With the winter solstice fast approaching, I thought I would share some of my favorite recipes to make! Some of them were originally found on websites, but I changed them up to suit my own needs just a bit!
Quick note before we begin: this will most likely be my last post until the New Year, as I will be with family for the most part. I will still reblog and like content, but there will be no original content from me. Thank you for your understanding!
2 tablespoons of butter or margarine
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 cups of chicken broth (any broth works)
1 teaspoon of salt and pepper (or to taste)
1 tablespoon of dried parsley
1/2 tablespoon of dried thyme
1/2 tablespoon of dried rosemary
Juice if 1 orange or 1/2 cup of orange juice
In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter or margarine and sauté the onions for 5-10 minutes.
Add the carrots, potatoes, broth, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
Add the orange juice, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Purée the soup in a blender or food processor. Alternatively, use a hand blender.
Stir in the milk, mixing well, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
1 apple, peeled and diced (honey crisp is recommended, but any is useful!)
2 tablespoons ginger or to tastes
2 tablespoons nutmeg or to taste
2 teaspoons chamomile or to taste
2 cinnamon sticks (optional!)
Pour in apple cider, lemon juice, honey, and sugar in a large pot on medium heat, while mixing carefully. Stir until the honey and sugar dissolve.
Cut the oranges into slices and put them in the pot.
Add the ginger, nutmeg, and chamomile.
Allow to simmer for about 2-4 hours.
Pour into a cup and add the cinnamon sticks.
Orange Chamomile Pound Cake
6 chamomile tea bags OR 1½ cup of chamomile
1½ teaspoons finely grated orange zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 chamomile tea bag or ¼ cup of chamomile
1¼ cup of confectioner sugar
½ tablespoon freshly squeezed citrus juice (lemon, orange, lime, etc.)
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Place in a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium heat. Gently melt the butter, and then add the chamomile. Cover with lid, remove from the heat, and let steep for 30 minutes.
Remove lid and set pot over medium heat to gently melt any hardened butter. Once melted, cover with the lid again, remove from the heat, and let steep for another 30 minutes. Squeeze out as much liquid from the tea as possible.
Transfer to an airtight container and let chill in the fridge until solid. Preferably overnight.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter and flour a 16 cup angel food cake pan. Tap out any excess flour and set aside.
In the bowl of a standard mixer, beat together butter, cream, sugar, honey, and orange zest at medium speed until light and fluffy. Ensure the mixing is thorough!
Add in eggs one at a time, ensuring each egg is thoroughly incorporated before adding the next. Add orange juice, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix until well blended.
Using a sturdy spatula, fold in cake flour until just combined.
Pour batter into the angel food cake pan. Smooth and level the top over.
Bake for 80-90 minutes, rotating midway through baking, until a toothpick or knife inserted in the middle comes out clean and the top of the cake is golden brown. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes.
Steep chamomile in freshly boiled hot water for 8 minutes. Strain out tea, squeezing as much liquid as possible.
In medium bowl, combine all the glaze ingredients (powdered sugar, salt, honey, citrus juice, vanilla extract, and tea). Stir until smooth. If it ends up being too thick, add more chamomile tea.
Drizzle glaze over cooled pound cake as desired.
