August NEWSLETTER 2007-Mother's Garden

What's inside:

Lulu .......................................P1
     New munk at the stoop
Ears.......................................P1
     We're having babies
Arts & Crafts........................P2
     This months project
     Fresh herbal wreath
About Essential Oils............P2
     A list of a few oils and how
     they can be used.
Recipes: Nature's Garden....P3
    Bee Balm Fruit Salad
    Dill Pickles
Sage & Cider Jelly
Poems & Quotations...........P1-P2

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Do you know how to make sunflower seeds?

Ears in the woodpile

Recipes from Mother Natures Garden

Bee Balm Fruit Salad

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp. superfine sugar
3/4 C water
Juice of 2 oranges
4-6 bee balm leaves
1 C black currents or blackberries
2 C hulled strawberries
2C hulled raspberries
2-3 bee balm flowers (for decoration)
Scented geranium leaves (for decoration)

Place sugar, water, orange juice, and bee balm leaves in a pan over low heat (stir until sugar has dissolved). Bring the mixture to a boil for five minutes to thicken.

Discard the bee balm leaves and add the black currents to the syrup and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

When syrup is cool, add in the strawberries and raspberries. Pour the mixture into a glass dish and decorate the top with bee balm flowers and scented geranium leaves.

Serves 4-6

Honey Bunny
Spring model

Oh baby! You're the cutest.

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Chippy Day Journal $13.99 + S&H
Visit our chippy store for more great chipmunk products!

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Dill Pickles

Ingredients:
2 pickling cucumbers
1 1/2 C. cider vinegar
6 Tbsp sugar
1/2 Tsp salt
6 black peppercorns
4 whole cloves
1/2 Tsp mustard seeds
1 Tsp dill seeds
2 sprigs dill leaves

Place vinegar, sugar, salt, peppercorns, cloves, mustard seed, and dill seed in a glass or enamel pan and slowly bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes then cover and set aside for 2 hours.

Trim cucumbers and slice into 1/4 inch pieces. Pack them into cooled, sterilized jars.

Return the spiced vinegar to the burner and bring to a boil. Cool the mixture slightly then strain it over the cucumbers. Put one sprig of dill into each jar. Close the jars with vinegar proof lids, label, and store in a cool place. Pickles will be ready to eat after about 7 days.

Sage and Cider Jelly

Ingredients:
2 1/4 lb apples, cored and sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
3 2/3 C water
3 2/3 C hard cider, medium sweet
6 sprigs of sage leaves
3 C sugar approximately (see NOTE)
5 Tbsp chopped sage

Place apples, lemon juice, water, and cider in a large pan, add sage sprigs and bring the mixture slowly to a boil, stirring occasionally. Boil for 25 minutes longer or until the apples are tender. Strain the mixture through a jelly bag into a large bowl for several hours. Do not squeeze the bag.

NOTE: Measure the strained fruit juice and weigh 1 1/2 lbs of sugar to each 4 C of liquid. Pour the juice back into the pan and add the sugar. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Boil hard for ten minutes, skimming off any scum that rises to the top.

Place a small amount of jelly on a small plate and let cool. Push the jelly with your finger and if it wrinkles remove the pan from the heat, stir in the chopped sage, and leave the mixture for about 5 minutes.

Stir the jelly again and pour it into warm, sterilized jars. Cover with screw or clip-on lids, label, and store in a cool, dry place.

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