Valentine Gift Sets

I have to admit we were well into January before I realized Valentine’s is right around the corner. It's time to think about that special someone for Valentine's Day.  And I will make it easy for you, just click and order--no need to shop or mail.  I'll do it for you. You'll have to order right away, though.

Here's what we've got for the romantic day:

Premium Valentine's gift set: You get Pink Champagne Bath salts, Champagne truffles, Fizzing Romantic Rose salts in a test tube, and a bottle of luscious body lotion.  Comes in Romantic Rose scent, unless you request another scent. Beautifully packaged in a pink & red Pillow Box. All this for $24!

Pink Petite Valentine's gift set: This lovely set includes Pink Champagne Bath Salts, luscious body lotion, and fizzy bath salts. This one is also beautifully packaged, ready for gift-giving, and scented in Romantic Rose, unless you request another scent. Just $15 for this set!

Sizzling Conversation Set – This set contains three Fizzy Bath salts, each in a test tube and packaged in an organza bag. Three scents or one single scent.  We will package the romantic rose or any other scent you choose.  They're cute, unique, and only $10!
 
Pair of Hearts: This cute paring is perfect for a wife, girlfriend, friend, or anyone you'd like to bestow a novel, but inexpensive gift on.  This pairing is a lavender bath salt blend with a lavender-based Herbal Tea.  Nestled on colorful shred in a takeout box. Ready for gift-giving. It's a great little something for only $5 






Fragrances available: Lemon Citrus (a grapefruit, orange and lemon blend), Romantic Rose, Lavender, Lavender Patch (lavender & patchouli), or Dreamy Herbal Blend (notes of Palmarosa, Lavender, and Clary Sage marry to create a provocative blend)

To see other items from the Backyard patch, check out our Website: www.backyardpatch.com or our Etsy Shoppe where we post all the seasonal specials like these gift sets.

Supporting Artists Guest blog post

I am so excited today is my first post as a guest blogger!

I have been asked to contribute a regular column on the Supporting Artist Blog.  This month I shared some great holiday recipes you can make with herbs for yourself or as gifts.

Hop on over to the Supporting Artist Blog and check out my post!
Here is the direct link to the blog post!
http://www.supporting-artists.com/happy-holiday-herbs

Celebrate NUT DAY! Walnut Rosemary Brittle

I know there have been several nut recipes this week, but it is due to the fact that today is National NUT Day, not crazy like me, but nuts, like walnut, pecans, etc.  so in celebration, here is another recipe for a nut treat!  This is a rich herbal flavored spin on a traditional item. 

These days I make less and less Peanut Brittle because those around me have allergies, but I find that walnuts seem to cause less sensitivity so now I make this Walnut Brittle instead.

The technique for brittle is the same as a traditional recipe.  You heat the sugar and water to a boil and let it boil until the sugar caramelizes to a perfect amber color.  I use those silicone baking sheets now rather than a buttered pan because the flexibility of the mat makes breaking and removing so much easier and less messy.

Walnut Rosemary Brittle

I use dried herbs for this, but for a more earthy flavor you can use fresh rosemary.  Add the fresh rosemary at the very last moment so it does not loose its green color.

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

Pinch of cream of tartar

1 cup walnut halves

3/4 Tbls. dried rosemary

In a medium pot, combine sugar, water and cream of tartar.  Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.  Cover the pot and let boil approximately 5 minutes undisturbed.  Remove lid and examine color of the molten sugar.  When the mixture turns amber, quickly add the walnuts and rosemary, gently stirring to incorporate.  Pour brittle onto silicone mat or onto a buttered baking sheet.  Spread thin with a buttered spatula to achieve a glass like texture. 

For a special treat sprinkle sea salt crystals while candy is still warm for a sweet salty treat.

Also check out the Spicy Pecans we posted for the weekend recipe, Oct. 19, 2012

Gifts for Dogs - Holiday Preparation

I decided that I needed to get a jump on my holiday planning as my teaching schedule has doubled this year leaving me much less free time.  As a result you get to reap the benefits.  Starting this week I will share a holiday recipe, gift idea, craft project,  or other relevant holiday themed idea at least once a week.  This will be in addition to the annual Advent Calendar which is chocked full of more recipes and crafty ideas.

Today I am starting with something for your dog.  I like to make dog biscuits and I found this recipe on the internet and fell in love with it.  Unfortunately I lost the citation in a resave accident so if anyone knows who originally posted this I would love to give them credit.

I liked this project because it can be a recipe or a gift to craft a recipe.  You can layer the items in a jar and present it as a gift with instructions or you can make the biscuits yourself and wrap those to be the gift.  It is simple and fun and your kids can help with it.

 

Layered Dog Cookie Jar Mix

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unbleached or whole wheat flour
• 1 cup of oatmeal, blended into flour
• ½ cup cornmeal
• 2 tsps beef or chicken bouillon granules
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 cup skim milk powder
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used the grated Parmesan that is commercially made to sprinkle on pasta)
• ¼ cup (approximately) of flour, or enough to fill a one quart jar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250° Fahrenheit.

Empty jar mix into a bowl. Stir together two eggs and 1 cup of hot water and add to mix. Combine with a fork until a stiff dough forms. Add a little flour or water if dough is too sticky or too dry to work.

Roll out dough on floured board to ½ inch thickness. Dip cookie cutters in flour before cutting out each cookie. A bone shaped cutter is preferred, but any shape will do. Re-roll the leftovers and cut as many cookies as possible.

You can place cookies close together on a baking sheet as they will not spread while baking. Bake for about 90 minutes, or until cookies are dry and hard, turning pan around at half time to ensure even cooking. You can turn off the heat, but leave the cookies in the oven to dry out without further cooking if necessary. Dog cookies are usually baked until they are hard and crunchy. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight jar.

Jar Preparation

Use a funnel to layer ingredients, in the order given, in a one quart jar, packing each layer firmly with the back of a spoon.

Decorate the jar, I used brown muslin, but burlap will work well too.  The fabric is 6 inches in diameter held in place with a ball mason screw top.  You can also put the fabric over the jar lid to cover the band and hold it in place with ribbon, raffia or a rubber band.  Both give you a place to tie on the directions.

You can add a cookie cutter to the jar to make the gift a complete package.

I made a sample label.  You print it out and fold in the center to give you a cover and directions on opposite sides.  I like that you get three to a sheet of paper.

All of these ingredients keep well in a mason jar, so you can make the recipe way ahead and save them for holiday treats.

Happy Crafting!

Harvesting Iris and Orris Root

September and October is the time to dig up and divide your Irises.  This would also be the time of year to harvest orris root.  If you grow Iris germanica this is the iris used to make Orris root, which chopped or powdered is used as a fixative in potpourri.  A fixative is that ingredient you add to perfumes and potpourri that helps the scent to last.  Orris root is the most popular fixative, although there are reports that some people can have an allergic reaction to it, so if you use it be clear in your labeling, even with gifts. 

To harvest this ingredient you need the root of the Iris germanica.  When you dig up the Iris plants, from the two or three roots making up each plant, save the largest rhizomes to use as a fixative and replant the smaller ones.  You can use this same technique with your regular Iris as well.  I remove the largest rhizome and use that to take to plant swaps, or mail to plant traders for new Iris.  My trick for this is to place a tongue depressor with the color of the Iris into the ground in the center of the roots during the blooming season, so I know what I am digging up in the fall.

To Prepare Orris Root

Clean and peel the root with a knife or potato peeler.  Chop into course pieces and allow to air dry for a few days before chopping them more finely in a food processor.  Dry completely before using.  Or try this method.  Scrub the freshly dug roots and slice with a potato chipper.  After the chips dry, they will be about the size of rose petals, curve a little and stay white and look very pretty in your potpourri.

Although the Backyard Patch does not market Potpourri, I do collect recipes for potpourri, so here is one to try with your newly preserved Orris Root:

Basic Flower Potpourri

Use 6 cups of partially dried petals such as roses, chamomile, honeysuckle, violets, lilac, lilies of the valley, carnations, white jasmine and nasturtium.

Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon herbs, cinnamon and rosemary.

Add 1/3 cup powdered fixative such as orrisroot and 3 drops of essential oil both available at craft stores.  Just be sure to use 100% essential oil, not perfume oil. Add some citrus peel too.

Mix everything together and place in airtight jars. Let the mixture stand for 4-6 weeks and shake the bottle to mix every week.

Potpourri is beautifully displayed in glass dishes or small decorative baskets. Tie 1-2 cups of potpourri into a sachet of tulle and tie with a cinnamon stick and bow for a sweet way to freshen up a lingerie drawer.

For a simple gift idea, my sister inserted a string of miniature Christmas lights into a small, decorative glass jar. Next poured the potpourri mixture around the lights. Put a crochet doily on top of the jar and secured it to the glass with a decorative ribbon allowing the end of the cord to come down the back of the glass jar. (I think she actually drilled a hole in the canning jar.) When you plug in the arrangement the warmth of the lights will warm the essential oils and release the fragrances. The jar will glow beautifully on a small end table or mantle display. Just remember this does not work with LED lights.

Years ago I added a colorful pine-based potpourri to clear glass Christmas tree ornaments and dressed them up with a fancy gold bow. Because they are stored year around in a dark, dry location the scent and color are still vibrant each year to enjoy.