One of the nice things about growing herbs is that you can have fresh herbs right from your garden . The idea of growing your own herbs has also opened up the ability for you to make your own seasonings mixes and blends with your own fresh home grown herbs.
You can blend herbs together to make many different tastes and flavors. Some of the most popular combinations seem to compliment each other and blend perfectly with the foods we put them in. While certainly you can buy mixes for everything from meatloaf to tacos and they all seem to do an adequate job of seasoning your dish. There is nothing like the flavor provided by Home Grown Herbs right out of your own garden to put that special touch into any recipe. With an endless supply of fresh herbs right out of your garden that you can dry, there is no end to the mixes you can make for dips, salsas, spreads and appetizers. I have included some of my favorites to give you an idea of what you can do with the herbs you grow. Once you start I think you will find all kinds of great combinations
Taco Seasoning
2 teaspoons beef or chicken bouillon (use powder or granules)
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 cup dried onion flakes
4 tablespoons chili powder
3 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons dried garlic flakes
2 teaspoons dried hot pepper flakes (optional)
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
Mix this all together. Store in a jar or storage bag until ready for use. Three tablespoons of this mixture added to one pound of ground beef plus one cup of water. Simmer until desired consistency. Salt and Pepper to taste.
Pumpkin Pie Spice
5 T. ground cinnamon
4 t. ground ginger
2 t. ground cloves
2 t. ground nutmeg
2 t. ground allspice
Use this for making pumpkin pies when ever it calls for pumpkin pie spice. Two teaspoons are sufficient for each pie.
Oriental Five Spice
1 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp ground fennel
This is the main spice used in many oriental dishes. I use it in all my stir fry meals.
There are many dishes you can make yourself instead of buying the boxed version. Fresher is better every time. When you taste the recipe which you have made with your own natural herbs, you may never want to use the boxed stuff again.
This recipe is for making your own blend for Italian dishes.
Italian Seasoning
4 Tablespoons oregano
4 Tablespoons marjoram
4 Tablespoons thyme
4 Tablespoons basil
2 Tablespoons rosemary
2 Tablespoons savory
Mix well and use as a seasoning in your pasta sauces. This is also great sprinkled on a pasta and tossed with a little virgin olive oil. You can make it a meal by adding 1 pound browned Italian sausage, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, and sauteed onions and green peppers. Kids love this combination. Make it a treat by adding pepperoni slices.
One of the favorites for the whole family is an herb rice side dish. This is extremely easy to make. You just need to know the components. Well, here they are.
Herbal Rice Side Dish
1 lb long grain rice (I like half wild rice or brown rice)
1 Tablespoon dried tarragon
1 Tablespoon ground celery
1 Tablespoon dried chives
1/3 cup dried minced onion
1/3 cup dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Mix all together and store in an airtight jar.
Bring 1 1/3 cup water to a boil. Add ½ cup rice mixture to boiling water. Simmer for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.
These are but a few ways you can enjoy the herbs you grow in your own garden. If you have any recipes or favorites of your own please leave a comment and share them with us.
