Growing herbs adds flavor to meals year around

Compiled by Denise Swogetinsky

Kemper Messenger



I hope we are all practicing social distancing.

While you are at home you can experiment with cooking different things. One way to liven up the taste of your foods is using fresh herbs.

You can start an herb garden right along with your vegetable garden. Pick the herbs you use most often to try growing. Once your plants start to grow and begin to develop buds, it is time to harvest your herbs.

With luck, you will have more than you can use so preserving them will provide you with herbs throughout the year. Here are some tips on a few herbs you may decide to grow.

Basil and parsley tend to lose their flavor when dried, so making a pesto of them by using your blender or food processor and blend them with a little olive oil and lemon juice. You can put it in the refrigerator and use it for a couple of months. It will also freeze well.

You can chop your bell peppers, dry out the liquid, spread on a cookie sheet, and freeze. After frozen, put in a bag and use as needed throughout the year. You can also add your herbs to your tomatoes you are canning to have seasoned tomatoes to cook with.

You can dry oregano a few different ways. You may pull off the tiny leaves and dry them separately or dry the entire stem and then crumble off the crisp leaves.

Bundle the stems together and hang them to dry oregano in a dark, dry spot. Place a perforated paper bag around the herbs to catch the bits of leaves as they fall and to keep dirt and dust off.

Thyme is another herb you may grow. To preserve, take stems and bundle them together. Tie the bundles and hang them where the temperatures are at least 50 F. (10 C.) and humidity is low. Stems may take a week or more to dry.

Another herb you may grow is mint. The traditional method to preserve it is to coarsely chop fresh mint leaves and place a couple teaspoons of mint into ice cube trays. Fill with a little water and freeze. Store the ice cubes in freezer bags. When you're ready to use your mint, just place the cubes in a sieve and let the water melt away.

Rosemary is another herb you will freeze. To preserve, place the it in a tightly sealed storage bag and place it in the freezer. Or, divide the rosemary into ice cube tray compartments, fill with water or soup stock and freeze. Once it is frozen, transfer the rosemary ice cubes to a storage bag until ready for use.

Save is another herb that freezes well. Add one tablespoon freshly chopped sage to ice cube trays and fill with water. Add directly to hearty winter soups and stews or pot roast, or if a recipe calls for fresh sage, simply place the ice cubes in a fine-mesh strainer and let the water melt away.

While we are staying home and developing new hobbies and activities, remember that a healthy lifestyle takes planning and moderation.