Holiday Music in the Background #GardenHerbMix #ChristmasGiftParade

Lately, at the end of the day I am wiped out. Keeping up with my real estate business, making sure my dog, Zeke, gets his two miles per day in. Oh, wait, maybe that’s for me, too! So, in rolls the holidays. Steady stream of holiday parties, meetings, events, and so forth.

Living in Boise with a more temperate climate I have been able to expand my garden skills. I have two 4×8 raised garden boxes and one 4×4 for only herbs. I have already decided that I am going to have two more 4×8 boxes made for my garden next year. More tomatoes, more lemon cucumbers, more squash. I am not sure what else I will make, but I know there will be some new vegetables that I will just have to try! And, from my garden many gifts are created.

Ever since I moved to Idaho in 1984, I have strived to make sure my gifts were homemade or handmade by yours truly or at least made in Idaho. Oh, the things I sewed or knitted or dreamed up!

One recipe I found online that I particularly like is a Garden Herb Salt. It was rosemary, sage and thyme. Well, this year I planted oregano and if you know oregano, you know it is prolific. With that in mind, I played with the recipe a bit since I am not big on salt, so this recipe turned into a herb mix. Sharing with you today!

Garden Herb Mix

5 to 8 cups of fresh herbs: rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano
1/4 cup kosher salt OR less, depends on your taste
6 to 8 cloves of garlic

Now, you can proceed here two different ways. You can de-stem all the herbs. Chop the herbs together, side aside. Chop the kosher salt with the garlic. Mix together and spread on a baking sheet. Set oven temperature to no more than 200 degrees and dry out herb mixture for 30 minutes. Let cool completely and pulse in food processor until fine.

Or! Yes, there is another easier way that I discovered by accident!

I harvested the last of my garden herbs and placed them all in a grocery sized brown paper bag. I thought, I will get to it tomorrow night. That went on for a little over a week. When I finally found the time to do the de-stem process, all the herbs were dry. Perfect! You cannot believe how much easier it was to destem! I pressed the garlic and mixed with the salt. Baked it at 200 degrees for about 15 minutes. Let that cool and pulse with the dried herbs until fine in a food processor. Give some as gifts!

#gardenherbmix #gifts #recipes