12 Days of Christmas - 2nd Day of Christmas

2nd Day of Christmas — December 26th

This day is also St. Stephen's Day, Boxing Day and the first day of Kwanzaa.

"Good King Wenceslas" is a popular Christmas carol about a king who goes out to give alms to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen (the second day of Christmas, December 26). St. Stephen is the first of the Martyred Saints and he is the patron Saint of Hungary. See "The Spirit of Generosity" for some ideas of giving.

Boxing Day in England and Commonwealth nations, a day on which the gift of cash or durable goods was given to the lower classes and servants.

American wags have ‘grabbed' the concept of boxing day to refer to it as the day gifts are returned to the stores for refund or replacement — I like at the least the notion of the original meaning!

Kwanzaa, begun over 4 decades ago, is a week-long (December 26th - January 1st) holiday celebrated throughout the world, honoring African heritage, marked by an affirmation of a different principal of life each day: Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity, Faith.

GARDEN: Collect leaves and tree litter for composting and getting ready to plant potatoes.

Plant chamomile - after the hectic pace of Christmas preparation, it will be nice to anticipate a cup of home grown chamomile tea.

KITCHEN: Got leftovers? How about a nice satisfying brunch dish of baked eggs.

BAKED POTATOES, SAGE AND EGGS
3 cups of Mashed Potatoes (leftover or freshly made)
4 eggs
half cup of finely shredded spinach, kale or arugula
1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Preheat oven to 350 . Have casserole or other pan ready, spray lightly with Pan if desired.
If using leftover mashed potatoes fluff up so they will spread easily. Fold sage into potatoes and spread the potatoes thickly in the center of the oven dish—to about 1 inch thick. Using a small juice glass make 4 depressions in the potatoes. Evenly distribute the shredded greens in the depressions, crack and place an egg on top of each "well." Salt and pepper to taste. Bake 20-25 minutes or until the eggs are just set (poached) but not hard. Enjoy!

THE SPIRIT OF GENEROSITY: If your holiday planning and activities left you little time for charitable work or giving, today is the time to make up for it. One does not have to be wealthy to give. And giving can be of your time, not money.

The East Valley Crisis Nursery (480) 969-2308 — accepts gifts which can either be used by the children and families in the shelter or they are sold to purchase supplies and services. If your family has any gifts received that are not usable - consider donating them instead of returning them.

Random Acts of Kindness: Returning to work and stopping at a drive-thru for coffee or breakfast? If you have the extra cash, pay for the order of the car behind you too — tell the clerk to say "Happy New Year and pass it on"- give the clerk a tip too! Nothing beats an anonymous gift to lift the spirits of the giver and recipient!

Old Time Radio: http://www.otrcat.com/113.html

Back when Lux Radio was one of the most popular radio hours — stars who made movies such as It's A Wonderful Life, would quickly go into the Lux studio and do a radio version of the big- screen movie. Delightful!

Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed reprise their roles on Lux Radio from the film "It's A Wonderful Life." Victor Moore stars as Clarence the angel. The story follows George Bailey as he considers ending his life. Clarence shows George that not only would he be missed in the world but that It's a Wonderful Life. This is truly an inspiring story and a popular holiday favorite. Listen free.

http://www.otrcat.com/113-WonderfulLife-10-custom.html

E-CARDS — Folks if you are not familiar with the work of Jacquie Lawson, please visit her site and play some of the most incredible animated cards you will ever see on the internet. Her work is a mainstay of her small village. For a small membership fee you can send personalized versions of these cards. http://www.jacquielawson.com/

Merry 2nd Day of Christmas!

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

12 Days of Christmas - Christmas Day!

Dear Folks,

Today starts my blog of the 12 Days of Christmas. May you each celebrate these days in your own way and whether these celebrations are religious & secular (our family's way) or one of them, remember the reasons for kindness and giving, which no one theology or philosophy has a superior claim to. Today's trying and challenging times call for a better way of looking at your neighbors who are also your shopkeepers, repair persons, and clerks.


1st Day of Christmas — December 25th.

If you didn't light your yule log last night, light it this morning, and enjoy the warmth while you enjoy the day and all it means to your family.

A Tradition: Set a place setting and chair for the unexpected guest (or keep handy). This is an old tradition and has its origins in either remembering absent (at war or far away) or missing family (deceased), and also the delightful surprise of a welcomed and unexpected loved one or friend who drops by.

BACKYARD It is a tradition for some folks to give extra feed to the animals on Christmas Day to remember the animals present at the birth of Jesus, and the leave grain out for the birds. If you routinely feed the birds, give them an extra treat during this cooler time of the year by spreading peanut butter on dry bread and pressing as much bird seed as possible into it. You can string it up with a clothes pin or clip or lay flat on a plate in a spot above the ground.

KITCHEN: And speaking of peanut butter, if want to keep the little ones busy while dinner is being prepared, give them the ingredients to make peanut butter candy logs. Give them an easy- to-clean spot in the kitchen and have handy the necessary kid-cleaning wash-cloth!

Also known as edible play-dough this recipe is one my mom taught us in the 50s. You can just let the children squish the ingredients together with clean hands and show them how to take small pieces, roll them into a ball or log and cover them with toppings of their choice.

PEANUT BUTTER CANDY
1 cup smooth peanut butter
½ cup honey
1 ½ cups dry milk

Mix in large bowl. Shape into logs. Can be rolled in sprinkles, coconut, chopped nuts or mini M&Ms. Chill for a hour or two to harden up a bit.

GARDEN — Make your own tradition of planting something on Christmas Day after the excitement of the mornings activities have backed off some. It fosters a deeper sense of the spiritual renewal of the day.

HERBS: While rosemary is one herb traditionally associated with Christ's Mother Mary and Christmas, the herb Myrtle's symbolism is for Joy, Peace and Renewal.

Myrtle, an edible herb — the leaves, flowers and fruit are edible — is a great herb for the desert. Plant now through February for best success. It can be a lovely specimen plant or planted in groups for hedging. There is standard, dwarf and variegated varieties. This bitter herb has traditionally been used with game meat to give better flavor.

A liquor called "Mirto" is made from myrtle. You can trying make some yourself from the berries alone or leaves and berries by infusing them in vodka, then sweeten.

Source: www.mountainvalleygrowers.com

THE SPIRIT OF GENEROSITY

Charity/Giving/Generosity: If the word ‘charity' makes you think of welfare or handout, try the definition of generosity: "the trait of being willing to give your money or time." — The Spirit of Generosity.

Find any way within your means to give something to someone or an organization today. If you go to the movies, as many folks do after dinner, take along a bag of candy and hand out to others waiting in line. Invite a neighbor you know is alone today for dinner or dessert.

SOME OLE' TIME RADIO
I am old enough and ‘homey' enough, I guess, to enjoy not only music, but also old time radio programs, as background to working, whether in the kitchen or the office. This site is a super source for literally thousands of radio shows from the 20's through the 50's. http://www.otrcat.com/113.html

Lionel Barrymore reprises his role as Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. A wonderful Christmas classic, A Christmas Carol is the story of a very grumpy and cold hearted Ebenezer Scrooge who wants nothing to do with Christmas and croaks "Baw-humbug" at any sign of Christmas cheer. Orson Welles beautifully narrates this classic tale of redemption and brotherly love. Listen free to the whole program:

http://www.otrcat.com/113-ChristmasCarol-9-custom.html

For more holiday only programs:

http://www.otrcat.com/113-all-holiday-8-custom.html

Merry Christmas Day!

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Winter High Notes In The Desert

Dear Folks,

While the holidays can be both enjoyable and anticipated, they can also be draining -- in many ways. One of the reasons I moved from a cold 4 season climate to the desert was to enjoy the warmer winters, and if I want to, I can always go up to Flagstaff and the Snowbowl to play in the white stuff and then flee back down to the desert floor to recover!

The other benefit of living in the desert around holiday time is the incredible opportunity to garden immediately after I'm ready to put the holidays behind me. While gardeners in other parts of the country can only daydream their way through seed catalogs, we desert gardeners can be getting our hands dirty and enjoying the experience!

Watch for my blog on the 12 Days of Christmas Notes -- I will be posting a blog each of those special 12 days.

STARTING TIP: Last frost day here in the Valley of the Sun is typically February 15th - get a head start on your tomatoes, basil, peppers and eggplant, by starting seed indoors on a bright windowsill -- (also - I will be having a variety of "starts" beginning in January for direct planting or starting your own seedlings - email if you have questions).

To get you in the mood, here is a fun family project for those who have either an outdoor fireplace, chiminea or indoor wood burning fireplace. Many of the 'ingredients' for this recipe will be on hand.

YULE LOG

You will need a log sized to fit your fireplace/pit/chiminea. (Hardwood is good in a standard metal or brick fireplace or pit, but softwood is better for clay chimineas.)

Rosemary, Myrtle, sage, and/or lavender sprigs

Elmer's glue (Use only elmers - it won't spit toxic fumes)

Orange peels (Using a potato peeler or like, cut long strips of orange peel from two oranges -- this should be done a day ahead of time, so the peel can air dry.)

Whole spices like cinnamon sticks or pieces, star anise, juniper berries, cloves, allspice (If you make mulled cider or wine - save the spices - dry completely -so they won't smoke - and use them on the log or just through a few on the fire to scent the air.)

Ribbon Bow (if you can, make it from paper ribbon rather than synthetic or plastic)

1) Glue the sprigs of herbs attractively around the top half of the log.

2) Arrange and glue the orange peel among the herb sprigs.

3) Now fill in any gaps with glued whole spices

4) Top with an attractive bow (remove bow before lighting, unless the bow is paper).

5) Admire the log until it is time to light it on Christmas Eve, or Christmas morning.

Tradition says the longer the log burns, the more good luck the family will have for the New Year.

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

P.S. Amazon has several sources for seeds -- most with flat rate shipping per order.

Hot Sip For Cold Weather

Howdy Folks,

Now that the weather is cooling down even here in Arizona, one of my readers asked about a recipe I shared in a class a couple of years ago. It is also in my "Edible Landscaping ... " book. (The book and my cookbook are both now available as a downloadable book.)

This recipe is antioxidant-rich, warming and soothing for just cold weather, but also colds, flu or allergy symptoms. A take-off of the Asian hot and sour soup, it can be made into just a broth as the recipe notes, or with the addition of finely chopped scallions, pretty pieces of carrot and small noodles a fully satisfying soup. When I make it as a soup, I like to float chive or cilantro flowers on top when serving - pretty.

Why it is good for you -- grandma's chicken soup has been proven (although she always new it was good for you) to help get the family through illness.

Chicken broth helps the body express mucus (the faster you get the virus and bacteria ladened mucus out the faster you recover)
Cilantro is anti-bacterial
Lime juice (or lemon) contains Vitamin C and flavanids
Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory

GOOD FOR YOU BROTH
aka nature's "penicillin"
The holidays can bring illness due to stress. Here is a fragrant, soothing, and healthy broth for whatever ails you. This recipe can be doubled or tripled easily
1 cup chicken broth
¼ inch slice of fresh Ginger Root (peel can be left on)
1/8 cup fresh cilantro (whatever you do - do not use dried!)
1 lemon or lime juice, zested, and juiced (divide juice)

Place broth, ginger, Cilantro, zest and half of the juice in pot, cover and bring to simmer for 10 minutes. Strain, add remaining juice and drink while hot (don't burn yourself!). The heat of the broth is one of the helpful elements to making it work well for you. If you want to make some to keep refrigerated and then microwave it later by the cup, reserve the rest of the juice (or squeeze some fresh as needed), and add after re-heating (a lot of the vitamin c is lost in heat - that is the reason for adding the reserved juice just before drinking).

FOR A SOUP, cook noodles in a separate pot - add carrots to the same cooking water, cook until desired done-ness, drain and set aside. If you are feeling creative, slices of carrots can be cut to resemble flowers - pretty effect in the soup. Have herb flowers and finely chopped fresh scallions for garnish ready.

After making the broth, strain, add rest of juice. Divide noodles and carrots into soup bowls, top with broth, and float herb flowers if desired.

RECIPE TIP: Use chicken, turkey or vegetable broth to cook most everything: potatoes, vegetables, rice, noodles, even oatmeal for a lunch or dinner side dish.

Have a great day!

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

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Nutrient Density--A Simple Way To Compare Foods

Dear Folks,

Do you know what nutrient density is? Do your eyes glaze over when trying to figure it out? I have a simple formula for you to use when shopping for prepared/manufactured foods like bread, milk, yogurt, pasta etc. This is going to be a long blog, folks, but I think you will find it worthwhile.

Personally, I wanted to lose some weight a while back and while I prepare many of our meals fresh and from scratch, and I have made my own pasta, I wanted to figure out a quick-shopping way to assess the nutrient density of processed and manufactured foods.

Two ‘events' got me comparing labels even more than I had before (I was always a label reader for specific elements or chemicals I wanted to watch for).

One was the big low-carb craze and the second was the introduction of Barilla pasta's "Plus" brand — a pasta made with a combination of flours creating a much higher than average protein and fiber density.

Out of an abundance of curiosity when the grocery stores started displaying a low-carb area some time back, I spent about 25 minutes comparing several food items (like crackers) in both the ‘normal' aisle and the low-carb display — I found, not completely to-my-surprise, that the difference between two cracker types (usually manufactured by the same company --one labeled low-carb, and the other their standard brand), was insignificant, a couple of grams of carbs difference, and a calorie difference of maybe 20 per serving.

So much for making a food better, huh? The manufacturers respond to consumer requests by giving them exactly what they ask for — so you need to be specific if you are asking a corporation for something.

The Barilla Plus pasta product turned out to be better than a great deal. I had tried whole wheat pastas and was not delighted with their flavor (the pasta I make from scratch is egg rich and great tasting-but takes a while). My cousin suggested I try this new pasta and I was really pleased with the flavor and even more with the nutrient density. By combining grain and legume flours Barilla created a version of vegetarian-food-combining criteria to make a more complete protein base for this pasta. The result is a very high nutrient density, even when served with no meat or extra cheese (although pasta just screams for more cheese on the sauce).

So here is My Personal Nutrient Density Formula, followed by some foods for illustration (and a really tasty recipe):

Take the total grams of protein and fiber (not just soluble) and add them together and divide them into the total number of calories and you get a ‘factor' - that factor should be 20 or less for best to greater nutrient density — the lower the factor, the greater the nutrient density.

Example Kashi Golean Crunch cereal has 9 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber which equals 17. The calories per serving is 190 — dividing the 17 into 190 equals 11 -- a superior nutrient density.

So why don't I take into consideration the vitamins and minerals? Because I figured if the nutrient density — resulting from protein and fiber -- is superior the vitamins and minerals are present in good to great levels ‘naturally' and if you add enough fresh fruits and vegetables to your meals, you are getting what you need. Also grain and vegetable sources of protein are not complete unless combined (legume and grain) except for soy beans and quinoa which are complete proteins by themselves. Having milk with your cereal in the morning makes all the combined protein useable by the body.

A point about nutrient density of grains - check out rice and corn (corn flakes), two of our most popular grains. Wheat is more nutrient dense overall as long as it is wholewheat or a combination of grains to manufacture the cereal or bread. A corn tortilla by comparison is less nutrient dense than the flour tortilla (check those out at the grocery store for yourself). Oatmeal is on a par with whole wheat. The item you need to watch when choosing whole grain breads, for example, is the addition of any sweeteners to enhance the flavor — a store generic version of 12 grain bread was far less nutrient dense because of the addition of a lot of extra sweetener.

Labels show both gram weight and pound weight for serving sizes usually around 2 ounces or 56 grams, for non-meat foods.

Why take the manufacturers serving sizes? Because by and large they are an okay serving suggestion - much better than the average consumer's dinner plate size idea of a meal component, because you are supposed to eat a variety of foods at a meal to have a balanced intake of healthful foods for optimal health.

So here are some examples of foods we eat on a fairly regular basis with highest nutrient density to lowest. Try the formula yourself . Good fats such as nuts and olive oil are going to have a higher factor, but need to be in the diet to make most of the nutrients you consume actually usable by the body.

About treats and desserts — well most of the time they are going to be way over the formula scale, but try to keep it at something less than a factor of 40 or not eaten too often).

Chunk Light Tuna
in Water Protein 13 Fiber 0 = 13 Calories 60 = Factor 5
Canned Pumpkin Protein 2 Fiber 5 = 7 Calories 40 = Factor 6
Green Soybeans-Frozen
(Edamame) Protein 10 Fiber 4 = 14 Calories 120 = Factor 9
Garbonzo Beans
(canned) Protein 7 Fiber 6 = 13 Calories 110 = Factor 9
Shamrock Cottage
Cheese (regular) Protein 13 Fiber 0 = 13 Calories 110 = Factor 9
Canned Chicken Broth Protein 1 Fiber 0 = 1 Calories 10 = Factor 10
Kashi Golean
Crunch Cereal Protein 9 Fiber 8 = Calories 190 = Factor 11
Original
Shredded Wheat Protein 5 Fiber 6 = 11 Calories 160 = Factor 15
Barilla Plus Pasta Protein 10 Fiber 4 = 14 Calories 210 = Factor 15
Cheerios Protein 3 Fiber 3 = 6 Calories 100 = Factor 17
Hormel
Roast Beef Hash Protein 21 Fiber 2 = 23 Calories 390 = Factor 17
Quaker
Old Fashioned Oats Protein 5 Fiber 4 = 9 Calories 150 = Factor 17
Mountain High
Original Yogurt-Plain Protein 11 Fiber 0 = 11 Calories 180 = Factor 17
Orawheat
12 Grain Bread Protein 4 Fiber 2 = 6 Calories 100 = Factor 17
Whole Milk Protein 8 Fiber 0 = 8 Calories 150 = Factor 19
Triscuit Crackers
Fire Roasted
Tomato and Olive Oil Protein 3 Fiber 3 = 6 Calories 120 = Factor 20
Pitted Dried Prunes Protein 1 Fiber 3 = 4 Calories 100 = Factor 25
Walnuts Protein 5 Fiber 2 = 7 Calories 200 = Factor 29
Corn Flakes Protein 2 Fiber 1 = 3 Calories 100 = Factor 34
Brown Rice Protein 3 Fiber 1 = 4 Calories 150 = Factor 38
Ghirardelli
60% Dark Choc Chips Protein 1 Fiber 1 = 2 Calories 80 = Factor 40
Kroger Ginger Snaps Protein 2 Fiber 1 = 3 Calories 120 = Factor 40
Saltine Crackers Protein 1 Fiber 0 = 1 Calories 60 = Factor 60

You can see that a good old tuna fish sandwich (with only enough mayo to bind) will have a very high nutrient density to calorie intake and if you add tasty options such as chopped apple and celery, some walnuts and a bit of fresh mint or basil, it becomes a whole meal good enough for any member of the family.

How about all the discussions about oatmeal? Look at the nutrient density of oats as compared to rice! Oatmeal is underutilized as a savory component of lunches and dinners. See my recipe I developed to highlight this grain for a hearty side dish.

One of the surprises when I set out to compare manufactured foods was saltines. I have always enjoyed crackers with my cheese and apple. At only 60 calories per serving saltines seemed like a light weight snack option — but there is no nutrient value comparatively speaking. While a serving of Triscuits is twice the calories per serving, the nutrient density along with the cheese and apple, affords a satisfying light lunch. (2 ounces of cheese is about 200 calories, and with an apple and crackers is both satisfying and light enough for an on-the-go-meal.)

Folks, I hope this information is helpful for you in choosing the best use of your food dollars. Nutrient dense also means best dollar value. The empty calories, as the nutrition experts like to say, is like throwing your money away.

And don't forget the economic benefits of growing some of your own edibles.

PUMPKIN OATMEAL
Here is a side dish for any meal -- warming and satisfying.
1 cup regular oatmeal (not instant or quick cook)
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not the pumpkin pie spice kind, just plain)
14 oz can of chicken broth (or vegetable)
1/8 teaspoon smoked salt (or sea salt)
8 large basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
Optional: other nuts such as pecans.
Stir pumpkin into broth in sauce pan, add salt and oatmeal and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for 5 minutes stirring regularly. Add nuts. Rinse and sliver basil leaves and fold into oatmeal just before serving. (Left Over Tip: form into patties and fry gently in a bit of olive oil, about 1 minute each side (just until warmed all the way through and slightly crusted on both sides.)
Optional: For a sweet version: Add 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries, and omit (or leave in as you prefer) basil leaves, and use only plain (non-flavored) salt.

And finally, check out the link at the top right column for a way to save money on the gardening and cook books!

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Yes, We Have Some Bananas!

Dear Folks,

Well 13 days after we first noticed the flower bud on our banana, we have bananas!

About every 1-2 days as a petal peels back a new "hand" of banana fingers is revealed. The funny looking things on the end of each banana is a type of flower. Now we have to hope that either it won't frost back, I can keep it protected if it does frost, or if we have to cut if off really green (most commercial bananas are harvested green and allowed to ripen in a dark place), that they will ripen for us. Will keep you posted on the progress. Happy fall gardening!

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

It is Going To Be 91 Today--First Frost Alert!

Dear Folks,

No I have not lost my marbles -- we are about to go into one of our seasonal adjustment 'zones' where the temps move suddenly (over about 14 days give or take) 15-20 degrees up or down. Since it is Fall - it will be down. By about November 10th, we will see overnight temp forecasts of 40 degrees. That is when you NEED to start paying attention to the possibility of 'soft frost' before dawn in many areas of the Valley of the Sun.

Traditional first frost in the valley is November 17th -- or there-abouts -- and will be colder sooner for every 1000 feet about the valley mean elevation of 1,000 feet above sea-level. That means folks at the 1700 and above elevation may see frost around November 7th, or there-abouts.

What is happening? As part of my on-going research into how best to garden successfully in the valley, I found by tracking temperatures at night (as well as during the day), that in our cool seasons, most residential areas have 'heat sinks' in the form of building walls, fences, poured patios, sheds and garages. What happens is these areas absorb heat during the day and release it at night -- all to the benefit (during cold times) of your plants. However, all that heat dissipates between about 4:30 a.m. and dawn, so that an evening temperature of around 40 at 11 p.m. the previous night can mean a 32 or less temperature by sunrise the next morning.

So I recommend folks cover frost sensitive plants with cloth, sheets, blankets, newspaper when the night temperature forecast is 40 or lower. No plastic -- it transmits the cold to the plants by contact.

Frost sensitive plants include young citrus trees, particularly limes and lemons, but also include those tender perennials you want to help winter over for next spring: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and basil are some of the top much-loved edibles. They do not give you anything during the winter, and may look bedraggled, but their larger root system gives you a head-start on production when the soil starts warming up in March.

Enjoy the fall while you enjoy your garden!

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Yes, We Have No Bananas - Yet!

Dear Folks,

Pictured to the right here is the beginning flower bud of my "Blue Java" banana plant, aka "Ice Cream Banana" (it is the burgundy/reddish growth in the left of the picture). The fruit is supposed to have a blue/silver ting to the skin which is the basis for the name "Blue Java."

Did you know you can cook with both the flowers and the leaves, in addition to the edible fruit? During the heavy growing season, my banana put out a new leaf about every 8 days (and once the plant is a good size the leaves are about 3 and a half to 4 feet long -- not including the stem!) and I have used the leaves to steam fish or chicken in (gives the food a great fruity flavor). I found recipes a while back on the internet for cooking with the flowers.

This is the first time I've gotten a flower and we are so excited about the possibility of harvesting our own bananas I was just about jumping up and down when Deane pointed out the flower bud.

Some years ago I had read about the ice cream banana which is supposed to taste like vanilla ice cream and is a dwarf member of the edible Musa (there are some strictly ornamental types) growing to about 12-15 feet tall, and kept my eyes opened for a plant. As with my experience with my lovely variegated (Pink) lemon tree, I just happened across it one day at a Home Depot store, knew what it was and grabbed it up. For about 2 years I did not get it out of its pot, as I did not have the best location in mind for it. It grew baby plants, but no flowers/fruit.

Then last year when I downsized the gardens, we planted one plant in a spot left bare by the removal of an aged peach tree. From July to October 2007 the tree grew 5+ feet (that is the first picture in the collage below).

From October of last year (2007) to today, the tree went through a severe frost, re-growth, to a height of approximately 12 feet right now and then we spotted to flower bud - yippeeee!

So what is there about growing bananas in the desert? Bananas are a type of grass (Monocot plant families) and tropical in origin, and will not take killing frosts (where the ground freezes in addition to above-ground growth). It is considered 'cold tolerant' which translates into USDA Zone 8 and above (Sunset Zone 12+), so a little damage to the leaves during our winters does not kill the main plant, damaging the leaves. Wind also damages the leaves of bananas which will give it a disreputable appearance, but for my time, it is worth some appearance issues to have home-grown bananas.

When I learned about the ice cream banana, and with my sweetie Deane being an ice cream junkie (in addition to a chocoholic) I figured if I was going to try and grow bananas, it would have to be one that tasted like ice cream.

I also planted another smaller plant in a separate location in the garden, more sheltered from the wind. The plant in flower right now also has some baby offsets, which will continue to grow after the main plant dies back (following flower and fruit production).

So we will see what happens. I will keep you posted on how the plant and possible harvesting goes.


-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Thrillin' Grillin' at the Arboretum

Howdy Folks,

Once or twice a year I do a food demo at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum in conjunction with their annual Fall or Spring plant sale. Today's demo recipes are below. (The demo is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.). Click on the title of this post to go to the Arboretum site.

I do some foods cooked directly on the grill and prepare some side dishes ahead of time to go with them. The whole point is to illustrate how to prepare foods without salt or fats being the main focus of flavor.

In today's menu I have decided to highlight rosemary, along with garlic, black pepper (I'm using one of my own blends "RosemaryPlus" but you can put your own version together) and an herb jelly for marinating. I usually do one or more side dishes with tofu or green soy beans (edamame) because so many folks either have never tried them, don't know how to cook with them, or think they taste awful. I've 'converted' many to the wonderful ways with tofu (its blessing and its curse is its blandness), and introduced many to the nice nuttiness of green soy beans (the immature soy bean). Since this food is one of only two (known to this point) complete protein from plant sources (the other one is quinoa), its all around nutrient density, plus fiber is something everyone should add once or twice a week to their meal planning.

This summer I got to experiment with making herb jellies using one of my favorite convenience foods -- frozen juice concentrate (remember only get the 100% no-sugar-added varieties -- see my post Sodas and Sorbets), and I was pleased with how they turned out. If you have ever glazed a chicken or turkey with fruit preserves, or made a ham with pineapple slices then using an herb jelly as a marinade is the same concept.

The sugars carmelize the meat, and add a sweet/savory note to it.

If I don't see you today, enjoy experimenting on your own.

Marinated Chicken Thighs
Kiwi/Strawberry/Lavender Jelly and a little Olive Oil for marinade
Cranberry/Raspberry/Rosemary Jelly and a little Olive Oil for marinade

1 to 1 a half pounds of skinless, boneless chicken thighs
half a cup of herb jelly
1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil

Gently warm the jelly to liquify. Place rinsed chicken thighs in a ziplock bag or glass container. Add olive oil to jelly, pour over chicken, seal bag and gently mush the chicken with the marinade. Let rest in refrigerator for 4 hours before grilling. Grill approximately 20 minutes, turning first about 5 minutes, and then turning every 4-5 minutes or so for even browning. Serve and enjoy.

Tofu Salad
Substituting tofu for tuna** in a blend of ingredients gives you a tasty and satisfying sandwich 'salad' that can be served in a pita pocket or a hollowed tomato, avocado, or with crackers.
14 oz. firm tofu, drained and diced fine
half to one small apple diced, and acidified* (I like gala apples for this)
1/3 cup+ diced celery (use the inner stalks and leaves)
1/3 cup of ground walnuts
1 tablespoon drained capers or green olives, minced
2 teaspoons of RosemaryPlus
pinch of salt (tofu needs a little salt because of its blandness)
Enough mayonnaise (or soy mayo for Vegans) to bind together (I prefer real mayo, but the soy mayo works okay - a little sweet for my taste).
Most tofu comes in a sealed tray with water, cut the plastic cover cleanly off, but don't discard, drain container water, put the plastic back on (or replace with plastic wrap) and weigh down with a large can (28 oz type of tomatoes or fruit) for about 15 minutes. The weight presses more moisture out of the tofu, leaving it firmer and drier. Dice tofu into small (1/4 inch) dice.
Toss tofu with RosemaryPlus and salt and allow to sit for 15-20 minutes to enhance flavor. Add remainder of ingredients, mix well with out mashing. Serve and enjoy.
*Placing diced apple in lemon water keeps the apple from turning brown.
**replace tofu with two 6 ounce cans of water-packed tuna, drained. No additional salt is needed.

Bean and Potato Salad
I have a faster way for potato salad when I do not have a lot of time to boil, cut etc. I use frozen diced potatoes (Potatoes O'Brien will also work and sometimes the diced are sold as "Southwest style hash browns"). The addition of green soy beans (or one-inch cut green beans) adds color, and crunch. The lemon juice brings out the real flavor of the potatoes, and rosemary is a super herb with potatoes.
2 lbs frozen diced potatoes
1 lb frozen shelled green soy beans (Edamame)
half a red bell pepper, diced
half a yellow or orange bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon of RosemaryPlus
1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice
Olive oil (approximately 1/2 cup)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Gently squeeze frozen potatoes in bag to break up — do the same with the frozen soy beans.
Place potatoes in a pot of cold salted water and bring to a boil. They will be done just about when the water comes to a full boil — about 10 minutes, don't over cook, drain and put back into the hot pot to ‘dry out a little'
Meanwhile bring another pot of salted water to a boil. Pour in soy beans, stir, set the timer for 6 minutes, bring back to a boil and remove from heat once it reaches a low boil. Cover and let sit until the timer goes off. Drain.
As soon as both the beans and potatoes are done sprinkle with seasoning, toss gently. Add olive oil toss as you go (the starch in the potatoes soaks up a lot of oil). Sprinkle with lemon juice, add peppers and toss to mix. Taste for S&P and adjust.

Send this to family and friends and suggest they subscribe to the blog. Have a great day!

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Plant Garlic Now and Harvest Great Flavor In The Spring!

Dear Folks,

While places like Gilroy, California and even our own Verde Valley area of Arizona produce lots of garlic, most of the garlic you purchase in the supermarket is from China or other areas of Asia. Why not grow your own? And, become a locavore in your neighborhood. All the information below pertains to 'hardneck' variety garlic, the most common kind found in stores.

For several years I have been planting and harvesting ‘green garlic' aka garlic scallions. It is simple, something anyone can do, and you are able to plant successively for a continuous harvest from fall through early summer. More on the green garlic below. Last fall, however, I really wanted to try growing the garlic to bulb or "head" stage for harvesting my own.

Green Garlic vs. Bulb Garlic.

Both types of garden growing are begun the same way. Beginning October 1st and through about November 15th you can plant garlic cloves for either green garlic or bulb garlic. You break open a bulb/head of garlic separating the individual cloves. Do not peel them. (Purchase garlic at the grocery or order from a supplier I like Ronnigers.)

Plant 2 inches deep, flat side down, in rows or alternate zig-zag spacing approximately 4-6 inches apart, in rich, well-draining soil in full sun or an area where they will get plenty of sunlight — at least 6-8 hours a day.

Water regularly, but do not over-water, and keep the bed weed-free. For green garlic, plant however many cloves you might use in a week or two, every couple of weeks successively. When the tops are 8+ inches high and you can feel that the clove has swollen a bit, it is time to harvest and enjoy. Use the whole clove and top as you would a scallion for a milder garlic flavor than the dried clove. Delicious!

Now for growing the full bulb/head garlic you will not be harvesting until spring because the plant needs to entire cold time of the winter months to form the full bulb Here is what you are seeing and looking for.

Along around late March or into the middle of April (depending on weather) you will see a flower stalk rise out of the center of the leaves — the garlic growth begins with the originally planted clove producing baby cloves attached to and surrounding the original clove, and out of each new baby clove rises a single garlic leaf - grass like.

The flower stalk, called a ‘scape,' curls as it grows with an immature flower ‘bulb' near the top ending in a point. The curling of the scape stalk is interesting to see. When the flower portion of the stalk is just about even with or just a tiny bit taller than the leaves, you need to cut it off near the base of the stalk — and eat it! Yes, the scape is fully edible like the green garlic and is considered a gourmet delicacy.

The purpose, though, for cutting the scape off is the encourage the final bulb to be a tight circle of cloves.

You will now look for the first few leaves (not all of them) of each plant to begin to yellow. It is now time to harvest your brand new garlic bulb.

Gently dig up, softly brush off as much of the dirt as you can without damaging the ‘wrappers' on the garlic. If you need to you can rise them off to get the rest of the dirt off.

You are not ready yet to use the garlic, it must be air dried completely for storage.

In the valley our nice dry spring air is perfect for this. Hang in the shade (a little sun won't hurt it) on the patio, in a shed or garage where there is no chance of it getting rained on, and has excellent air circulation. You can also lay them out on drying screens. You can braid several together for one of those fancy garlic braids (they need to be fresh for braiding). It may take a couple of weeks for it to be dry enough for use and storage.

After it is dried you can cut the roots and stems off. If you made a nice braid you can just hang that in your kitchen for handy access to a bulb when you need one.

If you can store garlic at 55 degrees and it will keep for a very long time without sprouting. If you don't have that cold of a shed or like structure, they can be stored in the crisper of your refrigerator — in cardboard — not touching any other foods. For use remove only as much as you will be needing within a week or two, or the cloves will start sprouting in the warmer kitchen air.

One last thing — save one or more of the heads and store in the crisper (as noted above) until planting time next fall and repeat your garlic growing cycle of flavor!

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

The Aphids Are Coming, The Aphids Are Coming!

Tis' the season to enjoy cooler nights, cooling daytime temperatures, to plant the cool loving vegetables and herbs -- and to fight off the dang aphids! (See picture below to left of 'green' variety aphid clustered on stem)

As we start enjoying the nicer weather here in our Valley gardens the bugs start enjoying it too. The butterflies and moths are looking for places to lay the last eggs of the season (not a bad thing — it is worth putting up with a little larvae/caterpillar damage to have these beautiful pollinators around) — but the darn aphids are another story.

Whether live bearing or egg bearing the damage aphids can inflict on our gardens is amazing. Overnight, almost, live bearing (they are grayish in color) aphids can kill off any member of the cabbage family and they love dill and fennel. I'm not kidding — I have seen the aphids destroy a large dill plant in as little as 3 days.

In companion planting jargon Dill and fennel are called a "trap" plant, due to the fact the aphids will go to it first. Monitor your gardens regularly, hose off aphids at the first sign. Unlike egg bearing aphids the rapidity with which these dang live-baring pests can proliferate is astonishing.

White flies are a form of aphid, far more difficult to control and the best way is to hard-hose plants off a couple times a week, in the evening or twilight.

While the soap sprays are very effective and I highly recommend them, if you hit beneficial insects the spray will kill them too.

The year I was diligent about pouring a little soapy water right down the center stalk of my kale and dill, once a week, I had no problem with aphids and enjoyed the kale and dill instead of the aphids having a feast.

Some of the beneficial insects are (many insects are predators of aphids):
Assassin Bugs — juvenile and adult (middle picture of juvenile going after aphids
Praying Mantis (above right - one of best known garden good-guys)
Lace wings — juvenile and adult (not pictured)

Soapy Water:
Place a quarter teaspoon of original dawn dish detergent into a gallon jug - add some water, shake, let the suds settle down a bit and slowly fill up the jug the rest of the way with water. In the evening, turn the jug upside down once to make sure it is still mixed, and pour about ½ cup right down the center stalk of the plant, so that the water gets into the base of the stalk and bottom leaves — that is where the aphids usually start their work. Do this once a week, or every 5 days if you initially see a lot of aphid activity.

Soap Spray:
To 1 quart of water add one teaspoon each of dawn and any edible vegetable oil — I keep old olive oil, which is no longer good for cooking, for these sprays. Put in a spray bottle and make sure you shake-spray, shake-spray to keep the mixture homogenized while spraying. Get the underside of the leaves of the plant, stalks, and basal leaves. Do this once every 5 days for a total of 3 times. Watch for further infestations, and spray accordingly. Doing the spraying in the twilight or the evening prevents sunburn from the oil in the spray. The 5 days repetition interrupts the pests' life cycle.

When harvesting for the dinner table, just rinse off any residue spray, or soapy water — and enjoy your undamaged garden edibles!

Want to learn more about the bugs in the garden? It is a great learning opportunity for the children too! Also a note of caution — a bug that preys on other bugs is a carnivore — which means they can bite you. While many are not know to readily bite when gently handled — like praying mantis, the assassin bugs will and do bite.

Visit what's that bug.com an amazing site begun by a couple of professors which has turned into THE source for families to learn about bugs.

Consider getting a great book on insects: The Kaufman Field Guide to the Insects of North America is a great one — it is a little more technical than some other books, but their inclusions are massive with pages of similar insects to allow you to better ID the critter you found on the back the rose bush. Amazon link in our sidebar.

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Homemade Sodas, Sorbets and What About Sweeteners

Getting the kids off (or never starting them on) commercials sodas and sweets can be a challenge. Here are two simple ideas using concentrated frozen fruit juices — the ones with no sugar added, just the natural sweetness of the fruit. If, for instance, your son likes orange soda and your daughter likes berries, orange juice concentrate or kiwi/strawberry concentrate can make great tasting sodas in which you control the contents. See my discussion on natural sweeteners vs. unnatural or unhealthy ones below.

HOMEMADE SODA:
1 part juice concentrate, thawed but chilled
3 parts chilled sparkling water, seltzer or club soda of choice (club soda has added sodium)
Optional berries
Berries can be added for fun, a couple of blueberries for instance can bounce around in the bubbles.
Mix 1/4 cup concentrate and 3/4 cup of sparkling water in a tall glass, add ice, berries and a straw.
For adults you can infuse or add herbs like spearmint, basil or cilantro to make cocktail mixers.

Fruit and herb combinations:
Berries (all) — basil, rosemary, thyme or lavender
Orange — rosemary, thyme or savory

HOMEMADE SORBET or GRANITA
If using a ice cream mixer be sure to have the tumbler frozen ahead of time or whatever the manufacturer's recommendations are. Frozen juices taste less sweet than when drunk as a beverage. The sugar/honey addition should be done to taste. Hint: try 1/4 cup of sugar or honey to 3 cups reconstituted juice. It is fun to experiment with different juices, cut up fruit, and different natural sweeteners.

6 ounces juice concentrate
18 ounces cold water
Optional sweetener of choice*
Optional half cup minced fruit (cutting the fruit in small bits makes it easier for the machine to do its mixing/freezing)

WITH SWEETENER
Sweetener must be fully dissolved in liquid - bring 4 ounces of the water to just a high simmer, remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, or 3 tablespoons honey or agave nectar, or 2 tablespoons of molasses, stir to completely dissolve. Cool slightly then add to rest of water, stir, add juice and chill.

WITHOUT SWEETENER
Mix juice concentrate and water, stir to combine well and chill.

TO FREEZE
If using an ice cream maker, start mixer and slowly pour in the liquid, wait about 5 minutes to let the freezing get going well, then add fruit. These makers do not freeze the mix solid, 3 cups of liquid will make 4 cups of sorbet. Remove, pack into a 32 ounce container, cover and freeze.

If no ice cream maker, pour liquid in a pan big enough to keep the liquid at a depth of no more than 1 inch. Freeze for 2 hours, remove and scrap lightly with a fork to break up crystals. Re-freeze for 1 hour, repeat scrap and add fruit. Continue to re-freeze, and scrap every hour until the sorbet resembles shaved ice. Remove and place loosely in covered container and freeze.

TO SERVE:
When serving allow to sit at room temperature about 10 minutes to soften. Serve with more fruit if desired. A fun option is sorbet sparklers (photo). Place a generous scoop of sorbet in pretty clear glass, like a wine goblet. Top with sparkling apple cider or sparkling water (Adults can use a sparkling wine.)

ABOUT SWEETENERS:

FIRST No High-Fructose Corn Syrup. The studies are showing not only problems with the way our bodies deal with HFCS (links to childhood obesity and early onset diabetes), but also what appears to be an addictive factor. See "Why No HFCS" below.

Karo Syrup — the one grandmom and mom have used since 1902 for baking has different ingredients depending on which version you are using. Karo Dark does not contain HFCS. Karo Light does. Karo "Lite" has no HFCS but has splenda (sucralose). I suggested to their customer care person they find a replacement for sucralose and I would be happy to use the "lite" version for light uses.

Sugar, honey, agave nectar, molasses, stevia are all traditional, old and mostly natural sweetening agents (even honey is technically manufactured by the bees).

Stevia and agave nectar are considered safe for most diabetics (be sure to check with your doctor). Agave nectar is used in the same proportions as honey (3/4 volume of cane sugar). Stevia (used as a fresh or dry leaf - not powder or liquid), can be infused as one would make tea steeping to the desired strength and strained out if you like. Start with approximately 2 tablespoons dried leaf replacing 1 cup of sugar. Steep for 20 minutes in hot liquid, taste and if needed steep 5-10 minutes longer. Stevia leaf is so naturally sweet that when used only in water — as making the sweet liquid above, it can be reused one more time to make tea or sweeten other beverages.

Every time I read how the ‘new' products (meant to control ‘a problem') are now showing to be biochemically worse (look at the literature about margarine vs. butter) I can't help but go back to the old ways. Certainly not every old way is a better way, but I would rather use real sugar, honey, etc. and real butter or olive oil than the chemically-created alternatives.

One of the reasons I became so passionate about herbs and spices was the idea of bringing out the real flavor of food before adding all the salt and fat generations since WWII got into because they were eating more and more manufactured food instead of what is referred to as "scratch' cooking. Herbs and spices ‘lift' the food taste and satisfaction by enhancing the natural flavor. Rosemary for instance brings out the best taste in any starchy food like rice, pasta or potatoes.

One of the taste sensors of our tongue is sweet. It was put there for a reason! And sweeteners have their long-respected places in our diets. They give us a satisfaction which, before humans figured out how bake, they could only get from fruits and raiding bee hives.

As with all food choices, we have a responsibility to use wisdom with not only our own eating habits but also any children over whom we have a responsibility to care for. As Barbara Kingsolver commented in her book Animal, Vegetable Miracle — what is being accomplished by "picking up junk food on the way to the soccer game?"

Oh, just in case you are thinking About Splenda? In a lawsuit against the manufacturer of Splenda, "the Sugar Association claims that sucralose, the sweetening ingredient in Splenda, is a man-made chlorocarbon and that a complex process is required to first convert sucrose (sugar) into a number of different intermediary chemicals before using "phosgene gas - a deadly weapon used during World War II - as the chlorinating agent to yield sucralose." Trial is set for January 6, 2009

WHY NO HFCS!
A recent commercial from the manufactures association of HFCS' is obviously trying to dispel fears, but I thought it was interesting that the very quiet final comment was ‘in moderation' by the actress.

Soda and food manufactures moved to HFCS because it was cheaper. I think it is also interesting that Coke's plants in Mexico use good old fashioned cane sugar as a sweetener because our southern neighbors do not like the taste of the HFCS. Remember when the Coke folks got such flack when they first introduced the ‘new' and improved version of Coke back in the 80s with the new sweetener, they had to bring back the "classic?" They just waited until folks got used to the taste of the ‘new' stuff and apparently quietly took the classic off the market.

The site for processors of HFCS has this statistic: "According to the USDA, high fructose corn syrup accounts for roughly 41% of all caloric (nutritive) sweeteners consumed in the U.S." — sweetsurprise.com.

Well that's no surprise is it? According to the Center For Disease and Control: "two NHANES surveys (1976–1980 and 2003–2004) show that the prevalence of overweight is increasing: for children aged 2–5 years, prevalence increased from 5.0% to 13.9%; for those aged 6–11 years, prevalence increased from 6.5% to 18.8%; and for those aged 12–19 years, prevalence increased from 5.0% to 17.4%"

And as a general population increase: "In 2007, only one state (Colorado) had a prevalence of obesity less than 20%. Thirty states had a prevalence equal to or greater than 25%; three of these states (Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee) had a prevalence of obesity equal to or greater than 30%." — http://www.cdc.gov

Moderation? Who are they kidding? The HFCS producers have been so successful at selling the cheapness of their product that more and more food processors are hopping on the HFCS band-wagon. How do you moderate something which is now gradually replacing other sugars in manufactured products to the extent that pretty soon you will not have an option?

"According to a commentary in the April 2004 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, between 1970 and 1990, the consumption of HFCS increased over 1,000 percent." — http://www.diabeteshealth.com and because HFCS does not trigger the chemical Leptin which tells your body you are full, it easy much easier to overeat. — http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2005/05/01/4274.html
Other references:
High-fructose corn syrup's dangers:
-- LS Gross, Amer J Clin Nutr 2004;79:774-9.
-- Bray, George A. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;79:537-43

I recommend that you do your own research and not just take my word for it.

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Greening / Bring It Home!

When you consider ‘greening' options keep in mind family activities at home. They have more benefits than saving gas money. We do not need research studies (although they exist) to show the many advantages to having family night / activity days at home.

Aside from the many garden and cooking projects families can work on together, activities can include educational tools which are also fun, particularly for the younger members of the family.

SOME IDEAS:

Jodi Freeman, author of several books for children, developed coloring books to teach about the native peoples of the Southwest. "My Coloring Book About The Old Ones" is both an activity book and a learning tool. Included are pages for the children to draw their own interpretations of ideas. Available in print or download click here. For those home schooling - the benefit of having the coloring book as a download is that each child can have their own copy.

Susan Lovejoys delightful book "Sunflower Houses" is a gardening-with-children treasure, sure to bring the child out in all. Click here for more info on the book.

Board and Card Games: So many of us grew up playing board and card games with friends and/or family, and it seems like while they are still enjoyed by some, maybe exploring some of the great oldies would get some easy fun back into the family home activity selection options. I see board and card games as an opportunity to teach healthy sportsman-like competition as opposed to the ‘take-no-prisoners' variety which field sports can sometimes teach. I put together some of my favorites in an Amazon sidebar link and chose those that have the free-shipping option if you spend $25 - save gas and shipping too!

Old Time Radio Programs. If you think the children and teenagers in your home might not be interested in the old shows, just consider how much time and energy they put into their MP3 and other audio players. Among the many, many options for program options are comedy (wholesome - there is a word you don't see a lot), musical, drama, detective, and holiday themes.

A super and inexpensive source is Old Time Radio Cat. With the holidays coming up, a start for you is the central holiday page for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas click here.

From there you can view the other categories in their sidebar. I am particularly fond of the old detective shows like Johnny Dollar, Nero Wolfe and Texas Rangers, but the old comedy of Fibber Maggie and Molly, Bob Hope and Jack Benny will never go out of style. If you are getting meals ready during holiday time, decorating the house, or enjoying some family time, how about a nice radio program to keep you company? As an aside many of the commercials are still in the programs — both historically interesting and occasionally de ja vue for current events.

And finally my friend Brenda Hyde has the greatest family-centered website. Oldfashionedliving.com Everything from crafts, to recipes, to tea party, gardening and just plain family fun stuff can be found there. Check out her blog links too.

Find some new or old fashioned ways to enjoy family time at your home!


-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Ready, Set, PLANT!

Fall in the desert is a new beginning. For us the fall is actually our "spring" — time to get all the perennials, trees and shrubs in. Time to plant cool weather veggies and herbs.

Continuing sowing seeds through the end of September. Beginning October 1 and then generally until the end of February you can transplant all perennials and plant the edible seasonal garden.

WEATHER TIP: If we have an exceptionally hot October (we did last year), wait for transplanting until the day time temps are down into the 90s.

SOW: Anise; Beans; Beets: Bok Choy; Broccoli: Brussels Sprouts: Cabbage: Calendula (Calendula Officinalis); Caraway; Carrots; Cauliflower; Celery: Chard : Chervil; Cilantro; Cornflower/bachelor Buttons (Centaurea Cyanus); Cucumbers: Dill; Endive: Fennel, Leaf; Green Onions: Greens: Kale: Kohlrabi: Leeks: Lettuce: Marigolds,; Mustard: Nasturtium; Ornamental Cabbage/Kale (Brassica Oleracea); Parsley; Peas: Radishes: Snapdragon (Antirrhinum Majus); Spinach: Sweet William Aka Pinks (Dianthus Barbatus); Turnips — all these seeds can be sown successively if you like, particularly the seasonal (annual or biennial) herbs such as dill, cilantro or parsley, every 2-4 weeks. (I generally discourage purchasing plants of these varieties, you will have better luck with seeds. — see cheap seed note below)

TRANSPLANT October 1st: Beets; Bok Choy; Broccoli; Brussels Sprouts; Cabbage; Calendula (Calendula Officinalis); Carnation (Dianthus Caryophyllus); Carrots; Cauliflower; Celery; Chard; Cornflower/bachelor Buttons (Centaurea Cyanus); Endive; English Daisy (Bellis Perennis); Evening Primrose (Oenothera Berlandieri); Fennel, Leaf; Fruit Trees; Garlic; Green Onions; Greens; Herbs, Hardy Perennials; Hollyhock (Alcea Rosea); Johnny-jump-up (Viola Tricolor); Kale; Kohlrabi; Lettuce; Marigolds; Mustard; Nasturtium (Tropaeolum Majus); Onions; Ornamental Cabbage/Kale (Brassica Oleracea); Pansies (Viola X Wittrockiana); Parsnip; Peas; Primrose (Primula Vulgaris); Radishes; Scented Geranium; Shungiku Chrysanthemum; Spinach; Stock (Matthiola Incana); Sweet William Aka Pinks (Dianthus Barbatus); Turnips; Violet (Viola Spp.)

Cheap Seeds Tip: Any culinary herb seed (spice) which has not been heat treated will germinate for you. Go to the cheap spice section of your grocer and find dill, cilantro (coriander), anise and other seeds for sowing in the garden. Unless you need a specific variety this is cheaper than packaged seeds and since they are meant for cooking they are not treated with any fungicides. Soak the seeds over night or for several days, changing the water each day and you will have quick germination of these inexpensive varieties.

My book "Edible Landscaping in the Desert Southwest: Wheelbarrow to Plate" was written for the desert gardener with a month-by-month planting guide to more successful gardening. The guide helps with the very important answer to when to plant what.

Have a great time in your fall garden!

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Some of My Favorite Charities

Dear Folks,

Check out my new sidebar on "My Favorite Charities"

Money is tight, of course, all over, so when considering how to make the most of charitable giving, we have many, many options.

Over the years I have heard many people say they have a 'problem' giving to charities because they don't see the benefit other than a handout - a little shortsighted in my opinion, but if a belief that you want to see 'more' for the donation, look no further than www.heifer.org.

The goal of Heifer International is to turn recipients into donors and to maximize the concept of "give a man a plow and he will eat for a lifetime" instead of a single meal.

I was frankly skeptical when my good friend Kathy Marshall and a fellow goat-lover told me about Heifer and then I did my research. Well-know folks like Barbara Kingsolver have endorsed and followed the path of Heifer's gifts.

When you donate to Heifer, you can chose the country of your choice (including the USA), and your donation goes into projects started by Heifer, where the recipient is given a cow, goat, several chickens, pig, or seeds, for example, to begin the work of building a productive life for the family and their community. In turn the recipient agrees to provide the first adult female of their new livestock to the next family in the village selected to be added to the project. The celebration of one family 'passing on' the gift to the next is huge in these projects.

Read Kinsolver's wonderful article on the Andean Goat/Mesquite Project which returned a village devastated by mass-commercial farming to its previous productivity.

And on my initial charities list is one of our most beloved local no-kill shelters, economically impacted by the recent economy upheavals.

There are many, many worthwhile charities -- if these don't satisfy you, find some local ones which do, and give even a little to help a lot.

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Grilled Cheese And Eggplant With Basil

Dear Folks,

One day several years ago I had a great urge for a grilled cheese sandwich. We had eggplant, we had sweet peppers, we had basil -- and a grill! And a new sandwich was born!

Grilled cheese sandwiches are the kind of homey, comfort food that just plain makes you feel good. The addition of grilled eggplant (good for you, leave the skin on) and/or sweet peppers and herbs (in alternate layers with the cheese) makes this a satisfying meal by itself. Doing the low-carb thing? Grill Portobello mushrooms instead of bread for the "wrapper."

1 Sweet bell pepper, halved, cored and seeded, and each half pressed flat
1 Small eggplant, sliced length-wise or sandwich length, approx 1/4 inch thick
6 Ounces cheese of your choice (try Swiss, Gruyere or Colby for a change), thinly sliced
French, rye or wheat bread (or Portobello mushrooms)
Olive oil
1/2 Cup approximate fresh basil leaves, rinsed and dried (leave whole)

First Step:
Lightly brush eggplant strips and peppers with olive oil. Sear vegetables 1 minute each side on grill or in pan, then cook, turning often until desired doneness. If using Portobello mushrooms instead of bread for the "buns," grill mushrooms in the same manner.

Second Step:
Lightly brush bread with olive oil and assemble sandwiches, alternating layers of vegetables, cheese, and basil leaves beginning and ending with cheese. Toast sandwiches on grill or in pan, turning at least once, until cheese is just melty.

Serve with fresh fruit and a glass of herb water--outstanding!

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Enroll in the New On-Line Class

Dear Folks,

Enrollment is now open in my new On-Line Class -- click on this post's title to go to the archive newsletter page to learn more details about registering etc. Class begins September 2nd. Timed to get you successfully gardening by the end of week 4 and cooking before the holidays, this economical program will satisfy tight schedules and gas-squeezed families.

This class is a 12-Week program called "Good Looks, Good Scents, Good Eats!" which takes you from garden dirt to table meals. Designed for the desert gardener, the information will still be helpful for other area gardeners.

How to succeed in gardening year round with edibles in the desert
Herbs Anise to Zahtar
Delicious meals using real food from your gardens for real flavor

Questions can be directed to:

info at herbs2u dot net

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Homey Hobbies -- Things Closer to Home

Dear Folks,

My two most obvious hobbies are gardening and cooking, and sometimes those two are more than sufficient to keep me occupied. At the same time, they can create some interesting "by-products" in the form of critters and reading. One could also call my writing a hobby except sometimes it takes over my life!

Although I no longer own miniature milking goats or laying hens, I positively reveled in owning and working with these 'additions to the garden.' When hand-raised as mine were, the goats were as keenly intelligent as dogs, would learn commands, and their names, and my hens came to their names , as well, when called and allowed me to hold them like babies and stroke their tummies. (The baby goats shown in the picture were from one of my 'girls' Sweet Annie.)

Some of the 'by-products' were the most delicious milk, yogurt and green eggs! (And yes, manure for the gardens.) The hens were aracanas sometimes called the "easter egg chicken" for their colorful egg shells which can range from pink, blue, and even green. The genetic working principle is the same as for brown or tan eggs.

The goats were Nigerian Dwarfs a type of milking goat known for their incredibly rich milk - one of the richest even among goats. "Dwarf" is a misnomer here as they are perfect miniatures.

Since I no longer have goats, I get to have my 'goat fix' assisting my friend Kathy Marshall with her goats. Kathy went a step further and makes lotions and soaps with the milk. Goats milk has special skin-care properties in addition to being more easily digested compared to cows milk for those who have milk issues.

You can visit Kathy at her website:

http://www.dbgoatsmilk.com/

Also if you want to know more about goats, you can email Kathy or me and we would be happy to answer questions. You do NEED to understand the proper care of goats in order to really enjoy them and their offerings.

My recreational reading includes cozy mysteries, the kind where there is no or minimal violence and the enjoyment is all about trying to figure out 'who dun it' while enjoying the characters' interaction.

While Christie's Poirot and Marple are some of my favorites, I discovered several series by authors whose expertise also included food -- a two-fer as I like to call these happy-stances, enjoyable reads with information and ideas too!

Susan Wittig-Albert's China Bayles Herb Shop Mystery series are absolute standouts.

Laura Child's Tea Shop Mystery series was an real eye-opener for me. I enjoy tea, but the author's knowledge of her subject matter together with a highly entertaining read has educated me on all things tea.

Cleo Coyle's Coffee Shop Mystery series is a little edgier than I usually enjoy but her characters, and her knowledge of coffee, are developing into another informative and entertaining series for me.

See the link in the side bar for my "Amazon - personal picks" to go to the amazon shop where I have links for the first books in each series (once on the page, click on "Cozy Mysteries with Food" in the upper right corner).

And one more entertainment companion I use is old time radio shows, while working on the computer. Since I do a lot of writing and researching on the computer, I like to listen to old time radio shows to keep me from turning into a computer-screen-zombie. See the link all the way at the bottom of my blog page to go to one of my favorite sources for hours and hours of shows. The site began as a hobby of Jon at Otrcat and has turned into a real passion.

Old time radio shows are a nice family option to just listening to the standard modern entertainment. The CDs each contain many hours of shows, can be played on computers or MP3 payers or most DVD players, and are a way of introducing the children to shows which were in many cases more wholesome. For any of the older members of the family it will be a great walk down memory lane.

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

Greening - Alternative Energy and Your Legacy

Dear Folks,

Some years ago I read for the first time the basis for decisions in the Sioux culture:

"In Sioux culture, no decision would be made without reference to the will of the seven generations previous and in consideration for its effects and consequences for the seven generations following."

I think we all need to stop for more than a moment and consider that belief as a foundation for decisions we make individually and also on a national level with regard to where our energy resources some from and how we use them. (This is certainly true of every nation, too.)

What legacy will you leave for your later years, your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, the families of friends? Some ‘pundits' suggest we have a God-given right to use up any and everything on the earth — I think that is incredibly selfish. My ‘other mom' had a saying for those kinds of people - "eat the whole chicken today, and the feathers and bones tomorrow." Will you be leaving behind more chickens or only the feathers and bones?

At this moment the US Congress is considering legislation which among other things would open up off-shore drilling.

Also T. Boone Pickens has launched a national ad campaign to get the country to refocus on sustainable alternative energy forms, and Al Gore has also launched a challenge — both of them to make and ensure that the US energy usage is both sustainable and self-reliant and not reliant on other countries for non-sustainable sources.

Wheee - lots of words there, but consider these factors:

1) No one - not a person - is indicating that things like off-shore drilling or even opening wild-life areas will produce anything sooner than 5-10 years down the road - in other words this is not a quick fix, folks. (Nor is it as safe as some would like to believe - when humans are involved there will be accidents, errors and just plain stupidity -- on a recent visit to Venice Beach I was saddened to see just how much of the decades old oil contamination is still visible - nasty!)

2) Sustainable - really give that some thought, because with gas, diesel, and jet fuel running at all- time high prices something has got to give.

3) Of the "things" that can ‘give' and not give, the most glaring is that anything which is moved over land has options - anything moving in the air currently has no viable fueling options. We can make electric, solar and hybrid cars, trains, and even boats, but we can't yet make a solar or electric powered airplane — do you understand what that means? If something has to give, it is going to be your car, train or bus or boat ride.

Pickens is making the point that a mix of alternative sustainable energy such as wind, solar and hydro along with ‘some' non-sustainable natural gas exploration, will allow the non-sustainable oil to be diverted to airplane use, period, which would theoretically (yes I used that word) allow for maximum efficient use of depleting oil reserves to be used for planes while all the techno folks get to work on a better fueling system in the future for air travel.

Gore's point is that we have become reliant on outside sources and (my words here) we as a nation need to be come locavores with our energy sources.

The political side effect or benefit, if you will, to having our own sustainable energy sources is to deflect all future discussions about cause and effect of ‘our oil under their soil' decisions by our government. I'm not trying to make a pro or con political statement here, just an observation of every discussion in the last some years over oil and the rest of the world.

If you decide to get solar on your residence or business, then you have made a major decision in taking back some control over where, how and when energy becomes a problem for you personally. If you go further and plug your electric or hybrid car into you solar powered/supported home (or business), you have reduced energy load on the community and increased your control over your life and resources. Make sense?

There is a new company in Arizona which is trying to take the bite out of residential solar purchase decisions, because the big stopping point for most folks is the up-front installation cost.
I cannot recommend them yet, because I have not used them although we plan to get an estimate and consultation with them.

http://www.solarcity.com/

This company consults with you, then builds a system to your property needs, and leases the system to you, for a total of reduced electric company bills, lease payment of an amount less than your average monthly bill. They do this by owning (and therefore they have to maintain) the equipment for a 15 year lease, with options for you at the end. They take the tax credits to make it work for them.

I am not alone in believing Arizona, for example, is so sun drenched that to NOT take advantage of it is just plain wasteful, but the resources to build etc. need to be there. Check out solarcity on your own, don't take my thoughts by themselves.

So what will your legacy be? Will you go for window-dressing quick fixes, which fix nothing, or choose some reasonable, doable options for the here and now, which will have good benefits for the future?

-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

RECIPE - CHILI CON FRIJOLES

Dear folks
If you have read either my cookbook or any of the my many recipes published in different media, you know how passionate I am about using herbs and spices for flavoring food. Much as I love tomatoes and use them in many recipes, my view is many folks use tomatoes, tomato sauce etc. because they do not know how to flavor foods with herbs and spices. SO...I created this easy recipe to be an 'off-the-shelf' 30 minute dinner - Add extra time if you want to make the cornbread topping.

This recipes is all about the herbs and spices for flavoring No tomatoes. If you are not familiar with the herb Epazote -- it is referred to as 'natural beano' because it works! Mexican Oregano is a specific variety but you can use Greek. And, if you want you can make this as hot(picante) as you like -- I always err on the side of mild for general consumption. Enjoy!

CHILI CON FRIJOLES or BEAN CHILI
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 Tablespoon granulated garlic
1 Tablespoon minced onion
1 Cup water
1 Tablespoon Mexican Oregano
1 Tablespoon Epazote (divided)
2 Tablespoons mild chili powder
1/2 Teaspoon salt
3/4 Teaspoon cumin
1 Teaspoon Sweet Paprika
1 Can (15 oz) Black Beans w/liquid
1 Can (16 oz) Vegetarian Refried Beans
2 Cups Frozen green Soybeans (shelled)
Optional: Topping using favorite Corn Bread Recipe.
Heat oil in heavy pan, add onion and garlic and stir for 1 minute, add all spices, and only half of Epazote and 1/2 cup water. Continuing stirring until all are well mixed, add other 1/2 cup water, refried beans and black beans (including bean liquid). Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Add soy beans and continuing cooking for additional 15 minutes adding reserved Epazote in the last 10 minutes.
Optional topping. Set oven to 400 degrees and have ready a medium casserole pan. Mix corn bread batter according to your recipe and set aside. After adding soy beans to chili cook for 5 minutes. Add epazote, stir and pour beans into casserole. Gently pour corn bread batter over beans. Bake for 20 minutes approximately, until bread is golden brown.
Chili recipes are all about options: Add any of the following to the top of the beans before serving or before adding the batter: shredded cheese, chopped fresh onions, chopped fresh cilantro, green chilies or jalapenos if you want heat.
- - From the cookbook "101+ Recipes from The Herb Lady" - use this link to view the book through google book search

http://books.google.com/books?id=27dG_KCwjBAC

Or, click on the book cover in the sidebar to go to the publisher site.


-- Catherine, The Herb Lady