Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme?
I've got to admit, parsley has never been a true love of mine.
Sure, it's got an important place in the culinary world,
and some foods would just be wrong without it.
It's just not at the top of my personal herbal hit parade.
It does make a lovely garnish, though :)
Now, cilantro...there's an herb!
Now, cilantro...there's an herb!
I find it irresistible.
If I see a recipe with cilantro in it,
I will pin it, clip it, bookmark it, and no doubt, make it.
But...there's one thing I can't do with it, and that's...
grow it.
If I could, I'd plant acres of it to support my habit.
I've tried and failed too many times, so now I don't even bother.
If anyone can tell me the secret to growing cilantro,
I'd be much obliged.
Other herbs? They grow like weeds.
I used to grow them in little pots, but you may recall that last summer,
Mr. Goo Shoes built me a flower box and an herb box.
This year, I'm growing six of my favorites - sans cilantro, sadly.
Mr. Goo Shoes built me a flower box and an herb box.
My herb garden may be small, but it's enough for us.
Yes, I plan to use my herbs in some of the usual ways,
but because cooking is not one of my favorite activities,
I plan to use them mostly in baked goods and beverages.
I've been collecting recipes like nobody's business.
ROSEMARY
I've been collecting recipes like nobody's business.
ROSEMARY
Love grows where my rosemary goes, and nobody knows but me.
How many of you are too young to remember that song?
Obviously, I'm not.
Here's what I'd like to do with my rosemary:
1. Try a new recipe for lemon and rosemary shortbread cookies.
2. Infuse some olive oil with rosemary.
3. Bake a rosemary olive oil bread.
4. Use rosemary as skewers for grilled shrimp.
5. Grill up some lemon-rosemary chicken.
6. Toss together garlic rosemary roasted potatoes.
and roast till lightly browned.
7. Barbeque balsamic and rosemary grilled salmon.
8. Make a batch of rosemary simple syrup and use it in cocktails.
9. Rub rosemary all over my face, with a rosemary scrub.
BASIL
Next to cilantro, I probably use basil more than any other herb.
10. No doubt, I'll make insalata caprese.
11. Bake a batch of lemon basil cake using a recipe I got from Trader Joe's
(I'll share recipe soon!).
12. Make my tomato-basil-kale frittata.
13. Snip some fresh basil for pizza margherita.
14. Have some of my pasta salad with arugula, tomato and basil for supper.
15. Fill a vase with fresh flowers and basil.
16. Whip up my basil mayonnaise.
17. Chug some watermelon juice with basil and lime.
18. Drizzle a salad with basil vinaigrette.
19. Mix up a pitcher of raspberry basil Limoncello.
LEMON THYME
Until last summer, I had no idea what to do with lemon thyme.
This year, I've had "thyme" to think about it.
20. Bake another lemon thyme pound cake-- it was SO good.
21. Cool off with lemon thyme peach lemonade.
22. Try a recipe for lemon thyme shortbread cookies.
23. Make a light olive oil and lemon thyme pasta sauce.
24. Sink my teeth into a rustic plum crostata with lemon thyme.
25. Add it to roasted chicken.
26. Pop up some lemon thyme popcorn.
27. Grill juicy peaches with lemon thyme marinade.
This year, I've had "thyme" to think about it.
20. Bake another lemon thyme pound cake-- it was SO good.
21. Cool off with lemon thyme peach lemonade.
22. Try a recipe for lemon thyme shortbread cookies.
23. Make a light olive oil and lemon thyme pasta sauce.
24. Sink my teeth into a rustic plum crostata with lemon thyme.
25. Add it to roasted chicken.
26. Pop up some lemon thyme popcorn.
27. Grill juicy peaches with lemon thyme marinade.
SAGE
I've got some "sage" advice for what to do with this herb.
28. Treat my taste buds to sage butter and ravioli.
29. Test a sage and apple stuffing recipe.
30. Try an apple sage cake.
31. Fry up some sage leaves.
32. Infuse vinegar with sage and use it to clean my house.
33. Dish up a pan of roasted sage broccoli.
34. Bake a tin of pumpkin sage muffins.
MINT
I'm minding the mint so that I can use it in lots of different ways...
35. Drink lots of mojitos!
36. Fix up a bowl of my corn and peach salad.
37. Add it to iced tea.
38. Top off my fish with apricot salsa with mint.
39. Have more of my cantaloupe and tomato salad.
40. Serve up a watermelon, feta and mint salad.
41. Sip my strawberry mint infused water on a hot summer day.
42. Make some cucumber raita.
LAVENDER
I'd be happy if the only thing I did with lavender is smell it.
But, I've got a few other plans for it...
43. Try a new recipe for lemon lavender shortbread cookies.
44. Bake a lemon lavender pound cake.
45. Drink a lot of my lavender lemonade.
46. Soak in a tub of lavender bath salts.
47. Prepare some lavender scones.
48. Sew up a sachet.
49. Make my own lavender sugar.
50. Roast some pears with lavender sugar and blackberries.
UPDATE:
I just found out that the lavender I bought is not for consumption.
Good thing I didn't poison the family before realizing it.
I'll have to go buy a culinary lavender.
Go know.
PLEASE BE SURE YOU BUY A CULINARY VARIETY.
Well, that's a pretty ambitious list
that could take me the better part of the summer!
All of these recipes/how-to's (and more!) are on my "Just Herbs" Pinterest board.
Follow Ms. Toody Goo Shoes's board Just HERBS on Pinterest.
You can follow it by clicking here.
I'll let you know at the end of the summer
how many things on this list I actually make!
LINKING WITH:
Metamorphosis Monday
Tweak It Tuesday
Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party
The Scoop
Treasure Box Tuesday
Wow Us Wednesday
Wake Up Wednesday
Share Your Style
Foodie FriDIY
Let's Get Real
Best of the Weekend
I'd be happy if the only thing I did with lavender is smell it.
But, I've got a few other plans for it...
43. Try a new recipe for lemon lavender shortbread cookies.
44. Bake a lemon lavender pound cake.
45. Drink a lot of my lavender lemonade.
46. Soak in a tub of lavender bath salts.
47. Prepare some lavender scones.
48. Sew up a sachet.
49. Make my own lavender sugar.
50. Roast some pears with lavender sugar and blackberries.
UPDATE:
I just found out that the lavender I bought is not for consumption.
Good thing I didn't poison the family before realizing it.
I'll have to go buy a culinary lavender.
Go know.
PLEASE BE SURE YOU BUY A CULINARY VARIETY.
Well, that's a pretty ambitious list
that could take me the better part of the summer!
All of these recipes/how-to's (and more!) are on my "Just Herbs" Pinterest board.
Follow Ms. Toody Goo Shoes's board Just HERBS on Pinterest.
You can follow it by clicking here.
I'll let you know at the end of the summer
how many things on this list I actually make!
LINKING WITH:
Metamorphosis Monday
Tweak It Tuesday
Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party
The Scoop
Treasure Box Tuesday
Wow Us Wednesday
Wake Up Wednesday
Share Your Style
Foodie FriDIY
Let's Get Real
Best of the Weekend
Now don't get mad at me but I simply put a cilantro plant in a pot out in the sun and it is overflowing with cilantro goodness! I have to use it more because it is that big already. It must be a real fluke because I don't do well with herbs usually and my basil is huge too. Maybe it is where I got the plants from? Thanks for all the great ways to use them. Pinning your whole post for future reference.
ReplyDeleteWHEW!!! There's alot of great ideas here! You have inspired me to go pick a few basil leaves for pasta later on. I think I have...basil, spearmint, and lavender and that's about it, in regards to my garden. I am putting the spearmint in lemon water at the moment. I am so non-creative like that, ha ha.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post - I love using herbs.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
What a great post - I love using herbs.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
I've jotted down notes! I thought I had a lot of uses but you've thought up some great ones. Cilantro, like you I can't get enough of it, can't keep it growing once June's hot days get here. Buy it each trip to the store. But I do love parsley and keep a big pot of it growing and use it in everything but ice cream. James Beard said to add "acres of parsley" to mushrooms, and I certainly do.
ReplyDeleteRosemary, I can't abide dried rosemary so I grow it but never can get it to grow very big.
Oh, sage--I wanted to ask you about that. I grow it every year but never find recipes that call for it fresh so never use it thriftily. Please let me know if any ideas on your list turn out scrumptious. Butter and sage sound good, I'll have to google that and using it in vinegar to clean. On second thought, I'll never get around to that unless you try it first and tell me that it totally transforms your life.
Counting on you, Amy.
Thanks for sharing all of this great info on gardening and herbs Amy and I pinned this!
ReplyDeleteYou've certainly helped me see what all you can do with herbs now! I love the cute little markers you used for your herbs.
ReplyDeleteWOW!! What an incredible list of recipes you've researched - I can't wait to try some of these. I've made your wonderful cantaloupe and tomato salad several times with my mint and just love it! The raspberry basil limoncello recipe has me intrigued! One of my favourite herbs (that grows like a weed in my garden) is borage. It has a fuzzy leaf that when minced and added to cream with some sugar and vinegar makes a beautiful "cucumbery" flavoured lettuce salad dressing that reminds me of home!
ReplyDeleteWow this is fantastic - I love cooking with herbs and it's such a great way to get the most out of a space. I can't imagine not having herbs available every day. Thanks for info very helpful.
ReplyDeleteCarole
I love my herb garden so I thoroughly enjoyed this post. I can't wait to try some new ways to utilize the bounty of herbs my garden produces (though like you, getting cilantro to thrive has been a bit challenging for me). Thanks for sharing so many great ideas!
ReplyDeleteDorene @ Seasonal Chapters
So many amazing ideas, Amy! Although parsley is not at the top of my list, I do use it in my signature Greek recipes, as well as in pesto - it ain't pesto without parsley! My favourite is probably basil; I love its scent and taste, and use plenty of it in my tomato sauces. Mint goes hand in hand with dolmades, as you know, and rosemary is my preferred herb for my roasted lemon and garlic chicken and potatoes, which at other time is infused with oregano. There are so many wonderful ways to use all of these herbs, but I must confess that I prefer them in savoury dishes, as opposed to sweet!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing!
Poppy
I'm in love with this! Thank you for sharing this with us! Pinned and tweeted! I hope to see you at tonight's party. We are always so impressed with your creations and can't wait to see them! Lou Lou Girls
ReplyDeleteI grew lemon thyme this year and I love it! Thanks for joining Home Sweet Home!
ReplyDeleteSo much fun to have all of these wonderful herbs growing here in my garden... and so many great things to do with them. :)
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this! Thank you for sharing this type of content.
ReplyDelete