Fettuccine with Marigold Sauce

I have not tried this recipe yet, but it sounds interesting:

Fettuccine with Marigold Sauce

Ingredients:
*1.5 cups milk
*1 large onion, quartered
*4 tbsp. marigold (calendula) petals, fresh or dried
*2 large carrots, sliced lengthwise
*1 bay leaf
*4 oz. butter
*3/4 cup all-purpose flour
*1.5 cups parmesan cheese, grated
*salt and pepper to taste
*8 ounces fettuccine

Directions:
1) Place the milk, onion, marigold/calendula petals, carrots, and bay leaf in a saucepan. Cover and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, until the carrots are soft.
2) Pour through a sieve into a bowl and reserve the carrot and onion pieces.
3) Melt the butter in a pan, add the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring until smooth. Gradually add the flavored milk and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring to make a smooth sauce.
4)  Finely chop the onion and carrot and add to the sauce. Fold in the cheese and seasonings to taste.
5) Cook the fettuccine according to directions on the box and cook al dente. Serve topped with the marigold sauce.

Recipe found in:
Lesley Bremness, The Complete Book of Herbs, pg. 176.
For additional information, see: references and warnings

Sweet Marigold Muffins

I have not tried these yet, but they sound interesting:

Sweet Marigold Muffins

Ingredients:
*1/2 cup softened butter
*1/2 cup white sugar
*2 large eggs
*1/2 cup of self-raising flour
*1 teaspoon baking powder
*2 tablespoons calendula flower petals
*raw sugar (optional)

Directions:
1) Put the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and baking powder in a bowl and mix together until smooth and glossy.
2) Fold in 1.5 tablespoons of calendula flower petals.
3) Pour the mixture into greased muffin tins. Sprinkle a few petals onto each muffin with a little raw sugar.
4) Bake in an oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 25-30 minutes.

Recipe found in:
Jekka McVicar, The Complete Herb Book, pg. 67
For additional information, see: references and warnings

Medicinal Recipe: Calendula, the Skin Healer

Calendula is a traditional remedy for burns, wounds, grazes, and rashes.

For broken or cut skin:
1) Clean the wound with an antiseptic solution
2) When clean, apply a calendula tincture to the affected area 3 times per day.
3) It can also be applied to rashes, burns, and healing grazes 3 times per day.


For additional information, see: references and warnings

Calendula

Name:
*Calendula (Calendula officinalis)

Description:
*an annual plant
*looks good in ground or in containers, though not a big fan of hanging baskets

Parts Used:
*Petals

Position:
*Full to part sun
*fertile, well-drained soil

Propagation:
*grow from seed
*In the fall, you can begin the seeds by sowing them in pots/trays in half compost and half standard potting soil. After frost dangers are past, you can then plant them in the spring
*You can also directly sow the seed into your garden in the spring

Maintenance:
*If you deadhead the old flowers, the flowering season will be longer
*This is a very hardy plant but it is sensitive to getting too much water
*This plant is prone to mildew, spider mite, slugs, and black flies

Harvesting:
*Gather the petals after the morning dew has dried, spread them out on racks/cookie sheets, and out of direct sunlight, in a well-ventilated place. When dried, store in an airtight container.

Medicinal:
*The petals possess wound healing and anti-inflammatory properties. To help wounds, cuts, and burns, apply topically in the form of an ointment or infused oil (instructions coming soon!)  It helps by slowing the bleeding and keeping the site free of infection.
*If used in a tincture form (instructions coming soon!), it can be used as a mouthwash against mouth sores
*It can also be taken internally for infection/inflammations of the gut and for stomach ulcers
*Overall: for cell repair, infection/injuries, bruises, burns, fevers, indigestion, diarrhea, hair, and skin

For additional information, see: references and warnings