Home Farm Herbery

The Health Benefits of Red Beans and Rice

Whenever one thinks of New Orleans one thinks of Red Beans and Rice and that is about it!

According to legend, the Cajun dish combining red beans and rice was served on washday because the dry beans could be simmered on the stove all day while attention was devoted to doing laundry.

Those days have changed because we now have canned beans and the nutritional benefits of this dish can be obtained quickly and easily any day of the week because  any kind of beans and rice are a great source of complete protein, minerals and dietary fiber.

But once you take red beans and rice, kidney beans (red beans) are combined with vegetables (onions, carrots, bell peppers, celery) and ham, bacon or smoked sausage it just gets better.

I don’t eat a lot of meat any more but when I make red beans and rice simmered in chicken broth and seasoned with cayenne pepper and garlic, the cooked bean mixture is served over white rice. Adding meat (if you are a meat eater) and vegetables contributes to the overall nutrition.

Also in my old age I have stream lined our original recipe by using canned kidney beans and eliminating the entire soaking etc. thus reducing many hours off this recipe and it is still good.

Here is Home Farm Herbery’s original favorite Red Beans and Rice recipe with meat.

Ingredients:

2 cups of dried kidney beans

3 tablespoons of vegetable oil

1/4 cup of Tasso (a highly spiced, cured and smoked pork shoulder) or chopped ham

1-1/2 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup of diced bell pepper

3/4 cup of chopped celery

5 Tablespoons Red Beans and Rice Seasoning 

1 lb of andouille sausage

4-1/2 cups of chicken stock

2 cups of cooked rice.

Directions:

Add the beans to a large bowl and cover with water by 2 inches.

Soak the beans for about 8 hours or overnight.

Drain and set aside.

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat.

Add the Tasso or chopped ham and cook, stirring (about 1 minute).

Add the onions, celery and bell peppers to the pot.

Season with about 2-3 tablespoons of Red Beans and Rice Seasoning and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft (about 4 minutes).

Add another 1-2 tablespoons of Red Beans and Rice Seasoning and the andouille sausage and cook, stirring to brown the sausage (about 4 minutes).

Add the beans and chicken stock, stir well and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and start to thicken (about 2 hours).

If the beans begin to dry out or become too thick, add more chicken stock, approximately 1/4 cup at a time.

Remove from the heat and with the back of a heavy spoon, mash about 1/4 of the beans against the side of the pot.

Continue to cook until the beans are tender and creamy (about another 15 to 20 minutes).

Spoon rice into bowls and top with bean mixture.

May the Creative Force be with you

Arlene Wright-Correll 

Home Farm Herbery

Spatchcock Chicken with Za’atar

Here is another great recipe using Za’atar.  At Home Farm Herbery we just love this delicious seasoning and it is great on chicken.

Spatchcock basically means to butterfly the chicken so that it lays flat and cooks more evenly over indirect heat on the grill.

When we choose our chicken, we use either a roasting or frying chicken. They are both young chickens and can weigh anywhere from 2-5 pounds. If you get a larger or smaller bird, you may have to adjust the cooking time accordingly.

When using the grill, cooking times may vary depending on how hot your grill gets.  If we use the grill in the winter we get a different cooking temperature than in the summer. It's tempting to lift the lid often to check on the food, but try not to lift it too often, it reduces the temperature of the grill each time you do. Just make sure your bird is not over the flame or hottest part of the grill or you may end up with a burned bird. Always use a thermometer to check the internal temperature to determine doneness.

Ingredients:

1 medium sized roasting or frying chicken about 3Lbs

2 red onions, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons Garlic Powder

4 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 1/2 teaspoon Ground Allspice 

1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1 Tablespoon Sumac  

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1 cup chicken stock or water (We have no problem using canned or packaged chicken stock)

1 teaspoon Sea Salt  

1 teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper

2 Tablespoons Za'atar 

Directions:

Prepare the chicken by removing the backbone and laying the whole chicken out flat.

Put the chicken in a large zip bag or container that will allow chicken to be completely covered with marinade.

In a large bowl, onions, Granulated Garlic, olive oil, Ground Allspice, Cinnamon, lemons, chicken stock or water, salt and pepper.

Pour the spice mixture into the bag or container and fully submerge the chicken in the marinade.

Place chicken in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.

When you are ready to prepare the chicken, preheat the grill. If it is a gas grill, turn off one side of the burner or if charcoal, move the hot coals to one side of the grill to create indirect heat cooking.

Remove the chicken from the marinade pat dry with a paper towel and sprinkle the chicken on both sides with the Za'atar. Discard the marinade.

Lightly oil the grill grate and place breast side up on the coolest part of the grill.

Close the grill lid and let chicken cook about 30-40 minutes before turning over and cooking until the internal temperature is at least 155-160 degrees. Remove from heat and let chicken rest about 10 minutes until the internal chicken temperature is 165 degrees.

Serves: 6

May the Creative Force be with you,

Arlene Wright-Correll

Home Farm Herbery

How to use Za’atar

Someone asked me the other day what was Za’atar and how to use it. 

First of let me say that Za'atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend commonly used with oil for dipping pita or flatbreads or as a main ingredient in hummus. 

At Home Farm Herbery we make this seasoning and we this delightful seasoning to flavor some of our own food fusion cuisine and I used it to enhance and spice up chicken, fish and vegetables.   We make this seasoning with several herbs and spices but we only use Sea Salt.

We love trying something new here at Home Farm Herbery and you should expand your own and your families horizons because like music food and recipes are universal.

One of my favorite recipes is Za'atar Spiced Meatballs.

Za'atar Spiced Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground lamb or turkey (I used 99% ground turkey breast)

3 tablespoons bread crumbs

7 teaspoons Za'atar, divided 

1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375º F

In a medium bowl thoroughly mix bread crumbs and 6 teaspoons Za'atar into ground meat. 

Cover a baking sheet or a cookie sheet with aluminum foil

Make 10 golf ball sized meatballs and place on a baking sheet

Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium/high heat

Place meatballs in skillet and brown each side of the meatballs, 2 minutes per side

Place meatballs back on baking sheets and sprinkle with remaining Za'atar 

Bake 6 minutes

Serve with couscous (I used 4 cups cooked)  In the event you don’t like couscous you could exchange it for rice.

Serves: 4

May the Creative Force be with you,

Arlene Wright-Correll

Home Farm Herbery

Ground Beef with Tomatoes and Zucchini

?

The gardens are being thought of and we are planting tomatoes and zucchini at Home Farm Herbery.  So we look forward to fixing this recipe.  So should you.  However, it is just as good without the beef if you are off beef, can’t get organic, free range beef or are a vegetarian.  If you do use beef buy some 96% fat free beef.  If you want you can substitute Venison.

We grow many herbs here and dry them and often blend them to make delicious other things.  This is one of our easiest recipes and you can get our own garlic flakes and driedbasil by just clicking on the words.

However, one does not need to wait until their garden produces to make this easy great recipe that you family will love.  You can make this anytime of the year.

This certainly is not a spicy beef dish but it is a super quick and easy dinner (as long as you prepare the rice a head of time). We loved this dish because it was filling, low in sodium, high in protein and stuffed with healthy nutrients (especially vitamins b6, b12 and c and also zinc, manganese, and selenium). This did have some Trans fat per serving.

Ingredients:

1 lb 96% lean ground beef

1 large zucchini, sliced

1 large tomato, chopped

1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 teaspoons dried garlic flakes 

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Cracked pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat a non stick pan over medium-high heat.

Brown ground meat for about 3 minutes until cooked through.

Add the zucchini, onions and stir fry 8-10 minutes until vegetables are browned.

Add tomato and cook 3-4 minutes

Stir in garlic flakes, basil, olive oil and pepper

Serve over 1/2 cup prepared rice

May the Creative Force be with you,

Arlene Wright-Correll

Home Farm Herbery

In our Home Farm Herbery kitchen Chervil is another herb that we'd really like to use more often.  It is thought to be mostly used in French cooking but that is not really true.

It looks like parsley and tastes like mild basil, but its flavor has a tendency to evaporate into thin air in a lot of dishes.   

Many people including cooks and gardeners do not realize that Chervil comes from the carrot family along with dill, parsley, and fennel. It does look incredibly similar to parsley, except the leaves are smaller, lacier, and paler in color. We grow Chervil here at Home Farm Herbery and we like the fact that it shares one of the same aromatic compounds as tarragon. Chervil has a very delicate anise aroma and flavor.

This comes out especially when we dry it and chop it up very fine for our customers who realize any amount of cooking just destroys the flavor of chervil. It is so tender to begin with it that we toss it into dishes at the very last second.  

Chervil is fantastic with eggs! We like to sprinkle a little over the tops of omelets right before serving or stir minced leaves into gently cooked eggs encocotte. We chop the leaves very finely and mix them into butter to use with steamed vegetables, fish, and grilled meats. The residual heat from the food amplifies the aroma of the chervil without destroying its flavor.

If you are not familiar with this great herb then give yourself a treat and order some today. Of course it would be nice if you grew it, but many people don’t because they think they have neither the time nor the space.

We have great Chervil heirloom seeds at this link and we have the best dried chervil at  this link.

Here is one of Home Farm Herbery’s favorite recipes using many of our dried ingredients.

SAUTEED SHRIMP and SCALLOPS over Linguini 

Ingredients:

2 tsp. of our roasted minced garlic flakes 

6 tsp. of our dried onions  

1/2 lb. fresh or frozen shrimp

1/2 lb. fresh bay scallops

½ cup of our dried chopped shallots 

1/4 c. chopped dried parsley 

3 tbsp. butter

2 1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves 

1/2 tsp. dried tarragon 

1/2 tsp. dried chervil

1/4 tsp. dried thyme 

1/2 c. dry white wine

freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Clean the fibrous portion from the scallops; wash briefly in cold water and drain. Clean or thaw the shrimp and cut into scallop-size segments.

Sauté the scallions and shallots in butter and add the garlic and dried herbs.

Add the wine and stir. Sauce can then be reduced by half (unless you're making soup).

Add the shrimp, scallops, parsley and black pepper. Sauté for no more than 10 minutes (less if the scallops are small).

You can serve them over linguini. 

May the Creative Force be with you,

Arlene Wright-Correll

Home Farm Herbery

Congratulations John L. Johnson!

You just won February's Art Contest. Your gift is on the way.

Home Farm Herbery,

Arlene Wright-Correll 

When we learned how to grow Shiitake Mushrooms we went on to others and one of our favorites is the Maitake Mushroom which is also known as Hen-of-the-Woods, Sheep's Head, Ram's Head, Dancing Mushroom, King of Mushrooms, Monkey's Bench or Shelf Fungi

We dry and hand pack this ingredient, an All Natural Gourmet Maitake Mushroom, to create a rich, intense mushroom taste and earthy aromatic flavor.

Over the years of cooking with mushrooms we have found that Maitake Mushrooms pair well with hearty stews, meat, rice dishes, soups and stir-fry.

We have also discovered this is a very useful substitute for Mushroom Powder Blend, Shiitake Mushrooms Dried, Porcini Mushrooms Dried, Oyster Mushrooms Dried and Forest Blend Dried Mushrooms.

On the healthy issue side Hen-of-the-Woods Mushrooms have been used in Eastern medicine for strengthening the immune system. Maitake is rich in minerals (potassium, calcium, and magnesium), vitamins (B2, D2 and niacin), fiber and amino acids.

Preparation: To reconstitute mushrooms, rinse under cold water, then place mushrooms in a bowl, cover with boiling water and soak for 15-20 minutes. Or add to a dish that will cook for at least 20 minutes. Drain the mushrooms and enjoy.

Did you know that mushrooms don't need sunshine to grow and thrive? Some of the earliest commercial mushroom farms were actually set up in caves in France during the reign of King Louis XIV (1638-1715).

1 oz to bulk sizes available. Order now and get free shipping, plus a free herb, herb blend, tea sampler or heirloom seed of our choice.

We thank you in advance as 100% our net proceeds go to St. Jude Children’s ResearchHospital.

Your order automatically enters you in this month’s contest to try to win a FREE original work of art valued at least at $100.00.

Place order now. 

 You just won January Art

Contest Vernon L. Harvey

Congratulations from

Home Farm Herbery 

Jamaican Jerk Chicken with Broasted Vegetables

At Home Farm Herbery we love these two recipes and we have made them easy to make and they go well together, to say nothing of the fact that they are healthy for us.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons dark rum

2 tablespoons water

1 oz. of Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Spice Blend 

1/2 cup malt vinegar

10 green onions, chopped

4 garlic cloves, peeled, chopped

1 cup ketchup

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 3- to 3 1/2-pound chickens, halved lengthwise, rinsed, patted dry

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

Directions:

Boil rum and 2 tablespoons water in small saucepan for 3 minutes.

Transfer rum mixture to blender; add vinegar, onions and garlic  and blend until almost smooth.

Transfer 1 oz. of Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Spice Blend  to small bowl; mix in ketchup and soy sauce to make sauce. (Jerk seasoning and sauce can be made 1 day ahead; cover separately and refrigerate.)

Arrange chicken in large roasting pan or baking dish. Pour lime juice over; turn to coat. Spoon the jerk seasoning over chicken and rub in. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, turning occasionally. (You can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Preheat oven to 350°F or prepare barbecue (medium heat). Remove chicken from jerk seasoning marinade; sprinkle with salt and pepper. If roasting chicken in oven, arrange chicken, skin side up, on rimmed baking sheet. Roast until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with fork, about 50 minutes.

If grilling chicken, place chicken, skin side down, on grill rack, cover, and grill until chicken is cooked through, turning occasionally and adjusting heat if browning too quickly, about 50 minutes.

Cut each chicken half into pieces and serve with sauce.

Broasted Vegetables (You may call them roasted vegetable)

Chop your vegetables into bite size pieces and put into a bowl then add a little olive oil to coat all the vegetable.

Take your hands to make sure you coat with a little olive oil and then add the contents of 1 oz. of Broasted Vegetable Seasoning

Put into a separate pan such as a cookie sheet and roast for 15 to 25 minutes at 425 degrees.

If broasting vegetables separately then here is my general broasting times for vegetables

cooking times at 425°F.

Root vegetables (beets, potatoes, carrots): 30 to 45 minutes, depending on how small you cut them

Winter squash (butternut squash, acorn squash): 20 to 60 minutes, depending on how small you cut them

Crucifers (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts): 15 to 25 minutes

Soft vegetables (zucchini, summer squash, bell peppers): 10 to 20 minutes

Thin vegetables (asparagus, green beans): 10 to 20 minutes

Onions: 30 to 45 minutes, depending on how crispy you like them

Tomatoes: 15 to 20 minutes

When you vegetables are done serve together with the chicken and eat well.

May the Creative Force be with you

Arlene Wright-Correll

Home Farm Herbery  

I love stuffed mushrooms and I make these at Home Farm Herbery with fresh mushrooms and fresh spinach.  However, I also make them with fresh Portobello mushrooms and our dehydrated spinach flakes.

Creamy Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

8 ounces dried spinach flakes 

2 tsp Garlic puree

3 tbsp Butter

4 tbsp Parmesan cheese

3 tbsp Sour cream

10 Medium / 5 large Portobello mushrooms

Wash the Portobello mushrooms and remove stems and save them for something else.

Mix all the other ingredients (except the Parmesan cheese) in a bowl and then fill the mushrooms with the ingredients.

Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Portobello mushrooms stuffed with creamy garlic spinach, then topped with grated parmesan make the perfect summer lunch!

May the Creative Force be with you!

Arlene Wright-Correll

Home Farm Herbery

Congratulations go to PHILIP

FECHTER!

He is our contest winner for the

month of December in 2015.

 Philip, your Prize is on the way.

Home Farm Herbery 

http://www.localharvest.org/store/M48630

Hawthorn Berries (Circulatory) have been used around the world for many different purposes, including jellies and flours. They come from a small, spiny tree indigenous to the Mediterranean region. 

Hawthorn is especially popular in Europe, where it is used in a number of herbal tinctures, herbal combinations and teas. The berries’ effects on the circulatory system have been researched in Europe. Certain chemical constituents in the berries seem to enhance enzyme metabolism and oxygen utilization in the heart muscle. The berries should be taken over a period of time for their full nutritional benefits to be realized. It is now gaining foothold in the USA as more and more people know about the benefits.

The whole berry is used as dried, crushed and/or powdered.

Hawthorn berries are more often used to make tinctures than teas, smoothies and punches. May also be taken encapsulated or as an extract and you can add to floral displays and potpourri to make them aromatic.

Hawthorn Berries contain vitamins C and B complex, crataegin, carotene, flavonoids and sugars. The key constituents of the hawthorn berries are extracted using a combination of grain alcohol and distilled water. Extracts are rapidly assimilated by the body and can be mixed in liquid or taken directly under the tongue.

Precautions: Taken in excess, hawthorn berry teas can cause mild diarrhea. This does not occur when the berries are used to make tinctures or are encapsulated. Diarrhea is not a side effect of the leaf and flowers. For educational purposes only and this information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

If you are making a tincture you recipe may refer to “Herb Strength Ratio” which tell you how much alcohol to use in ratio to the herb. For example< a ration of 1:4 means that 1 part herb is to be used with 4 parts alcohol.

Extracts made with FRESH plant material is 1:2 or 1 part herb to 2 parts alcohol.

Extracts made with DRIED plant material is 1:4 or 1 part herb to 4 parts alcohol.

May the Creative Force be with you.

Arlene Wright-Correll

Home Farm Herbery 

A recent email question asks, “Do you know anything about fermenting vegetables?”

The one thing I do know is that a long time ago someone stole a 50 pound crock of cabbage I was fermenting into coleslaw from my front porch during the burial of my first husband during his funeral and I was amazed!

However, I do know that cultured or fermented foods have a very long history in virtually all native diets, and have always been highly prized for their health benefits.

I also know there are fermented foods you can easily make at home include such as cultured vegetables (including pureed baby foods), Chutneys, condiments, such as salsa and mayonnaise, cultured dairy, such as yoghurt, kefir, and sour cream and fish, such as mackerel and Swedish gravlax.

Years ago I used crock pots, but today I would use glass mason jars. Shred and cut your chosen veggies. Juice some celery. This is used as the brine, as it contains natural sodium and keeps the vegetables anaerobic. This eliminates the need for sea salt, which prevents growth of pathogenic bacteria.

Pack the veggies and celery juice along with the inoculants (starter culture, such as kefir grains, whey, or commercial starter powder like Complete Probiotics, all of which can be used for vegetables) into a 32 ounce wide-mouthed canning jar. A kraut pounder tool can be helpful to pack the jar and eliminate any air pockets.

Top with a cabbage leaf, tucking it down the sides. Make sure the veggies are completely covered with celery juice and that the juice is all the way to the top of the jar to eliminate trapped air and seal the jars and then store in a warm, slightly moist place for 24 to 96 hours, depending on the food being cultured. Ideal temperature range is 68-75 degrees

Fahrenheit; 85 degrees max. Remember, heat kills the microbes! When done, store in the refrigerator to slow down the fermentation process or put in a cool place such as on the floor if you desire.

Last but not least, resist the temptation to eat out of the jar! This can introduce organisms from your mouth into the jar. Instead, always use a clean spoon to take out what you're going to eat, then, making sure the remaining veggies are covered with the brine solution, recap the jar.

May the Creative Force be with you as you tread the earth lightly!

Arlene Wright-Correll

Home Farm Herbery http://www.localharvest.org/store/M48630

A recent email question asked, “Do you know of any other ways to prepare turnips?”

Though not my most favorite vegetables there are more interesting ways to cooking them than to bake, boil or steam them.

Why not consider mashing them with Sweet Potatoes because these make a nice combo.

How about shredding them and mixing them in your next batch of coleslaw? This makes a good healthy tasting salad.

Why not julienne them into strips and use as a terrific garnish or eat them raw with a dip or some peanut butter? You can not get a healthier snack.

Consider sowing some seeds with your children or grandchildren and let them learn the value and essence of gardening. Slow your life down a little, get away from TV, go play in the dirt with them!

Consider using the greens as an alternative to your salads. Why not cook some turnip greens with your spinach or collard greens adding garlic, onions, olive oil and lemons and use as a side dish?

Try adding turnips to stews, soups and even pastas! Adding them to stews and soups in small cubes is just as nice as potatoes.

The next time you do a roast of meat or roasted veggies just cube up some turnips and add them to the pan.

Try Maple Glazed Turnips (A recipe from the Culinary School of America)

Ingredients:

2 lb purple-top turnips
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper as needed
Water as needed
1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Peel the turnips and cut into even 1-inch cubes. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the turnips and then enough water to reach a depth of 1/4 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and pan steam until the turnips are tender, 7 to 8 minutes.

Remove the cover from the pan, and continue to cook the turnips until the water has cooked away and the syrup has glazed each piece evenly, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining butter to the pan with the parsley and lemon juice. Shake the pan until the butter is melted and the turnips are evenly coated. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

May the Creative Force be with you as you tread the earth lightly!

Arlene at Home Farm Herbery http://www.localharvest.org/store/M48630

P.S. Don't forget to buy our fantastic heirloom Turnip seeds. 

Golden globe turnips http://www.localharvest.org/turnip-golden-globe-heirloom-seeds-C29281

Or

Turnip Purple Top White Globe Heirloom Seeds http://www.localharvest.org/turnip-purple-top-white-globe-heirloom-seeds-C29280

Order now, free shipping, free gift, PLUS YOU MAY BE THE WINNER IN THIS MONTH’S CONTEST.