Herbs to Grow and Use in Your Kitchen
Growing your own food can be very rewarding. There is nothing like going outside and harvesting part of your meal. Serving the fresh fruits and vegetables helps you to know your family is getting wholesome food. Here are some herbs that are easy to grow and come in handy in many recipes.
Basil is one of the easiest herbs to grow. You can plant it in a small pot to keep in your kitchen window. It can also be grown in an outside garden or greenhouse. There are several varieties of basil to choose from. The most common is Sweet Basil. This is what you get if you buy Basil from a store. Basil is great to use in any Italian or Mexican recipe. It compliments any recipe that uses tomatoes. Other types of Basil include Lemon, Cinnamon, and Greek.
Another valuable kitchen herb is Chives. This herb can be cut up and used in soups. And, no baked potato would be complete without sour cream and chives. You can use Chives fresh or dried. Another variety is called Garlic Chives because it has a strong garlic flavor.
Cilantro is an herb that is commonly used in Mexican dishes. In addition, the seeds can be used to make curry powder. The dried seeds are called Coriander. This herb is also called Mexican parsley and can also be used in Oriental and tomato dishes and in pickles. Grow this herb in full sun.
An herb that is used abundantly in Italian dishes is Oregano. It is also used in Mexican dishes. It is relatively easy to grow. It is in the same family as Marjoram, but has a more pungent flavor. This herb prefers to be in full sun.
Parsley is incredibly easy to grow. You just have to be patient because the seeds take at least 6 weeks to germinate. It grows well in containers. Parsley can be used as a garnish as well as an ingredient in many dishes. There are several types of Parsley including flat and curly leaf varieties.
A very popular herb to grow in the kitchen is Rosemary. It can be used with meat, poultry and vinegars. It is also a popular ingredient in sachets because it has a strong, fresh odor. Rosemary is extremely difficult to grow from seed. However, it is easy to find starter plants of this herb.
Sage can be used to season meat and poultry stuffing. It is particularly good combined with onion in pork stuffing. Italian Sage can also be used in the same recipes, as well as stews, chowders, and cheeses.
Summer Savory is a wonderful herb to grow in your kitchen garden. It has a peppery, thyme-like flavor. Its uses include gravies, stuffings, soups, and stews. It should be grown in full sun.
A widely grown herb for the kitchen is Sweet Marjoram. It can be used in meats, eggs, lamb, salads, soups and dressings. It can be grown indoors or out. The leaves should be picked before the flowers appear.
Thyme comes in a number of varieties. There is broad leaf, creeping, and French Thyme. These can be used in stews, soups, stuffing, and to flavor meat. All of these varieties are easy to grow and can also be used as a ground cover.
All of these herbs can be grown from seeds that you will find at your local garden store. You can also find seeds and starter plants at stores such as Wal Mart. Whichever way you choose to grow the herbs, you will get many great dishes from these plants. And, growing your own food also allows you to feel a wonderful sense of accomplishment.
