Frugal Cooking With Herbs
Herbs are fun to grow and easy to use. Herbs can
be a frugal cook's best friend because they can
enhance even the simplest fare making it seem
grand! Herbs are easy to grow--you can even grow
them on your kitchen windowsill.
The addition of herbs can change completely the
flavor of foods-from homemade breads to soups,
stews and vegetables. And they can add variety
and excitement to your diet.
A beginner should use herbs with care, adding a little
at a time and adjusting to your own taste. Each herb
has its own individual flavor and certain herbs also
have well-known associations with particular foods.
Basil is often paired with tomatoes, rosemary with
lamb, chives with cream cheese and cottage cheese.
Fresh herbs are wonderful as garnishes. Herb vinegars
can be used in salad dressings, soups and marinades.
You can also add fresh herbs to mayonnaise or butter
for a different flavor.
Fresh herbs will keep in the refrigerator for several
days. A good way to freeze herbs such as basil, oregano,
and dill is to chop, place in ice cube trays, cover with
water and freeze. Then just add to stews and sauces
when needed.
Some easy herbs to grow are lemon balm, rosemary, oregano,
dill, basil, parsley, peppermint, lavendar, sage.
Of course, you can buy herbs to cook with at the
supermarket, also.
Here are some simple recipes to get you started
using herbs in your cooking.
Lemon Chive Dressing
1 clove garlic
dash of salt
Rind of 1 lemon, finely grated
and the juice
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Put the garlic and salt in a bowl and crush together.
Add lemon rind, juice and mustard, stirring until
smooth. Slowly whisk in the oil. Fold in chives
and season with black pepper, if desired.
This is a good dressing to pour over warm, cooked new
potatoes. Add finely chopped green onions.
Mint Iced Tea
Wash 8 sprigs of fresh mint, 12 inches long (any mint,
spearmint, peppermint, applemint will do). Place in
blender with 4 cups water and liquefy. Let it set for
about 1/2 hour and strain.
Herb Butter
1/2 cup butter
4 tablespoons fresh herbs or 2 teaspoons of dried herbs
Soften the butter to room temperature. Finely chop the
fresh herbs. Blend herbs and butter well. Store in
fridge.
Use to season vegetables, as a spread on bread, biscuits
or baked potatoes. Anywhere you normally use butter.
Here's something different: not really cooking, but a
recipe that you might find fun!
Basil-Lemon Facial Mask
Pulverize a handful of fresh basil leaves. Peel 1/2 of
an avocado and mash. Add avocado to basil in blender,
along with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon honey.
Mix until smooth.
Apply to clean face and leave as long as desired. Rinse
off with lukewarm water.
In short, you don't have to be an herb specialist to
learn to enjoy using herbs.
About the author:
Cyndi Roberts is the editor of the bi-weekly newsletter
"1 Frugal Friend 2 Another", bringing you practical,
money-saving tips, recipes and ideas. Visit her online at
http://www.cynroberts.comto subscribe and receive the
Free e-course, "Taming the Monster Grocery Bill".
written by: Cyndi Roberts
Related Frugal Articles:
Frugal Kitchen Spruce Ups By Kathleen Wilson Most of us spend a good deal of time in our kitchens these days, and it’s not just for cooking. More homes are being built with the kitchen as the hub of the home, and even if you’re on a tight budget,...
Tuna casseroles are one of the most frugal dinners you can make. Most picky kids will eat them, and most picky husbands will too! Whenever you can't think of something for dinner, you can bet you will probably have the ingredients on hand to make...
It's always a challenge to come up with meals that are easy, quick to fix and frugal, yet appealing to families, especially children. Here are a couple of recipes that are ideal for summertime lunches or suppers. Children can even help in...
I'm ready to unload some the best secrets and tips that even your salon professionals use. Of course they would like for you to buy their products and will tell you they are the best in order to make the sale, but I'm pretty sure they're not being...
Whether you are an avid vegetable gardener, a beginning herb gardener or just like to have a pretty yard, these frugal tips may help you save a little money! 1. Stale coffee and coffee grounds make great organic fertilizer. They provide many...
Summer is finally here and for a lot of us that means heading out to the lake or to the park for a picnic with friends or family. Unfortunately, if we're not careful when we plan, transport and serve that picnic, our outing might not end up...
The trend these days is to discover extremely innovative ways to decorate interiors on a budget. The tips provided below are just a few of the many ways one can inexpensively achieve a truly original look for a room. Borders on a wall are an...
We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And that children that eat breakfast do better in school than those who don't. However, we also all know that it isn't always easy to find time to prepare that all-important meal or...
Lately, there has been a lot in the news concerning obesity in America. And not just in adults--our children are over-weight, also. It's not surprising, considering the advertising dollars that are spent each year aimed at persuading children...
Firing up the grill is a great way to cook in the summer! Here are a few grilling tips and a couple of recipes, too. For great grilled burgers, form the patty gently. Smashing the meat forces out moisture. Sear both sides of the...
Related Frugal Links:
Resource Center
Submit your topic related site and we'll
review it for our Partner Sites where we
provide link exchange information.
Tour our site using the Site Map. We respect your privacy - see our terms for more info.