10 Top Recipes from 2014 - Weekend Recipes

I was more diligent about posting my recipes in 2014.  I shared them on Facebook and here in the Blog and linked a few back to my Twitter account as well.

These are the top 10 recipes from my posts last year.  I thought I would gather them together so if you missed them, you can see what others are enjoying as well.

This year we will continue to dig into our stash of recipes and post one at least every weekend with more shared in the Herb of the Week posts too!

#10 most popular - Cinnamon Roasted Pumpkin - Our Cinnful Dessert blend was another big hit with surplus pumpkin seeds.

#9  Iced Green Tea Chai - Chai is even better in the summer with a bit of ice than you would expect after drinking it rich and hot all winter!

#8 Ratatouille on the Grill this a great vegetarian meal!

#7 Flavored Mustard - we will take another pilgrimage to the Mustard Museum in 2015 and I am sure we will have more of these for you.  I love a flavored mustard on my sandwiches and in my cooking.

#6 Saffron Risotto - This rare and expensive herb is just worth trying at least once a year and this creamy recipes is a perfect partner.

#5 Mid Winter Minestrone - When it is cold a hearty partner like this will keep you warm.

#4 Bee Balm Recipes - This was an extension of an Herb of the Week where I shared more than one recipes using this prolific and citrusy herb.  I know you will love the flavors as much as I do!

#3 Soothing Bath Sachet - my bath recipes were among the most popular and this simple sachet with soothing milk was one of my favorites.

#2 Chicken Pot Roast in a Crock Pot - This one has my chef husbands seal of approval.  The Chicken is tender, the vegetables tasty and the fragrance is wonderful as it fills the house.  Great way to try out lima beans if you have been leery...

#1 The most popular recipes in 2014 - Sporty Bath Blend - great smelling when you are not, this blend is good as a bath or a foot soak.

Recipe - Ratatouille on the Grill - vegetarian recipe

I love ratatouille.  It is the perfect dish to eat up summer vegetables.  Recently I located a recipe by Bobby Flay making Grilled Ratatouille.  I was intrigued.  I felt he did not use nearly enough herbs in his recipe so here is my version (but when do I ever??)  Remember you are grilling the vegetables, so do not cut them too small.  You can chop them smaller after they are cooked.

Grilled Ratatouille

2 zucchini, cut into quarters lengthwise

2 yellow squash, cut into quarters lengthwise
1 eggplant, halved lengthwise
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and quartered
2 yellow or green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and quartered
2 red onions, quartered
1 pint grape tomatoes (or you can use cherry tomatoes instead)
1/2 cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Dried herb blend

      – you can use BYP Vegetable Seasoning or create a blend using thyme, oregano, and basil
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 Tbls. finely chopped fresh oregano or basil leaves
3 Tbls. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

Directions:

Preheat grill to medium-high. Place all cut vegetables and the tomatoes in a large shallow baking dish, add the 1/2 cup of olive oil, and toss to coat. Season with dried herb blend, salt and pepper, to taste. Place the vegetables on the grill and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time. Remove the tomatoes, cover grill, and cook the remaining vegetables for 2 minutes, or until almost cooked through. Transfer vegetables to a cutting board and coarsely chop (leave tomatoes whole). Place the chopped vegetables and tomatoes in a large bowl, add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, garlic, fresh oregano and fresh parsley and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve at room temperature.

For comparison her is my traditional Ratatouille Recipe which I seasonal market as a Recipe Combination with all the dried herbs included.

Ratatouille

3 Tbls. oil

3 onions, coarsely chopped

2 green peppers, chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 egg plant, peeled and cubed

2 zucchini, quartered, seeded and cut in 1” pieces

6 fresh tomatoes, peeled and cut

2 tsp. BYP Vegetable Herbal Seasoning OR

          2 tsp. BYP Herbs de Provence HerbalSeasoning

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (1/4 cup dried)

1 bay leaf

Directions:

Sauté onions, peppers and garlic in oil, add remaining vegetables and herbs.  Cover and steam 20 to 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender, adding more oil if needed.  Remove bay leaf before serving.