Lemon Berry Basil Tea - Tea Blend of the Month

For this time of year as days get short, temps cool and colds increase we need a bit of a boost and this tea will doo that simply and easily.  You can make a batch ahead and drink as the need arises. This recipe makes 8 to 9 cups of tea, and can easily be multiplied.

Lemon Berry Basil Tea

1 Tbls Lemon balm (for brighter moods) 1 Tbls Holy basil (to help with the waning sun) 1 Tbls Elderberry, dried (for virus prevention)

Combine ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake well to combine.

To Use: Add one teaspoon to a cup of hot water and allow to steep 7 minutes. Sweeten with honey if desired. Sip and enjoy!

Herb-Stamped Gift Tags - How Tuesday

 Adding a Dash of Nature to Your Holiday Gifts can be simple and fun!

'Tis the season for giving, and what better way to add a personal touch to your gifts than with charming herb-stamped gift tags? This fun and aromatic project will not only make your presents stand out but will also infuse them with the delightful images of nature. So, grab your favorite herbs and let's get crafting!

Materials Needed:

• Fresh herbs with sturdy leaves (e.g., rosemary, sage, mint, scented geraniums)
• Ink pads of various colors
• Blank gift tags or cardstock
• Twine or ribbon

Step 1: Select and Prepare Herbs

Choosing the right herbs is the first step to success in this project. Opt for herbs with robust leaves and strong veins like rosemary, sage, any mint or if you have them a scented geranium leaf. Make sure they are clean and thoroughly dry to ensure a clean stamp.

Step 2: Stamp the Tags

Now, it's time to get creative! Press the leaves of your chosen herb onto the ink pad, making sure to get an even coating. This is where the magic happens!

Press the herb onto the blank gift tag with a firm and steady hand. Then, lift it gently to reveal the natural stamp.

Pro Tips: Experiment with different angles and pressures to achieve various artistic effects! Try a two-tone stamp by reusing a leaf already pressed onto a lighter color onto a darker one to get two colors at once.

Marcy Tips: I found the ink pressed around the edges and got on my fingers (you might want to wear gloves. But this gave me the idea of placing a leaf between two cards and getting both sides of the leaf in one pressing.  It turned out great!

Step 3: Add Finishing Touches

Allow the ink to dry completely before moving on to this step. Once your tags are dry, grab a pen and write your heartfelt holiday messages. Then, attach the tags to your gifts using twine or ribbon.

Pro Tip: Mix and match different colored ribbons to complement your herb-stamped tags.

Marcy Tip: I decided to stamp some leaves twice using a different darker color and ended up with two tone leaf prints!

Conclusion:

Voilà! You've just created charming herb-stamped gift tags that are sure to bring a smile to your loved ones' faces. These tags not only add a personal touch but also fill the air with the wonderful images of nature. Get ready to spread holiday cheer with your beautifully crafted tags on your presents!

Remember to snap some photos of your creative process and share them with us on social media using the hashtag #HerbStampedHoliday. We can't wait to see your festive creations!

Happy crafting and happy holidays!🌿🎁

Exfoliating Salt Scrub - Bath Blend of the Month

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. First I suggest increasing the humidity in the air of your home. Simmering spices on the stove add moisture and freshen a room with delightful aromatherapy scents. Use a glycerin or olive oil base soap because 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 salt scrub with my favorite recipe. Your skin will feel great and be soft and supple!

Exfoliating Salt Scrub 

• 1 cup fine grind sea salt
• 1 cup almond or avocado oil 
• 30 drops lavender essential oil 
• 30 drops lemongrass oil

Combine salt and oil in a bowl, Stir in lavender essential oil for stress relief and lemongrass oil for invigorating the mind. 

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

Fall Weather Honey Apple Tea - Tea Blend of the Month

Apples are everywhere this time of year and I have been working on several apple recipes to share on instagram (@backyardpatch43) when I found this item I shared on an old website back in 2011. With some updates, this makes a great tea to enjoy the flavor of apples.

Honey Apple Tea 

• 4 black tea bags (or 4 tsp. loose black tea)
  
• 1 tsp dried chamomile (optional)
• 1 tsp dried lemon balm
• ½ tsp dried sage
• 1/3 cup honey
• 3 cups unsweetened apple juice
• 3 cups boiling water

In a two quart pot, brew tea bags and dried herbs with boiling water.  Steep 2 to 5 minutes.  Remove bags/tea infuser or strain if brewed loose.  Add honey and apple juice.  Stir well.  Serve warm with a slice of apple or a cinnamon stick or pour over ice.  Makes 4 servings.

Three Host and Hostess Gifts to Make Ahead

The Fall entertaining season is about to start and if you are traveling to someone else's for a party we would like to recommend a few hand-made gifts that you can create to take as a present for the hosts.

Three handmade, herb infused gifts to present to your hosts:

1. Homemade Bitters
2. Hand-blended Teas
3. Flavor infused Mixers

Handmade Bitters

In my mocktail program I always say I am going to share this recipe for citrus bitters on my blog, but i never seem to do it, so for those who have been waiting, here is the recipe.  you need to plan ahead to make this as a gift, as it takes 6 to 8 weeks to cure properly, but one batch will give you may jars of bitters to use for gifting and yourself!

Bitters are a special ingredient in cocktails that lends a tang to a drink and are great in drinks based on gin or vodka.  Bitters are also a digestive aid and these two recipes made with citrus are high in anti-oxidants and can assist with keeping blood sugar levels, well level.

Citrus bitters

The bright flavor these lend to your ginger ale, seltzer, sparking water or spirits is amazing and unique; you may find you cannot live without it.

• 1 750-ml bottle of plain (unflavored) vodka
• 4 oranges, zest only from the entire orange
• 2 lemons, zest only from entire lemon
• 1 Tbls fennel seeds
• 1 3-inch cinnamon stick
• ½ tsp whole cloves
• ½ tsp coriander seed

Zest the lemons and oranges, getting all the orange and yellow peel, but none of the white pith underneath.  Place the zest and the fennel, coriander and cloves in a 1-quart mason jar.  Seal tightly and shake, then place in a cool, dark area for 4 to 8 weeks shaking every other day.

Once infused, strain the bitters using a fine mesh strainer and transfer the liquid to 4-ounce amber dropper jars for long term storage at room temperature. Recipe makes 6 4-ounce jars. These never spoil!

TO USE: 

• Bitters can be added to a tall glass of iced ginger ale, just a few drops will make a refreshing drink.
• Swap them in for extracts in baked goods.
• Toss them with popcorn.
• Shake them into lemonade or juice.
• Infuse honey and maple syrup.
• Add them to poaching liquid for fruit.

Try this Cocktail--  Tea Time Tippler

• 2 oz. Green or Herbal Tea
• 1 oz Lavender Simple Syrup
• 1 oz Ginger Beer
• 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
• 2 Dashes of  Bitters

Directions:

Combine ingredients in a shaker and shake. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with grapefruit disk. Recipe makes 1 cocktail.

Hand-blended Teas

A dry herb tea blend is quick and easy to make. Then just place the mixture in a canning jar with a decorative label with instructions and attach a tea infuser and you have a perfect little gift. Choose a relaxing blend to help your host wind down after the stress of entertaining. This recipe has cooling and restoring mint along with immunity boosters in lemongrass and rosehips.

Winter Serendipitea Tea 

• 1 teaspoon dried spearmint
• 1 teaspoon peppermint
• 1 teaspoon crushed rosehips
• 1 teaspoon dried chopped lemongrass 
• 1/2 teaspoon each of orange peel 
• 1/2 teaspoon raspberry leaf
• dash of cinnamon

Mix ingredients together well.  Store in a tightly lidded container.

TO USE: Bring cool water to a boil.  Place 1 tsp of the tea blend in a tea infuser, pour 1 cup of boiling water over and allow to steep for 3 – 5 minutes, preferably in a covered container.  

For iced tea, allow to steep up to 10 minutes, then allow to cool to room temperature and add ice and a squeeze of lemon if desired.

We have shared a number of recipes for herb teas here in the blog, so if you want something different check out this list: Tea Recipes at Backyard Patch

Or you can just pick up a Backyard Patch Tea blend by visiting our website.

Flavor-infused Mixers

My last recommendation is to make a flavored alcohol or a faux gin for your hosts. We have recipes here: Faux Gin. Or you can craft something with our simple cocktail kits, like Apple Cinnamon Bourbon or a quick and easy Faux Gin, or even an Old-Fashioned Cocktail.

To make your own Old-Fashioned --

• 2 ounces bourbon or rye whiskey 
• 1/4 ounce simple syrup 
• 2 dashes bitters 
•  orange slice & maraschino cherry to garnish

Combine all ingredients in a low ball glass, add ice and garnish and sip!

Celebrate National Taco Day with this great Recipe

In celebration of National Taco Day, I thought it would be a great way to give you a recipe that highlights the herb of the year - ginger!  This traditional recipe gets its spice from the flavor of ginger and the toppings are for a more traditional street taco style. And you do not need cheese, so this is dairy free!

Traditional Style Tacos 

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon finely grated garlic
• 1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak, cut into 5-inch lengths
• Salt and Pepper
• Warm corn tortillas, for serving
• Diced fresh pineapple, for serving
• Thinly sliced red onion, for serving
• Cilantro leaves, for serving

Directions
In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce with the garlic and ginger. Brush the mixture all over the steak and season lightly with salt and pepper. Let stand for 20 minutes.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet. Add the steak and cook over high heat, turning once, until charred on the outside and medium-rare within, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes. Carve the steak against the grain and serve in warm corn tortillas with diced pineapple, sliced red onion and cilantro leaves.

Pumpkin Spice Sugar Scrub - Bath Blend of the Month

Welcome to Pumpkin Spice Season.  I know this is not for everyone, but I have friends who are all about Pumpkin Spice!  They cannot wait for the season to begin and love their lattes, muffins, and anything else containing Pumpkin Spice-- so I created this blend just for them and anyone else who cannot get enough of Pumpkin Spice.

This is a simple 5 ingredient item that can be made with only 4 if you do not want or cannot get coffee-flavored oil.

Pumpkin Spice Sugar Scrub

• 2 Tbls canned pumpkin
  
• 2 Tbls Brown sugar
• 2 Tbls coconut oil
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• coffee flavored oil

Mix all items together and place in a 1/4 pint canning jar. Keep refrigerated until used up (this is why you make it in small batches.) It should not be kept longer than 10 days.

To Use: Apply on hands, arms, and even face while in the bath or shower and gently rub into the skin.  Rinse off.  It will increase exfoliation and give you the scent of pumpkin spice to enjoy during the day.