Wednesday, May 21, 2008

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Sunday, May 18, 2008

Herbalicious

I love herbs!!!! This spring, growing herbs has become a mini obsession for me. I took a class from our local extension office called "Introduction to Herbs". I loved it! I had never thought of all the things that could be done with herbs. I learned all about new recipes, natural homemade recipes, tips for storing herbs for the winter and so much more!!!

Not only are herbs fun to grow and use, having your own herb garden is much more economical. I bought my basil plants for $3, the grocery store charges $3-- for just a few leaves!! I grow my herbs in container plants on my porch. Right now I have lavender, rosemary, sage, 3 types of basil, cilantro, and thyme. I love the smell of all of them. I run my hands over the leaves and love the way it smells!

Growing herbs in container pots is very easy. Basically all you need is the pot and the plant and your good to go. Most herbs love a hot and dry environment. Don't over water! You don't want to drown out your herb plant.Make sure to pay attention to the needs of your plant (full sun vs. partial).

You can find a lot of good recipes online for cooking with herbs. I have just started experimenting when I cook with herbs and have not gone wrong yet. I usually pick my herbs right from the plant and wash them before chopping. You can also lay the herbs out on newspaper to dry (3-4 days) before using.

Experiment with herbs, its so fun and makes life a little more interesting :)