Starting the Herb Garden seeds

The herb garden is very important for many reasons. The use of fresh herbs in your cooking and baking cannot be surpassed by anything else. A walk through the herb garden is a delight to the senses. They also are beautiful as each plant products its own lovely stalks, stems, leaves and color--so much color.

This is the time of year I start my seeds. I am fortunate to have a greenhouse, but sometimes start them indoors during an especially cold winter/spring season.

This is how I start my seeds. Please feel free to share how your start yours.

Purchase a seed starting tray that consists of three sections: the base, the pot insert, and the clear dome which helps keep moisture and warmth in the tray.

You may purchase a ready made seed starting mixture or make your own. The following is the recipe I use- simple and it works.

For each tray mix: 6 cups vermiculite
6 cups perlite
6 cups peat moss

Mix and fill the seed starter section. Plant seeds according to the instructions on the seed packet. Use a mister filled with water to gently spray the tops of the seeds in the planting mixture. Cover and watch carefully. Keep in a warm, well lit space and give them the attention they deserve. They will reward you later when you transplant them outside---be sure to harder them first but more on that later.

Almond Petits Fours

Ingredients

U.S.

Metric

Conversion chart

Almond Cake

• 1/2 package(s) (3 1/2 ounces) almond paste
• 1/2 cup(s) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup(s) butter or margarine, softened
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup(s) all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt

Fondant Glaze

• 4 tablespoon(s) butter or margarine, cut up
• 5 tablespoon(s) milk
• 2 tablespoon(s) light corn syrup
• Pinch salt
• 1 box(es) (16 ounces) confectioners' sugar
• Blue, pink, green, and/or yellow paste food coloring

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Directions

1. Prepare Almond Cake: Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour 24 mini muffin-pan cups.
2. Crumble almond paste into food processor bowl with knife blade attached. Add granulated sugar and pulse until almond paste is finely ground. Add butter and process until smooth. Add eggs and process until combined, occasionally stopping processor and scraping side of bowl with rubber spatula. Add flour, baking powder and salt, and process until blended. Spoon batter into muffin-pan cups, filling almost to top.
3. Bake cakes 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown and tops spring back when lightly touched with finger. Cool cakes in pans on wire rack 10 minutes. Invert cakes from pans onto wire rack to cool completely.
4. Prepare Fondant Glaze: In microwave-safe medium bowl, heat butter in microwave oven on High about 30 seconds or until melted. Stir in milk, corn syrup, and salt, then stir in confectioners' sugar until glaze mixture is smooth. Reserve 2 tablespoons white glaze for decorating tops of petits fours; cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying out. Divide remaining glaze into desired number of custard cups; tint with choice of food coloring.
5. Decorate petits fours: If necessary, trim rounded sides of cakes so they will sit flat. Set cakes, still on wire rack, over waxed paper. Spoon tinted glazes over cakes as desired, allowing glaze to run down sides and drip onto waxed paper. If necessary, use small metal spatula to spread glaze evenly over tops and sides of cakes. Allow glaze to set, about 25 minutes.
6. When glaze on cakes is set, spoon reserved white glaze and remaining tinted glazes into separate heavy-duty self-sealing plastic bags, with corners snipped to 1/8-inch opening; use to pipe dots, lines, pretty designs, and/or letters on top of cakes. Allow designs to dry completely.

For this and more see: http://www.delish.com/recipes/cooking-recipes/spring-cake-recipes

Have a wonderful Tuesday!