Crafting Herbal Baths

Herbal baths are deeply relaxing.  They help take the edge off the day, calm and quiet the mind, encourage deep sleep and sometimes are just the comfort one needs in a rough and busy world.  Now that the hectic holiday season is past, we have time to pamper ourselves a bit. Time to read those books we haven't had time for, try some new recipes, and maybe even enjoy some luxurious herbal baths. Depending on the herbs you use and the temperature of the water, you can create a bath that is relaxing, stimulating, uplifting, soothing, decongesting, or otherwise curative. 

Remember that the largest organ of the body is your skin and using it as a way to assimilate toxins and assimilate treatments is the easiest and among the most effective. Unfortunately people tend to shy away from taking baths anymore, opting for showers in an age of efficiency.  People have replaced the slow, peaceful nature of bathing with a quick shower.

Now truly a bath is only soothing if you fit in the bathtub, but now the movement is swinging back to large deep soaking tubs, so people are slowly realizing that they may have lost something in the efficiency of a quick shower.

The temperature of the water will affect the healing quality of the bath.  Cool to tepid is excellent for lowering fever or normalizing the system.  A warm bath is relaxing and soothing to the nervous system.  Cold water is stimulating and contracting and will firm and strengthen the inter system if you are brave enough to endure it.

To make Herbal Baths

To craft an herbal bath, use 3 to 4 ounces of herbs per tub.  Use the herbs to make an extra strong herbal tea; strain and add the tea to the bathwater.  Or you can bundle the mixed herbs in a swatch of cotton fabric and tie it directly onto the nozzle of the tub.  Run hot water through the herbal bundle until the tub is half-filled, then toss the bundle in the tub and adjust the temperature with cold water.  Soak in the bath for 20 to 30 minutes to enjoy the full benefits of the herbs.

Now if you cannot take a soak in the full tub, a hand or foot soak may be the way to go.  Remember all the nerves of the body pass through the feet and hands.  Simply choose an appropriately-sized container and adjust the proportion of herbs to water accordingly.

Herbs with healing properties for the bath:

Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus)- a building immune system herb especially through the rebuilding of bone marrow.  It has been used for preventing and treating long-term infections including colds and flu.  Because it helps regulate metabolism and circulation it is good with dietary sugars and may be used by some to treat diabetes.

Black cohosh - has many estrogen-like qualities and is used often by menopausal women.  It is especially good at relieving the stress and nervous tension that often accompanies the menstrual cycle.  Black Cohosh should not be used during pregnancy.

Burdock -  is used often in tea and tinctures.  In the bath it is great for itchy, irritated skin.

Calendula – great for your hair as well as your body, this herb in the bath is great for treating burns, sores, bruises and skin ulcers.  And as a hair rinse it is best for brown and blond hair.

Chamomile – beyond its well-known soothing abilities as a tea chamomile in the bath is very soothing and works as a powerful anti-inflammatory.  It is also effective with sore and achy muscles.  It is considered gentle enough to use in a baby’s bath.

Dandelion – this herb is bitter and not always the best tasting, however it has restorative and rejuvenating properties that you can use in the bath and avoid the bitter taste. 

Mullein – known for its ability to speed healing and ease pain from bruising this can be useful in a bath blend.

Lavender – can be taken internally and externally for relaxation, but its best use is an antibiotic and anti spasmodic.  So toss some in the bath and enjoy the aroma and the benefits to skin.

Lemon Balm - helps to dispel nervous anxiety and gladden the heart.

Peppermint – will induce perspiration and eliminate body toxins.  It can also reduce head congestion.

Rose petals  - are soothing both for the skin and for the nervous system.

St. John’s Wort – an herb that gets a great deal of press for treating depression and giving healing, but it is also a great herb of back pain because of its work within nerve tissue.

Thyme  - is good for infections and inflammations.  The active ingredient in thyme is an exceptional antiseptic.  Added to the bath it is a wonderful treatment for ailments and germ fighting.  Great in foot baths as well.

The Backyard Patch has a large number of Bath Bags and Sachets to try if you want to experiment with the soothing properties of a bath.  Check out our listings at Ebay.  And this winter we developed a bath sampler with three heat-sealed tea bags containing three different bath blends.  You can find this in our SAMPLER listings.

Make your own herb cough drops

This time of year, no matter how I take care of myself the dry air begins to affect my throat.  I teach and lecture and one of the classes I do takes two full days.  As the lecturer I talk for almost all of those two days.  As a result I tend to lose my voice by the end.  I found a perfect item which works to preserve my voice and keep me from being gravel voice on Monday -- herbal cough drops.  I take them not only during the weekend while teaching but also before and after. 

Below are instructions for making herbal cough drops.  Before I move to that, here are some herbs you might want to choose, however, if you have a favorite, don’t be afraid to try it.  These are really just “candy” in disguise.

If you want herbs with expectorant qualities that help loosen phlegm try aniseed (Pimpinella anisum), elderberberry (Sambucus nigra), ginger root (Zingiber officinale), mullein (Verbascum thapsus), osha (Ligusticum porteri) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris).

Soothing herbs include lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), holy basil (Tulsi), scented geranium leaves (Pelegorium)  and mint (Menthe)

All you’ll need to make these is a pot, waxed paper and a greased cooking sheet.

Homemade Herbal Cough Drops

• about 1/8 to 1/4 cup powdered herbs
• 1 cup sugar, or honey
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup, or honey
• 1 1/2 cups water
• Powdered sugar, for easy handling

1. Steep your preferred herbs in 1 1/2 cups of water to make a tea. It is possible to use crumbled herbs instead, just double or triple the amount of herbs and strain the herbs from the tea before adding sugar and syrup.

2. Mix sugar and corn syrup with tea. Cook over low heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved and mixture boils.

3. Continue boiling without stirring until the mixture begins to crystallize; reduce heat. Wash away crystals from the side of your pan with a damp cloth.

4. Remove from the heat after a few minutes. Drop some of the mixture from the tip of a spoon onto a greased surface. Continue making drops until mixture is gone.  Allow to harden and cool completely before removing. Roll the candies in powdered sugar and wrap in waxed paper for storage.

5.  Clean-up is easy because hot water will dissolve the mixture!

Herb of the Week - Sorrel

Although a bit late, coming in just under the wire before midnight on Wednesday, it is generally a Wednesday event to have the herb of the week, where we highlight how to grow and use a particular herb.  I love lemon herbs, and this week's herb has an almost bitter lemony underflavor that puts it in my book as a lemon herb, but not many use it that way.  So let's learn more!

This week’s Herb of the week is Sorrel

Sorrel is derived from the French word “surele” which translates as “sour.”  There are two sorrels that are commonly used in cooking.  French Sorrel (Rumex scutatus) and Garden Sorrel (Rumex acetosa.)  Both plants have an acidic leaf with a slightly lemon flavor.  French Sorrel is more highly favored, because it is milder.  The sour taste of sorrel leaves is due to their high levels of oxalic acid.  An ancient herb, Sorrell was eaten by the ancient Egyptians and during the medieval era was used to make vinegar.

French Sorrel on the left
and larger leafed Garden Sorrel on the right

To Grow

French Sorrel has round, bright green leaves; very different from the arrow-shaped leaves of Garden Sorrel.  Both grow to about 18 inches with fleshy, large spinach-like leaves at the end of succulent style stems.  They are hardy in Zones 4 to 8 and will tolerate just about any type of soil.  Sow seeds in moist soil in a sunny spot.  You don’t need to cover or much the seeds.  Thin to 12 inches apart.  Harvest the leaves regularly during the growing season and cut back the stalks to keep the leaves tender.  If you allow a few stalks to flower and set seed, the plant will self-seed for next year.  Plants can also be propagated by division.  About every 4 years you can divide them so they do not get too crowded.

To Use

Sorrel’s young tender leaves provide an interesting tang when used fresh in salads.  The larger leaves can be used in traditional sorrel soups.  The fresh leaves can be blanched in boiling water and frozen for later use.  Never cut more than you need, as sorrel does not keep once prepared. 

Sorrel is an important part of French and Polish dishes, often cooked in a cream sauce as an accompaniment to salmon or veal.  Sorrel also pairs well with eggs, goat cheese and poultry.  It is a popular as a salad green in Britain, Ireland and China. 

When cooking with sorrel make sure your equipment is all stainless steel as the leaves can discolor your pots and knives.

Recipes

Sorrel Soup

serves 4

2 cups fresh sorrel leaves

2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and 1" dice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup heavy cream

6 cups water

2 whole eggs

Wash and remove the stems from the sorrel leaves.   Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot, add the sorrel leaves and potato.  Stir until the leaves are wilted.  Add the water and simmer until the potatoes are soft.

Puree the soup with a hand-held mixer or in a food processor until smooth.  Add the cream, salt and pepper to taste and bring back to simmer.

Poached Salmon with Sorrel Sauce

Serves 4

4 cutlets of salmon

½ cup sweet butter

1 large bunch of sorrel, washed and chopped

1 cup heavy cream or crème fraiche

salt & pepper

Poach the salmon is boiling salted water for about 8 minutes.  Remove and set aside on a warm plate.  Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Add the chopped sorrel – it melts into the butter very quickly.  When it has bubbled for a few minutes, add the cream and seasoning, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.  If you are using crème fraiche, boil very rapidly for a few minutes.  Pour the sauce over the salmon and serve immediately.

copyright 2011, Marcy Lautanen-Raleigh

Book Review - Essential Guide to Growing and Cooking with Herbs

I was cruising for cookbooks recently and found one written by the Herb Society of America that is so much more than a simple cookbook I thought herby people needed to know about it.  It is entitled Essential Guide to Growing and Cooking with Herbs.

Essential Guide to Growing and Cooking with Herbs

Ed. By Katherine Schlosser

(Louisiana State University Press, 2007)

The book is unique in that in addition to the hordes of recipes in the book it also has a short history of the origin and planning to for National Herb Garden which is located at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington D.C. which opened in 1980.  The garden, which is the largest planned herb garden in the world, is in the wonderful shape of a skeleton key with a ring of theme gardens and a long path and an entrance knot garden.

The book gives a short history of the origin and planning of the garden and its funding, then wraps with a long chapter (at least 60 pages) that details all the theme gardens and sections of the herb garden.  It has great ideas if you are contemplating a theme of any kind.  One of the gardens is a Dioscrides Garden using the writings in his 5 volume De Meteria Medica written in the first century A.D.  It was a comprehensive book about botany and pharmacy that was consulted for centuries and resulted in the idea that plant study and the medical uses of plants were indeed two different sciences.  The Garden holds 51 of the plants from De Materia Medica.  In addition to this garden are the 10 theme gardens, ranging from dye, Colonial, medical, beverage, Asian, to Native American.  The descriptions include a plant list which makes them a valuable resource to those wanting to try a theme garden.

The 15 pages of notes and bibliography are also a who’s who of great herb related texts.  And the index sorts by recipes and herbs used.  Before the recipes is a plant listing that is more detailed than most you find in books with almost 100 listings.  It breaks the herbs into two groupings GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) and those that are not GRAS.  I was surprised by some of the herbs listed as not GRAS, but after reading the listings I realized it is perhaps not all about the herb being dangerous as it containing a naturally occurring chemical that in some concentrations has been dangerous, but since no studies can prove the concentration in the plant is dangerous these are just cautions.  At some point I will discuss the herbs in GRAS and where that designation comes from.

Overall this book is a wealth of information on Herbs backed up by the most amazing collection of herbal recipes collected from members of the Herb Society of America all over the country that are both simple and complex and include traditional yet uniquely herbed recipes.  The recipes have a simple herbal elegance and use herbs in many special ways just outside of ordinary, but not difficult.  Here are two that I have adapted from the book.

RECIPES

Summer Iced Tea

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

2 packages of Backyard Patch Shamrock Tea (about 1 cup)

6 oz. frozen lemonade

6 oz. frozen limeade

Juice of 1 orange or lemon

Combine water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Remove sugar syrup from heat and add tea.  Allow to steep 5 to 15 minutes, then strain out the leaves.  Add lemonade, limeade concentrates, and orange (or lemon) juice.  Store well, then add enough water to make one gallon.  Chill until ready to serve.  Can be kept in the refrigerator for several days.

Herbal Asian Chicken Salad with Noodles

I love peanut dressing, especially on Chicken.  When I found this recipe in the book I had to try it.

1 lb. boneless chicken breasts

2 bay leaves

1/3 cup chicken stock

10 oz. noodles (I like rice noodles, but cellophane or angel hair are also good)

2 tsp. sesame oil

2 tsp, orange juice

1 cup bean sprouts

1 romaine heart

1 cucumber skin scratched with a fork and sliced thin

1 carrot diagonal cut

1 red pepper, seeded and sliced

2 scallions sliced or a bunch of fresh chives, chopped

½ cup cilantro, chopped

Poach chicken breasts in stock with bay leaves.  Reserve the stock after cooking.  Slice chicken.

Boil noodles.  Rinse under cold water and toss with sesame oil, orange juice and bean sprouts

Slice romaine into ribbons and arrange on 6 individual plates.  Top with noodles and chicken.  Garnish with cucumbers, carrots, red pepper scallions and cilantro.  Serve with Peanut dressing.  Yield 6 servings.

Peanut Dressing

10 Thai basil leaves

½ cup peanut butter

1/3 cup reserved stock

¼ cup light soy sauce

4 Tbls. sesame oil

2 Tbls. minced gingerroot

2 Tbls. minced garlic

2 Tbls. sugar

2 Tbls. rice wine vinegar

2 tsp. hot chili oil

¼ cup heavy cream

Blend all ingredients except cream in a food processor.  When well blended, stir in cream.

Marcy Lautanen-Raleigh

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.

Herb of the Week and Year -- Horseradish, part 2

The International Herb Association and the National Herb Society announced that Horseradish will be the 2011 Herb of the Year.  There is much unknown about Horseradish (which many people shy away from because if its strong flavor,) so I decided to dedicate two weeks to discussing its use, growth and helpful properties.

This is week two of  Herb of the Week -- Horseradish!

History, part 2

Last week I gave a brief history of the plant, this time I will share a few more historical tidbits.Click here to read last week's post.

Horseradish has been cultivated since antiquity. According to Greek mythology, the Delphic Oracle told Apollo that the horseradish was worth its weight in gold. Horseradish was 0known in Egypt in 1500 BC. Dioscordes listed horseradish under Thlaspi or Persicon; Cato discusses the plant in his treatises on agriculture, and a mural in Pompeii showing the plant has survived until today. Horseradish is probably the plant mentioned by Pliny the Elder in his Natural History under the name of Amoracia, and recommended by him for its medicinal qualities, and possibly the Wild Radish, or raphanos agrios of the Greek. The early Renaissance herbalist John Gerard showed it under Raphanus.

Both root and leaves were used as a medicine during the Middle Ages and the root was used as a condiment on meats in Germany, Scandinavia, and Britain. It was taken to North America during Colonial times.

William Turner mentions horseradish as Red Cole in his "Herbal" (1551–1568), but not as a condiment. In "The Herball, or Generall Historie of Plantes" (1597), John Gerard describes it under the name of raphanus rusticanus, stating that it occurs wild in several parts of England. After referring to its medicinal uses, he says: "the Horse Radish stamped with a little vinegar put thereto, is commonly used among the Germans for sauce to eat fish with and such like meates as we do mustarde."

Where the English name horseradish comes from is not certain. It may derive by misinterpretation of the German Meerrettich as mare radish. Some think it is because of the coarseness of the root. In Europe the common version is that it refers to the old method of processing the root called "hoofing". Horses were used to stamp the root tender before grating it.

Culinary Uses, part 2

Prepared horseradish is the grated root mixed with vinegar.  Horseradish sauce is made by blending the prepared horseradish with cream or mayonnaise. In the USA, prepared horseradish is a common ingredient in Bloody Mary cocktails and in cocktail sauce for seafood.  It is also used as a sauce or spread on meat, chicken, and fish, and in sandwiches.  Last week (to see the other post click here) I explained how to prepare Horseradish, this week I thought I would mention some special places Horseradish is used with food.

In Middle and Eastern Europe horseradish is called khreyn (in various spellings) in many Slavic languages, in German in Austria and parts of Germany, and in Yiddish. There are two varieties of khreyn. "Red" khreyn is mixed with red beet (beetroot) and "white" khreyn contains no beet. It is popular in Ukraine (under the name of хрін, khrin), in Poland (under the name of chrzan).

Having this on the Easter table is a part of Christian Easter and Jewish Passover tradition in Eastern and Central Europe.  In Ashkanazi European Jewish cooking beet horseradish is commonly served with Gefilte fish. Red beet with horseradish is also used as a salad served with lamb dishes at Easter in Romanian regions.

Horseradish (often grated and mixed with cream, hard-boiled eggs, or apples) is also a traditional Easter dish in Slovenia and in the adjacent Italian regions.

Even in Japan, horseradish dyed green is often substituted for the more expensive wasabi traditionally served with sushi. The Japanese botanical name for horseradish is seiyōwasabi or "Western wasabi".

Medicinal uses

Horseradish contains potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, along with volatile oils, such as mustard oil (which has antibacterial properties.) Fresh, the plant contains average 79.31 mg of vitamin C per 100 g of raw horseradish.

Known to have diuretic properties, the roots have been used to treat various minor health problems, including urinary tract infections, bronchitis, sinus congestion, ingrown toenails and coughs. Compounds found in horseradish have been found to kill some bacterial strains.  It is currently being used in microbiology as a way of preserving study slides.

If you don't have access to a garden plant, you can often find the roots at markets such as Whole Foods. Homemade prepared horseradish is about twice as strong as store-bought versions, and lasts about 4 to 6 weeks in the refrigerator.

Recipes to Try

 (I went a bit overboard but worth scrolling all the way to the bottom for the sauces)

Bloody Mary on Horseback
1 oz. Vodka
Lemon pepper
1/2 tsp. grated or prepared Horseradish
1 tsp. A-1 sauce
Lime wedge
Celery seed
Ice
Tomato juice
Garnish

Directions:
Place ice in a shaker, sprinkle lemon pepper, celery seed, horseradish (use more if more heat is desired), A-1 sauce and vodka over the ice. Fill with chilled tomato juice, shake vigorously to blend and pour into a chilled mug. Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice and garnish with celery stick, chilled cooked shrimp, pickled mushroom or whatever you desire.

Horseradish Potato Salad

Serves: 6

Fennel, horseradish, and mustard lend interesting flavors to red potato salad tossed in a creamy vinaigrette. Plan on 1 hour refrigeration time.

2 pounds red new potatoes, cut into eighths

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 Tablespoons sour cream

1-1/2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard

1-1/2 teaspoons prepared horseradish or horseradish sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 pounds fresh fennel or celery, trimmed and diced (about 3 cups)

1/2 bunch green onions (about 3), trimmed and thinly sliced

Directions:

Cook potatoes in boiling lightly salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain; refrigerate 1 hour.  Whisk olive oil, wine vinegar, garlic, sour cream, mustard, horseradish, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.  When potatoes are cool, add dressing along with fennel and green onions. Toss to combine.

 

Potato Cakes and Horse Radish

Serves 4 to 6

Fresh horseradish gives extra zing to potato cakes seasoned with chives and served with sour cream. These are not overly spicy because the cooking process mellows out the horseradish.

3 baking potatoes, scrubbed clean

1 medium onion, grated

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 Tbls. finely grated fresh horseradish (use a microplane for better consistence and less clean up)

1/2 tsp. lemon zest

1/4 cup chopped fresh chopped chives

3/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

6 Tbls. vegetable or olive oil

2 Tbls. butter

Salt to taste

Sour cream for accompaniment

Directions:

Boil whole potatoes for 5 minutes. Let cool, peel, and coarsely grate. Toss grated potatoes, onions, and flour in a large bowl to mix well. Stir in eggs, horseradish, lemon zest, chives, salt, and pepper until well-combined.  Heat olive oil and butter in a large, heavy non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of mixture into the hot oil for each cake. Fry about 4 minutes on each side until nicely browned. Drain on paper towels. (You will need to fry the potato pancakes in batches.)  Season cakes with additional salt, if desired, and serve with a dollop of sour cream.

 

Buttered Horseradish Mostly Mashed Potatoes
Serves: 4- 6

4 Lg. Yukon Gold potatoes, skins on and cut into bite sized chunks
4 Tbsp. prepared horseradish
4 Tbsp. sour cream
1/3  cup milk
5 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. each of:  onion powder, garlic powder and dried onion
½ Tbsp. oregano
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:
Place potatoes in water and boil until soft.  Drain.  Place in large mixing bowl.  Add all other ingredients.  Mash contents in bowl together with masher or heavy duty mixer until well combined and potatoes are mostly mashed.  For even better version: top with cheddar cheese and put until hot broiler until cheese starts to bubble.

Flat Horse Chicken

Serves: 4 to 6

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or cutlets or boneless, skinless thighs)
2 Tbsp. white prepared horseradish
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp. orange juice
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 more Tbsp. of unsalted butter (very cold)
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions:
Pound the chicken to ¼-inch in thickness.  Season with salt and pepper.  Melt 2 Tbsp. of butter in a frying pan large enough to hold all the chicken.  Add the olive oil.  Sauté chicken on medium high heat on both sides, 3 minutes per side.  Remove from frying pan and place on a serving dish.  To the frying pan, add orange juice, balsamic vinegar and horseradish and turn the heat up till sauce bubbles.  Turn the heat down to medium and add the very cold butter.  Stir constantly till the sauce becomes velvety.  Return the chicken to the pan to heat, about 2 minutes per side. 

Great Meatloaf

2 lbs. ground chuck (or a combination of beef and pork)
2 egg whites (slightly beaten)
1 c. bread crumbs
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. milk
2 tsp. prepared horseradish or horseradish sauce
1 tsp. dry mustard
3/4 c. ketchup

Directions:
Combine all ingredients but meat in a medium bowl.  Then add bread crumb mixture to mean and mix thoroughly (using hands works best.)  Form into a loaf.  Bake in foil-line loaf pan in oven at 350 degrees for one hour. You can substitute ground turkey/chicken for ground meat or use skim milk instead of whole milk.

Ham and Horseradish Stromboli
Serves: 4-6

1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed and risen
¼  lb. Deli ham
¼  lb. Swiss cheese
3 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. Prepared Horseradish
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Punch dough down. On a lightly floured surface, roll loaf into a 20" by 8" rectangle. Place the rectangle on a greased baking sheet. Combine mayonnaise and horseradish and spread in a strip down the center of the rectangle. Layer on ham and Swiss cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Fold long sides of dough up towards filling and pinch ends to seal. Bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Horseradish Crusted Salmon
Serves: 4

4 6-9 oz. Salmon fillets, no skin
1/2 cup freshly grated horseradish
12 Small Red bliss potatoes
8 Broccoli spears
2 Medium Sprigs of rosemary

Directions:
Bring a pot of water to a boil, lightly salt the water. Boil potatoes until tender. Remove. In a separate pot, bring water to a boil and blanch broccoli. Shock in ice water. Reserve. Mince rosemary leaves, not stems. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Top each salmon fillet with freshly grated horseradish. In a hot sauté pan, sauté both sides of salmon, starting with the horseradish side down first. Transfer to a lightly oiled baking sheet and cook in a 350º preheated oven until done, approximately 10 minutes. While salmon is resting, place potatoes on a lightly oiled baking sheet, season potatoes with butter, minced rosemary and salt and pepper. Bake for a few minutes to heat up and melt butter. Cook broccoli in boiling water until tender. On a warm plate, arrange 3 potatoes and broccoli in the center. Place the warm salmon on top with horseradish facing up.

Horseradish Sauce for Meat

Makes 1 2/3 cups

This heavenly horseradish sauce goes great with roasted fish, beef, and chicken.

1/4 cup drained prepared horseradish

1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon heavy cream

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 egg yolks

1 Tablespoon water

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Keep warm.

To make the horseradish puree: Place the horseradish, vinegar, and cream in a blender. Puree until smooth, stopping from time to time to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. Scrape into a bowl and reserve.  

Place the egg yolks in a slightly larger non-reactive saucepan. Whisk in the water and the salt. Place over medium-low heat. Slowly pour the warm butter into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. After all the butter has been incorporated, continue whisking approximately 3 to 5 minutes over the heat, until the sauce is light and fluffy and has almost doubled in volume. Remove from heat and continue whisking until the sauce is skin temperature.

Whisk in the reserved horseradish puree. Serve immediately. Good with roasted fish, beef, and chicken.

Creamed Horseradish Sauce Dip

Makes ¾ cup

For me, creamed horseradish sauce is a must with prime rib or any rare roast beef. If you don't like your horseradish too hot, make the sauce a couple of days in advance and refrigerate. Horseradish loses its punch with age. Prepared bottled horseradish doesn't work as well due to the vinegar. This version is a copycat version of the tiger dill sauce served at Outback Steakhouse restaurants.

1/2 cup fresh grated horseradish

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dill weed

Directions:

Place grated horseradish, heavy cream, and salt into the bowl of a small food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse until thickened to the consistency of stiff whipped cream. (Do not over-beat or you will end up with butter.)  Scrape into a bowl and fold in dill weed. Refrigerate at least two hours or overnight to let flavors meld. 

If you want to make a quick spread or dip, the Backyard Patch has two herb mixes you can try!  Click here to view them.

Protecting your Skin from Moisture Loss with Herbal Essential Oils

The low humidity in winter air depletes the moisture in your skin. This leaves the uppermost skin cells without enough moisture to keep them healthy. The result is itching, peeling and scaling of dead skin.  I find walking outside on a winter windy day can really zap the moisture from my legs and face.  There are several ways to combat this.

First I suggest increasing the humidity in the air of your home. Simmering spices on the stove adds moisture and freshens a room with delightful aromatherapy scents.

Use a glycerin or olive oil based soap, they have fewer chemicals and are less drying.

Next, remove dead skin cells by exfoliating with a textured soap or a salt scrub. Make your own sugar scrub with my favorite recipe. Your skin will feel great and be soft and supple!

Exfoliating Sugar Scrub Recipe:
Combine ¼ to ½ cup sugar and 2 Tbls. almond oil with 10 to 30 drops lavender essential oil for stress relief and 10 to 30 drops lemongrass oil for invigorating the mind and/or 10 to 30 drops of grapefruit oil an uplifting and refreshing scent which is also slightly astringent. Shake to mix.

Directions:
After bathing while skin is still wet and you are still in the tub or shower, use one tablespoon to gently massage skin. Avoid sensitive areas, like your face. Rinse well. Pat dry and lock in moisture with your favorite body lotion. Lavender lotion will effectively heal and moisturize dry winter skin.

If you would like to try a Sugar Scrub, the Backyard Patch makes one along with a number of other bath items for keeping away dry skin like an assortment of Milk Baths .  To see these and any other of our more than 250 different items, see us at http://www.backyardpatch.com/