New Year; Wonderful Beginnings!

January was a great beginning to the year.  It was a time for me to reorganize, recover and rejuvenate for 2020.  I planned to write blog posts, but I chose not to when I got entrenched in reorganizing my paperwork, contacts, and personal spaces.

Gratuitous squirrel photo, because I love squirrels!

I have been decluttering, downsizing and organizing and it is very freeing.  My husband and I are collectors, not horders, but collectors. As a result we own many things, but we would like to simplify so we have been slowly decluttering, removing excess and choosing from the many items we collect, can we rescue them into practical items in our home rather than display pieces.  This took a lot of mental energy and I decided to focus on that to get the project through the first phase.  Now for the next 11 months, I can sort, toss and downsize while I keep up on other tasks.

I love the fact that everything in the herb room now has a place to be put away which will keep my table from becoming a catchall of things to be put away "when I have time."  I also found a whole box of files and notes I created for blog posts and new products.  I knew they were somewhere!!

I love winter so I take as many photos now as in the summer!

I am continuing the recipe theme this year as for the last two - this month will be Appetizers and party foods.  If you want to check out the theme recipes from 2019 and 2018 you can see these saved searches - Recipe Theme 2018 and Recipe Theme 2019.

One of the things that spurred my desire to simplify this year is that I want to spend more time traveling and experiencing things and I cannot do that if I am tied to cleaning or my tasks take twice as long.

I crafted a list of things to do in 2019 (it was supposed to be instead of new year resolutions,) but like a new year's resolution I did not make it through very many, so I decided to continue it in 2020 and make sure I had no "time excuses" to avoid doing them. Some of them are silly, some are fun, some are ideas to try to get my mind to stay active, and others are a bucket list.

Here is the list -- wanna try them with me?

• Learn to make a great Mocktail -- seriously I have a whole program on that now!
• Find a regular or one time event -- This we chose to be the Porter County Garden Expo (it was not held in 2019 so we went January 25, 2020)
• Get a scooter and have fun
• Take a famous hike
• Make ravioli from scratch
• Take an online learning course - just did that in January OLAB - a decluttering starter
• Shop somewhere you have never shopped before - we accomplished this at Christmas visiting a town called Lewisburg, WV
• Enjoy a cultural event for a culture not your own
• Cut something from  life that doesn't serve you
• Take a spontaneous trip (or train)
• Visit a public garden and take a selfie
• Create something with your own hands
• Attend a flea market
• Grow a plant you never have before
• Swap coffee for green tea for a week (or maybe mine should be swap black tea for green tea for a week)
• Keep a bullet journal or garden journal
• Cook a recipe you have pinned
• Research something, not using the internet
• Try a food you are afraid of
• See fireworks somewhere new
• Learn or teach a game 
• Attend a program at your local library
• Go stargazing / appreciate a solar event
• Join a club
• Go Geocaching
• Thank someone who helped you
• Buy a National or State Park Pass
• Support a local band or organization by going to as many shows as possible

Off and on throughout the year, I will share the details of this list of adventures as I work my way though them.  If you do any of these, please share with me here or in the furture!

An accidental park find in Illinois

My newsletter is also a priority this year, so if you want to join now for extra recipes, tips and DIY projects, now is the time.  You can choose to join here: Backyard Patch Newsletter. If you join this way, you will get a bonus of a new booklet I created called "Cooking with Herbs."

I am working on a book series which was actually requested by my lecture participants and others I speak to about herbs -- Herbs are Easy.  I am going to break herb use and growing into simple bits and explain techniques and share recipes and prove to everyone how easy it is to incorporate herbs into your life.  The books will be small, easy to carry, quick to read and easy to use. The first two should be out just in time to be used with my programs at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show (March 18 to 22, 2020.)  I am featured Saturday and Sunday at 3:30 pm.

So now you know my plans for 2020, share yours with me!

New Year - New Recipes - New Plans - New Herb Fun with Chicken and Dumplings

For the new year everyone tries to do Resolutions.  I resolve to do this or that and it becomes a set of impossible goals like lose 50 pounds or restrictions like I will never eat carbs again, things like this are too large, too difficult and are abandoned statistically by Feb. 1.

I long ago abandoned the idea of resolutions.  What I do instead is create a list of things I want to try for or do in the coming year.  Some can be a year long vocation others can be a one-off that I do when the timing, season or boredom create an opportunity. This year I created a list of 26 items.  Some are just silly like get a push scooter and ride it around town.  Others are a little adventuresome, like grow a plant you never have before, or largely adventuresome like take a hike in a famous place on your bucket list.  I decided I would share these with you during the year and get you to try them with me.  I will include photos of me on my scooter!

Additionally this year, I will be continuing the recipe theme that I started in 2018.  For this I will assign each month a theme and share a number of recipes from my massive archive to focus on that theme.  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.

The monthly themes this year will be:

Jan 2019 – Chicken and Dumplings (CDumpsJan)

Feb 2019 - Pasta Dishes

March 2019 - Edible Flowers

April 2019 - Cajun And Creole

May 2019 - Seafood Recipes

June 2019 - Vegetarian Dishes

July 2019 - Zucchini Recipes

August 2019 - National Mustard Day – mustard recipes

September 2019 - Quiche

October 2019 - Crock Pot meals

November 2019 - Pies

December 2019 - Mocktails

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 ()s to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2019 so you can find them all.

Since it is cold and raining and I am hibernating with a cup of tea I will share a great recipe for Chicken and Dumplings to get the year started.

Simple One-pot Chicken and Dumplings

Nothing beats homemade, slow-cooked chicken and dumplings for a stick-to-your-ribs meal perfect for cold winter weather. This one-pot classic comes from in the cookbook  Comfort Food Cookbook, published by Grit Magazine.

Dumpling Dough

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
Pinch salt
1 Tbls lard or butter
1/2 cup ice water

Chicken Soup

1 whole chicken, cut into pieces (about 4 pounds)
1 Tbls BYP Lemon Thyme Gourmet Salt or BYP Savory Salt Substitute
3-1/2 quarts water
1/2 small onion, chopped very fine
1 stalk celery, chopped very fine
1 carrot, chopped very fine
1/4 cup butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp BYP poultry seasoning

Directions:

In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in the lard until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in ice water until mixture forms a ball. Wrap the dough ball tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Remove skin from chicken breasts, thighs and back; leave skin on legs and wings. Season chicken pieces with seasoned salt/salt substitute and place in a large stockpot. Add water, onion, celery, carrot and butter. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to simmer. Cook for about 1-1/2 hours, or until meat falls off the bone. Remove chicken and strip the meat from the bones. Return chicken meat to the pot.

Remove dough ball from refrigerator. Pull off pieces of dough and roll into rough balls about 1 inch in diameter. Drop into the simmering broth for about 15 minutes, or until dumplings are cooked through. Add more water if necessary. Season broth with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning while dumplings are cooking. 

Happy New Year - wishing you Good Luck and Fortune in 2019

There are many foods that connotate good luck that are to be eaten on January first.  These are some of the most common.  I've linked each one with a recipe so you can enjoy and the best recipes combine more than one!

Noodles

In many Asian countries, people eat long noodles on New Year's Day in order to lengthen their life. One catch: You can't break the noodle before it's fully in your mouth.

Greens

Green symbolizes luck - think about four leaf clovers, money, and jade jewelry. Since many New Year’s resolutions include a healthier lifestyle, greens can translate into kale, brussels sprouts, and peas. 

Cinnamon

It is a powerful spice which has been used medicinally around the world for thousands of years. This is also a magical spice that is used for success, healing, action, energy, protection, prosperity, love, and purification.  A great item to move your life into a new place for the new year.

Pork

Pork, once reserved for the elite, symbolizes wealth and prosperity. Aim high this year by filling up with a hearty pork dinner on January 1st.

Cabbage

In Germany, Ireland, and parts of the United States, cabbage is associated with luck and fortune since its green hue resembles money. This includes sauerkraut, so a meal of pork chops and sauerkraut is the perfect New Year’s meal.

Fish

In some countries, people associate fish with moving forward into the new year since fish swim in one direction. Other people, however, think fish symbolize abundance since they swim in schools. 

Lentils

Thought to resemble coins, lentils are eaten throughout Italy on New Year's Day to bring good fortune in the year ahead.

Pomegranate

Long associated with abundance and fertility, pomegranates are eaten in Turkey and other Mediterranean countries as a sign of good luck. It doesn't hurt that this jewel-toned fruit is in its prime come January.

Black-Eyed Peas
Considered a common good-luck food in the South, black-eyed peas are thought to bring prosperity, especially when served with collard greens. Which brings us back to the beginning with green foods.  Another perfect combination.

May your New Year by Prosperous, Bountiful and Filled with Joy!

New Years Resolutions

Making New Year's Resolutions is a time honored tradition that people engage in with hopeful abandon every January.  However, they are often just as quickly abandoned.  So this year while I make my business and blog goals for 2017 I thought I would give you a few tips on creating goals and resolutions that actually stick and carry you through a prosperous new year.

Keeping your Goals in 2017

Basically resolutions tend to be stated like I will "lose weight" or "get in shape" during the next year.  These are ambiguous and gives no steps or include realistic expectations on how to accomplish these goals.  To make them work you must focus on something concrete like committing to losing 10 pounds or running a mini-marathon. These can then be broken into manageable bits like 1 to 2 pounds a week and running a certain number of miles each week or month to prepare.  Here are a few ideas to help you keep your resolutions in 2017.

Pick Just One Resolution

While you might have a long list of potential New Year's Resolutions it is suggested that you should pick just one and focus your energies on it rather than spreading yourself too thin among a number of different objectives.

Start With Small Steps

Planning is an essential part of achieving any goal. Experts suggest that you should spend some time planning out how you will tackle a major behavior change. You can start by writing down your goal, making a list of things you might do to achieve that goal, and noting any obstacles that might stand in your way.  Then break those down into steps. Taking on too much is a common reason why so many New Year's Resolutions fail. Dramatically slashing calories, over-doing it at the gym, or radically altering your normal behavior are sure-fire ways to derail your plans. Instead, focus on taking tiny steps that will ultimately help you reach your larger goal.

If you've resolved to run a marathon, start out by going for a jog two or three times a week. If you are trying to eat healthier, start by replacing some of your favorite junk foods with more nutritious foods. While it may seem like a slow start, these small changes make it easier to stick to your new habits and increase the likelihood of long-term success.

Avoid Repeating Past Failures

Another strategy for keeping your New Year's Resolution is to not make the exact same resolution year after year. You want to have a large amount of self-belief to accomplish a goal, so trying the same resolution that you failed to accomplish last year can result in self-doubt that undermines your motivation.

If you do choose to reach for the same goals you've tried for in the past, spend some time evaluating your previous results. Which strategies were the most effective? Which were the least effective? What has prevented you from keeping your resolution in past years? By changing your approach, you will be more likely to see real results this year.

Remember That Change Is a Process

Those unhealthy habits that you are trying to change probably took years to develop, so how can you expect to change them in just a matter or days, weeks, or months? It may take longer than you would like to achieve your goals, but remember that this is not a race to the finish. Once you have made the commitment to changing a behaviour, it is something that you will continue to work on for the rest of your life.

Don't Let Small Stumbles Bring You Down

Encountering a setback is one of the most common reasons why people give up on their New Year's Resolutions. If you suddenly relapse into a bad habit, don't view it as a failure. The path toward your goal is not a straight one and there are always going to be challenges. Instead, view relapses as learning opportunities.

Try keeping a resolution journal, write down the goal and the steps, and what you will gain when you achieve them.  And if a relapse occurs and what might have triggered it. By understanding the challenges you face, you will be better prepared to deal with them in the future. And a reminder of what you gain if you succeed.

Get Support From Your Friends and Family

Yes, you've probably heard this advice a million times, but that is because the buddy system actually works. Having a solid support system can help you stay motivated. Explain what your goals are to your close friends or family and ask them to help you achieve your objectives. Better yet, enlist the help of others by joining a group that shares your goal.

Renew Your Motivation

During the first days of a New Year's Resolution, you will probably feel confident and highly motivated to reach your goal. Because you haven't really faced any discomfort or temptation associated with changing your behavior, making this change might seem all too easy.

After dealing with the reality of dragging yourself to the gym at 6 a.m. or gritting your teeth through headaches brought on by nicotine withdrawal, your motivation to keep your New Year's Resolution will probably start to dwindle. When you face such moments, remind yourself of exactly why you are doing this. What do you have to gain by achieving your goal? Find sources of inspiration that will keep you going when times get tough.  Write them down in your Resolution Journal.

By February, many people have lost that initial spark of motivation that they felt immediately after making their New Year's Resolution. Keep that inspiration alive by continuing to work on your goals, even after facing setbacks. If your current approach is not working, reevaluate your strategies and develop a new plan.

Be serious about keeping a resolution journal, where you can write about your successes and struggles. Write down the reasons why you are working toward your goal so that you can refer to them during times when you feel uninspired and unmotivated. By sticking with it and working on your goal all year long, you can be one of the few able to say that you really did keep your New Year's Resolution.

Backyard Patch Goals for 2017

The Backyard Patch was very busy in December which cut into my ability to post recipes and herb tips, so this year we are going to get a head start on several posts by starting them early and doing the research so that when it is time to right them I do not have to spend time doing the background work.

To that end we will be adding a bi-weekly series, Beginning Herb Gardening. Every other week we will detail how to plan, start, plant, care for and harvest and use herbs for those who have never done it before, or those who want to improve their technique.

We will continue the Bath Blend of the Month.  I have been having fun creating new blends and trying them out, so I will share them with you around the 4th of each month.

Herb of the Week has never been published weekly and is too time consuming to research to ever be that frequent, so I am going to call it Herb to Know and publish it as often as I can based on time and research.  To increase the frequency of information, I will also publish Mini Herb to Know posts that share new information, cultivars and recipes about the chosen herb, especially if a detailed Herb of the Week post was done in the past.

In that same vein, I have been researching and writing Herb of the Week posts for 6 years now and have completed many posts.  We are creating a page on the Blog called Herbs A to Z that will link you to the previous Herb of the Week and Herb to Know posts, as well as recipes for each of the herbs listed.  This will take us some time to do, so check back during the year to see the links for new posts and previous posts.

We will continue to post How To and DIY posts, continue to share recipes as we have always done and hope to expand our sharing on gardening techniques and uses and benefits of herbs.  We will be creating a theme for each month to provide some focus for the posts and will use that theme to direct our research and perhaps even our growing experiments.

Our themes for 2017
        January - Hot Tea Month
        February - Mardi Gras
        March - Garden Planning
        April - National Garden Month (Herb Gardens)
        May - Salsa Month - Cilantro (herb of year)
        June - Dairy Month
        July - Blending Herbs
        August - Infusing Herbs
        September - Preserving Herbs
        October -  Vegetarian Month
        November - Gifting Herbs
        December - Biblical Herbs

Our biggest Goal in 2017 is to increase the mail order business.  Last year we strived to get out into the community and speak about herbs and succeeded in having at least one lecture or program each month. We will be continuing our pubic appearances in 2017.  This year we will be speaking at both the Darien Garden Symposium and the Chicago Flower and Garden Show at Navy Pier in March as well as teaching classes at various libraries and garden clubs during the year.

Expect to see announcements about an improved website and saving opportunities on Etsy and Ebay for returning customers, as we work on our mail order business.  We are also putting together a couple of free ebooks which will be available to those who sign up for our newsletter.  You can sign up in the box to the right of the blog.

Making A New Year's Drink with Lemon Verbena

I know it seems like I am rushing the season, but I just brought my Lemon verbena plants inside for the winter and they are a bit too large for the house so I am going to have to trim them back.  Normally I just dry the leaves I remove, but this year I decided to try something different.  I made lemon verbena-infused vodka.

That was after I stumbled across this recipe for a martini made with the vodka.  I thought if you wanted to plan ahead, you could make a bit of the vodka and then you would could make this wonderful Lemon Drop to welcome in the New Year.

It is very simple to make Lemon Verbena Infused Vodka.  All you need is:

5 fresh lemon verbena sprigs

2 cups vodka

Wash the sprigs and pat dry.  Place them in a jar with the vodka and let steep for 12-24 hours.  Strain.  I infuesed mine for a week rather than 24 hours, but you get the idea.

Lemon Verbena Drop with Thyme

serves 2

2 cups sugar for the sugar garnish

3 tablespoons sugar for syrup

1/3 cup water

8 sprigs fresh thyme

¼ cup plain vodka

¼ cup lemon verbena-infused vodka

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Ice cubes

To make the optional sugar garnish, have ready a bowl of ice water. Lightly oil a baking sheet. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir the 2 cups sugar with a wooden spoon until the sugar melts and turns a golden caramel color.  Takes about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and plunge the bottom of the pan into the ice water for exactly 10 seconds to halt the cooking. Immediately spoon the hot caramel out onto the prepared baking sheet, creating small strands. Let cool until hard, and then crack into tiny shards. Set aside.

To make a sugar syrup, in a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the water to a simmer. Add the 3 tablespoons sugar and stir until completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Chill 2 martini glasses. In a tall cocktail shaker, combine the thyme sprigs with the sugar syrup. Using a muddler or the handle of a wooden spoon, lightly crush and pound the thyme for 1 minute. Add the vodka, the infused vodka, and the lemon juice. Fill the shaker half full with ice, cover with the lid, and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Strain into the chilled glasses. Balance a few sugar shards on each rim. (The remaining shards can be stored, if using, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days). Serve at once.

Rosh Hashanah Slaw with Pomegranate Seeds

One of my co-workers, the one who arrives at the office most days before me, so we are the only two early birds in the office most days, is out several days this week in celebration of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.  I am not Jewish, but I am fascinated by world religions and he shares little bits of things with me to increase my understanding which I appreciate. 

In my internet wanderings I discovered that Pomegranates are often a feature of this celebration because the pomegranate is said to contain 613 seeds, one for each of the 613 mitzvot (God's commandments). Eating pomegranates during Rosh Hashanah also symbolizes the hope that observances of the commandments and good deeds in the coming year may be as many as the seeds of the fruit.

So Steve, in honor of good wishes for the New Year.  Here is a recipe I found to enjoy Pomegranate seeds!

Lime Mint Slaw

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

½ tsp. sugar

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

1/3 cup olive oil

1 pound package of shredded cabbage and carrot slaw (or grate your own if you have time and materials it is about 4 to 5 cups)

1 Tbls. fresh dill, chopped

2 Tbls. fresh mint, chopped

2 Tbls. cilantro, chopped

2 Tbls. pomegranate seeds

2 Tbls. currents or cranberries

Make the dressing with cloves, salt, pepper, sugar, lime juice.  Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and slowly whisk in the olive oil until blended.  Taste and adjust to your liking.  Place the coleslaw in a large serving bowl and sprinkle with herbs.  Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.  Garnish with the pomegranate and currents for seasonal color and serve immediately.  You can make the dressing ahead and chill, then toss together the slaw just before you sit down to eat.

Thinking about the New Year

We attach significance to the turning of the calendar, and when the calendar turns to a new year, it means more than learning to change a digit when we write a check -- we’ve started a new chapter.  I was on yahoo today and there were a dozen articles about New Year’s resolutions and how no one can keep them.

I thought perhaps if we attacked them differently we might have different results.  So rather than a list of items that you should do because you want to be a better you --  like lose 50 pounds, stop smoking and such, all of which are hard and lengthy items requiring renewed motivation on a regular basis --  try this list on for size.

* Read one book you’ve wanted to read.

If you are a big reader, you already have a stack to read. Pick one and commit to getting it read. If you read less and don’t have a book in mind, talk to someone you trust and admire and ask them for a suggestion. It doesn’t matter what the book is; pick it, and read it.

* Make a list of the things you’ve learned this year. (I got this idea from a post on a yahoo group for The Essential Herbal)  Hopefully it is a long list! Don’t try to do this all at one time. Give yourself a place to write and a couple of days to allow your mind to find these nuggets.

* Identify the top five.

Review the list you made and pull out the five that are most important to you. Write them down and think about why they are so valuable to you and how you can benefit from them today and in the future.

* Spend one day in service to others.

Volunteer your day to a service organization. Go to a nursing home. Rake the neighbor’s leaves. Use your professional skills in a pro bono way. It doesn’t matter what you do, just do it with a giving heart.

* Make a list of the most fun things you have done this year.

You will have fun making this list -- and yes, I do mean make a list!

* Identify why they were the most fun so you can do more of it next year.  This only makes sense. Once you have thought about your “most fun,” figure out how to get more of it into your life -- whether it is an experience, time with specific people or whatever.

* Choose one herb to get to know.  Read about it.  Find a photograph.  Get some seed and try to grow it.  Find ways to use it in cooking or other recipes.  Tell other people about it.  See where exploring this herbs takes you—Does it relate to other herbs?  Is it a companion to other plants?  Do you meet new people while exploring about it?  Does it taste, smell, look or otherwise remind you of another herb, seasoning or plant.

* Make a list of things you want to learn next year.

Some things in life we learn serendipitously, and those are precious indeed. But we can also determine what we want to learn and why. Make some of those determinations now before you turn your calendar to the New Year.  

Some of these items in my list are forward-looking tasks, some retrospective. That is intentional. It is important for us to consistently and regularly reflect while looking out at our future.  This action allows us to see where we have been as we look to where we are going -- and correct our course to get where we want to go.

Making a resolution does not have to be a chore.  Make it into an adventure instead.