Drying herbs makes the kitchen smell good!

As I crushed my recently dried herbs between my hands before putting into their storage jars, my husband walked into the kitchen to identify the smell. Indeed, herb perfume can be as enticing as the taste of any herb.

I’ve been growing herbs for a few years now, adding another plant or two every year. My favorites to dry are rosemary, oregano and basil. I don’t use an extraordinary amount of rosemary but love its scent. During the growing season, I have to run my hand up a stalk when I pass it in the garden. It leaves its small on my palm, a small gift of appreciation. Rosemary grows well in my garden and smells wonderful as it hangs to dry. 

The scents of other herbs tend not to be as strong as they dry, but they have their place as well. I usually run out of oregano and basil before the winter is over and the fresh plants begin to produce.  This year I made more of an effort to dry these two. I also added French tarragon, a new plant for me that did well. Fresh, the herb tastes like licorice. I didn’t bother drying my mint because I seldom use it except when it’s fresh.

My routine for harvesting herbs follows four simple steps:

1)      1) Cut the herbs before they flower.

 2) Bunch strong end of the stems of the same herb together with a rubber band. Attach a bread tie and wind it around a peg on a shelf in my dining room.  If I run out of pegs, I attach a long piece of strong or yarn to the bundle and place the end of it under something heavy that sits on the shelf, allowing the herbs to hang free. The herbs hang in the dim dining room, which is also one of our driest rooms, until they dry.

3)      3) When dry, I take down the plants and unbundle them. Using my palms, I rub the dried plants over a large bowl then break them down into smaller pieces with my fingers.

4)      4) Finally, I store in small, labeled glass jars. I have some cute octagon-shaped jars that a friend gave me a few years ago. They’re my favorites but I also save small jars I’ve emptied of other things to use. I prefer glass containers as the herbs seem to retain more freshness than if I put them in plastic.

We’ve now had a few hard frosts so the only herbs that are still alive in the garden are what I covered with dried leaves. A few more sprigs of fresh parsley to add to tonight’s chicken salad will taste good.

Flowers enliven a rainy day

The morning rain made my garden too wet for weeding and planting, but the raindrops on the flowers glistened, beckoning me to bring some of that beauty indoors. One of my favorite things to do when the flowers are blooming is to make arrangement for the house, or to give to friends. Peonies have been sending their beautiful fragrance through the living room and daisies have been smiling at me.

But it’s not only flowers that make for a pretty arrangement. Today’s combination includes:
2 Our Lady of Guadalupe roses
3 flowering chives
3 flowering sage branches
5 wispy branches of a flowering bush whose name I don’t recall. I rarely get flowers on the little bush because it doesn’t get enough summer sunlight, but it still beautifies an arrangement.

Those multi-purpose herbs are among my favorites. They only bloom in the spring but the rest of the year they provide gifts to enhance the vegetables I’m growing.

A couple of weeks ago when the Lillies of the Valley were in bloom I discovered a new trick for arranging them. They aren’t tall flowers so they do pose a challenge. I routinely save glass bottles and jars of all sorts, assuming I’ll find a use for them one day. Indeed, one of them was perfect for the short Lillies. I used an old herb shaker, with the shaker top still intact, as a vase. I first cut a piece of fabric to wrap around the container, fastened it with a ribbon that I tied into a bow, then put one or two flower stems through each hole. It was the perfect size for those little blooms.

So challenge yourself. Be creative. Walk among your flowers and listen. Maybe they’ll whisper ideas for how they would like to take a little beauty into your life today.

Nature’s Thyme Annual Tea renews memories and introduces herbal healing

This year I accepted the challenge to decorate one of the tables for our herb club’s annual tea. In previous years I’ve attended the tea and greatly enjoyed the beautifully prepared tables as well as the scrumptious, bite-sized treats that creatively use herbs. I enlisted my friend Joan, who I know has a good eye for beauty, to help prepare the table. Together, we assembled something my grandmother would be proud of.

I bring up Grandma because we used her china on our table. When she died many years ago, Dad and Uncle Jim told Jan (my one female cousin from that side of the family) and me to decide which set of Grandma’s dishes we would each like to have. It was an easy decision. Jan wanted the stoneware; I wanted the china. Maybe they seemed to fit each of us best. It was only later that my great aunt told me I had made the right decision. It was when Grandma was feeling blue because Dad (when he was still that skinny bachelor without a thought of children) had left for the Air Force that she went out and bought the set. It seemed only right that it ended up in my home.

It was a joy to share it today. As we nibbled we also learned more about using herbs to heal from Mary Ray, an herbal therapist from Bardstown, Kentucky. She shared stories about herbs that she had seen heal, such as the comfrey that helped mend her bone and repair ligaments after she fell on ice. She also talked about plaintain, which detoxifies, and cider vinegar that reduces swelling. Her presentation reminded me to pick up my book on herbal healing and read more of it.

Listening to the wonders of herbal medicine is also prompting me to re-think which herbs I grow. Each year I try to add a new plant or two; maybe this year I’ll go beyond that. If I dig up some of the lawn to expand the garden, I don’t think my husband will mind; that just means less grass to mow.

I’ve already sent in my vegetable seed order but after today’s tea, I’m ready to think about expanding my herb garden with a few additions this year. Marjoram, Greek Oregano and Comfrey are definitely on the list but if I add more before spring arrives, I won’t be surprised. The next time I use Grandma's china for a tea, I'll have more herbs to draw from as I prepare the menu.

Grind your own herbs and spices

When was the last time you replaced the spices you rely on to add flavor to your dishes? I’ve been wanting to replace many of mine for several months. This is the time of the year when I can do just that with some of what I’ve been growing.

This morning, for example, I put the hot peppers I had dehydrated into my blender and pulverized them. Keep in mind that I dehydrated the peppers outside to avoid their strong scent taking over the house. Pulverizing them also emitted a strong odor that made me sneeze. I think, however, that the result is worth the temporary inconvenience. We now have a small jar of very aromatic hot pepper spice that will add zing to many dishes this winter.

Although spices don’t go bad, they do lose flavor and aroma. One good reason to grow herbs is that at the end of the season, you can easily dry them (either by hanging in a dry location or using a dehydrator), grind or crush them and replace your old spices. I find herbs easier to grow than vegetables since bugs don’t seem to bother them. (I will admit, thought, that a small animal did eat my borage earlier in the year. I wasn’t really sure what to do with it anyway!)

I like using herbs fresh when they are in season. Some plants hold up to the cold quite well, only giving up their productivity when the temperatures drop to an extreme. For example, my first rosemary plant lived outside through its first winter. The next year, however, we had an ice storm that decimated it. This year I covered my parsley wioth dried leaves before our first hard freeze and it still looks good.

Store your spices in a dry, dark place in a tightly sealed container. Although it’s convenient to keep them near the stove, the heat can quicken their demise.

Herbs and spices not only add flavor to your meals, but also nutrition. whfoods.com reports that Oregano has 23 percent of the daily recommended value of Vitamin K. Cayenne Pepper has 30 percent of the daily recommended value of Vitamin A.

If you didn’t grow spices yourself this year, check your farmers market. Now is the time to stock up for winter.

Preparing for frost

Every time I hear a weather prediction of low evening temperatures, I scurry around the garden picking anything that’s ripe. I’m still finding five types of tomatoes. Yes, the kitchen windowsill is full again. They might be smaller than they were a month ago, but they are so precious at this late date.

Then there are the peppers—bells and hot peppers. I tried a pepper jelly recipe over the weekend that I’ll share soon. It turned out to be a good way to use that end-of-the-season abundance.

I’ve also been cutting many of the herbs. Herbs are simple to hang in your kitchen and dry. They can also be fun to add to flower arrangements (I mixed my last zinnias with lemon balm) or turn into wreaths. I crafted some rosemary wreaths (I love that smell!) that I shared with friends. Next I want to try winding lavender through them.

Speaking of flower arrangements, I also cut marigold and mum blooms to put into a piece of florist’s foam and turn into a nice fall arrangement for the living room.

Yes, the end of the season is an especially creative time in our household. I so value these last few days of beautiful living things in my yard that I want to put them all to good use. In the process, I remember the many blessings that have allowed me to enjoy this fruitful before-frost harvest.

A Fall Trifecta

I saw something in the Lexington newspaper about the unusual convergence of so many sporting events in the city at once this weekend. In my household, today’s trifecta has nothing to do with sports and everything to do with food.

This morning my prayer group came here for brunch. This afternoon I’ll be preparing treats for tomorrow morning’s coffee and donuts at church. This evening we’ll be having a guest for supper. It’s a good thing the garden is still handing over its gifts!

The brunch menu looked like this:
Stuffed roasted tomatoes
Corn and basil tart
Fruit salad
Cinnamon pecan rolls

I garnished the tomatoes with fresh parsley and the fruit salad with fresh mint. At this time of year when I’m very aware that a frost could mean the end of my herbs, I seem to more often remember to actually use them than during the rest of the year.

It certainly looked and smelled good when it was all ready. The only problem was with the stuffed tomatoes. At this time of year since we’ve had so little rain, the Roma and San Marzano tomatoes are less than plump. Nonetheless, I followed the recipe by cutting them in half, scooping out the seeds, marinating and roasting before stuffing. When I pulled them out of the oven, I saw that was a mistake. The tomatoes had flattened. I stuffed them, put them under the broiler and tasted. Everyone around the table agreed that even though they didn’t look beautiful, they definitely made the taste buds cheer. I’ll try them again for supper but I won’t roast them in advance.

Everything else was a hit so the group members more or less agreed on their rating. (Deb suggested upping the score simply because cinnamon rolls were on the menu.)

Deb, Martha and Patti’s rating: 9

I’ll take it!

Lime-scented quinoa salad

Okay, you caught me. My friend Maria asked for the recipe to the salad I made last week. I sort of made it up as I went but I’m going to make an attempt here to put measurements to what I did. I hope it turns out well. If not, adjust it to your tastes!

Lime-scented quinoa salad

1 cup cooked lentils
1 ½ cups cooked quinoa
1 cup blanched asparagus
1 handful fresh cilantro
1 sprig of spicy oregano
1 lime, juiced

Mix together all ingredients with the lime juice. Add a little salt and pepper. Taste for seasonings. You might want more herbs or lime juice. Chill and serve cold. It’s quite refreshing!\

I’m thinking about adding some toasted pumpkin seeds next time; sometimes it’s nice to have that crunch.


If you ever try one of my recipes and discover a different measurement works better, please do share with me. I’m a recipe-writing novice so I appreciate every experience another cook wants to relay.

Bean and Grain Lunch Bowl

One of the great benefits of gardening is that it allows for experimenting with cooking creativity. When something is growing plentifully in my garden, I don’t feel at all guilty about cutting it and trying it in a new recipe knowing it might totally flop. Since I hadn’t cooked in a few days, today I decided it was time for creativity and experimentation.

My inspiration was beans and garlic scapes. I had been craving beans of any sort for a few days. They’re such nutrient-filled little packages that I’m always promising myself I’ll eat them more often then forgetting to do so.

Garlic scapes are the seed pods that develop on top of garlic stalks in early June. The stalk curls and if you leave the scape, I think it will turn into a flower. To get larger garlic bulbs, cut the scape so the plant’s energy will go the bulb.

After cutting the scapes I was enraptured by the garlic fragrance and wanted to cook with them. So I decided it could probably enhance an easy lunch. Here’s what I created.

Bean and Grain Lunch Bowl

Put some lentils on to cook (if using another bean, it will likely need more cooking time). Add vegetable broth and one garlic scape with outer skin removed, leaving the still developing flower. Bring to boil then turn to simmer until done, approximately 30 minutes.

Slice medium onion and caramelize or sauté (depending on how much time you have since caramelizing takes longer). Chop one cup Swiss chard and add to onions. Measure 2/3 cups tomatoes (preferably home-canned but store-bought should work) and add to mixture. Cook on low heat until you develop a nice mixture.

Cook quinoa in water five minutes. If using another grain, allow for whatever cooking time it requires.

If you grow herbs or have some fresh from the farmer’s market or store, pick out some of your favorites. I cut some cilantro, parsley and chives. Cut them directly into your lunch bowl.

When all ingredients are cooked, spoon out equal amounts from each ingredient into bowl with the herbs. Mix and eat.

I found this to be delicious, although I didn’t get a strong garlic flavor, which surprised me. It was also quite filling and packed with everything good for me, so if I eat a piece of cake later, I won’t feel guilty.

I still have more garlic scapes in the kitchen. The creative experimentation will continue.

Herbs for health

“God surrounded us with everything we need, we just don’t know how to use it.”

When Glenda McQueery said that at the Nature’s Thyme Herb Club meeting on Saturday, I knew I was in the right place. I had been trying to get to one of the group’s meetings for months and this was the first time it worked out. It was exactly the right time for me as it was their annual tea and I’ve been a tea lover for years. Glenda spoke about growing a tea garden.

I began growing herbs about three years ago. Every year I try to add another herb or two to my collection. I’ve bought some of those herbs from Glenda, who operates Flatwoods Farm in Garrard County, Kentucky and has always been great about telling me about uses for and care of the herbs I’ve bought from her.

For years, I hesitated to plant herbs because I didn’t really know how to use them. Then I started seeing recipes that called for fresh herbs. They became such a staple for me (especially parsley, which is my favorite) that I try at some point every winter to grow them inside. Thanks to Glenda’s presentation, I’m now thinking about which herbs to plant so I can make my own tea.

Herbs aren’t only pretty and aromatic; Glenda told us they are an easy way to get nature’s healing forces into our bodies. “Fresh plants help strengthen the immune system,” she wrote in her handout. “They are loaded with vitamins, fiber, minerals (including calcium), enzymes, chlorophyll and many other compounds to boost our health.” For example, parsley contains volatile oil components and flavonoids that have unique health benefits. Parsley is also filled with Vitamin K and provides significant amounts of Vitamins C and A, folate and iron.

Besides the health benefits of the herbs, they can also attract and or repel pests in the garden. Last year I interspersed basil and cilantro throughout my vegetables to get those benefits. Like everything else I do in the garden, I’m never sure if it “works” the way it appears or if it’s dumb luck on my part, but I had few bugs and plenty of vegetables. I hope this year I’ll also have plenty of herbs to dry for a winter morning’s tea.

The urge to grow

I rejoiced two days ago when I noticed the arugula I planted in a pot in my home office window had sprouted. I’ve been so tired of not having fresh herbs that I decided to get some pots, soil and seeds and try to start herbs in the sunniest window in the house, with the hopes that I might be eating them within the month. Now the chives are peeking up and I can see one tiny thyme plant jumping up ahead of the rest.

What is this urge that some of us have to grow? I suppose it’s sort of like the desire to cook; some people love it and some people would be happy eating from restaurants their entire lives. The difference doesn’t seem to rely on upbringing, as far as my observations go, so perhaps it’s something innate we’re born with or not.

I do think some of us develop an interest in what might have been planted early on but abandoned because we find reasons we should want to do it. Although I liked planting with my dad when I was young, I can’t say it’s something I missed when I lived in New York City for four years. As soon as I left the city, though, for an apartment in Maryland, I planted a rose bush by my patio and buried compost around it. I don’t think it actually survived (I had no idea how to care for it and don’t remember studying the subject) but nonetheless, the urge was there. And when I came to Kentucky and found a place to garden, I dove in enthusiastically, asking everyone else who I spied carrying gardening tools or vegetables for advice.

So now I wait to return to the garden and try to occupy myself with small growing projects indoors. I also planted sprouts last week and have been eating them on sandwiches this week. I find they’re a good sandwich addition when I don’t have fresh lettuce.

The snow is supposed to be coming. Sounds like a weekend for soup and perusing the seed catalogs.

Garden gifts

The garden isn’t good only for the weekly menu; it can also be a great source of gifts. I’ve created gifts from my garden for the past few years. When I do this, I can be sure the recipient will not have received another gift like it!

Here are a few gift ideas:

1. Herb butter. One year when my herbs were still fresh and prolific in December, I set out butter to soften then mixed in the chopped herbs. I made homemade bread and packaged it all to give as gifts.

2. Sun-dried tomatoes. I like growing Principe Borghese tomatoes, which make wonderfully flavorful sun-dried tomatoes you can store for months. These I’ve packaged two different ways: one is to keep them dry and put them in a nice, air-tight storage jar with instructions to rehydrate before using; the second is to rehydrate them and place them in a jar with olive oil and perhaps some herbs. (I confess, I once forgot to rehydrate before filling the jar; I’m sure the recipients wondered why I thought I had given her a nice gift!) Because a lot of people haven’t cooked with sun-dried tomatoes, you might also want to include a recipe to use them in.

3. This year, I’m making gourd birdhouses. My cousin Harry prompted this idea when he gave me a gourd earlier this year. I turned it into a birdhouse that now hangs on our front porch. So when I saw gourds at the farmer’s market this summer, I thought that would be a good gift to make for some family and friends. I’m in the midst of painting them now, so when they are complete I’ll take some pictures to post. I’m following these instructions.

Next year, I might plant my own gourds now that I have saved some seeds. Or perhaps I’ll find another gift idea that warrants its own corner of the garden.