market to Backyard Patch customers.. This year they are:

Silver and Gold

An all herb blend of silver sage with calendula petals and chamomile for gold along with a touch of cinnamon and the robust flavor of marjoram make this a flavorful and relaxing blend for evening drinking around the warm fire.

 

2013 Tea blend "Comfort & Joy"

Holly and Ivy

I crafted a wonderful red and green blend this year.  Rooibos (Honey Bush) with Green Tea mixed with a bit of hibiscus and rose hips and a touch of lemon balm make this refreshing tea perfect for Christmas morning.

To get you in a tea mood I also have some ideas for making your own tea at home. Try out one of these recipes, or let them inspire you to explore your pantry and whip up some tasty brews with whatever ingredients you have on hand.

Seasonal Spices --

Star Anise, Allspice, and Orange
In a small pot, combine 2 whole star anise, 2 dried organic orange peels, and 5 allspice berries. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and steep for 5 minutes, covered. Strain and drink.

Apple and Cinnamon
In a small pot, combine ½ cup dried apples and 1 cinnamon stick. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and steep for 5 minutes, covered. Pour the tea into a mug and drink, and then munch on the soft, warm apple slices at the bottom! You can reuse the cinnamon stick several times.

Seasonal Healing --

Ginger, Thyme, Cayenne, Lemon
Combine 1 teaspoon dried ginger and 1 teaspoon thyme in a small pot. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and steep for 5 minutes, covered. Strain the tea into a mug and add a pinch of cayenne powder and a dash of fresh lemon juice. This brew will help boost immunity in cold and flu season. Plus the cayenne adds a bit of clearing for better breathing.

Mint, Lemon and Fennel Seed

Combine 1 tsp any kind of mint with 1 tsp. lemon peel or lemon herbs (like lemon balm, lemon thyme or lemon grass) in a tea pot.  Pour over 2 cups of boiling water and allow to steep for 5 minutes.  Add a few seeds of fennel just before you strain into cups. This will sweeten and give it a licorice kick.  You can add a bit of lemon and more sweetness with honey if you want.  The lemon and mint will soothe sore throats and make breathing easier.

What are some of your favorite fall tea combinations?

Christmas Herbs – Herb of the Week

Recently Gypsy Herbal posted on Facebook a poster of Holiday Herbs.  There was a discussion about the herbs that might be missing from the image, like sage and parsley.  I am sure I have posted on Christmas or Bible herbs before, but I thought a December Holiday post with a few choice favorites of mine for the holiday would be perfect of Christmas, especially when it falls on a Wednesday.

Some herbs are seasonal symbols that can be added to a winter feast bouquet, tucked into napkin rings, added to sprays on side tables and tucked into the ribbons tied on presents as extra gifts from the garden.  All can be made into bouquets or tussie-mussies to be given to friends, hung on the door handles of neighbors'  front doors, or the bedroom door handles of visiting house guests.

• Rosemary represents remembrance for special friends.
• Lavender is a fragrant scent of the sweetness of life.
• Horehound is a wish for health.
• Marjoram is for the joy of the festivities, as is its cousin Oregano.
• Mint is a reminder of home.
• Sage speaks of virtue and long life.
• Thyme is for courage to face the darkness of the long winter nights.

Beyond the language of herbs there are stories, uses and legends that link some herbs to the December holiday season.  Like Bedstraw, Chamomile, Horehound, Thyme, and Sweet Woodruff which were said to have been mixed with the manger grasses.

Bedstraw or Wild Madder

Bedstraw also known as the Gallium plant, is an herb that may have been used in baby Jesus' manger.  Bedstraw has a sweet honey aroma that is released when warmed.  The herb is also used to make red dye.

Costmary

Costmary, Ivy and Bay Laurel --Costmary leaves were used to add spice to holiday ale, or wassail, in old Europe. Called Bible leaf they are considered a symbol of everlasting life. Ivy and bay laurel were long used, along with other greens, to help celebrate the winter solstice in early Europe, with ivy symbolizing friendship and bay laurel as a reminder that the long winter would soon melt into spring. 



Cardamom Pods



In my family traditions Cardamom (a spice) figures prominently in sweet breads and meat seasonings. 

Creativity tea

This blend of herbs and spices helps construct a creative frame of mind.

§  1 Tbls. Hibiscus

§  1 Tbls. Lemon grass

§  ½ Tbls. Basil (Holy Basil if you have it is even better)

§  1 tsp. Rosemary

§  1 tsp. Cardamom seed (if you have pods crush and extract only the seed)

Combine in a container with a tight fitting lid and use 2 tsp. per cup of hot water. Allow to steep 5 to 7 minutes.

Rosemary with Horehound above

Rosemary  is one of the most beautiful and fragrant of the seasonal herbs.  Rosemary, according to folklore, will bring happiness for the coming year to anyone who smells it on Christmas Eve.  So perhaps a Rosemary Wreath is in order. (check out this link!)

Sage is commonly used in culinary dishes.  Legend also holds that Mary and baby Jesus hid in a large blooming sage bush when King Herrod was searching for them.  For this reason, sage is known as the herb of immortality.

thyme knot garden

A list of my favorite herbs would not be complete with out the mention of Thyme. For the holiday I have chosen Wild Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) because it is said it was collected from the fields outside of Bethlehem to make a soft bed for Mary during the birth of her child.   It is a pungent herb, thought to have antiseptic properties and was burned as incense later in history by the Greeks. Today thyme is a popular culinary seasoning but can be used in dried flower arrangements, bouquets, and potpourri during the holiday season.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!