Of Bees and Oregano

Sometimes you think something is thriving but it really isn't.  And you don't know that until you try it someplace else.  This oregano has been growing in the back garden for years.  It seems happy enough but never gives more than a smattering of blooms. 

While cutting it back last year I scooped up some roots and buried them in the front garden.  Now I know what happy oregano really looks like.  There are blooms everywhere and most importantly and most happily, there are dozens of bees.  Now that just makes me smile. 

If you have a bunch of oregano try this recipe.  It's a keeper. 

When Life Hands You Lemons

The harvest of 2012?  The best ever!  My little tree churned out forty five Meyer lemons; forty two for me and three mauled by shifty garden marauders.  Not bad. 

The entire kitchen smelled heavenly when harvested.  And since then the heavy, juicy lemons have been used in a slew of ways.

Sugar cookies with lemon zest and a little juice in lieu of vanilla extract.  Oh my.  They are just about the best sugar cookies anyway, but when fresh Meyer lemon juice and zest are added?  Lemon-cookie nirvana.

There was lemon risotto.  If you've never had lemon risotto you really need to try it.  It's amazingly delicious.  Smooth, creamy and just the perfect amount of lemony goodness.  It pairs beautifully with grilled salmon garnished with fresh dill plucked from the garden.  Or sauteed scallops, oh yes, those are good too.

The fresh juice also found its way into homemade salad dressings and sauces.   Roasted whole chicken stuffed with lemon, onion, garlic and garden rosemary has been a favorite around here lately too. 

But now my lemon stash is dwindling and I'm becoming much more choosy about how to use the remaining lemons.  I've seen several recipes for lemon curd but I don't think my people are going to be fans and I'd like to make something we would all enjoy. 

So I'm asking, what are your favorite ways to use Meyer lemons?

To start the conversation, I'll share my two favorite recipes:  lemon risotto and lemon sugar cookies.

Sugar Cookies
Adapted from Family Weekly - March 12, 1978

1/2 cup soft unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp lemon juice (more to taste)
1 tsp lemon zest (more to taste)
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder

Cream the butter and sugar.  Add eggs, zest and juice and beat well.   Combine flour, salt and baking powder then add to creamed mixture.  Mix.  Chill dough until firm.  Drop by rounded spoonful or roll dough and cut into shapes.  Bake in preheated 375 oven 8-10 minutes.  Remove to rack to cool.

Lemon Risotto
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Christmas Entertaining

3 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 cups water
5 Tbs. unsalted butter
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbs. minced shallots
2 1/4 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup coarsely grated lemon zest
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus some shaved for garnish
Salt (to taste)
1/4 cup minced fresh chervil

In saucepan over high heat, combine the broth and water.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat to low and maintain a simmer.

In separate large saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 Tbs. of the butter with the olive oil.  Add the shallots and saute until translucent, 2-3 minutes.  Add the rice and stir until opaque, about 3 minutes.  Add 3/4 cup broth, adjust the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring, until most of the broth is absorbed.  Continue adding the broth, about 3/4 cup at a time and stirring constantly, until all but about 1/2 cup of the broth has been used, the rice is nearly tender and still slightly firm in the center, and the mixture is creamy, 20-25 minutes.

Add the lemon juice to the remaining 1/2 cup broth and add the mixture, little by little, to the rice along with the remaining 3 Tbs. butter, lemon zest and the grated cheese, always stirring constantly.  Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt.

Stir in chervil and garnish with cheese shavings. 

Enjoy!

Don't forget; let me know your favorite ways to use Meyer lemons.

Inside Austin Gardens Tour: Get Your Inspiration!

It's often said that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery and I promise you, if you venture out to the Inside Austin Gardens Tour you'll find tons of inspiration and ideas galore worth imitation.

The 2012 Inside Austin Gardens Tour, hosted by the Travis County Master Gardeners takes place on Saturday, October 20th, from 9am-4pm.  In addition to seven beautiful gardens to explore, there will be educational presentations and plant and book sales.

These gardens have so much to offer.  If you live close enough to visit Austin next weekend, I really encourage you to take the tour.  Each garden has its own unique story and personality.  I walked away from the experience with zillions, seriously, zillions of new ideas for my own garden. {Sorry, DJ ♥}  Some are easy to implement, others will have to be on the five year plan!

The "white" garden in Renee Studebaker's charming cottage garden. 

Looking for path ideas?  There are numerous designs and materials to contemplate.  A couple that I really liked:

Concrete slabs artfully arranged in the Donnis Doyle garden.

 A nice mix of materials is used for unique pavers in the Ann and Robin Matthews' garden.

The theme of this year's tour is Edibles in the Garden.  This is an idea that is attractive and practical.

A fairly easy way to add decorative, raised vegetable beds to the garden.  Soil filled stock tanks allow 

for easy gathering of vegetables in David and Jennifer Phillips' garden.

Several plants caught my attention and have been added to my "gotta have" list:

 Malabar spinach growing in the Phillips' garden.  It. Is. Gorgeous.

Salvia mexicana in Carolyn and Michael Williams' garden.  Anyone familiar with this cultivar?
The pale, lavender flowers are so unique and unexpected compared to the
commonly grown bright purple of 'Limelight'.

 The sunshine yellow flowers of butterfly vine spill over a weathered gate in the Phillips' garden.

Close up of butterfly vine going to seed.  These are as enchanting as the floral display.

Many of us desire to have beautiful rock work in our gardens.  This recirculating stream in the Hill Country garden of the Phillips got me thinking about how I could implement something similar in my backyard where we have water rushing through after heavy rains.  

I love how the plants play along the edge of the stone work giving a very natural appearance.

A simple display of rock using a variety of materials to enhance a few xeric plants in the Phillips' garden.

And every garden needs whimsy and these gardens are abundantly whimsical!

 

A sweet tribute of love to his wife... Ask Carolyn Williams about the story behind

 this tender demonstration of affection.

The Donnis Doyle garden is one of the most whimsical I've ever toured...colorful furnishings, handmade stars and hearts adorn the eaves and walls, unique bottle trees and screening ideas...the whimsy goes on and on.  Really.  Go visit!

I adore everything about this little vignette in Renee Studebaker's garden.  The stacked stones
rest close by three dainty, weathered chairs entwined with vines and foliage at the edge
 of her white garden pictured at the top of the post.  Simple and beautiful.

This rustic arrangement of dried artichokes and juniper in the Phillips' garden is captivating. The juniper is simply adorned with the artichokes and malabar spinach grows at it's base.

I said at the top of the post that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.  Well, let me just say that Renee Studebaker can make some mean ratatouille from garden fresh ingredients and I could hardly wait to get home and make it myself! 

I made this yesterday and between myself, my girlfriend and my husband, we ate the ENTIRE pan.  It's that good.  She will be giving a presentation on appetizers prepared from garden fare during the tour.  Go.

There is so much more I could tell you.  I haven't even touched on the wealth of information about rainwater harvesting to be discovered.  Really.  You should just go ☺

When You Have Herbs Growing Out Your Ears

Rosemary.  Cilantro.  Italian oregano.  Mexican oregano.  Parsley.  Dill.  Pineapple sage.  Mint.  Spearmint.  Herbs are in crazy abundance in my spring garden.  The winter rains have made for some happy plants and I've been saving some serious coin by growing my own.

This week the parsley and Italian oregano were the key ingredients in basic chimichurri, a family favorite.

Steven Raichlen writes in The Barbecue Bible, "Chimichurri is the traditional accompaniment to South American grilled meats...No two chimichurri recipes are exactly alike, although the basic recipe contains just four ingredients:  parsley, garlic, olive oil, and salt."

I made a few changes to Raichlen's recipe...added sherry instead of vinegar, omitted the carrot and used fresh oregano in lieu of the dried.

Just grab a bunch of parsley and process with some garlic and salt until smooth. 

Then add some fresh oregano, red pepper flakes, sherry and olive oil, again processing until smooth.  That's it.  Easy peasy. 

Basic Chimichurri

The Barbecue Bible

1 bunch fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, stemmed

1 small head garlic, broken and peeled

1 medium carrot, peeled and grated

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup white wine vinegar (I used sherry)

1/4 cup water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1.  Combine the parsley and garlic in a food processor and pulse to chop as fine as possible.

2.  Add the carrot, oil, 1/2 cup vinegar, the water, 1 tsp salt, oregano, 1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes, and the black pepper.  Process to mix.  Taste for seasoning, adding vinegar, salt, or pepper flakes as necessary; the sauce should be highly seasoned.  The chimichurri will keep for several days in the refrigerator, but it tastes best served within a few hours of making.  

*I used half as a marinade for skirt steak and reserved the rest for serving along side the grilled meat.   

Yum.  Enjoy!

Celebrating Fall's Fabulousness with Cake!

It's time to start celebrating this fabulous season!  This cake is perfect for a quick autumn dessert.  My favorite variation of the recipe this time of year is the pumpkin spice cake.   Krusteaz makes a pumpkin spice mix you can find at Costco.  Mix the ingredients in one bowl, pour into a prepared Bundt pan and your whole house will be filled with the yummy scent of pumpkin spice in no time.  Nothing says fall like the aroma of pumpkin spice!

 Happy Fall, Y'all!

If you haven't already, submit a comment for the Austin Independent Nurseries Giveaway.  There is still time to enter the drawings for some incredible prizes!