Start a Herb Garden

I love to cook with fresh herbs. They have both amazing taste and health benefits. I grew tired of traveling to the store and purchasing overpriced and small portions of wilted herbs. I'm not rich and there are never coupons for fresh herbs. The stuff in the jar is not the same! Doesn't taste the same. No health benefits. Not as pretty in my dish.

So I decided enough was enough and I decided to make one finally trip to the store and never find myself without fresh herbs again. Plus having extra to mess around with. Endless supply of pesto, and extra rosemary to simply boil on the stove to scent the house.

First, you need to find something to plant your herbs in. You can use a pot, or you can choose a basket to add a different look and feel. When winter rolls around a basket looks better when I move it inside. Choose a fairly large one, the herbs will need room to spread.

Next, you want to add plastic wrap at the bottom. Layer it a few times. This prevents leakage. Now for the fun part. Take a screw driver and stab the crap out of the bottom. This adds drainage holes and relieves a bit of stress. If you want extra drainage, you can add a low level of river rocks or pebbles on top of the plastic wrap.


Add your soil. Find an organic nursery and find soil that is pure. I do not trust Miracle Grow for anything I eat. You hear about all the stuff they add to food and it's scary. Most people don't realize they are adding it to the soil as well. That's why things grow so fast and so much bigger. I like to add natural fertilizers. Try adding a bit of Epsom salt. This puts magnesium into the soil. I add crushed eggs shells once a week. It has always worked out very well for me.

If you buy any herbs from the store, they will come in these brown paper cup looking things. I've damaged many plants trying to get them out without reading the directions first. I'm not a directions kind of person. I dive in and hope for the best. Probably from spending too many years working around men. I've picked up their bad habits. First, you have to soak it in water for a few minutes. Then you start tearing it off to expose the roots. Try not to tear or damage the roots.

You have to remove all or as much paper as humanly possible. Once the roots are exposed, give the soil a good squeeze. This breaks things up and allows air in. You are now ready to plant in your basket.

The herbs you choose will be based or your prefernces and how you eat. If you are new to gardening and are afraid of reaching too far out on the limb start with basil. Basil is extremely forgiving. When I first started I killed everything including the basil. Somehow, it came back to life. It grows and spreads fast and there are fewer rules to keeping it.

Below is how I planted my basket. I will do individual posts on each herb to give as many tips for that particular herb as I can, to keep this post from getting too long.

My basket will include:
      - Basil
      - Rosemary
      - Flat leaf parsley
      - Italian parsley

Basil is very forgiving and a fast grower. Make sure when you plant the others you give basil plenty of room. He likes to stretch out.

When choosing a rosemary plant, spend the extra money and get as big of a plant as you can. Rosemary is a slow grower and will need time to figure out what it is supposed to do.

Plant them a few inches from the edges. It may not look like it here, but there are about 3 inches from the edge. 

On the left, I added my flat leaf parsley. On the right, the Italian parsley.

Growing a garden of any kind can have amazing anti-stress qualities. It forces you to slow down and stop thinking about whatever is going on around you. Have your children help you. I've found when children are involved in the growing and caring process they are more eager and willing to try new things. They seem to be more opened minded about what they are eating. Living out here in the country and speaking to the other moms, all kids you love vegetables have usually helped mom or a grandpa in a garden. Small herb gardening like this is a good way to ease yourself into it without the level of maintenance and commitment of a vegetable garden.






Check back later for instructions on how to actually grew these herbs. The best watering procedures, how to store them, what to do with them, and their health benefits. Plus posts on a few others.

Simple Grilled Veggies

The grill is great for things other than just meat. The grill will bring out an amazing flavor in vegetables. It doesn't take much for a great combo. Anything you have in your fridge can be tossed together. One of my favorite combos is onions, bell peppers, and zucchini.

I've found a grill tray is best for this, otherwise they fall through the cracks. It can still be done you just have to be careful.

Above, I have sliced and combined all in a bowl. Then I sprinkled onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, and seasoning salt. Season to taste, I applied generously. Drizzle a touch of extra virgin olive oil and mix well.

The amount of time it spends on the grill depends on the heat of your grill. I do not place mine directly over the flame or it will burn, however, I do place it nearby it. Fix the pieces occasionally and grill until they are soft.

This comes out so delicious even the dog was quick to eat the pieces I had dropped on the ground.

Play with the seasonings to find your perfect combo. Italian seasonings or Mexican seasonings can be used to change flavor. If you are nervous about combining your own cheat and grab Tony's or any type of Grill Mates or Mrs. Dash. I like to combine my own because I like to be in control of the flavor intensity. If you have never had any type of veggies on the grill before you will be thanking me for this!

ENJOY!!!

Southern Sun Tea

Yesterday, it was 105 in the shade. And it's still June which means over the next two months who knows where the temperature will go. Trying to stay positive about this heat...it's time to make sun tea.

Around here in the South, most of us have grown up on sun tea. Simply, it is tea brewed by the sun. It has a different taste. Possibly tastes different because it's slow brewed? I don't know. I just know it's good. Lately, I hear a lot of bad press about it. They say it's dangerous and because it is done so slow it just breeds bacteria. Not true. I lived on it as well as most people I know. No one has ever had a problem with it. It is perfectly safe as long as you use a little common sense. It will not last as long as boiled tea. I would say two days, maybe three. Normally it doesn't last that long anyway.

To start, you need to buy a sun tea pitcher. These can be difficult to find now and you may have to order one. Lately it seems they are becoming plastic. You want a glass one instead. The plastic brews chemicals into your tea, it doesn't heat the same, just trust me when I say stay away from the plastic ones. If you can't find one, or don't want to brew as much because your family will not drink it you can use Mason jars to brew individual servings.



To Brew:

Fill your jar (it's probably a 2-quart) with water. I like to use pure water, nothing from the tap. It will taste better. Add 4-6 tea bags. If you wish to mix it up you can replace a few of the bags with herbal tea bags. Place in direct sun and leave for 3-5 hours depending on size of jar and desired tea strength. The tea will be more mellow than regular brewed tea. You may have to move it around in the yard to keep in direct sun. Once it is brewed you may take the bags out or leave them in and place it immediately in the fridge.



Fill your cup, add ice and whatever fruit you may want and enjoy!!

Cut the Cost of "Instant" Oatmeal

Now days, we are all looking for ways to stretch a dollar. With the rapidly increasing groceries prices we need to become clever with our shopping lists.

My son loves oatmeal. I love it because it feels him up in the mornings. If he gets hungry at school he turns into a monster. Normally I fix a small bowl of oatmeal on the side with eggs and sausage or something else. As a single mom, my budget is really stretched. One day I did the math and realized how much I was actually spending for those pre-packaged oatmeal packets.

A box of 10 packets costs 2.88. If he eats only one packet on school days the box will lasts two weeks. In one month I can spend 5.76 just on oatmeal. That really doesn't seem that bad. However, he's a growing boy and can eat two or three of those packets at a time. Even though it doesn't seem like much, we have all learned that these little things add up quick. What you are paying for with these packets is the convenience. Which I love. Mornings are not easy in my house. I decided I would make my own packets so I could save both time and money. This is just something extra I put together during my Sunday prep. Even though it seems like I'm adding more time onto myself, I really only do this about once a month or so.



Instant Oatmeal Packets:

Use ziplock bags for each packet and just measure the ingredients right into it. Add 1/2 cup quick-cooking or 1 minute oats into each bag. Add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and a pinch of salt. The great thing about doing it this way is you can adjust it to your tastes. Omit the salt if you want or add dried fruit to it. I grow a lot of different things but the things I don't grow I buy when they are in season and freeze. Or I chop up an apple or banana and throw in there.


Here's the Numbers:

1 box of 10 packets is $2.88 (10 servings ) about 30 cents per serving.
1 can of oats is $3.98  ( 30 servings ) about 12 cents per serving.

At Sam's Club you can purchase a box that contains two five-pound bags costs $7.98
   ( 110 servings ) about 7 cents a serving.

If you continued to buy the pre-packaged packets to get to 110 servings would be 11 boxes at a total of $31.68.

When you are doing your kitchen prep have your kids do this. You spend time together and get them involved. It's almost impossible to mess this one up and if they're doing it themselves, they might be more willing to eat the dried fruit if you choose to throw it in there.

Quick and Easy Tomato Sauce

Making homemade spaghetti/tomato sauce doesn’t have to be time-consuming or complicated. There really is no need to ever open another jar as long as you live. This is also a perfect base for meat sauces.

In 10 minutes you will “wow” friends and family on how you always make homemade tomato sauce. One thing that is very important is to use fresh basil not dried and add it at the very end of cooking. The longer basil cooks the less flavor it will have. Dried basil retains flavor, however, the difference in the flavors is huge. Well worth the effort of using fresh. Plus fresh basil has a lot of health benefits!

A quick tip for chopping basil, stack all your leaves and roll into a log. The way you rolled up Play-Dough to make a snake. Start chopping the end in the thinnest strips you can manage. What I do for even smaller pieces, I make a slit from half way up down the length of the basil roll. Then I chop the ends. When I reach the point of the middle cut, I repeat with the remaining. Just watch your fingers!

 Here's what you will need:

1 28 oz can whole tomatoes (use whole not pre-diced. The diced ones have added chemicals to preserve the color and appearence of the tomatoes and changes the taste of them), you can grow and can your own tomatoes if you do use those instead.

¼ c tomato paste    
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste, or red pepper flakes for added heat

Heat the oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.  Don't burn the garlic or it will become bitter. If you are using the red pepper flakes add them when you add the garlic. The red pepper flakes will not make the sauce spicy just give it a little extra kick.

Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and stir. Bust and break the tomatoes. Bring to a boil.

 Reduce heat to medium-low and add the fresh basil. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. Simmer for about 10 minutes, no longer than 30.

You can let this cool to room temperature and store in the fridge for up to a week or the freezer for 2 months. When I freeze, I freeze in small one cup portions so I can use this later for a quick lunch for myself without heating more than I need.

There you go. No need to ever buy another jar of Ragu (although I love their new commericals) and  be that top mom that makes the other moms hate her because she always makes her own sauce.

Cowboy Eggs

Basically, a piece of bread with a hole and an egg in the middle. OK. Not basically, literally. That’s all it is.

There are many different aliases: egg-in-the-hole, bird’s nest, egg baskets, one-eyed monsters, the list is endless. Whatever you decide to call them, they are quick and easy early in the morning. This happens to be my sons favorite breakfast.

Typically, people will tell you to use a 2 inch round cookie cutter to cut your hole in your bread. I guess they’re super organized and actually know where their 2 inch round cookie cutter is. At 6:30 in the morning, I have no idea where my cookie cutter is and really don’t care to look for it. So I just use whatever I have on hand: a glass, the top to the cooking spray, the random dinosaur sandwich cutter I always seem to have beside me, or a knife to cut the best circle I can. So what if it’s a little lopsided, right?

Here's what you will need:

1 large slice of bread (sandwich bread will work, firmer bread is better)
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1 large egg
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Using a cookie cutter, cut a circle in the middle of the slice of bread.
2. Over medium heat, melt half the butter. Place the bread in the butter and swirl around to coat and toast. Crack the egg into the hole. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper. Let the egg set for about a minute. Flip the bread and add the rest of the butter. Swirl and coat, but beware of the egg. Don’t let it lose. By the time the bread is toasted the egg will have set.
3. Transfer to a plate and dig in.

Your personal preference on how you like your eggs will determine the amount of time you spend with your egg on the heat. If you have picky eaters that will not touch a runny egg you can pop the yolk with a fork after you crack it. On the other end, if you prefer runny eggs you can crack the egg, flip the bread and cover the pan with a lid until the top is set the way you like.

Take it a step farther:

I tried this one morning and I will admit it was pretty tasty. It reminded me of an egg sandwich. I'm not a huge fan of eggs so I decided to add some of the precooked bacon crumbles or breakfast sausage I keep on hand in my fridge for quick additions. I just mixed it in with the egg before it set. I prefer my eggs cooked. Once it was on my plate I shredded a little cheese on top. Oh it was good. Fast and tasty. All completed within a few minutes.

If you would like to read my blog on kitchen prep click here.

Tomato Basil Soup

One place I love to eat is La Madeline. If you have never been there you dont know what youre missing. It is a French Bistro serving sandwiches and soups. They are famous for there tomato basil soup. Simple to make and sooo delish. I always have some in the fridge and some in the freezer. It's great to dip your grilled cheese into or eat plain on a cold or rainy night. Since the 'cold front' has blown in, I thought it would be the perfect time for a hot steamy bowl.

Tomato Basil Soup
Adapted from La Madeline's Recipe

2 28 oz cans of Tomatoes
1 large bunch of fresh basil
4 cups of tomato juice, veggie or chicken broth
1 cup of heavy cream
1 stick of sweet unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste
lemon juice (optional)

Add together in a large pot your tomatoes and juice or broth. Let it cook covered on medium low for about 30 minutes.

Puree the soup and the basil in small batches in your blender. Return to saucepan. Add cream and butter, while stirring over low heat. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with a hearty bread.

Enjoy!