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Salt from the Shire

1. 1 cup coarse sea salt
2. 1 tablespoon dried tarragon
3. 1 tablespoon dried marjoram
4. ½ tablespoon dried dill
5. ½ tablespoon roasted garlic grilling seasoning or your favorite grilling seasoning
6. ½ tablespoon oregano
7. ½ teaspoon ramp salt or your favorite locally sourced seasonings
8. ½ teaspoon smoked salt optional

1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Transfer to an air tight jar or container for storing. Seasoned salt from the Shire can be stored in a cool dry place indefinitely.
2. Enjoy atop another meal!

1. Gather all necessary ingredients in a cozy setting.
2. In a large bowl, mix together all-purpose flour, rolled oats, baking powder, and salt. Add the mashed bananas, honey, milk, and melted butter, mixing until a thick, sticky dough forms.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and shape the dough into rectangular pieces, about 1 inch thick, placing them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving.
5. Enjoy Your Delicious Homemade Lembas Bread!

1. Thaw the chicken completely and remove any bags containing gizzards from inside the cavity.
2. In a large bowl or resealable bag, mix together the buttermilk, pickle brine, and Salt from the Shire. Submerge the chicken fully, breast side down, and marinate for 24–48 hours.
3. Remove the chicken from the brine, allow the excess to drip off, and pat dry with paper towels.
4. Rub the entire bird with olive oil. Cut the apple in half and place both halves inside the cavity. Sprinkle the outside with a little extra salt, then let it rest at room temperature while the oven preheat.
5. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the chicken in a roasting pan with a rack—or use potatoes underneath to lift the bird from the pan.
6. Roast, uncovered, for 35–40 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 165°F. For even cooking, position the breast in the center of the oven with the legs pointed toward a corner.
7. Baste the chicken every 5–10 minutes with the drippings from the bottom of the pan. If the skin begins to brown too quickly, cover lightly with foil or the pan lid.
8. When the internal temperature reaches 165°F, remove the chicken from the oven. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 15–20 minutes before carving.
9. Serve warm or cold. Optional to complete the hobbit meal: serve with hard boiled eggs, pickles and crusty bread.
10. Enjoy your meal!

1. Place the flank steak into a bag and freeze until partially firm, about 15–20 minutes. Using a sharp knife, slice with the grain into long strips. Jagged edges are fine. Separate the strips so they are not connected to help them marinate more evenly.
2. In a large bowl, combine the water and Tender Quick. Add the meat, making sure it is fully submerged.
3. Stir in the warmed honey, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, Beau Monde seasoning, marjoram, hatch chili flakes, dill, Worcestershire sauce, malt vinegar, chili powder, mushroom powder, and black pepper.
4. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. Do not exceed 24 hours, or the Tender Quick will make the meat mushy.
5. Preheat the smoker to 140–160°F. Keep the temperature low so the meat dries rather than cooks.
6. Add apple wood chips to the smoker until you achieve “blue smoke” (a thin bluish-grey smoke, not heavy white smoke). Smoke for the first 30 minutes, or until the smoke clears.
7. Continue smoking the meat for 3–6 hours, checking occasionally and removing smaller pieces as they finish so they don’t overcook. The jerky is done when it looks mostly dry with just a slight sheen of moisture and begins to break when bent.
8. Cool on a rack until room temperature, then store in an airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature or up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Properly dried jerky should last longer.
9. Enjoy!

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease the individual springform pans with butter and place them about 1–2 inches apart on a baking sheet.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, and melted butter until smooth and creamy. Stir in the apricot jam.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Mix in the caraway and poppy seeds until everything is well combined into a thick, smooth batter.
5. Use a scoop or measuring cup to fill each springform pan about two-thirds full.
6. Brush the tops of each cake with about one tablespoon of melted butter. Sprinkle sugar evenly over the tops, followed by the oats and pumpkin seeds.
7. Bake for 30–40 minutes, or until the cakes are puffed up and golden brown.
8. When the cakes are cool enough to handle, run a knife around the edges to release them from the springform pans. Remove the rings and lift the cakes out gently.
9. Top each cake with fresh strawberries, blackberries, and a generous spoonful of sweet whipped cream.
10. Enjoy!