One of the many reasons I adore doing segments on Your Life is I enjoy sharing things I love. This encompasses all sorts of areas like cooking, cleaning, spa stuff and even self study. My friends and family ask where I get my ideas and where I get all the supplies and ingredients, so I decided to talk about all of that and share this with them, and you, just in case you’re interested, too!

Home

A few years ago, I was walking through the bookstore and saw a whole table full of books dedicated to how to ‘Green’ up the home. This is an area of my life I thought I needed to be better but have always been intimidated by all that encompasses. One book there helped me get over that fear and it’s called ‘Gorgeously Green’ by Sophie Uliano. The first sentence in the introduction is what got me hooked on it: “If I make one tiny positive change today, I consider myself green.” That didn’t sound so hard and gave me permission to start without promising I was going to save the world! In a very organized and easily understood method, Sophie has broken down how to ‘green up’ your home and includes beauty, fitness, style, food, travel and gardening. You can find this book on Amazon.com, used, for very little.

The area I was most interested in was the home and have adopted several of her ideas, including house cleaning products that I make myself. She gives you recipes to follow to make your own but she also recommends store-bought ‘green’ items you can find at your local grocer or natural food store. Here is the recipe for a counter top cleaner that I have used for several years. I have the ingredients under my kitchen sink so it takes no time at all to pour everything in a bottle. I use it both in the kitchen and bathrooms.

Gorgeously Green All-Purpose Spray

32-ounce plastic spray bottle (I have found these at WalMart for $1.00!)
2 cups water
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1 tsp pure castile soap or liquid glycerine soap
3/4 cup hydrogen peroxide
20 drops tea tree oil
20 drops lavender or lemongrass essential oil

Combine all ingredients in bottle and label. Shake before each use.

The tea tree oil is an excellent anti-bacterial along with the peroxide and vinegar. This spray is suitable for acrylic, ceramic tile, wood, marble and granite. She suggests adding 10 drops of citronella during the summer months when there are more bugs around.

Cooking

Ten years ago I decided it would be fun to learn how to cook more than spaghetti, tacos and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. To inspire me, I took a cooking class at Sur le Table and the guest chef was Barb Fenzl. What a wonderful, warm, generous woman she is! I immediately found her cookbook, ‘Seasonal Southwest Cooking’ and have made almost everything in it! Her recipes are easy to follow and not intimidating at all. For a ‘newbie’ to cooking, it was perfect. The bonus is the pictures. The photography of the food and of different areas in Arizona makes this one of my favorite gifts to give, especially to those who live out of state. I can’t count how many people have received this from me over the last decade! If I were forced to pick my favorite recipe, it would be ‘Potato Casserole with Mexican Cheese.’ Even though it’s made without cream and not a lot of cheese, it comes out very rich and creamy. It will become a family favorite for sure!

Potato Casserole with Mexican Cheeses

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 13×9-inch baking dish. 8-10 servings

4 TBS unsalted butter
2 cups thinly sliced yellow onion
1 TBS finely chopped garlic
salt and pepper to taste
3 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup grated Panela (can substitute Gruyere)
1/4 cup grated Cotija cheese (can substitute Parmesan)

In large skillet, melt butter over med heat. Add onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until onions are soft, but not browned, about 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add potatoes and chicken stock. Toss together and turn out into the prepared baking dish. Butter a piece of parchment or waxed paper and press the buttered side onto the surface of the potatoes. Bake until potatoes are tender, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to broil. Remove parchment paper and sprinkle cheeses evenly over surface of the potatoes. Place baking dish under the broiler and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Allow the potatoes to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Two other chefs have inspired me greatly and that is Jeff Smedstad and Mad Coyote Joe. Jeff’s cookbook is ‘Elote’, which is also the name of his restaurant in Sedona, an incredible restaurant, by the way. It’s closed Sunday and Monday, so be sure to keep that in mind and go early in the evening. It fills up fast and they don’t take reservations. One of our favorite items to order is their appetizer, ‘Elote’, which is a corn dip for his corn tortillas, served hot and is so yummy. It is also the first recipe in the cookbook and you will be amazed how easy it is to make. I even make this at tailgate parties; it’s so easy!

Elote

6 ears corn, husks intact *see notes
1 cup mayo
1 TBS Cholula brand hot sauce (available at any grocer in Mexican aisle)
2 TBS fresh lime juice
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp sugar
1/4 chicken stock
1/4 cup cotija cheese, ground or crumbled, for garnish
2 TBS chopped cilantro, for garnish
red chile powder, to taste, for garnish
crispy corn tortillas for scooping

Over med-hot grill, roast corn until husks are well charred, about 5 minutes. Turn occasionally so as not to burn the side contacting the direct heat. Set roasted ears aside until cool enough to handle, then shuck them. Cut kernels off the cob.

When ready to eat, mix the mayo, hot sauce, lime juice, salt, pepper, sugar, and chicken stock in a saute pan over med heat. Add corn kernels and warm through. Pour into a bowl and garnish with cheese, cilantro, and ground chile. Serve immediately with crispy tortillas.

*notes: Don’t tell Jeff but I cheat with the roasted corn. You can used canned or frozen. The best corn for recipes like this is Trader Joe’s frozen roasted corn. It is amazing and because it’s roasted, it adds an extra layer of taste. And being that it’s frozen, it’s always handy for last-minute.

Mad Coyote Joe is a local chef who used to be on ‘Sonoran Living’ and has several cookbooks, all of which are terrific for the person who wants to learn how to make Mexican food. He even goes over all the different chiles, fresh or dried, and explains in easily understood language what the heat factor and flavor of each one.

One of my favorite recipes is ‘Ensalada de Orzo Diablo’, which is basically a spicy pasta salad. This recipe has been given to and used by many of my friends and family. It keeps well in the refrigerator for days and is perfect in the summer alongside a grilled steak or salmon. And is a terrific pot luck item!

Ensalada de Orzo Diablo

Salad Ingredients

3 cups dried orzo, cooked al dente, rinsed
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 habanero chile, minced (to taste)
1 cup black olives, whole, pitted
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/3 cup red onion, diced
10 ounces peas, frozen, cooked and chilled
salt, pepper

Vinaigrette

1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp dark brown sugar
2 garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2/3 cup olive oil

Directions:

1. Cook pasta al dente, rinse and set aside.

2. In large salad bowl, whisk all vinaigrette ingredients except oil together and drizzle in the oil while whisking. Add the orzo and toss well.

3. Add all remaining ingredients and toss again. This salad is best if chilled overnight in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to marry. Serve at room temperature.

4. Regarding the habanero chiles: as you probably know, the habanero is muy caliente (lots of heat!). You may eliminate this entirely keeping in mind it will take away a layer of flavor that enhances the salad. For gringos not used to heat, I use 1/2 of one habenero and discard the seeds. But I will say that if you use both habaneros, seeds intact, you will be surprised it’s not real spicey. Be sure to mince the habaneros to a tiny size.

For inspiration on what to cook week days when it is sooo hard to decide, I subscribe to Martha Stewart’s ‘Everyday Food’ magazine. What I love about this magazine is it’s seasonal and easy. They have areas they cover every month (Dinner 1-2-3, In Season, Bites, How-To, Eat Smart and Have You Tried?) and then have other articles which are more about that particular month. The January issue includes how to use frozen hash browns (with 3 recipes), slow cooking, and an instant party for the Super Bowl (4 recipes). I would encourage you to look for this magazine in the grocery store and then seriously consider being a subscriber. I have used this magazine for years and can’t count how many recipes I still make throughout the year.

Magazines

To be honest, I have stopped subscribing to a lot of magazines (who has time to read all of them?) except for just a few, including ‘Everyday Food’. This magazine is so perfect for those of us who are busy busy busy and need some ideas of what to cook for dinner. The categories include the seasonal fruit or vegetable of the month with several recipes for that ingredient, a featured herb, a week’s worth of dinners along with a grocery list for all those meals and even favorite kitchen tools. This is so worth a subscription not only because it is packed full of ideas, but because it’s so cheap! You can usually get a year’s subscription for around $12.00.  Another one that I will always subscribe to is ‘The Herb Companion.’ This magazine covers how to live a more natural life using spices, herbs and essential oils. There are suggestions on how to keep an herbal garden, build immunity with herbs, and recipes for drinks and food using natural ingredients. They always have terrific recipes for lotions and potions and I have to admit to stealing many of them for my segments on Your Life. But don’t tell anyone! This magazine is a little harder to find at the grocery store but I have seen it at bookstores. You can also go online (www.herbcompanion.com) to look it over and see if you want to subscribe. Another great source for that person who is considering doing more natural things and needs a place to start.

Websites

I am always asked where I get all my ingredients and containers for my gifts and general lotions and potions. We are fortunate to have a terrific natural food store here in Apache Junction (I know! I was shocked, too!) called ‘The Good Apple’ but I also use the internet. This not only saves me in gas (I figure I live 45 minutes from EVERYWHERE!) but it saves me from taking all day hunting items down.

For herbs, spices and essential oils, my favorite site is www.mountainroseherbs.com. I order in bulk amounts so it saves me bunches of money, even with the shipping and handling. Even though you may be able to find these products cheaper somewhere else on the internet, I am very content with their prices and quality and recommend them highly. If and when you become familiar with people who do herbs and essential oils for a living, you will find that most of them use that company. This is also a good place to visit if you are considering making more things yourself. They have a nice site that includes not only herbs and essential oils, it also has a nice selection of how-to books and even sells containers. It’s worth a peek.

I get most of my containers at www.sks-bottle.com. Like Mountain Rose Herbs, this site is good on prices and quality. And the variety is terrific. I have to admit that both of these sites are dangerous for me. There are so many things I just have to have!

My most recent Favorite Thing  is the book, ‘Make the Bread, Buy the Butter’ by Jennifer Reese. Jennifer was a laid-off worker who decided that, to save money, it would be a good idea to start making her own foods. In the process, she discovered that while some things were better homemade, there were others that just weren’t worth the effort or the cost. She has cataloged all these experiments in a very humorous, insightful way (breaking it down to ‘Make It or Buy It,’ Hassle Factor and Cost Comparison) and, so far, I am enjoying this new discovery. Don’t be surprised if you see me making a few things from this book on a future segment.

Have any of you noticed the great prices for fruit recently at your local grocers and farmers markets? Making jams is a nice way to take advantage of the abundance but it’s just too dang hot out there to be cooking the fruit and then boiling jars for canning. What I do is a quick jam that you can refrigerate for a couple of weeks or freeze for up to a year. If you want to go ahead with the canning, I have included some canning instructions at the end of this article.

Quick jamming doesn’t require sterilized jars or lids. In fact, any clean glass jar with a lid (old jelly, olive, pickles, and salsa) works fine. The recipes I make do not call for store-bought pectin packages but rely on the the pectin naturally found in the fruit. I also found some plastic jars and lids at the grocery store (in the same place you find the canning jars and equipment) that are made for freezing the jams. What a great way to have the freshest, cheapest fruit for later in the year.

If you find yourself with too little time and are not up to the effort, you can freeze the fresh fruit. This way you have the sweet fruit to use at your leisure for baking, jamming or both. My plan is to freeze some of this fruit and make jams for holiday gifts. I have also included instructions on how to best freeze the fruit to make sure it’s good for using later.

Some of the recipes I have provided relies on the natural sweetness of fruit, plus 100 percent apple juice concentrate and honey, which won’t mask the incredible flavors of herbs and fruit. These are recipes that are more about having a ‘fruity’ taste as opposed to a ‘sugary’ taste. Other natural sweeteners to use are 100 percent white grape juice concentrate and agave nectar.

Why not get creative with some of your jams? I found some fun combinations of fruit, herbs and spices. Some herbs to experiment with are: mint, basil, lavender, tarragon, rosemary, ginger, garlic, bay leaf, pineapple sage, hyssop, lemon balm and lemon thyme. Here are a few strategies to use to avoid having herb pieces decorating your or your family’s teeth:

1. Ground dried herbs: Add ground or powdered herbs directly to fruit mixture when simmering. These herbs will remain in the jam.
2. Whole herbs: Place whole herbs (such as bay leaf, crushed cardamom pods or mint sprigs) in simmering fruit mixture. Remove when cooking is completed.
3. Tea infusion: Steep herbs in very hot water for 5 minutes or longer. Herbs can be fresh or dried. Strain and add herb liquid to simmering fruit mixture.

These are all great ways to get a small, extra taste added to your favorite fruit with very little effort. Have fun with it! These flavored jams can be used on soft cheeses to be served with crackers or as a glaze or delicate sauce for a savory meat, such as roast pork.

Finally, like in everything, doing this does not always end perfectly. There may be some adjustments to be made so it pleases your own palate. Here are some suggestions:

If too runny: Strain jam through a fine-mesh strainer to remove excess liquid. Or return jam to a nonstick pan and simmer over low heat to reduce excess liquid.

If too thick: Stir in a little more apple juice concentrate until you have the desired consistency.

If not sweet enough: These recipes tend to be on the tart side. To sweeten, return jam to a nonstick pan. Over low heat, add honey, apple juice concentrate (thawed) or your favorite natural sweetener. Simmer to reduce excess liquid.

If too sweet: Return jam to a nonstick pan. Over low heat, add 1/2 cup fruit and a little lemon juice. Simmer to desired consistency and taste.

Once you’re happy with the results, refrigerate your jam in a clean glass jar. Label and eat within two weeks. Enjoy!

Many thanks to the best magazine in the world for Do Stuff Yourself People like me, The Herb Companion, for some of the recipes and hints; especially Letitia L. Star.

Recipes
Strawberry/Rhubarb Jam
I found this recipe to make for Lisa, since it’s her favorite fruit pie and assumed it would also be her favorite jam (fingers crossed!). This is made with granulated sugar so it is sweeter than the other recipes but the rhubarb keeps it from being too sweet. I used frozen rhubarb since it’s too late in the season for fresh or it’s way more expensive and not worth the price. I found it in my local grocers.
2 pounds chopped rhubarb (fresh, cut into large sugar cube sizes or frozen)
2 pounds strawberries, cleaned, whole or sliced if large
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
2 lemons, juice and retain peel and seeds

Method
Place a small plate in freezer (to test the jam consistency later).

After juicing lemons, cut peel in quarters. Wrap seeds in small square of cheesecloth, tying off with kitchen twine or place in tea ball. The peels and seeds provide a natural pectin to the jam.

Place fruit, sugar, water, and lemon juice, peels and seeds in a large bowl and set aside at room temperature for 1 hour.

Pour contents of bowl into a large pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for about 15 minutes. Don’t worry about any scum that rises to the surface while the jam is boiling; if you keep skimming it off, you’ll finish with no jam at all! Instead, wait until you have a set, then remove the jam from the heat and stir n a small lump of butter, which will disperse the scum.

Drop the heat to medium. Hold the jam at a constant simmer, checking frequently to make sure the jam isn’t scorched at the bottom of the pot. After 15 minutes, check to see if your jam has set by placing a small spoonful of jam on the plate from the freezer. The jam is set when it holds its shape on the cool plate. If it seems loose, continue cooking over medium-low heat until set.

Remove seed bag and lemon peels. Place jam in jars, wiping the edges before putting on lids. Label with date made, consume by date and place in refrigerator (for up to two weeks) or freezer (for up to one year).

Lavender-Peach Jam with Vanilla
2 cups peeled fresh or frozen peaches, thawed (a 1 lb bag is around 2 cups)
2 TBS fresh or dried lavender buds
1/2 cup water
2 TBS apple juice concentrate, thawed
2 TBS honey
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method
To prepare fresh peaches, wash and score an x on blossom end of peach. Plunge into rapidly boiling water for about 1 minute. Quickly transfer to bowl of ice water. Peel and pit.

Slice peeled peaches as thinly as possible. The thinner the better so they soften faster during the cooking process.

Combine lavender and water in small saucepan; bring to boil. Remove from heat, cover and steep 5 minutes. Pour liquid through a wire-mesh strainer into a measuring cup. Reserve liquid and lavender buds.

Combine peaches, apple juice concentrate, honey, lemon juice, vanilla extract and reserved lavender liquid in a nonstick skillet. Add 1 teaspoon steep lavender buds, if desired. *NOTE The recipe I made, I chose not to put the buds in and felt the resulting taste was good enough. I didn’t want to mask the taste of the peaches with too much.

Bring mixture to a boil over med-hi heat. Reduce heat and simmer 5-15 minutes, stirring constantly and mashing peaches with the back of a spoon until mixture becomes the consistency of jam. *NOTE I used a hand potato masher because I am impatient. *grin

Refrigerate jam in a bowl for about 1 hour until chilled. Conduct taste test and make corrections, if needed. Place jam in jars, wiping the edges before putting on lids. Label with date made, consume by date and place in refrigerator (for up to two weeks) or freezer (for up to one year).

Mint Blueberry Jam

This recipe is good with other berries, such as raspberries and blackberries. If using dried mint, reduce quantity to 2 teaspoons. The blueberry taste in this recipe is very, very BLUEBERRY! After a taste-test by my husband, I added another 2 TBS of honey-but he’s always had a sweet tooth!

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
several sprigs of fresh mint (peppermint, spearmint, etc)
1/2 cup water
2 TBS apple juice concentrate, thawed
2 TBS honey
1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Method
Rinse blueberries, drain. If using frozen, completely thaw.

Combine mint sprigs with water in small saucepan. Bring to boil. Remove from heat, cover and steep 5 minutes. Pour liquid through wire-mesh strainer into measuring cup, discarding mint sprigs.

Combine blueberries, apple juice concentrate, honey, lemon juice, vanilla extract and reserved mint liquid in a nonstick skillet.

Bring mixture to a boil over med-hi heat. Reduce heat and simmer 5-15 minutes, stirring constantly and mashing berries with the back of a spoon until mixture becomes the consistency of jam. Potato masher works well here, too.

Refrigerate jam in a bowl for about 1 hour until chilled. Conduct taste test and make corrections, if needed. Place jam in jars, wiping the edges before putting on lids. Label with date made, consume by date and place in refrigerator (for up to two weeks) or freezer (for up to one year).

Raspberry & Cardamom Jam

When I first read this combination, I couldn’t help but think, ‘Huh?’ But after making it I have found it to be just heavenly. The cardamom is ‘there’ when you taste it but very light and alluring.

2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries, thawed
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2-3 TBS apple juice concentrate, thawed
2-3 TBS honey
1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Method

Rinse raspberries.

Combine raspberries, ground cardamom, ginger, apple juice concentrate, honey, lemon juice in a nonstick skillet.

Bring mixture to a boil over med-hi heat. Reduce heat and simmer 5-15 minutes, stirring constantly and mashing berries with the back of a spoon until mixture becomes the consistency of jam. Potato masher works well here, too.

Refrigerate jam in a bowl for about 1 hour until chilled. Conduct taste test and make corrections, if needed. Place jam in jars, wiping the edges before putting on lids. Label with date made, consume by date and place in refrigerator (for up to two weeks) or freezer (for up to one year).

Twelve Golden Rules for Canning
(Thanks to Paulette Zwirn)

Canning methods have changed dramatically since Nicholas Appert first experimented with preserving foods in glass bottles for Napoleon’s army, back in 1809. Safe, tested recipes are available in the Ball Blue Book, from U.S. Department of Agriculture Web sites, or from University Extension Services. Have dial gauge accuracy checked annually.

Use standard Ball or Kerr tempered canning jars, in all sizes from quarter-pint to one-quart capacity. Do not attempt to can in larger jars, as safe processing times are not available. Avoid antique closure types such as glass lids with metal bails and the old zinc lids, as their seals are not dependable and the rubber replacement rings are almost impossible to locate.

Use caution with imported odd-sized jars, as our recipes are tested using U.S. standard measures. Use only modern metal two-piece lid and ring closures.

Twelve golden rules for safe home canning should be understood and practiced, and here they are:

• Use ONLY modern tested recipes from reliable sources, and use the size jar specified.

• Never reuse jar lids. Used lids aren’t reliable for staying sealed. (Bands are reusable until rusted or bent.)

• Don’t use antique or French-type jars. They aren’t as safe as modern jars and processing times have not been established. Use those for decoration or storage of dry products.

• Use water-bath method only for high-acid foods. Vegetables, meats, fish, stews must be processed using a pressure canner for the specified length of time without deviations.

• Check jar rims carefully for nicks, as even the smallest imperfection may prevent sealing.

• Raw packing certain low-acid foods is not safe. Precook all greens, squash, white potatoes, okra or okra/tomato combinations, and stewed tomato combinations.

• Always allow the correct headspace between food/liquid covering it, and the jar lid to ensure good seal.

• Don’t begin counting the processing time until after the water covering the jars comes to full rolling boil when water-bathing, or until after steam has vented 10 minutes when pressure canning, and then has reached specified pounds pressure.

• Process full length of time specified. If boil or pressure fails at any point, you must start time over.

• Lift each jar individually (not inside rack) using a jar lifter; keeping jar upright and not tipped.

• If a jar didn’t seal, discard the lid, wipe the rim and use a new lid to reprocess OR refrigerate or freeze.

• Read instructions/recipes thoroughly before beginning, and do not take shortcuts.

How to Freeze Berries
(Thanks to PickYourOwn.org)

These hints are good for blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries, tayberries, loganberries, strawberries, saskatoons, cranberries, marionberries, boysenberries, etc.

If you like berries in the winter, for muffins, pancakes, cobblers, pies or just in a bowl; just imagine how good it would taste if you had picked a couple of quarts fresh or bought a them from a farm stand and then quickly froze them at home! It is also one of the simplest ways to put up a fruit for the winter. Your own frozen berries will taste MUCH better than anything you’ve ever had from a store. I’m using blueberries as an example, but this same process works exactly the same for any other berries listed above. Strawberries are different in that you must remove the hulls (the green cap) after washing, but otherwise the same.

This also works for cherries, but you may want to pit them before freezing them.

Ingredients and Equipment:
• fresh berries – any quantity
• Vacuum food sealer or “ziploc” type freezer bags (the freezer bag version is heavier and protects better against freezer burn.
• a pan or tray that will fit in your freezer
• a strainer or colander

Instructions
Step 1 – Get your berries!
Start with the freshest berries you can get. Look for plump, full berries with a good color. I’ve used blueberries as an example, but these directions would equally well for any other berry (blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, etc.).

Step 2 – Wash the berries (EXCEPT for blueberries)
Just rinse them gently in cold water. I put a colander or strainer in a large bowl, fill it with cold water and swirl the berries in it with my fingers. That avoids breaking them and dirt either floats, which I pick out, or sinks and is removed when I lift the strainer out of the bowl.
NOTE about blueberries: Do not wash blueberries. According to U.Ga, and Clemson University extensions, washing results in a tougher skinned product. (Frankly, I’ve never noticed a difference, but I use frozen blueberries in cooked pies, anyway). They say to wash them after you remove them from the freezer to use. This only applies to blueberries and saskatoons. For those, just pick the dirt out, and wash them later when you thaw them

Step 3 – Drain the berries: Use a large sieve or colander to remove as much water as possible. I usually let them sit for about 10 minutes in the colander. What you may want to do to guarantee they are dry is lay paper towels or a large cotton kitchen towel on the counter and spread the fruit in a single layer. Proceed once the fruit is dry.

Step 4 – Spread the berries in a pan
There are two ways of doing this. If you have space in your freezer, spread the berries out in a large baking sheet with a lip or ridge. Put enough on to make 1 layer. This way they will freeze quickly and not be frozen together in a lump, so later you can remove only what you need without thawing the rest.
If your freezer isn’t that big, just drain as much of the water as you can, then put them into whatever container will fit in your freezer. After they are frozen, they may stick together a little bit, but should break apart fairly easily.

Step 5 – Put them in the freezer
Pop them into the coldest part of the freezer, or the quick freeze shelf, if your freezer has one!
I leave them in the freezer overnight, to get completely frozen.

Step 6 – Bag the berries
I love the FoodSavers with their vacuum sealing. I am not paid by them, but these things really work. If you don’t have one, ziploc bags work, too, but it is hard to get as much air out of the bags. remove the air to prevent drying and freezer burn. On the left is the bag with frozen berries before vacuum sealing, and to the right is the same bag after vacuum sealing. Of course, you can use ziploc bags (see below), but they leave a lot more air in, which allows some freezer burn.
Note: I typically write the labels on the bags with a Sharpie permanent marker BEFORE I fill the bags (it’s easier) rather than after)
A tip for a low budget vacuum sealer:
To remove the excess air from a ziploc bag, put a straw inside the bag and zip it closed as far as possible. Then suck the air out of the bag, pinch the straw shut where it enters the bag and pull it from the bag and quickly zip the bag the rest of the way.

Step 7 – Label the bags
Of course, you’ll want to label them with the contents and date, or all this work could be wasted if you can’t identify them later, or don’t know how old they are.

Step 8 – Done!
Pop them into the deep freeze, or in the coldest part of your regular freezer!
When you are ready to use the berries – Thaw, wash and sort the berries.
To thaw them, just set them in the fridge overnight, or on the counter for a couple of hours. I wouldn’t recommend the microwave unless you are planning to cook with them!
Note (again) about blueberries:
You can wash the frozen blueberries in a bowl of plain cold water. Then you need to pick out and remove any bits of stems, leaves and soft or mushy berries. It is easiest to do this in a large bowl of water and gently run your hands through the berries as they float. With your fingers slightly apart, you will easily feel any soft or mushy berries get caught in your fingers

It’s that time of year, isn’t it? When we want to take advantage of the abundance of vegetables and herbs at the farmer’s markets or, better yet, from our own garden and are wondering what to do with all of it? Well, one thing you can do is pickle them! Not the ‘ work-intensive canning, with all the sterilizing of heavy jars and worrying about air bubbles’ pickling: I’m talking about the quick pickling that is being done by so many great chefs right here in Phoenix and those on all the cooking channels. It’s so easy and will be a great side for anything grilled, as an appetizer topping on baguettes or on the side of a light salad.

Most supermarket pickled vegetables are seasoned with garlic, dill and standard pickling spices. By making your own quick pickles, you can use many different vegetables and fragrant herbs. Seeds you can experiment with include mustard, coriander and fennel. When using your herbs, you can save the twigs and stems and use them to add herb-infused flavor in your quick pickle jar.

Unlike many supermarket pickles, the recipes I have supplied don’t contain artificial food colorings and preservatives and in some there isn’t any refined sugar. The recipes are much easier than canning, which can require hours of intense labor to properly seal pickled produce in hot, sterile canning jars. Doing it the quick way is good for reusing old glass pickle, olive or salsa jars. They don’t need to be sterilized, just clean. The only downside is the vegetables should be consumed within a week or two. But if you’re pleased with the result, that shouldn’t be a problem!

Salt is an important ingredient for pickling and the kind of salt can make a difference in the taste. When canning vegetables, it is usually recommended you use pickling salt or kosher salt. These two salts don’t have iodine or an anti-caking additive that usually clouds the liquid and can turn the pickles dark. Since we are doing quick-pickling, we can use whatever salt you have handy. Experimenting with different salts can add another layer of flavor to your vegetables. There are many hand-harvested artisan salts, including mineral-rich sea salts from France and Hawaii and smoked salts like Alderwood Smoked Sea Salt. Think of the fun you can have using different ones each time you pickle.

Pepper can be another intriguing ingredient for your pickling mix. There are so many to choose from depending on what sort of taste you’re going for. The traditional black peppercorn is nice with its dark bite but I find I like the white peppercorn, too, since it has a more subtle ‘pepper’ taste. There’s also the multi-colored peppercorn you can use for another kind of taste. My absolute favorite pepper, however, is the tellicherry peppercorn introduced to me by our Uncle Coz in Texas. This has a milder, yet woodsy taste to it that really adds a whole new level of taste. You can usually find this peppercorn online by googling it or going to Amazon.com (that’s where I got mine through the ‘India Tree’ company).

Another important ingredient for pickling is the pickling seasoning which is a mixture of different spices. There are many blends you can choose from starting with a simple one like allspice berries to a more complex blend that can include mustard seeds, bay leaves, coriander seeds and even herbes de Provence. Like salt and pepper, you can experiment with different blends to get the one you prefer or to just mix it up a bit.

The last ingredient is the vinegar. Most recipes call for apple cider vinegar, which has a natural sweetness to it but you can use whatever vinegar you have on hand. I’ve used champagne vinegar for asparagus and I think it adds an elegant level of taste. But when doesn’t champagne do that, right?

Now for the fun part: Recipes! The ones I’ve supplied are either ones I use myself or those of chefs and gardeners I came across during my research. You will see they all have different techniques when it comes to preparing the vinegar mix and combining it with the vegetables. Some say cool first, some say pour it into the container right away, some say eat within 20 minutes or let it sit in the refrigerator for 1-3 days, 3 being better. What I learned is there’s no set way to do this which gives us a better chance of not messing anything up. A win-win in my book!

Standard Vinegar Mix

This is a common recipe of vinegar mix that you will find all over the different food channel websites or by just googling ‘pickling’. I will list the measurements of each suggested ingredient and then list the different types of each ingredient you can choose from.

2 cups vinegar
2 cups water
2 TBS salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 shakes hot sauce (optional-for those who like a little kick)

Heat ingredients in a saucepan until bubbles start forming. In the meantime, put vegetables in clean jar(s) making sure there’s a little room at the top so the vegetables don’t touch the lid. Cool liquid to room temperature or just pore over the vegetables and herbs until they are completely covered. Cool to room temperature, cover with tight lid and put in refrigerator. Can be consumed after about 20 minutes. Keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. The longer it sits in the refrigerator during those two weeks, the stronger the ‘pickling’ taste.

Vinegars to be considered:

Apple cider vinegar
White vinegar
White wine vinegar
Champagne vinegar
Red wine vinegar

Salts to be considered:

Table salt
Kosher salt (won’t cloud or turn vegetables dark)
Pickling salt (won’t cloud or turn vegetables dark)
Sea salt
Flavored salts (smoked, etc)

Peppers to be considered:

Black peppercorns
White peppercorns
Mixed colored peppercorns
Tellicherry peppercorns

Vegetables to be considered:

Cucumbers
Red onion
Sweet Vidalia onion
Zucchini
Asparagus
Green beans
Radishes
Kale
Mustard greens

Fresh herbs to be considered:

Oregano
Thyme
Mint
Sage
Dill
Rosemary
Chives
Tarragon

Homemade Herb Pickling MIx

This is great to have on hand and saves time. This can be used in all the recipes I’ve provided by putting one to two tablespoons in the pickling jar-or divided between several smaller ones-then add the veggies and vinegar mix, following the directions in the recipes. As usual when I am making things, I try to figure out if it can be a nice gift. And this does! You can make up the mix, put it in a jar, throw a ribbon around it and hand it over with a recipe for quick pickling. This would be a great gift around the holidays. If you decide to do that for multiple people, visit your local health food store which usually has spices and dried herbs in bulk and will be much less expensive. If there’s time, try to make up a jar of vegetables to give the occasion an even bigger ‘Wow!’ factor. And who gets tired of that?

2 TBS mustard seeds
4 TBS herbes de Provence
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp bay leaves, dried and shredded
2 TBS coriander seeds
1 tsp dried, crushed red pepper
1 tsp whole cloves

Combine ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Put into a clean, glass container and store in a cool, dry place.

Garlic Pickled Kale

To serve, gently rinse the pickled vegetable in a colander and then toss with a little light olive oil or canola oil. Feel free to substitute other sturdy greens, such as mustard greens.

2 cups kale, washed, deveined and shredded
2-4 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 TBS kosher salt
1 TBS mustard seeds
1 cup cold water

Tightly pack greens and garlic in one 16-ounce clean glass jar until about 3/4 full. Can separate recipe into smaller jars.

Combine vinegar, salt and mustard seeds in saucepan. Bring to simmer and gently stir until salt dissolves. Remove from heat.

Add cold water to mixture and let cool. Pour cooled liquid in jar to cover greens and garlic. Add more cold water if necessary. Leave room at the top. Refrigerate for about an hour until chilled. Keep refrigerated for two weeks.

Herbal Tomato Pickles

Make sure the tomatoes are firm; otherwise they’ll fall apart when pickled. You can use a combination of different kinds of tomatoes (like regular tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, green tomatoes) or you can use only one kind. This is also a great recipe for those luscious (but expensive) heirloom tomatoes!

2 cups tomatoes, vertically quartered
2-4 garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 cup fresh herbs (dill is nice but any other will be great)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 TBS kosher salt
1 cup cold water
1 TBS fresh juice of lime or lemon (optional)

Place tomato slices, garlic and other herbs in a 16-ounce clean glass jar until about 3/4 full. Can separate ingredients into smaller jars.

Combine vinegar and salt in saucepan. Bring to simmer and gently stir until salt dissolves. Remove from heat.

Add cold water (and optional juice) to mixture and let cool. Pour cooled liquid in jar to cover tomatoes and herbs. Add more cold water if necessary. Refrigerate for about an hour until chilled. Keep refrigerated for two weeks.

Rosemary & Sage Quick Pickles

This recipe also works great with green or yellow zucchini.

1 small red or white onion, thinly sliced
OR 1 cup chives, chopped
2 cups cucumber, sliced
2-4 sprigs rosemary
4-8 sage leaves
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 TBS kosher salt
1 cup cold water

Slice cucumber into 1/4-inch rounds. Tightly pack sliced cucumber and herbs in a 16-ounce clean jar until 3/4 full. Can separate recipe into several jars.

Combine vinegar and salt in saucepan. Bring to simmer and gently stir until salt dissolves. Remove from heat.

Add cold water to this mixture and let cool. Pour cooled liquid in jar to cover cucumbers and herbs. Add more cold water if necessary. Leave room at the top. Refrigerate for about an hour until chilled.

I was 42-years-old before I was introduced to lovely, luscious afternoon tea by my wonderful Auntie Vel. And the first question to myself was, ‘Why in the heck did you take so long?’ I am happy to say that since then I have had tea many times and enjoy it immensely. When I was blessed by three beautiful granddaughters I made it a mission that they would not have to wait until they were 42 before they had their first experience. From when they were old enough to hold a teacup in their hand, we have had ‘tea’ at our house.

I was always skeptical of the idea of Afternoon Tea and felt slightly intimidated by the thought of being someplace where my manners were going to be scrutinized and judged. I quickly found out that Afternoon Tea is no more stressful than having a meal at a favorite restaurant. The first lesson I learned was, ‘Relax! Pretend this is any other meal you’re having and just enjoy it.’ After making myself relax, it became one of my favorite outings for several reasons. Afternoon Tea gives us an opportunity to eat good food, be with good friends and have a quiet, serene respite from the outside world. What can be nicer than eating, chatting, and relaxing? It is not necessary to go to any of the fancier places to get a good experience. Although, I have to admit that one of my favorite things to do is spoil my daughter-in-law by taking her to the Phoenician for her birthday! But I digress. There are several tea houses around Phoenix that, with 24-hour notice, will set a nice tea in a comfortable environment. Here are a few that you may find in your area (or you can google ‘tea houses, phoenix):

English Rose, Carefree, 480-488-4812

Kimberly Ann’s Victorian Tearoom, Glendale, 623-934-1106

Abbey Gardens, Mesa, 480-730-1819

There are, of course, the fancier-shmancier places like The Phoenician, The Biltmore and The Ritz. If the idea of having Afternoon Tea is intimidating, I would encourage you to try one of the places I have suggested to reassure yourself that this is not to be feared, it’s to be embraced and enjoyed! Then, when you’re ready, take someone to tea at the Phoenician for her special birthday. Or your own!

When my ladies and I have tea at my house, it can be a simple snack, lunch or we do a Special Tea. We get our inspirations from a terrific book called, ‘The Tea Party Book’ by Lucille Recht Penner. It’s available, new and used, on Amazon.com. In this book you will find themes for teas that include a Teddy Bear Tea, a Valentine Tea and even a Full-Moon Tea. What’s great about this book is there are recipes for simple foods that children can make themselves with a little help from an adult, suggestions for decorations and how to make your own table settings. The ingredients for the food and the supplies for the crafts are usually things we have around the house. This can turn into a half-day or an all day project to keep our little darlings occupied on some of these hot, summer days. It gives us an opportunity to teach something, have fun and eat!

More importantly, having tea can also give us a chance to go over more formalized manners with our little ladies. When my own granddaughters and I have tea, we sometimes practice being a Proper Young Lady. I tell them that these are manners we don’t always have to use when we are home with the family but come in handy when we find ourselves at a nice restaurant or having dinner at a friend’s house.

Here is a little background on where Afternoon Tea came from, what the different kinds of tea mean and even a few ideas for your own tea party. I hope this inspires you to explore the world of Afternoon Tea. You won’t be sorry, promise!

Drinking tea as an event can be traced back to 1662 in England during the reign of Charles II. His wife, Queen Catharine brought tea with her when she came to the country and was known as the Tea-Drinking Queen. She served tea in her bedchamber mainly for a female gathering. The taking of tea in the afternoon developed into a new social event some time in the late 1830′s and thought to have been established by Anne, Duchess of Bedford. She requested light sandwiches be brought to her in the late afternoon because she had a ‘sinking feeling’ during that time as a result of the long gap between meals. Since they slept late each morning, they would have breakfast and usually wouldn’t eat again until a late dinner, around 8 o’clock. The Duchess began to invite others to join her and it became a tradition that is practiced in England to this day.

There are various types of ‘tea’, most of which you have probably heard of but, like me, didn’t know the meaning or details of them.

Cream Tea: A simple tea consisting of scones, clotted cream, marmalade or lemon curd and tea.

Low Tea/Afternoon Tea: An afternoon meal including sandwiches, scones, clotted cream, curd, 2-3 sweets and tea. Known as ‘low tea’ because guests are seated in low armchairs with low side-tables to place their cups and saucers.

Elevensies: Morning coffee hour in England.

Royale Tea: A social tea served with champagne at the beginning or sherry at the end of the tea. Some of the nicer tea places here in Phoenix serve champagne and/or sherry before the first course of sandwiches.

High Tea: High tea is reminiscent of elegancy and regal-ness when in fact it’s an evening meal most often enjoyed around 6pm by laborers and miners returning home. In England, high tea consists of meat and potatoes as well as other foods and tea. Now it’s not exclusively a working class meal but has been adopted by all social groups. Families with servants often took high tea on Sundays in order to allow the maids and butlers time to go to church and not worry about cooking an evening meal for the family. In the United States, the term High Tea is sometimes used when referring to ‘low tea’ or ‘afternoon tea.’

Tea at home

You don’t have to have real tea at a tea party. We have had apple juice, orange juice, plain or flavored milk, and, well, you get the idea. Here are a few ideas of having a fun tea at home:

A Full-Moon Tea Party

You don’t have to have a full moon to enjoy this tea, but it makes it extra special. You can sit by a window where the full moon can be seen (on those really, really hot nights!) or you can set up on the porch. The menu includes moon cupcakes, cheese stars and apple crescents and place mats decorated with moons and stars. For a fun centerpiece, hang a big, yellow balloon from the ceiling. There are fun instructions on making your own party favors – homemade telescopes!

Moon Cupcakes

Make whatever flavor cupcake you wish and frost with white frosting. Place on gray or light blue candied ‘dots’ to represent the craters on the moon.

Cheese Stars and Apple Crescents

You will need:

A star-shaped cookie cutter
Cheese slices
Apples

Cut the stars out of the cheese slices with the cookie cutter. Cut apple into thin slices. Arrange your stars and apple crescents on a pretty plate.

Milky Way Tea

Stir together 1 teaspoon honey, ¼ teaspoon vanilla and 1 cup milk for each person. Warm the mixture in a saucepan and pour into a teapot.

Night Sky Place Mats

You will need:

aluminum foil
glue
black colored construction paper (a size that will make a nice placemat)
gold star stickers

Directions: Cut small round or crescent moons out of foil. Glue moons onto each piece of black construction paper. Stick on some gold star stickers.

Telescopes

You will need:

Black colored paper
tape
plastic wrap
silver star stickers

Directions: To make each telescope, cut a piece of black paper in half. Roll the paper into a tube and tape it together. Cut a circle out of plastic wrap. Tape it over one end of the paper tube.

Stick some silver stars on the plastic wrap. Everyone can look at the yellow ‘moon’ balloon (or the real one!) through their telescopes.

Teddy Bear Tea Party

This is a special favorite of my Lovely Ladies!

Teddy Bear Cookies

You will need:

1 stick butter, softened
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup flour
¼ cup cocoa
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
raisins

Preheat oven 350. Grease cookie sheet.

Cream together butter and brown sugar. Beat in egg.

In separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Stir mixture into the butter and sugar. Chill one hour or more.

Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Divide each piece into 1 large ball (size of a ping-pong ball) for head and 2 little balls (marble size) for ears. Place balls on cookie sheet in shape of bear face, flatten slightly, and press in raisins for eyes and nose. Bake 15 minutes.

Makes 8 cookies

Bear Berries and Honey Bread

You will need:

whole-wheat bread
raspberries or blueberries
honey
toothpicks

Directions: Put small bowl of honey in center of a plate. Put circle of berries around it. Stick toothpicks into some of the berries.

Cut crusts off 4 pieces of whole-wheat bread. Cut each slice into 4 strips. Arrange strips in pretty pattern around bowl of honey and berries.

Teddy Bear Place Mats

You will need:

Construction paper (size for a place mat)
Felt-tip markers

Draw little teddy bear faces all over each place mat. Set on at every place at the table. My ladies have also made teddy bears out of construction paper and glued them on the place mat.

Japanese Tea Party

We did this one time in place of lunch. We spent the morning getting everything ready and we all agreed it was one of our best teas!

Menu:

Noodle Soup (like Top Ramen)
Sweet Rice Cakes
Green Tea
Honey
Milk

Make noodle soup according to package instructions.

Sweet Rice Cakes

1 package rice cakes
honey

Spread rice cakes with thin layer of honey. Place on cookie sheet. Set aside. When you’re ready to eat, put cakes under broiler for one minute. Serve warm.

Cherry Blossom Centerpiece

You will need:

a small branch from your garden
pink tissue paper
pipe cleaners

Find a small branch and strip off leaves. Make each blossom, cut 8-inch square of pink tissue paper. Gently crumble square of paper. Twist on end of pipe cleaner around middle of crumpled paper. Twist other end around tree branch. Make three or four cherry blossoms for the branch. This was surprisingly simple and ended up being very pretty. We put the branches on a white serving platter.

Japanese Fans

You will need:

Flet-tip markers
Colored paper
Tape

Draw pictures of cherry blossoms and butterflies on one side of the colored paper. Starting at the short edge, fold paper accordion style. When paper is all folded up, tape one end closed for handle. Fan out other end. Make enough fans for each person.

One of the traditions in Japan is removing shoes before entering the house. The ladies thought it was fun seeing their shoes lined up on the welcome mat by our front door.

Basil for Everything!

When you hear the word basil, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Well, I think of a caprese salad of mozzarella, tomatoes and basil leaves or a simple bowl of angel hair pasta with a pesto sauce. But would this herb be effective in the world of skincare, too? The answer is definitely, ‘Yes!’

Basil contains antibacterial compounds that make it a good cleanser and has a scent that can sooth your stress and even your sinuses. The oils found in basil have also been proven to act as an anti-inflammatory agent as well. Basil boasts pro-vitamin A and vitamin K., both essential to healthy skin inside and out. The flavonoids in basil have been found to provide protection at the cellular level against bacterial growth. When paired with other essential oils, herbs and even fruits, basil becomes a well-rounded herbal remedy for body, mind and the soul. Today basil is becoming a stamp of quality and pampering in health and beauty products.

Basil extracts paired with mint are found in shampoos and can increase scalp circulation that is crucial for hair growth and re-growth. This results in lustrous, shiny hair that is more manageable and strong. Basil tea can be used as an after-shampoo rinse and will leave hair silky and the scalp feeling fresh.

Facial masks are being made with basil along with avocado and olive oil that will moisturize in ways you won’t believe. You can make your own (of course!); it can be messy but well worth it.

Since basil is a natural astringent, it is found as a main ingredient in toners that are starting to show up on the shelves, but this, too, can be made at home. After cleansing the face, splash some of the homemade basil toner on, let it air-dry then moisturize as usual. Your face will appreciate it, especially if the air you live in is polluted. Before using a mask, try a basil face steam to open up and cleanse those pores

In aromatherapy, a basil essential oil massage is given to calm down the mind and get rid of tensions that have occupied the mind. It is one of the most rejuvenating experiences that can truly cheer the heart. Its refreshing aroma provides soothing effects and takes away melancholy from life. Basil pairs nicely with lemon or lime to tone and deodorize the skin so this makes a nice shower gel to get that morning started in the right direction.

I know some of you have basil in your yard. It grows so well here in Arizona since it loves warm climates. If you have an over abundance of it, try using it for some of my suggested beauty products. I have also provided a couple of my family’s favorite recipes with basil as the Star Ingredient.

Basil Beauty Products

Shower Gel

4 oz liquid glycerin soap

20 drops basil essential oil

10 drops lemon essential oil

Put ingredients in 4 oz. plastic bottle and shake.

Basil Hair Rinse and Face Toner

This recipe can be used for both the hair and face.

Pack about three tablespoons into a sturdy mug and pound lightly with a pestle to bruise the leaves and release the oils. Put  in a cup, pour boiling water over the leaves and cover the mug with a plate or anything else that will keep the steam from escaping. Let the ‘tea’ steep until it’s a clear, grass color, about 20 minutes. Strain and discard leaves. I use my coffee press for this; that way I can make more than just a small cup’s worth.

Hair Rinse: shampoo as usual, finishing with basil hair rinse.

Face Toner: Splash face after cleansing but don’t rinse off toner. Let air dry and moisturize as usual.

If traveling, you can take dried basil to use as a skin and hair booster. Pour about a cup of hot tap water over two teaspoons dried basil, cover, and let sit overnight for use the next morning.

Face Steam

Add a fistful of basil leaves and handful of mint leaves and heating them in a pot of water. Remove the pot from the heat when it starts emitting steam. Secure your hair with a band, take a thick towel over your head and bend over the pot with your eyes closed so that your face is fully exposed to the steam emanating from the water. Take the steam this way for around 3-4 minutes. Afterward you can apply a facemask. If not, splash cold water on your face or gently rub an ice cube wrapped in a cloth to close the pores.

Face Mask

Basil-Avocado Mask

Gently mash up 1-2 TBS of basil to release oils. Mix in half of a ripe avocado and enough olive oil to make a nice paste. Apply to cleansed face and leave for 15 minutes. Rinse with water or try using a basil toner you made yourself!

Basil-Egg White Mask

Put 1-2 TBS of basil leaves in blender or food processor. Process until the basil becomes a chopped mush. Put mush in a bowl and mix it with  a teaspoon of sea salt and one egg white. Rub onto cleansed face gently (the salt can be very abrasive so be careful!), paying attention to problem areas with acne or other blemishes you want to get rid of. Leave mask on for only 5-7 minutes; rinse with lukewarm water or some of that basil toner you made!

To have basil during the winter months when it doesn’t grow as well or it’s too expensive at the grocery store, try making pesto and freezing it. You can put the recipe in one container for the freezer, or put in an ice cube tray to freeze. Each cube equals about one tablespoon and can be used in future sauce or soup recipes.

Basil Pesto

2 cups packed, fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic

¼ cup pine nuts

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Combine basil, garlic, pine nuts and parmesan cheese in food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. While food processor is on, slowly drizzle olive oil in opening until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container, cover and freeze up to 3 months. If using ice cube trays, place pesto in each cube and freeze overnight. Take cubes out of tray and put in freezer zip-loc bag, freeze and keep for later use. Each cube equals around 1 tablespoon.

How to Freeze Fresh Basil

If you want to save some of that extra basil and you’re not interested in making pesto, you can freeze it (mixed with olive oil) to be used later.

Wash leaves very well and put in salad spinner. Spin them as dry as you possibly can. Lay them in a single layer on dry paper towels and leave until completely dry. If you don’t have a salad spinner, just wash your basil leaves in the sink and dry them well with paper towels. Then do the same as if you had spinned them by laying them in a single layer on dry paper towels and leave until completely dry.

Put enough basil leaves in a food processor, using the steel blade, until the bowl is full, but not tightly packed. Pulse food processor with one hand and drizzle olive oil into the feed tube with the other hand, just pulsing until the basil is coarsely chopped. You should also make sure that all the basil is coated with the oil, which keeps it from turning dark in the freezer. I use about 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil for each batch in the food processor when I’m making coarsely chopped basil like this to use for pasta sauce, soup, or stew recipes.

In freezing, transfer to airtight containers, cover and freeze up to 3 months. If using ice cube trays, place pesto in each cube and freeze overnight. Take cubes out of tray and put in freezer zip-loc bag, freeze and keep for later use. Each cube equals around 1 tablespoon.

And just for giggles I have supplied two favorite basil recipes:

Basil-Lemon Sorbet

4 cups water

2 cups sugar

1 cup basil, fresh leaves and lightly packed

1 cup lemon juice, fresh

2 large basil leaves

In saucepan, bring water, sugar and basil leaves to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Let syrup cool to room temperature. Add lemon juice and refrigerate until completely chilled.  Strain liquid and discard basil leaves. Put half of liquid in blender. Add two basil leaves and blend until basil is completely incorporated and is the size of ‘specks.’  Transfer to sorbet/ice cream maker. Follow manufacturers instructions to prepare sorbet.

After sorbet has completed its cycle, remove sorbet from freezer container and place in airtight container. Cover sorbet with plastic wrap, pressing wrap to surface of sorbet to prevent ice crystals from forming. Cover tightly and place in freezer. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. You can also leave the sorbet in the sorbet container if you want to take it to a friend’s house. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing wrap to surface and put in freezer until ready to transport. Wrap container in a large towel to keep it cold. It won’t melt and it will be perfect for scooping later.

Caprese Salad

Many hot evenings, my husband and I have this along with a small green salad and it’s all we usually need. This is usually enough for two people.

1 avocado, sliced thin

1 heirloom tomato, sliced thin

Mozzarella cheese, fresh and sliced thin; about 6+ slices

6-10 basil leaves, sliced into thin ribbons

olive oil

balsamic vinegar

coarse salt and pepper

Layer avocado, tomato and cheese slices, alternating each one, on a nice serving platter. Sprinkle sliced basil leaves over ingredients. Sprinkle olive oil and balsamic to taste. Salt and pepper to taste.

Fake it! ~Linda Davis~

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that homemade salad dressing is to die for!  Especially Sherry’s – she is the Make It queen.

And then there’s me.  I know I should make it.  So why do I so badly want to always simply Fake It?  Well, sadly it’s Life (plus some laziness thrown in there).  My reality is teenagers, dinner at odd times and usually running directly from work stress to dinner distress.

So in true ‘Make It or Fake It’ form, here are some quick ideas to jazz up the store-bought stuff so that it, at least, has a hint that it’s not – maybe. Could it be?  Nah! It’s not – homemade??!

There could be two trains of thought on whether to start out with the good bottled stuff or start with the cheap, more bland stuff and add to it.  Through my experimentation, I have to urge you to go with the good stuff – fewer artificial ingredients which mean less artificial taste.  Plus, remember this is essentially your base so have a good base.  No different than starting with a good vinegar or mayonnaise.

Thousand Island
This was one of the hardest to embellish but voila I came up with a twist.
To disguise the often too tart pickle taste of the bottled stuff I added:

1 part of mayo
1 part of salsa (of course Sherry would make her own!!! I bought mine!!)
2 parts of bottled Thousand Island

This ended up tasting delish.  A slight Southwestern flair and it truly disguised the “bottled taste.”

Vinaigrette
Jazzing up Vinaigrette is a perfect example of looking at the ingredients of the homemade variety and then just pumping up the bottled goods with some key ingredients.  Here are some options:

Add a squeeze of lemon.
Mince a fresh garlic clove and toss it in.
Add a touch of Dijon mustard.
Toss in some fresh Parmesan cheese.

Get a blast from the past and mix up some of the Good Season’s mix – remember it came with that little cruet?  Add a good vinegar, oil and toss in a fresh clove of garlic and you’ll be amazed!

Vinaigrette is a little tricky so go slow as you add stuff.  But keep this in mind, too:  Just tossing a little fresh parsley on top can fool your guests – if you’re serving wine (ha).

Blue Cheese
This one is sort of a no-brainer – add some more blue cheese to the REFRIDGERATED bottled kind.  The cold stuff really outshines the bottled stuff in the grocery aisle.

But if you want to really fool them, experiment with some really high quality blue cheese to toss on top.  You won’t need much so you can splurge a little here and really make a difference on the taste.

The Votes for Best Bottled Dressing Are In
I also scoured opinions online from chefs to Yelpers and found the best of the bottled dressings for you to try.

Here are the top vote getters:
Ken’s Steakhouse Dressings
Annie’s Dressings
Girard’s
Marie’s (for Blue Cheese)
Newman’s Own

Well, there you have it.  I’m all for faking it!  Unless I’m going to Sherry’s for dinner – because, in reality – I admit it – you just can’t top her homemade!
Make It! ~ Sherry Kline~

Now, see, like a true friend, Linda is trying to make me look good! I love the ideas she’s come up with. How clever is she to add mayo and salsa to the bottled Thousand Island to make it really tasty? So fun! And like I’ve said many times before, my life while my three guys were growing up was vastly different from what it is today. I was the “Give ‘em twenty bucks for Taco Bell and get out of my hair” Queen and now live with the guilt as best as I can! I truly remember how difficult it is to feed the little darlings three times a day much less how hard it is to do anything even resembling homemade!

But.

For those of us who don’t have those demands on us or we have that special dinner we’re planning, the homemade stuff does take it up a notch. In the last few years I’ve been learning more about cooking and entertaining, and I’ve come across or developed recipes for a few dressings that are well received by both family and friends.

Thousand Island Dressing
An All-American favorite and very Vintage dressing is Thousand Island. Linda’s right; the bottled dressing has turned many people away from this poor, misunderstood dressing what with the heavy pickle taste. The first recipe of this dressing is said to have originated on one of the Thousand Islands in St. Lawrence River in Canada back in the early 1900′s. The recipe I use is one that was developed at the Waldorf-Astoria in Manhattan, New York. This is a great dressing for the strong lettuce families of iceberg or romaine. It also makes a terrific condiment for grilled burgers!

Thousand Island Dressing
Recipe By: Saveur Magazine
Yield: 1 3/4 cup

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
3-4 TBS Heinz chili sauce *see Note
2 TBS Vidalia onion, finely chopped (can substitute sweet yellow onion or shallots)
2 TBS sweet pickles, finely chopped
1 tsp pickling juice, from sweet pickle jar (or less, if desired)
1 TBS pimento, jarred, drained and chopped
salt and pepper

Directions:
Put mayo, chili sauce, onions, pickles, pickle juice, pimiento, and salt and pepper to taste into a med glass bowl and stir until well combined. Dressing will keep, covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week.

*Note: Heinz Chili Sauce brand is the one to use since this is considered the ‘secret’ ingredient for this traditional Thousand Island. I have tried it with others and have to admit the recipes were missing a certain ‘something’ so I stick with the Heinz.

Vinaigrette
Vinaigrette sounds so fancy, doesn’t it? And intimidating? Well, it’s not; promise! It is basically oil (of any kind; whatever your prefer), an acid (vinegar, lemon juice, etc) and any other flavoring that suits your fancy. The formula that works the best for my tastes is one-part acid to two-parts oil. This is something you can experiment with. I would start with the one-part to two part formula first, taste it then add more vinegar or oil to taste. I then add a little shallot, a little Dijon mustard and salt and pepper. Using this as a Base Recipe, you can mix it up a bit by adding other ingredients that will complement the salad or vegetables you’re adding it to. I have here the Base Recipe and then some suggestions on how to make it a bit more exciting!

Vinaigrette Base Recipe
Recipe By: Sherry

Ingredients:
1 TBS wine vinegar, *see Notes
1 1/2 tsp shallots, very finely minced
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp salt
dash pepper
2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil **see Notes

Directions:
Combine vinegar, shallot, mustard, salt and pepper to taste in small glass bowl. Place oil in small measuring cup so that it is easy to pour. Whisking constantly, very slowly drizzle oil into vinegar mixture. If pools of oil are gathering on surface as you whisk, stop addition of oil and whisk mixture well to combine, then resume whisking in oil in slow stream. Vinaigrette should be glossy and lightly thickened, with no pools of oil on its surface. If you are a bit put off by adding the oil by whisking, a trick I use is: Put all the ingredients in a small jar, close with a tight lid and shake vigorously until well-blended. This is a good way to make it when you are going to dress the salad immediately.

*Notes: choose any wine vinegar depending on what tastes the best to you. I use all kinds like white wine, champagne, red wine, or balsamic. It just depends on my mood or what I have in the pantry.

**Notes: You may want to use a nicer, more expensive extra-virgin olive oil for your vinaigrette as opposed to the lesser expensive ones used for cooking. In vinaigrettes you can taste the oil more and the lighter and better processed, the better. My favorite is Queen Creek Extra-Virgin Olive Oil manufactured in Queen Creek, Arizona. Gotta support the local vendors!

Varieties of Vinaigrettes
The following ingredients can be added to the Basic Recipe:

Lemon Vinaigrette
This is best for dressing mild greens like butter leaf lettuce or baby greens.

Follow the Basic Recipe, substituting lemon juice for vinegar, omitting shallot and adding 1/4 tsp finely grated lemon zest and pinch of sugar along with salt and pepper.

Balsamic-Mustard Vinaigrette
This is best for dressing assertive greens like arugula or water cress.

Follow Basic Recipe, substituting 1 1/2 TBS balsamic vinegar for wine vinegar, increasing mustard to 2 tsp and adding 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme along with salt and pepper.

Walnut Vinaigrette
Follow Basic Recipe, substituting 1 1/2 TBS roasted walnut oil and 1 1/2 TBS regular olive oil for extra-virgin olive oil. This is a terrific vinaigrette to go with a salad with fruit added to it like strawberries and/or apples.

Herb Vinaigrette
Follow Basic Recipe, adding 1 TBS minced parsley or chives and 1/2 tsp minced thyme, tarragon, marjoram or oregano to vinaigrette just before use. You can use all or just some of the herbs listed.

Blue Cheese Dressing
Another Vintage salad dressing is Blue Cheese. This reminds me of restaurants from the Rat Pack era: Dark, warm, and jazzy with the red velvet booths and celery, radishes and crackers with butter for an appetizer. Is there anyone out there with me on this? The salad was a wedge of iceberg lettuce, maybe a piece of tomato and the occasional black olive with the dressing poured generously over the top. So simple and so, so good! Finding the right recipe to bring these memories back was a mission of mine until I came across this one. I have made a few adjustments to suit my own personal tastes so feel free to experiment.

Recipe By: Sherry
Yield:  1 1/2 cup

Ingredients:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
3 TBS buttermilk *see Notes
1 TBS vinegar **see Notes
4 oz. blue cheese ***see Notes
fresh ground pepper; to taste

Directions:
Mix mayo, sour cream, buttermilk and vinegar in a small bowl. Fold in blue cheese; add a little at a time, taste then add more as desired. Add pepper and stir gently.

*Notes: You can substitute milk or less of an amount if you like it thicker. Add a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

**Notes: With the vinegar, you can use white wine, champagne or even red wine vinegars. Each gives a different taste to the dressing so use the one that tastes the best to you. I only recently started using red wine vinegar after having it at a restaurant and couldn’t decide what made it so different and tasty. The chef was kind enough to clue me in on his using red wine vinegar and I’ve been using it ever since.

***Notes: The amount of blue cheese used is entirely up to you. I would add a little at a time while folding it into the other ingredients until it reaches the flavor level you prefer. I use the blue cheese you can find in any grocery store (usually the crumbly kind) but you can use the more expensive kind if you prefer.

To Make It or Not To Fake It? That is the question!

I believe between Linda and me, we have come up with enough ideas and guidelines to help you make the best dressings possible just depending on how much time you have-or don’t have! Regardless of which way you choose to follow, we think we’ve given you some For Sure crowd pleasers!

This recipe was given to me by my good friend, Kathy Blech. We call it ‘chalupa’ and it’s a HUGE favorite by anyone who makes it. It’s great overnight or all day in a crock-pot or it can be done on the stove. However you make it, you’ll be amazed at how good it is. And think of all the praise you’ll get!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. beef roast, (can use port roast or 1/2-1/2)
1 lb. pinto beans, dried
2 pods garlic, chopped
4 Tbsp. chile powder
2 Tbsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. oregano, dried
2 large cans diced chiles
1 Tbsp. salt

Instructions:
Rinse pinto beans thoroughly, picking out foreign objects. Cut beef up in large chunks (3-5 inch strips).

Place beans in crock pot, add rest of ingredients. Cover with water. Cover and set crock pot to low setting and cook for 10 hours. Break up meat and stir.

On stove top: Place beans in dutch oven. Add remaining ingredients. Cover with water. Bring to boil; lower heat to simmer and cover. Add water as needed heating water before adding. Simmer for 6 hours. Break up meat and, with lid off, cook until thick (about 1 hour). To cook faster, soak beans overnight covered with water and two TBS of white vinegar. Rinse and add to pot; follow instructions. Cook for 4 hours, or until beans and meat are cooked through.

This recipe can be made with canned pinto beans if you are in a real hurry and forgot (or don’t want to!) to soak beans overnight. 4 15 oz. cans equal one pound of dried pinto beans. Place beans and cut-up beef in pot with remaining ingredients; bring to boil. Cook on simmer for 2 hours, or until beef is cooked through.

To spice this recipe up, feel free to go crazy with the chile pepper. You can even add a little (or a lot) of cayenne pepper. I have also bumped it up a bit by using chipolte chili pepper or ancho chili pepper or all of them! Be creative and make it the way you and your family like it.

This can be served burrito style or in a bowl like chile. Sometimes we’ll put fritos in the bottom of a bowl, followed by chalupa and then pile on the rest. yummmmmm

Recommended condiments:
lettuce, shredded
tomatoes,diced
avocado, diced
green onion, diced
red onion, diced
cheese, shredded (try some Mexican cheese; it’s yummy!)
cilantro, chopped
fritos

Yields: 8

Nothing makes a sauce or even waffles taste better than creamy butter, right? But I sometimes get confused with what’s best: salted or unsalted? What is the difference between the regular butter I buy and European? Are butter blends (part butter, part canola oil), margarine or butter substitutes better for us? Is there any way to make those types better tasting, if they are?

Well, I have some answers for you. The difference between salted and unsalted butter, of course, is that one has salt and one doesn’t. I know I am stating the obvious but one thing I learned was that there are different levels of salt put in each batch of salted butter depending on the manufacturer. It’s a ‘preference’ and not something that is regulated or has a firm, cooking rule attached to it. Because of that unknown, chefs usually recommend unsalted butter in their recipes as opposed to salted. This way you can control the amount of salt that goes into it. I usually have both on hand since I love salted butter on my toast, baked potato or anything else where the butter is one of the key components. I am known to pile it on when I eat waffles; that’s why I do it only on Cheat Days! A good reason to use only unsalted all the time is if you have sodium issues that sometimes need to be addressed when you have high blood pressure.

Cultured butter is when cream is collected over several days allowing it to ferment before it is churned into butter. In the last forty years or so, artificial fermentation is usually used for cultured butter, although most of the butter we purchase at the grocery store is made from pasteurized, fresh cream and is known as ‘sweet butter.’ The United States and United Kingdom prefer this but Continental Europe prefers ‘cultured butter’, which is made from pasteurized, fermented cream. Butter made from fresh or cultured cream and is not pasteurized is call ‘raw cream butter.’ Commercial raw cream butter is unheard of in the United States and is rare in Europe as well. You would probably find it on farms but it only has a refrigerated shelf life of around 10 days where sweet cream butter’s shelf life is several months or even longer if it’s frozen. If you are interested in exploring butters from other countries, including goat milk butter and Indian ghee, there is a great article online from the Saveur magazine called ’30 Great Butters’. Here’s the link to it:

http://www.saveur.com/article_print.jsp?ID=1000031090

This list includes a few from our country as well as Canada, the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe.

There are many butter blends or butter substitutes on the market to choose from. I have a confession and need to tell you I am a butter snob. I only buy butter, nothing else. When my husband had his first heart attack 14 years ago, the going trend was to take ALL fats out of your diet including fatty fruits and vegetables and olive oil. They are less zealous these days about it in regards to ‘good fats’ but one should still watch their fat intake. I tried to cook with butter substitutes back then but it was a disappointment.  The substitute seemed to separate in a way that wasn’t very appetizing. There may be others out there that are better since it’s been so long. The other day, my curiosity had me looking at the labels to see how they differ in calories, grams of fat and sodium from butter. There were three I looked at: ‘bestlife buttery spread’, ‘I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!’ and ‘Smart Balance’, which is a butter blend.  Based on per tablespoon, this is what I found out:

Product                          Calories               Grams of Fat        Sodium
Unsalted butter               100                              11g                    0mg
Salted butter                    100                              11g                   75mg (this varies depending on the manufacturer)
best life                               60                                7g                100mg
I Can’ Believe…               100                              11g                   95mg
Smart Balance                100                               11g                100mg

The claim ‘best life,’ ‘I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter’ and ‘Smart Balance’ make is they have a less percentage of saturated fats (anywhere from 28 to 50% less) and they do. ‘best life’ was the only one that had less grams of fat than butter. But did you notice the sodium content? With my husband’s heart condition, he is, thankfully, doing well cholesterol-wise but does have high blood pressure issues so has been advised to lower his sodium intake. Based on these numbers (and it was pretty much the same with all the other butter substitutes I looked at), it is a better option for him to use unsalted butter. He’s not one to put too much butter on his bread, waffles or pancakes (he does seem a little appalled when he observes my butter pile!). The small increase in calories and a few more grams of fat are not going to make such a difference. When I am cooking with butter, I use very little of it and usually combine it with olive oil when I am sauteeing. In the food I am making, one tablespoon is dispersed over the whole recipe so one person’s helping is not going to add too much fat or calories to it. I am not sure what issues you have with yourself or your family. I only wanted to supply you with a little information and you can make your own decision on what’s best for you.

Storing butter in the refrigerator is important, especially during our Arizona summers. It keeps in the frig for weeks so you can always have some on hand. The only problem is I prefer my butter soft when spreading it on toast or sandwich bread. I can usually leave butter on my counter during the late Fall, Winter, and early Spring but by the time the temperatures rise into the 100′s, it doesn’t last very long before it turns rancid. My solution is a butter crock. You can find these at most kitchen stores. I have a le Creuset that works beautifully. The concept is the crock holds a stick or two of butter. You pack softened butter into the bell-shaped lid and pour cold water into the base. I put a little water in it, then add an ice cube to make the water cold. The lid is placed upside down back into the base. The water creates an airtight seal that preserves the freshness of the butter while keeping it at room temperature. You have to change the water every two to three days; otherwise it gets a bit moldy. Freezing butter is great if you find a good sale. I have been known to keep an eye out for those sales as early as August or September so I can build up a good supply for holiday baking. It keeps in the freezer for months.

An area I have delved into is making different shapes with the butter. It is an extra fun thing to do when you are entertaining and serving bread or rolls. You can use any candy mold you have on hand or you can simply roll out softened butter and use cookie cutters. When using a mold, bring butter to room temperature than spoon butter into the desired number of molds. Be sure to pack it in real well so there aren’t any air pockets, causing it finished product to have holes. Place in freezer, making sure the mold is not tilted (the butter can ‘move’ and cause it to be lumpy) and leave it in for about 10 or so minutes. Take the mold out, turn it upside down and tap lightly until the butter comes out. If necessary, you can use a sharp knife around the edges to help it along. I use a paring knife and with a little poke, the mold pops right out. Place frozen butter in airtight container and store it in the coldest part of your refrigerator. I’ve put the frozen butter in a freezer zip bag and put it back in the freezer. Nice to have for last minute, too.

To use cookie cutters, butter should be soft but not real, real soft. If it is too soft, you may want to spread the softened butter on a piece of wax paper or parchment paper, place it in the refrigerator for about 10+ minutes. Once it’s a little hard, take it out and place a second piece of wax paper or parchment paper over the top of it and, using a rolling pin or drinking glass, roll it until it’s the desired thickness. After using the cookie cutter, I use a spatula to scoop it up with then I place it on a plate or, if I’m making a lot, a baking sheet. Place in refrigerator or freezer, using the same directions with molds. This is a great project for kids to do for the holidays, birthdays or just every day fun.

I love flavored butters. I usually have at least one flavored butter in my freezer. You can make savory or sweet butter for almost any occasion. The savory butter comes in handy when we are grilling and want a little flavor for the protein without having to go to the trouble of making a sauce. My personal favorite is a bearnaise butter made with fresh tarragon, shallots, lemon juice and salt and pepper. So simple but so good! Especially on steak, chops or salmon. And vegetables! And, well, you get the idea. Then there’s the always popular honey butter. Yummy on hot biscuits or cornbread. I have several other recipes I hope you can try some time. You can freeze the butter as logs wrapped in plastic wrap or stored in one large plastic container to be defrosted all at once. Sometimes freezing the butter in several smaller containers or as individual portions is more efficient; you only defrost what you need. To freeze slices, you must first create a log or cylinder. Place the softened flavored butter in the center of a large piece of parchment or wax paper and fold the paper over the butter. While holding the paper closed, gently roll and shape the butter to form a log. If the butter is too soft, chill it for 10 minutes and try again. Once you have a log, roll the paper around the butter and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or until firm. Open the paper and use a knife or unflavored dental floss to slice the butter into individual rounds. Wrap one or two slices in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped butters in a freezer bag and label with the herb used and the date. Freeze and use within five months. You can put the whole log in the freezer. When you want to use it, let it soften a bit on the counter and when it reaches the desired softness, slice. When we grill, as soon as the meat is taken off the coals and put on a plate to ‘rest’, I put a pad of the flavored butter on each piece of meat and let it melt. So good. For those of you who use the butter substitutes, you can use it to make these recipes.  They taste pretty good. Although, being the butter snob I am, there’s nothin’ bettah than buttah!

Basic Savory Flavored Butter Recipe
This recipe will get you started. Try any of your favorite herbs individually or in combination to make up the 6 teaspoons of chopped herbs.

9 TBS butter, unsalted, room temperature
6 tsp tarragon, fresh, chopped finely (can use ¾ tsp dried)
6 tsp shallots, minced (can use minced garlic or scallions)
1 ½ tsp lemon juice
½ tsp salt

On a small plate with a fork, blend all ingredients together well and transfer to sheet of wax or parchment paper. Fold the paper over the butter. While holding the paper closed, gently roll and shape the butter to form a log. If the butter is too soft, chill it for 10 minutes and try again. Once you have a log, roll the paper around the butter and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or until firm or you can place the log in the freezer for future use.

Cayenne and Lime Butter
This is a great recipe for grilled corn or any other vegetable for that matter. You can adjust the cayenne to taste.

6 TBS butter, unsalted, room temperature
1-2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 TBS lime juice (about 2 limes)
1 tsp salt

Melt butter with cayenne. Add lime juice and salt. Use immediately on corn or other vegetable. If you want to make this ahead, follow the Basic Savory Butter Recipe instructions to make a log. You can substitute the cayenne with chili pepper or any dried herb. With only four ingredients, it can be made up pretty quickly.

Raspberry Butter
1 stick butter, unsalted, room temperature
½ cup raspberry preserves
1/8 tsp salt

Combine butter, raspberry preserves and salt in bowl of and electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Blend until well incorporated. You can do this by hand; it just takes a little longer as you want it well blended. I have used other preserves such as apricot, strawberry and peach. All of them were very yummy.

Orange Butter
zest of one large navel orange, finely chopped
¼ cup sugar
½ cup butter, unsalted, room temperature
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 ½ TBS orange liqueur

In food processor, process orange zest and sugar. Add butter and mix together until creamy and fluffy. Dribble in orange juice and liqueur a bit at a time, still processing, until it is all absorbed. Pack into ramekin and smooth off top. Serve with warm breakfast rolls or biscuits. If you want to do this ahead, follow the Basic Savory Butter Recipe instructions to make a log.

Have you purchased Chai tea latte from your favorite spot & asked yourself: ‘Can’t I make this cheaper?’
Yes, you can!

Not only can I have you making your own Chai tea lattes, I can also show you how to make a great Christmas gift for your friends and family! Making the tea is so easy and can be made one cup at a time or you can make a large batch that’s refrigerated. Then all you have to do is heat up a nice cup of Chai tea or pour it over ice for a cool drink.

I got this idea from my very dear friend, Linda Singh. She gifted me a beautiful Indian spice container (also known as a masala dabba spice box) that had all the spices needed to make the perfect cup of Chai tea. This delicious beverage originated in India where families have their own family recipes and it’s usually consumed after each meal to help the digestive system. The spice container is a round, metal box with a tight lid. Inside are seven small bowls that hold each spice needed for the Chai tea. These containers come in a couple sizes and can be found on-line at Amazon (for the larger, 9′ size; around
$25)  or CostPlus (for the smaller, 6′ size; around $9.99).

As everyone knows, spices can be pretty pricey if purchased at your local grocery store. You can go to your local health food store (like Whole Foods, Sprouts, or any of the mom-and-pop places that are around the Valley). Their prices are pretty reasonable. Because I like to get my spices all at once and don’t want to do any running around, I make my spice purchases on-line at www.mountainroseherbs.com where you can find good quality, organic spices in bulk for a lot less money. If you purchased a 1/2 pound bag of each of the seven spices (that would be enough for eight gifts) it would cost around $40.00. That averages out to be about $5 for each gift. Adding that amount to the cost of the container, your looking at spending around $15 for each person. Not only is this a relatively inexpensive gift, it has a nice Make-It- Yourself twist that tells our friends and family that they are special! For a few dollars more, you may want to include a tea strainer which can be purchased at Cost Plus World Market for around $3.

Now, not everyone is a Chai tea lover. You may want to consider purchasing the spice containers then put in the herbs and spices that are good for either Mexican or Indian food. In fact, the families in India usually have several containers in their kitchen; one for Chai tea, one with spices for curry, one for sweet spices and then maybe another one for savory spices. I will list the herbs and spices for both Mexican and Indian foods, just in case that’s the way you want to go.

If you find that you are unable to purchase the spice containers but would like to do something along these lines, you can do that! What I have done is taken each spice in the recipe, put it in a small plastic bag or in a small square of cheesecloth and tied them up with pretty ribbons. I put the spices in a simple gift bag along with the recipe. Very easy and very festive. You are still making an effort to make this yourself and that’s the point, right?

Have fun with this and if you have any questions, you can contact me at sherrykline@mchsi.com.

Mexican Spices
garlic powder
sea salt
chile powder
Mexican oregano
ground cumin
cayenne pepper
chipolte chile powder

You can add or delete any other spice that you like when making Mexican food. You may want to include your favorite recipe.

Indian Spices
tumeric
cumin seeds
cinnamon chips
cardamom pods or seeds
whole cloves
coriander seeds
dried ginger

Again, you can add or delete any of these spices.

Chai Tea for One
Recipe By: Linda Singh
Serving Size: 1

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/2 tsp. cinnamon chips
1/2 tsp. cardamom pods, whole
1/4 tsp. cloves, whole
1/4 tsp. cardamom seeds
1/4 tsp. dry ginger root
1/4 tsp. black peppercorns
1/4 tsp. allspice, whole
1 Tbsp. black tea leaves, (or one black tea bag)
1/2 cup milk, (can substitute soy milk)
Sugar to taste

Instructions:
In a saucepan, put in water and all the spices and simmer covered for about 10-15 minutes. Add the tea leaves and the milk and continue cooking uncovered until milk froths, about 5-10 minutes. Do NOT cover this time and watch the pot carefully so that the milk does not froth over the top. Sweeten to taste. Pour into a cup through tea strainer and serve hot.

This makes a great drink in the summer. If making one cup at a time, let tea come to room temperature and serve over ice.

Look how beautiful this looks as it’s simmering!

Chai Tea in Bulk
Recipe By: Linda Singh
Serving Size: 16

Ingredients:
12 cups water
2 Tbsp. cinnamon chips
2 Tbsp. cardamom pods, whole
1 Tbsp. cloves, whole
1 Tbsp. cardamom seeds
1 Tbsp. dry ginger root
1 Tbsp. peppercorns
1 Tbsp. allspice, whole
3/4 cup black tea leaves, (or 9 tea bags)
6 cups milk, (can substitute soy milk)

Instructions:
You can make a bouquet of the spices in cheesecloth. Double layer about 18″ of cheesecloth and place all spices in the middle. Bring edges to the middle and tie with kitchen string or anything else that will keep the bouquet closed. Otherwise, you can put the spices directly in the water and after the milk has frothed (as stated below), you can strain the liquid through a colander lined with cheesecloth into a large bowl. Making a bouquet makes it a little less messy.

In saucepan, put in water and all the spices and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Add tea leaves (or bags), and tea and continue cooking, uncovered until milk froths. Watch saucepan carefully so the milk doesn’t froth over the top and burn.

Strain liquid through cheesecloth-lined colander or remove bouquet. Add preferred amount of sugar. Serve immediately, hot, or bring to room temperature and store in air-tight jug in the refrigerator. This beverage is good served hot or over ice for a cool drink.

Related Chai Tea links:
> Tea spice containers from CostPlus; search ‘spice containers’
> Tea spice containers from Amazon ; search masala dabba spice box
>  Tea spices

You’re rushing around, can’t find your head, and all of a sudden, you think, ‘Oh, my gosh! I forgot a little something for Mary tonight!’ The holiday cookies are looking a little worn and you just can’t make yourself re-gift the fruit cake you got from Aunt Mabel. So what are you going to do???

Sugar scrub! I just know you have all these ingredients in your cupboard. Sugar, oil, honey and any essential oil and you have yourself a lovely, well-received hostess gift. I have put these ingredients in a little jam jar (I found a dozen of these for under $10.00 at my local grocery store), put a ribbon around it and got all blushy over the praise I got. And since these are ingredients you already have, the expense is minimal.

This is not the only thing that will work for last minute gifts. I have shown you how to make a luscious lotion and shower gel so consider giving one of these or make a trio. During the holidays I will use peppermint essential oil for the scent and label it ‘Candy Cane Luscious Lotion’, etc. Very seasonal and smells like candy canes!

We all have those nuts we get as gifts and I have a very easy recipe for ‘Sugar and Spice Nuts’ that uses those extra nuts makes a great hostess gift. I put the finished nuts in a little, clear plastic bag (similar to the clear candy bags you find in the candy-making aisle at ‘Michael’s') and put a festive ribbon around it. One recipe can make up at least 4 of these bags and if you throw in a miniature candy cane (to take up more room!) you can make up to 6 bags. Or you can use those jam jars.

Spiced apple cider is always a popular drink during the holidays, or any time in the winter, and I have given this as a gift several times over the years. I make the cider, put some in a quart-sized mason jar and give it along with the recipe and a little bag of the spices used. This recipe can be made and stored in the refrigerator for several days and be reheated in the microwave. I make my cider in a 30-cup coffee maker designated for just the cider (the cider kind of ruins it for any future coffee!) but it can be simmered for an hour or so over the stove.

And then there are the men on our list. Most men are the Grillers of the family and a well-received gift for them is a bbq rub. I make my own using several different recipes. The most popular is one I got off of the Food Network website by Bobby Flay. You probably already have most of the ingredients and only takes a minute to put all the ingredients together. You can put the rub in a fun container (they have nice ones at Cost Plus World Market) or you can use one of the handy jam jars. I try to include the recipe in case they want to make their own. But what usually happens is I get the empty jar back with a little note asking for a refill! I have supplied three different rubs just in case there’s one that appeals to you.

Well, hopefully one of these ideas will make your holiday time a little less stressful. I can assure you I have given all of these and received great responses. I try to be humble but it’s hard when you give something that’s got a good ‘Wow’ factor and is inexpensive to boot! Happy Holidays and here’s hoping it is full of warmth and peace.

Sugar Scrub
Makes enough for 5 jam jars
Yield: 1/2 cup (or one jam jar)

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup almond, jojoba, avocado, or olive oil
2 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. essential oil (peppermint is good for the holiday!)

Directions:
Mix ingredients thoroughly in a glass bowl. Place ingredients in 5 ½-pint jam jars or one larger container of your choice.
Luscious Lotion
Serving Size: 1

Ingredients:
6 ounces lotion, unscented
1/4 tsp. vitamin e oil
1 1/2 ounces jojoba oil
1/4 tsp. essential oil, of your choice (peppermint!)

Directions:
Put all ingredients in a bowl and stir well with whisk until fully incorporated. Adjust consistency, if desired, by adding more oil as needed. Using a funnel, pour finished lotion into bottle, using a spoon to push the lotion through the funnel.

Shower Gel
6 ounces unscented liquid glycerin soap (I find bulk amounts on-line but Trader Joe’s has a really good one and is inexpensive)

1 tsp. essential oil of your choice.

If using Trader Joe’s brand, you can dilute it with water (about 1/3 water, 2/3 soap) and it makes more gifts! Put the soap in a bowl, whisk the water and essential oil into it and bottle and label.

Sugar and Spice Candied Nuts
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, plus additional for greasing parchment paper
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg, fresh grated is best but regular is fine
1/4 rounded tsp kosher salt
2 cups mixed nuts, of your choice

Directions:
350 degree oven, put oven rack in middle position.

Line large baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly butter parchment.

Stir together butter, sugar, corn syrup, spices, and salt in a 1 1/2-to 2-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add nuts and cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Spread nuts in 1 layer on lined baking sheet, separating any clumps. Bake, stirring nuts once with a heatproof rubber (silicone) spatula halfway through baking (keep nuts in 1 layer), until golden and bubbling, 12-15 minutes. Cool baking sheet placed on a cooling rack 45 minutes, then break into small clusters with your hands.

Candied nuts keep in airtight container at room temperature for 1 week.

I have kept them for longer (a few weeks) and they’ve been fine. You only have to worry about the nuts going ‘bad’. You can refrigerate them if you make these ahead of time for holiday gifts and they will last a lot longer. If they last that long!

Bobby Flay’s BBQ Rub
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. seasoned salt
1/2 Tbsp. chile powder
1/2 Tbsp. black pepper
2 tsp. thyme, dried
2 tsp. oregano, dried
2 tsp. cumin, ground

Directions:
Combine ingredients in a bowl and store in air-tight container up to 6 months. Salt meat or add more salt to rub to taste.

Mediterranean Spice Rub
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. thyme, dried
1 Tbsp. oregano, dried
1 1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 tsp. rosemary, dried, crushed
1 tsp. marjoram, dried
1 tsp. basil, dried
1 tsp. parsley, dried
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and store in air-tight container for up to 6 months.

Good for fish, poultry and especially pork. Salt meat generously or add more to rub.

Mexican Spice Rub
Ingredients:
1 pinch chile flakes
2 Tbsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. cumin
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. oregano, dried
1 tsp. cocoa powder
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. sea salt

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and store in air-tight container.

Hot, Spiced Apple Cider
Yield: 30 cups

Ingredients:
2 2-quart apple cider , NOT apple juice
3 cinnamon sticks
1 Tbsp. whole cloves
2 Tbsp. whole allspice
1 Tbsp. crystallized ginger
2 slices orange
3 slices lemon

Directions:
The best way to prepare this cider is in a 30-cup coffee maker. These can be purchased for around $30 at Walmart or Kmart. They are not usually very expensive and I would get the cheapest one you can find. I wish I could say this could be prepared differently, but it really tastes the best if put thru an appliance that ‘perks’ it as opposed to simmering or boiling on the stove.

If you want to make this on the stove: Put all ingredients in large dutch oven. Bring to boil over high heat; reduce heat to simmer and simmer for at least one hour. Strain ingredients before putting in quart jars. This will taste fine but if you ever have an opportunity to make it in a 30-cup coffee maker, you will see why it’s so much better.

For the coffee maker: Put the cider in the coffeemaker. Place the rest of the ingredients in the basket of the coffeemaker and assemble and start it according to manufacturers instructions.

Refrigerate until given as gifts. I save the bottles the cider comes in to store any leftovers. This cider is great for days after being prepared. I store it in the refrigerator and reheat it in a pan on the stove or in a cup in the microwave. Yummy!