I decided on lemon grass for this month because I’ve had many people ask me about this herb and its uses.  Use it in Thai or Vietnamese dishes, cut in 2 inch pieces, cook, and remove before serving.  Flavor rice with lemon grass to keep it from being so bland; chop tender stalks in salads, or add to fish or poultry dishes for flavor.  Use the leaves in herbal teas for a stomach soother or can be used as an effective insect repellant and fungicide.  I think this is a herb that can be experimented with.  I hope this makes you want to try something different.  The herb lady

Here are some herbs that make interesting teas.  Lemon verbena, lemon balm, and lemon grass, make pleasant tasting tea.  They can be added to black or green teas to replace the slice of lemon in the ice tea.  Try mint leaves in tea for decoration; basil in tomato juice in the morning, lovage in the evening in a Bloody Mary; borage used in hot or cold teas gives a “lift” after a hard day.  I hope you have fun with your drinks.  The Herb Lady

June is ice tea month, so I am going to tell you how to make a proper pot of herb tea.  1.  bring water to a boil. Rinse out a glass tea pot.  2.  toss in herbs, using 2 tablespoons of fresh herbs, for each cup of water.  3. Pour boiling water over herbs, cover and steep for about 5 min.  Taste it every few min.  Strain the herbs out as soon as the taste gets to the desired strength.  Can be frozen in ice cubes for flavoring favorite beverages.  Add leaves to ice cubes for flavoring and decoratation.

Parsley is a slightly peppery herb.  It helps spice up soups, stews, omelets, stuffing, and can be used as a garnish.  Parsley is rich in vitamins C and A.  Can also be used to relieve bad breath, and aids in digestion.  Parsley can be used fresh, dried or frozen.  Storage note:  Frozen parsley is superior to home dried.

Oregano has a hot, peppery flavor.  Greek oregano is the very best of the oregano plants, with the best taste.  Where you taste oregano the most is pizzas, and spaghetti with tomato sauce, but it also enhances omelets, quiches, stewed beef, pork, poultry, wild game, onions, potatoes, and eggplant.  It can also be used for coughs, headaches, tonics, and used as a stimulant.  An Italian blend of herbs are: oregano, basil, rosemary, majoram and can be used in any tomato dishes, so give it a try.  The Herb Lady

Marjoram has a distinctive savory flavor.  Marjoram is suited for thick stews, vegetable soups, pasta, fish, game, beef, and chicken, but don’t limit using it for just these foods.  When cooked it enhances the flavor of other foods or herbs.  To increase its potency, use generous amounts and include the stems which are more strongly flavored.  I use it in all my pea, bean, and tomatoe dishes.  It is also good in omelets and cheese dishes.  This is one of my most favorite herbs.  The Herb Lady

Feburary is heart month, so the herb for this month is garlic.  Garlic is a herb that can spice up any dish and goes well with any meat.  Everyone knows that garlic is a healing food.  That is possesses amazing endowments for healing.  Good for the heart, blood pressure, cancer fighting, and stimulating the immune system, so to help your heart and your health try this San Francisco Chops recipe.   The Herb Lady

4 pork chops, 1 Tbsp oil, 1 clove garlic, minced.  Sauce:  2 tsp oil, 4 Tbsp sherry or broth, 4 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, 2 tsp cornstarch, and 2 Tbsp water.  Trim pork chops and brown.  Saute’ garlic for a min. combine rest of ingredients.  Place chops in skillet, pour sauce over them, cover tightly.  Simmer over low heat until chops are tender.  Remove chops, stir in corn starch and thicken.  Pour over chops and serve.  Stay healthy.  The Herb Lady

There are many kinds of mint.  Spearmint, apple, peppermint, orange, chocolate, just to name a few, and they can be used many different ways.  Mint enhances all sorts of meat, fish or vegetables.  Fruit salads, fruit drinks, and creamy vegetable soups.  Mint even does well with ice cream.                  Mint can be used for teas for flue or colds, for insomnia, fever, headache, bad breath, sore throat, bee stings and for chapped hands.  How is this for a herb that has everthing.  I think this is a herb that is essential for every household.  The Herb Lady

When I think of Thanksgiving or Christmas, and then think of herbs, I think of Rosemary.  When I am cooking a turkey breast, I put 3 sprigs of rosemary on top and put it in a crock pot.  When I am cooking a large turkey, I put 3 sprigs of rosemary on top, and put it in a browning bag, and put it in the oven.  The taste is out of this world.  You can also use it in dumplings, biscuits, preserves, poultry, lamb, meat dishes, and any kind of vegetables you want to try it in.  I put it in peas, and string beans, and then at Christmas I make wreaths out of it.  This herb can be used many different ways.  The herb Lady