We are so excited to share another fun seed giveaway at Mary's Heirloom Seeds!
This month we are doing something a little different and we're including a few extra special gifts!
We currently use Rafflecopter for our giveaway.
You do not need to complete every single entry in order to enter.
EACH ENTRY IS A SEPARATE OPPORTUNITY TO WIN.
The entry form is at the bottom of the page.
Ready for the giveaway info?
There will be SEVEN winners chosen between August 3rd and August 8th!
This giveaway is slightly different as we will be choosing 5 winners at random throughout the week. This giveaway ends August 7th at midnight and we'll choose 2 additional winners on August 8th for a total of 7 WINNERS.
This giveaway is open to all residents of the US and Canada.
No purchase necessary.
Winners will be emailed when chosen and must respond no later than August 11, 2023 or new winners will be chosen.
Giveaway begins on 8/1/23 and ends at 11:59 pm on 8/7/23
SEVEN winners will be selected at random
Winners must live in the United States or Canada
This one is important...We will email the winners between August 3rd and August 8th. Winners must respond no later than August 11, 2023 or new winners will be chosen.
All entries will be added to our e-newsletter mailing list for Mary's Heirloom Seeds
The "comment on a video" entry can be done daily on different videos
We have another delicious harvest recipe to share with you! This one is from my sister Jen (I have 2 sisters).
If you have an abundance of zucchini, this is a fantastic option. I love the addition of zucchini slices on top. This is a great recipe for Costata Romanesco Zucchinias it has a lower water content than other zucchini varieties.
Jen's Zucchini Bread Recipe
Ingredients:
2 cups grated zucchini - packed
2 eggs
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup brown sugar - packed
1/2 white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons raw sugar
Directions:
Preheat over to 350 degrees.
Grease a 9X5 inch pan
Grate zucchini. Add eggs sugar, vanilla extract and salt.
Add spices, baking soda, baking powder. Mix
Add flour and mix until just combined.
Pour into the loaf pan.
Mandolin a small zucchini very thin and place on top.
Sprinkle with raw sugar.
Place the pan in the oven and bake until the center is fully cooked (approx 40-50 minutes).
Enjoy!
If you have additional questions, please feel free to ask!
As an added bonus for our grand prize, we're including an organic cotton tote bag from Mary's Heirloom Seeds (pictured). The organic cotton tote bag is not yet available for purchase at Mary's Heirloom Seeds.
AND STICKERS!
As an added bonus, The Glass Cherry is offering a special discount code for Mary's Heirloom Seeds.
Use code: MARY15
at checkout to take 15% off storewide at The Glass Cherry for the entire month of July
With the garden producing a plethora of heirloom tomatoes this year, I am finding new and delicious ways to prepare and preserve my harvest.
Herb roasted tomatoes are an easy way to prep a large amount of tomatoes and they're so versatile! You can use these for soups, stew, sauces and salsa. Bonus, herb roasted tomatoes freeze well.
HERB ROASTED TOMATO RECIPE
Ingredients:
2 pounds smaller tomatoes (I've used large ones too), halved or quartered
For this recipe I used San Marzano tomatoes and Speckled Roman tomatoes
Garlic - at least 5 to 8 cloves
sea salt and pepper
fresh thyme, stems removed
fresh oregano, stems removed
fresh rosemary, stem removed
1/2 teaspoon dry chili pepper flakes (optional)
olive oil (approx 4 tablespoons)
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 450
Place the tomato halves in a mixing bowl.
Add garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, rosemary and pepper flakes.
Drizzle with olive oil
Toss to coat
Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet or pan. Spread the tomatoes so there's only 1 layer with flesh side up.
Roast for 30-35 minutes.
Remove from heat
From here, you can do what you'd like. Herb Roasted tomatoes can be served hot or even cool with goat cheese. Blend with heavy cream for a delicious tomato soup or freeze for later.
If you have additional questions, please feel free to ask!
There will be THREE winners chosen on June 19th! This giveaway is open to all residents of the US and Canada.
No purchase necessary.
Mary’s Heirloom Seeds
ONE winner will receive an assortment of herb seeds from Mary's Heirloom Seeds as well as a book by Rosemary Gladstar. Medicinal Herbs: a Beginner's Guide is a great book to help you grow, harvest and use 33 different herbs.
I'm so excited to share this recipe! If you are growing hardneck garlic and you love pesto this is a great recipe.
First, I should probably explain what a "scape" is and how I harvest. A garlic scape is a green stalk that extend from the base of hardneck garlic plants, resembling oversize chives or scallions. Garlic scapes usually start to make their appearance on hardneck garlic sometime in June.
If you're still not sure how or when to harvest, I have a short video.
From "seed" to table this took 8 months to make and it was worth it!
If you don't have garlic scapes, you can always swap out with garlic cloves. If you don't have a gadget to make ribbons, you can always use zucchini slices.
Add the garlic scapes, basil salt to a food processor or blender. I used my blender.
Pulse a couple of times to achieve a rough mixture.
Add 1/2 cup of the olive oil and blend.
I phave made this recipe with ½ cup and 1 cup of oil and I prefer 1 cup. That’s a personal preference If you blend ½ cup of oil and the sauce seems too thick for your preference, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil at a time and check again for your ideal consistency.
Once a smooth paste has been achieved, add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese and pine nuts (or walnuts) then process until completely mixed in. Taste for seasonings.
Add the remaining cheese if you'd like a thicker and more savory paste, or leave as is if you're happy with the flavor and consistency so far.
Refrigerate any leftover pesto
Zucchini Ribbon Directions:
You can use any type of zucchini or attachment. Some people prefer a smaller "zoodle" compared to the ribbon. Once you create your zucchini ribbon, gently sautee on the stove in a tiny bit of olive oil or butter for 1-2 minutes just to give it a crisp, al dente zucchini.
**Cooking is totally optional. You can definitely eat your zucchini ribbons raw**
Place your zucchini ribbons in a bowl, add garlic scape pesto and gently mix/toss until your ribbons are covered. Top with basil or parmesan cheese.
If you're a meat eater, add a little bacon!
Enjoy!
If you have additional questions, please feel free to ask!
If you love quick breads like Zucchini bread but you haven't tried Carrot Bread then you are in for a treat.
My quest for a good Carrot recipe started with my great grandmother's 14 karat cake recipe. The original 14 karat cake recipe has been passed down in my family. I'm pretty sure my mom has the original cookbook that my great grandmother's recipe was published in as a fundraiser for her women's club.
I tried a few recipes online with my "tweaks" to make it similar to the carrot cake recipe but with less sugar and as a "quick bread" instead of cake. What I came up with is delicious!
Carrot Bread Recipe
yield: 1 loaf
Cook time: 55-60 minutes
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs at room temperature
3/4 cup vegetable oil *I have used olive oil and avocado oil and both worked well*
2 cups grated carrots
3/4 cup of packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract*I used my own homemade vanilla*
1/2 chopped walnuts *more if you want to top your loaf with nuts*
1 - 8 ounce can crushed pineapple with juice
1/4 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F
Whisk dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt) in a medium-sized bowl.
In a large bowl, mix the remaining ingredients (eggs, oil, carrot, brown sugar, vanilla extract, nuts, pineapple with juice and coconut flakes)
Gently fold the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. You don't want to overmix.
Grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan.
Pour into prepared loaf pan. Top with additional nuts if you'd like.
Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. In my oven, it took 60 minutes but I checked at 50 and 55 minutes just in case.
Let your carrot bread cool in the pan for 5-7 minutes, then gently remove it from the pan to cool on a rack for 1-3 hours before slicing.
The first time I made this carrot bread, I sliced into it right away to taste it. It was AMAZING! The second time, I allowed it to cool longer and it held up much better. Lesson learned.
Enjoy!
If you have additional questions, please feel free to ask!
We have a lot to be thankful for here at Mary's Heirloom Seeds.
Now it's time for a seed giveaway!
We currently use Rafflecopter for our giveaway. You do not need to complete every single entry in order to enter. EACH ENTRY IS A SEPARATE OPPORTUNITY TO WIN. The entry form is at the bottom of the page.
Before we get to the amazing giveaway prizes...
In case you missed the announcement, we also have an ANNIVERSARY SEED SALE for the entire month of May! Plus free seeds!
As an added bonus, Mary's Heirloom Seeds has a discount code available for Seed Combo Packs
As promised, this is the water bath canned version of my Pickled Onions recipes. The ingredients are simple and the recipes are easy.
For this recipe, you can use red onion, yellow onions or white onions. I prefer the flavor of red onions for pickled onions.
Just a reminder, when you are canning, pickling and preserving food, it is very important to clean your work area very well and clean your produce very well before getting started.
As an added bonus, I have 2 ways to make these delicious pickled onions.
Each recipe should yield 3 pint jars of pickled onions. Feel free to use smaller jars if you prefer.
Dill & Garlic Pickled Onions
Ingredients:
2 lbs onions, sliced very thin
3 teaspoons dried dill
garlic cloves (2 per jar)
1 cup water
2 cups white vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons pickling salt
Spicy Pickled Onions
Ingredients:
2 lbs onions, sliced very thin
3 teaspoons cayenne pepper flakes (or more if you like it really spicy)
1 cup water
2 cups white vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons pickling salt
For the brine: Combine water, vinegar, and salt in a saucepan and simmer over low heat. Stir often. Once salt and sugar have dissolved, set the brine aside.
Evenly distribute herbs into each jar.
Add onions to each jar. Gently press down with a spoon or tongs to make sure your jar is loosely packed.
Cover with brine, leaving about ½ inch of headspace. Once the jar is full, tap the jar lightly to dislodge any air bubbles. Check the headspace again and add more brine if necessary.
To process and water bath canned your onions:
It is important to follow proper canning procedures. If you are unsure, checkout Step-by-step Pickling.
Clean the rims of the jars with a damp paper towel or clean kitchen towel. Place the lids on the jars and seal with the bands using just your fingertips so that they are not too tight.
Process for 10 minutes using the boiling water bath method. As soon as the timer goes off, carefully remove the jars using the jar lifter. Place them on a clean towel and allow to cool undisturbed for 24 hours
After 24 hours you can remove the bands and test your seals by lifting the jar, by the lid, a few inches from the counter top. If the lid supports the weight of the jar, the seal is good. Jars with good seals can be kept in a cool dark place for up to a year. If the seal is broken, store in the refrigerator and use within 2 weeks.
Pickled Onions are a favorite of mine along with Dilly Beans.
I have yet to meet a pickle that I did not like. When I was a kid, my granny kept her fridge stocked with different types of pickles for us grandkids (mostly me and my cousin Liz).
This recipe is for refrigerator pickles but stay tuned and I'll have a canning recipe for Pickled Onions as well. The ingredients are simple and the recipes are easy.
I used 2 different types of onions so that I can do a side-by-side tasting once all of them are ready. You can use whichever you prefer or whatever you are growing.
Both are short day onions since that is what grows best in our area. Long Day onions are recommended for growing in Northern states
As an added bonus, I have 2 ways to make these delicious pickled onions.
Just a reminder, when you are canning, pickling and preserving food, it is very important to clean your work area very well and clean your produce very well before getting started.
Spicy Refrigerator Pickled Onions
Ingredients:
1 medium onion, sliced very thin
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar instead)
1 - 1 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
1 1/2 teaspoon pickling salt or sea salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper flakes
Directions: Start with clean, sterilized jars
Pack onions into 1/2 pint or 1 pint mason jars (or similar jars)
In a saucepan, mix water, vinegar, maple syrup, salt and pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a simmer and stir well.
Carefully pour the brine into the jar over onions.
At this time, you can use a butter knife or small spoon to remove any air bubbles.
Place the lid and ring and on each jar and refrigerate. Serve chilled after 24 hours.
Dill & Garlic Refrigerator Pickled Onions
Ingredients:
1 medium onion, sliced very thin
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar instead)
1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
1 1/2 teaspoon pickling salt or sea salt
2-3 cloves of garlic per jar, sliced in half or thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried Dill
OR 2 teaspoons fresh dill
Directions: Start with clean, sterilized jars
Pack onions into 1/2 pint or 1 pint mason jars (or similar jars)
Add Garlic and Dill to your jars.
In a saucepan, mix water, vinegar, maple syrup and salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer and stir well.
Carefully pour the brine into the jar over onions.
At this time, you can use a butter knife or small spoon to remove any air bubbles.
Place the lid and ring and on each jar and refrigerate. Serve chilled after 24 hours.
If you have additional questions, please feel free to ask!
