Oregano Varieties - Herb of the week

Oregano or Origanum is a genus of herbs that includes several species including Marjoram.  I have discussed Oregano and Marjoram before so this time I just want to point out the various species and why you should look for different ones to grow in your garden.

UPDATE: plant sale information was removed and golden oregano was added.

Greek Oregano (Origanum vulgare, hirtum) This is the go to for fresh oregano in cooking.  It is highly fragrant, spicy tasting and can even leave a burning tingle in the mouth.  It is a hearty perennial that dies back to the ground in the fall, then reappears around the time the tulips bloom.  In the summer the tiny white flowers arrive on lacy stems.  When cooking, do not overdo it.  You want it to enhance, not overpower.  It is a fleeting flavor however, so if you do add too much, just cook the dish a bit longer to tone down the flavor.  It is a wonder with summer vegetables, like eggplant, tomato, peppers of all styles and white beans as well as a complement to meat dishes.

Sweet Marjoram (Origanum majorana) A tender perennial herb with a shallow root system that does not do well in colder winters, most grow it as an annual.  Marjoram attracts honey bees and helps the garden. The flavor and aroma are very herbaceous.  It is softer than oregano, with a slightly camphoric taste but not a fiery heat. The flower heads are tight green balls called knots that can be harvested and dried for flower arrangements or decorations.  The flavor is compatible with many varieties of foods, from summer vegetables to mushrooms, fish, meat and poultry.  It flavors stews, marinades, sautés, dressing, vinegars, butter, and oils making it a must have in most kitchens. You can even take it as a tea to relieve stomach upset and to assist with coughs.

Italian Oregano (Origanum x majoricum) A more recent cross between Greek oregano and Sweet marjoram, Italian oregano tastes like marjoram but has a more perennial habit of Greek oregano, but is not quite as hardy.  It goes to flower later in the season, and springs forth sooner in the spring giving it a longer harvest season than marjoram. An easy-growing plant for the garden or container.  In the garden, use this oregano as an edging plant. Plants spread when happy, rooting along the stems. Harvest leaves or stems anytime during the growing season. Flavor is most intense just before plants flower. Trim plants often to keep flower formation at bay. It has all the uses of both plants above.

Common Oregano (Origanum vulgare) This is an aggressive grower that this nearly identical to Greek oregano except the flowers are pink instead of white.  However, it has almost no flavor.  You will find it sold in garden centers marked as oregano (because it is) but it is not the culinary herb you may be looking for.  It can cross pollinate other oreganos diminishing their flavor or spread so much more quickly that it overtakes the more tasty varieties.  Because of these issues it is best to smell and taste the oregano at the garden center before you buy it to make sure it has the strong culinary flavor you desire.

Golden oregano (Origanum vulgare ‘Aureum’) get their name from their yellow to golden foliage that is the brightest and truest yellow in full sun and cooler weather. In the summer, the yellow leaves are covered in delicate pink and purple flowers. Golden oregano is very fragrant and has the classic oregano smell and taste that is in such demand in cooking.

Golden oregano is especially good for containers and small space gardening since the plants tend to spread out less vigorously than other varieties of oregano. Like all oregano it enjoys full sun but will grow in virtually any type of soil. They prefer moderate watering and can withstand drying. 

To care for any of these oregano varieties, cut them back if they begin to flower to keep the flavor at its peak and use them dried or fresh throughout the year.

Body Powder Puff – DIY (for MOM)

Mothers Day is May 14, 2017, so I thought this month I would share a great step-by-step for making a powder puff you can give to mom for Mother’s Day.  And if you don’t have a mom to make one for, treat yourself!

Body Powder Puff

 10” square of fabric or a cloth hanky (vintage items are perfect for this)

½ cup French white clay

1 Tbls. Powdered rose buds

1 Tbls. Powdered lavender buds

20 drops of lavender essential oil

20 drops of rose geranium essential oil

Cotton batting

Rubber band

12” of decorative ribbon (that compliments the fabric)

If you do not have or cannot find powdered herbs, make them yourself.  Using about 4 to 5 Tbls. of dried crumbled rose petals or lavender buds, run them in a blender or food processor or even a clean coffee grinder until you get a fine powder.

Mix powdered herbs with clay and add essential oils.  The oils will ball up in the clay so mash them with the back of spoon to get them to granulate and mix evenly into the clay.

Place the clay mixture in the center of the fabric, which you have laid out on a flat surface face down.

Place the batting on top of clay and gather up the 4 corners of fabric and secure with a rubber band.

Tug in all the edges of the fabric to create a tight ball with no gaps.

Cover the rubber band with the decorative ribbon tied in a pretty bow.

To use: Pat the powder puff on skin, then rub the clay in.  You can also use this to dust and scent the bed linens.  It is fun to find an old tin or cardboard box at a vintage store to put the puff in, or decorate a plain take out box with personalized art.

Rhubarb Chutney - Weekend recipe

This is an awesome sauce over a grilled salmon or chicken fillet.

3 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup white balsamic vinegar

1 cup finely chopped onion

¾ cup golden raisins

1 Tbls. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp minced fresh gingerroot

1 tsp salt

¾ tsp curry powder

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

2 medium pears, peeled and diced

2 Tbls. minced fresh mint

In a large saucepan, combine the rhubarb, brown sugar, vinegar, onion, raisins, Worcestershire sauce, ginger, salt, curry and nutmeg.  Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil.  Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes or until rhubarb is tender, stirring occasionally.  Add pears, simmer uncovered 10 to 15 minutes longer or until pears are tender.  Cool to room temperature.  Stir in mint.  Transfer to a bowl.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving.  May be stored in the refrigerator up to 1 week.  Makes 4 cups.

Calendula and Rose Sea salt - Bath Blend of the Month

Last moth I suggested a Calendula Tea for the bath.  You can also make a soothing blend of softening herbs and sea salt that includes calendula.

Calendula and Rose Sea Salt 

Rose petals

Rosemary

Calendula petal

½ cup sea salt

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients together.  The amount of flowers and herbs is up to you, the more the merrier.  Place them all in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shape well.  Allow them to meld for two weeks before using.  

To Use: Place a large handful of the mixture in a muslin bag and place in a filling bath.  Soak and enjoy.

Rose is soothing to skin and calendula will relieve dry itching and irritated skin. Rosemary is lightly astringent and is rejuvenating and stimulating.

Edibles in your Garden Landscape

Most gardens today are solely ornamental and many of the ones that are edible are tucked into hidden corners of back yards, valued solely for their contribution to the pantry. Before herb gardens and vegetable gardens were relegated to their own spaces, kitchen gardens, cottage gardens, and landscapes around homes were filled plants that were as beautiful as they were useful.

Fortunately, edible landscaping is making a comeback, with more home gardeners choosing to plant attractive edibles that are easy on the eye as well as the dinner plate. A productive, functional and beautiful landscape can be grown on any scale and is especially useful when gardening in a limited space. 

Consider adding a few edibles to your garden from the Garden Club of Villa Park Plant Sale (May 12 & 13, 2017 -  320 E Wildwood, Villa Park, IL)  You can get details and pre-order forms on their website: www.homegardening.org. 

Here are a few basic ideas to get your edibles mixed into your garden landscape:

Height and Depth: pairing together edibles of varying heights in one bed or area creates an interesting look similar to wilder-inclined flower beds. Most vegetables prefer a full day of sun, but some can tolerate 4 to 6 hours of sun.  Any greens and cool-weather loving edibles enjoy the relief of some shade in the hottest parts of the year, so consider interplanting them with taller sun-loving vegetables and edible flowers or herbs. For example, the handsome Spotted Trout Lettuce can be planted under Ping Pong Tomatoes for contrasting colors, depth, height, and a one-stop salad harvest. African Crackerjack Marigolds (a very tall variety) can serve as a backdrop for a row of alternating Red Russian Kale and Purple Vienna Kolhrabi, with Arugula or Spinach interplanted between the brassicas – for a rich landscape of orange, red, purple, and deep green.

In extra cramped quarters, the same effects can be achieved within one pot. For example, Nasturtiums (edible flowers with a peppery kick) can serve as a “groundcover,” draping over the side of a tall container, with one Rainbow Chard and Tom Thumb Pea plant growing up from the center of the pot.

Succession sowing is also a useful tool both for food production and for growing an edible landscape. For example, radishes – a quickly maturing crop -- can be interplanted with Red Express Cabbage – a pretty, petite cabbage that matures quickly, for a cabbage. Sunflowers can be added to complete the trio, which will eventually grow tall enough to shade out the entire area, but not before the radishes and cabbages are ready to be harvested.  You can also use succession planting to give a continuous crop for herbs like dill or cilantro which can form seed rather quickly eliminating the ability to harvest the tasty leaves.

Colorful Contrast: Simply planting your go-to vegetables in a new formation creates a beautiful, new landscape. Planting Purple Peacock Broccoli and Cauliflower in one block will make for a snow white and rich purple/green checkerboard. Grouping a variety of colorful flowers and vegetables in a cluster instead of a row will automatically bring aesthetic interest to a corner of your garden.

The easiest way to create colorful contrast is to let some of your edible plantings go to seed! Not only will you end season with your very own seed bank, but ordinary plants will assume beautiful, new forms: lettuces, for example, will grow tall and bloom like clusters of tiny dandelions; leeks will shoot out one long stalk with a giant, lavender-hued, globe-shaped blossom.

Choose unusual varieties of usual vegetables in the interest of color, nutrition, and flavor. Merlot Lettuce is merlot colored, Lemon Cucumbers are lemon colored, and Rainbow Chard, yes – also true to its name – comes with stalks in varying colors.

 

purple basil in the center pot,
 edible and color coordinated

Substitute: Another helpful way to think about edible landscapes is to substitute edible varieties for each role you want a plant to serve in the garden. Want a vine to climb up the back fence? How about peas, followed by pole beans: they have beautiful flowers and foliage and also produce delicious pods. Looking for a petite tuft of grass to edge your pathway? How about chives instead – a hardy, perennial with great flavor and attractive magenta blooms. Thyme works great not only as an indispensable seasoning, but as a groundcover too, especially in between a stone pathway. Purple Basil can substitute for a coleus and has the same burgundy foliage.  Adding edible flowers to the flower garden can give you double duty. Chamomile and feverfew look like small daisies; Borage, bachelor Buttons, Love-in-a-Mist can all be eaten; Nasturtiums are well known for the peppery flavor of the leaves and the flowers. And pansies and calendula are also edible.

SOURCE: Hudson Valley Seed Library

Fast Recipe for a Busy Weekend - Taco Salad

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 package of BYP Fiesta Dip Herb Mix
• Salt & pepper to taste, optional
• 1/4 cup water
• 10 cups torn romaine lettuce
• 1 cup green onions, chopped finely
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 cup prepared BYP Ranch Dressing or Salt-free Ranch Dressing

Brown ground beef in skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Drain fat, return beef to skillet and add Fiesta Dip Mix and water stir until well mixed. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 3 to 4 minutes or until water is evaporated.  You can add salt & pepper, if desired.

Set up a bed of lettuce on four plates. Divide ground beef among the plates and sprinkle with green onions, tomatoes, and cheese. Drizzle prepared BYP Ranch Dressing on top (see package instructions).  To add less calories you can use BYP Salsa blend prepared with fresh tomatoes instead of Ranch Dressing.

Spring Green Cleaning 2017

A few years ago I started being serious about removing chemicals from our cleaning materials.  Chas had some asthma symptoms and we always knew he was allergic to preservatives so I began to realize that the chemicals in the cleaning products probably contributed to indoor air pollution.  I started with the easiest things like the dishwasher detergent, and laundry detergent, then moved  to floor and window cleaning, now I have moved to specialty cleaning in the bathroom and kitchen.

I wanted an all purpose cleaner that we could spray on the counters.  My husband cleans up every little spill while cooking and i wipe down the island regularly so we keep the spray bottle on the counter for quick use.

I love the spray bottles that come with our commercial shower solution (I make a shower solution but my hubby goes through it faster than I can make more, so he buys it at the grocery when I am not looking.) The bottles have a built in tube so you can get every last drop from the bottom so I wash out the bottles and save them to use for kitchen and bathroom cleaner.

All-purpose Essential Cleaner
This simple solution will smell good, clean and disinfect.
     1/4 cup vinegar
     1/2 tsp washing soda
     15 drops of eucalyptus essential oil *
     15 drops of lemon balm essential oil *

Place all of these in a spray bottle then add enough warm water to fill the bottle and shake well.  You now have an all-purpose cleaner. You can substitute tea tree essential oil and/or lavender essential oil to replace one or both of the other oils.


To scour the sink you may need something a bit stronger, so make an abrasive cleaner with grapefruit  that smells good and inhibits microorganisms.  To give it more punch you can also add bergamot and lemon oil too.

Do not use this on a fiberglass tub or sink.

Abrasive Grapefruit and Lemon Scrub

1 cup fine grade pumice
1/2 cup clay powder
2 Tablespoons grapefruit essential oil
1/4 cup baking soda
1/2 cup boiling water

Mix all ingredients together and stir.  Store in a labeled airtight container.

To Use: Apply gently with a damp sponge or cloth and scrub.

Creamy non-Abrasive Scrub
Use this on any fiberglass surfaces and anyplace else you do want scratches but need some serious cleaning.

1/4 cup borax
castile soap
1/2 teaspoon lemon grass essential oil

In a small bowl, combine borax and just enough castile to create a thick paste.  Add essential oil and bend well.

To Use: Scoop a small amount of cleaner onto a damp sponge.  Scrub surface and rinse well.