Homemade Garden Tomato Soup with Garlic Parmesan Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

As the weather begins to get colder and the nights closer to freezing we have started to gather the rest of our tomatoes for the year. It’s a bitter sweet feeling not to have fresh garden tomatoes anymore, however this time of the year comes and I am pretty much ready for a break from it all. The cold sends me indoors and I am happy to crawl under a warm blanket and read a good book! This recipe is so good and very comforting! It warms body and soul and your kids will love it too!

Homemade Garden Tomato Soup

20 medium to large tomatoes, quartered

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1-2 tablespoons Italian seasoning (or fresh basil)

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1-2 cups your choice half and half, milk, almond milk, soy milk

Fresh avocado slices

Place tomatoes on a jelly roll pan. Drizzle olive oil, vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper on the tomatoes and roast in the oven. You can do it one of two ways. Bake over night at 200 degrees or at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes depending on your preference, flipping them once half way through. Once the tomatoes are roasted and browned take them out of them oven and puree them in a blender. Add to large sauce pan over medium heat. Add your cream or milk and bring to a simmer. Serve warm with fresh avocado slices and with grilled cheese sandwiches!

Garlic Parmesan Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Whole grain sliced bread

Good sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 tablespoon Parmesan

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Mix together the butter, Parmesan, garlic and oregano in a small bowl. Place slices of cheese in between the bread slices and then spread the butter onto the outside of the sandwich. Grill over medium high heat and serve warm with soup.

October 4, 2013

Grilled Potatoes with Green Beans, Parsley and Whole Grain Mustard Dressing

This dish makes a savory mouthwatering vegan side or full lunch. It’s a great way to use up all those veggies from the garden! Be sure to cook your potatoes almost all the way through before adding the other ingredients!

Recipe

8-10 medium red potatoes, cleaned and diced small

2 cups green beans cut in half

1 onion, chopped finely

1 bunch parsley, chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard

3 tablespoon good olive oil

In a hot, large cast iron pan (stainless steel will work too) heat some olive oil and add the potatoes. Flip every few minutes to keep from burning (10-15minutes). Once the potatoes are close to fully cooked add the onion, green beans and salt and pepper. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep it from burning. Mix together the olive oil and mustard and drizzle over potatoes while warm. Serve warm.

September 27, 2013

Herbal Burn and Wound Salve

This is one of those homemade medicinal concoctions that work really well and is very helpful to know in case you can’t get immediate medical attention. It’s perfect for cuts, scrapes, burns and more. There are a few steps you have to take before applying the burn/wound salve itself if you are dealing with deep cuts.

First thing you need to do is to stop the bleeding with cayenne pepper. Cayenne is an amazing herb and should be in everyone’s first aid kits! It increases circulation inside the body, but stops bleeding outside of it! Depending on how deep the cut is, the sting of applying cayenne pepper to the injury may or may not hurt. My little 3 year old has received some pretty deep cuts the last 2 years from playing rough with her siblings. We applied the cayenne (powder) to stop the bleeding first (which by the way also disinfects) and then reapplied the salve 3x a day. She healed very well with no scars!

Recipe

The wound salve has equal parts of 3 ingredients;

Fresh leaves (if available) or dried root of the comfrey plant. Comfrey is also known as “knit bone”, it has been used to close wounds and heal broken bones for many years. If you don’t grow comfrey you can use powdered comfrey root from any health food store.

Wheat germ oil helps to promote new cell growth aiding in the healing process to prevent scarring.

Honey has been used to aid with burns for many years. It is a natural antibiotic and reduces inflammation.

You can make any adjustsments with the recipe to make a thick salve.

Blend all ingredients together if using fresh comfrey leaves or just a fork if using the powdered root of comfrey. Keep in an airtight container and refridgerate. It will stay good for one month.

September 27, 2013

Rainy Day Turkey Chili

This is my most favorite chili recipe hands down! We eat it throughout the year, even if it isn’t raining. There isn’t a whole lot that goes into the recipe so it doesn’t take a long time to prepare. You can make it an hour before dinner time or let it simmer in the crock-pot all day. It’s so good served with sharp cheddar cheese and a teaspoonful of sour cream! This recipe makes a big pot of chili! It will serve 12-18 people easily. We often eat half the pot for one meal and freeze the other half for another day. It’s also a great recipe to make if you are cooking for another family!

Recipe:

Good olive oil

1 package ground turkey (1.5 lbs.)

2 large onions, chopped

2 tablespoons garlic, chopped finely

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons ground cumin

4 teaspoons dried oregano

Sea salt

Red pepper flakes (optional)

3 cups cooked pinto beans or 2 (15 oz.) cans, rinsed and drained

3 cups cooked black beans or 2 (15 oz.) cans, rinsed and drained

2 cups water

2 quarts canned tomatoes ( I like to replace one of the quarts as fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies)

In a large dutch oven use 1 tablespoon olive oil and cook the ground turkey thoroughly. Add the chopped onions and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the seasonings including 1 teaspoon sea salt and red pepper flakes according to how hot you want your chili. Add the beans, water and tomatoes. Let simmer on medium uncovered for 30-45 minutes or in a crock-pot all day on low.

Serve with: sour cream, sharp cheddar cheese, avocado, cilantro, corn bread and a green salad!

September 27, 2013

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies with Browned Butter Frosting!

I should really call these cookies “I think I’ve died and gone to heaven cookies!” Or maybe in the words of a friend… “You had me at browned butter!” Yeah, these are amazingly delicious! Perfect for “everything pumpkin” season! 🙂 The cookie is delicate and the frosting rich and flavorful! You won’t be disappointed in this recipe!

Cookie Recipe:

1 cup butter, softened at room temperature

1/2 cup organic sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup pureed canned pumpkin

1 egg

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup good semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large jelly roll pans with parchment paper or grease well. In a large electric bowl fitted with the paddle attachment cream together butter and sugar. Add pumpkin and egg. In another medium size bowl whisk together the flour, soda, powder, salt and spices. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Using a spoon, scoop 1 tablespoon of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet until pan is full. Bake for 10-12 minutes. While the cookies bake, make the frosting.

Browned Butter Frosting:

6 tablespoons butter

2 cups powdered sugar

2-3 tablespoons milk, almond milk or soy milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

ground cinnamon

Heat butter in a small pan over medium heat. Continue swirling pan until the butter becomes a golden brown. Turn off heat and whisk together in a bowl the sugar, milk, vanilla and butter. Spread frosting onto cooled cookies and sprinkle a small dash of cinnamon on top.

September 27, 2013

Vegetarian Shepards Pie

This dish is so good, you won’t even miss the meat! It’s hearty,full of flavor and lots of veggies! And I love that it’s a one dish meal making it easy to clean up!

Recipe:

Wash, peal and boil 4-5 baking potatoes. Drain and place back into pan. Add 1/2 t. dried thyme. Add 1/4 – 1/3c milk or sour cream, a little butter if you want, salt and pepper to taste and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy.

While the potatoes are boiling place 1 c. lentils, 3 clove of garlic, chopped, 2 c. vegetable broth and 3/4 c. water in a large skillet and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Add 1 medium red onion, chopped and 4 medium carrots, chopped. Simmer for 10-15 minutes longer until vegetables and lentils are tender. Add 1 (14 oz.) can of Italian style diced tomatoes, 2 T. tomato paste, salt and pepper to taste.

Top the lentil mixture with mashed potatoes and 1 c. shredded cheese. Bake in the oven at 350` until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

September 23, 2013September 23, 2013

Peppermint Lip Balm

I have made my own lip balm for over a year now and struggled with finding a really good recipe. My friend Cynthia Bee was sweet enough to share her recipe with me. I love the smooth feel of this lip balm and the versatile options with different kinds of oils and butters. I’ll give you the basic recipe and then break it down into exact proportions as I made it. The place to get great product at an inexpensive price is www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com

Basic Recipe

40% liquid oil like castor, bubasu, almond or olive oil. I recommend using a combination of two. Castor oil is thicker and gives a nice sheen.

25% shea or mango butter

20% shredded beeswax

15% brittle butter like cocoa butter

How I did it:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup castor oil

1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon mango butter

1/4 cup shredded beeswax

3 tablespoon shredded cocoa butter

Pinch of colored mineral (optional)

1-2 drops essential oil of your choice for every .5 oz container

2 drops vitamin E oil added at the end to help preserve the lip balm

Melt all ingredients in a small sauce pan over low heat until all oils and beeswax is melted and combined. Add the mineral color if using. Use a medicine syringe to fill the small half ounce containers or lip balm tubes and then add the essential oil per container. Let the balm set and then cover with lid.

September 23, 2013

Gingerbread with Spiced Berry Sauce

My favorite time of the year is here! I love everything about the Fall, from the flavors, smells, colors and cooler weather! This recipe is so rich with flavor! It’s perfect with your favorite herbal tea for breakfast or dessert!

Gingerbread

2 1/2 cups flour ( I like to use half all-purpose and half wheat or spelt)

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup organic sugar

1 cup molasses

3/4 cup melted butter

1/2 cup buttermilk, sour cream or plain yogurt

1/2 cup milk ( I used almond milk)

1 large egg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch round or square pan. In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients first. Add the wet and mix until combined and smooth. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then invert onto a wire rack. Flip over and place onto serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar or serve with spiced berry sauce and whip cream for a real treat!

Spiced Berry Sauce

4 cups frozen mixed berries

1/2 cup organic sugar

1/4 cup water

1 stick cinnamon (use 1/2 teaspoon ground if you like)

4 cloves (use 1/2 teaspoon if you like)

Place all ingredients in a medium sauce pan over high heat. Bring to a boil, turn down heat to medium and let simmer for 10 minutes until thickened slightly. Serve warm with gingerbread.

September 23, 2013September 23, 2013

Medicinal Skin Salve

This salve is made from oil that has been infused with St. John’s Wort, Comfrey and Calendula herbs. Each of these herbs has many wonderful skin healing properties including cuts, scrapes, stings, bruises, burns, sore muscles, diaper rash, cradle cap and more! It is so simple to make and can be given as fabulous gifts too! You can read about the specific medicinal properties of these herbs below. If you like other herbs and want to use them instead, by all means do what works for you! That is the beauty of this recipe!

comfrey

calendula

St. John’s Wort

From left to right: Calendula, Comfrey, St. John’s Wort

The first step is to infuse the oils!

Place fresh or dried herbs into pint or quart jars (depending on how much you want to make) and cover the herbs by an inch.

Cover the jars with lids and set out on a warm sunny porch or sunny window seal in the winter.

Allow to infuse in the sunlight for 2-4 weeks.

Dry herbs are best to use so that moisture doesn’t get into the oil. Although, there are some herbs that need to be used fresh like the flowers and buds of St. John’s Wort. If you do use fresh and see moisture develop at the top of the inside of the bottle just open it up and wipe it away with a clean paper towel.

Try making a double strength salve by straining the first batch, placing the infused oil back into the jar and then adding more of the same herb starting the process all over again.

Salve Recipe

Once the oils are infused, measure the amount you have.

For every cup of oil you will add 1/4 cup shredded beeswax.

Melt the beeswax with the oil in a saucepan until melted.

Test the salve to make sure it is the consistency you want by spooning a little bit and placing into the freezer for a minute so it sets up fast. If you want it more solid add more beeswax. If you want it softer, add more oil.

Pour the liquid salve into a jar ( I get mine at Industrial Container and Supply).

Before it sets up ( and it will do it quickly) add 1 drop of vitamin E oil for every ounce.

Also add 2 drops essential oil for every ounce. I like to use lavender and tea tree oil for their medicinal properties. They compliment the salve very well!

The vitamin E oil will help preserve the salve longer as well as keeping it in the fridge too!

September 23, 2013

Growing and Using Rosemary

Rosemary is one of my most favorite herbs! I love the smell and flavor in many sweet and savory dishes! I throw it into loaves of bread, Sunday roast and even into stone fruit rustic pies! Not only does rosemary have many culinary purposes, but it also has medicinal properties too!

Growing Rosemary

Rosemary doesn’t like really dry soil or really wet soil. However it does do well with moist soil as it grows naturally in places close to the coast with a constant mist of water. If you can keep the soil in between the extremes you will have success. I like growing the variety of rosemary called “Arp”. It is supposed to get through our cold Utah winters in the northern region. I have had some plants die on me though so be sure to plant it next to a fence or house or boulder for added protection. In dry winters it may need to be watered once a month. Rosemary loves fertile soil and full sunlight, although it can tolerate some shade. Rosemary will do well in a pot brought indoors during the winter if placed in a sunny window and misted with a spray bottle and an oscillating fan blown occasionally to prevent fungus growth. If you already have a plant outside, try taking a root and stem cutting and planting in a pot to bring indoors.

Medicinal Uses

Rosemary has been used for centuries to help improve concentration and memory.

Eases headaches, including migraines.

Rosemary is a moderate stimulant because it enhances red blood cell uptake of oxygen increasing a persons energy.

It has anti-inflammatory properties that allow relief for joint arthritis pain and muscle pain.

It can be used fresh or dried as a good digestive aid to assimilate digestive fats and carbohydrates.

Try making a tea with rosemary and lemon thyme instead of coffee or soda to boost energy!

Solar Infused Rosemary Oil

Go to any grocery store that sells infused oils with all kinds of gourmet flavors and you may spend a pretty penny for a small bottle. Try making your own! It is so easy and inexpensive! Rosemary among many other herbs like garlic, basil, sage, thyme and even lemon or orange peel infuse into olive oil very well.

Place herb in bottle and make sure the olive oil covers it completely. Set in a sunny window seal for 2-4 weeks and then use it as dipping oil for a rustic loaf of bread. You can also do this over the stove top if you need the oil sooner. Just warm the oil on low heat for 30 minutes with your herb of choice.

Rooted Emily

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