Honey

Derek spent the afternoon extracting honey from our hives.  He yielded 3.5 gallons of honey and several pounds of beeswax for future salve and candle making.  The honey is rich with clover and a hint of something we can't identify - scrumptious!

Orange Zest Scones

These orange zest scones are delicious, healthy, and perfect with a glass of fresh fruit smoothie.

Ingredients:
1.5 cups wheat flour
1/2 cup dried rolled oats
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter
1 large egg
1/2 cup plain yogurt or heavy cream
1 tbsp grated orange zest

For the icing:
8 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tbsp grated oranze zest
1-2 tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F).
- Have ready an ungreased baking sheet.
- Whisk together flour, oats, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Drop in butter.  Cut in the butter with 2 knives or a pastry blender, tossing pieces iwth the flour mixture to coat and separate them.  The mixture should resemble coarse bread crumbs.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, yogurt (or cream), and orange zest.
- Add wet mixture to flour mixture, and mix until dry ingredients are moistened.
- Gather dough into ball and knead it gently until all small pieces adhere and the bowl is fairly clean.  Transfer to a lightly floured surface and pat the dough into an 8" log, approx. 3/4" thick.  Cut into 2-12 wedges and transfer to baking sheet 1/2" apart.
- Bake until tops are golden brown (12-15 mins).
- In the meantime, make the icing.  In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, orange zest and orange juice, stir until sugar has dissolved.  If the icing is too runny, add more sugar.
- Remove scones from oven and let cool for 5 mins.  Sprinkle with icing.  Best when served a little warm.

Triangle Scarf with Summer Flowers

Cymone chose the color for this scarf.  I can't say I would have made the same decision, though it will look great against her blue eyes.  I made up the pattern and added knitted flowers to tone the turquoise down a little.

Triangle Scarf

Materials:
2 skeins Classic Elite Cricket yarn
US 8 needles

Directions:
CO 10 stitches.  Knit next row.

RS - K7, place marker, K1fb, knit to end.
WS - Knit all stitches.
Continue the pattern as established above, increasing one stitch after maker on all RS rows by knitting into the front and back of the next stitch until the scarf measures 19".

RS - K7, slip marker, ssk, knit to end.
WS - Knit all stitches.
Continue this pattern until 10 stitches remain.  BO.

On each end of the scarf, with RS facing, use remaining Classic Elite Cricket yarn to PU 10 sts.
WS - Knit all sts.
RS - K1, ssk, knit to end.
When 5 sts remain, knit across.  DO NOT TURN.  Push sts to opposite side of needle.  Knit.
Repeat this pattern until cable measures approximately 5 inches.  Bind off.

Summer Flowers

Materials:
1 skein of any cotton/linen combination
3 US 8 needles or smaller

Directions (make 5 petals):
CO 6 stitches using knitted cast on.
Row 1 - *K1, CO1, K1, CO1, K1* repeat once more (10 sts).
Row 2 and all even rows - Purl across.
Row 3 - *K1, CO1, K3, CO1. K1* repeat once more (14 sts).
Row 5 - K1, CO1, K4, ssk, k2tog, K4, CO1, K1 (14 sts).
Row 7 - K5, ssk, k2tog, K5 (12 sts).
Row 9 - K4, ssk, k2tog, k4 (10 sts)
Row 11 - ssk, K1, ssk, k2tog, k1, k2tog (6 sts).
Row 13 - K1, ssk, k2tog, k1 (4 sts).

DO NOT BIND OFF.  Break yarn and leave tail.  Set aside.
Once you have 5 petals, carefully place them face-up in a circle.  Stitches should face center of circle.  Thread a tapestry needle with the tail of your 5th petal.  Run the needle through each set of stitches in sequence.  Pull the thread tight, weave in tail.  Weave in all tails & trim.

Sew each flower along the bottom edge of your completed triangle scarf and you're done!

Making Lavender Candles

I used to make candles regularly - I made 100 of them for our wedding favors.  I stopped some time ago because they tend to consume a full afternoon, and they are costly when using 100% beeswax.  However, a friend of mine recently gave me a large quantity of beeswax (our bees haven't yet produced enough), so I figured I'd dedicate a rainy afternoon to candle making.

Materials Needed:
Wax (beeswax smells amazing)
Candle mold(s), any size
Wicking
Mold sealer
Dowel(s), one per mold
Candle dye (optional)
Lavender scent (optional; I use drops of homemade lavender essential oil)
Dried lavender petals
Ladle

Directions:
- Begin by melting wax in double boiler, with sufficient water (always) between pots.  I use an old tin can for the inside pot.
- Cut wick down to 2" longer than candle mold.  Insert wick into the candle mold wick holes, leaving 1/2" of wick outside of the wick holes. 

- Coil the wicking around the wick hole, then cover the wicking and wick hole with mold sealer.  Make sure you don't leave any caps around the mold sealer or the hot wax will seep out.

- Flip the mold over and wrap the wick around the dowel.

- Melt wax until it reaches 190 degrees (F).

- Add candle dye (optional) and stir.
- Remove wax from heat.
- Add several drops of lavender scent and stir.
- Ladle wax into mold cavities.  Let cool.

- A crater will form in the center of the candle - sprinkle lavender petals into crater.  NOTE: Do not use dried lavender in top 2/3 of the candle or it will burn and smoke. 

- Insert dowel (or skewer) into the candle along the wick.  Fill crater with melted wax.  Do NOT fill the crater if the wax is still liquid inside; wait until the wax has started to stiffen throughout.
- Allow the candle to cool completely.
- When molds are cold to the touch, remove the dowels and turn the mold over to remove the mold sealer.
- Release candles from molds.
- Trim the wick at the top of the mold to 1/4" and trim the wick at the bottom of the candle flush with the candle surface.
- Light and enjoy!

Bees Capping Honey

Bees make honey by gathering nectar from flowers. They mix the nectar with enzymes in their stomach-like honey sac.  Back at the hive, the foragers pass the digested material to house bees who reduce the moisture content of the mixture by ingesting and regurgitating it. They then deposit concentrated drops into honeycomb cells. Over the next few days, bees fan the fluid with their wings to further concentrate it, and finally, they cap the cells with wax.

Fascinating!

From Chemical and Engineering News.

Dried Greek Oregano

As your oregano is about to blossom, it the perfect time to dehydrate, and it fills the air with a flavorful, balsamic aroma.  I dry mine and have started selling it on Etsy.  Although I do love throwing fresh oregano in salads, I find dried oregano more pungent than fresh.

As stated on Wikipedia:

Oregano is an important culinary herb, used for the flavor of its leaves, which can often be more flavourful when dried than fresh.  It has an aromatic, warm and slightly bitter taste, which can vary in intensity. Good quality oregano may be strong enough to almost numb the tongue, but the cultivars adapted to colder climates often have a lesser flavor. Factors such as climate, seasons and soil composition may affect the aromatic oils present, and this effect may be greater than the differences between the various species of plants.

Oregano's most prominent modern use is as the staple herb of Italian-American cuisine. Its popularity in the US began when soldiers returning from World War II brought back with them a taste for the “pizza herb”, which had probably been eaten in southern Italy for centuries. There, it is most frequently used with roasted, fried or grilled vegetables, meat and fish. Unlike most Italian herbs, citation needed oregano combines well with spicy foods, which are popular in southern Italy. It is less commonly used in the north of the country, as marjoram generally is preferred.

The herb is also widely used in Turkish, Palestinian, Syrian, Greek, Portuguese, Spanish, Philippine and Latin American cuisines.

In Turkish cuisine, oregano is mostly used for flavoring meat, especially for mutton and lamb. In barbecue and kebab restaurants, it can be usually found on table, together with paprika, salt and pepper.

The leaves are most often used in Greece to add flavor to Greek salad, and is usually added to the lemon-olive oil sauce that accompanies many fish or meat barbecues and some casseroles.

Oregano is also used by chefs in the southern Philippines to eliminate the odor of carabao or cow meat when boiling it, while simultaneously imparting flavor.

Hippocrates used oregano as an antiseptic, as well as a cure for stomach and respiratory ailments. Oregano is still used today in Greece as a palliative for sore throat.

White Chocolate Lavender Cookies

This is a basic recipe for icebox sugar cookies, which can be altered in many ways.  Cymone didn't realize that lavender is edible, so we decided to make something with it for her to try.  They turned out beautifully.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour (we used the soft white flour from Bluebirdgrain Farms)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt
10 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cups sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
2 tbsp fresh or dried lavender, lightly ground in a food processor

Directions:

- Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

- Beat butter and sugar together on medium speed until fluffy and well blended.

- Add egg and vanilla, continue to beat until well combined.

- Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture.  Add chocolate chips and lavender.  Mix until blended and smooth.

- Cover and refrigerate until firm, 30 mins.

- Place dough on one end of wax or parchment paper.  With lightly greased hands, shape into 11-inch long log.  Roll up in paper, twisting the ends of the paper to prevent unrolling.  Freeze until completely frozen, 3 hours or overnight.

- Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).  Grease cookie sheets.
- Gently peel paper off the log and cut the log cross-wise into 1/8-inch-thick slices.  Transfer slices to cookie sheets, spacing about 2 inches apaprt.
- Bake, one sheet at a time, until the cookies are golden, just slightly darker at the edges (7-10 mins).
- Enjoy!  Yum!

Little Home Garden Markers

This is another addiction, I suppose.  I've been making garden markers and selling them on Etsy.  These little home garden markers are made with terra cotta sculpy, baked and painted with enamel so that they endure extreme weather conditions.  They make a fun simple gift.

Beet Pickles

Ingredients:
3 quarts fresh beets
2 cups sugar
2 sticks cinnamon
1 tbsp whole allspice
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups water

Directions:
- Wash beets, drain.  Steam until tender, peel.  Set aside.
- Combine all ingredients (except beets) in large saucepan.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat & simmer for 15 mins.
- Remove cinnamon sticks.
- Cut beets into bite size (I like to use cookie cutters & save the leftover scraps for salad toppings), pack into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
- Ladle hot liquid over beets, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Remove air bubbles.  Adjust 2-piece caps.
- Process pints and quarts 30 mins in a boiling water canner.

Rosemary Bread Sticks

Ingredients:

2 1/2 tsp (1 package) active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

3 1/2-4 cups whole flour

2 tsp salt

2 tbsp fresh rosemary

1/3 cup olive oil

Directions:
- In a small bowl, sprinkle yeast over water and let stand until creamy.  Stir until dissolved.

- In a large bowl, stir together 3.5 cups of the flour, salt and rosemary.

- Combine yeast and olive oil with flour mixture.  Stir until a soft dough forms that holds its shape.

- Turn dough onto lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic (10 mins).  Add more flour or water, as needed to prevent dough from being too sticky or crumbly.

- Oil a large bowl, place dough in it and turn to coat all sides.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (1 hr).

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F).  Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface.  Punch down and pinch of sections of dough; roll out with palms to form 10 inch ropes.

- Place ropes 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet.

- Bake until crisp and browned (10-12 mins).  Transfer to wire rack and let cool.

Making Ghee

Ghee has a wonderful nutty flavor and high smoke point which sets it apart from traditional western clarified butter.

• Begin with really tasty, organic non-salted butter
• Place butter in a saucepan over medium low heat.
• Cook for approx. 20-30 mins.  Watch the bubbles move through the following steps
• butter melts completely and becomes foamy
• large bubbles form on the sides and move across the top
• bubbles grow larger
• tiny bubbles take over and cover the top
• At this point, check the bottom of the pan frequently to be sure that it does not burn (brown is good, black is not)
• Pour hot butter into mason jar through a strainer with a double layer of cheese cloth
• Store at room temperature out of direct sun

Fried Sage

Fried sage leaves are delicious on top of warm Brie, as a garish for soups and salads, in sandwiches...I love to fry it with garlic, and put it aside for future use.

 

Ingredients:
Large fresh sage leaves
Garlic, minced

Olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
- Heat olive oil in skillet over medium low heat.
- Place sage leaves in hot oil, one at a time.  Drizzle with salt and pepper.

- Remove the leaves as soon as they turn dark green and are just slightly browned.  Place on paper towel to remove excess grease.

- Once sage leaves are all fried, place minced garlic in skillet, turning occasionally to avoid burn.

- Sprinkle fried garlic on top of sage leaves.

Recycled Cork Bath Mat

I found this tutorial on Crafty Nest and thought it was absolutely brilliant.

 

How to make a wine cork bath mat

Supplies

• 175 wine corks (plus a few extra to allow for mistakes)
• hot glue sticks
• non-adhesive shelf liner

Tools

• pocket knife (sharpened)
• cutting board (one that you won’t mind if it gets slightly damaged)
• scissors
• yardstick
• hot glue gun
• coarse sand paper

 
1. Cut each cork in half lengthwise with a sharp pocket knife. Be patient and careful so you don’t cut a finger off. It’s best if you use natural cork wine corks that are similar length and width. Sand the bottoms flat if any of your cuts are jagged.

2. Arrange the corks into a rectangle, flat sides down. Use a ruler to make sure your configuration of corks is as close to a straight rectangle as possible.

3. Measure and cut the shelf liner to size.

4. Transfer the outer rows/columns of corks to the shelf liner and glue them to the top side of the liner. Apply a rectangle-shaped line of glue to the flat side of each cork, about 1/8 inch from the edge, line up the cork with the edge of the mat, and press hard. Wipe away any glue dribbles before it hardens fully, but after it cools (so you don’t burn yourself).

5. Once your frame is in place, transfer the rest of the corks to their corresponding position on the mat. You’ll probably have to do some arranging and trading places to make all the corks fit. Remove one cork at a time and glue it down.

Making Sushi

What You Will Need:
Bamboo mat
Nori
Sushi rice, cooked and drizzled lightly with rice vinegar
Fish and/or vegetables of choice, chopped into narrow 6" slices

Directions:
- Feel both sides of the nori sheet and you will find one side to be a bit smooth and the other a little rough. The nori should lay on the bamboo mat with the rough side facing upwards.
- Wet your hands.  Make a ball with a handful of rice, and gently place in the middle of the nori sheet.  Make sure your hands are dry to work with nori - spread the rice over nori (I use a wet spatula), covering all but the upper 2cm border.
- Place a fish and vegetables in a conservative line on top of the rice along on the bottom edge of the nori.
- Using the lower end of the bamboo mat, make a rectangular shaped hill, and begin to tighten the mat from ablove, closing the nori into a roll.
- Continue to roll and tighten simultaneously, holding the mat securely closed.  Place pressure on the nori from all sides.
- Use a sharp, wet knife to cut roll into 6" rounds.
- Serve.  Top with soy sauce, wasabi, pickled ginger, and sesame seeds.

Vintage Bottle Chime Embellished with Found Objects

I had so much fun making this.  The bottles are old or found. There are things I've found here and there, glass beads, buttons, an antique funnel, rustic measuring spoons, dried native roses, marbles, fresh lavender, recycled metal roofing...  I transformed my silly beaded photo clips into this vintage bottle chime.

Garlic Scape Pesto

Ingredients:

1 cup garlic scapes
1 cup fresh oregano
4 cups fresh lettuce, chopped
1 large scoop grapeseed oil (or olive oil)

2 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tsp sea salt

Fresh cracked black pepper

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well blended.  Your pesto will be a beautiful bright green.  If you think the mixture is too rich, add another cup of chopped lettuce.

Making Terra Cotta Garden Markers

These garden markers are really fun and very simple to make.

Materials:
Terra Cotta Sculpy (bakeable clay)
Rolling pin
Knife or pizza cutter
Stamps
Beads
Copper wire
Wire cutters
Pencil

Instructions:
- Roll clay out with rolling pin to approximately 1/4".

- Using knife or pizza cutter, cut strips 1/2" wide and 6" long.  Carve a point into the end of each marker so that they can be staked into the ground.

- Use stamps to create patterns in each marker.  If you do not have alphabet stamps, use pencil to carve labels.  Gently smooth out with fingers.

- Poke a small hole into the top of each marker.
- Bake markers @ 275 degrees (F) for 15 mins (or according to package).
- Once markers have cooled, string beaded copper wire through the pin holes and twist wire around the pencil to spiral.

Recycled T-Shirt and Silk Hand Warmers

It's probably quite evident - I cannot sit still.  We returned today from a little road trip. While driving, I made some hand warmers.  Go figure, it's supposed to consistently hit the high 80s over the next week.  I tried to branch away from my normal earthy colors by using a combination of recycled t-shirt fabric and silk, and will be selling these on Etsy.  Again, Cymone is my chique model (although these are slightly big on her).