Jamaican Jerk Sauce

This recipe is for "Jamaican Jerk Sauce". Its time to start firing up the grills, and enjoy the coming spring! Jerk sauce is essentially a sweet and spicy glaze, almost a caribean BBQ. Jerk refers to the fact that the sauce is usually used on "jerked" chicken, meaning chicken that is slow grilled and pulled, but you can literally put it on anything and get great results.

In Jamaica, real jerk chicken is slow cooked over an open fire, utilizing the wood from the Pimento tree, not the pimento pepper plant, which allspice is harvested. Additionally, the main spice in the sauce is allspice, which is not a blend of spices, but a berry on a tree. Think of allspice as a more fragrant type of peppercorn. There is a lot of sweetener in Jerk, be it Molasses or brown sugar, so remember not to put the food over a fire, but to the side of it instead, to keep the sweetener from burning on your food.

While we're on the subject, I'll explain the difference between BBQ'ing and grilling. When you put food directly in the path of heat, it is called "Grilling". Grilling is done at a much hotter temperature, than BBQ-ing. Hotter temperatures mean a few things: If you are cooking a protein, i.e., meat or fish, the protein will contract faster at higher temperatures, which is why your burgers always end up meatballs instead of nice flat patties. The other bad thing about high heat, is that fat cooks out too fast to be absorbed into the protein, which is why less fatty proteins should be cooked slow and low, and fatty cuts can be cooked at high temps. For example, you grill steaks, but not briskets or ribs.

The trick to cooking Jerk food properly is to BBQ it, not grill it. In BBQ cooking, the food should NOT be in the path of the heat. When you build your fire in the grill, build it to one side, and put the food on the other, and SHUT THE LID! By doing this, you will basically slow cook the food like an oven, and simultaneously smoke it. It will take considerably longer, but it's always nice to enjoy some time to yourself and enjoy the great outdoors, especially in the spring. If you can get some nice real wood (or wood chips), cedar, alder apple or cherry, use it. You will be really impressed by the flavor difference.

WILDFLOWER JERK SAUCE
Makes 1 quart, which is a lot — but it lasts almost forever — and you will become addicted to it! Very easy to make, just put it all in a blender and puree!

- 2 Tbl Allspice
- 2 Tbl fresh Thyme or about a 3 or 4 sprigs 6" long or so (Marvins has a great Thyme called "Lemon Thyme" that is perfect for this)
- 1/2 Scotch Bonnet Pepper, or an orange Habenero (This is one of the signature ingredients, but it is very hot, wear gloves when you touch it. You can add more or less to taste when you are finished blending it.)
- 1 tsp Black pepper
-2 fresh Sage leaves
- 8 gloves of garlic
- 2 cups of Molasses (or brown sugar)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
- 3/4 cup wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup Organic Orange Juice
- Juice of 4 limes
- 2 whole green onions, more if you like green onions
- 1 cup of diced sweet onions
- a couple of scrapes of Nutmeg
- a big pinch of ground cinnamon
- Salt to taste, but you don't have to have it in this one!

Turn on the reggae, grab a cold beverage and enjoy!

Our Title Sponsor for thinkGREEN 2009!

Whole Foods (Deerfield Towne Center & Rookwood) have agreed to be this year's thinkGREEN title sponsor! We are so excited to have them be a part of this year's event again! Please mark your calendars for April 25th from noon til 6:30pm for the thinkGREEN Earth Day event! For more information go to the Marvin's Organic Gardens website.

If you are intersted in participating in the event as a vendor, please contact Audrey Keyes at 513-984-8278 or Drew Overbeck at 513-200-4872.

thinkGREEN 2009

Saturday, April 25th • Noon-6:30pm • Marvin’s Organic Gardens
Don't miss out on the second annual thinkGREEN event, presented by and held at Marvin's Organic Gardens. An educational day for the entire family including music, food, activities, door prizes, lectures, vendors and resources - all with one common goal - to educate our community on the environment and learning to live "green". This event is free and open to the public. Bring the whole family – we will have something for everyone!

Don’t miss out on the petting farm! It is baby animal time and your kids are going to love petting the babies brought to Marvin’s from Sunrock Farm. They will only be there from 1:00- 3:00pm, so don’t miss out!

*Interested in participating as a vendor/resource/sponsor at the thinkGreen event?
Contact us at info@marvinsorganicgardens.com or call Audrey Keyes at 513-984-8278.

February Recipe from Wildflower Cafe & Coffeehouse

Each month, Executive Chef & Owner of the Wildflower Café, TODD HUSDON, will be sharing an organic recipe with you! The Wildflower Café is an all-organic restaurant located at:
207 E. Main Street • Mason, OH 45040.

For more information, visit www.wildflowercafeandcoffeehouse.com or call 513-492-7514.

Rosemary Potato Soup


Ingredients:
- 1/4 lb unsalted butter
- 1.5 cups diced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced celery
- 2 whole 6” springs of rosemary
- 1 T. freshly chopped garlic
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 quart milk (organic or local, or better yet, BOTH)
- nutmeg to taste
- 1 cup mashed potatoes
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2/3 cup - 1” diced cooked potatoes
- 3 T. organic chicken base -or- 1.5 cups strong, flavorful homemade chicken stock
- 1T. all purpose seasoning
- 1 T. dried basil
- fresh ground pepper to taste
- couple dashes of hot sauce

Directions:

Make a blond roux: On low heat, melt butter. Add onion and celery to melted butter. Add sprigs of fresh rosemary, and garlic. Stir and cook until onions are clear, but not browned. Slowly add flour, and stir on low heat, until flour and butter are combined and smooth, but not brown.

Make that blond roux into a Bechamel Sauce: Add milk. Slowly cook on low heat until milk thickens a bit. Run a few scrapes of nutmeg across a planer, or cheese grater. Simmer for about 15 minutes, remove rosemary sprigs and discard them — preferably into a compost pile!

Season and adjust: Stir in cooked mashed potatoes, sour cream, diced cooked potatoes, chicken base, all purpose seasoning, basil, Fresh ground pepper to taste, a few dashes of hot sauce (it really makes it better, without adding heat). If the soup is too thick for your liking just add more milk and re-season with salt and pepper. If its too thin, let it cook and reduce.

Serve: Garnish with chopped chives or green onion, crumbled real bacon if you like, and a good shredded cheese of your choice. You can also add whatever other veggies you have, we've had good luck with asparagus. People will want you to make this one all the time.

January Recipe from Wildflower Cafe & Coffeehouse

Each month, Executive Chef & Owner of the Wildflower Café, TODD HUSDON, will be sharing an organic recipe with you! The Wildflower Café is an all-organic restaurant located at:
207 E. Main Street • Mason, OH 45040.

For more information, visit www.wildflowercafeandcoffeehouse.com or call
513-492-7514.

Artichoke Dip


Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup clarified butter
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 can of organic artichokes (quartered)
- 12 oz Monterey Jack Cheese
- 12 oz Shredded Parmesan
- 12 oz organic sour cream
- 1/2 cup local and or organic whole milk

Directions:
Mix everything together, but only use half the Monterey Jack, because the rest of it needs to go on top when you bake it. Bake on 350˚ until the top is golden and bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips or oven toasted pita's! You can also add other ingredients that you favor — i.e. organic spinach, etc. Be prepared though, people will want you to make this one all the time.

Top 10 tips for your Eco-Friendly Thanksgiving!!

By Larry West, About.com

Top 10 Tips for an Eco-friendly Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day is an American holiday that is loaded with tradition, so why not start a new tradition in your family by making Thanksgiving an eco-friendly celebration from start to finish?

Here are 10 tips to help you capture the spirit of the original Thanksgiving by making your holiday celebration eco-friendly. An eco-friendly Thanksgiving will enrich your family’s holiday experience, because you will know that you have reduced your impact on the environment. And that’s something for which everyone can be thankful.

1. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

To make your Thanksgiving celebration as eco-friendly as possible, start with the three Rs of conservation: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

Reduce the amount of waste you produce by buying only as much as you need and choosing products that come in packaging that can be recycled.

Carry reusable bags when you do your shopping, and use cloth napkins that can be washed and used again.

Recyle paper, and all plastic, glass and aluminum containers.  If you don't already have a compost bin, use your Thanksgiving fruit and vegetable trimmings to start one.  The compost will enrich the soil in your garden next spring.  

2. Buy and Eat Locally Grown Food

Buying only locally grown food is one good way to have an eco-friendly Thanksgiving. Locally grown food is good for your table, your health and the environment.  Locally grown food tastes better than food that has to be grown and packaged for maximum shelf life, and it requires less fuel to reach store shelves.  Locally grown food also contributes more to  your local economy, supporting local farmers as well as local merchants.

3. Make Your meal Organic

Using only organic food for your feast is another good eco-friendly Thanksgiving strategy.  

4. Celebrate at Home

This year, why not reduce global warming and improve air quality by lowering your auto emissions at the same time that you lower your family's stress level?

5. Travel Smart

If you must go over the river and through the woods, there are still ways to have an eco-friendly Thanksgiving.  If you drive, use less fuel and lower your emissions by making sure your car is in good working order and your tires are properly inflated.  If possible, carpool to reduce the number of cars on the road and lower the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to air pollution and global warming.

6. Invite the Neighbors

7. Plant a Tree

8. Make your Own Eco-friendly Decorations

9. Make it a Spiritual Day

10. Say Thank You

Exciting news about Recyling!!!

Recycling 101
This article is from Earth 911.

Recycling is the third R of the three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Recycling means taking a product or material at the end of its useful life and turning it into a usable raw material to make another product.

Create a Workplace Recycling Program So, how do you start recycling at work? That’s what we’re here for—to walk you through the process. If you already recycle at home, you’ll find many similarities to office recycling. Start with just a couple of products. Once your program is up and running, add others. Eventually, you will have a flawless program in place. Hey . . . you’ll be offering us tips in no time. Let’s get started on creating your office recycling program; First, choose a recycling coordinator, pick materials to recycle, decide your collection method, determine how it will be hauled away, set up recycling bins and guideline, monitor the program, and promote your program through education!

Curbside Recycling - Curbside recycling now serves half of the U.S. population, providing the most convenient means for households to recycle a variety of materials. While all curbside programs differ, the most commonly included materials are The Big Five: aluminum cans, glass bottles, paper, plastic and steel/tin cans.

Electronics - Technology has revolutionized our lifestyle through telephones, radios, TVs, computers and cell phones. However, the brisk pace of technology means these devices become obsolete quickly. A more recent issue is how our old electronics should be disposed of, because they often contain dangerous elements such as lead and mercury that can contaminate our soil and water supply.

Composting - Managing organic material at your home can not only decrease the amount of material you send to the landfill; it can also help turn your organic waste into a landscape asset. Composting will reduce the amount of food waste in your garbage can, while creating nutrient-rich fertilizer for your garden.

Garage Garbage - Did you know that used motor oil can be recycled? How about paint and batteries? It turns out many of the items in your garage are recyclable. Claim your garage back, learn what to do with the mess and help the planet while you’re at it.