What to do with Dandelions
by Administrator on May 11th, 2009
It’s almost summer and I’m sure that everyone is seeing lots of dandelions outside, well instead of spraying them with poison why not try some of these recipes! Dandelions are actually edible and really good for you.
“Dandelions are a good source of calcium, potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin C. The calcium content alone is impressive. A serving of dandelion greens has as much calcium as half a cup of milk. It is suggested that the rich mineral and vitamin content of dandelions is because their long taproot reaches down to the rich subsoil, which other plants can’t reach.”
Read more at: http://plantsbulbs.suite101.com/article.cfm/dandelion_history_and_culture#ixzz0FEfO2BPI&B
Cream of Dandelion Soup
4 cups chopped dandelion leaves
2 cups dandelion flower petals
2 cups dandelion buds
1 Tbsp butter or olive oil
1 cup chopped wild leeks (or onions)
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups water
2 cups half-n-half or heavy cream
2 tsp salt
1. Gently boil dandelion leaves in 6 cups water. Pour off bitter water. Boil gently a second time, pour off bitter water.
2. In a heavy-bottom soup pot, sauté wild leeks and garlic in butter or olive oil until tender.
3. Add 4 cups water.
4. Add dandelion leaves, flower petals, buds, and salt.
5. Simmer gently 45 minutes or so.
6. Add cream and simmer a few minutes more.
Garnish with flower petals.
Pumpkin-Dandelion Soup
Prepare in advance:
1 large handful Dandelion greens:
Chop leaves into bite-sized pieces. Cook in boiling water until tender. Pour off water and taste. If they seem too bitter for your taste, boil again and strain.
1 small pumpkin:
Bake whole pumpkin on baking sheet at 350° for 1 hour or until completely soft, so that you can put a fork or knife easily through it. Let cool. Cut in half and discard seeds. Rind will peel easily.
1 medium to large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. butter or olive oil
6 cups water
4 cups mashed pumpkin, prepared as above
1 cup heavy cream
½ tsp nutmeg
1½ tsp salt
1. Sauté onion and garlic in oil or butter in a heavy-bottomed soup pot.
2. Add 6 cups water
3. Add dandelion greens and pureed pumpkin to soup. Stir well.
4. Add salt. Cook at a gentle simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Just before serving add 1 cup heavy cream and ½ tsp nutmeg.
Dandelion Egg Salad
4 hard-boiled eggs
2/3 cup dandelion greens, chopped and cooked
1 tsp horseradish
1 Tbsp fresh chives
½ cup mayonnaise
1. Chop eggs coarsely.
2. Add Dandelion greens, chives, and horseradish. Mix gently.
3. Add mayonnaise and mix just enough to coat ingredients.
Dandelion Pasta Salad
3 cups cooked pasta
1½ cups diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup dandelion greens, pre-cooked
2 wild leeks, minced, greens and all or 2 Tbsp minced onions
8 olives, sliced
2 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
Split Pea-Dandelion Bud Soup
1 cup split peas
1 tsp salt
6 cups water
1. Simmer split peas for 1½ to 2 hours until done.
2. Sauté in 2 Tbsp butter:
½ cup onions, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup celery, sliced thin
2 cups dandelion buds
½ tsp basil
½ tsp sage
½ tsp savory
3. Add the sauté to split pea broth.
4. Simmer slowly ½ hour or so.
5. Just before serving add:
1 cup milk
1-2 cups cubed cheese
Garnish with dandelion blossom petals and this hearty soup is fit for the finest table!
Dandelion Blossom Syrup
This is a traditional recipe passed down from the old world Europeans. I use it as a substitute for honey in any recipe that I’m trying to make wild.
1 quart dandelion flowers
1 quart (4 cups) water
4 cups sugar
½ lemon or orange (organic if possible) chopped, peel and all
Note: The citrus is optional, it will give the syrup an orangey or lemony flavor. If you want the pure dandelion flavor, you can skip the citrus. I make it both ways each year.
1. Put blossoms and water in a pot.
2. Bring just to a boil, turn off heat, cover, and let sit overnight.
3. The next day, strain and press liquid out of spent flowers.
4. Add sugar and sliced citrus and heat slowly, stirring now and again, for several hours or until reduced to a thick, honey-like syrup.
5. Can in half-pint or 1 pint jars.
This recipe makes a little more than 1 pint. I usually triple or quadruple this, and I make more than one batch when the blossoms are in season to have enough for the year. The syrup makes great Christmas presents, so make plenty!
Dandelion Baklava
This recipe involves using fillo leaves, which are extremely thin sheets of pastry dough, usually sold frozen in long thin boxes. Fillo can be fussy to work with but the results are so worth it! It’s actually a lot more forgiving than it seems, so don’t be afraid to try it!
1/2 box fillo leaves
1 stick butter
2 cups finely chopped hickory nuts (try walnuts or pecans)
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup Dandelion Blossom syrup
1. Combine nuts with sugar and spices
2. Melt butter
3. Layer 8 sheets fillo into a buttered 9×13 pan, brushing every other sheet with butter using a pastry brush.
4. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 of the nut mixture.
5. Layer 8 more sheets. Sprinkle the rest of the nut mixture.
6. Layer the rest of the fillo sheets, brush the top layer generously with butter.
7. Cut carefully into 30 squares (6×5) with a sharp knife before baking.
8. Bake at 375 for about one-half hour. when slightly browned, remove from oven.
9. Pour room temperature Dandelion Blossom syrup over the hot baklava, while it is still piping hot.
Note: Fillo leaves used to come with two packages per box, sized for 9×13 pans. Lately it’s been all in one package and sized much bigger, so it is necessary to cut the stack of leaves in half before beginning. Half-sheets fit the 9×13 pans nicely.
Dandelion Blossom Cake
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup Dandelion Blossom Syrup
1½ cups oil
4 eggs
2 cups Dandelion blossom petals
1 can crushed pineapple
½ cup walnuts
½ cup coconut
1. Sift together dry ingredients.
2. In separate bowl, beat sugar, dandelion syrup, oil and eggs together until creamy.
3. Add pineapple, walnuts, and coconut, and mix well.
4. Stir dry ingredients into the mixture until well blended.
5. Pour batter into a greased, 9×13 cake pan and bake at 350° for about 40 minutes.
Frosting
1 8-oz package cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 or 2 Tbsp milk
Dandelion Blossom Pancakes
1 cup white flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
¼ cup oil
½ cup Dandelion Blossom syrup or honey
2 cups milk
1 cup Dandelion blossom petals
1. Mix dry ingredients first.
2. Add wet ingredients and mix together thoroughly (Note: the secret of keeping pancake batter from getting lumpy is to be sure to add all the wet ingredients before mixing.)
3. Adjust consistency by adding a little more milk or a little more flour if it’s too thick or thin. Pancake batter should be thin enough to pour, but not runny.
4. Cook on oiled grill.
5. Top with butter and Dandelion Blossom syrup.
Dandelion Cornbread
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup white flour
2 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
½ cup Dandelion Blossom syrup (or honey)
¼ cup oil or butter
1 cup milk (buttermilk is best!)
1 cup Dandelion blossom petals
1. Mix dry ingredients together.
2. Add all the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.
3. Pour batter into a 9×9 pan, or 10-inch cast iron frying pan.
4. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes.
5. Serve hot with butter and Dandelion Blossom syrup.
Dandelion Mustard
Homemade mustard is incredibly easy to make and endless in variations and possibilities. Making them “wild” involves preparing an herbal vinegar ahead of time, and in the case of Dandelion Mustard, I also use Dandelion Blossom Syrup and fresh greens.
1 cup yellow mustard seeds (whole)
1 1/4 cups Dandelion vinegar
1/2 cup Dandelion Blossom syrup
1 cup pureed fresh Dandelion greens
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp salt
1. Soak the mustard seeds in the Dandelion vinegar for several hours or overnight.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients.
3. Let it all sit together in a covered container for several days to mellow.
4. Put in small jars (1/4 pints work nicely).
Note: Mustard keeps well in the fridge for many months or you can can it in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes to seal.
Dandelion Vinaigrette
This recipe involves having some pre-made Dandelion products but it is delicious beyond belief and is guaranteed to convict any skeptic about the culinary virtues of Dandelion.
1 1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup Dandelion vinegar
4 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp Dandelion Mustard (or Dijon)
3 Tbsp Dandelion Blossom syrup
2 cups fresh, chopped Dandelion greens
Whiz everything together in a blender or food processor.
Dandelion Chai
Chai is a Middle Eastern word that means “tea” but here in America we’ve adapted the term to mean a very spicy tea made with milk and sweetener.
1 cup roasted Dandelion root
6 Tbsp Fennel or Anise seed
36 green Cardamom pods
72 Cloves
6 Cinnamon sticks
2 Tbsp dried Ginger root
1½ tsp black peppercorns
12 Bay leaves
1. Add 1 Tbsp tea mixture for each cup of water.
2. Simmer 5 minutes, then let steep for 10 minutes.
3. Add 1 Tbsp honey or brown sugar (or dandelion syrup) per cup.
4. Add 2 Tbsp milk or cream per cup.
5. Gently reheat and serve.
Dandelion Chai 2
This chai is not as spicy as the first recipe but actually has a more ‘chocolatey’ flavor, kind of like an herbal hot chocolate.
2 cups roasted Dandelion root
½ cup Cinnamon bark
½ cup Ginger root
½ cup Cardamom seeds
½ cup Star Anise
Honey
Milk
1. Use 3 Tbsp per 2 cups water. Simmer gently 10 minutes.
2. Add 1 cup milk and 1 Tbsp honey and heat through but don’t boil.
Serve hot or iced.
Warm Winter Spice Tea
1 cup roasted Dandelion root
½ cup dried Orange Peel
½ cup Cinnamon bark
¼ cup dried Ginger root
Use 1 Tbsp per cup water. Simmer gently 10-15 minutes. Sweeten with honey, if desired.
Roasted Dandelion Root Coffee Ice Cream
Here’s a recipe for the really adventurous from the Herbfarm :
2 ½ cups heavy cream
1 ½ cups half-and-half
1 ¼ cups sugar
5 egg yolks
1. Grind Roasted Dandelion Roots roasted Dandelion roots into a powder using a coffee mill and sifter.
2. Place cream, half-and-half and sugar in a medium pot (double boiler might be best, or perhaps a crock pot). Bring it just barely to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
3. Add Roasted Dandelion Root powder. Maintain heat at a bare simmer, be sure not to boil.
4. Let the roots steep this way for 45 minutes.
5. Strain out and discard root material.
6. Whisk up egg yolks in another pot. Gradually add the warm Dandelion Root cream.
7. Heat gently and stir until sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
8. Strain one more time and chill.
9. Freeze in an ice cream machine according to directions.
Global Art Exhibit 2009
by Administrator on March 25th, 2009
Hello Friends,
Jason and I and many other generous artists, are donating artwork to the Global Art Exhibit’s 5th annual charity dinner and art auction. We have donated and been involved with the organization in prior years and have been pleased with the level of assistance that the efforts of the event organizers have brought to needy children in impoverished nations.
We are inviting you to attend this years charity event, there will be live music, dinner will be served and of course there will be an art auction. The event will be held at the Hive Gallery and Studios on gallery row in downtown Los Angeles and is sure to be very fun. There is a $20.00 cover charge for tickets purchased prior to the event, or $25.00 at the door, 100% of the proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to the programs that we are supporting.
So, please join us on Saturday the 28th of march at 7:00 p.m. to raise awareness and funds and have some fun while we are doing it. It’s a win, win situation!
See you there!
Hive Gallery
729 South Spring Street
Los Angeles CA, 90014
Hello Earthlings
by Administrator on February 12th, 2009
Hi there. I haven’t posted anything on here in a long time, so I thought that I should say something. I added a few new links to the blogroll today. I have been doing some interesting reading as of late, and having some equally interesting conversations. Other than that I have been working on organizing my house. So as you can see, lots of really interesting things to blog about, perhaps in a few days I will write something about what I’ve been reading, or some cryptozoology stuff.
That is all….
CPSIA
by Administrator on January 7th, 2009
I just found out about the new CPSIA the other day and have been trying to get the word out. I think that there has been a lot of misunderstanding about the entire subject as I notice that the subject gets people up in arms. Of course we as crafters and parents don’t want dangerous chemicals and toxins to be allowed into our children’s products. In fact most of the crafters that I know are natural product crafters, who have always made sure that their products are natural and safe. However, this particular law has been written poorly and if not altered to include a list of known safe substances, or an okay for small businesses who can prove that the materials they are using for production have been tested by the supplier for safety, it will put most small toy and clothing manufacturers out of business, this includes the home crafter/artist.
This law includes anything that is geared towards children under the age of twelve, this means, hair accessories, artwork, toys of any kind, clothing and shoes, pillows, blankets and sheets, light fixtures and furniture products, art supplies, school supplies…anything and everything that they might come into contact with in their environment.
The issues and concerns with this law are not that we don’t want safety in children’s products, the concern is that this law, which was intended to mainly target large corporations who are importing unsafe product from overseas where the regulations in manufacture are not as strict from being allowed to blindly import without testing. These corporations can afford to have each batch of each model of toy or clothing product testing by a third party on import to the United States, which costs between $300-$4,000 per test from the articles I have read.
The small manufacturer and or home crafter/artist cannot afford to have these tests run on each batch of each product they produce, and if using safe substances which were produced with safety standards that meet these new requirements it makes sense that they should be exempt from this third party testing in the same way that small American growers and farmers have been exempt from some of these same types of blanket laws, because these laws were mainly created for large conglomerate importers.
The fact of the matter is that this is a well intentioned law that was written in a hurry and does not take into account the effect it would have on the small business. We as crafters and concerned citizens are not trying to do away with safety standards, we are merely trying to alter a poorly written law that does not take the facts and the exemplary record of American, European, and Canadian children’s product manufacturers into account.
Thankfully our voices are being heard and we all deserve a big pat on the back, there were some exemptions made in yesterdays meeting and hopefully more to come! The following substances are now exempt from the certification requirements, the CPSC exempted wool, cotton, silk, gemstones and pearls.
If we keep up our good work in staying active on getting the subject talked about we can feel confident that our children’s products are safe and still be allowed to produce and purchase unique, natural, and one of a kind children’s items from artist and crafters!
The article about the CPSIA exemptions
