The Lavender Apple: October 2015

Happy Halloween

4:39 AM

This moody spooky lavender wants to wish you a happy halloween! Doesn't this look like a bunch of witches brooms? (Order your own lavender bundles at www.lavenderapple.com)

Well our cute little grand baby Mimi also wants to wish you a a spooky holiday. Remember to use lavender as a pallet cleanser between all your M&M's and Butterfingers!

Have a spooky weekend!

arugula

Mushroom Gnocchi with Pumpkin Seed Pesto

5:23 AM

I love a tasty dish that comes together in just a few minutes with just a few ingredients. This pumpkin seed pesto is a wonderful diversion from a normal basil pesto, its perfect for fall - and a great way to use all those pumpkin seeds you'll have laying around after you carve your Jack-O-Lanterns! The fact that you brown the gnocchi in the pan with the mushrooms at the end, it just makes this dish much more magical than normal boiled gnocchi. I'm betting you and your family will really enjoy it.

Ingredients for Pesto:
1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon water
1 garlic clove
salt & pepper to taste

Ingredients for gnocchi:
1 sixteen ounce pkg gnocchi
16 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 cups arugula

Directions:
In a food processor pulse your seeds, cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, water, and garlic until a smooth paste forms. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Cook your gnocchi for 2-3 minutes in a pot of boiling water until they float to the top. While your gnocchi boil, heat your butter in a large skillet. Add your mushrooms and saute them. Once the gnocchi is done cooking, drain them and add them to your skillet of mushrooms. Add your pesto to the pan and cook everything on medium high heat until your mushrooms are sauteed and your gnocchi are golden brown. Add basil and arugula at the end and cook for another 60 seconds.

Full of protein, greens, and a wonderful texture and flavor. What more could you want from a quick easy 15 minute meal? Enjoy!

bell pepper

Mixed Grill Skillet with Sausage Peppers & Potatoes

4:26 AM

Tonight we made a mixed grill skillet for dinner. It's very simple and has few ingredients, but it is so good. It's similar to a hash, but without the egg. This would be a perfect hearty breakfast, but it actually makes a wonderfully satisfying dinner as well. It has charred peppers, sautéed onion, juicy sausage, and crispy potatoes. Its a simple and easy last minute dish that no one will feel sorry for eating.

Ingredients:
2 bell peppers, diced, diced (choose 2 different colors to make the dish pretty)
7 red potatoes, diced
1 onion
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried lavender
Salt & Pepper to taste
6 sausages , sliced (We used Aidells Bacon Mushroom & Swiss Cheese Sausage from Costco because its Nitrate free and has great flavor!)

Directions :
In 2 separate skillets add your sausage pieces and cook on medium high heat until charred and crispy. Remove from the skillets and set aside, keeping the remaining grease in the pans. In one of the skillets add your potatoes, salt and pepper them, then cook until golden brown and crispy. In the other skillet add your bell peppers, onions, herbs, and salt and pepper them as well. Cook until soft and caramelized. Add back your sausage and mix the two skillets together.

This simple and satisfying dish is one your family will ask for again and again. Enjoy!

cake

Peggy's Glazed Carrot Cake

5:52 AM

One of Peggy's recipes that no one can say no to, is her glazed carrot cake. This cake is very moist due to its unique and delicious glaze, but also because of Peggy's secret ingredient: crushed pineapple! Maybe we should rename this Peggy's glazed pineapple carrot cake? Regardless of what we call it, we will always call it delicious.

Cake Ingredients:
3 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz can crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups grated carrots (4-5 medium carrots)
3 1/2 oz flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Glaze Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla

Frosting Ingredients:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
4 oz butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

Grease and flour two round cake pans. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix together your cake incredients. Divide into two and pour into your cake pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Then prepare your glaze by mixing together all your ingredients (minus the vanilla) in a saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes. Then add your vanilla to the glaze and pour it over each of the cake rounds. Let cakes cool. Mix together your frosting ingredients in an electric mixer until smooth. Add extra powdered sugar if you prefer your frosting thicker. Frost the top of one cake round, stack the other on top of it, frost that as well. Serve and enjoy!

lavender

Lavender Recipe Round Up - October Week 4

1:35 PM

Today I wanted to feature a few fun Halloween Ideas using lavender! These bloggers are so creative and I'm happy to introduce you to them.

I just barely found a new blog called The Kitchen McCabe. You can find it HERE. I love these lavender candied apples she is making. I think they would be the perfect spooky treat for a halloween party.

Growing up, one of our neighbors always gave out doughnuts on halloween instead of candy. Their house was always one of the most popular places to stop. I think these Lemon Blueberry Doughnuts with a lavender glaze would be a fun treat to give out to the little costumed creatures that stop by your house. Find the recipe from The Seasoned Mom HERE.

And finally Hopeful Homemaker is really using her creative juices when she came up with this Pumpkin Lavender Cake. How cute is this? Recipe found HERE.

Anyway, hopefully all you witches out there are using our lavender herbacious qualities in all of your concoctions and brews. Have a wonderful weekend!

asian

Easy Lettuce Wraps

5:26 AM

I have only ever tried one recipe for lettuce wraps. It is so delicious that I've never even been tempted to branch out and try a new one. I'm guessing if you make this for dinner tonight, you'll never want to try another recipe for lettuce wraps either. It has the perfect caramelized crunch and is surprisingly fresh and satisfying.

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, diced
2 heads of bib lettuce
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons soy suace
1/2 cup cashews, chopped
6 basil leaves, julienned
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup asian crunchy noodles
hot sauce (optional)

Ingredients for sauce:
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:
Heat your oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add your chicken and cook until golden on all sides (about 5-6 minutes). Remove your chicken from the oil, and set aside. To your oiled pan add your onions and soy sauce. When your onions are brown and tender, add your garlic and cook for an additional minute. In a seperate bowl mix together all of your sauce ingredients and stir until the brown sugar is dissolved. Add the sauce and chicken back to your onions in the pan. Saute everything together until fragrant and warm. Fill your lettuce leaves with the chicken mixture and top with asian crunchy noodles, hot sauce, and fresh basil.

Super simple, super delicious. Just the kind of recipe we love around here. Hope you enjoy it!

bees

The Prettiest Lavender Images

5:39 AM

We had lots of lovely friends and visitors come up to the farm this year. One of those was a lovely gentleman by the name of Robert Welkie. He was generous enough to share these photos he took of our farm with us. Aren't they beautiful? Autumn is such a lovely time on the farm, but these photos make me wish it was lavender season again!

As you can see from these and many photos from our farm, our lavender honey bees sure are hard workers! If you want to purchase some of our lavender honey, you can do so here.

www.lavenderapple.com

Have a wonderful day!

candy

Easy Adorable Halloween Treats

8:08 AM

Brooke LOVES halloween. Her home is always filled with the cutest and spookiest decorations, and the costumes she comes up with for her kids always impress. Well this year she gifted me with the most adorable and simple way to make halloween treats! They will look like you spend hours searching pinterest for ideas and slaved away in the kitchen to make them. When really, all you have to do is stand in front of a microwave for a few seconds. These white chocolate skull suckers are such a fun and simple halloween activity/treat!

I picture wrapping these suckers in cellophane and tying them with a cute ribbon. For the skeleton body, I'm going to poke the bones into a chocolate cake. There are so many adorable possibilities! All you have to do is purchase these inexpensive candy molds (amazon links below), and then melt some chocolate and pour it into the molds. It couldn't be easier!

I've attached links below to the exact molds and candy melts we used. Candy melts work so much better than actual chocolate. You can just pop them into the microwave and melt them, instead of having to use a double boiler like regular chocolate. Also, they come in this gorgeous white color to make the bones look extra spooky. You could even add a few drops of red or green food coloring if you wanted your bones to be bloody or slimy. So much fun, and so easy. This was the perfect halloween treat to have my toddler help me create.

Enjoy! Hope you have a spooky halloween!

lavender

Lavender Recipe Round Up - October Week 3

4:24 AM

I love introducing our readers to other blogs that use lavender in their culinary adventures. This week I have two sweet recipes for you to try.

Lavender Ice Cream Floats are such a fun idea from The Sweetest Occasion. Their blog is full of wonderful recipes, check them out and you won't be disappointed. Find them here.

This is a very unique recipe for pound cake from the geniuses at Bake Your Day because they use greek yogurt! You've gotta try it. Find the recipe HERE.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Cook something sweet for your sweetheart.

fall

Peggy's Leek & Potato Soup

6:42 AM

Peggy has so many wonderful dishes in her repertoire. Her leek and potato soup has to be my absolute favorite. I could drink gallons of this like a diesel truck drinks fuel. If I could fill a swimming pool with this soup, I totally would. Its creamy and full of amazing comfort flavors. I just want to keep saying "this is sooooo delicious!" the entire time I'm eating this soup. It's the perfect cozy fall soup.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter

2 slices bacon, chopped

2 large leeks, (the white part only) chopped

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and chopped

4 cups chicken stock

2 bay leaves

4 sprigs of thyme

15-20 peppercorns (can sub pepper to taste)

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup heavy cream (can sub whole milk)

Directions:

In a heavy pan, melt your butter and add your bacon. Cook bacon until crisp and all the fat is rendered off into the pan. Add your leeks and potatoes to the pan and cook until your leeks are soft. Add your wine, stock, bay leaves, & thyme. Tie your peppercorns in a cheesecloth bundle with the green parts of the leek and add that to the pot too. Simmer until the potatoes are very soft. You can then blend the soup with an emersion blender until its creamy with just a few chunks. Remove from heat and cool slightly before adding your cream (so your cream doesn't curdle) or temper your cream before adding it to the hot soup. Reheat slowly and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with bread, or the Nelson favorite is to pair this soup with crab.

I've said it once, but I will say it a million times. This soup is sooooooo good. Creamy, full of comforting flavors, and the perfect velvety texture. Make this today and I dare you not to fall in love with it.

cinnamon

Lavender Sweet Rolls, Cinnamon Rolls, & Sticky Buns, Oh My!

5:33 AM

Growing up, my mother made Sweet Rolls. Somewhere along the line I started calling them Cinnamon Rolls. I realized a good chunk of the world calls them Sticky Buns. Whatever you call them, you will certainly call them delicious. Behold!

These magical rolls are made of light and fluffy dough. They have the perfect amount of sweet and spice. The oozy gooey frosting makes the melt in your mouth. They are literally finger licking good.

Ingredients for the dough:

1 small package of yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1 egg

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup melted butter

1 teaspoon lavender salt

3 1/2 cups flour

Ingredients for the center:

1/4 cup melted butter

1/3 cup lavender sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Ingredients for the frosting:

4 tablespoons room temperature butter

1 teaspoon lavender vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons hot water

Directions:

In a small bowl disolve your yeast packet in warm water. In a separate bowl heat your milk in the microwave to almost boiling. In your kitchen mixer, use your dough attachment and mix together your milk, sugar, melted butter, egg, and lavender salt. Slowly add your flour and then add your yeast water. Mix on medium speed for about 4 or 5 minutes. The dough should form a sticky ball. Grease the sides of your mixing bowl and cover it with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Keep it in a warm spot on your counter until the dough doubles in size, about 60-90 minutes.

Then knead your dough back into its original size. Using the backside of a greased cookie tray, roll out your dough until it matches the tray in size. Cover your sheet of dough with your melted butter. Then mix together your cinnamon and lavender sugar and sprinkle your mixture all over the melted butter. Roll it up from the long side so it makes a long skinny roll of dough. Cut it into 12 equal pieces. Place those pieces in a greased casserole dish, spaced into 3 rows of 4. Let rise again, until the dough fills the pan and about doubles in size again. This should take 30-45 minutes.

Heat your oven to 350 degrees and back for 25 minutes or until just slightly golden on top. As soon as you pull your rolls from the oven, mix together your butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, and water until its a smooth consistency. Pour your glaze over your rolls once they have cooled slightly. Serve immediately.

This is the best desert I have made in a long time. We made it for lds general conference weekend, which is always a special time for our family. This is the perfect desert for a morning family gather. But if you know my family, you better make a double batch. Enjoy!

asian

Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken with Asian Mushrooms

5:42 AM

The crock pot is very much an under utilized tool in my kitchen. I'm not sure why. I guess I think typically things come out with a little more flavor with a char or crust on them, and thats not possible in a crock pot. Plus there are so many crock pot recipes out there on Pinterest that just taste, lets be honest, plain awful. So when I find a good one, I hang onto it. This chicken teriyaki recipe couldn't be easier to throw together. It doesn't involve any other pans or pots besides your crock pot, and it seriously comes together in less than 5 minutes. Gotta love that. This home made teriyaki sauce is so full of flavor. It tastes fresh and tangy, and you'd never guess it came from the crock pot; which I love. So give it a try!

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts (frozen is fine)

1 package baby bella mushrooms

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup water

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp lavender salt

2 one inch pieces of whole ginger

1/2 of a purple onion, diced

fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions: Throw your chicken in your crock pot, top it with all of the other ingredients. Cook in your crock pot on high for 4-5 hours until the chicken is fall apart fork tender. Serve over rice. See? So simple, so flavorful, and so should be on your menu this week.

Enjoy!

lavender

Lavender Recipe Round Up - October Week 2

4:20 AM

Time for more fun lavender recipes! I've got some great ideas from Global Dish, Once Wed, and A La Mode this week. There are so many unique uses for lavender, and the culinary possibilities are my favorite.

Lavender Madeleines from Global Dish look buttery and sweet and I can't wait to make them. Recipe can be Found Here.

Ok, I know this is supposed to be a lavender wedding cake, but I could see this working for a shower or any type of garden party you host. What a beautiful cake by Once Wed. See more HERE.

And last but not least, Lavender Hot Chocolate from A La Mode! What a great idea now that the weather is turning chilly. Perfect way to warm up with a twist. Recipe found here.

Let us know all the fun ways you are using our culinary lavender. And if you are running low, you can always order more in our store found HERE. Have a wonderful weekend!

pancakes

Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

4:51 AM

I love a good fall recipe. The spices, the pumpkin, all ooey gooey and warm together. Well in our house we love protein pancakes. They have no flour, are low in fat, but full of protein. They are delicious. Well today I decided to make a pumpkin version of these bad boys, and they did not disapoint. Get in the fall mood, and start your morning off right with these delicious fall spiced pancakes.

Ingredients:

1 cup cottage cheese

1 cup oatmeal

8 egg whites

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp all spice

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tablespoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons pumpkin puree

Directions: In your blender, fluff your egg whites until frothy. Add all of your other ingredients and blend until smooth. Cook on medium heat until golden on each side. For best results, pulse blender each time before you poor more batter onto your griddle.

These have a nice warm spice, and classic fall flavors. The fact that its a great way to start your day off in a healthy way, full of protein that will keep your family full, is just an added bonus. Enjoy!

fairies

Lavender Fairies

4:45 AM

Our sweet granddaughter and her friends came up to visit the Lavender Farm right before the harvest. The weeks before harvest are a wonderful time to come take photos in the lavender. The blooms and big and purple, and just begging to be photographed. This year we taught our visitors how to make floral crowns, and they made all of the photos really special.

If you want to come take photos in our lavender next year, please call us in advance to book a session. For now, our lavender is sleeping for fall and winter, but we still have plenty of dried bundles you can purchase. www.lavenderapple.com

cucumber

Shrimp Po Boys

4:45 AM

Shrimp Po'Boy (or Shrimp Poor Boys as I grew up calling them) are a wonderful diversion from your normal bunned sandwich. These shrimp are breaded in a flakey and flavorful batter, pan fried, and surrounded by crisp fresh veggies. You will be so happy to have this sandwich in your mouth. I promise.

Ingredients:

3 gourmet buns

12 shrimp, thawed and deveined

1 cucumber, sliced

6 ounces cherry tomatoes, quartered

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup flour

2 1/2 tsp lavender salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

1 tablespoon relish

2 dashes hot sauce

Mix your salt, peppers, garlic, thyme, & oregano together in a small bowl. Heat 1 cup vegetable oil in a frying pan on medium high heat. Dip your shrimp in the buttermilk, then the flour, then your spice mixture. Then fry your shrimp until each side is golden, about 2 minutes per side. Mix together your mayo, mustard, relish, and hot sauce. Spread your mayo on each side of your buns, place your shrimp, cucumbers, and tomatoes in your buns. Serve immediately.

This is a great, easy, fun and fresh idea for your next meal. Enjoy!

lavender

Lavender Recipe Round Up - October Week 1

4:12 AM

Hello everyone. Another recipe round up from my favorite lavender recipes that I've found this week. These all look so divine! Let us know how you are using our Culinary Lavender!

Chocolate Lavender Pie from Sunday Suppers found HERE

Lavender Creme Brule from What's Cooking America looks delicious! The recipe can be found HERE

Chocolate Lavender Cupcakes from Pastry Affair make my mouth water and suddenly I'm craving chocolate. The recipe can be found HERE

Have a wonderful weekend! Hope to see you at the Salt Lake Farmers Market this week!

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Happy Halloween

Mushroom Gnocchi with Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Mixed Grill Skillet with Sausage Peppers & Potatoes

Peggy's Glazed Carrot Cake

Lavender Recipe Round Up - October Week 4

Easy Lettuce Wraps

The Prettiest Lavender Images

Easy Adorable Halloween Treats

Lavender Recipe Round Up - October Week 3

Peggy's Leek & Potato Soup

Lavender Sweet Rolls, Cinnamon Rolls, & Sticky Buns, Oh My!

Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken with Asian Mushrooms

Lavender Recipe Round Up - October Week 2

Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

Lavender Fairies

Shrimp Po Boys

Lavender Recipe Round Up - October Week 1

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