Cooking with Lavendar

Lavender Chicken Preheat Oven to 400˚

• 4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Sprigs of lavender
• 8 slices of bacon
• Pinch of red pepper flakes to taste
• 1 c shredded Swiss cheese

Place 2-3 sprigs of lavender on top of each chicken breast half. Wrap two slices of bacon around each piece of chicken keeping lavender inside. Place chicken into a shallow baking dish. Season with salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes. Bake chicken for 20 minutes giving it a turn once. Turn one more time so the lavender is on top and sprinkle with the cheese. Continue baking for 10 more minutes or until the cheese has melted and chicken juices are clear.

Lavender Dijon Dressing

• ½ c olive oil
• 2 T red wine vinegar
• 2 T Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp lavender chopped very fine
• ¾ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp minced garlic
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper

In a jar with secure lid combine all ingredients. Shake well. Dress salad or marinate meat with it.

Cabbage

CABBAGE
There are many varieties of cabbage but the most familiar is the one that is a round, heavy, head of tightly packed leaves that are either red or green. The outer leaves are shiny and have heavy veins. On the interior there is a white core. This inner core is edible but is usually on the tough side and most people prefer to remove it.
Cabbage can be eaten raw or it can be steamed, baked, braised, sautéed, stuffed, or grilled. It can be a salad, a main dish or a side dish depending on how it is prepared.
Uncut cabbage is one vegetable that will store for a couple of weeks, but the older it gets the stronger the flavor and odor will be. Once cabbage has been cut it will rapidly lose its vitamin C content so it should be used within a couple of days. Before it has been cut keep the head of cabbage in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator and after it has been cut cover it tightly with plastic wrap.
Even though cabbage is mostly water it is packed with nutrition and is very low in calories. It is high in fiber, has some protein, is a good source of vitamins A, B, C and E, and it provides iron and several other minerals.
Not to sound like a broken record but remember; to retain the maximum nutritional values of any vegetable don’t overcook it. Crispy is better than soggy and overcooking will bring out an unpleasant odor caused by sulfur compounds in cabbage.
Always use a stainless steel knife to cut cabbage. Carbon steel blades will cause the cut edges of the cabbage to turn black. Trim off any cut edges that turn dark, the rest is okay.

Peas

Sugar snap peas are a result of crossing the English garden pea and snow peas. Sugar snap peas are eaten pod and all just like snow peas but the pod is not flat it is rounded. In France they are known as “mange-touts” which means “eat all”. Eating them pod and all makes for fast and easy preparation. These peas have a sweet flavor and are crunchy and tender. They can be eaten raw or they can be cooked. Raw they can be rinsed and eaten as a snack, used as a dipper on a veggie tray, or added to salads. If you will be cooking them be sure they are added to the cooking process at the last minute so they are not overcooked. Overcooking will cause the pod to soften and will result in loss of flavor.

Add the whole pods to stir-fry, sauté them, roast them with sea salt and olive oil beneath the broiler, blanch them and add them to pasta, or put them in soups and stews. The options are many.
Some varieties of sugar snap peas do develop a string down the side. Whether or not you remove the string is a matter of personal preference. If you wish to remove the string gently snap off the stem end of the pod and
pull down removing the string as you go.

Sugar snap peas can easily be frozen for use at a later date. After rinsing and drying the pods lay them out on a cookie sheet so they are not touching. When they are frozen put them in a plastic bag and they will keep for about a year.
Sugar snap peas should be kept in a plastic bag in the crisper of the refrigerator. Do not wash them until you are ready to eat them or prepare them. After they have been picked the sugar in peas will start to turn to starch so the sooner you eat them the better the flavor will be.

 

Fettuccine with English Peas

• ½ cup vegetable stock
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 2-3 cups English peas
• 2 cups whole milk
• ½ cup basil leaves torn and loosely packed
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Fettuccine

Bring the stock to a boil and place 1 ½ cup peas in and bring to a boil and simmer until tender. Transfer the peas and cooking liquid to a blender and blend on high until smooth. In a medium pan place the milk, remaining peas and salt, and bring to a simmer, reduce to low and cook until peas are tender. Cook fettuccine according to directions; drain. Add pea puree, and pea milk mixture. Heat through. Remove from heat and stir in basil, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Sautéed Peas and Potatoes

• 2 pound potatoes, small red potatoes or regular potato cut in chunks
• 1 pound fresh peas in pods, shelled
• ½ pound sugar snap peas
• 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes in salted water until just tender, drain and set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet until it is hot but not smoking. Add shelled peas, potatoes and sugar snap peas and sauté for 3-4 minutes until sugar snap peas are crisp tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sugar Snap Peas

• 1 pound sugar snap peas
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp spring onions chopped or shallots
• 2 tsp chopped thyme
• Sea salt to taste

Preheat oven to 450º. Spread sugar snap peas in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with onions, thyme and salt. Optional: you can also sprinkle a couple tablespoons of sesame seeds. Bake 6-8 min until tender but still slightly firm

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Mint Chocolate Meringue Cookies

4 egg shites at room temperature (must make sure they are room temp)
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon mint extract (or you can use a bit less)
2 drops of green food coloring (opt)
1 cup mini chocolate chips (opt)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside
3. In a bow beat egg whites with an electric mixer until foamy
4. Add the cream of tartar and beat until fluffy, but not stiff.
5. Add sugar slowing 2 tablespoons at a time.
6. Contintue beating until all the sugar is added.  Add mint extract and food coloring and beat until meringue is shiny and firm.  It should for stiff peaks.
7. Gently fold in miniature chocolate chips.
8. Drop by tablespoon carefully onto baking sheets or use piping tool
9. Place in pre-heated oven and turn off oven.  Leave in the oven for at least 2 hours or overnight until cookies are crisp and dry.  The meringue cookies willcook from the heat of the turned off oven.
10. Store in an airtight container.
11. Serve and enjoy.

To change the flavor I just OMITTED THE MINT FLAVORING put a 3 ounce package of jello in the measuring cup then added the sugar until it reached the required amount.

Fall Fruits and Vegetables

Acorn Squash

• Look for blemish-free, dull green rind.
• Can keep up to two months.

Apples

• Choose firm, unblemished apples.

Butternut Squash

• Feel for top-heavy squash.
• Check skin for blemishes.

Cauliflower

• Look for tightly-packed florets.
• Check for yellow spots before buying.
• Keeps up to five days, refrigerated.

Figs

• Squeeze to test for firmness - not too soft, not hard.

Grapes

• Check for grapes to be plump and vibrant-colored.

Kale

• Look for dark green leaves (may have tinges of purple).
• Find kale with sturdy stems.
• Do not store longer than a week.

Mushrooms

• Avoid blemished or dried out mushrooms.
• Store in paper bag for the right humidity.

Parsnips

• Shouldn't look withered or limp or have too many small roots.
• Can be stored up to four weeks in refrigerator.

Pears

• Find pears free of blemishes or bruises.

Pomegranate

• Whole pomegranates should feel heavier than they look.
• Can be stored up to three months in the fridge.

Pumpkin

• Pick a pumpkin with a tough skin that can't be scratched by your thumbnail.

Rutabega

• Look for smaller rutabegas, as they will be sweeter.
• Check for an unblemished skin.

Sweet Potatoes

• Avoid sweet potatoes with black spots.
• Make sure they're not shriveled.

Swiss Chard

• Leaves should be vibrant and green.
• Avoid wilted chard.

Turnips

• Select turnips smaller than three inches in diameter.
• Store in a plastic bag up to one week in refrigerator.

Raw Milk Pumpkin Latte

You first need to make some pumpkin butter:

4 cups cooked pumpkin  (or 2 cans organic pumpkin)
How to cook a pumpkin
3 Cinnamon sticks
6 Whole Cloves
2 Tbs Pumpkin Spice
3/4 cups Pure Apple Cider (use local cider whenever possible avoiding apples from out of the US)

Bring to a boil and allow all flavors to blend together as you stir. You can put this in a jar for your next recipe. For this treat we'll take 4 Tablespoons out to use in our latte and put the rest away in the refrigerator. Leave the cinnamon sticks in whole to continue releasing flavor.

Take some wonderful farm fresh raw milk and remove just enough cream (1 and a half cups) to make your whip cream for the top of your drink. Shake the rest of the cream into your milk before measuring out so you get the full rich flavor this drink is meant to offer.

Put your cream along with 4 tsp of organic cane evaporated sugar into your mixer and mix up into whip cream.

Meanwhile, take the 3 cups raw milk and heat it up on the stove making sure to add:

4 TBS of your pumpkin butter
3 tsp of pure vanilla extract
4 tsp of organic cane evaporated sugar
Bring to desired temp to drink.. not too hot.

Before you pour the latte mixture into your cup add 1/2 cup of very strong coffee. Then pour into your cup (this makes three Latte's) add a large serving of your fresh made whip cream to top it. Sprinkle a pinch of pumpkin spice on the top add a cinnamon stick and serve!

Recipe adapted from a recipe by AZURE STANDARD