Green up your interior space with a quick and easy herb garden that won’t break the bank

Sundays are for sleeping in, binging on netflix, and if you’re like me–cooking.

You can keep fresh herbs available within arm’s reach if you have a few bucks and a sunny window.

For the pictured herb garden above, we used a set of six square, distressed wooden vases.  Each box is lined with plastic to prevent water seepage.

–> You can find the exact wooden vases here at this link <—

Place a small layer of gravel at the base of each box to catch excess water and prevent rot, then simply insert the potted herb into the vase.  A top layer of spanish moss conceals the structure and helps retain moisture.

To maintain, water a little at a time, and often.  You may have to occasionally service the vase by emptying any excess water out.  For 4-inch pots, I found that about an ounce of water every other day was sufficient.  Some plants will require more, some less.  You will absolutely not have any issues growing mint indoors–it is a weed, basically.  Other plants can be more fickle.  Experiment as you like.

The indoors isn’t ideal for certain varieties–these will not have an extremely long lifespan in your kitchen unless they are maintained perfectly.  No matter–herbs are cheap ($3-$5 per pot), so any mistakes you make won’t be too expensive.

For better drainage, use traditional pots and saucers.  I opted for the wooden vases for aesthetic reasons, understanding their limitations.

As always, reach out with any questions.

Enjoy!

Full disclosure: I made this by guesstimating amounts and without writing anything down as I went, and I did 16 portions, so the recipe below isn’t precise. But it should be close enough that you can fine tune it to your own preference. You can do most of this recipe a day or two ahead and just heat and garnish when you are ready to serve them. Don’t be put off because the recipe has 12 steps, it actually goes together pretty quick.

Delicata Squash Stuffed with Orzo in a Sage Brown Butter Sauce
Serves 4 as an entree
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Vegetarian, vegan if you use olive oil instead of the brown butter, gluten-free if you omit the breadcrumbs and substitute a gluten-free pasta or other gluten-free grain for the orzo

• 2 delicata squash
• 8 tablespoons (one stick) unsalted butter
• 3 leaves fresh sage
• 6 ounces orzo pasta
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup pepitas (green, hulled pumpkin seeds – or substitute chopped almonds)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, halved
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (preferably homemade; not panko)
• Handful of fresh pomegranate seeds
• Italian parsley

1. Carefully halve the squash, remove the seeds (a tablespoon or ice cream scoop works well), rub with oil and roast in the oven at 375 degrees until thoroughly tender. When they come out, rub the inside with a little butter.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and allow it to keep cooking until it develops a nutty / caramel aroma and light brown color, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Taste (carefully), it should have a caramel flavor as well. If not, you haven’t cooked it long enough. While the butter is still hot, tear the sage leaves and add them in, allowing them to steep for awhile.
3. Boil the orzo according to package directions, being sure to leave it al dente, then drain. Strain the brown butter, add the lemon juice, and toss with the orzo. You may not need all of the butter. If you have some left, try it on popcorn or brussel sprouts.
4. Toast the pepitas in a skillet, toaster oven, or oven until slightly browned and smelling good. Add the cranberries and pepitas to the orzo Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Mound the orzo into the squash. At this point you can refrigerate them for later use, or serve immediately.
6. To serve, sprinkle on a good layer of breadcrumbs and heat in oven. If reheating from cold, start covered with tinfoil and remove for the last few minutes. Garnish with the parsley and pomegranate seeds, a good finishing salt and a grind of black pepper.

Note: an even better way to do this ahead would be to make the orzo mixture without the pepitas, and wait to add them and fill the squash just before heating. That way the pepitas will retain their crunch.

Found on Herbavoracious, thank you to Michael Natkin

“The Ten Commandments contain 297 words. The Bill of Rights is stated in 463 words.  Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address contains 266 words.  A recent federal directive to regulate the price of cabbage contains 26,911 words.”

But…for the ultimate experience of the ultimate apple, one must make the trip to Solebury Orchard.  I don’t know what their magic is with this variety and perhaps it should be left at that…magic.

Eighteen years ago this month when we arrived in Philadelphia,  I got into the car and got lost, each day for months.  What  better way  to learn the byways and special spots.  That’s when I found Solebury Orchard, along a picturesque road under arched woodland.  At that time it was a small concern, owned by a young fellow with a passion.  And that’s when I first was introduced to this delectable treat.   Each year since I’ve made the pilgrimage, converting friends along the way.  I  guess I wasn’t alone in that holy mission!  In ensuing years the orchard has grown.  So have its converts.  And that young fellow, who looks young still, has added untold Honeycrisp trees to his grove.  In fairness, he also offers other common and not so common varieties and all are superior.

Of course, you can pick-ur-own.  There’s a frenetic cutting garden, bouquets by weight.  Warm, freshly made apple doughnuts. Iced cider slush.  Apple butters, applesauce, the freshest, sweetest cider I’ve ever tasted.  Pears and pumpkins.  New this year, cider vinegar.  In season: peaches, apricots, cherries, plums, tomatoes, berries too.

The orchard is open Thursdays through Sundays.

 http://soleburyorchards.com/index.html

3325 Creamery Road, New Hope, PA  18938  215-297-8079

 An apple’s core principle is to not get eaten. And who wants to eat the core of an apple anyway?  Jarod Kintz

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Smoky-Roasted Chickpeas and Bacon

Yum.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
2 small butternut squash (about 4lbs total)
extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper
15oz can garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas)
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika, divided
6 slices bacon, chopped
2 large or 3 small leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped in half then thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 Tablespoons maple syrup (depends on how sweet you want your soup)
3 cups chicken broth

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pierce bulb ends of butternut squash with a sharp knife then microwave for 1-1/2 minutes to make them easier to cut. Cut in half lengthwise with a sharp knife then remove seeds with a spoon and place cut-side up on a nonstick sprayed baking sheet. Brush or mist with extra virgin olive oil then season liberally with salt and pepper.
2. Drain chickpeas then rinse and pat dry with a towel (the dryer the better.) Pour onto a baking sheet then add extra virgin olive oil and 1-1/4 teaspoons smoked paprika and then toss with your hands to coat.
3. Place baking sheets into the oven. Roast butternut squash for 45-60 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the thickest part of the squash goes in easily. If squash starts burning before it’s tender, lay a piece of foil on top. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Roast chickpeas for 25-30 minutes, stirring or shaking the pan every 10 minutes, or until crisp (beans will continue crisping as they cool.) Sprinkle with salt then set aside to cool.
4. Meanwhile, crisp bacon in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat then remove to a paper towel lined plate to train. Remove all but 2 Tablespoons bacon grease from pot then add leeks and season with salt and pepper. Saute for 7-10 minutes, or until leeks are golden brown and tender, then add garlic and saute for one more minute. Transfer mixture to a blender then remove pot from heat and add maple syrup and remaining 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika to blender.
5. Scoop butternut squash flesh out of the skin with a spoon then add it to the blender along with 2 cups chicken broth (may need to do this in two batches.) Blend until very smooth then pour back into soup pot and turn heat to low. Stir in remaining cup chicken broth then cook on low for 10 minutes. Taste and add remaining tablespoon maple syrup, salt, and pepper if desired. Serve topped with cooked bacon, smoky-roasted chickpeas, crostini and/or fresh bread.
6. To freeze: Cool soup then scoop into a freezer bag and freeze flat. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then reheat on the stove (may need to add more chicken broth to thin out a bit.)

Thank you to iowagirleats.com

Hazelnut Blackberry Cake with Mascarpone Cream

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

CAKE:
– 3/4 cup roasted hazelnuts
– 2 and 1/4 cups white spelt flour
– 2 teaspoons baking powder
– 15 tablespoons soft butter
– 4 large eggs
– 1/3 cup superfine sugar
– 1/3 cup maple syrup
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
– Zest of 1 lemon

MASCARPONE CREAM:
– 1 cup mascarpone cheese, soft
– 1 cup heavy cream
– 1 tablespoon superfine sugar
– 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Also have a bunch of fresh blackberries ready to go (about 1 pound).

NOTES:
– I suggest you leave a brick of butter out overnight so you can easily spoon the butter the next day.
– Leave your eggs out for a few hours so they are at room temp
– To soften the mascarpone, simply leave it out of the fridge at room temp for about 10 min.
– This recipe calls for 2 loose bottom pans, I used one small one for the photo above BUT I had to bake longer at a reduced temp to get the centre cooked. I suggest you follow the recipe below for fool-proof results (unless ur a master baker!…teehee).
– If you can find roasted hazelnuts in the store (I did!) just buy those, if you can’t, then roast them at home in a pan in the oven at 300F for about 5-7 min, careful not to burn them!

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease 2 loose-bottom 8 inch cake pan
2. Using a kitchen towel or napkin, shake the hazelnuts to remove skins (like this), then using a blender or food processor, pulverize those nuts ’til they become a fine meal (don’t make them butter tho!).
3. For the cake – In a large bowl, place the butter, sugar, and eggs and lightly beat til they incorporate (it’s ok if they look a bit “split). Sift the flour and baking powder and add it along with the rest of the ingredients (the vanilla, ground hazelnuts, lemon zest, and maple syrup). Gently incorporate all ingredients making sure you don’t over mix (say no to tough cakes!).
4. Divide the mix between the pans and place them in the oven for about 25-35 min. Check the centre with a toothpick and when no dough comes out and the sides look golden brown then take them out.
5.Let cakes cool completely at room temp.

Now make the mascarpone cream:

– In a bowl mix all the cream ingredients and whisk until nice and thick (stiff peaks).
– Mush a few blackberries and add this blackberry “paste” on top of the cream – don’t mix it tho!

Assemble the cake:

– If your cakes have a weird top, just level it with a knife.
– Place one cake on a plate, then top with dollops of the cream (you’ll see the blackberry paste will create a marble effect when you scoop it out, cool eh?).
– Arrange fresh blackberries all over the cream
– Add one more thin layer of cream on top of berries and place the 2nd cake on top.
– Place the rest of the cream on top, load it with berries and – if you have some – decorate with fresh chamomile.

That’s it!

Hope you enjoy this delicious summery treat.

CREDIT:
Photos and styling: Artful Desperado
Recipe: adapted from Love Bake Nourish by Amber Rose

Well, today is your lucky day.

Here is a slick infographic that supplies all the information on seasonal availability of “vegetables” (a term used a bit beyond its definition, as it does include some fruits.. but who’s counting?).

Enjoy and make sure you get your 6-8 servings in today!

“Cabbage:  a vegetable about as large and wise as a man’s head”   Ambrose Bierce

The weeds of spring are delicate and delicious…just call them wild greens…and good for you, too! A rich source of Vitamins A and C. A blog entry from The Grist with recipes for what you might otherwise curse.

We had a call yesterday, asking for fiddlehead ferns. Fiddleheads are not a variety of fern…they are the tender, young, unfurled fronds of the fern…and an epicurean delicacy.

Not all varieties are particularly edible and some are toxic; so in our area harvest only Royal, Cinnamon and Ostrich Fern fiddleheads (the most aggressive of ferns, easily identified)….the tighter the better. Be sure not to cut the fronds to the ground, or to harvest more than half of a plant’s fronds or there will be no new growth. One and a half to two inches of stem beneath the coil is about right. Remove the papery chaff by rolling in your hands under a running faucet. Wash several times with cold water and pat dry gently. Use soon after harvest, or keep refrigerated for a day or so.

There are many creative recipes out there, but to my taste the simpler is usually the better. Fiddleheads have their own distinct flavor, somewhat like asparagus. Saute or steam lightly to retain their crisp texture and shape and so they don’t dry out. Sprinkle with salt, lemon, or vinaigrette. Or eat them uncooked in salads or all by themselves. They are a concentrated source of Vitamins A and C, niacin, iron, potassium and other minerals.

The window is short…you’ll find fiddleheads from mid April to early May.