HERBAL ESSENCE

This Gourmet Herb Blend  is great to use to kick up various dishes such as meatballs, cheese straws, and salsas, but also makes a fantastic rub for meat and poultry before grilling.

HERBAL ESSENCE
2Tbs sweet paprika
2Tbs garlic granules
2Tbs salt
1Tbs pepper
1Tbs onion
1Tbs oregano
1Tbs thyme
1Tbs cayenne pepper

 

Today is National Pretzel Day, so here are a couple recipes for pretzel dip - one using this blend as well as one that uses horseradish, the “Herb of the Year:”

Herbed Pretzel Dip: Combine 8 ounces of softened cream cheese with 1Tbs Gourmet Herbal Essence, 2tsp prepared brown mustard and 2-3tsp milk for the desired consistency. Refrigerate overnight.

Horseradish Pretzel Dip: Combine 8 ounces of softened cream cheese with 1Tbs Honey Horseradish Mustard. Refrigerate overnight.

HONEY-HORSERADISH MUSTARD
Combine 2c white wine, 1c chopped onion, 2 cloves minced garlic and 2Tbs honey in saucepan and simmer 5 minutes. Strain into 4c measuring cup and cool slightly. Place 4oz dry mustard, 2Tbs prepared horseradish, 1Tbs olive oil and 1 ½ tsp salt in saucepan and slowly wisk in wine-onion mixture until smooth. Heat until thickened, about 15 mins. Remove from heat, cool and spoon into sterilized jars. Refrigerate a day to blend flavors - keeps 1 month.

"So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,
do it all for the glory of God"
I Corinthians 10:31

EGG SALAD TEA SANDWICHES

The second week of April is Egg Salad Week and a perfect time to share some of my favorite Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches:

Flavor Variations:

DEVILED EGG SALAD: Hard boil 6 eggs, shell and cool. Finely chop eggs and combine with 1/4c mayonnaise, 1tsp prepared Dijon mustard, 1tsp dill, salt & pepper.

SWEET–n-SPICY EGG SALAD: Hard boil 6 eggs, shell and cool. Finely chop eggs and combine with 2Tbs minced sweet onion, 2 tsp minced sweet pickle relish, 2Tbs mayonnaise, 2 tsp creamed horseradish, 2 tsp mustard and salt & pepper.

CURRIED EGG SALAD: Hard boil 6 eggs, shell and cool. Finely chop eggs and combine with 1/4c mayonnaise, ½ tsp curry powder, 1 tsp parsley, salt & pepper.

PESTO EGG SALAD: Hard boil 6 eggs, shell and cool. Finely chop eggs and combine with 1/4c mayonnaise, 4Tbs prepared pesto, salt & pepper.

OLIVE-EGG SALAD: Hard boil 6 eggs, shell and cool. Finely chop eggs and combine with 1/4c mayonnaise, 2Tbs chopped green olives with pimento, 1 tsp parsley, salt & pepper.

Presentation Variations:

SANDWICHES: Spread bread slices with egg salad mixture and top with another bread slice then cut off crusts and cut into 4 triangles. Garnish one edge with chopped herbs or sprinkle with paprika.

ROUNDS: Spread bread rounds with egg mixture and top with another bread round with cutout shape in center. Sprinkle with paprika.

DEVILED EGG ROUNDS: Slice hard boiled eggs, setting aside 12 open center slices, then finely chop the yolks and the remaining whites and combine with mayonnaise and desired flavor ingredients. Spread multigrain bread circles with egg mixture and top with sliced white. Place an additional dollop of egg mixture in center. Sprinkle with paprika.

MOUNDS: Cut hard boiled eggs crosswise in half & remove yolk. Finely chop lower half of egg white and yolk and combine with mayonnaise and desired flavor ingredients. Fill top half of egg with mixture and place cut side down on bread rounds. Sprinkle with paprika.

“Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing
some people have entertained angels without knowing it.”
I Corinthians 10:31

COMPANION PLANTING

Plant diversity is the foundation of a simple organic gardening technique known as “companion planting”. Herbs are great companions in the garden – they help plants flourish by providing nutrients, they protect against disease, they repel pests, they attract beneficial insects and they entice bug-eating birds. Herbs are great multi-tasking defenders of the garden that help tip the ecological balance in the gardener’s favor. Try planting some of these herbs to enhance your garden, but note some harmful combinations also:

ANISE – Plant with coriander. Attracts beneficials and repels pests

BASIL - Plant with tomatoes. Attracts butterflies & beneficials and repels flies and mosquitoes

BORAGE - Plant with beans, squash, strawberries and tomatoes. Attracts bees and beneficials and deters tomato worms

CALENDULA – Plant with cabbage family, corn and lettuce. Attracts beneficial lacewings

CARAWAY – Plant throughout the garden to loosen soil. Attracts beneficial insects

CHAMOMILE – Plant as a healing type herb among plants

CHERVIL – Plant with radishes for a hotter taste

CHIVES – Plant with carrots, grapes, apples, roses and potatoes. Deters diseases

DILL – Plant with cabbage but keep away from carrots. Attracts bees and beneficials in flower

HORSERADISH – Plant on each corner of a potato patch or under apple trees to deter pests & diseases

MARJORAM/OREGANO – Plant with all vegetables. Attracts bees and beneficials

MINT – Plant near cabbage and tomatoes. Deters white cabbage moth and attracts beneficials

NASTURTIUM – Plant near fruit trees, tomatoes, radish, cabbage and broccoli. Masks plant odors and repels many pests

PARSLEY – Plant near asparagus, corn, roses and tomatoes Attracts honeybees

ROSEMARY – Plant near cabbage, beans, carrot and sage. Deters cabbage moth, bean beetles, and carrot fly

SAGE – Plant near cabbage, carrots and rosemary but away from cucumbers. Deters cabbage moth and carrot fly, attracts bees

SUMMER SAVORY – Plant with beans and onions to improve growth and flavor

TARRAGON – Plant with most vegetables to enhance growth

THYME – Plant near cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, potatoes and tomatoes. Repels cabbage worm and attracts bees

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
the world and all who live in it”
Psalm 24:1

HERBAL HONEY

A.A. Milne was born on January 18, 1882 and later created Winnie the Pooh – the honey-loving bear! In his honor, here are some recipes for honey with added herbs for unique flavors.

 

 

 

 

 

BASIC HERB HONEY
1c honey
1-2 sprigs of fresh herbs or 1Tbs dried

Many different herbs, spices and combinations can be used to flavor honey and they make wonderful gifts. Select the herb of your choice, bruise the foliage to release the oils and place in a sterilized jar. Heat honey over low heat for about 2 minutes until just warm and pour into the jar and seal with a lid. Store the honey for about a week at room temperature to allow the flavors to steep. Re-warm the honey, strain out the herbs or spices and place in sterilized jars.

Alternatively, place dried herbs and honey in a saucepan and heat for 2 minutes then steep for 15 minutes. Strain to remove herbs, place in a sterilized jar and seal with a lid.

ORANGE MINT HONEY
1c honey
2 sprigs of fresh spearmint
fresh orange zest

LEMON THYME HONEY
1c honey
2 sprigs of fresh lemon thyme

LAVENDER HONEY
1c honey
1Tbs dried lavender buds

WARMING SPICE HONEY
1 cup honey
3 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon whole cloves
3 pieces star anise
6 cardamom pods

CINNAMON BASIL HONEY
1c honey
1-3” cinnamon stick
3/4c fresh cinnamon basil

HORSERADISH HONEY
1c honey
1Tbs horseradish

HONEY TRIVIA

• It takes approximately 12,000 bee hours to produce a single jar of honey.
• Honey bees consume about 17-20 pounds of honey to produce each pound of beeswax.
• Fermented honey, known as mead, is one of the most ancient intoxicating beverages.

“All hard work brings a profit,
but mere talk leads only to poverty.”
Proverbs 14:23

2011 HERB OF THE YEAR

HORSERADISH
Armoracia rusticana

Horseradish has been chosen “Herb of the Year” for 2011 by the International Herb Association. The IHA is a professional trade association providing educational, service and development opportunities for those involved in herbal endeavors. The Herb of the Year is chosen based on being outstanding in at least two of the three major categories: medicinal, culinary, or decorative and the association publishes a booklet each year to celebrate that year's selected herb.

Horseradish is in the brassica family which includes mustard, wasabi and cabbages and is also known as German mustard, sea radish and stingnose. The use of the adjective “horse” in its common name refers to the size of its root as well as its biting flavor and aroma. Horseradish is native to Eastern Europe and western Asia, and has been cultivated in Europe and North America for about 2000 years. Greek mythology touted it as worth its weight in gold and Greeks to Jews and Arabs used it both as food and medicine. Popularized in the 16^th century as a standard accompaniment to roast beef and oysters by the British, it was brought to North America early in the colonial period. Today, a Tri-County area in southwestern Illinois produces over half of the U.S. supply, and the town of Collinsville, Illinois is known as the horseradish capitol of the world!

 

 

 

This simple, ancient root crop thrives about anywhere in USDA Zones 5 through 9 and is easy to grow in the home garden. Horseradish is a perennial that grows to about 3 feet with large leaves that resemble giant dandelions and have smooth or crinkled leaves depending on the cultivar.

 

The weedy and mundane looking foliage produces delicate edible white blooms from May to June in 2-3 foot spikes.

 

 

Best known for their fleshy, pungent roots, horseradish roots are long, rough, tapered and branched with a tan exterior and white interior. Best planted from divisions or root cuttings in early spring, horseradish requires a long growing season in a sunny location to develop a good root system and is a great companion plant for potatoes. One plant easily supplies a family’s need and once grown you’ll have it forever since even a small piece of root left in the ground will grow into a new plant. Horseradish can be grown in a large container and over wintered in a protected location. The leaves and flowers may be harvested when available, but it is best to wait to harvest the roots until the fall of the second year, leaving the smaller roots to mature for later use. Peel the root and discard the inner core, then grate in a well ventilated location as it has volatile fumes once crushed, scarped or bruised. Remember one root goes a long way.

Horseradish’s bold and unique flavor makes it a kitchen favorite. The young leaves and flowers, with just a touch of pungency, can be added to salads, but the root is most widely used as a condiment, either by itself or added to sauces and dressings to enliven mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup and vinegars. Horseradish has an affinity to apples, beets and dill and makes a zesty addition to savory and sweet dishes from scrambled eggs to coleslaw and even apple pie! It tastes best when served freshly grated, but can also be frozen for longer storage. Horseradish changes flavor when cooked, losing its hotness and becomes earthy, sweet and nutty, so if you want to retain its zip, add at the end of cooking, once the dish has been removed from the heat. The roots are rich in Vitamin C as well as other nutrients including iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc and have been used medicinally as a preventative or curative for various disorders including colds and coughs.

TIPS & TRIVIA:

• The finer the grated, the more pungent the flavor
• Substitute 4 tsp prepared horseradish for 1Tbs freshly grated
• Serve in porcelain or glass, never silver or metals which will tarnish
• Prepared horseradish needs to be replaced every 3-4 months
• A horseradish mixture dyed green is a less expensive substitute for wasabi
• Cold water or ice added during processing help keep down the volatile fumes

RECIPES

Zippy Dip
1Tbs grated horseradish
1c plain yogurt
1c sour cream
1-8oz cream cheese, softened
1 green onion, chopped
1/2 c finely chopped cucumber
1/4 c chopped fresh dill
          Combine all ingredients and chill overnight. Serve with raw vegetables or pita chips.

Horseradish Relish
3 roasted beets, diced
1/2 c olive oil
3Tbs balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 c chopped red onion
1/3 c prepared horseradish
          Whisk all ingredients together and season with salt and pepper. Cover a chill a few days. Great served with roast beef.

Horseradish Applesauce
1/2 c applesauce
1/4 c yogurt
3Tbs horseradish
1Tbs white wine vinegar
          Combine ingredients and season, then refrigerate until chilled. Serve with pork or salmon.

". . . I have given you all things even as the green herbs."
Genesis 9:3