Kidney for Steve Donation and Auction

Recently I donated a box of Backyard Patch items to the family of Steve Nolan that is raising money for a kidney transplant operation.  Rather than restate all the details of the family and their situation, Here is a link to the Facebook page they created with all the details www.facebook.com/#!/groups/423352361018192/

I was impressed with this young family and especially with Christine (Steve’s Wife).  Her upbeat nature and creativity is an inspiration.  It was a simple request for me to donate to this cause, but I am finding it means a great deal to be able to participate in this fundraiser. I have done this before and everytime I amazed at how enriched I feel from such a simple gesture. 

 

 Here is the link to the special "kiss the Cook" basket Christine created with my herbs and donations from others.   It is an awesome basket and deserves much more bidding than it is getting, so won’t you check it out: http://www.32auctions.com/organizations/4059/auctions/4505/auction_items/99439

 

To read more of Steve’s story and see a few images of this young family  check out their special web page: http://www.giveforward.com/akidneyforsteve

Thank you!
Marcy Raleigh

 

 

Weekend Recipe - Overnight Oatmeal

The weather is perfect.  There is a great harvest to be attended to or some bicycling that can be enjoyed or sight seeing as the leaves change.  These are all good reasons to spend as little time in the kitchen in the morning as possible so you can enjoy as much of the seasonal shortened days as you can.  This recipe will help you do just that.  You make it ahead in the slow cooker and serve in the morning.

Special note - it is not just because it "sounds gourmet" that I suggest the steel-cut oats.  Steel cut oats, which you can find in some stores called Irish Oatmeal, is a toasted oat kernel that has been removed from the husk and cut into 2 or 3 pieces.  You cannot substitute rolled oats in this recipe because they cook too fast and your oatmeal will be done before you wake up in the morning.




Overnight Oatmeal
adapted from cooking.com

8 cups of water
2 cups steel-cut oats
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup dried apricots or peaches
1/2 to 1 tsp. cinnamon (of if you have it Backyard Patch Cinnful Dessert Blend)
1/4 tsp. salt (or less to taste)

Combine water, oats, cranberries, apricots (or peaches) and seasoning in a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker.  Turn the heat to low.  Place the lid in and cook until the oats are tender and creamy.  Takes about 7 to 8 hours.

If you want to make them on your stove, you need to craft it in a double boiler and should use about 1/2 of the recipe.  You will cook the oat mixture over boiling water fro about 1 1/2 hours, being sure to check the water level under the the double boiler so you don't burn it off.

I serve with a sprinkle of brown surgar or more Cinnful Dessert Blend.

Rose Petal Facial Cleanser

Rose is very softening to the skin.  Anything that can soften will lessen the appearance of wrinkles and pores.  The roses bloomed early this year due to the heat, but as a result I harvested many more flower heads than usual rather than watch them wither on the vine.  As a result I experimented with making a facial cleanser that has no soap.  You might like to try this for yourself or a gift.

Rose Petal Facial Cleanser

Fill a glass jar with dried or fresh rose petals and cover with distilled witch hazel.  Use a chopstick to stir the mixture to remove any air bubbles, then add more witch hazel so all petals are covered. If you leave the petals uncovered they will go brown within a couple of hours.

Seal the glass jar with a screw top lid, label and date. Leave the jar to infuse in a cool, dark place for a couple of weeks. Strain and pour into dark glass bottles.

If you find the scent from fresh rose petals is not strong or even non existent, it might be worth adding some dried rose petals and re-infusing for two further weeks after you have strained the fresh rose petals. The fragrance is much more concentrated with dried petals than with fresh.

To Use: Apply to your face with soaked cotton balls.

This recipe can also be made with dried or fresh elderflowers when they are in season.

Crafting Pillows to Aid Sleep

When the days shorten and the clocks change in autumn, I sometimes have problems sleeping.  This probably goes all the way back to the insomnia I suffered from in college and this time of year brings back those memories of wondering the dorm hallways and pacing the quad trying to get myself to sleep.  Most of the time I gave up trying to sleep and went over to the museum and cataloged artifacts in the wee hours of the morning.  It helped to know the security guards who would let me in.

lemon verbena

One of the first herbal remedies I employed with my first harvest back in the early 90s was a sleep pillow blend.  I cannot sew, so these were sealed into cotton bags and later oversized tea bags which I slipped into the pillow case.  As long as I kept from putting in catnip I generally got to keep the bags for myself.

There are several herbs you can choose when putting together a sleep enhancing pillow. Lavender is a popular herb for sleep-dream pillows, and was often used by Victorian ladies to relieve headaches.  Lemon Balm and Lemon Verbena have an exceptionally soothing fragrance that is said to help depression. Rosemary was thought of traditionally as an herb that could guard against evil spirits and nightmares.

Any dried herbs you like may be added to a pillow.  Choose those whose scent appeals to you, but whatever you choose, remember that it should give off a soothing, subtle scent that promotes relaxation.  You can pick from angelica leaves, marjoram, rose petals, rose geranium leaves, lemon thyme, lavender, lemon balm, and lemon verbena.  Avoid mints as they are thought to be energizing and not so sleep enhancing.

The procedure for each blend is the same.  If using essential oil add it to the orris root powder - substitute oak moss if you are sensitive to orris root (these are fixatives, like in potpourri they help the pillow herbs keep their scent.)  Then mix in the ingredients and store in a covered jar for 2 weeks, shaking container daily.  Once cured place the dried flower mixture into a small pillow made of closely woven fabric or in a cotton teabag.

Lavender-Chamomile-Rose
2 oz. lavender flowers

1 oz. chamomile flowers

1 oz rose petals

2 tbsp. coriander seeds (lightly crushed),

1 sm. cinnamon stick (crumbled)

2 tbsp orris root powder

Lavender-Lemon Verbena-Rosemary
2 oz. lavender

1/2 oz. crumpled bay leaves

1 oz.lemon thyme

1 oz. rosemary
1 oz. lemon balm

1 oz. orris root powder, a few drops of lavender oil

Orange-Eucalyptus

2 oz. hops

1/2 oz. Eucalyptus

1 oz. meadowsweet

1 oz. woodruff

1 oz. crushed cloves

1 oz. crushed orange peel

1 oz. orris root, few drops sweet orange oil

If you do not have the time or the herbs to craft these pillow inserts yourself, the Backyard Patch makes pillow sachets for sleep, relaxation and headaches.  You can find them all on our website under Pillow Sachets on the Bath and Spa Items Page (look down toward the bottom.)

The Best Herbs for Autumn

Here is a list of the ripe perfect autumnal herbs  and some ways to add them into your seasonal cooking.

Garden Sage

Sage -- This herb gives savory flavor to sausages and stuffings, either by itself or in combination with other herbs. To amaze your friends at dinner parties, pick a handful of the thick, fleshy leaves and fry them to crispness in olive oil, then sprinkle them with sea salt. Much better than potato chips as a snack.

Peppermint -- The mint (small serrated leaves in the picture) shoots up long, lavender flowers. Don't discard the flowers! These have a strong and slightly different flavor than the leaves, and make a nice addition to salads. While most use mint to make iced tea or juleps, the mint can also be used in pestos, and to make various other Italian salsa verdes.

Flowering garlic chives -- This herb flowers in the fall with a white button type flower.  It can be used in stir-fries, or as stuffing for meat, poultry or fish. Steamed with a little sesame or olive oil, they make a fine side dish by themselves.

Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm -- Said to have healing properties, this herb in the mint family smells like lemon more than it tastes. It can make a fine addition to salads or teas, or can be macerated to make a soothing balm for insect stings or sunburn.

Purple Rubin Basil

Basil -- Once again, the flowers are the most potent part of this anise-y smelling herb, and, crumbled over pasta or fresh mozzarella with olive oil, make all the dressing you ever need. And if you like a colorful vinegar, use the purple varieties instead of the green for the best shade of magenta you have ever seen and all the same Basil flavors.

Curly parsley -- Once provided on the side of the plate almost universally in restaurants as a breath freshener (you were supposed to chew it after the meal), curly parsley is strongly flavored and a little goes a long way. Salads or pestos are its best use, or sparingly in meat and poultry stuffings. Or try stuffing a big zucchini with rice and chopped up curly parsley.

Lavender

Lavender -- Identifiable by its lovely lavender flowers and saw-tooth leaves, lavender is more fragrant than it is tasty, and cooking applications are sometimes hard to find. Yet, it is indispensable in the Herbs de Provence of France, is great stuffed in a sachet and hidden in your underwear drawer, and can be sparingly used in flans, ice creams, and other sweet applications.

Thyme -- After a rainfall, thyme becomes the densest of herbs, and also one of the most pungent. Typical uses include savory stews and soups, and why not dry a handful for the winter? Much better than the jarred variety in stores.  The lemon thyme varieties make great tea and vinegar.

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.

September the month for potatoes - recipes

September is National Potato Month.  I have used this as an excuse to share potato recipes for years and this year is no exception.

In its native Peru, the potato has been a valuable food staple for nearly 8,000 years, and some 4,000 different varieties can still be found there. The Quechua vocabulary included over a thousand words to describe the cultivation and use of potatoes, and "the time it takes to cook a potato" was as an important measure of time. The potato was used as a staple medicine and was believed to ensure fertility.

When the Spaniards brought the potato to Europe in the 1570s, however, it was a different story. Europeans were suspicious of the plant, partly because they viewed it as a food for the poor and partly because it produced grotesque tubers underground and reproduced itself from those same misshapen tubers. Surely there was some deviltry associated with this! The matter was settled when in 1596 the Swiss botanist Gaspard Bauhin assigned the potato to the Solanaceae family: the same nasty clan that included the deadly nightshade, henbane, and tobacco—herbs long used as poisons, narcotics, and magic.

I love potatoes and since my husband is a Peruvian scholar, we don’t get to ignore, replace, or forego potatoes in our diet.  I even put together a “Spud Celebration” package.  This set of herb mixes is the best of the best for using on spuds and it comes with a list of the best eating potatoes and ways to prepare them.

So celebrate National Potato Month in style with these great recipes:

Green Chile Potato Casserole
Scalloped potatoes never had it so good!

5 - 6 potatoes, sliced with skins on
2 - 3 green chilies, cut into long strips
1 cup onions, sliced

1 tsp. summer or winter savory, dried
1 cup Longhorn cheese, grated
1/2 cup Velveeta cheese, thinly sliced (you can use Farmer's Cheese or Chihuahua Cheese if you dislike processed Velveeta)
3 - 4 strips bacon, cooked crisp
butter or margarine

Directions
Grease 13x9x2 inch pan. Layer potatoes, then onions, strips of chilie, Longhorn cheese, and last Velveeta cheese. Repeat until all the ingredients have been used up. Top with pats of butter and crumbled bacon. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Can’t forget the Sweet Potato, this recipes is good at Thanksgiving too!

2 cups sliced sweet potatoes

1 medium onion, finely sliced

1 cups frozen peas

1/2 tsp. dried marjoram

1 Tbls. butter

1/4 cup water

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and bake at 350 degrees until vegetables are tender.  About 40 minutes.

Tomato Potatoes

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (about 6), peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

3 scallions, trimmed and chopped

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 pounds salad tomatoes (about 5 medium), chopped

Directions

Place the potatoes and garlic in a large saucepan and cover with lightly salted water. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until a fork easily pierces a potato.  Drain the potatoes and garlic. Mash with a potato masher or a fork until smooth. Blend in the milk, butter, parsley, scallions, Parmesan, and salt. Gently fold in the tomatoes.