It's that time of year again to be harvesting all your herbs before the long winter months hit. Time to save a bit of those wonderful aromas. Drying them for future use is a great way to save them and use again. I have been drying alot of Herbs. You save so much money when you grow herbs and dry them yourself. Not to mention how wonderful your house smells as they are drying. This got me thinking! I wonder how others use Herbs and what uses they get from them.
You can use Herbs in so many wonderful ways!
I want to know how you use your Herbs! Do you use them for cooking, teas or medicinal reasons! Share your ideas with me and the readers.
Heres a contest for you!
Submit your favorite recipe using your favorite herb & tell me why its your favorite.
This time I will be picking 2 winners!
I will make the 2 winning dishes and post a blog about them and the winners!
The 2 catagories are,
Most Inventive & Best Dish!
My prize is fresh dried Herbs!
I have made a few differnt mixed herb combinations to giveaway!
You will win Herbs Provance, Italian seasoning, Pickling spice, Bay Leaves & a suprise Herb!
The rules are!
1. Submit your recipe to my blog in the comments area.
2. Send a picture of your recipe & your recipe to my email 4bratz2luv@gmail.com
As you submit a recipe with a picture I will post it as a blog giving you credit and if you have a blog I will add a link so others can check you out!
3.Tell a friend about my contest and have them enter or just say Hi in the comments area.
4. Tell in your submission how you grow this herb and tips for growing (container, garden etc.) and what state or country you are in.
The deadline for this contest is October 15, 2009.
Have fun with this contest and I hope you all enter!
Good Luck!
Happy Gardening and Cooking!
Posts
I have been gathering mine up too - it is both a happy and a sad time.
ReplyDeleteI do not have photos of my recipes, but here is my recipe page:
http://secretsofgreatchefs.com/index.php?page=recipes-from-diana-s-organic-garden
If I can, I would like to enter my Rich Tasting Roasted Tomato Soup Recipe with herbs - the third recipe down the page.
Rich Tasting Roasted Tomato Soup
Organic homegrown tomatoes, garlic, onions and fresh herbs make all the difference in this dish !
Ingredients:
2 -3 pounds of organic tomatoes - peel, cut in half crosswise and remove seeds
1 medium sweet onion - peel, cut in half crosswise and cut into 1-2 inch wedges
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 cups homemade chicken or vegetable broth, divided
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
2-3 fresh oregano leaves - chopped
1-2 stems of fresh chives and perhaps a chive blossom as a garnish for each bowl of soup
Preparation
1.) Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a baking sheet with a little olive oil or 1 teaspoon of real butter.
2.) Put tomatoes, onion and garlic in a mixing bowl with 1 tablespoon oil - mix to coat well.
3.) Season with salt and pepper and then spread them out on the prepared baking sheet and roast until the vegetables are soft and nicely browned (caramelized), about 30-45 minutes. Let cool.
4.) Place the roasted vegetables in a food processor or blender with 1 cup of your chosen broth, the oregano and the remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Pulse (stop and start quickly) until the mixture is to the desired thickness and texture.
5.) Now, put this vegetable puree in a large heavy pot and add the remaining 1 cup broth and the basil. Simmer over medium heat, stirring often until the soup is hot (5-10 minutes) and then ladle into bowls. You can garnish with a sprig of fresh chives or other appropriate herb.and serve.
Serves 4-8 depending upon if this is a stand alone meal with a good hearty bread or a side dish
Enjoy!
I grow my own tomatoes, onions, garlic, oregano, basil and chives... in my organic herb gardens, in hanging pots and in planters and anywhere else I can tuck them into.
They are given a good dose of my compost to give them a good start and then I top-dress the soil with it during the growing season to keep them growing strong and healthy.
I am in Hubbard, Ohio which is zone 5-6
Organically Yours,
Diana