Liven Up Winter Meals with: Fresh Herbs

Cooking with fresh herbs can seem daunting, but these tips will help get you started:

• Fresh herbs are available year-round at many grocery stores, but are also easy to grow, too. Most need little care and can go several days without watering.

• Try adding fresh chopped herbs to something bland yet familiar, like mashed potatoes or soup. This allows the intensity of the herb to stand on its own and helps you to know how much to add.

• Once you find an herb you really like, start adding it to your favorite entrees and side dishes. For example, sprinkle a little chopped rosemary or tarragon on your broiled chicken or add some chopped cilantro to your salsa.

• When substituting fresh herbs for dried ones, you’ll need about three times as much. For example, use a tablespoon of fresh basil in place of 1 teaspoon dried basil.

• Wait to add fresh herbs towards the end of the cooking process so they don’t turn brown and lose their bright, fresh flavor.

• If you have more fresh herbs than you can use right away, dry the extra for later use.

Easy Walnut Basil Pesto

A simple and fresh addition to pastas, pizzas or grilled meats. Try pesto with other types of herbs to compliment most any dish. 

Ingredients:

	¼ cup chopped walnuts
	¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
	1½ packed cup basil leaves
	1 clove garlic or ½ tsp. garlic powder
	¼ tsp. salt
	Olive oil

Directions: Add first 5 ingredients to blender with two tablespoons of olive oil. While this blends, slowly drizzle in extra olive oil until smooth or desired consistency.

From our Readers:

Italian-Style Steak

Joanne Frazier Hensley, McGaheysville, Va. 

Ingredients:

	1¼ lbs. beef sirloin strip steak, trimmed
	1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning OR 1 Tbsp. total of a combination of  chopped fresh basil, oregano, rosemary and/or thyme
	½ tsp. salt
	1 tsp. pepper
	1 Tbsp. olive oil
	¾ cup chopped sweet red pepper
	½ cup sliced green onion
	½ tsp. garlic powder, or 1 small minced clove garlic
	14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes
	1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

Directions: In a small bowl, combine ¼ tsp. salt and ½ tsp. pepper with half of the Italian seasoning or fresh herbs. Rub both sides of steak with seasoning mixture and set aside. In a nonstick skillet, sauté the chopped pepper, onion and garlic in the olive oil until the vegetables are crisp tender. Add tomatoes, remaining Italian seasoning and ½ tsp. pepper. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 8-10 minutes. Stir in vinegar and keep warm. Meanwhile, preheat broiler and coat broiler pan with nonstick spray. Broil 6 inches from the heat for 4 minutes on each side, or until meat reaches desired doneness. Serve with vegetable mixture. 

Parsley & Chive Mashed Potatoes

Wendy Lankford, Red Oak, Va.

Ingredients:

	2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled & quartered
	2 cloves garlic, peeled
	½ cup sour cream
	1 Tbsp. salt
	½ tsp. pepper
	¼ cup chopped fresh chives
	½ cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions: Boil potatoes and garlic for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and place in large bowl. While hot, add sour cream and mash/beat with mixer until smooth. Stir in salt, pepper and herbs and serve immediately. 

Black Bean Cakes with Zesty Cilantro Sauce

Sheila Jones, Wake, Va.

Ingredients:

	2 Tbsp. olive oil
	½ cup finely chopped onion
	½ cup finely chopped red bell peppers
	1 Tbsp. minced garlic
	15-oz. can of black beans
	½ cup bread crumbs
	1⁄3 cup finely chopped cilantro
	salt and pepper
	2 eggs, lightly beaten
	About 1 cup cornmeal

Directions: Heat oil and saute onion, peppers and garlic until softened. In a bowl, mash 1⁄3 of the beans with a fork. Stir in the remaining beans, onion mixture, bread crumbs and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the eggs. Form mixture into 8 patties (it will be soft and moist). Gently coat patties in cornmeal and transfer to a plastic-lined plate. Refrigerate at least ½ hour or up to 12 hours. Heat ¼-inch oil in a skillet; brown the patties about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper-towel-lined dish and serve with Zesty Cilantro Sauce. 

Zesty Cilantro Sauce

Ingredients:

	¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro
	1⁄3 cup olive oil
	3 Tbsp. soy sauce
	1 tsp. minced garlic
	1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
	1 Tbsp. minced jalapeno pepper

Directions: Mix all ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Herbed Focaccia

Patricia Harbin, Louisa, Va.

Ingredients:

	1 Tbsp. olive oil
	¼ tsp. dried tarragon (or 1 tsp. fresh)
	½ tsp. dried parsley (or 2 tsp. fresh)
	½ tsp. thyme (or 2 tsp. fresh)
	½ tsp. garlic powder (or 1 fresh minced clove)
	11-oz. tube refrigerated thin-crust pizza dough
	½ tsp. kosher salt

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the oil, herbs and garlic. Unroll the dough on an ungreased cookie sheet and spread the oil/herb mixture over the whole surface. Sprinkle with salt and bake 13-18 minutes, or until golden. 

Send us your recipes!

Your recipe contributions featuring these seasonal ingredients are welcomed for use in upcoming issues: greens (collards, kale and spinach), strawberries, watermelon, tomatoes, corn, summer squash, winter squash, recipes using the grill and Virginia seafood/shellfish.

Please email submissions to [email protected] or mail them to Commonwealth Kitchen, c/o Cooperative Living, P.O. Box 2340, Glen Allen, VA 23058-2340. All published submissions will receive a $20 Walmart gift card.