Cinnamon Butter

Super-easy, yet still impressive fancy spread.  Perfect for parties, or just enjoyment at home.  Perks up rolls and toast, sweet potatoes -- pretty much anything!

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter, softened
1/4 c powdered sugar
1/4 c raw honey
1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Directions:

Mix well and store in fridget in a container with a tightly sealed lid.

**We carry local, raw honey at Country Harvest Greenhouse.

DIY: Herbal Fire Starters

An all natural herbal fire starter.

Directions:

1. Just take the leftover twigs from your favorite herbs, such as rosemary, and snap them into lengths of 4 to 8 inches (your preference).

2. Stretch a length of approx. 1 to 2 feet of string/twine on your work surface.

3. Lay out a small bunch of the twigs perpendicular to the string.

4. Stretch/draw out several cottonballs and combine them to form a cotton piece or "rod" that stretches the length of the twigs.

 5. Smear or soak approx. 1 tbsp of coconut or other natural oil into the cotton thoroughly and lay upon the twigs.

 6. Lay another small bunch of twigs on top of the cotton.

 7. Draw the string up and around the twigs and cotton to bundle them into a single piece. Wrap several times going up and down the length of the bundle and tie.

 8. Use to start a fire or to drive away mosquitoes, freshen the air, clean an area of scent, etc!
 

Apple, Arugula & Endive Salad (Curly Endive)

Endive is rich in many vitamins and minerals, especially vitamins A and K and folate -- plus it's a great source of fiber.  It's a slightly bitter green.

This salad packs a punch of flavor with the endive and the peppery arugula, sweetness of the dressing and fruit, and the tangy goat cheese.


Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon orange juice

1 teaspoon honey

Dash of salt

1/4 cup pecans

2 heads of curly endive, chopped

1 cup arugula

1 apple, sliced thin
1/4 cup dried cherries or cranberries
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled (optional)


Directions:

To make dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, juice and honey. Season with salt.

In a small sauté pan, toast the pecans over medium heat. Allow to cool.

Mix together the endive, arugula, apple and cherries (or cranberries) in a medium-size bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Top with the pecans and goat cheese (optional).

Sautéed Swiss Chard with Parmesan

Swiss chard is a nutritious, slightly bitter green that is high in vitamins A, K and C. 

Fresh, young stalks can be used raw in salads, while older, larger stalks are best served cooked or sautéed.  The bitterness will fade with cooking.

Chard is a spring harvest plant and is one of the more hardy leafy greens, with a harvest season typically lasting longer than kale, spinach or baby greens.


Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil                                                    
1 tablespoon minced garlic                            
1/2 small red onion, diced       
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 bunchSwiss chard, stems & center ribs cut out & chopped together, leaves coarsely chopped separately
salt to taste           

 
Directions:

Melt butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and onion, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chard stems and the white wine. Simmer until the stems begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chard leaves, and cook until wilted. Finally, stir in lemon juice and Parmesan cheese; season to taste with salt if needed.