Posts Tagged ‘Herbs’
September 15th, 2011 by Pamela Murski
Roses
The Antique Rose Emporium (ARE) hosts its annual Fall Festival of Roses in November with three days of free garden-related seminars presented by nationally and internationally known speakers and gardening tours. The ranch is located just a short drive down a beautiful country road from this amazing nursery & garden center.
Antique Rose Emporium, with its 8 acres of landscaped grounds, is located at 10000 FM 50 in Independence, Texas. For more information about the annual Fall Festival of Roses, call 979-836-5548.
Tags: antique rose emporium, Brenham Bed and Breakfast, Herbs, Murski Homestead B&B, ranch packages, roses, Washington County
Posted in Gardening | Comments Off
October 30th, 2010 by Pamela Murski
Fava Skordalia (Yellow Split Peas with Garlic)
2 cups yellow split peas, picked over and rinsed
2 bay leaves
2 tsp salt
4-6 garlic cloves
½ cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
3-4 Tbsp red wine vinegar
¾ Tbsp dry white wine
2 Tbsp dried oregano, crumbled, plus more for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper
All or a few of the following toppings:
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2-3 Tbsp pitted and chopped Kalamata olives
4-5 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
1 medium tomato, cored, peeled, seeded diced and drained
Few sprigs of arugula, coarsely chopped
Few sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
EVOO
Place the split peas in a large pot, add water to cover by 4 inches and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low & simmer, skimming often, for 5 minutes. Add the bay leaves and simmer for 40 minutes more, stirring occasionally and adding a little warm water as needed to keep the peas covered as they cook. Add 1 tsp of the salt and simmer for 15-20 minutes more, or until the peas are soft and almost dry.
Puree the peas with a stick (immersion) blender, or transfer to a food processor and puree. Let the puree cool completely; it will thicken considerably.
In a large mortar, grind the garlic with the remaining 1 tsp salt into a smooth paste. Add 2 cups or so of the puree and continue grinding to incorporate the garlic. Or use a blender or a small food processor.
In a large bowl, combine the garlic mixture, the remaining pea puree, the oil, 3 Tbsp each vinegar and wine, the oregano and pepper to taste, stirring vigorously to incorporate. Taste and adjust the seasonings as necessary. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
If the skordalia seems too thick, add a little vinegar, wine or water to thin. Spread on a large plate, sprinkle with oregano, garnish with toppings of your choice and serve
Tags: Cooking, culinary queens, Dips/Spreads, Food, Greek Food, Herbs, Hummus, Recipes, Yellow Split Peas
Posted in Sauces/Dips/Spreads | Comments Off
October 19th, 2010 by Pamela Murski
On a recent to trip to Blackwood, an educational land institute within a 30 minute beautiful drive from BrenhamTexas, I was delighted to see the way that the land has been preserved through gardens and nature through sustainable practices. A formerly neglected tract of land has been turned into a living learning environment at Blackwood, including the construction of an amazing straw bale home. It inspires me with my gardens
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Tags: Blackwood, Brenham, gardens, Herbs, straw bale house, Washington County
Posted in Brenham, Texas | Comments Off
October 12th, 2010 by Pamela Murski
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Fall Cabbages
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Herbs for sale: Antique Rose Emporium
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Scarecrow
With dill as the herb of the year, it is a good idea to start planting it in the garden soon. Be sure to plant lots of its wonderful familial relatives such as parsley, fennel, lovage, cilantro, and chervil. Now is also a good time to start planting other cool season plants such as kale, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, chard, spinach, lettuce, collards, mustard, turnips, beets, and such. Stick some of these into your flower beds for interest. ‘Redbor’ and ‘Winterbor’ kales with their dark purple or soft green leaves look great with pansies, snapdragons, calendulas, dianthus, chartreuse lettuces, parsley and cilantro – the bonus is
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Tags: Fall, gardens, Herbs, Murski Homestead B&B, plants, ranch, roses, vegetables
Posted in Gardening | Comments Off
August 26th, 2010 by Pamela Murski
The summer brought on the grasshoppers and leaf cutters but the gardens transitioned beautifully from Spring to Summer producing zinnias, gladiolus, sweet peas, roses, flowering basils, incredible cardoon blossoms, and so much more. Our vegetable gardens at the B&B were chock full of cucumbers, squash, thyme, fennel, colorful swiss chard, bell peppers, basil, yellow and red tomatoes. We spied this fun cucumber that we had missed that was now firmly entrenched in the landscaping timbers! What were your gardens like this summer?
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Cucumber
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Gladiola
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Daylillies
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Figs
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Cardoon
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Yellow Tomatoes
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Zinnia
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Gomphrena
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Sunflower
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Coneflower
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Daylilly
Tags: Brenham, Flowers, gardens, Herbs, lodging, Murski Homestead B&B, ranch, vegetables, Washington County
Posted in At the Ranch | Comments Off
July 27th, 2010 by Pamela Murski
Greek Salad
Summer time screams tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and basil….all fresh from the gardens at the B&B. This Greek Salad is a favorite and equally delicious as a side or the main course. Paired with crusty bread, herb butter, glass of vino and you have a feast!
Put together equal parts of chunked tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, whole black olives, fresh mozzarella balls or cubes, bite sized strips of fresh basil. Mix 1/3 balsamic vinegar with 2/3 good quality olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and drizzle over vegies. Toss to mix. Garnish with basil flowers and serve. Be sure not to overdress the salad….you can always serve extra dressing on the side. This salad is great to adjust to your own taste buds by adding whatever you have on hand that is fresh and creating your own version of summer salad. Fresh edible flower buds are a great addition as well as herb fronds such as fennel, thyme flowers, and Fiddle Head buds.
Tags: Cooking, Flowers, Food, Herbs, Murski Homestead B&B, Recipes, Salad, vegetables, Vinaigrette
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July 24th, 2010 by Pamela Murski
Our gardens at the ranch are worked year round so that we and our guests can enjoy being outside and the wild birds have plenty of food, water, hiding places and nesting material! We had a great flush this past Spring after the hard freezes of the winter helped put nature back in balance with growth patterns, weeds and bugs. We use of a lot of the flowers, herbs and fruits in our cooking classes and food preparation. There is nothing better than “farm fresh”. We encourage all our guests and cooking class participants to use anything they can find locally and fresh from the farmers markets and meat markets…..
Some great photos of some of our flowers and herbs:
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Tags: Brenham, Flowers, gardens, Herbs, lodging, Murski Homestead B&B, plants, ranch, Washington County
Posted in At the Ranch | Comments Off
July 11th, 2010 by Pamela Murski
What a great time we had recently with the Foodie Weekend participants with adventures at several local farmers markets, harvesting herbs from the ranch gardens for class, snatching a few fresh figs for our dessert from a friends back yard after spying them ripening on the tree, an unexpected detour from the last market to take everyone on a scenic history drive through the country side back to the B&B, cooking together and lots of good food! One of the favorites’ from the Friday night heavy hors d’oeuvres and cocktails was this amazing Texas Slider, a Murski Homestead B&B classic recipe…..venison/turkey fresh herbed patty, oozing jalapeno jack cheese, house made remoulade, fresh avocado slices and buttered grilled bun! A little messy but oh, so, so good…….
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Cocktails, New Friends, & Foodie Weekend
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Murski Homestead B&B Texas Slider
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Foodie Weekend Hors d’ oeuvres
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Foodie Weekend Friday Night Hor d’oeuvres
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Foodie Weekend Farmers Market Fun
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Shopping Brenham Farmers Market
Tags: activities, Appetizers, Cooking, culinary travel, farmers market, Food, Fun, Herbs
Posted in Cooking Classes | Comments Off
May 4th, 2010 by Pamela Murski
Do you have Rosemary growing in your garden? Are you a Martini fan? If you answered yes to those questions, you will want to try this recipe, one of Murski Homestead B&B’s signature drinks! Cooking class participants at the ranch oohed and aawed over this cocktail (any leftover Rosemary syrup can be used over pound cake, in iced tea, over fresh fruit, to make a sorbet or ice cream…..so don’t throw away a single drop!)
Rosemary-Peach Martini
Martini Time!
1/2 oz. peach syrup
1/2 oz. rosemary simple syrup***
1/2 fresh squeezed lemon
ice
Put all ingredients in cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Strain into Martini stem, garnish with fresh lemon slice and serve immediately.
***Rosemary Simple Syrup: heat 2 cups of water, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 6 (4 inch) sprigs fresh rosemary. Bring to boil, cover, turn off heat and let steep 20 minutes. Strain syrup and store in refrigerator in clean sterilized bottle.
Tags: Brenham, Cooking, culinary, culinary travel, Drinks, Food, Herbs, Murski Homestead B&B, ranch, Washington County
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March 24th, 2010 by Pamela Murski
Dill is a herb that reseeds in our gardens in southern regions of Texas and comes up in early Spring, bolting by early to mid summer depending on the weather. In some locals it can be overwintered if no serious freeze occur. It is one of the herbs we love using in spring and summer classes at the B&B during our classes and for our on cooking pleasure.
Cooking Instructor, Pamela Murski
Recently, Pamela Murski, cooking instructor and innkeeper at Murski Homestead, gave a Dill cooking demonstration during a program for the Herb Society of America, Pioneer Unit hosted by her culinary group. Use my recipe below as a dip for crudites, as a sauce on poached/pan fried fish or thinned with a little whole milk for a delectable dressing for fresh spring greens…..
Creamy Dill Dressing
1 cup mayo
1 cup sour cream
3/4 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs. lemon olive oil
2 tsp. sriracha chili sauce (Thai hot sauce)
1 Tbs. minced shallots
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup fresh snipped fresh dill
1 tsp. salt or to taste
Fine grind black pepper to taste
Combine ingredients (except salt & pepper) in a small bowl and whisk to blend. Season with salt and pepper.
Store in covered container in refrigerator up to 5 days.
Tags: classes, Cooking, culinary, culinary travel, Dill, Food, Herbs, Recipes, sauces/dips/spreads
Posted in sauces/dips/spreads | Comments Off
March 20th, 2010 by Pamela Murski
Spring at our Ranch B&Bin Brenham, Texas is just around the corner and after this crazy, wild winter we are planning on a bumper crop of spring herbs. Some of our favorites include Aussie Sweetie Basil, African Blue Basil, Biergarten Sage, Lemongrass, Rose Pelargonium, Dill, Fennel, Cilantro, Italian Flat Leaf Parsley, Mexican Mint Marigold and Lemon Thyme, to name just a few. Our Bay Laurel trees have survived the frigid temps of this winter in fine form, as well as the Thyme, Rosemaries, some of the Sages, Parsley, Fennel, Sweet Marjoram and more. If you try any of these, they will definitely get you started on the road to flavor!
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Tags: antique rose emporium, Brenham, Cooking, culinary, culinary travel, Food, gardens, Herbs, Murski Homestead B&B, plants, Spring
Posted in Brenham, Texas | Comments Off
March 11th, 2010 by Pamela Murski
Another incredible cooking time and meal with the Culinary Queens, my Herb Society, culinary group! This time it was a Cuban meal with everything from “Chichachirritas” to delicious “Café Cubano Con Leche”. The Chichachirritas will find their way onto the menu for Friday night appetizers for one of our famous Foodie Weekends at the B&B! The Chichachirritas were crispy with a delicate flavor heightened by the pungent green sauce…this is one of those appetizers that you want more and more of! Served with Mojitos, you’re sure to have a great time! Here’s the recipe….
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Tags: Appetizers, Cooking, Cuban Food, culinary queens, culinary travel, Food, Fun, Herbs, Recipes
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February 9th, 2010 by Pamela Murski
Our cooking classes feature local produce, meats and wine when available and we seek to encourage cooks to use local foods from their farmers markets and co-ops. Promote sustainability and living fresh from the farm by purchasing from local growers. You will enhance your health as well as your palate! To that end there is an event coming up for anyone who is interested in gardening, growing your own food, experiencing a local growers world or just learning something new. It is the Market Growers Symposium March 2010! To learn more about it check out the link! Come stay with Murski Homestead B&B that same weekend and double your pleasure! Book now for March fills up quickly!
Tags: classes, farmers market, Food, gardens, Herbs, lodging, plants
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January 28th, 2010 by Pamela Murski
February 4th kicks off our Cooking Classes Luncheon Series for 2010 which are now posted for Murski Homestead B&B Ranch. Whether you want to learn more about cooking or just enjoy some great food and take home some delicious recipes, the cooking classses offered by instructor/Innkeeper Pamela Murski are sure to please. Our classes are small, interactive fun and delicious and geared toward personal attention. Cooking shouldn’t be something to fear rather something to enjoy and bring people together……it is a fantastic journey through life using all one’s senses. Click Here to see our class schedule and register or call to book 877-690-0676.
Tags: classes, Cooking, culinary, culinary travel, Food, Fun, Herbs, Murski Homestead B&B, Recipes
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January 26th, 2010 by Pamela Murski
Moroccan food is redolent with aromatic spices and seasonings such as garlic, tumeric, saffron, anise, chilis, cardamom, cumin, lemons and more. The food is delicious, fun to make and better when shared around the table with friends. The is another example of what guests might encounter during one of our cooking classes. The Tagine, though a staple cooking vessel in Moroccan homes, is not an absolute necessity to have. You can subsitute a good quality covered clay pot or heavy cast iron covered pot. We made the following items for our luncheon menu (The Shish Kabob recipe is included as it is fabulous!)…..
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Tags: Appetizers, classes, Cooking, culinary, Food, Herbs, Lamb, Moroccan food, Recipes
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January 22nd, 2010 by Pamela Murski
We are all about good food at the Murski Homestead B&B Ranch! Whether with a group of good friends or making new friends, nothing says TEXAS better than a great meal and relaxation around the table and in the kitchen……Our 2010 schedule for our fantastic “Foodie” Weekends is now posted. Guests determine the depth of their involvement, with options ranging from a visit to an area farmer’s market, garden/herb harvest to cooking with me. Regardless of how much you get involved, these weekends are all about kicking back with some great food & drinks! Click Here for our scheduled dates and booking your stay for a fun and delicious foodie vacation!
Tags: Cooking, culinary, culinary travel, Food, Fun, gardens, Herbs, lodging, Recipes
Posted in Cooking Classes | Comments Off
January 16th, 2010 by Pamela Murski
” …We love getting your recipes – but would you mind sharing your scrambled eggs with rosemary that you made us when we stayed with you?….”
We received this request from a wedding couple after they stayed with us and had their wedding here at the ranch. We are asked often for this recipe so
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Tags: Breakfast, Cooking, culinary, eggs, Elopements & Weddings, Food, foodies, Herbs, ranch weddings, rosemary
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December 21st, 2009 by Pamela Murski
Need a last minute gift? Know someone who loves to cook or wants to learn to cook……Someone whose ideal vacation includes hands-on private cooking classes…….someone imagining themselves cooking with an instructor who provides personal attention? If so, you have just found the perfect gift for this holiday season.
Send your cooks to this Texas Bed and Breakfast, where they’ll breathe in plenty of fresh ranch air and work up an appetite exploring the historic countryside of Washington County, the birthplace of Texas. Then they’ll cooking instructor Pamela Murski in her kitchen, where they’ll roll up their sleeves and get to the real fun.
There are several options of cooking classes and events available at Murski Homestead Bed and Breakfast. Gather together a group of six to twelve friends and spend a few hours in the kitchen learning and having fun with Pamela and connecting around food. Or join her one day for a private class in the Murski Homestead B&B kitchen, where individual attention is sure to give a great boost to your cooking skills. Another good option is to participate in one of several scheduled classes at Murski Homestead B&B.
Your cook will be thrilled with a gift of Foodie Travel. For some folks, life just doesn’t get any better.
Tags: classes, Cooking, culinary, culinary travel, Food, Herbs, Murski Homestead B&B, packages
Posted in Cooking Classes | Comments Off
December 16th, 2009 by Pamela Murski
Tea is the international symbol for friendship. Tea is all about connections, as are our cooking classes at the ranch. So, my friends, let’s connect, have a nice cup of tea and whip up some great food & fun. Harvest herbs from our gardens to make your own cup of tea! Enjoy one of our favorite “Chai Tea” recipes below and also some interesting Tea Trivia….
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Tags: classes, Cooking, Drinks, Food, gardens, Herbs, Recipes, tea
Posted in Drinks | Comments Off
December 8th, 2009 by Pamela Murski
Another fantastic luncheon with the culinary queens from our Pioneer Herb group celebrating a tradiontal Early American Thanksgiving. Though herbs and spices were not a plentiful nor wide ranging as what we have to offer today, the food was hearty and nourishing. Great thought and preparation began months in advance of the wonderful celebratory meal in the territories to order and stock enough “special ingredients” to make their feast the highlight of the season. Staples included
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Tags: Cooking, culinary, Food, Herbs, history, Recipes, Salad, Thanksgiving, Vinaigrette
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December 2nd, 2009 by Pamela Murski
Carrots are great this time of year for holidays dinners, parties and snacking. This recipe from another cooking class at the ranch is easy and delicious! The Balsamic vinegar when reduced creates an intense rich earthy flavor that can’t be beat. A Balsamic reduction is also wonderful on fresh fruits, lending
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Tags: carrots, classes, Cooking, culinary, downtown Brenham, Food, fruit, gardens, Herbs, Sides, vegetables
Posted in Sides/Vegetables/Pasta | Comments Off
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