Herb Bread

I admit it - I have not yet advanced to making bread the old-fashioned way - letting it rise, punching it down.  No, I still use a bread machine.  For the time being, I'm allowing myself this concession because let's face it - it saves time.  I took a recipe that came with my bread machine, then added a few ingredients, changed a couple of others, and voila!  A loaf of herb bread that was so delicious it was gone in one meal.  Here it is, and you can probably make a few changes of your own to suit your tastes.

Herb & Asiago Bread (for a bread machine)

1 3/4 cup bread flour
1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. dry milk
1 1/4 cup water (lukewarm)
1 Tbsp. fresh basil, leaves cut into tiny pieces
1/2 tsp. fresh rosemary, stripped from stem and chopped
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stem
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/4 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese
1 packet active dry yeast

Put all of the ingredients except yeast into the bowl of your bread machine.  Close the lid and add the yeast to the top dispenser.  Use the regular Bake mode - 4 hour setting.  Makes one average sized loaf.

Oh, Rosemary!

How fitting to give an herb a name that is pretty and feminine.  Rosemary!  It does flower in the spring and the leaves look like soft pine needles. The good smell and taste is also like pine. Rosemary is a versatile herb, used in savory and sweet dishes, and also found in many oils and lotions for the skin.  I hear it grows wild out west, is often found growing near the ocean, and is even grown as decorative shrubs when the climate is suitable.  It likes sun.  I didn't have any luck growing rosemary in Michigan last year, BUT where I planted it, it only had partial sun.  Unlike basil, that grew in the partially shaded spot despite it also liking full sun, my poor baby rosemary never took root.  Besides learning about the sun issue, I have also discovered that for climates that aren't mild year round, the best bet is to grow rosemary (from cuttings) in pots so that it can be taken indoors when the temperatures dip down to the 30s.  It will still require sunlight, however, so you will have to have a sunny window for the pot.

There are many wonderful recipes with rosemary, but let's go for the simple options first. 

Roasted Rosemary Potatoes
2 lbs. new potatoes, or small russet, scrubbed and quartered
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
2 tsp. fresh snipped rosemary, leaves stripped from stems
2 tsp. fresh snipped thyme, leaves stripped from stems

Arrange potatoes in 13 x 9 x 2 baking dish.  Mix remaining ingredients in small bowl, then pour over potatoes.  Cover with foil and bake in oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Remove foil.  Stir potatoes, then bake an additional 15 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through.

More Basil...

Pesto is one of the common recipes which calls for fresh basil.  Once the pesto is made, you can spread in on baguettes, mix it in with pasta, over baked potatoes, on an Italian-style sub sandwich and more.  Let me know how you use pesto!

Classic Fresh Basil Pesto
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed 
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/4 - 1/3 cup pine nuts or chopped walnuts
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste, approx. 1 tsp. of each

In food processor, add the basil leaves and pine nuts or chopped walnuts, pulse a few times.  Add garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper and pulse again until well blended.  Add the cheese last and pulse again for about 10 seconds.  Pesto may be stored in refrigerator in an airtight container (put a thin layer of olive oil on the top of the pesto before sealing the bowl, or freeze.  Yields 1 - 1 1/2 cups of pesto sauce.

Gardening tip when growing fresh basil
Basil thrives in sunshine, so plant it where you plant your tomatoes, or mix it in with your flowering plants that require sun.  It is a pretty plant, with rich green leaves and looks great in your flower bed!

Space plants about 1 foot apart.  They will grow to a height of 1 to 2 feet.  Pinch off tips and blooms as they appear to extend the growing season.  Cut sprigs for use in recipes as needed.

Basil, Sweet Basil

One of my favorite herbs is basil. It is flavorful and fragrant, easy to grow for home gardeners, and is a popular herb in Italian dishes and other Mediterranean foods.  It also has many health benefits.

Basil is a good source of beta carotene which converts itself into Vitamin A that fights free radicals that do damage to our cells.  Vitamin A also helps keep cholesterol from building up in the bloodstream.  Basil is also a source of Vitamin C, which has many health benefits, such as fighting colds, helping to heal wounds and defending the body against cancer.

Essential oil of basil prevents the growth of different types of bacteria, and eugenol, found in the essential oil of basil, is an anti-inflammatory.  It works by blocking an enzyme called cyclooxygenase, working in the same way as aspirin and ibuprofen.

Nutrients found in basil include magnesium for the heart and blood vessels, iron for carrying oxygen to our blood cells, calcium for strong bones, and potassium to help regulate blood pressure and heart function.

Well, those are some of the many reasons basil is good for you, but even more than that, basil is such a wonderful herb to use in cooking.  If you grow it in your garden or inside on a windowsill, there's nothing like cutting off a sprig, then using it immediately in a recipe.  Since it's one of my favorite herbs, I am going to publish a recipe that became a summer favorite - simple, easy, and wonderful because of the fresh ingredients. It is absolutely the best when using fresh-picked tomatoes and cucumbers!

Fresh Tomato & Cucumber Salad

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 - 1 tsp. kosher or sea salt
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. black pepper
3-4 cloves garlic

10 fresh basil leaves
5 fresh oregano leaves
3 sm. fresh cucumbers (pickling or slicing)
15 baby Roma tomatoes, or 20 cherry tomatoes or
    30 grape tomatoes

Mince or press garlic, then mix in with balsamic and red wine vinegars, allowing to stand for 10 minutes.  Slice basil and oregano leaves into thin strips, then put into a small bowl with your extra virgin olive oil, allowing to stand while you prepare the tomatoes and cucumbers.  Wash tomatoes and cucumbers.  If using cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half, if using baby Roma tomatoes, slice into 3-4 round slices each.  Peel cucumbers, leaving a slight amount of peel on.  Slice into 1/4 in. round slices.  Place tomatoes and cucumbers in salad bowl, seasoning with kosher or sea salt and pepper.  Combine olive oil and vinegars, stirring well, then pour over salad.  Allow salad to marinate for about 1/2 hour, then serve at room temperature.  Any excess dressing can be refrigerated to use later as a marinade.  Serves 6 as a side dish.

Variations:  add green pepper and/or green onion when mixing, or slices of fresh mozzarella or dollops of chevre cheese when serving.

For a crowd:
1 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
6 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2-3 tsp. kosher or sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
6-8 cloves garlic
15 fresh basil leaves
8 fresh oregano leaves
18 sm. fresh cucumbers, pickling or thin slicing
Tomatoes - 80-90 baby Romas, or 100-120 cherry tomatoes, or
4-5 pts. grape tomatoes

Follow directions above except layer the tomatoes and cucumbers, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper.

Dill: Weeds & Seeds, It's All Good

Dill weed, which you can use fresh or dried, is a wonderful addition to many dishes.  The seeds are also used as a spice - similar to caraway seeds, they're strong and flavorful.


We've heard for years that fruits and vegetables contain anti-oxidants that fight free radicals which do damage to our bodies.  Coming into the limelight are the properties of herbs, and how they, too, contain antioxidants.  So what about dill?

Dill leaves and seeds contain many essential "volatile" oils that actively help neutralize carcinogens such as  smoke, which helps in protecting you against cancer.  Dill is an appetizer, and the oils are natural stimulants, which is why it is often used in recipes.  The stimulant properties can even activate the secretion of enzymes and hormones that have calming effects, helping you sleep.  The anti-oxidant properties help fight infection and fungus, and promote good digestion.  Fresh dill is an excellent source of vitamin-C, vitamin-A, beta carotene, folic acid, riboflavin and niacin.  Dill weed is also a good source of minerals like potassium (helps control heart rate and blood pressure), calcium, manganese, iron, and magnesium.

Fresh is best, just like with everything else, however dill doesn't last long once it's picked.  It's easy to grow if you have very warm summers, so grow it and cut those lovely, wispy sprigs when you need them.  You can buy it in grocery stores almost year round now, too, although that can get expensive because it only lasts a few days in the refrigerator.

Try it in these foods:

Bread - add a little to your bread machine recipe for white or wheat bread
Butter - mix in some dill, then use the butter on bread, vegetables, or meat
Ranch dressing or dip - usually we buy ranch dip or dill dip, but try combining the dill with ranch - it's a great flavor
Vegetables - dress up plain cooked veggies with a little dill to add a slightly tangy taste
Fish - great mixed with butter or mayonnaise then brushed on the fish before baking 
Shrimp salad - add a little dill to the traditional mixture of shrimp, mayonnaise, green onion, and celery.  
Tuna salad - also add a little cilantro, and substitute a little ranch dressing for the mayo - yum
New potatoes with butter
Potato salad
Deviled eggs
Pasta salad


Now for a recipe that calls for fresh dill - yum!


Grilled Chicken Salad with Dill Ranch 


(Marinade)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup olive oil 
2-3 cloves fresh garlic, pressed or minced
3-4 (1 1/4 - 1  1/2 lbs) skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded or butterflied to 1/2 in. thickness


1 cup prepared ranch veggie dip
1 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1 lg. Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries
Salt and pepper to taste


Make marinade by mixing apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, olive oil and garlic in medium bowl.  Add chicken breast and marinate for 30 minutes.  Grill on lightly oiled, preheated outdoor grill on medium-high heat, about 4-5 minutes per side until meat is firm and juices are clear (no pink inside).  Allow to cool, then chop.  Mix remaining ingredients in bowl, add chopped chicken.  Check seasonings, add a little salt and pepper if needed.  Depending on the ranch dressing you use, you might not need to add any.  Tastes best if allowed to chill 2 hours before serving.  Serve on a bed of greens or on pita as a wrap.


Tip:  if you have leftover cooked chicken from another recipe or prefer the taste of poached chicken, this recipe can be made eliminating the marinade and grilling, substituting about 3 cups of chopped chicken.

Herbs, Wonderful Herbs

Every eating plan these days seems to point to the same thing - eat more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein, eat more fish and less beef, avoid white, refined starches and sugars, and use olive or canola oil moderately.  In order to do that and not get bored, we need flavor.  It just makes sense to experiment with fresh and dried herbs, and sometimes you can hit on combinations that make you wonder why you never tried it before.  Plus, it's great fun experimenting!

Let's take dill weed.  I once read that dill was good in a variety of things, including eggs.  Eggs?  Yuck.  Or so I thought.  But here is how I found out how good it really is.  I was making an easy fish dinner (more on that later) that contained dill.  Then, as I often do, I grabbed all of the fresh vegetables out of my refrigerator that I could find - some zucchini, broccoli, celery, cauliflower and carrots.  Usually green pepper (or red, or yellow) is good too.  I chopped up some onion, sauteed it with some fresh garlic in a little olive oil, and added the chopped vegetables for a stir-fry.  I seasoned it with Nature's Seasons (Morton's had better never stop making that), and then since I was using dill on my fish, I added some dried dill weed to the vegetables.  It was GREAT and really complemented the fish.  A couple of days later I was making eggs for breakfast, so, trying to be healthy I decided to scramble them with some of the leftover vegetables.  I heated the veggies in a tiny bit of butter, added two scrambled eggs and a diced piece of American cheese, and cooked until the eggs were set.  No kidding, the dilled vegetables in the eggs were DELICIOUS!

In my next blog I will tell you about the health benefits of dill, but here's the easy recipe for the fish with dill, given to me by Susan, whose friend, Jan, makes her cod this way.

Baked Cod with Dill (Edited version)

1 lb. fresh cod fillets
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. dried dill weed

Preheat oven to 350⁰. Combine olive oil, mustard and lime juice into a thin paste.  Place the fish fillets on a lightly oiled baking pan, then sprinkle the dill over the fillets.  Bake in oven approximately 14 minutes, until fish is cooked through and flaky.  Serves 3.