Don't hide your homegrown herbs in your backyard garden. Bring your herb garden into your home and show off your bounty to your guests. Use homegrown herbs in the food that you prepare, in your table centerpiece and throughout the house for a fresh and fragrant burst of nature.
Growing Herbs
Herbs are some of the easiest plants to grow. Herb plants can be kept small if you have limited garden space, they can be grown in pots on your porch, and herbs can be used in flower beds and other decorative landscaping because they're beautiful and fragrant.
If you're new at growing herbs, begin with some starter plants purchased at a nursery. Try basil, parsley and thyme to start off. By all means, plant some mint, but remember that most mint plants are hardy and prolific - they'll take over your yard if given half a chance.
Using Herbs in Decorating
Your homegrown herbs don't have to stay in the food you're preparing. Use herbs throughout the house when you have guests. A half-hour before company arrives at your house, walk out your back door and snip some herbs to use in the house. The wonderful thing about using herbs is they add a fresh, fragrant, homey touch to any centerpiece or floral decoration you have.
Add long-stemmed herb cuttings of rosemary, thyme, lavender, basil, and anything that is flowering to a vase of flowers.
Fill a small vase of just herbs and keep it in the kitchen. Do the same in the powder room, and be sure to include some mint sprigs. Just before your guests arrive, pinch or press some of the leaves with your fingers to release some of the fragrance.
Using Herbs in Cooking
Homegrown herbs make any recipe more special. If you're using a recipe that calls for dried herbs, use fresh herbs instead: To convert dried herbs to fresh, use this formula: 1 teaspoon dried herbs = 1 tablespoons fresh herbs.
Herbed Chicken a la Francais
This dish is impressive, looks more complicated than it is to make, and is perfect for company.
Lemon Rosemary Feta Spread
Serve this feta cheese spread as an appetizer with crackers or bread sticks.
Edible Flowers
Using plants with edible flowers when entertaining is a sure way to turn your dinner into an instant gourmet presentation.
Place a blossom of nasturtium or calendula on each plate as a garnish, or put into salads. Organic Gardening has some suggestions for the best tasting edible flowers.
Not all flowers are edible and some, while not poisonous, don't taste all that good. Before you use edible flowers as garnish on your guests' plates, be sure the plant is edible and that it will add to the flavor. For the most part, herb flowers are usually edible, but so are rose petals, day lilies and apple blossoms.
Sharing Your Herbs
If you're having a dinner party and you're looking for a small gift to give each of your guests, make an herb bouquet for each of them. Or use your homegrown basil to make pesto and package it in small plastic containers with your name and a short recipe on a label attached.
Growing Herbs
Herbs are some of the easiest plants to grow. Herb plants can be kept small if you have limited garden space, they can be grown in pots on your porch, and herbs can be used in flower beds and other decorative landscaping because they're beautiful and fragrant.
If you're new at growing herbs, begin with some starter plants purchased at a nursery. Try basil, parsley and thyme to start off. By all means, plant some mint, but remember that most mint plants are hardy and prolific - they'll take over your yard if given half a chance.
Using Herbs in Decorating
Your homegrown herbs don't have to stay in the food you're preparing. Use herbs throughout the house when you have guests. A half-hour before company arrives at your house, walk out your back door and snip some herbs to use in the house. The wonderful thing about using herbs is they add a fresh, fragrant, homey touch to any centerpiece or floral decoration you have.
Add long-stemmed herb cuttings of rosemary, thyme, lavender, basil, and anything that is flowering to a vase of flowers.
Fill a small vase of just herbs and keep it in the kitchen. Do the same in the powder room, and be sure to include some mint sprigs. Just before your guests arrive, pinch or press some of the leaves with your fingers to release some of the fragrance.
Using Herbs in Cooking
Homegrown herbs make any recipe more special. If you're using a recipe that calls for dried herbs, use fresh herbs instead: To convert dried herbs to fresh, use this formula: 1 teaspoon dried herbs = 1 tablespoons fresh herbs.
Herbed Chicken a la Francais
This dish is impressive, looks more complicated than it is to make, and is perfect for company.
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 4 green onions, sliced
- 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
- 1 egg white
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Snipped fresh parsley
Lemon Rosemary Feta Spread
Serve this feta cheese spread as an appetizer with crackers or bread sticks.
- 3/4 cups unsalted butter, chilled
- 6 ounces feta cheese
- 2 scallions, sliced very thing
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
Edible Flowers
Using plants with edible flowers when entertaining is a sure way to turn your dinner into an instant gourmet presentation.
Place a blossom of nasturtium or calendula on each plate as a garnish, or put into salads. Organic Gardening has some suggestions for the best tasting edible flowers.
Not all flowers are edible and some, while not poisonous, don't taste all that good. Before you use edible flowers as garnish on your guests' plates, be sure the plant is edible and that it will add to the flavor. For the most part, herb flowers are usually edible, but so are rose petals, day lilies and apple blossoms.
Sharing Your Herbs
If you're having a dinner party and you're looking for a small gift to give each of your guests, make an herb bouquet for each of them. Or use your homegrown basil to make pesto and package it in small plastic containers with your name and a short recipe on a label attached.
