The Saga of the New Pet with the Stinky Disposition Part 3 and the End of the Story

Photo by
www.rangerville.com
Remember in the last segment
of the Saga, I talked about the
"little yeasties"?  Well, this
is what they become when they are
veeeery happy!

Good morning, All. 

I have heard from ya'll that leaving comments is a real pain because you have had to get a google account if you didn't have one, or go through some similar rigamorole.  The other day I was was playing with the blog layout and I think I have fixed the comment problem.  You should now be able to leave me a comment with out going to an account and signing in.  I would really love to hear from you!  And if there is still a problem leaving comments let me know (stdragonfly@yahoo.com) and I will see what I can do to fix it!

Well, sadly the Sourdough Saga will come to an end today, then we will get on to more subjects herbal.
If you have never tried baking your own bread, you really must give it a try someday.  Baking bread is such a satisfying hobby.  Besides the out come of your labors are quite delicious (well, most of the time!)  And to me it really does seem like the Sourdough bread recipe is the easiest and remember any yeast bread recipe just takes a little time.

We have studied the history of Sourdough and met some interesting characters involved with Sourdough.  We even touched on some Sourdough science and I have given you a recipe to start your own Starter.  So, now it is time to share some recipes.

The loaf on the left was baked in a
4 x 8 loaf pan and
the loaf on the right in a
1 quart casserole.

Sourdough Bread

The King Arthur Rustic Sourdough bread recipe has been successful every time I have baked it.  It produces 2 small loaves, just enough to be eaten up in a day or two.

King Arthur also has an extra-tangy sourdough bread recipe.  In the Extra Tangy recipe you do not add extra yeast but the rising times are very long.  And since I am not a very patient woman, well, put it this way, I need to get the bread baked, in the oven, and slathered with butter as quickly as possible!

Ingredients:

1 Cup (81/2 ounces) "fed" sourdough starter

1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) luke warm water

2 1/2 tsps. salt

1 Tbls. sugar

2 tsps. instant yeast

5 cups (21 1/4 ounces) All-purpose Flour

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients, kneading to form a smooth, soft dough, adding a bit of additional flour if needed.  Place dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about 90 minutes.

When first placed in bowl to
rise for 90 minutes.

After 90 minutes,
Doubled in size!

Divide the dough in half and shape into two oval loaves.   Place on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.  Cover and let rise til very puffy, about 60 minutes.  Slash the tops, and bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove from the oven, and cool on a rack. 

Yields:  2 loaves.

Sourdough Biscuits

Homemade Sourdough
Biscuits!!!!

This recipe is from the blog Sarah's Musings.  There is a trick to making good biscuits. DO NOT OVERWORK THE DOUGH! So, that being said, here are your ingredients....

2 1/2 cups flour

1/3 cup lard, cold cut into chunks, or a mix of half lard and half cold/frozen butter

     Okay, we are making biscuits...so use lard...I am not sure biscuits were meant to be a health food.  And besides that, check into some of the new information on using lard and butter....oh, and remember, all things in moderation.  So, just eat one or two biscuits at a meal, preferable with some good local honey or StarDragonfly Herbals Elderberry Jelly!

1 Tbls. sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

2 tsps. baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 C. sourdough starter, freshly fed a few hours earlier

Up to 1 C. milk

and

melted butter

Now there is nothing hard about making biscuits!

Measure all your dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix with a whisk.  Add the lard and smush and squeeze with your finger tips.  Incorporate good (well) but do this step as quickly as possible so the lard stays cold.  Then make a "well or hole" in the middle of the bowl.  Add the wet ingredients.

Now gently mix all of it together.  The dough should be kinda crumbly but should hold together....then turn out on a floured board and gently knead it a couple times.  Then I pat it out on the board, say about 1/2 inch thick.  Cut into circles with cookie cutter, I use an old tomato sauce can.

Let biscuits rise in a warm spot for about 30 minutes. Brush the tops with melted butter if you desire.  I don't because I like the tops crispy.  Then bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes.

There are other things you can do with your sourdough starter.  Make pancakes, waffles, cookies, crackers and pizza dough,   And if you have spilled some of the stuff on your counter, you may have noticed it makes really good glue!

And to Barbara, who sent me a great photo of her Sourdough bread, my apologies.  I downloaded the photo to where I though it should be and of course, it has disappeared.

And so the Saga of the Pet with the Stinky Disposition comes to an end.  I really was afraid that the Sourdough Starter would become too much trouble with I started on this adventure.  But, hey, nothing else around here only gets fed once a week.  All the other critters get fed twice daily, except Cousin Sandra and I, we eat 3 x daily plus snacks.  Could be why my jeans are a little tight?

Yarrow
Achillea millefolium

Have you been noticing the frost?  I love the frost, it makes the world all sparkly!  I almost missed this great shot of the frost on the Yarrow because as soon as the Sun gets anywhere near the shimmering crystals they disappear!

“The end of THE END is the best place to begin THE END, because if you read THE END from the beginning of the beginning of THE END to the end of the end of THE END, you will arrive at the end.”
― Lemony Snicket, The End

Sun shining through kitchen window.

January is Hot Tea Month! Sip a cuppa with me!

A woodland tea party
could possible attract some
magical friends!

Pour yourself a cup of hot tea and sit for a spell.  We are going to talk about  Camellia sinensis.  No, we are not going to gossip about some famous movie star or dish someone who lives down the street!  We are going to talk about Tea because January is Hot Tea month.

All "tea" comes from the same species of plant (Camellia sinensis).  Now there will be differences in the tea leaves because of different varieties of the plant, growing/harvest season, processing, part of the plant and origin.  And remember, Rooibos (redbush tea from Africa and herbals are not true tea, they are "tisanes".)

The western (has nothing to do with Texas!)  tea industry now recognizes 5 types of Tea.....

White Tea....

Minimally processed tea

 is an antioxidant-rich tea with a delicate flavor. The main white tea types are Silver Needle, White Peony, Darjeeling White and flavored white tea.

Fired Green Tea........

Chinese style (fired) green tea

Chinese-style green teas are often heated over a fire or coals, or they are fired in a convection oven. Long Jing ('Dragonwell') is the most popular type of fired green tea.

Steamed Green Tea.......

Japanese style green tea

Most Japanese-style green teas are steamed rather than fired.

Oolong Tea.....

Partially oxidized tea

Most oolong teas come from Taiwan and China. The main styles are Bao Zhong (a.k.a. 'Pouchong'), Semi-Balled, Oriental Beauty, Wuyi Oolong, Phoenix Oolong and flavored oolong.

Black Tea.....

Heavily or fully oxidized tea

Black teas are often classified by origin. 'Ceylon' is the former name of Sri Lanka, so many Sri Lankan black teas are simply called 'Ceylon teas.'

Pu-erh Tea...

Fermented Tea

Pu-erh tea is different from all other major tea types in that it is fermented.

Photo by
http://www.photographersdirect.com/
tea leaves drying...oxidation.

So you may be wondering, "What the heck is oxidized tea?  Oxidation in tea making essentially means letting the tea leaves be exposed without intervention to air, with varied periods of exposure being needed for different kinds of tea.

Tea leaves will begin to wilt and oxidize (a process caused by intracellular enzymes) as soon as they are picked. As their chlorophyll breaks down, they turn darker, and this accounts for the variation in tea types.

Oxidation can be stopped by artificially heating the tea leaves, which will deactivate those enzymes. Once oxidation has been stopped, the tea leaves are dried out.

                                                                   

Really, if you start studying about Tea the amount of information is mind boggling.  And have you ever gone to the grocery store with the intention of becoming a tea connoisseur and looked at all the teas on the shelf.  Yeah right, you have regular old black and regular old green....and some herbals, and if your grocery is larger than ours, well, you might have a few specialty teas.  Or if you are lucky enough to get to Winnsboro and stop in at Art & Espresso on Market street, Marilyn has a good sampling of tea, black, green, oolong, jasmine, chai, fruit and herbals.  So, next time you venture to the big city, (we go to the FRESH store in Tyler) then you can start to pick out some really good teas.  Where to start?  That really is a personal preference.  My favorites are the black teas....I love Earl Grey mixed with a smokey Lapsang Souchong.  But, Cousin Sandra does not like the taste of Lapsang Souchong but loves the mild fruity blends that you can achieve with White teas.

Let me give you a few places to go to start your tea education.....About.com has a mini email course about tea....coffeetea.about.com or check out Tea Time Magazine online....a little more frou-frou, but has gorgeous photos of china tea sets, lots of great recipes and good tea information.....www.teatimemagazine.com/



Yours truly as a
Tea Party Hostess!



Let's Have a Tea Party!

Don't you just love a tea party?  I do.  I always have and always will!  When I was just a wee lassie I would have tea parties with my little plastic horses.  I guess I wasn't into dolls but give me a plastic horse any day.  And I must have been a budding herbalist because I can remember brewing grasses, pine pollen and whatever was blooming for the horse tea.

I will put the water on to boil.....oh, and by the way, you can get as fussy as you want with the following procedures. But, I like to keep things simple.  We have filtered water which is best for tea making.  Doesn't add any strange tastes to the tea.

While the water is getting hot, let's "prime" the tea pot.  And having a tea pot is so much fun!  Actually, we have several nice pots, but my fave is just a simple green ceramic pot.  Anyway, priming the pot, means warm the pot with some warm water.  I usually add some of the water heating on the stove but you can always use warm tap water.

Now, the temperature of the water is where you can really get technical if you desire.....

Black tea: 4 to 5 minutes at 212°

Oolong tea: 4 to 7 minutes at 195° to 210°

Green or white tea: 2 to 5 minutes at 165° to 175°

Since I am not going to take the temperature of the water, this is my rule of thumb...

for black or oolong teas

bring the water to a boil, take off heat, let sit for a bit, then put in tea pot.

Steep about 5 minutes

green tea or white tea

bring the water to almost a boil, take off heat, let sit for a bit, then put in tea pot

steep about 2-3 minutes

herbal teas (which I like really strong flavored)

Bring the water to a rolling boil and then immediately add to pot.

steep at least 10-15 to whenever minutes

And PLEASE do not heat your water in the microwave.  I am not anti-microwave, but tea or herbal tea is where I draw the line!

Ladies taking afternoon tea.
 Mary Cassatt, artist
courtesy ofen.wikipedia.org

Now the tea is made, the table is set and we are ready for a relaxing afternoon of sipping and munching!

"Oh, dawling, what is this delightful tea you are serving this afternoon!?!" 

Well, dear, let me see.  This afternoon I am serving some wonderful herbal teas (tisanes).....

My favorites....two StarDragonfly Herbal blends....

Evening in the Garden....Roses (from my favorite rose bush), Chamomile and Lavender

Garden Calcium....Thai basil (from our gardens), Oat tops and Nettle

Or how about a blend of....say, Chamomile and Cinnamon or Lemon balm and lemon peels?

Then there are some very simple teas, some we have talked about in past posts.....

Ginger.....add a little organic lemon juice and some honey...very satisfying on a cold evening, especially if you have tummy ache.

Cinnamon tea...(steep a cinnamon stick in boiling water for 15 or more minutes) or make Ginger/Cinnamon tea.........1/2 c. thinly sliced fresh ginger

              6 c. water

              2 cinnamon sticks

              2 tbs. honey

This tea is actually my favorite winter time herbal tea.

Really, I could go on and on about tea, tisanes and any combination of tea and tisanes, but, we will cover these in future posts.

And it really wouldn't be a tea party without some delicious snack!  Here again, you can get as fancy as your little heart desires!  From sandwiches to fancy desserts, to actual meals, anything can be served at a tea party!  NO RULES!  Dontcha just love that!

Shortbread cookies!
Photo by
www.companyscoming.com

I like my tea with a piece of homemade short bread or a lemon scone.  Life is good!

Well, thank you so much for stopping by....wish I could have all our readers out to the farm for a tea party!  Hope all is well in your world!

Yours, Susan

If you are cold, tea will warm you.  If you are too heated, it will cool you.  If you are depressed, it will cheer you.  If you are excited, it will calm you.

Gladstone, 1865

Daffodils are starting to emerge!
Is Spring really coming soon?

The Saga of the New Pet with the Stinky Disposition Part 2

Excuse me,
WHERE IS MY BLANKIE?
Photo taken January 2011. 

I am back!  We lost use of the computer monitor, oh what, about 4 weeks ago!  Let me tell you, every time, (and I am not exagerratin', ask Cousin Sandra) Sandra leaves me alone here on the farm for any length of time some electronic device just up and quits.  This time, Cousin Sandra went to Austin to spend Christmas with family, it wasn't even 2 days and the computer monitor just died.  Aghh!  I had some great blogs planned and lots of research to do.  But, we are back and very excited about the New Year.

Well, let's continue with the Saga of Sourdough.  I do have to admit that I am quite smitten with my new pet.  The Sourdough starter only requires a once a week feeding and has produced quite a few loaves of delicious bread.  And since a lot of New Year's resolutions deal with weight loss or healthy living, it is good to know that Sourdough bread is vegan and fat-free, (unless, you slather it with butter when it is fresh from the oven!)   So far, I have made just the regular Sourdough bread, herb bread and a loaf of Cinnamon Bread.  The Cinnamon bread made the kitchen smell heavenly, was great toasted, then made a yummy bread pudding.  But was definitely not fat-free! 

Photo by
ucfant3145f09-04.wikispaces.com

Okay, how about some history of Sourdough!?!   I guess around 1500 BC the Egyptians wrote down the first information on their leavened bread that became known as ummm, Egyptian Leavened Bread.  According to the site Food History there were many stories as to how they first discover the yeast starter, but you can probably imagine that some bread dough was left out and some of the wild yeast spores that are in the air at all times got mixed in the dough and those Egyptians noticed that the bread rose and was lighter than the usual flat breads.

Photo by
flickr.com
This is what I did when I read
that someone paid $600.00
for a genuine Alaskan sourdough
starter! 

Folks, once again, I had this blog almost completely done and POOF! error message and half of the blog is gone!  Anyway, to make a long story short, through trial and error those Egyptians found that some of the sourdough cultures worked and tasted better than others.  They could keep this culture alive by saving from their baking a little raw dough and adding more flour to it, and it would produce the same flavor.  Sourdough Starter is created!  Yeah, now we can make yummy bread while we are exploring and taking over the rest of the world!

EUREKA!  Gold is discovered in California!  The Boudin family, master bakers from France headed on out to the San Francisco area to set up shop and become famous for using the unique sourdough starter that develops in the area.  According to Food History the miners flocked to this bakery every morning for this special tasting bread.  Okay, I can't help myself.  I doubt seriously that a bunch of crusty miners were flocking anywhere except to their claim to keep some other crusty old miner from claiming their claim. (?)  It's not like they would stop in at the local bakery to have their cup of cappuccino and a beignet and oh, by the way, may I have a loaf of that lovely fresh bread to take with me for lunch.


Feeding the Starter



Let's make some Sourdough Bread.  Since I make bread on Monday, the very first thing I do that morning is take the starter out of the frig.  Now it is time to refresh the starter....discard 1 c. starter, then add 1/2 cup warm water and 1 cup flour.  It will have to sit and create bubbles for 4 hours.  Bubbles, you wonder?

Yes," if you mix any ground up grain with a liquid such as water or milk and let it sit in the open air at room temp, wild yeasts in the air will settle in the mix, eat the natural sugars and convert them into lactic (and other) acids which give it a sour flavor.  They also give off alcohol and carbon dioxide.  The carbon dioxide is what will cause the bread to rise.  When worked into a bread dough, the bubbles get trapped into the structure of the bread, and that is the little holes that you see." 

kitchenproject.com/history/sourdough.htm

So, now we have refreshed the starter and talked a little about sourdough history.  Let me tell you about the history of my starter.  Remember back before Christmas when this saga started I had just purchased a sourdough starter from King Arthur Flour Company.  According to them "it’s descended from a starter that’s been lovingly nurtured here in New England since the 1700s."  Whether this is correct or not, I didn't pay $600.00 for it!

You can make starter quite easily yourself if you don't care if your starter has a pedigree or not.  Here's how:

Probably the easiest way, is to contact me and get some of my starter and I will give you the care instructions.  And to the lady (Ramy?) who contacted me before Christmas wanting some starter, please get in touch again.....I will be happy to share...... stdragonfly@yahoo.com.

You will need:
2 cups all-purpose flour (white or whole wheat)
2 tsps granulated sugar (optional, but the little yeasties love it)
1 packet active-dry yeast (you could do it the old fashioned way and let it sit out for a week or so, but I didn't think you would want to do that!)
2 cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees F.)

The whole wheat flour will need longer rising times and use filtered water, the little yeasties really do not like chemical laden water, neither do I for that matter!

Mix all ingredients in a bowl that isn't metal or plastic and cover with a cloth and leave it sitting on the counter for 2-5 days.  Stir daily. The starter is ready when it develops a pleasant sour smell and is bubbly.  Pleasant sour smell?  I would suggest you leave it out a couple days until it is good and bubbly.  Pleasant sour smell?

Now, take out a cup of starter and discard, add 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup warm water.

Cover loosely........the easiest way, put starter in a big canning jar and punch a whole in the lid.  Give your starter a name and put it in the frig.  It is ready to use.

Photo by
www.callisters.com

We named our starter Grady.....

Grady Spears is a cowboy turned Chef.  What more could a girl want?  Tall, dark and handsome cowboy that cooks.  I wonder if anyone has ever thought of cloning this man?

I promise we will talk more about Grady (the cowboy) in future posts.

Enough for today, next time we will actually get the bread in the oven!  As the saga continues!  All here at StarDragonfly Herbals send you Peace, Love, and Many Good Blessings for you and yours!  Susan


While Red was whining for his blankie,
This is where Head of Ranch Security
was hanging out!




Now I lay me down to sleep.
The king size bed is soft and deep.
I sleep right in the center groove
My human being can hardly move!
I've trapped her legs, she's tucked in tight
And here is where I pass the night
No one disturbs me or dares intrude
Til morning comes and "I want food!"
I sneak up slowly to begin
my nibbles on my human's chin.
She wakes up quickly,
I have sharp teeth.
I'm a puppy, don't you see?
For the morning's here
and it's time to play
I always seem to get my way.
So thank you Lord for giving me
This human person that I see.
The one who hugs and holds me tight
And shares her bed with me at night!

Unknown

To All in Texas and Beyond, Merry Christmas, Ya'll!

Twas The Night Before Christmas (Texas Style)

'Twas the night before Christmas, in Texas, you know.

Way out on the prairie, without any snow.

Asleep in their cabin, were Buddy and Sue,

A dreamin' of Christmas , like me and you.

Not stockings, but boots, at the foot of their bed,

For this was Texas, what more need be said,

When all of a sudden, from out of the still night,

There came such a ruckus, it gave me a fright.

And I saw 'cross the prairie, like a shot from a gun,

A loaded up buckboard, come on at a run,

The driver was "Geein" and Hawin", with a will,

The horses (not reindeer) he drove with such skill.

"Come on there Buck, Poncho, & Prince, to the right,

There'll be plenty of travelin' for you all tonight."

The driver in Levi's and a shirt that was red,

Had a ten-gallon Stetson on top of his head.

As he stepped from the buckboard, he was really a sight,

With his beard and moustache, so curly and white.

As he burst in the cabin, the children awoke,

And were so astonished, that neither one spoke.

And he filled up their boots with such presents galore,

That neither could think of a single thing more.

When Buddy recovered the use of his jaw,

He asked in a whisper, "Are you really Santa Claus?"

"Am I the real Santa?  Well, what do you think?"

And he smiled as he gave a mysterious wink.

Then he leaped in his buckboard, and called back in his drawl,

"To all the children in Texas, Merry Christmas, You-all!"



Poem taken from All Saints Hospital staff Christmas cookbook circa 1960's, supposedly submitted by Edna Nowell, Sr. LVN. I believe the All Saints Hospital is in Ft. Worth.   Photo by rabbithillprimitives.com   Well, I know you are busy with all your last minute Christmas preparations, so I will mosey on out of here and have another cup of coffee! Go ahead, put another batch of cookies in the oven and have the Eggnog ready for Christmas Eve. I know Santa will be stopping Buck, Poncho and Prince at your hacienda! Merrily, Susan, Chi and all the StarDragonflyHerbals gang! I sometimes think we expect too much of Christmas Day. We try to crowd into it the long arrears of kindliness and humanity of the whole year. As for me, I like to take my Christmas a little at a time, all through the year. And thus I drift along into the holidays, let them overtake me unexpectedly, waking up some fine morning and suddenly saying to myself: 'Why this is Christmas Day! Quote by Ray Stannard Baker

Red and Beauty playing in the snow!
This photo was taken
Dec. 19, 2010.
That was today, one year ago!

The Saga of the New Pet With A Stinky Disposition!

Sourdough Miner

Photo by

www.virtualmuseum.ca

The handsome fellow in the photo is fortunately not the new pet I am talking about.  But, I am sure this fellow would appreciate some of my new pet and he would most likely put it to good use!

Ahh, you are thinking....
"Susan has been hitting the spirit filled Holiday Eggnog again!  What on earth is she talking about this time?"

I am talking about our new Sourdough Starter!  We (Cousin Sandra, Neighbor Ann and I) got a wild hare the other day when we were talking about ways to become more self sufficient.  I think the question was "How can we make bread if we could no longer get yeast?"  Well, me and my big mouth piped up and said "There's always Sourdough starter!"

Sourdough Starter in Jar
What remains of my first
quite successful baking of
a Sourdough Boule
and
A view of what the new shelving
for spices and teas looks
like in my beautiful orange kitchen!

Okay, now, I did not know what I was getting into when I became the proud owner of a smidgen of Sourdough starter.  It's kinda like getting a FREE puppy or kitten.....uh, there really is no such thing.  Yes, the lovely little creature may not have a price tag when you are happily whisking her away to join your family....but, just wait til you make that stop at Walmart or Pet Smart and buy all the stuff that little critter will need just to start out. Then there are shots, flea drops, tick collars, more dog or kitty food, dogie Christmas presents, obedience school, advanced obedience school, get the picture.  Sounds like the voice of experience, dontcha think!

My favorite baking flour just happens to be King Arthur flour.  Why you may ask.  Well, I hate to admit it, but I just like the whole idea of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and the beautiful Guenevere, the wicked (misguided?) witches and beautiful black stallions decked out in glistening gold armor.  Oh, yes, flour, back to the flour....King Arthur flour is a quality flour and they have a great website....www.kingarthurflour.com.

photo by
http://www.examiner.com/

Anyway, they just happen to have sourdough starter for sale and the stuff has a pedigree!  We will get into the pedigree business later.  And it was only $6.95 plus shipping (which cost as much as said starter).  You could buy a cute little King Arthur canister to house your starter for $26.95 plus shipping.  Uhh, not at this time Thank you.  My starter can live in a mason jar just like all the starters before it....well, actually, they probably lived in crockery pots but I don't have one of those, so a glass jar will have to do!

Now, I didn't warn you or maybe I did that this is a saga....a tale.....a story about my adventure with my new starter, the history of sourdough, and baking.

Oh, and we may have to interrupt this sour saga because next Saturday is Christmas!  So, I will post something seasonally appropriate.....whatever!

Not to give away too much of the story yet....but if you would like to have your very own Sourdough starter please let me know because this thing is already starting to multiply!  Just email me at:
stdragonfly@yahoo.com and NO!, I will not trade for a puppy, kitten or anything possessing 2,4 or no legs!

Well, I will leave you now with the knowledge that the sourdough is happily souring in its pretty jar in the frig.  This tale will continue in a couple weeks, so until then, enjoy the holiday season, stay warm and eat a holiday cookie for me and Chi!  Oh, I have tried to take photos of Chi with fake reindeer antlers.  It's not pretty.   I don't know, but some of the Christmas joy is lost when you get a photo of a SNARLING dog with fake reindeer antlers.  Happily yours, Susan

If you are a dog and your owner suggest that you wear a sweater, suggest that he wear a tail.

Fran Lebowitz

The Pug that ate Christmas!
Photo by

dogs.about.com

Christmas Herbs, Spices and a Holiday Sweetie!




 

www.wackystock.com

Christmas is coming, the Geese are getting fat!  Well, I am not so sure about the Geese...but I always like to be a little extra careful about my health and the health of those around me at this time of year!  And every year it just seems so much easier to put on fat than it did the year before!  And, even though I hate to admit it, I LOVE cookies!  And jeez, I am not so sure how Santa would react if I left him some fat free granola, apple slices and soy milk.  I am sure the Reindeer would get the granola and apples slices and I could just see Santa hunting around for a potted plant to water with Soy milk.  So, let's not tempt Fate and go ahead and leave the good stuff for Santa and the Reindeer!  Cousin Sandra just informed me that the GOOD STUFF is the fat free granola, apple slices and Soy Milk!  (Who does she think she is fooling?  We are related after all!)

Photo by
lukee-cn.en.made-in-china.com

There are quite a few really wonderful cooking magazines on the news stands now.  And another thing that I absolutely love are cooking magazines.  Actually, the photography fascinates me.  Well, my favorite cooking magazine is the Food Network Magazine www.foodnetmag.com .  It is crammed full of wonderful recipes, tips and stories about the Chefs that appear on the Food Network.  The December 2011 issue has a section called Food News and lo and behold....there is a small article titled....

HOLIDAY SWEETS

might be good for you.

Go ahead and indulge: 

These ingredients come with

health benefits!

Yeah, right!

(Okay, to those of you who subscribe to this Blog, there are 8 of you and you know who you are!  My apologizes on the Blog not being finished!  Please bare with me.....I am not sure what button I pushed or what magic incantation I may have whispered inadvertently but the StarDragonfly Herbals computer in its infinite wisdom, PUBLISHED my unfinished blog!  Check back, uhhhh, maybe tomorrow and I should be finished!  Puzzled, Susan)

The first ingredient listed is Ginger.  The article says "Have a little gingerbread after hitting gym:  (Who are they kidding?)   A University of Georgia study shows that about 1/2 teaspoon of ginger can relieve post-workout muscle pain."  According to my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook....a batch of Gingerbread which is baked in a 9 x 11/2 inch round pan, only has 3/4 tsp. ginger in the recipe.   Uhhh, how long did you work out at the gym so that you can eat almost that whole pan of Gingerbread?  Not long enough, honey!

Instead try this:   Ginger Root Tea

Peel a 2 inch piece of fresh ginger root (Brookshires actually has Ginger Root in the produce section) and slice into thin slices. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Once it is boiling, add the ginger. Cover it and reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes. Strain the tea. Add honey and lemon to taste.
Note: Keep in mind that if you are making ginger tea as a home remedy during cold and flu season, sweeteners are not recommended.

This tea is wonderful hot or iced.  It will be Spicy!  But, I love this tea with Honey.  I have even made this and put Green or Black Tea Bags in and let steep 3 minutes.  Four bags should do the trick.

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www.acclaimimages.com

 Cinnamon....."New research shows that antioxidant rich spices like cinnamon can help keep your triglyceride levels low after eating high-fat foods." Food Network Magazine  Okay, I agree, but....you cannot  eat a big old buttery Cinnamon Roll and expect the cinnamon to work on your triglyceride levels. Taking as little as 1/2 tsp. a day of ground cinnamon has been shown to lower triglyceride levels. 

So, you need to be sprinkling Cinnamon on lots of things to get 1/2 tsp. daily!  Cinnamon is a pretty potent spice!  So, go ahead and sprinkle that Cinnamon on:  Your morning cereal, oatmeal, toast, yogurt or in your coffee.  Really, adding the Cinnamon to the grounds before brewing works best. Chai tea contains cinnamon and better yet, sprinkle some on sliced apples.  Okay, okay if you have to indulge in a cinnamon roll, go for it, or sprinkle some on your ice cream or in your eggnog.



Talk about Sweet!
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www.parents.com

 Peppermint......."This herb has been a natural remedy for indigestion since the late 1600s and now we know why:  New research shows that peppermint activates an anti-pain reaction in the gut, soothing achy stomachs." Food Network Magazine  This is why the Restaurants keep a little bowl of those pretty mint candies by the door!

Using Peppermint is easy.....keep a pocketful of those little mint candies or drink a cup of mint tea.  Celestial Seasonings brand is always a good bet and easy to find.

Nutmeg..."Eating sweets doesn't have to lead to cavities:  Studies show that nutmeg can help prevent tooth decay, thanks to its antibacterial properties."  Food Network Magazine  Yes, nutmeg is a very interesting spice and I think I will give it a blog post of its own.  I am not so sure how much of the Food Network statement I believe.....put then again "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!"

Photo by
medicinalherbinfo.org

and last but not least......Cloves........"Of the 425 spices and herbs analyzed in a 2010 study, cloves had the highest concentration of antioxidants, which makes them the most effective at fending off cell-damaging free radicals."  Food Network Magazine

Ahhh, my work here is done.  Now you may go about your holiday baking knowing that you are adding anti-oxidants, cavity fighting qualities, and pain relieving properties to your kitchen creations. If you can figure out how to leave out all the sugar and fat.....well, let me know.  Because I don't think you can create a really yummy cookie without BUTTER and SUGAR!  Until we meet again in cyberspace....Spicely yours, Susan.

Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap!

Robert Fulghum in 1987 at Middlebury College


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Beauty and a nice Scrub, too!



Lavender and Squash Blossoms
November 11, 2011
My Black Beauty surveying all the
delicious greenery!

 I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with lots of good food and family!  Here at StarDragonfly Herbals, Cousin Sandra, L, and I had Chicken Tortilla Soup, and to add to the  soup, we had Cilantro and Jalapenos from this years garden.  In fact, we had Cilantro volunteer to sprout and now have a whole raised bed full of baby cilantro plants.  An Apple pie made with Tennessee Winesap apples was for dessert.  I know, I know, what happened to the Turkey and all the accompanying delicious sides and desserts?

Last week, I featured the Winnsboro Emporium and it's proprietor, Conrad, because he so graciously has let me set up a mini store to sell my herbal wares.  So now I would like to tell you about these herbal wares, talk about the herbs used in the products and how to use the products.

The first products we will be talking about will be:

Sister Susan's Natural Skin Care Products

I love to make these homemade beauty products!  I like to use fresh, natural or organic herbs and oils because they are gentle and healthy for the skin.  When learning to make these products, I was using my teacher, Rosemary's basic recipes.  She states when you are using these products that you should always be thinking the thought "I am beautiful" as you apply them!  Honestly, we don't tell ourselves enough how beautiful and special we are, we feel we must wait for someone else to say those words to us.  Well, believe me, folks, we are all in the same boat! So from us at StarDragonfly Herbals, let us assure you that you are beautiful!

These are the basic instructions for using the: a.  Cowgirl Face Wash & Scrub

                                                                    b. Chamomile Flower Astringent

                                                                    c.  Cowgirl Face Lotion

1. Make a paste in the palm of hand by adding a few drops water to 1-2 tsp Cowgirl Face Wash & Scrub.  Apply to face in gentle, circular motions. DO NOT GET IN OR NEAR YOUR EYES!  Leave on and relax in a bathtub full of bubbles or just rinse face off!
2.  Put Chamomile Flower Astringent on cotton ball and gentle clean face.  DO NOT GET IN OR NEAR YOUR EYES! 
3.  Apply Cowgirl Face Lotion.  Start with just a small amount on the tip of your finger.  Your skin will seem oily at first but will absorb the lotion.
4.Always think of yourself as beautiful and now have a wonderful day or a restful evening!

Sister Susan's
Cowgirl Face Wash & Scrub

Sister Susan's

Cowgirl Face Wash & Scrub

This is such a nice face scrub.  When I first discovered this scrub, I had been using an Apricot scrub that was very harsh.  You better be very careful using that scrub!  You definitely could scrub a couple layers of skin off in a hurry!  Use the Apricot scrub on your heels or a dirty cooking pot but use the Cowgirl Face Wash and Scrub on your lovely and tender face and hands!

The Cowgirl Face Wash and Scrub contains:

Powdered milk....think Cleopatra!  Really, powdered milk has the same benefits as good old camel milk!  "Over two thousand years ago, Cleopatra filled her elegant tub with camel milk to maintain her notoriously supple skin.


Milk naturally contains Vitamins A and D, which helps to make your skin soft, yet strong. Further, the lactic acid in milk has natural beta hydroxy acids which not only exfoliate your skin, but soothe it. The natural ingredients found in milk improve the appearance and condition of your skin. As milk eliminates dead skin cells from the surface of your skin, it adds essential moisture."  www.natural-skin-care-info.com/milk-bath.html

Ground oats... "Oats are  highly absorptive, hypoallergenic, and help to soften skin. They have the best amino acid balance of all the cereal grains (amino acids work as water-binding agents in skin care products). Oats have been clinically shown to help heal dry, itchy skin."  www.pioneerthinking.com/oatmealbeauty.html    Beauty (the horse) maintains that oats beautify her from the inside out! 

Ground almonds...Exfoliation Gone Nutty – Finely ground almonds can be used as a gentle and natural exfoliate, great for rubbing away dead skin cells and sprucing up the complexion. Almonds contain linoleic acid which is a fatty acid that helps soften and moisturize the skin.

Ground lavender...Lavender is really known for its calming aromatherapy effect but lavender contains powerful antioxidants that prevent and counteract the irritating effects of pollutants on the skin.



Blue Corn
tofu-n-sproutz.blogspot.com



Ground blue corn...Blue corn is one of the oldest varieties. The Pueblo tribe in the Southwestern United States was using blue corn at least as far back as 1540, when Spanish explorers discovered the region. Corn meal is a natural and gentle exfoliate.




Thelma's Rose
A beautiful cabbage type rose given to us
by our dear neighbor, Thelma



Ground rose petals..."The use of the rose is far and varied. It has a long history in its use in folk remedies, especially in the area of skincare. It is suitable for all skin types, but it is especially valuable for dry, sensitive or aging skins. It has a tonic and astringent effect on the capillaries just below the skin surface, which makes it useful in diminishing the redness caused by enlarged capillaries.

The rose also offers a soothing property to the nerves and emotional /psychological state of mind. It is regarded as a mild sedative and anti-depressant. It is increasingly used in treatments for conditions of stress: nervous tension, peptic ulcers, heart disease, among others." www.rosemagazine.com/pages/therapeutic.asp

                                              
Wow!   I am always amazed at the healing properties of the plants!  Not only are they beautiful but so generous.  They feed us and the animals, cloth us and give us medicine and beauty!  Sister Susan's Cowgirl Face Wash & Scrub is available at the Winnsboro Emporium, located on Main Street in  Winnsboro, Texas or contact StarDragonfly Herbals at 903-866-3606 or stdragonfly@yahoo.com.  Until next time, remember you are beautiful and so, think beautiful thoughts!  Herbally yours, Susan

Beauty is not in the face;               

beauty is a light in the heart.Kahlil Gibran