Archive for the ‘Harvesting Herbs’ Category

Cooking with Basil – Tomato Basil Soup Recipe

Wednesday, July 7th, 2010

Sweet basil is used to flavor non-alcoholic beverages, ice cream, candy, baked goods, puddings, condiments and meats. Especially used to flavor Italian dishes.

One of the most popular recipes that use basil as the main ingredient is for Tomato Basil Soup. It’s a great, tasty way to use some of your basil that’s ready to harvest in your garden.

Here’s the recipe to get you on your way.

Tomato Basil Soup Recipe

Ingredients

# 2 teaspoons olive oil
# 2 garlic cloves, minced
# 3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
# 1/2 teaspoon salt
# 3 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
# 2 cups fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
# Basil leaves (optional for garnish)

Preparation

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in the broth, salt, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes. Stir in basil. Place half of the soup in a blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed soup into a bowl, and repeat procedure with remaining soup. Garnish with basil leaves, if desired.

Still have more basil to harvest? Try some Basil Beer Bread or Thai Basil Chicken.

Learn how easy it is to grow your own sweet basil.  It’s fun!

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Growing Costmary Herb

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

Costmary is also known as “Bible leaf” and “sweet Mary” and it has become one of my favorite herbs. This hardy, large, and decorative plant with light green leaves nearly a foot long. The flowers are small and yellow and the leaves taste minty. Use them to season meat, cake and in teas.

A good background plant, growing as high as 5 feet, costmary requires thinning. It does best if partially shaded. Although you can start costmary from seed, root division is the best method of propagation.

Not always an easy herb to find, it’s worth the extra effort. Its charming appearance and sweet fragrance along with its history is filled with fascinating tales from all over the globe. Especially interesting is its special place in Christianity.

In colonial times, the costmary leaf served as a bookmark in the bibles and prayerbooks of many devout churchgoers. When the sermon became long and boring and drowsiness set in, the sleepy listener treated themselves to the minty flavor of the costmary leaves in an effort to stay awake. Thus the name “Bible leaf” grew popular.

For more gardening advice and information on growing costmary herb and other herbs, visit our website and download our free e-book entitled Herbs for your Health: How to Grow and Use Them when you sign up for our gardening newsletter

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Our First Frost

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

Sunday night we had our first good frost. I was glad to see that the lemon grass didn’t suffer.

Lemon grass is good for drying and using in herbal teas, but if it gets frozen before you harvest it all, you’re in trouble. I usually cut the whole thing back to the ground and hang it in bundles for drying. Then I use it in potpourri and teas. It’s wonderful used in combination with lemon verbena and lemon grass for a healthy refreshing tea.  Simply take equal amounts of each and steep in hot water for 3-5 minutes.  It’s great hot or cold.

You can grow it or transplant it into a container and bring it inside if you like. I have never tried this myself since it get about 4 feet tall and wide. There’s just not enough room in our house for that large of a plant.

If you have never tried lemon grass before, be sure and look for it at your nursery next spring and give it a try. It makes a very handsome planting in the landscape. If you want to learn more about growing and using herbs, sign up for our newsletter and receive our latest e-book Herbs For Your Health: How to Grow and Use Them.  Follow this link to receive yours instantly www.MidSouthGardeningAdvice.com

Herbs for your Health: How to Grow and Use Them

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Rosemary Chicken Recipe

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

Now that you have grown a few herbs, you may be wondering what to do with them.  This rosemary chicken recipe that I found on www.cooks.com is  a great recipe for using your fresh rosemary.

To harvest your rosemary,  or most any culinary herb for that matter, be sure and harvest just before the buds open if possible.  This is when the concentration of essential oils is greatest.   Of course,  you may harvest most anytime, especially rosemary, by simply snipping a few fresh stems that are about 6 inches long throughout the growing season.  Use fresh or hang to dry.

To use rosemary in dishes, snip a branch, rinse off and pat dry.  Then, pull off the leaves and chop well.

I hope you enjoy the recipe for Rosemary Chicken below!

For a free e-book on growing and using your herbs, please visit our website at www.flowers-plants-gardening-advice.com

CHICKEN ROSEMARY

1 chicken, cut up
Olive oil
Generous amount Rosemary
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 c. white wine
Salt & pepper
Brown chicken in olive oil. Add garlic, Rosemary, wine, salt and pepper. Cover and cook about 45 minutes. Remove cover and brown.

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