The Pleasure of Fresh Herbs! You Don't Need a Garden at All!

Rule of thumb: 1 TBSP fresh to 1 teaspoon dry, but who measures, not this girl!!

To me, one of the pleasures of summer is having pots of fresh herbs hanging out to create with on a daily basis. No garden needed just some type of pots. For some reason, to me, wintertime means time to let the fresh ones go. I love the idea of looking at things in different ways by the seasons, giving you something to look forward to at different times of the year. My favorite 3 herbs that I always be sure to have in summer are Italian Parsley, Rosemary and Basil. And yes, you can get these at your supermarkets these days, but where is the fun in snipping off a few from your plant on a whim, cutting down on waste from not using up in time, let alone the cost these days. I must confess, however, if a plant does really well, I have been known to take them inside in the fall while I finish them off.

Today I wanted something different and something I could use my herbs and some of my homemade rhubarb pineapple jam with at the same time. And this is how I roll.

I sauteed some fresh red pepper strips, celery strips (peeled), chopped Italian parsley and basil in some of my home-made Rosemary Olive oil I keep on hand in the summertime, until crisp tender. Next, I added my precooked peeled shrimp and 2 heaping TBSP of my jam and sauteed until my jam was melted on the veggies and shrimp. Tossed with some more fresh basil and was good to go. Simple, and oh so good. Who needs takeout anyway?

There are many ways I enjoy these fresh herbs, too many to count. Basically, they can go in anything and everything, and while I have them, they do. I am known to snip off some parsley, stems and all, leave whole and toss in my pasta, rice, or veggie cooking water. Today I tossed some in my fresh shrimp while cooking. Most all herbs and spices have health benefits too, another bonus.

If you have some in your gardens, on your decks, or inside in pots, try using them in ways you haven't thought of before. It is such fun.

Also, they can be chopped in ice cube trays, topped with some olive oil and frozen then placed in baggies, for use in many recipes.

Such a simple thing with such enjoyment. Don't we all need that right now.

Happy cooking, Be safe!!