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I love home-made bread and our farmers market features two different bread vendors so I can get my fill.  However, I also like to make bread at home, but I don’t always have the time (and this time of year who wants to turn on the oven), so I found a quick solution.  I use my Crockpot.  This is an unusual way to make bread, but it is so easy and you can use any combination of herbs to craft if.

MATERIALS:

• 1 Tbls. Yeast
• ¼ cup warm water
• ½ cup warm milk
• 1/3 cup quick-cook oats
• 1 ½ Tbls. olive oil
• 1 ½ Tbls. honey
• 1 egg
• 1/8 cup wheat germ
• 2 tsp fresh minced rosemary (or 1 tsp dried) - you can substitute savory if you grow it!
• 2 tsp fresh minced thyme (or 1 tsp dried) – try lemon thyme if you have it!
• 2 tsp fresh dill or parsley (or 1 tsp dried)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups wheat flour, plus up to 1/3 cup more

STEPS:

1.       Turn your Crockpot to high.  Place a riser in the bottom.  Two canning jar rims or crumbled aluminum foil will do.  Add...

Tags: backyard patch, bread, dill, herbs, parsley, rosemary, savory, thyme

Non-Herb Companions

My favorite culinary herbs -- Greek oregano, thyme, dwarf lavender, winter savory, common sage, tarragon, and exotic mints -- have as many uses in the garden as they have in the kitchen.  These are mounding plants that have gree or gray-green foliage and grow between 6 inches and 2 feet tall.  All of them fit nicely among annual flowers, perennials, vegetables and even evergreens.

Here are some attractive mates to these and other herbs:

•   Annuals: alyssum, dwarf nasturtiums, calendulas, zinnias, and marigolds.
•  Perennials: coreopsis, purple coneflowers, and all sorts of dianthus, geraniums, and yarrow.
• Vegetables: peppers, eggplants, and bulbing fennel.
• Evergreens: low shrubs, such as germander, and dwarf forms of boxwood, myrtle, and barberry.

Tags: chives, evergreens, flowers, gardening, herbs, oregano, sage, savory, vegetables

Some plants do better than others in containers.  Most annual herbs will do well in a container and grow larger in the ground.  Some perennial herbs can also do well in a container and you can bring them in to winter over.  Here are some facts and figures to use to create containers in your home with annual herbs.

Basil, Sweet (Ocimum basilicum ) - a taller grower, can get as big as 18 to 24 inches even in a container.  I suggest using Basil Genovese, Dwarf Sweet Basil, Lemon Basil, Cinnamon Basil, or Purple or Purple ruffled Basil instead of traditional sweet.  The others will grow shorter and not spread as widely and have smller leaves so they don't require as much water.

Dill (Anethum graveolens) - another tall grower it can get up to 36 inches in the ground it usually only gets as tall as 18 to 20 inches in a pot.  Place in the center of a round pot or the back side of a square and  enjoy the light fluffy foliage.

Pot Marigold (Calendula) - this is an edible flower, growing only 6 to 10 inches tall and coming in...

Tags: annual herbs, basil, container gardening, dill, marigold, parsley, savory

Lemon Santolina (Santolina eriociodes) is a perennial plant that is good in borders or rock gardens with a button-type flower and fresh clean scent. Regular santolina is known as lavender cotton because of its fuzzy silver/white leaves.  It grows to 12 inches in a neat compact shrub.  It looks lovely in a border and you can air-dry the flowers easily.  Santolinas are good for repelling insects, especially moths.  When mixed with equal portions of lavender and southernwood it makes a great moth repellant blend.  They are slow growers and should be purchased as plants. They can winter over in Zone 4 & 5 if properly protected with sand and mulch over the base before the ground freezes.

Lemon Savory (Satureja biflora) is a tender perennial, since it native habitat is South Africa.  it has small white or lilac flowers, and likes full sun and tolerates part shade.  The strong lemon flavor and scent are used in cooking and teas.  Savory generally has a spicy smell and a peppery taste and is a widely used herb in savory dishes.  The summer and winter savory varieties are annual and perennial respectively....

Tags: gardening, lemon herbs, savory