Hurricane Recovery Tea

We were only mildly effected in Chicagoland by Hurricane Sandy.  We had a few days of fierce winds with biting cold that made frost in air that was not actually cold enough for it.  But I know on the east coast things were rougher.

So take a moment thank the heavens you are still here and enjoy this tea which is formulated to relieve stress and relax tension.

Mellow Mood Tea

This tea is made with the most palatable of the calming herbs. Blended together, they'll defuse stress and anxiety and promote sound sleep.

1 tsp. chamomile flowers

1 tsp. lavender spikes

1 tsp. kava leaves

1 tsp. lemon balm leaves

1 tsp. marjoram

1 spray valerian flowers

1 quart water

Directions:

In a large saucepan, steep the chamomile, lavender, kava, lemon balm, marjoram, and valerian to taste in the freshly boiled water.  Strain out the plant material. Drink the tea hot or cool.  Drink  as often as needed, refrigerating any left over for later use.

Update: My freind Tina from the Essential Herbal Blog has posted some places where you can help if you are interested.  Here is the link to her posting: http://theessentialherbal.blogspot.com/2012/11/just-waiting-for-sun.html

Ten Comandments of Breakfast Tea by Marcus Stout

Marcus Stout of Golden Moon Tea recently shared these Ten Commandments of Breakfast Tea and I just could not stop myself from sharing them.  If you like a quality Black Tea or Green Tea or an exotic tea you can't find in just any shop.  Check out their website.  I use some of thier tea as the base in my herb infused black tea.

Commandment 1: Thou Shall Use the Biggest Tea Leaves Possible

 Big leaves give more flavor. I try and use the biggest leaves I can find - forget about teabags.
 

Commandment 2: Thou Shall Use Ceylon, Assam or Keemun

These teas have a big bold flavor that is perfect for Breakfast Tea. If you choose a blend be sure that these teas make up the majority of it.
 
 

Commandment 3: Thou Shall Warm Your Teapot

A cold teapot will suck the heat out of the water leaving a tepid brew.
 
 

Commandment 4: Thou Shall Rinse Your Tea Leaves

Rinsing the tea leaves helps to “waken” up the leaves, ensuring a great cup of tea.
 

Commandment 5: Thou Shall Use Boiling Water

Since all Breakfast Tea is Black Tea, be sure to use boiling water. If the water is less than boiling, the tea will taste watery.
 
 

Commandment 6: Thou Shall Steep Your Tea for the Recommended Time

Too little time and the tea will turn out weak. Too much and it will be too astringent. Be sure to never oversteep your tea to make it taste stronger, rather increase the amount of tea you use.
 Commandment 7: Thou Shall Pour the Milk in the Teacup First

This has been highly debated amongst tea enthusiasts for years. However, I like to pour the milk in first because I use the same cup every day and know exactly how much to pour. It also gives me something to do while the tea is steeping.
 

Commandment 8: Thou Shall Use a Strainer

Little bits of tea in your teacup can cause your tea to turn bitter. Use a strainer in your teapot for when you pour the brewed tea into your teacup.
 

Commandment 9: Thou Shall Drink Out of a Porcelain Cup

Porcelain has a smooth surface that gives tea  a pure flavor. My teacup may be my most cherished possession.
 Commandment 10: Thou Shall Drink Your Tea Before Brushing Your Teeth

Even if I wait 30 minutes before having my tea (which is almost impossible within itself), I can still taste the minty flavor of the toothpaste. The really important thing is to make sure you remember to brush your teeth after drinking your tea or your coworkers may hate you all day!

Spiced lemonade - Weekend Halloween Recipe

This is the perfect blend of lemon and spices to make a seasonally flavored drink with a unique twist.  You can use fresh of reconstituted lemon juice, but it will be less bitter if you squeeze fresh lemons.  I have made this with Backyard Patch Cinnful Dessert Blend by substituting 1/2 tsp of Cinnful Dessert Blend for the cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.

Spiced Lemonade

1/2 cup lemon juice (the juice of 3 to 4 lemons)
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
10 cups warm water

Add all ingredients to a pitcher with a lid.  Shake well.  Set aside to cool to room temperature.  Pour through a coffee filter or doubled cheese cloth into another pitcher; discard the solids.  Serve warm or cold.  Serves 8 to 10.

Holiday Pie Filling - Mincemeat with no Meat

Today is National Mincemeat Day!  Lets celebrate!

Now that most of us have experienced a frost or will so very soon, I thought it was a good time to share a holiday favorite in my family. No holiday celebration from Thanksgiving to New Years was complete without a mincemeat pie.  My grandmother was the one for years to make this and most other pies.  She taught me her baking and pie skills before she passed away and I try to keep up with them.

I have many old recipes for traditional Mincemeat that use real meat, but as a modern woman these time consuming recipes are not for me or my modern palet.  I have always used the canned mincemeat filling (None Such Brand) from the store which I know has no meat in it.  I scoured through my recipe books a few years ago and eventually found a book by Martha Stewart that had a no meat mincemeat recipe.  This version is adapted from that.  Since I have gotten back into canning this fall, I decided this would make a great gift for some of my baking friends.  Perhaps you can make a few quarts for your family too!

The recipe calls for green tomatoes, which many people have in abundance now that the tomato season is over with.  You will need to water bath can these ofeter you place them in jars.  10 to 15 minutes in boiling water once the jars of filled and loosly capped will doo the trick.  remember that any lids that do not pop should be kept in the refrigerator,  those that do pop down and seal will keep through the year in a cool dark place.  For more details on canning as well as information on porper supplies and materials, check out the BALL Canning informational website.

No Meat Mincemeat

Makes 8 pints

3 quarts chopped green tomatoes

2 Tbls. coarse salt

2 oranges

2 lemons

1 quart slightly under ripe pears, peeled, cored and diced

1 ½ quarts tart apples, peeled, cored and diced

2 cups dark raisins

1 1 /2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground cloves

¼ cup finely chopped ginger

½ cup frozen apple juice concentrate

1 pound light brown sugar

¾ cup cognac

Mix the green tomatoes and salt.  Place in a colander and allow to drain overnight

Using a citrus striper, remove the bright colored skin of the oranges and lemons and save.  With a sharp knife, cut away the white pith and discard.  Chop the pulp coarsely.

Combine the tomatoes, citrus peel and pulp with the remaining ingredients except cognac in a heavy non-corroding saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for about 3 hours, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.

Stir cognac into mincemeat. Ladle into hot sterilized canning jars and seal.

So make your own Mincemeat filling this year and enjoy some great pies!

Herb Bath Combinations

Protect your mood and your skin from seasonal changes with an herbal bath.  I noticed the other day that my ankles are chapped.  I ride my bike a lot and this time of year the wind can be a bit biting and drying.  I find the best treatment for chapped skin as well as my overall mood as the days get shorter is a good soak in the tub with some herbs.

Smoothing, soothing and hydrating to the skin, herbal baths are so easy to make, you owe it to yourself to take the time out for yourself to give one a try!

Basic bath recipe:  Place 1/2 cup of any combination of herbs in a non-metallic pot and add water to cover. 

Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 10-20 minutes to extract the wonderful benefits of the herbs. Strain.  Pour the fragrant herbal decoction into your bath water or use the brew as a last rinse in the shower. 

If you are bathing, soak for around 20 minutes.   Do not have the bath water too hot or it will make you sweat, and not allow your skin to take in the herbal nutrients as efficiently. Remember, allergic reactions can occur with any herbal product, so always test your herbal infusion on a small area of the skin before adding to your bath.   

Here is a list of the best bath properties of some popular herbs to get you started in choosing herbs for your blends.  At the bottom are some of my favorite combinations.

Herb Properties for the Bath:

• Lavender- rejuvenating, fragrant
• Peppermint- stimulating, cooling
• Sage- astringent, helps sore joints
• Calendula- promotes healing of dry, chapped skin
• Chamomile-reduces swelling
• Horsetail- anti-fungal
• Lemon Balm- relaxing
• Parsley- Soothes insect bites
• Rosemary-astringent
• Thyme-muscle relaxant
• Roses-skin hydrator
• Chervil-revitalizing
• Savory-stimulating
• Hops-revitalizing
• Spearmint-calming
• Catnip- relaxing
• Strawberry leaves-cleansing
• Basil-relaxing
• Marjoram-stimulating

Try these combinations:
1. Skin restoring – Rose petals, sage and calendula
2. Hard work rescue – lemon thyme, chamomile, sage and lavender
3. Relaxation recipe –  Spearmint, lemon balm, and lemon basil


By the way,  these make great gifts!  Try a blend and place it in a muslin bag or a heat seal teabag. And combine into a gift bag for your closest friends.  Check out the Bath Sachet’s of the Backyard Patch for more gift ideas.

Celebrate NUT DAY! Walnut Rosemary Brittle

I know there have been several nut recipes this week, but it is due to the fact that today is National NUT Day, not crazy like me, but nuts, like walnut, pecans, etc.  so in celebration, here is another recipe for a nut treat!  This is a rich herbal flavored spin on a traditional item. 

These days I make less and less Peanut Brittle because those around me have allergies, but I find that walnuts seem to cause less sensitivity so now I make this Walnut Brittle instead.

The technique for brittle is the same as a traditional recipe.  You heat the sugar and water to a boil and let it boil until the sugar caramelizes to a perfect amber color.  I use those silicone baking sheets now rather than a buttered pan because the flexibility of the mat makes breaking and removing so much easier and less messy.

Walnut Rosemary Brittle

I use dried herbs for this, but for a more earthy flavor you can use fresh rosemary.  Add the fresh rosemary at the very last moment so it does not loose its green color.

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

Pinch of cream of tartar

1 cup walnut halves

3/4 Tbls. dried rosemary

In a medium pot, combine sugar, water and cream of tartar.  Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.  Cover the pot and let boil approximately 5 minutes undisturbed.  Remove lid and examine color of the molten sugar.  When the mixture turns amber, quickly add the walnuts and rosemary, gently stirring to incorporate.  Pour brittle onto silicone mat or onto a buttered baking sheet.  Spread thin with a buttered spatula to achieve a glass like texture. 

For a special treat sprinkle sea salt crystals while candy is still warm for a sweet salty treat.

Also check out the Spicy Pecans we posted for the weekend recipe, Oct. 19, 2012

Weekend Recipe - Spicy Pecans

This recipe can be used all fall and winter.  You may become addicted.  Now if spice is too much for you make them smoky instead by swapping out the chili powder for Spanish smoked paprika.  You can also substitute Backyard Patch Chili Blend in this recipe.  Check out the tips at the end.

Spicy Pecans

16 oz. pkg. pecan halves
1/4 cup butter
1 Tbls. chili powder
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. onion powder (or granulated)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder (or granulated)
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Combine the ingredients in a 2 quart slow cooker.  Cover and cook on high setting for 15 minutes.  turn to low and cook uncovered to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.  Transfer nuts to a baking sheet; cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.  makes 4 1/2 cups.


SPECIAL TIP: I like to make this recipe with my Backyard Patch Chili Blend.  It saves mixing the herbs and seasonings.  If you want to do that, add 2 1/2 Tbls of Backyard Patch Chili Blend to 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 cup butter then add 1 lb. of pecan halves and follow the instructions above.