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~ The Herb Garden ~
Basil, Parsley, Rosemary, Lemon Balm |
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In an attempt to expand the vegetable
garden
and
try something new this year, I planted
some herbs
right next to the tomato.
They
are doing quite well,
smell wonderful. They
add great
flavor to any food
you prepare.
I love using basil and parsley in my
cooking,
will
plant more next year.
Lemon balm has
a
mild lemon flavor. I don't like rosemary all that
much.
The aroma
is too strong.
Basil is more than
just adding flavor to your food,
it can also be used to soothe your
stomach if you
overeat. Basil has antiviral properties
that can
alleviate stomach cramps, nausea,
diarrhea and
indigestion. Pick four to five sprigs of
fresh basil
from the garden, mix with boiling water
and let the
herb steep for 20 minutes then sip it.
Dried basil
works, too. Mix one teaspoon of dried
basil into a
cup of boiling water and steep for five
minutes
before sipping. It is pretty cool to
have such an
amazing herb in the garden. |
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Chicken Rice with Basil, Parsley
Recipe by Leslie, 2009
Chinese Fried Rice and American Pilaf
have been a favorite go-to
dish for centuries. While the cooking is
different, the goal is the same:
tasty rice. Here is a delicious way to
enjoy rice. (Curry chicken is a
good choice. We used five spices chicken
in this example.) |
Ingredients
2 cups long grain rice, uncooked
2 cups left over chicken, small pieces,
any flavor
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 clove chopped garlic
1 cup chopped fresh basil
2 eggs, scrambled
1 can (14 oz) regular or low-sodium
chicken broth
Olive oil, salt and black pepper
Fresh chopped parsley or green onion for
garnishing
Directions
1) Rinse rice in a rice cooker, drained.
Add the chicken
broth to get the right amount of liquid
(about 1¾ cup). Cook
rice the way you normally do or
according to instructions.
Let it sit for 15 minutes when done,
undisturbed.
2) While the rice is sitting, warm up 1
tablespoon oil in a skillet,
saute onion, garlic and basil, season
with salt and pepper, stir
quickly and add chicken. To the rice,
stir in eggs and the veggie
chicken mixture. Use a big serving spoon
quickly fold together
rice and chicken. Add salt and pepper if
needed. Fluff rice with
a fork when put on a plate. Garnish with
parsley or green onion.
Makes 4
servings. |
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Gourmet Turkey Patties
Recipe by Leslie, 2009
Directions
1)
To make the patties: Place veggie,
mashed potato,
turkey, salt
and pepper, oyster sauce,
cheese, egg and breadcrumbs in a large
bowl. Gently mix everything
together to combine. Shape mixture
into thick,
3-inch patties. Cover and refrigerate
for an hour. |
Ingredients
1 tray pack (20 oz) ground turkey, 85/15
lean
1 small onion, chopped (1/4 cup)
2 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 bake potato, cut, broiled, mashed,
about 1 cup
1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mushroom
1/2 cup finely chopped green onion, or
chives
1/4 cup Japanese Panko (crunchy)
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
Olive oil, salt and black pepper
2) Warm up 2 tablespoons oil in a large
nonstick skillet over
medium high heat. Carefully slide
patties into the pan and cook,
turning
once, until browned on both sides and
cooked through.
If the skillet is too dry after cooking
one side, add more oil as
you flip them, reduce to medium-low heat.
Working in batches if
necessary. Makes 8
patties. Serve with cooked rice and
veggie.
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Barbecue Potato Salad
Recipe by Leslie, 2010
Makes 4 servings
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Ingredients
1/3 cup Ranch Dressing
1/3 cup Original Barbecue Sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1 sweet bell pepper (yellow or green), diced
2 stalks celery, thinly chopped
1 red or yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or parsley, garnish
8 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled
8 medium (2 lbs) red potatoes, bite size
with skin,
cooked through in salted water
8 chicken drum sticks, grilled ready to
serve
Mix dressing, barbecue sauce and mustard
in large bowl.
Add all remaining ingredients except for
the bacon and basil;
mix lightly to coat with sauce. Add salt
and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately or refrigerate until
ready to serve. Sprinkle
top of salad with bacon and basil when
ready to eat. Serve with
grilled
chicken, wonderful
picnic meal in the summer.
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