Herb Showcase: Oregano

Oregano is another one of my favorite herbs. :) It's so good in homemade tomato sauce that is to be used for pizza or spaghetti it's also good sprinkled over noodles with butter and a few other herbs. Does anyone have a favorite recipe that uses Oregano? I love trying out new recipes that use herbs! :) I found this herb and spice mixture that can be used on many different dishes, (below) and thought I would share it. :)

Oregano-Photo from Wikipedia

Oregano is a perennial herb, growing to 20-80 cm tall, with opposite leaves 1-4 cm long. The flowers are purple, 3-4 mm long, produced in erect spikes. The dried leaves of the Oregano plant are used in cooking, the dried herb is often more flavorful than the fresh. Oregano is often used in tomato sauces, fried vegetables and grilled meat. Together with basil, it contributes much to the distinctive character of many Italian dishes. -Wikipedia

Oregano Spice Mixture

1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1-1/2 tsp. onion powder
1-1/4 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. celery seed
1-1/2 tsp. white pepper
1-1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. dried lemon peel
1 tsp. ground black pepper

Whisk together garlic powder, thyme leaves, oregano, onion powder, paprika, celery seed, white pepper, dry mustard, lemon peel, and black pepper in a small bowl until well-combined. Put the mixture in a pretty clear shaker, and it makes a great kitchen gift as well.

"And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so." Genesis 1:11

Herb showcase: Rosemary

Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs to use when cooking. Do you have a favorite herb you like to use? I thought I would do a series of posts about different herbs that are commonly used for cooking, with a little information and maybe a recipe that uses each specific herb. :)

Rosemary in flower. Photo from Wikipedia.

A little about Rosemary

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant evergreen needle-like leaves. It is native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which also includes many other herbs. Since it is attractive and tolerates some degree of drought, it is also used in landscaping, especially in areas having a Mediterranean climate. It is considered easy to grow for beginner gardeners, and is pest-resistant.
When grown in pots, it is best kept trimmed to stop it getting too straggly and unsightly, when grown in the garden, rosemary can grow quite large and still be attractive. It can be propagated from an existing plant by clipping a shoot 10-15 cm long, stripping a few leaves from the bottom, and planting it directly into soil. -From Wikipedia

I don't have any potted rosemary at present but hope to get some soon, we mainly just use dried rosemary from the store. One of my family's favorite things to do when we make baked chicken is to sprinkle rosemary, and Parmesan cheese on the chicken, with a little butter, before putting it in the oven. It gives the chicken a wonderful flavor! Do you have a favorite recipe that uses this herb? :)