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Herbal Blends

© Laurel Morris

Grocery store-bought herbal blends can be expensive, stale and tasteless. Who knows when those herbs were harvested? And do they contain unhealthy additives? You can blend your own personal favorites to make meals or snacks come alive with taste.

The recipes below are only guides. Don't restrict yourself, but make your own unique blends of herbs. These ready-made blends are shortcuts to cooking. Why measure out each herb every time? This makes it easy to add flavor-enhancing herbs to your meals. All of the recipes require the herbs to be dried and chopped or ground. If you do not grow all the ingredients, buy fresh dried herbs in bulk. The following sources have not been tested, so any feedback would be appreciated:

Glenbrook Farms http://glenbrookfarm.com/herbs/

Meadowland Antique and Spice Co. http://worldplaces.com/meadowland/

Herbal Salt Substitute

(great all-around seasoning-- good on egg salad)
2 Tablespoons each parsley, tarragon, oregano, basil, thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary, onion powder, garlic powder, dill
1/2 teaspoon white pepper, lemon peel
Grind Ingredients together.

Dill Dip Seasoning

2 tablespoons each dill weed, chives, parsley
Grind together. Mix small amount with sour cream to make dip.

Italian Seasoning

(think spaghetti, pizza, Italian sandwiches!)
2 Tablespoons each basil, oregano, rosemary
Grind Ingredients together.

Recipe: Italian Herb Spread

Chile Powder

A blend of dried ground red chile peppers, cumin, oregano and garlic. Texascooking.com has a great page on how to make chile powder.

Lemon Pepper

(Great on meats, vegetables) 2 tablespoons each lemon peel, freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder
-Sprinkle all over a whole chicken before roasting or placing on the rotisserie.

Fines Herbes

(Good in chicken, fish, soups, eggs) 1 tablespoon each dried parsley, chervil, tarragon, chives
Grind ingredients together.
-Sprinkle over egg dishes and salads