Homemade Vanilla Extract

It seems like there is always some kind of experiment going on in the kitchen here.  My husband is an amazing cook and my daughter is following closely in his foot steps.  I just like to tinker and try new things.  Sometimes they turn out and some times they don't.

One thing I am really happy about is the vanilla extract!  It is super easy and tastes better than what you get in the store.

Did you know that the vanilla bean is not really a bean at all?  It is a seed pod that comes from and orchid.

Today vanilla is still hand pollinated using a technique developed in 1841 by Edmond Albius, a 12 year old slave who lived on the island of Reunion.
Vanilla is so incredibly expensive because of the enormous amount of time and care that goes into every bean pod.
Each orchid flower produces one vanilla bean pod after it’s been hand pollinated. The orchid flowers only bloom for one day so the timing is everything!
Once a flower has been pollinated the bean pod will take around 10 months to mature. It has to be harvested at the right time to ensure the highest quality. After the vanilla bean pod is harvested it goes through an extensive curing process.

Not many herbalists use vanilla medicinally today, probably due to the high cost of the beans. Historically, vanilla has been used as an aphrodisiac, for stomach pain, coughs, as both a stimulating and relaxing nerving, and even for venomous bites.

Using a good quality vanilla can really make a difference in your baking and it's so easy to make your own there's no reason why you can't have the best on hand at all times.

Homemade extract will keep indefinitely too! All you need is some plain vodka, vanilla beans and a few clean bottles.

The following directions will make six 4-ounce bottles.

You need:
Six 4-ounce Amber Boston Round Glass Bottles
12 Whole Madagascar Vanilla Beans

3 cups unflavored vodka.

Thoroughly wash the bottles and caps in hot, soapy water or toss in the dishwasher and allow to air dry. 

Slit each vanilla bean lengthwise with a sharp knife, stopping 1/4-inch from each end.

Cut each bean in half crosswise, giving you 24 pieces.

Place 4 pieces of vanilla (2 beans) in each bottle.

Using a funnel, pour 1/2 cup of vodka into each bottle and push the beans down to submerge.

Screw the caps on tightly and place the bottles in a cool, dark place to steep. The vanilla will be ready for initial use in 6 weeks, but 8 weeks is optimal for the most flavor.

See how pretty the process is!

When you give this as a gift make sure to tell your friends that they can just keep topping off the bottle with a little vodka or rum and it will keep going and going.

Next time I do this I am just going to get the vodka and put the vanilla beans right in it.  It isn't as pretty for gifting but perfect for home use.

Try this! It is so easy and fun.

Ham

Since I have started following the Primal Blueprint it has been one adventure after another in cooking.  This year I have learned how to use the BBQ, I have learned how to use the broiler, and also I learned that the crock pot is the best invention ever.

Part of healing my body from my spider bite and now from fibroids involves using the best (chemical fee) ingredients I can.  I feel so lucky that we have a garden and my parents are really generous to us and keep us stocked up an beef.

Just a short walk from my house is this little shop.

Isn't it cute?  As it turns out ...  there isn't a "Geezer" at all.  It is really two sweet ladies that work there.  They have natural and organic meats.  Some of them are a bit more exotic than you can find at the super market.  like bison burger and steak, venison, and elk.   I saw that there was a pack of Ostrich jerky... no I didn't dare try it.

I settled instead on a nice big organic ham.  I know those little oval shaped hams you can buy are not really meat they are more like glorified lunch meat. That's not what I wanted.   I have cooked a spiral ham before and it turned out good but I wanted to splurge on something better. 

This ham I got from the Geezer was not spiral cut but the girls told me how to cut a ham and sent me on my way.

The basic cooking instructions were the exact same.  Heat the oven, put the ham in a roaster and pop it in the oven for a few hours.  The first thing I noticed was that it had two bones in it not one like the spiral ham did.  (they must remove it?)

I didn't want any glaze on it and I think it looks pretty.

 The next thing I found that way different is the fat.  They must remove the outside fat from the more processed hams because under the skin of this one was at least a half inch of fat.  I was a bit worried when I saw that, but it came right of when I cut the ham.  I just tossed it but I am sure there is some use for it.  I do think it helped keep the ham nice and moist.

I'm learning lots of new things this year and it is kind of fun!

Easy fruit salad

This is more about the picture because it is way too easy to call a recipe.  Isn't it pretty?

So just take what ever fruit is in season.  Wash is really well and slice it if needed.  Put it in a pretty bowl.  I like to save out a cup or so and run the immersion blender over it. Drizzle that over the top as a quick garnish.

I Used mango, blue berry, and black berries.  You are only limited by your own imagination.  If you feel like fruit and you are watching your sugar peel, seed, and slice a cucumber and add to the mix.   Sometimes a drizzle of coconut milk is nice too.

deer

The deer seem to be moving in and they are not afraid of me at all.

This little buck got so close to the house that I could have reached out the window and touched him.

These two were walking right down the sidewalk.

and... this one decided that he lives in between the metal shop and the wood shop.

So far they are leaving my flowers and garden alone. 


from my animal book:
Deer has entered your life to help you walk the path of love with full consciousness and awareness, to know that love sometimes requires caring and protection, not only in how we love others, but also in how we love ourselves.

A deer's senses are very acute and they see extremely well in low light, giving them the ability to understand the deeper symbolic meanings of things. They can hear a twig snap a very long way off. People with this power animal are often described as being swift and alert. They are intuitive, often seeming to possess well developed, even extrasensory perceptions. Sometimes their thoughts seem to race ahead, and they appear not to be listening, to be somewhere else. Anyone with power animal has latent clairvoyant and clairaudient abilities. They can see between the shadows, detect subtle movements and hear that which is not being uttered. Ask the deer to help you develop these true gifts.

The set of antlers grown by the male deer are antennae that connect it to higher energies. If you come across a deer in the wild, try to count the number of points on their antlers. This number is associated with numerology and can carry great significance for those with this power animal.

Deer teaches us to be gentle, to touch the hearts and minds of wounded beings who are in our lives. Don't push people to change, rather gently nudge them in right direction, with the love that comes from deer. Love and accept people as they are. The balance of true power lays in love and compassion.

When a Deer totem enters your world, a new innocence and freshness in about to be awakened. New adventures are just around the corner and there will be an opportunity to express the gentle love that will open new doors for you.

Quinoa Tabbouleh

It is that time of year again.  It is hot hot hot and the garden is beautiful.  I keep tabbouleh in the fridge all the time as a quick and cool meal.  Using quinoa instead  of couscous really ups the protein in this dish and I think it tastes better.

ingredients:
1 C. water
2 C. quinoa

3 small tomatoes, chopped
1 small cucumber, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks green onion, chopped
1/2 C. cilantro, chopped
1/3 C. olive oil
juice from one large lemon
salt and pepper to taste.

In a sauce pan stir together the quinoa and water.  bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to medium low.  Simmer for 15 minutes or until cooked.  Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.  In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well.  Place in the refrigerator to cool.  Serve this chilled.

This is so easy and fresh tasting!  I love using it as a filling for the lettuce wraps.

Eggs on the BBQ

My husband thinks anything can be grilled....  even eggs!  This time of year I am grateful to have all the heat outside of the house so I am game to try any new ideas.

Eggs don't like me that much but, I don't mind making these for my family.  Look how cute these are!  Jim says with a little salsa these are smoky and delicious.

Ingredients

1 large bell pepper, the bigger the better
2 eggs
Hot sauce or salsa
salt and black pepper to taste

You’ll need the bell pepper to sit stably on the grill, or else the raw egg will spill out and make a tragic mess. Place the pepper flat on your cutting board and slice in half parallel to the board. Scrape out the seeds and placenta (yup, that’s really what it’s called), being careful not to pierce the outer wall.

Crack an egg into each half of the pepper. Try to distribute the egg into the whole cavity.
Place the filled pepper over the hottest part of the grill. It tastes best with the pepper’s skin charred. Close the grill. If you’re going to eat it with a knife and fork, cooking it to over-easy is fine. But if you’re going to serve it as finger food, cook it a bit longer, so you don’t have a runny yolk. It’s great on its own, but better still with hot sauce, salt and a little black pepper on top.

Grasshoppers! If you can't Beat em Eat em!

In case you haven't heard.....  there is a plague sweeping castle valley.  The grasshoppers are at record numbers and aren't expected to peak for a month. 

Thank goodness we have been spared.  every day I have clients coming in and telling horror stories of how they have eaten EVERYTHING in their path.  Nothing is safe not even the cactus and pine trees.

My friend Jean told me of a spray that she is whipping up that seems to do a good job at killing them.  the only caveat is that you actually have to get it on the hopper.

Hopper spray

3 fingers chewing tobacco
1 gallon water
1 C. Listerine
1 C. dawn dish soap.

She says to boil the water and then put the tobacco in the water.  Take it off the heat and let cool to room temperature.   Strain out the tobacco  and then mix in the Listerine and dish soap.  Put in a weed sprayer and go after them!  Jean says the smell is fresh and lovely.  She swears that this concoction saved her annual horseshoe tournament.  The added bonus is that after the first die off her sprinklers came on and it killed off another wave of hoppers.

Now Sue on the other hand took a different approach.  She said that since they eat everything in her garden.... she was going to EAT THEM.  I have to admire her spirit.

There are a few ways to prepare Hoppers, but they almost always start with freezing them, removing the legs and wings, and then cleaning them.

After that you can place them on a cookie sheet and toast them in the oven.

Garlic Butter Fried Grasshoppers
1/4 cup butter
 6 cloves garlic, crushed
 1 cup cleaned insects*
Melt butter in fry pan. Reduce heat. Saute garlic in butter for 5 minutes. Add insects. Continue sauteing for 10 - 15
minutes, stirring occasionally. 

 
 
Grasshopper Gumbo
    Ingredients (6 servings):
    1/2 cup lemon juice
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    1 teaspoon honey
    1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    2 tablespoon minced fresh herbs -- parsley, mint, thyme and/or tarragon.
    12 frozen grasshoppers, katydids, locusts, or other suitably sized Orthoptera, thawed
    1 red pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
    1 small yellow onion, cut into 8 wedges
Directions: Mix all ingredients for the marinade in a nonreactive baking dish. Add the Orthoptera, cover, and marinate overnight. When ready to cook, remove the insects from the marinade. Pat them dry, for ease of handling. Assemble each kabob, alternately skewering the insects, tomatoes, and onion wedges to create a visually interesting lineup. Cook the kabobs two or three inches above the fire, turning them every two or three minutes and basting them with additional olive oil as required. The exact cooking time will vary, depending on the kind of grill and types of insects used; however, the kabobs should cook for no longer than 8 or 9 minutes.


Chocolate Covered Grasshoppers
 2 Squares of semisweet chocolate
25 dry-roasted crickets and/or grasshoppers with legs and wings removed.
 Melt chocolate as directed on the box. Dip insects in chocolate place on wax paper and refrigerate.


Fruitcake, Desert
1 cup Cricket or Grasshopper Flour
1/4 cup Cherries, Dried, Chopped
1/4 cup Cranberries, Dried, Chopped
1/4 cup Water
This recipe is very traditional amerindian and does not take into account advances in cooking technology -such as yeast. It
is, however, a wonderful nutrition bar packed  with protein, carbohydrates, sugars, and about 2% fat (better than most
granola). Mix all ingredients together to make a coarse dough. Pull off enough dough to make finger-sized strips and lay
these on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Bake at 350oF for 20 min or until the outside is deep tan (adjusting for the colour of
the flour) and a toothpick stuck into one comes out clean. Cool and serve as nutrition bars for snacks, hiking, or camping or
store for later use.Var. - Add 1/4 c Rolled Oats and a tad more Water to make this more like a granola bar.
Substitute other Bug Flours for slightly differing taste.


If any one out there is  brave enough to try this please let me know.  I would love to hear about it.

Nasturtium Spread

My nasturtiums are doing great this year.  They are beautiful and they almost grow better the more you neglect them.  Just my kind of flower.   I love having flowers all over the place because they make me happy.  I love it even more when they are edible.  They can really dress up a salad.

This salad  has baby greens, raspberries, nasturtium leaves, flowers, and raspberry vinaigrette.

Nasturtiums have a sweet peppery taste that goes well with lots of different flavors.  It is a little like watercress.  Since I have such an abundance this year I thought I would do some experimenting.  I came up with this spread and I think it goes well with veggies as a dip.  It kind of reminds me of those cheese balls you have a Christmas parties so if you make any kind of primal crackers it would be great on those too.

Isn't it pretty?

Ingredients:

2 C. raw cashews, soaked min. 2 hours
3 T. cold pressed, extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 C. fresh lemon juice
1/2 t. sea salt
20 nasturtium blooms, chopped finely
2 T. chopped chives
salt and pepper to taste


Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend into a smooth cream.
Add just a few tablespoons of water at first, and add an additional tablespoon at a time as you blend until you reach the consistency that you’re aiming for.
Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Whip some of this up and have a party!

Mulberry Crumble

In our orchard there is a wild mulberry tree that is just beautiful.... and messy.  This year it had a lot of fruit on it and I thought I would figure out some way to use it.

My father-in-law said that mulberries taste bad and the only thing to do would be to remove the tree and plant something better. 

It is true, they are little and not very sweet.  I think that is just fine as I am trying to cut my sugar intake even from fruit. 

The color is just lovely!  It is kind of a cross between a black berry and a raspberry. 

This is what my hand looked like AFTER I washed up. 


After a little digging I learned that the ancient Romans thought the common mulberry had the power to make you "Wiser than all others" and have clarity of thought.   Having a mulberry tree on your property is said to protect the children and expecting mothers.

From Chinese medicine I found that mulberry is cooling in nature, builds the yin fluids and blood.  It is most helpful for strengthening the liver and kidneys but the list of ailments that it helps is a long one.  It includes such things as: anemia, grey hair, insomnia, ulcers, diabetes, dry cough, ringing in ears, poor joint mobility, and vertigo.    They recommend putting a few mulberries in your tea in the morning and take as a tonic.... for all of the above mentioned problems.  I bet that does taste really good and I just may try it.

Mulberry crumble

1/2 C. walnuts
1/2 C. pecans
salt, just a pinch
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. cardamom
1/8 t. nutmeg
1 T. butter, cut into small pieces
1 T. vanilla
3 C. berries of your choice  (I used 1 C. each of mulberry, blueberry, and raspberry)

Preheat the oven broiler on Low.

In a food processor grind the nuts so they are finely chopped.  Add the salt, spices, and butter.  Pulse till just blended.

In a small pot bring the berries and vanilla to a boil for 5 to 10 minutes.  Make sure the berries are well heated.  Drain off any liquid that the berries have released and then place them in a baking dish.

Spoon the nut mixture on to the top and put under the broiler and heat for several minutes.  Keep a close eye on it because the nuts can burn easily.

Drizzle a bit of coconut milk on top and enjoy this yummy treat!

Color Enhancing Herbal Shampoo

I bet that I am ask at least 20 times a week what kind of shampoo I use on my own hair.   I can always tell when my friends use my bathroom that they check out my personal care products too.  I think that is a normal girl thing to do.  Plus it can be confusing and expensive to try everything.  Even in my own salon there are so many choices.

It is not really a secret that I don't shampoo any more and there are only two professional products that I feel good about telling my clients to get.  Those two products will cost an arm and a leg.

The happy news is there is no need to break the bank.  You can have beautiful healthy hair for just pennies.  The things I have already discussed in this blog are basic NoPoo, how to get your hair clean, cleaner, and conditioned.

Today I want to share how to use your shampoo to enhance your hair color.  This will work for all hair types, however, the more porous your hair is the faster it will work.   If you have permed hair this may not be a good option for you as the results will be really unpredictable.

Basic Shampoo mix
(2 teaspoons Herbs)

8 oz distilled water

3 ounces liquid castile soap

3 Tablespoon aloe vera gel

¼  teaspoon of jojoba oil (for oily hair)  3/4- 1 teaspoon jojoba oil (for dry hair)

30 drops of pure rosemary, chamomile, lavender, or sage essential oil  (or what ever you want to smell like)

Herbs for everyone

Rose petals

rosemary

Herbs for Blonds

sunflower petals

chamomile flowers

calendula flowers

lemon rind

Herbs for Brunettes

sage

nettle

rosemary

crushed black walnut hulls

Herbs for Red hair

hibiscus flowers

red clover flowers

rose hips

red rose petals

First you need to pick 2 or 3 herbs you are going to use and place them in the bottom of a glass jar.  Boil the water and pour over your herbs.  Immediately put a lid on the jar and let it steep till it is completely cool.

Strain out the herbs and put the liquid into a pretty bottle that has been washed out.  Add the castille to the container and then the jojoba and essential oil.  Last add the aloe to the bottle.  Put the lid on and give it a good shake. * Shake it back and forth like windshield wipers not up and down.  You will get a better mix.

This shampoo will stay good for about a week.  If you are going to take longer to use it store it in the fridge.  Make sure to shake this up before every use.

These make cute "any time" gifts for the ones you love.  If you do give them out make sure you rite down what herbs and oil you used because you are going to be asked to do it again.

Have fun and enjoy this one!

*note:  castille soap is made from olive oil and can easily be found at the health food store.

Pork and pineapple

 This is quickly becoming one of my favorite breakfasts.  I can't really call it a recipe... It is more like leftovers with flare.

Ingredients

1 left over pork chop or ham
fresh pineapple, sliced
1 small zucchini shredded
1/2  small onion, diced
coconut oil
salt and pepper

Slice the pork chop and the pineapple so they are about the same size.  Put some coconut oil in a frying pan and heat up the pork chop.  While that is cooking shred the zucchini and dice the onion. Mix together and set aside.  Take the pork out of the pan and put in the pineapple.  Heat it through and just brown a bit.  Place it on the plate with the pork.  Add the zucchini to the pan and more coconut oil if needed.  Cook it through and salt and pepper everything to taste. 

Something about heating up the pineapple is just divine.  The acid taste goes away and it gets really juicy......mmmmmm!

This is very quick and easy.  The best part is it all cooks in one pan.  Quick clean up is a beautiful thing!

Bottled Apricots

Last year for my birthday I got myself a water bath caner.  Basically it is just a huge stock pot with a lid and a basket for holding the bottles.

My mom caned food all my life but for some reason I never learned how.  So I decided that it was about time I did learn.

Lucky me! Apricots are one of the easiest things to bottle.

What you need:

1 caner or stock pot
bottles that have been sanitised.  I run mine through the dish washer
new lids and rings
towels
syrup mixture   (I used apple juice)
Apricots

First fill your caner with enough water to cover you bottles. Put it on the stove and start to heat it up.

While it is heating clean your apricots.  I just filled the sink with water and a splash of vinegar.  Cut them in half and place cut side down in the bottle.  Pack in as many as you can because they will take up less space once bottled.

Then fill the bottle to the neck (not the brim) with your syrup.  If you are using traditional heavy syrup you will need to have that already mixed up.  I just juiced some apples and used that. In about half I mixed in some crushed pineapple and that looked beautiful!

Make sure you wipe down the top of the bottle with a paper towel so there are no bits of fruit that would cause it not to seal.

Put the lids and rings on the bottle.  Leave the rings just a little loose so the bottles won't break.  Put them in the basket and make sure your water is boiling.  Lower them into the water and put the lid on the caner.  Let them cook for 20 minutes.  While they are in the caner lay out a towel on the counter that you will set the bottles on to cool.  Keep another towel handy that you will cover the bottles with so you AC doesn't cool them too fast and cause a bottle to crack.  You should have plenty of time to fill your next bottles and have them ready to go.

And that is all there is too it!  Once they are cooling on the counter they need to set for a few hours.  You will hear the lids pop as they make a seal.  If any bottles have not made a seal after a day then you need to use that fruit right away.  Clean everything else off and place on the shelf.

I just think rows of preserved fruit are so beautiful and it feels really good to know exactly what is in my food.

Give this a try!  It is super easy.    **note:  It is just as easy to do 2 or more batches as it is to do one.  The mess you clean up will be the exact same no matter how many you do.

Chickens!

I have been meaning to post about the chickens for a while now. 

This spring my mom decided that it would be really fun and to have chickens to teach the grand kids about having chores and animals.  We are all on board.  (the adults anyway)

I remember having chickens as a kid.  I was really afraid of the rooster and for some reason getting eggs always made me itchy.   (I just found out this year that I have an egg allergy)

Jim made this cute little chicken house.  See the side door where you can reach in and get the eggs?  Pretty smart...   I think he did a good job.  This is just where the chickens sleep so they are safe.  The rest of the time they are out in the yard. 

These are the little babies that are not quite ready to be out all the time.

Here are the momma chickens.  There job is to eat the bugs out of the garden, but no on told them that so they like to hang out under the pine tree.

It has been fun getting eggs.  We also learned that there are raccoons that would like chickens for dinner.  Grandma has caught several in a live trap.  I bet the chickens are happy they have a house!

Natural Mosquito Repellent

Well it is mosquito season here in the desert.  The mosquito abatement lady is running around desperately trying to save us all from the west Nile virus.

It seems that when the sun starts to go down giant clouds of mosquitoes come out to play..... and we all hide in the house so we don't get carried away.

There are a few natural things you can do to keep them away.

Avoiding sugar: some say that sweet blood attracts mosquitoes. Mosquitoes actually do rely on sugar from plants as their main source of energy. Female mosquitoes only suck blood when they are about to lay eggs. Otherwise, male and female mosquitoes get their food from flowers.
Avoiding bananas: This goes along with the sugar theory, but the consumption of bananas is blamed in attracting mosquitoes.
Eat garlic: Many people claim that regularly eating raw garlic keeps the mosquitoes away. Of course you have to weigh the pros and cons here. You may keep the mosquitoes away with garlic but you may also keep your friends and family away too.
B Vitamins:  B vitamins, especially thiamine, can deter mosquitoes.

Herbs high in thiamine include: alfalfa, bladderwrack, burdock root, catnip, cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, eyebright, fennel seed, fenugreek, hops, nettles, oatstraw, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaves, red clover, rose hips, sage, yarrow, and yellow dock.

Foods high in thiamine include:  Brown rice, egg yolks, fish, liver, peanuts, peas, pork, poultry, rice bran, and wheat germ.

For some thing topical try this spray.  You will be so happy you did! 

Yarrow Catnip bug repellent

1. Yarrow (either fresh or dried flowers and leaves)
2. Alcohol (vodka works fine)
3. Catnip Essential Oil
4. Water

If you are using fresh flowers fill the jar all the way full.  If you are using dried herbs fill it only half way.

Fill the jar with vodka and let set for a week or so.

Then strain out the yarrow and fill spray bottles half way with the liquid.  Top them the rest of the way off with distilled water.
Place a few drops of catnip essential oil in the spray bottle. Catnip essential oil has been shown to be more effective than DEET at deterring mosquitoes. You could also try using lavender or sage essential oils.


There you have it! A wonderful mosquito repellent.  This works best when applied every few hours. 
There are many variations to this recipe so I encourage you to experiment with what works best for you.
You could simply make a tea out of yarrow and use that as a spray. This will not keep as long as an alcohol extraction.

There are a variety of essential oils that you can use besides the ones listed above.

Have a safe and fun summer!

Vanilla Honey Lip Balm

This recipe is super quick and easy!

I use this on my lips everyday this time of year.  I love how smooth and shiny it makes my lips.  You can also use it any ware you need a little moisture like heels and elbows.  In a pinch you can use it on minor cuts and scraped to prevent scarring.  It is mildly antibacterial.

Ingredients:
1 T. honey
1 T. almond or jojoba oil
1 1/2 t. beeswax
7 drops vanilla essential oil

*You can substitute any essential oil of your choice.  Peppermint works really nice.






In a small sauce pan over low heat warm the oil, honey, and beeswax, until the wax is just melted.

Remove from heat, add the essential oil, and stir to blend.  Set the pan in a shallow ice-water bath.  Using a whisk, stir rapidly for 30 to 60 seconds until the honey is incorporated and the formula is like thick peanut butter.  It should be a pale amber color.

Spoon mixture into a storage container and let set for 2 hours before use.

No refrigeration is required but you will want to use it all up with in a year.

You are going to like this one!  (((kiss)))