When I was planting my garden years ago, my sweet daughter opened up a whole packet of chamomile seeds and scattered them far and wide, while squealing, “Wheeeeeeeeee”.  For those of you who know me, I am a geometric person, who likes things planted in rows, straight rows  I had no idea where the seeds landed and after I got over the initial shock to my organized inner self, I delighted in the fact she was so carefree in her seed distribution.

As a result, this delicate flower from the daisy family is growing in numerous places, year after year. Don’t daisy-like flowers just make you happy?

The Medicinal and Health Benefits of Chamomile

Traditionally, chamomile has been used for centuries as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, mild astringent and healing medicine. According to U.S. National Library of Medicine, chamomile is one of the most ancient medicinal herbs known to mankind.

It is a member of Asteraceae/Compositae family and represented by two common varieties ~~ German Chamomile (Chamomilla recutita) and Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile).

The dried flowers of chamomile contain many terpenoids and flavonoids contributing to its medicinal properties. Chamomile preparations are commonly used for many human ailments such as hay fever, inflammation, muscle spasms, menstrual disorders, insomnia, ulcers, wounds, gastrointestinal disorders, rheumatic pain, and hemorrhoids. Chamomile is often used to treat mild skin irritations, including sunburn, rashes, sores and even eye inflammations. Who knew? For more information on the benefits and uses of chamomile, click here.

Making Tea

Being a believer that you are what you eat, I buy food items with a bit of healthy skepticism. I try to be conscientious of the quality of the ingredients and I am not sure what is used on commercially purchased tea leaves. Since I do not use any pesticides in my garden, I decide to make a tea this year using the fresh chamomile flowers. It is also possible to dry the flowers to make tea later. 

Unlike many other herbs, you want to collect the blossoms only, not the leaves, stems or roots.  The best time to harvest is mid-morning, after the dew has evaporated but before the mid-day sun. Just pinch off the delicate blossoms and shake off any dirt or insects.

As with most herbs, more quantity is needed when using fresh vs. dried.  I used 3-4 tablespoons of flowers into a small clear glass teapot with its own strainer.

If you do not have a tea pot with a strainer, you can use cheesecloth to bundle the herbs. You can also just strain the blossoms from the tea after steeping is done.

Add hot water and steep for 5 minutes.  Fresh chamomile tea has a clean, fruity, apple undertone which is different from dried chamomile. The Greek derivative of chamomile means “earth apple”. Makes sense because that is the taste I experience.

I did add one mint leaf….which seemed to enhance the chamomile flavor, not overwhelm it. Serve this fragrant, fresh tea in a deserving cup. Rarely do I add sweetener to my tea, and this one, in my opinion, doesn’t need anything! However honey or agave would be healthier option than processed sugar.

Treat Yourself to a Pretty Cup

I do believe the vessel from which you drink any beverage is important. Would this be as lovely in a styrofoam disposable cup? Take the time to find a cup that feels good in your hand and makes you happy.

Many of my dishes have a story. These wild strawberry Wedgwood tea cups were purchased in London at Harrod’s. We were on our way back to the US after a wonderful trip to Italy and stopped in England for a few days. Since I was accustomed to the euro conversion to US dollar in Italy, I didn’t realize until I was checking out, that these cups were priced in the British Sterling pound….significantly more expensive that I calculated. In a split second decision (picture me in line at the register with several people waiting behind me), I decide to buy them, cringing a bit at the total cost.

But now every single time I use one of these cups, I think back on that decision and am so happy I purchased them. Do you have a favorite cup or dish service?

Enjoy!

After reading about all the benefits of this simple tea, I plan to drink it on a more consistent basis. Note: If you dry the chamomile for later use, store it in an airtight container out of the sunlight. I enjoy both the fresh and dried version of this tea.

Perhaps I will experiment with adding lavender…..and concoct the perfect sleepy time tea!

Chamomile is extremely easy to grow and it is so satisfying to do it yourself. Roman chamomile is a perennial, growing from the same root year after year. German chamomile is an annual, but don’t expect it to grow in the garden for just one year! It self-sows freely and you can bet if you plant it one time, it will spring up in the garden from then on.

Happy May!

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Can it possibly be mid-January already? I hope this year isn’t another one on fast-forward. All my efforts to slow time do not seem to be working. Happy Saturday to you and I hope this blog post finds you comfy and cozy. It is very cold here in Phoenix as we are not used to freezing morning temperatures very often. Let’s get started with Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things this week.

Christmas and Holiday Decorations

The goal was to have all the decorations put away last weekend. However, a bulk of those decorations go into the Christmas room in the basement (see that post here). Monday morning I went to put the last of the boxes away and the Christmas room was flooded. In addition to storage, there are two 80 gallon water heaters in one corner. One of the water heaters split and hence the flooding. We also have flood alarms in the basement and even though one was under water, did it alert us? NO!

By Wednesday, our plumber replaced the water heater (when did they become so expensive?). Clean up follows and we are now storing the balance of the boxes. There is always something that doesn’t go according to plan.

A Wildlife week

Since our big dog, Cooper passed away, we are experiencing more wildlife in the yard. I don’t know if it was due to Cooper marking his territory, but we are seeing more critters. A few cute ones~bunnies and a cat who strolls around like he/she owns the place. However, I believe this display of small animals is also attracting a very large coyote.

Cooper did a great job keeping coyotes out of the property, but they are back. I fear for the cat and bunny, but hoping they are very fast and good at hiding. Hard to believe we have coyotes, foxes, raccoons, bobcats, peccaries and various birds of prey in our relatively urban environment.

What’s in Bloom

In spite of the freezing temperatures, we still have things thriving and blooming. The ornamental cabbages planted in the fall look their best now, with their shades of purple and blue/green leaves. Lately I’ve been so drawn to the color purple, lavender and plum. Not sure what that is about but I checked online and it says it represents feeling a strong connection to spirituality. Hmm.

Even though lavender loves a warm climate, it is doing just fine in our cooler temperatures.

Along the same colors as the lavender flower and sage colored leaves, is our Texas sage.

In this new year, do you find yourself drawn to a specific color? In March 2018 I actually wrote a post on why we are drawn to color. It appears then, purple was the big attraction. How odd as it is not a color that is one of my favorites.

Soup Weather

It is the perfect time of year to make soup. This week I made chicken noodle soup from chicken bones and loosely referenced Half Baked Harvest’s recipe, Lemony Pesto Chicken Noodle Soup. Typically my stock consists of lots of bones/parts, onions, celery, carrots and seasoning. Once the stock has simmered for hours, I strain it and then add more chicken, vegetables, seasonings, noodles or rice or orzo.

Normally, I don’t add lemon juice, fennel or pesto, but I must say, adding these ingredients elevates my chicken soup. Probably the best chicken soup I’ve ever created. If anyone makes the Half Baked Harvest recipe please let me know how it goes.

You have heard me reference the Fast Metabolism Diet book. It has a Chicken and Barley soup recipe that is full of vegetables such as butternut squash, yellow summer squash, zucchini, broccoli and mushrooms. It is more of a stew vs. a soup because of the barley. I tend to season it more as I feel it’s on the bland side, but another great soup that sticks to your bones.

Artificial Intelligence

I am not sure how I feel about artificial intelligence, or AI. However, apparently the images below are created by AI. On one hand, I am amazed at what AI can do. On the other hand, like most things in life, there are those who will manipulate it. The long term impact is unknown but I see many jobs becoming obsolete as a result.

There is an AI tool that you can use for interior design. DecorAI is a comprehensive AI-powered interior design tool that helps users come up with new decorating ideas. Users can take a photo of their room and get up to five free design ideas. I haven’t tried this yet but here are some of their before and after photos.

Technology is certainly changing the world.

Mary’s Must Haves

Each night before bed, I heat up my microwaveable aromatherapy blanket and slip it in between my fitted and top sheet. Then I am off to wash my face, brush my teeth and get into my jammies. By the time I actually get into bed, my sheets are so nice and warm. Heavenly!

This blanket measures 44″ x 18″ and weighs 5 lbs. The lavender scent helps promote relaxation. You can even freeze the insert to help alleviate muscle soreness. The removable cover is washable and oh so soft! It comes in 5 different colors/fabrics. See it here.

With the cold weather, my cuticles seem to get so dry. Again, a nighttime ritual is applying cuticle oil to soften and repair damaged cuticles. This particular one has over 121,000 views on Amazon with a 4.7 star rating. Not only does the 2.5 oz oil come fragrance-free, but also has 12 other fragrances to choose. Currently it is 38% off. See it here.

There is something to be said for writing with a pretty pen. The Rifle Paper Company has such cheerful designs and I love this affordable set of gel pens in these happy colors. Whether you journal or just need a good-looking pen, here’s an affordable way to do so. Four Estee gel pens at $18.00~what a nice treat to yourself.

The link will take you to the home page of Rifle Paper and then click on the New Arrivals box. Scroll down about 8 rows and you will find it there.

For years, I have been using Oil of Oregano. Oregano oils have antioxidant, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. These oils may also play a beneficial role in weight management and infection treatments. It’s a natural antibiotic and may improve gut health. The minute I feel a little off, I take it. When I travel or am surrounded by large crowds, I take it as a precautionary measure. This little gem is instrumental in keeping me healthy. Note: I do take it with food as it can upset an empty stomach.

Naturally always research products before you start taking them. Also make sure you are getting a high quality supplement. If you’re interested in taking oregano oil extract but currently taking prescription medications, make sure to consult your healthcare professional before adding it to your regimen.

That’s a wrap! Have a terrific weekend. Stay healthy and warm!

It is very easy to make a delicious and nutritious granola from scratch. You can alter the recipe to fit your tastebuds and control the quality of the ingredients. This quick and easy recipe is perfect for breakfast, a mid-day snack or a very nice gift to a friend. Many of the ingredients for this homemade granola you may already have on hand.

The Ingredients

This recipe is inspired by one of my son’s classmates. After his parents made a big batch for us, it is now a winning recipe that we’ve tweaked to our own tastes.

Oats, nuts, dried fruit, butter, spices, brown sugar, honey and vanilla is all it takes to make this easy recipe.

Some chopping involved

Measure the dry ingredients and chop the pecans. You can change up the variety of the nuts or leave them out, if you have a nut allergy.

In this recipe, I use slivered almonds and pecans. However, you can add any nut you like~walnuts, pistachios, Brazil nuts. For dried fruit I use both cranberries and cherries. Did you know cherries are antioxidants and anti-inflammatory, high in Vitamin A, boost exercise recovery, benefit heart health, may help with arthritis symptoms, and improves sleep quality? Lately I am adding dried cherries to everything! For a nice selection of dried cherries, click here.

Assemble

Combine the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Melt the butter and blend with the honey and vanilla.

Pour the honey mixture in with the dry ingredients. Stir to coat evenly.

Bake!

Spread on two cookie sheets. You can either grease the sheets or use parchment paper. Bake in a 220 degree oven for 20-30 minutes until slightly brown. You can stir the mixture half way through the baking process if you want it more evenly browned.

After the granola has cooled, store in an airtight container. This should last about 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

You can alter the amount of nuts or dried fruit as much as you want. The butter/honey to oatmeal ratio is the more critical element. For this recipe, I add sunflower seeds, and both cranberries and cherries. For a trail mix, you could add M&Ms, raisins or chocolate chips.

Breakfast is always a bit challenging for me as I don’t have a big appetite in the morning. To see another easy oatmeal based breakfast recipe, click here. This is also a great grab and go snack. Just measure a portion in a zip lock bag and keep it in the refrigerator for those times when you are hungry and running out the door.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and if you add any other fun ingredients, let me know! Have a wonderful Tuesday!

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Here we go, another new year! Do you change your behavior or make resolutions? Does the month of January mean a new start? After an indulgent Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year, this month is a time for me to reset. I am ready to eat a cleaner diet and get back into a healthier routine. There is something to be said for having structure in one’s every day life. Happy New Year to you and yours!

The Concept of Time

I clearly remember how time, especially during grade school, felt like it dragged on forever. Why does time go so slow when we are younger, and speed up when we are older? Perhaps the older I get, the more I value time and want to live more intentionally.

Theme for the Year

Some people pick a word or theme for the year. Last year my theme was financial austerity~trying to get a better understanding of where money goes and spending wisely. Not sure I completely accomplished that but I feel like I have a better handle on that responsibility. But this year, I am going back to basics.

For years, as a corporate executive, I faithfully kept a Franklin Press Daily planner. But the last few years, I played life by ear. I prefer to be organized and focused on accomplishing things so I am back to using a daily planner. Not just for work but also for pleasure. It seems I do not schedule enough personal time for me in my life and I’d like to course correct that in 2024.

Ann from On Sutton Place offers an attractive 2024 planner that you can download if you are a subscriber. In addition, there are weekly planning sheets that I have set up behind each monthly calendar. Simply put it all into a 1″ view binder and you have your planner for the year.

If you don’t want to download this planner, check out this very pretty and cheerful one from Rifle Paper Company. It’s a 17 month calendar and on sale now for $21.60. I actually might order one because it looks like the perfect size for traveling. Click on the link here.

Holiday Projects in January

One of the goals this year is to put our holiday decorations away in an organized manner. Not everyone organizes the same way and it can be challenging if two people, with totally different organizational systems, store the holiday stuff.

For years, I would put all the holidays items away and knew exactly where everything was. But now that my husband is helping, he has his own system~which looks very different from mine. The hope is that we can find common ground and create an organizational system that will work for both of us.

Another project is updating the holiday card address list. This is one task that I must do right after the holidays or I’m scrambling next November. Each card’s address will be cross checked with what I have on file for next year’s mailing list. Cards are not inexpensive and I certainly do not like getting one back with an undeliverable stamp due to an outdated or bad address.

Since we use Minted for our holiday card production, they have an online address assistant where we input our mailing addresses. It is so easy to update and any changes to this list are made electronically.

Annual Projects~both Big and Small

For those of you who own an older or historic home, you realize the house projects are never quite done. This week I am creating 2 project lists for the year~one for bigger projects (those that will take several days) to small projects (those that can be accomplished in a few hours).

My goal is to complete one big project per month and at least one, hopefully 2+ smaller projects per week.

A Focus on Health

Fortunately, I am blessed with good health. In the past my only trips to a doctor would include an annual (or every 3 years) physical. Anything in between would fall under an urgent or emergency visit (like my shattered big toe). However, since my unexpected kidney stone in October, the last two months are filled with follow-up medical visits, even though I feel perfectly fine.

Each visit, quite frankly, has been awful. Long delays, unnecessary tests, rude employees and the answer to my many questions is “well, you are getting older.” My health goals in 2024 are to be so healthy that I never need to see a doctor, strengthen my immune system so I do not get sick even when around others who are, and continue exercising and eating well.

Who’s with me?

Scheduling some Creative Time

On my new 2024 planner, I am marking out time on Fridays for painting. I love to paint but haven’t really done anything since 2022. The only painting I did in 2023 is a watercolor Valentine’s dinner invitation and a watercolor class with my friend, Tevia.

My art room is a bit of a mess which will take some organizing, but the goal is to paint 4 days a month and challenge myself to both bigger and smaller canvases too. Here is the only large canvas I have painted to date (in 2022).

I start this Friday and am looking forward to outlining subject matter and picking up a paintbrush.

Please share your hopes and dreams for 2024! I’m planning on it being a very good year.

If you are like me and do the cooking for Thanksgiving Day, this is the post for you! Getting all the ingredients ahead of time is so helpful so you can prepare recipes before the big day. Each year we have our tried and true family traditional dishes and often, I will experiment with one or two new ones. So here is the Thanksgiving menu I served last year.

The Main Star~the Turkey

Typically I get a 20-25 lb. turkey because I love the leftover meat. Over the last few years my culinarily adventurous son convinced me to part from the traditional method of roasting the bird, to faster, and tastier methods. Here are my top two ways to cook a turkey:

Expertly Spiced and Glazed Roast Turkey

This recipe, by Bon Appetit, was developed “to miraculously roast a turkey that is well seasoned, juicy, and—can we type this loudly enough?—PROPERLY COOKED! Every part of the bird deserves equal love and appreciation, without a dry bite in the house. The absolute inarguably best way to cook a turkey is to break it down into parts, dry-brine it, and roast it on a wire rack in a baking sheet. The parts expose every piece for even cooking”.

Here is why I love this recipe.

• The cooking time is very fast. For a 15 lb. bird, the turkey is done in approximately 100 minutes (depending on your oven, thickness of breast, etc.). The glaze for this is D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S!
• You can prep this up to 2 days in advance. There is a easy rub to make and once you apply that, the refrigerator does the rest. There are very detailed instructions on how to separate the turkey. If you are not comfortable doing that, ask your local butcher.
• All you need to bake this is a wire rack and a rimmed baking sheet

Click here for the recipe.

Super Crispy Skin Turkey with a Dry Brine

We tried this different approach to preparing the turkey in 2019 and again, the turkey is juicy and the skin is extra crispy. Simply combine one part baking powder with three to four parts kosher salt (about a teaspoon of baking powder per tablespoon of kosher salt will work), add some black pepper to taste, then sprinkle it evenly over the surface of the skin. Then—and this is key—let it rest, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours. The best part of this recipe:

• Can prepare it up to 24 hours in advance
• Simple dry brine which is easy to make and spread over the bird
• There is no basting during the cooking time
• Fabulous results
• You can present a whole cooked turkey to your guests

You can find this Serious Eats recipe here.

The Stuffing

Typically, I make Martha Stewart’s Herbed Corn Bread Dressing from her 1982 book Entertaining. But this year, I made the Serious Easts Classic Sage and Sausage Stuffing recipe (see it here). It is clearly a winner. Again, this can be made a day in advance, which helps reduce the chaos in the kitchen.

Why I like this recipe~

• I like making my own bread crumbs which is super easy and far better than the ones you buy in the store
• With the turkey parts leftover from separating the turkey, I easily made my own stock for the recipe. Made me feel like I am using all parts of the turkey and not being wasteful.
• Since I did not buy enough sage sausage, I did add the remaining 1/2 pound needed with hot sausage and the results are fine
• Able to use fresh herbs from my garden

The Gravy

Plan on doubling this recipe as there is never enough gravy. This is another recipe you can make ahead of time~up to 5 days in advance. I really like Costco’s organic chicken stock but homemade or other store brands will work too. The recipe asks for 1/4 teaspoon of Marmite, which I didn’t add. I’m not really sure what it is but eliminating it didn’t seem to affect the flavor or consistency. This is a lighter colored gravy~just FYI. See recipe here.

Side Dishes

Every year we make what we call Drunken Sweet Potatoes, based on a fun Thanksgiving where my in-laws were adding more and more bourbon~mostly to their mouths and then some to the recipe! From a very worn and tattered 1974 The Family Circle Cookbook, there are no marshmallows, just sweet potatoes, butter, bourbon, orange juice, spices and topped with pecans. Easy to make, easy to bake. This, too, can be prepared ahead of time. See recipe below.

Brussel Sprouts

My family loves this Trader Joe’s recipe (see it here). Who doesn’t love something roasted in maple syrup and olive oil? The Brussels sprouts caramelize to a gorgeous color. Spoon the maple syrup sauce over and sprinkle with either fresh pomegranate arils or dried cranberries. You can either roast a whole stalk of Brussels sprouts or use bags of individual ones.

Caesar Salad

I try not to have the menu be carbohydrate loaded so any opportunity to add more vegetables I take. With the greens being so delicious and abundant in the garden, a simple salad is made. Just greens and grated Parmesan cheese, homemade croutons and my friend, Chloe’s Caesar dressing. This is now my favorite go-to dressing for a Caesar salad. You can see it here.

Making the croutons is easy as I just cut up some bread, seasoned it with salt, pepper, garlic powder and some black truffle sea salt (which is yummy on just about anything), drizzle with olive oil and bake until crispy. Another easy recipe that is so much better than store-bought croutons.

Cranberry Sauce

There is nothing easier to make than cranberry sauce. All it takes is cranberries and sugar and water. Boom. That’s it. Heat until the berries start to wrinkle. Turn off the heat and it all becomes a nice, thick cranberry sauce. You really don’t need anything else, unless you want to spruce it up. Personally, I like the plain old simple recipe. We use the leftover cranberry sauce as a spread on sandwiches too. Just yummy. Recipe is generally on the bag of berries. And you can make it way ahead of time too.

Desserts

For our dinner last year, we did keep the desserts simple. Two pumpkin pies and one apple. My husband makes the pumpkin pies and they are so delicious. A happy error in one ingredient many years ago is why his pies are the best and in demand year after year.

I am always experimenting with apple pies and I am a bit fond of this new recipe. Again, it is a Serious Eats one with the title, A Perfect Apple Pie. You can see the recipe here.

Have a wonderful Tuesday and I hope you will enjoy some of these recipes for your holiday cooking.

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