Herb Uses

[CityRatt]

Hey All - I finally planted my first herb garden this year, with a little bit of Basil, Thyme, Oregano, Sage and Rosemary
It all seems to be growing happily - but Id like some of your suggestions as to what to use them for
I more or less get stuck in a cooking rut where I just use the same herbs for the same things over and over again...
So any thoughts or opinions? Thanks so much!

[Blue Belle]

I use a few sprigs of thyme when I cook a whole chicken or other poultry. I just put them at the bottom of the poultry (stem and all) along with a few slivers of garlic. It fills the house with a great aroma when it's cooking as well as giving the chicken a great flavour. Another thing I use the thyme for is mixing up with tuna and mayonnaise either for a salad or sandwiches (just scrape off the leaves, you don't want to use the hard stem). Rosemary is my favourite herb. (You'll have to bring the rosemary in for the winter, it's not hardy in our zone.) It goes great with lamb or roasting rosemary-garlic potatoes. We use basil for making pesto and bruschetta.

[MaryG]

Do you eat pork? Take a small handful of EACH of those herbs and chop them up. Then rinse a pork roast with water to make the herbs stick and coat the entire roast with the chopped herbs. No salt, no pepper, just the herbs. Roast as usual and you'll be surprised at how good this is.

For people with brown or black hair: put a handful of sage leaves in a small pot, cover with water and boil for 10 minutes. Let cool and strain. Put this sage water on your hair and leave it on. It'll help to keep your hair nice and dark. Sorry folks, it doesn't get rid of grey hair, just keeps dark hair nice and shining and healthy.

[Catmint]

I use a few sprigs of thyme when I cook a whole chicken or other poultry. I just put them at the bottom of the poultry (stem and all) along with a few slivers of garlic. It fills the house with a great aroma when it's cooking as well as giving the chicken a great flavour. Another thing I use the thyme for is mixing up with tuna and mayonnaise either for a salad or sandwiches (just scrape off the leaves, you don't want to use the hard stem). Rosemary is my favourite herb. (You'll have to bring the rosemary in for the winter, it's not hardy in our zone.) It goes great with lamb or roasting rosemary-garlic potatoes. We use basil for making pesto and bruschetta.

What a great idea on the thyme, with the tuna and mayo's.............will have to give it a try.

I have Sweet Basil, which I love to chop, for tomato sandwiches....ohh, so good. I also have the purple, which I have made jelly with, and again, on crackers, its great. I have chocolate mint, water mint, lemon mint, and orange mint, apple mint which I like to use to tea's............and fresh sage, when available, in cooking chicken............yummy........:)

[yellow22]

You didn't plant parsley? I eat is just as it is. I'm soory if i have a soup a taste a hint of anything..not missed. Too much is worst. Pesto with basil is okay....I like Cilantro...lemon with I think with mushrooms once.

[jasmine-79]

Do you eat pork? Take a small handful of EACH of those herbs and chop them up. Then rinse a pork roast with water to make the herbs stick and coat the entire roast with the chopped herbs. No salt, no pepper, just the herbs. Roast as usual and you'll be surprised at how good this is.

For people with brown or black hair: put a handful of sage leaves in a small pot, cover with water and boil for 10 minutes. Let cool and strain. Put this sage water on your hair and leave it on. It'll help to keep your hair nice and dark. Sorry folks, it doesn't get rid of grey hair, just keeps dark hair nice and shining and healthy.

Interesting hair tonic...:o

You could chop up all you have and make a killer spaghetti sauce! During the winter when I don't have fresh garden veges I use my herbs to spice up the store bought sauces! They would also be good for a roast chicken. I like lemon and shallots and garlic cloves stuffed inside and butter and herbs shoved under the skin, all over. mmmmmmmmm, I'm getting hungry..:drool:

[Blue Belle]

For people with brown or black hair: put a handful of sage leaves in a small pot, cover with water and boil for 10 minutes. Let cool and strain. Put this sage water on your hair and leave it on. It'll help to keep your hair nice and dark. Sorry folks, it doesn't get rid of grey hair, just keeps dark hair nice and shining and healthy.
The same goes for rosemary. You see a lot of rosemary shampoos out for dark hair. I didn't know about the sage, thanks for that info, Mary. Chamomile is good for lightening blonde hair. I wonder which herbs would be good for redheads. :grin:

That pork roast sounds great too! :drool:

[SunnyK]

For people with brown or black hair: put a handful of sage leaves in a small pot, cover with water and boil for 10 minutes. Let cool and strain. Put this sage water on your hair and leave it on. It'll help to keep your hair nice and dark. Sorry folks, it doesn't get rid of grey hair, just keeps dark hair nice and shining and healthy.
Oh that sounds cool!! I wonder if Pineapple Sage will work too...I am going to need to try this , I mean even if it doesnt make it shinier, the pineapple sage will sure make it smell good!!

[SunnyK]

The same goes for rosemary. You see a lot of rosemary shampoos out for dark hair. I didn't know about the sage, thanks for that info, Mary. Chamomile is good for lightening blonde hair. I wonder which herbs would be good for redheads. :grin:

That pork roast sounds great too! :drool:
Why do I remember seeing somewhere that marigolds are good on red hair, and calendula as well?!? I am going to have to google that later .

[Cazimere]

Does Spearmint make a good tea ?

[MaryG]

Spearmint makes yummy tea!

[jasmine-79]

Mint and lemon balm make excellent tea! Chammomile and lavender, lemon balm and thyme...there are lots of good combos!!

I'm afraid if I used a sage rinse in my hair I'd walk around all day smelling like sausage!! -that's what my sage smells like! :lol::lol:

[jasmine-79]

CityRat -
You could also take your favorite herb, harvest it from the plant, wash it well, dry it, buy a quality extra virgin olive oil, add the dried plant and hide it away for a couple weeks - herb infused oil for cooking!!:grin:

[CityRatt]

CityRat -
You could also take your favorite herb, harvest it from the plant, wash it well, dry it, buy a quality extra virgin olive oil, add the dried plant and hide it away for a couple weeks - herb infused oil for cooking!!:grin:

Id heard of making infused vinegars but oddly enough never thought of using olive oil! (which i use ALOT more than vinegar in cooking)

You guys have awesome ideas...im going to need some time off work to try all these out....unfortunately last night all we had for dinner was $0.89 Mac 'n' Cheese....sometimes im such a stereotypical student it scares me a little

[jerseygirl]

I like to dry parsley in the microwave and keep in jars. My supply usually lasts through the winter. It's much more fragrant and tasty than the dried ones you buy in the store. I do the same with oregano.
Usually freeze whole basil leaves.
If I ever get myself organzied, I'l like to make up cute jars of dried herbs to give away. They would make nice gifts for friends who like to cook.

[CityRatt]

I was thinking about doing the same thing Jersey, the herbed oils would make neat gifts too i think....im sure i can find plenty of nifty little jars at the dollar store and go from there....

With the basil...you just freeze the leaves...and then when you want to use it you pop it out of the freezer chop it and add it to whatever you were makin for dinner? would you do that over drying them??

[jerseygirl]

I've never tried drying basil - I should give it a try. I'm thinking that herbs with smaller leave dry better in the microwave than the larger ones of basil.
Yes, CityRatt - I just take basil out of the freezer when I want some and throw whole leaves into tomato sauce. Freezing does affect the texture of the leaves and you really can't use them as decoration or anything - but it's fine for sauces.

[OSunshine]

I will try not to go on and on,but,it's hard to stop me when I get started on this subject.Let's see,basil was and is used in matters of romance.A pot set outside a woman's door meant she was ready to greet her suitor(s) if I remember correctly.But,that aside,when used as a mild tea,basil reputedly aids digestion and expels gas.As far as using it in cooking,it's good in so many recipes-tomato based dishes,pesto-it's great with veal,lamb,fish,poultry,eggs,beans and pasta to name a few.
Thyme-I always say that if you have to ask if to use it-you do.It's great in soups,sauces,flavored oils,vinegars and even honey.I like to use it in my dumplings along with a little basil and rosemary.
Oregano-use it in Italian,Greek,Columbian,Mexican,Spanish or Cuban dishes...actually if marjoram is used in a recipe...you can use oregano.
Sage-use the young leaves in salads,as well as eggs,poultry,pork and fish.It's also an antiseptic and can be made into a gargle for sore throats or a rinse for scrapes and other skin irritations.
Rosemary-use it with fish,poultry,lamb,veal,beef,pork or game.It also enhances many vegatables such as potatoes,tomatoes,spinach or peas as well as cheese or eggs.While your at it,it compliments other herbs in almost any recipe.
I'd tell you to try all of your herbs in ways that suit your own personal tastes.You will be pleasantly surprised more than once,I'm sure.

[Hapinowagain]

I use some rosemary in my mashed potatoes.