The Aromatic Brined Turkey

Thanksgiving is one of our most cherished holidays. It’s a time to gather with family and friends, and celebrate the gracious bounty and blessings that have been bestowed upon us over the past year. It is also the time of year when many folks struggle to prepare a juicy turkey ;)

Brining a turkey is one of the best ways to give you a moist, tasty, tender, satisfying holiday bird. The turkey absorbs moisture and flavor in this overnight preparation process. It also cuts down on the amount of work while cooking as it does not require basting and the constant attention that an un-brined bird does.

It is important to pick a turkey that has not been injected with a “solution” or a Kosher Turkey (which already has been soaked and salted). A fresh local or organic turkey over a grocery store frozen turkey is generally preferred for flavor and is less likely to be “adulterated” in any way (pre-packaging injected solutions).

NOTE: You may also use this brining method for a goose

Ingredients

1 14 to 16 pound whole Turkey

Brine Mixture
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 drop orange essential oil
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 drop lemon essential oil
2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 &1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups Kosher salt or coarse Celtic Sea salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
8 chopped garlic cloves
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
½ tablespoon allspice berries
1 drop cumin essential oil
1 drop oregano essential oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Aromatics Mixture
1 apple, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
6 fresh sage leaves
1 bay leaf

Yield:10 to 12 servings

Directions for Turkey
1. Rinse the turkey under cold running water.
Pat dry with paper towels and set aside.

2. To make the brining liquid, combine the brine mixture ingredients above
with 2 gallons of cold water in a large glass or stainless steel pot. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt.

3. Place the turkey in the pot with the brining liquid. Refrigerate at least 12 hours, and up to 24 hours. Turn the turkey periodically to ensure that the turkey is evenly marinated.

4. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the brine and put it in a large, heavy roasting pan, on a rack, breast side up. Lightly rinse the turkey (to prevent it from being too salty). Pat dry with paper towels. Discard brine.

5. Rub the turkey with vegetable oil (preferably a good quality olive oil).

6. Gently tuck the wings in under themselves to prevent burning
(this is preferable to trussing the bird, which will only prolong cooking time).

7. Microwave the apples, onion, cinnamon, bay leaf and water from the aromatic stuffing mixture on high for 4-5 minutes, or simmer on stove for 5 minutes. Lightly stuff bird with steeped aromatics mixture along with the rosemary and sage.* Add aromatic water to bottom of the roasting pan.

*This is not a traditional edible stuffing, it will be discarded after cooking (see stuffing note below).

8. Roast the turkey uncovered at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Then reduce heat to 350 degrees F, cover the breast area with foil and roast until meat reaches an internal temperature of 165-170 degrees F. on an instant-read meat thermometer (about 2-2&1/2 hours).

9. Remove from the oven and let stand in the roasting pan or on a serving platter for 20 minutes before carving.

*Stuffing Note:
If you are going to make a traditional accompaniment stuffing side dish, it is strongly recommended you cook it separately from the bird and not stuff it in the bird itself, especially if the bird is over 15 lbs. This is because a large bird like a turkey requires several hours to heat through to the center. A bread (or rice) stuffing provides an ideal environment for bacterial growth.

One way to solve this problem in birds under 15 lbs is by preheating the stuffing (a microwave is the easiest, quickest method) to 120 to 130 degrees. This gives the stuffing a head start on the cooking process so that the turkey does not overcook as it waits for the stuffing to reach the proper internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Happy, safe, holiday blessings to all!

Blueberry Lavender Honey Ice Cream

It is 100 degrees outside and blueberries are on sale. To me that sounds like an invitation to make homemade ice cream.

Blueberries make a lovely lavender color ice cream, which inspired me to add lavender as a flavoring. Then I chose to use honey in this recipe because flavor wise lavender and honey compliment each other very well; to the point where the hint of lavender in this recipe is more a slight amplification of the wildflower flavor of the honey itself rather than a particularly distinct or powerful flavor of its own. I certainly didn't want anything to overshadow the flavor of fresh blueberries present at the party!

1 & 1/2 Cup Blueberries, rinsed
3/4 Cup local raw Honey
1/4 Cup Water
1 Pinch of pesticide free Lavender Blossoms
1/4 Teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1/8 Teaspoon ground dried Ginger
3-4 Drops of Lavender Essential Oil
3-4 Drops of cane alcohol based Vanilla Absolute
3 Cups half-and-half

In a medium size heavy bottom saucepan, bring blueberries, honey, and water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes while stirring until the berries begin to pop. Remove from heat. Add dried lavender, cinnamon & ginger. Blend with a stick blender until pureed. Using a sieve, strain into a bowl, pressing the berry skins to release all the liquid. Refrigerate for several minutes until lightly chilled. Add the drops of Lavender Essential Oil and Vanilla Absolute, then stir in the half-and-half. Pour mixture into an ice cream maker (1 1/2-qt. or larger capacity). Freeze according to manufacturer's directions until firm enough to scoop. Enjoy!

Note - The mashed berry skins can be placed flat on waxed paper, flattened and dried to make fruit leather :)

Optional - Like a lot of flavor with an exotic flair? Add 1-2 drops of Cardamom Essential Oil to this recipe!

Essential Mother’s Day Feast

Essential Mother’s Day Feast

This month we celebrate Mom and all that she has given us. If nothing else, she gave us life, what we chose to do with it from there is our own business. In return for that wonderful opportunity, making a scrumptious feast is a very nice gesture that everyone gets to enjoy.

Let us get right down to the recipes as this is a feast for 4 that will take some advanced preparation time:

Baby Greens Salad With Warm Basil Vinaigrette

Baby Greens Salad

4 cups loosely packed baby greens salad mix

1 cup croutons

1-2 oz crumbled Feta Cheese

Toss all ingredients well. Drizzle lightly with Warm Basil Vinaigrette

Warm Basil Vinaigrette

2 Tbsp finely diced shallots

1 cup Basil Flavored Olive Oil* (recipe follows)

¼ cup Red or White Wine Vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Warm olive oil slightly over low heat. In a shaker bottle or in a bowl with a whisk blend all dressing ingredients well. Drizzle over salad as desired

* Basil Flavored Olive Oil - To every 50 ml of Extra Virgin Olive Oil add 2-3 drops (your taste preference) of Basil Essential Oil

Herb Marinated Roast Leg Of Lamb

1 - 5 Lb Spring Leg of Lamb

1 Head Garlic, peeled, cloves sliced thin lengthwise

1/8 Cup Mint Leaves

Several Tbsp. Salt to taste

1 Tbsp Sugar

1 Tbsp Rosemary Leaves - crushed

1/8 tsp Crushed Red Pepper

1/2 cup Rosemary Flavored Olive Oil (recipe follows)

Sweet Red Wine

Make numerous slits in the meat, stuffing each with a slice of garlic. Combine mint leaves, salt, sugar, rosemary leaves and crushed red pepper. Rub into meat well. Drizzle the flavored oil over the herb crusted lamb rubbing gently. Place in roasting pan. Pouring the wine over the top of the meat, add enough wine to cover the bottom on the pan. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Heat oven to 500 F. Sear meat in pan with wine about 6-7 minutes on each side. Add water to pan to fill about half way. Lower the oven temperature to 375 F. Roast meat about 30 minutes per lb (or until internal cooking temperature reaches 180F) for medium doneness. Baste occasionally. Let roast sit for about 20 minutes before carving.

To make gravy skim fat off of pan juices, add ¼ cup red wine used to marinate meat. Bring to a boil and add ¼ of water with 1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved into it. Stir until thick. Remove from heat immediately.

Serve over a bed of cooked rice, smothering it in gravy.

* Rosemary Flavored Olive Oil - To every 50 ml of Extra Virgin Olive Oil add 2-3 drops (your taste preference) of Rosemary Essential Oil

Orange Fudge Truffles

12 oz Dark Chocolate broken into pieces

¼ cup heavy cream

2 tbsp Grand Marnier

Orange Cocoa Powder* (Recipe follows)

Place broken chocolate and Grand Marnier in a work bowl. Carefully heat the heavy cream, bringing just to a boil. As soon as it begins to boil remove from heat (be careful as boiling milk expands and can overflow.) Pour hot cream over chocolate/liqueur blend and cover, allowing hot cream to melt chocolate.

After several minutes of sitting the chocolate should be fully melted. Whisk mixture until very smooth. Mixture will thicken quickly. Chill mixture for 2 hours. This is called a Ganache.

Use a melon ball to scoop out small balls of the Ganache. Using hands well dusted with cocoa powder roll balls in orange cocoa powder to coat. Do not handle truffles for too long as the Ganache will get soft quickly from the heat of your hands. That is undesirable as the truffle will not hold its round shape well. Place truffles on a clean orange cocoa powder coated cookie sheet. Chill until firm.

*Orange Cocoa Powder

To every 1 cup of coca powder add 1-2 drops (your taste preference) Orange Essential Oil and blend well.

When used wisely and sparingly, certain Essential Oils and Hydrosols make wonderful food flavorings. When using Essential Oils and Hydrosols for cooking always be sure you have genuine, unadulterated products. Also avoid solvent extracted products. When using citrus oils always be sure the fruit source used to make the oil was grown without pesticides.

by Christine Ziegler - © 2002

Lime Light Grilling

As the day wanes and twilight approaches, I'm about to grill up some chicken and corn seasoned with my new "Lime Light" flavored salt - a blend of unrefined sea salts, white and pink peppercorns, paprkia, chili powder & parsley, accompanied by the essential oils of lime zest and thai lime leaves .. add a salad and we have supper time numminess!

All of my local "taste testers" have been giving rave reviews for the seasoned salts, which means they will be available on the web-site soon!

Scented Pinecones

With most of the United States experiencing a cold snap (even southern Florida!), and the holidays coming fast, I figured I'd pull out my easy old scented pine cones recipe. This is a simple and fun way to scent the air and the hearth! Great to do with kids too.

Ingredients:
Pine cones
Essential oil blend of choice;
I like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, clove, black pepper & ginger ..
Optional: basic white glue, cinnamon powder, fine glitter

Have fun gathering pine cones of all shapes and sizes. Rinse pine cones under warm water. Then lay the pine cones on a lined cookie sheet and bake on the warm setting (or 200F) until the pine cones open up.

Into a small sprayer bottle place some water and several drops of your chosen essential oil scent blend. Spray the pine cones until they are damp. Then place the scented pine cones into a paper bag and seal for 24 hours. This will let the scent seep into the cones while letting the water evaporate.

Optional: In a small bowl mix a ratio of about 3 parts glue to 1 part water. Use a brush to apply some thinned glue to the pine cones. Mix cinnamon powder and glitter in a baggie. Add pine cones to the shimmery mix. Shake. Allow to dry overnight in a paper baggie.

These make wonderful holiday decorations in baskets, as part of wreaths, etc. They can also be tossed into the fireplace to add a scented highlight to your fire!

The Aromatic Brined Turkey

Thanksgiving is one of our most cherished holidays. It’s a time to gather with family and friends, and celebrate the gracious bounty and blessings that have been bestowed upon us over the past year. It is also the time of year when many folks struggle to prepare a juicy turkey ;)

Brining a turkey is one of the best ways to give you a moist, tasty, tender, satisfying holiday bird. The turkey absorbs moisture and flavor in this overnight preparation process. It also cuts down on the amount of work while cooking as it does not require basting and the constant attention that an un-brined bird does.

It is important to pick a turkey that has not been injected with a “solution” or a Kosher Turkey (which already has been soaked and salted). A fresh turkey over a frozen turkey is generally preferred for flavor and is less likely to be “adulterated” in any way.

NOTE: You may also use this brining method for a goose

Ingredients

1 14 to 16 pound whole Turkey

Brine Mixture
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 drop orange essential oil
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 drop lemon essential oil
2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 &1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups Kosher salt or coarse Celtic Sea salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
8 chopped garlic cloves
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
½ tablespoon allspice berries
1 drop cumin essential oil
1 drop oregano essential oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Aromatics Mixture
1 apple, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
6 fresh sage leaves
1 bay leaf

Yield:10 to 12 servings

Directions for Turkey
1. Rinse the turkey under cold running water.
Pat dry with paper towels and set aside.

2. To make the brining liquid, combine the brine mixture ingredients above
with 2 gallons of cold water in a large glass or stainless steel pot. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt.

3. Place the turkey in the pot with the brining liquid. Refrigerate at least 12 hours, and up to 24 hours. Turn the turkey periodically to ensure that the turkey is evenly marinated.

4. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the brine and put it in a large, heavy roasting pan, on a rack, breast side up. Lightly rinse the turkey (to prevent it from being too salty). Pat dry with paper towels. Discard brine.

5. Rub the turkey with vegetable oil (preferably a good quality olive oil).

6. Gently tuck the wings in under themselves to prevent burning
(this is preferable to trussing the bird, which will only prolong cooking time).

7. Microwave the apples, onion, cinnamon, bay leaf and water from the aromatic stuffing mixture on high for 4-5 minutes, or simmer on stove for 5 minutes. Lightly stuff bird with steeped aromatics mixture along with the rosemary and sage.* Add aromatic water to bottom of the roasting pan.

*This is not a traditional edible stuffing, it will be discarded after cooking (see stuffing note below).

8. Roast the turkey uncovered at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Then reduce heat to 350 degrees F, cover the breast area with foil and roast until meat reaches an internal temperature of 165-170 degrees F. on an instant-read meat thermometer (about 2-2&1/2 hours).

9. Remove from the oven and let stand in the roasting pan or on a serving platter for 20 minutes before carving.

*Stuffing Note:
If you are going to make a traditional accompaniment stuffing side dish, it is strongly recommended you cook it separately from the bird and not stuff it in the bird itself, especially if the bird is over 15 lbs. This is because a large bird like a turkey requires several hours to heat through to the center. A bread (or rice) stuffing provides an ideal environment for bacterial growth.

One way to solve this problem in birds under 15 lbs is by preheating the stuffing (a microwave is the easiest, quickest method) to 120 to 130 degrees. This gives the stuffing a head start on the cooking process so that the turkey does not overcook as it waits for the stuffing to reach the proper internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Happy, safe, holiday blessings to all!

Stinking Roses for The New Year

Drop by drop to taste add any of the following genuine eo's - from a trusted source, to some garlic crushed with salt, lemon juice (or vinegar) and olive oil for some amazing vegetable and meat marinades!

Cinnamon, fresh ginger root, oregano, rosemary, thyme ..

I feel it is safe to say that we all have heard and know of garlic (allium sativum), but not enough folks are familiar with its far more idiosyncratic and descriptive character - the stinking rose. This gift from the flora fellowship is one of the most widespread, well known and valuable members of the lily (Liliaceae) family. It has played an important role in the lives of human beings for well over 5000 years, and counting.

The stinking rose is incredibly diverse. Traditional uses are wide, encompassing much, from food preservation and flavoring, to internal and topical medicinal applications, to being an important ingredient in spiritual preparations - including being revered as one of the most powerful portions in ritual protection preparations - from the power to repel mythical vampires, to the legend being true (and finding its roots) on a more practical level as it repels the all too real bloodsuckers, mosquitoes! It even is said to be an aphrodisiac (probably due to its properties in helping circulation).

Garlic generally and efficiently stimulates the immune system. It is a helpful adjunct in all cancer treatments as well as any elimination and detoxification diets being that it stimulates the purging of toxins, combats carcinogens and also assists the liver in metabolizing fat substances in the blood.

An amino acid called Allacin is created by crushing garlic, and it functions to kill salmonella, staphylococcus, and about 20 other nasty bacteria and various disease spreading micro-organisms.

Heating garlic produces different compounds which are helpful in reducing cholesterol and blood pressure. Garlic is also a light blood thinner, which means it can easily be added to the diet to help prevent heart attacks and strokes.

For more info see: Steven Foster's Garlic Monograph

I've planted garlic in my garden for the new year. Now you know why (and it makes pretty edible flowers too!).

Better Than Ever: Spiced Muscovado Caramel Apples

SPICED MUSCOVADO CARAMEL-DIPPED APPLES
12 servings

Making the caramel requires the use of a candy thermometer. Test it for accuracy before starting. Attach it to the side of a medium sized saucepan of water and boil the water for three minutes. The thermometer should register 212°F. If it doesn't, then either calibrate it or take the difference into account when reading the temperature.

1-pound dark brown unrefined Muscovado sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 drop Cinnamon Essential Oil
2 drops Orange Essential Oil
6 Tbsp water
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 popsicle sticks
12 medium organic apples (I.e. Granny Smith, Red Delicious, Gala)
Chopped nuts {or seeds}(optional) *
Melted dark, milk and/or white chocolates
Whipping Cream (if needed)

*My son has a potentially life threatening peanut and tree nut allergy, so instead of using nuts we will be chopping up a mix of raw green pumpkin seeds and tamari seasoned pumpkin seeds and using them to garnish.

Combine first 7 ingredients in heavy 2 1/2-quart saucepan (about 3 inches deep). Stir with wooden spatula or spoon over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves (no crystals are felt when caramel is rubbed between fingers), occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush. This takes about 15 minutes.

Clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan. Increase heat to medium-high; cook caramel at rolling boil until thermometer registers 236°F, stirring constantly but slowly with clean wooden spatula and occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush. One minute prior to removing caramel from heat, add the essential oils. Remove caramel from heat. Keeping the thermometer in the caramel to monitor, cool, without stirring, to 200°F which will take about 20 minutes.

While caramel cools, line 2 baking sheets with foil; butter the foil or use waxed paper to line the baking sheets. Push 1 popsicle stick into stem end of each apple. Set up nuts and melted chocolates if you'll be using them to decorate also.

Holding the popsicle stick, dip 1 apple into 200°F caramel, submerging all but very top of apple. Lift apple out, allowing excess caramel to drip back into bowl. Turn apple caramel side up and hold for several seconds to help set caramel around apple. Place coated apple on prepared foil (or waxed paper). Repeat with remaining apples and caramel, spacing apples apart (caramel will pool on foil). If caramel becomes too thick to dip into, add 1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream and briefly whisk caramel in bowl over low heat to thin.

Chill apples on sheets until caramel is partially set, about 15 minutes. Lift 1 apple from foil (waxed paper). Using hand, press pooled caramel around apple; return to baking sheet. Repeat with remaining apples.

Firmly press seeds/nuts into caramel; return each apple to baking sheet. Or dip caramel-coated apples into melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off, then roll in nuts or drizzle melted chocolate over caramel-coated apples and sprinkle with decorations.

Chill until decorations are set, about 1 hour. Cover; chill up to 1 week.