Herbs....

I hosted Gardening Gems Club on August 13th.....we had a grand time!!!

Here is the handout I shared and a few photos too!!

Recipes USING HERBS from the Kitchen of Karla Kimball

Advanced Master Food Safety Adviser/University of Idaho

GARDEN FRESH HERBED CREAM CHEESE 

16 oz. Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 c. Butter, softened

5 cloves fresh garlic  OR  3/4 t. Granulated Garlic 

2 T. each of the following fresh herbs, lemon balm, chives, parsley, thyme, basil, dill

1/2 t. salt

1/8 t. Pepper

2 Lemons, zested and juiced (divided)

Place in mixer bowl, all ingredients; except 1/2 of the lemon juice. Cream together and gradually add more lemon juice as needed, until the desired consistency is reached. For a dip you will probably want it thinner than you would for a spread.

Serve with veggies and crackers or as a spread for pinwheel or layered sandwiches or whatever you like.  Dried herbs can be used in place of some of the fresh herbs, but not all of them or it will not taste the same.

If you want to watch my corny video here is a link:   

https://karlasrecipeblog.blogspot.com/search?q=garden+fresh+herbed+cream+cheese 

CHEESY GARLIC PULL-APART BREAD

1 loaf round artisan bread

1/2 c.  butter, melted  OR  1/2 olive oil & 1/2 butter

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. Freshly Chopped Parsley

1 to 2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

 Place loaf on a sheet of foil on a cookie sheet.  Using a serrated knife, cross cut bread, making slices every inch in both directions, do not slice all the way through the bottom of bread.

In a small bowl, stir together melted butter/oil, garlic, and parsley.

Brush bread with melted butter mixture, making sure to get inside cuts.

Stuff each cut with cheese and wrap bread completely in foil, with an additional sheet of foil to cover the top.

Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes until cheese is melted and bread is warm and toasty. 

LAVENDER LEMONADE

1 c. lemon juice

¾ c. sugar

2 T. Dried lavender flowers (Place in tea infuser & steep for 15 to 20 minutes) 

Add water & ice to make 2 quarts.  Stir well. 

HERB GARDEN SALAD DRESSING 

3/4 c. mayonnaise

1/2 c. sour cream or greek yogurt

juice of one lemon (1/4 c.) 

1/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 c. chopped, fresh parsley

1/4 c. chopped, fresh oregano

2 T. chopped, fresh chives

1 clove garlic

1/2 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

Place in blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Will keep in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks.

STRAWBERRY DRESSING

1 c. olive or canola oil

¾ to 1 c. sugar

6 to 10 large strawberries (fresh or frozen)

½ t. pepper

¾ t. salt

1 T. fresh parsley

½ c. apple cider vinegar

Place all ingredients in blender and blend well.  Refrigerate.  Shake well at serving time.  Keeps in refrigerator for 3 to 4 weeks.  

TOMATO BASIL BREAD

1/2 c. warm milk - microwave 30 seconds

1-2 ripe tomatoes, pureed (1/2 c.)  I use 3- 4th of July Tomatoes.....they are small and juicy

1 egg

2 T. oil

1/2 t. salt

1 T. sugar

2 T. fresh basil, minced

1 T. fresh chives, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 t. fresh oregano, minced 

3 rounded c. bread flour

1 scant T. yeast

GARLIC CHIVE SPREAD

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 T. fresh chives, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

Place bread ingredients in bread machine pan in order listed.   Check dough after 5 minutes of mixing, add 1 to 2 T. water or flour if needed.  Bake in bread machine or remove dough, form into 2 artisan loaves and bake in oven at 375 for 20 minutes.  

In bowl, combine spread ingredients. Serve with bread. 

For all your canning questions go to:  https://nchfp.uga.edu/search.html 

Flavored Vinegars go to:  https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/uga/uga_flavored_vinegars.pdf

Peach Apple Salsa

This is probably my favorite canned salsa!! 
https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_salsa/peach_apple_salsa.html

Peach Apple Salsa
6 cups (2¼ pounds) chopped Roma tomatoes (about 3 pounds tomatoes as purchased)
2½ cups diced yellow onions (about 1 pound or 2 large as purchased)
2 cups chopped green bell peppers (about 1½ large peppers as purchased)
10 cups (3½ pounds) chopped hard, unripe peaches (about 9 medium peaches or 4½ pounds as purchased peaches)
2 cups chopped Granny Smith apples (about 2 large apples as purchased)
4 tablespoons mixed pickling spice
1 tablespoon canning salt
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
3¾ cups (1¼ pound) packed light brown sugar
2¼ cups cider vinegar (5%)
Yield: About 7 pint jars

Please read Using Boiling Water Canners before beginning. If this is your first time canning, it is recommended that you read Principles of Home Canning.

Procedure:

  1.  Wash and rinse pint canning jars; keep hot until ready to use. Prepare lids according to manufacturer's directions.

  2. Place pickling spice on a clean, double-layered, 6-inch-square piece of 100% cheesecloth. Bring corners together and tie with a clean string. (Or use a purchased muslin spice bag or I use a tea infuser).

  3. Wash and peel tomatoes (place washed tomatoes in boiling water for 1 minute, immediately place in cold water, and slip off skins). Chop into ½-inch pieces. Peel, wash and dice onions into ¼-inch pieces. Wash, core, and seed bell peppers; chop into ¼-inch pieces. Combine chopped tomatoes, onions and peppers in an 8- or 10- quart Dutch oven or saucepot.

  4. Wash, peel and pit peaches; cut into halves and soak for 10 minutes in an ascorbic acid solution (1500 mg in half gallon water). Wash, peel and core apples; cut into halves and soak for 10 minutes in ascorbic acid solution. Quickly chop peaches and apples into ½-inch cubes to prevent browning. Add chopped peaches and apples to the saucepot with the vegetables.

  5. Add the pickling spice bag to the saucepot; stir in the salt, red pepper flakes, brown sugar and vinegar. Bring to boiling, stirring gently to mix ingredients. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove spice bag from pan and discard.

  6. With a slotted spoon, fill salsa solids into hot, clean pint jars, leaving 1¼-inch headspace (about ¾ pound solids in each jar). Cover with cooking liquid, leaving ½-inch headspace.

  7. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened, clean paper towel; apply two-piece metal canning lids.

  8. Process in a boiling water canner according to the recommendations in Table 1. Let cool, undisturbed, 12 to 24 hours and check for seals.
Serving Suggestion: Serve as a side with or spooned on top of grilled pork chops or any grilled meat.
OF course it is great on tortilla chips too!!

 Recommended process time for Peach-Apple Salsa in a boiling-water canner.
  Process Time for hot packed PINTS at Altitudes of
0 - 1,000 ft = 15 minutes
1,001 to 6,000 ft = 20 minutes
Above 6,000 = 25 minutes

Nutrition Information (Estimated values using Nutritionist Pro™ software)
Per 2 Tbsp: Calories 30, Total Fat 0 g, Sodium 66 mg, Fiber 0 g, Protein 0 g. 
Daily Values: Vitamin A 3%, Vitamin C 8%, Calcium 1%, Iron 1%.
Percent Daily Values based on Dietary Reference Intakes.

Developed at The University of Georgia, Athens, for the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Released by Elizabeth L. Andress, Ph.D., Department of Foods and Nutrition, College of Family and Consumer Sciences. August 2003.

Cheese Fondue

Lacey needed to make fondue for her teen living final.  This is what we came up with....

Cheese Fondue
1 1/2 c. milk OR chicken broth OR some of both
4 c. cheddar cheese sauce
1 c. cheddar cheese, grated
1 t. garlic powder OR 2 -3 t. fresh garlic, pressed
1-2 T.  Worchestershire sauce
1/2 t. pepper
1-2 t. mustard powder
Stir together over low heat until melted and combined well.  Place in warm crock pot until serving time.

For Chocolate Fondue we used my recipe for Choice Chocolate Topping in the Atkinson Cookbook on page 199.