Busy times at Backyard Patch Herbs - Advent Calendar Announcement

I have announced the coming of the Advent Calendar in my newsletter, but not here on my Blog.  About a year ago we migrated our website from one provider to another and the new provider has the ability to craft as many pages as I want and I have been having fun finally posting the product related recipes I have tried to figure out how to post so people could search for them easily. 

In my work I found my old website postings of Advent Calendars and decided it was time to do that again.  I posted items on Facebook a few years ago, but nothing as organized as I was back in 2010- thru 2014.  Here are the links to the postings that were collected onto a single page for each year on an old website.

2011http://www.backyardpatch2.mysite.com/custom3.html

2012 http://www.backyardpatch2.mysite.com/custom3_1.html

2013: http://www.backyardpatch2.mysite.com/custom3_2.html

2014: http://www.backyardpatch2.mysite.com/custom_17.html

 https://backyardpatch.blogspot.com/2014/12/advent-calendar-how-to-herb-holiday.html

https://backyardpatch.blogspot.com/2014/12/how-to-advent-2014-scented-pine-cones.html

https://backyardpatch.blogspot.com/2014/12/how-to-advent-2014-making-scented-cork.html

No Advent done in 2015 thru 2019

In 2020, I gathered new ideas and recipes to share and will be doing so on the website.  Each day beginning today, Nov 29, 2020, you will have the opportunity to read a recipe, craft idea, decoration tip or gift suggestion all related to herbs.  Since so many people are staying home for the holiday, we tried to find recipes and gift ideas one could make at home as well.

Short History of Advent Calendars

There are many types of calendars used in different countries. The most common ones in the UK and USA are made of paper or card with 24 or 25 little windows on. A window is opened on every day in December and a Christmas picture is displayed underneath.

In the 19th Century, German protestant Christians counted down to Christmas by marking 24 chalk lines on a door and rubbing one off every day in December.

Paper calendars were first popular in Germany in the early 1900s, although people made their own  from the 1850s. There's a debate about exactly where and when the first mass produced calendar was printed but it was in the first decade of the 1900s. The most famous and popular early maker of printed Advent calendars was a German printer called Gerhard Lang. His first calendars consisted of two sheets, a 'back' piece of card with the numbers 1 to 24 printed on it and a separate sheet of pictures which you could cut out and stick onto the numbers each day. The first calendars with 'doors' were made in Germany in the 1920s. During World War II, the production of Advent calendars in Europe stopped due to a shortage of cardboard.

When they were first made, scenes from the Christmas Story and other Christmas images were used, such as snowmen and robins, but now many calendars are made in the themes of toys, television programs and sports clubs. The first record of an Advent calendar, in the UK, was in 1956.

The first calendar with chocolate in it was made in 1958; and in the UK Cadbury's made their first chocolate calendar in 1971. However, they didn't sell very many to start with. Chocolate calendars really only became popular in the 1980s.

Some European countries such as Germany use a wreath of fir with 24 bags or boxes hanging from it. In each box or bag there is a little present for each day. Pinterest is covered with great ideas for making Advent countdown decorations.  I started a tradition back in 2011 of posting Advent recipes and activities.  I posted them on my, now defunct, website and on Facebook. This year I thought it might be nice to go back to using my website, so this year I will be posting them beginning November 29^th.  

Each day I will have an activity or recipe that one can make.  Many will focus on gift giving and all will use herbs and spices. Since it has been almost decade since our original Advent calendar, we will bring back a few of the popular recipes from our original postings.

You can find the Advent Calendar, which will be updated daily – on our website www.backyardpatch.com  then just click on the Advent Calendar link at the top of the website home page.

Bubble Bath Cookies - Bath Blend of the Month

 As we get into the holiday cookie baking season I thought I would share a cookie you can use in the bath instead of to increase your calorie intake.  They also make great gifts if you package a bunch of cookies in a box or clear bag.  Just make sure you label them "not for human consumption," because no one wants their mouth washed out with soap!

Bubble Bath Cookie

1 cup Baking Soda

1/2 cup citric acid

1 Tablespoon lavender buds or crushed peppermint candies

2 oz. liquid castile soap

1 oz cocoa butter, melted

1 oz shea butter, melted

few drops of essential oil

Directions: 

Melt your Cocoa Butter and Shea Butter over water in a sauce pan or double boiler.  Once they are melted, remove from heat and add the castile soap.  Stir to keep everything liquid. Combine all of your dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Pour your Cocoa Butter and Shea Butter into your dry mixture, if you want this scented you can add a few drops of essential oil in any scent you desire. Mix until well combined. You want your mixture to hold its shape when pressed into a ball about 1 inch in diameter. Press the balls into a rounded flat cookie shape on wax paper or press into a silicone mold as tightly as you can. Allow to set overnight. Remove from molds and continue to dry for another 24 hours.  Decorate with lavender flowers, rose petals and sugar. Wrap for later use.

TO USE: Place one cookie in bath and allow to dissolve.  Enjoy a nice relaxing fizzing bubble bath.

Squash and Bean Soup - Weekend Recipe

This soup is a bit different because you serve it over couscous to give a unique texture.  I like how you can make it in the crockpot.  I like dry beans so I pull them out and soak them overnight and use 1 cup cannellini beans and 1 cup soaked chickpeas (garbanzo beans.)

Squash and Bean Soup

• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 piece fresh ginger
• kosher salt
• Pepper
• 1 small onion
• 1 small butternut squash
• 2 clove garlic
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup couscous
• 1/4 cup dried apricots
• 1/4 cup roasted pistachios
• 1 scallion
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 can cannellini beans
• 1 can chickpeas

DIRECTIONS

1.      In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, whisk together the coriander, ginger, 2 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the onion, squash, garlic, and thyme and cook, covered, until the squash is tender, 3 hours on high or 5 hours on low.

2.      Twenty minutes before serving, place the couscous in a medium bowl. Add 1 1/4 cups hot tap water, cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and fold in the apricots, pistachios, scallion, parsley, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.

3.      In a medium bowl, mash half the cannellini beans with a fork until fairly smooth. If the slow cooker is on low, turn it to high and stir in the mashed beans, then add the remaining beans and chickpeas and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the couscous mixture.

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  

To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018, or Recipe2019 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2020 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Feb 2020 - Footbal Tailgate Favorites (AppFeb)

March 2020 - Kabobs (KabobMar)

April 2020 - Brunch (BrunchApr) more in 2021 also

May 2020 - Non-Traditional Pizza (PizzaMay)

June 2020 - Stir Fry Dishes (StirJun)

July 2020 - Salads with no lettuce (SaladJul)

August 2020 - Pickled things (PickleAug)

September 2020 - Quiche (QuicheSep)

October 2020 - Squash Soups (SquashOct)

November 2020 - Pumpkin (again) (PumpNov)

December 2020 - Turkey Recipes (TurkDec)

Vegan Summer Squash and Pesto Soup - Recipe Theme

If you have a few leftover summer squash as the frost moves in, this is a great soup to help use them up.  You can also use your other garden produce to make this flavorful and unique soup that can use up all your remaining fresh basil. This is another crock pot recipe, can you tell where my cooking of soups tends to gravitate?  Hubby does not like to make soup and I don’t like to be in the kitchen for long periods which makes crockpot soups my favorite.  

The butter-based pesto topping is what makes you love this soup as one last time to enjoy the flavors of summer. And the butter is great on pasta, rolls, and steamed vegetables too! Leftovers of both can be frozen. 

Vegetable Soup with Pesto Butter

•  1 large onion, chopped
• 3/4 pound new potatoes (1-inch diameter), halved
• Salt and pepper
• 2 summer squash (8 oz. each), halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise into 1/3-inch pieces
• 1/2 pound green beans, halved
• 1/2 pound sugar snap peas
• 1 quart vegetable broth or stock
• 1 cup (packed) fresh basil
• 1 small clove garlic, peeled
• 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan
• 4 tablespoons butter or vegetable butter substitute
• 3 ears corn, kernels cut off (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 large tomato, diced

Directions:

Layer the onion and potatoes in a large, lined slow cooker; season with salt and pepper. Add the squash, green beans, snap peas and broth. Cover and cook until the potatoes and squash are soft and the beans and peas are crisp-tender, about 2 hours on high or 3 hours on low.

Meanwhile, make the pesto butter: Using a food processor, puree the basil and garlic until finely chopped. Add the parmesan, butter/butter substitute, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Process until the butter comes together in a ball. Transfer to a small bowl.

Stir the corn and tomato into the finished stew; season. Top each serving with pesto butter.

 

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  

To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018, or Recipe2019 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2020 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Feb 2020 - Footbal Tailgate Favorites (AppFeb)

March 2020 - Kabobs (KabobMar)

April 2020 - Brunch (BrunchApr) more in 2021 also

May 2020 - Non-Traditional Pizza (PizzaMay)

June 2020 - Stir Fry Dishes (StirJun)

July 2020 - Salads with no lettuce (SaladJul)

August 2020 - Pickled things (PickleAug)

September 2020 - Quiche (QuicheSep)

October 2020 - Squash Soups (SquashOct)

November 2020 - Pumpkin (again) (PumpNov)

December 2020 - Turkey Recipes (TurkDec)

Creamy Wild Rice Soup - Weekend Recipe

This is a slow cooker recipe I got from a newly published book from Rockridge Press called Slow Cooker Soups by Pamela Ellgen.  It is quick to prepare and easy to serve.  You just put it in the crock pot and later you have a meal.

 

Creamy Wild Rice Soup (serves 6)

4 cups diced butternut squash

1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
1 ½ cups wild rice
1 yellow onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp curry powder
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 15-ounce can full fat coconut milk
12 cups vegetable broth
Sea salt
Freshly black pepper
Fresh mint, thinly sliced (for garnish)
1 cup full-fat yogurt

Put squash, tomatoes, rice, onion, garlic, curry powder, red pepper and coconut milk and broth in a slow cooker.  Stir then cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Turn off the heat.  Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.  Divide the soup among serving bowls.

Top each bowl with fresh mint and a drizzle of yogurt.  I don’t eat yogurt, so I used sour cream on top.

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  

To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018, or Recipe2019 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2020 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Feb 2020 - Footbal Tailgate Favorites (AppFeb)

March 2020 - Kabobs (KabobMar)

April 2020 - Brunch (BrunchApr) more in 2021 also

May 2020 - Non-Traditional Pizza (PizzaMay)

June 2020 - Stir Fry Dishes (StirJun)

July 2020 - Salads with no lettuce (SaladJul)

August 2020 - Pickled things (PickleAug)

September 2020 - Quiche (QuicheSep)

October 2020 - Squash Soups (SquashOct)

November 2020 - Pumpkin (again) (PumpNov)

December 2020 - Turkey Recipes (TurkDec)

Beef and Butternut Squash Stew

I misplaced my squash soup recipes when I was moving shelving units and rebuilding the Herb Room earlier this month.  I kept thinking they would turn up as I put things away, but nothing.  So I pulled out this recipe that I shared in the Garden Club Newsletter back in 2017.  It is a nice chunky stew rather than a squash puree type soup.

Beef and Butternut Squash Stew 

3 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 pounds stew beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup Marsala wine
1 pound butternut squash, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
3 to 4 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley
Crusty bread, for serving

Directions

In a large soup pot heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, rosemary, and thyme and sauté until the onions are tender, about 2 minutes. Toss the beef cubes in salt and pepper and flour. Turn up the heat to med-high and add the beef to the pot. Cook until the beef is browned and golden around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the Marsala wine. Using a wooden spoon, gently stir up all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the butternut squash and sun-dried tomatoes and stir to combine. Add enough beef broth to just cover the beef and squash. Bring the stew to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Season the stew with additional salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread alongside.

Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  

To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018, or Recipe2019 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2020 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Feb 2020 - Footbal Tailgate Favorites (AppFeb)

March 2020 - Kabobs (KabobMar)

April 2020 - Brunch (BrunchApr) more in 2021 also

May 2020 - Non-Traditional Pizza (PizzaMay)

June 2020 - Stir Fry Dishes (StirJun)

July 2020 - Salads with no lettuce (SaladJul)

August 2020 - Pickled things (PickleAug)

September 2020 - Quiche (QuicheSep)

October 2020 - Squash Soups (SquashOct)

November 2020 - Pumpkin (again) (PumpNov)

December 2020 - Turkey Recipes (TurkDec)

End of Season Tool Care and Purchasing

Now is the time to shop for gardening tools.  They are on sale at season end and you can get them cheaper than in the Spring.  Here is a list of essential tools that you should own to get your gardening done with ease. It’s also a good beginner list of garden tools that will give you a great foundation to help create your beautiful garden.

Garden Spade or Shovel: You will certainly need a spade to dig up your beds or to plant a tree or bush. A round point spade is made to easily cut through the soil for planting. A shovel is necessary to dig and prepare large holes or entire beds for planting.

Garden Claw: This tool is a fairly new addition to the garden tool family. It’s basically a long-handled cultivator. The garden claw is terrific for turning the soil and preparing beds with new soil. Soil needs to be aerated and the claw does a good job of this. This cultivator is great for mixing in fertilizers, compost, or new top soil into your existing bed.

Hand Trowel: A hand trowel is a mini spade that is used to plant small new plants and flowers. It’s ideal for working in tight spots in your garden and great for digging out those weeds!

Bypass Pruners: Pruners are needed to keep your plants trim. Pruning plants actually encourages proper growth and keeps the plant from getting unruly and unsightly. Bypass pruners are used for new, soft growth on bushes and flowers. To trim large branches; long-handled loppers should be used. Shears, which resemble an extra-large pair of scissors, are good for trimming bushes, hedges and smaller branches.

Corona Bypass Pruners

Hose and Watering Can: With no water there is no garden! To water large areas you will need a hose and it is worth spending the money on a good quality rubber hose. Don’t forget a watering can for light watering of your new plantings or your display pots.

Rake: We need clean up tools after we finish our gardening! A rake is wonderful for getting all that debris off your lawn. Lawn and leaf rakes are perfect for this chore.

Broom: Yes, a broom does belong on this list. I don’t mean the brooms you use inside your house but a straw type broom to whisk up all the debris on your walkways and patio areas. I find my broom to be very useful when cleaning up, especially after I have been harvesting and laying bundles of herbs on my patio table.

 

WINTER TOOL CARE

If you already have your tools, remember to care for them properly when you put them away for winter. Before wintery weather arrives, don’t forget to protect and put away your valuable tools, too. 

Hand Tools: If you have rinsed off and dried your rakes, shovels, trowels, garden forks or other hand tools after each use, you won’t have to do much at the end of the season. But if they are dirty, don a pair of goggles before using a stiff-bristled brush to scrub off any mud or rust. Fine sandpaper or steel wool will take care of small, rusty spots. 

Sharpen any dull tools you use for digging or cutting and file down nicks. Wear heavy gloves to protect your hands while doing this. Don’t have the proper files or sharpening stones? Your local hardware store or garden center may be able to handle these chores for you. 

Next, gently run your hands down the wooden handles to check for cracks or splinters. A medium-grit emery cloth or a piece of sandpaper will smooth rough, weathered wood. Replace broken wood handles; tapes and glues don’t usually last. To remove a tool head from the handle, protect your eyes with safety goggles and strike the head with a ball-peen hammer. Never hit metal with a nail hammer, which can cause dangerous metal fragments to fly off. 

Coat the metal parts of your tools with light oil or spray them with a lubricant like WD-40 before putting them away. To protect the wooden handles, apply linseed oil. Hang your tools in a shed or garage, out of the weather, until you’re ready to use them again. If you prefer, keep small hand tools stashed in a bucket of sand mixed with oil; it will help guard against rust. 

Garden Sprayers: Wash your sprayers inside and out with soapy water, using a sponge or scrub brush. Spray some of the soapy mixture through the lines to clear them. Then rinse thoroughly with clean water, spraying again to flush the lines. Allow the sprayers to dry thoroughly before storing them out of the weather. While you're at it, store the chemicals you use in the sprayers away from freezing temperatures. 

Garden Hoses: Remove nozzles and drain the hoses. When they're dry, mend any leaks with electrical tape or garden hose repair tape. Replace the ends of hoses and washers, if needed. Coil the hoses to keep them from kinking and hang them out of the elements.

Thanks to HGTV for these end of season cleaning tips