Someone I know wanted me to post the recipe for this. This was one of those things tho that I just didn't have written down. Good thing I made some the other day so the recipe was still fresh in my mind. Please be aware that the amounts are vague because it depends on how many eggplant you use and the size of them. (This was all the pictures I got. I forgot to take pics of the process. This was after dinner lol)

Eggplant Parmigiana

Breadcrumbs or cracker meal crumbs
S & P
Oil for frying
Oregano
Eggplants
eggs
Mozzarella cheese
Romano cheese
Spaghetti sauce

I have given you a list because it all depends on how much eggplant you have to cook up. I generally buy 2-3 large ones. I will either make one big 13 x 9 pan and a smaller one or I save the rest to freeze. Then next time I don't have to fry them all up again , I can just assemble a small one.

I use breadcrumbs because I don't always have cracker meal in the house. My MIL used that and I really like it but sometimes I cant find it up here. And I am not going to start grinding crackers when I have to do this. It takes long enough! I have two bowls going in the process, one that holds eggs beaten well with water and the other holding the breadcrumb mix. The one with eggs, I add about a half cup of water to two eggs and beat well. You want a thin egg wash. To the breadcrumb mix I add s & p to taste and dried oregano. I would say to about two c. breadcrumbs you might add 2 tsp. oregano. I will say that depending on how many eggplant you make , you will have to replenish this mix of both. I made two eggplant the other nite and had to make the mixes twice.

Peel your eggplant. Some people don't and we don't like it but if you do then leave it. I find it bitter. Slice in about 1/4 in. thick slices. In a frying pan put your oil. I use a mix of reg. veggie oil and then add some extra virgin olive oil for flavor. These are generally the only two oils I have around the house and Xvirgin is to expensive to fry with. So adding a few TB. each time helps flavor it. Then dip in egg wash and then in breadcrumbs. When the oil is hot, fry them till golden brown. It doesn't matter if they are not cooked thru, they will finish baking later. Drain on paper towels.

You can use your own spaghetti sauce or make some. I often keep Classico Tomato Basil sauce around because it tastes like the sauce I used to can from my garden. Its a base sauce and you can add other things. I did happen to can some this yr so I used my own. I saute several chopped cloves of garlic in some olive oil. Then I add the sauce to the pan. I add chopped parsley and more basil and S & P to that and let it cook awhile. It should be very loose so add water to it. It will thicken up on the eggplant so if you don't make it loose now , the eggplant will be dry.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Once all the eggplant is fried and the sauce is made its time to layer. Slice your mozzarella cheese thin. How much is up to you. For the two lg. eggplant I fried I used a two lb. block of cheese. I also grate fresh Romano as I go on each layer too but you can use Parmesan if you want.

First a layer of sauce in the pan, then eggplant, cheeses and then more sauce. Continue in layers ending with sauce till all is used up or pan is full. Sometimes I have 3 layers, last nite I had four. Just don't fill to the brim cuz it does swell and will spit all over the oven. Cover with foil and bake till cheese is melted and its hot in the center 45 min. - 1hr. I cut this into squares to serve. Leftovers can be frozen and reheated. I often make a big casserole full so I can have leftovers. Makes the nights I don't want to cook or don't have time to cook, real ez then. I just pop it from the freezer and either let it sit to thaw or microwave it a bit to thaw. Then reheat in the oven.

**** You can bake the breaded eggplant on oiled baking sheets but I don't like it. I find the oil may get absorbed into the eggplant but there"s not enough of it to give it much flavor. Just seems drier too. Since we don't eat it very often and since I don't fry much, I make it the traditional way.

This recipe came about because of Costco. They carry a Chicken Alfredo dinner premade. Costco isn't near me so when I go its an all day thing. By the time I get home and unload I'm tired. So I would grab one of these dinners to heat up while putting all the stuff away. But theirs is very basic. So I would add broccoli. and sometimes other veggies and even top it with cheese. But the sad part it the casserole is so big and there's only the two of us here, so most of it got tossed after dinner. My bf doesn't like leftovers very much. And so I stopped buying it but we did like it. 

And so I created my own. Now this is the quick version but of course you could make it right by making your own Alfredo sauce and pesto and fresh baking a few chicken breasts too. I often use my Balsamic Chicken recipe for this. I just bake two extra chicken breasts to have on hand for this. But really I use a lot of things that I plan to have on hand to just toss this together fast.

I often make a roast chicken and strip off the meat to freeze. If I do that then I just take a cup or two of the meat to use for this, thawed. If you have a store bought rotisserie chicken, that would work too. But you do want chicken that was roasted or baked with garlic or herbs. Poached is just too bland.

I will use frozen broccoli if I have nothing else. Ive added roasted red peppers, artichokes, spinach and even peas. But you do have to be careful because if you add too much, you run into having lots of leftovers, which I try to avoid. I can't seem to get this dish small for just the two of us. But at least I have it down to four. And if you find it might not be enough for you cuz you have folks with hearty appetites, then make a nice salad and some garlic bread to serve with it. 
Chicken Alfredo Casserole Serves 4

1/2 box of penne or rotini
1 stalk of broccoli, peeled and cut into bite size pieces or about 1c frozen
1 jar (15oz.) Classico Alfredo sauce or the equivalent of homemade
About 2c. cooked, chopped chicken
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
Jar or homemade pesto
S & P

Sliced provolone cheese or mozzarella
Grated Parmesan

*Optional: marinated artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed, roasted red peppers, peas, asparagus, frozen spinach

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Get a lg. pot going for boiling water for the pasta, toss in some salt. When water is boiling toss in the pasta. If your using fresh broccoli, toss that in now also. If your using frozen, wait till pasta is almost done, then put it in the same pot too. Frozen broccoli will just disintegrate if started when the pasta is.

Drizzle a bit of olive oil in the bottom of a 13 x 9in. pan. When pasta and broccoli are done, drain then toss in the baking pan.

Add the tomato, chicken, and any other veggies you might want. Asparagus needs to be cooked first, frozen peas or spinach can just be tossed in as they will thaw and cook when its in the oven.
Pour Alfredo sauce over all this. I add about a half jar of water or milk or half and half to it and shake it well to get any stuck sauce off the jar. Also as this bakes it sucks up the sauce. Extra liquid helps keep it from doing that. Add about two good spoons of pesto. Stir this all up and then taste. Some pestos are not very strong or flavorful so this is to YOUR taste. If it needs more add it but just a bit at a time. Basil can take over this dish real easy. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir the whole thing well.

If you wish, you may top with slices of mozzarella or provolone and then sprinkle with Parmesan. I like provolone because it has a bit more flavor.

Put in heated oven and bake for about 20min. The casserole is done when its just beginning to brown on the edges and its bubbling. If it looks like its getting dry, cover with foil. 

Years ago when I was first married, my mother in law used to make Stuffed Shells. I never heard of these before. And so I asked her how do you make them? I wanted to learn since my new husband loved them. She told me how to make the stuffing and to buy large pasta shells. And so that's what I did.

I made my homemade spaghetti sauce and proceeded to put this together. I sat there stuffing over 100 shells. Took me all afternoon and I thought to myself.......these people are nuts. I'm never making this again! And so I finished the recipe and presented them to hubby. Of course he loved them, and I said good!, cuz I AM NEVER MAKING THESE THINGS AGAIN! Who stuffs over 100 shells for a meal unless your feeding an army?

And so the story got told to his mother because she wanted to know how they turned out. She laughed and I got upset. You see this lil Polish/Hungarian  girl never heard of Stuffed Shells before this and didn't know they also made JUMBO SHELLS. That's what I should have used! lol So once I found them in the store, the recipe finally made sense to me. That was 40 yrs. ago,  Ive made it often thru the yrs.

These can be made and frozen before or after cooking. They usually make a lot so its good you can freeze them. Unless you were having a houseful of people, you're going to have leftovers!

Italian Stuffed Shells

1 box of JUMBO pasta shells
1 lb. of mozzarella cheese
2lb. ricotta cheese
S & P
2 eggs
A couple tbsp. chopped parsley
Grated Romano cheese
Parmesan cheese
Your favorite spaghetti sauce, homemade or not but homemade is better


Cook pasta shells till al dente. Cook them too long and they fall apart. You want them done but still with a bit of bite to them. Drain and let cool.

Meanwhile make the stuffing. Cut up the mozzarella cheese into cubes about 1/2 in. Some folks shred the cheese on a grater and you certainly can do that but we like chunks of melty cheese in these better. Put into lg. bowl with ricotta. I used part skim but it doesn't matter what kind you use. 

Chop some parsley, I do about 2-3tb. You will be tasting this so if you feel it needs more when you taste add it but I start with this. Add S & P. I add alot of pepper but go ez on the salt since the grated Romano adds alot. I buy a big chunk of Romano and freshly grate it but you can buy what you want. We use it alot so I always have a chunk around here. I would say start with about a 1/2c. and mix it in, then taste. You want it to have flavor but not be salty or bland. You need to add enough of the things to the mix so that it is not bland.  

 When its to your taste, add the eggs and beat in well. Take each shell and stuff till full. I use one lg. soup spoon and one big scoop is usually enough. The shells are ez to fill if you squeeze them gently from end to end. They are a bit like those old fashioned coin purses that you squeezed to open. Place shells in lg. baking pan. It will fill a 13 x 9 pan with some leftover. Just put them in a smaller pan. Pour spaghetti sauce over to just cover. You will use the rest when you serve these. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Cover with foil.

Bake at 350 till hot and bubbly about 30min. or so. These are quite filling so a serving of 4 is plenty for most people. Top with hot spaghetti sauce and serve.

Sometimes I make this in two smaller pans and freeze one unbaked for another meal. I also roughly cut up any broken cooked shells and toss them in the pan before I put the sauce on. They cant be filled but they are still pasta, so why waste them?

I made this for dinner tonight, its not my usual fare. My bf loves boxed mac and cheese. I eat it now and then but could live without it. In fact I hate the boxed stuff so much I tease him and ask him if he wants paste in the box for dinner tonight. He also loves tacos and lately the tortillas are just too much for us. Getting old here and the flour tortillas sit like lead in our tummies. So most times I made taco salad so we can enjoy the flavor but not suffer. Then I came across this recipe.

I found it in some old magazines I was going thru. Again its not the type I usually make but my back is hurting and I didn't want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen so I thought Id try this tonight. As usual I never leave it completely alone. I added a few things and over time I may change it again. But this is what I made tonight. I made my own taco mix, its ez.


TACO BAKE SERVES 6

1 pkg. (14oz.) mac & cheese mix
3/4 c. sour cream (I used fat free)
1 1/2c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. salsa

TACO SEASONING MIX     

2 tsp. instant minced onion
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. corn starch
1/2 tsp. crushed dried red pepper
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. instant minced garlic

Combine all ingredients, seal and store. This equals one of those pkgs.

TACO FILLING:

1 lb. ground beef
1 small can of green chilies
1/2 can of tomato paste
1c. water
1 pkg. Taco Seasoning Mix or the homemade equivalent.

Brown beef, drain off excess grease. Add water and seasoning mix. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes till thick. Stir occasionally. Makes filling for 8 to 10 tacos.

First preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Make mac and cheese according to pkg. directions. Add sour cream to completed dinner. I used fat free sour cream trying to lose some of the fat in this meal. I also drained well the ground browned beef before adding the rest of ingred.

Layer half the mac & cheese on bottom of casserole, then top with meat mixture spreading evenly. Top with remaining mac & cheese and pour salsa over all. Bake for 15 min. till cheese is melted and casserole is heated thru.

I served this with a quick salad of chopped avocado, tomatoes and onion with lettuce. I used a homemade Italian vinaigrette that I make. I just sprinkle some garlic powder, oregano, S & P over all the veggies. I drizzle olive oil over all and mix well, then taste. Adjust seasonings then sprinkle on some red wine vinegar to taste and toss.

I made this dish the other nite. I only made it for two tho so I cut down on this recipe. I had a few lg. cremini mushrooms so I used those. And I often keep small bottles of red and white wine around for when I need a little bit. They are handy. This way I dont have to open a big bottle if we arent going to drink it. I will say this tho about the sauce and recipe. I cut it by 1/3 and there wasnt enough sauce. Next time I think Ill make the whole recipe part of the sauce.

This dish is excellent. But putting the cheese topped chicken back in the pan......well the crust from the chicken absorbed most of the sauce. Now that wasnt really bad because I had sauce on one side and cheese on the other. But I wanted to warn everyone in case you were looking to have it saucy. Either way, this dish is absolutely delicious!


Chicken Valdostano Serves 6

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded thin
1/4 cup unsalted butter
10 fresh mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
6 slices thinly sliced prosciutto
6 slices fontina cheese

1. Lightly flour chicken breasts, shaking off excess flour. In a large skillet over low heat, melt butter/margarine. Add chicken and saute until lightly browned, about 2 minutes each side. Remove with slotted spatula and set aside.
2. Increase heat to medium low. Add mushrooms and saute until juices are rendered, about 4 minutes. Add wine and simmer until reduced by 1/4, about 3 to 4 minutes. Increase heat to medium high. Add stock, parsley and pepper and simmer until sauce reduced to 1 cup, about 10 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to low. Top each chicken breast with a slice of prosciutto and a slice of fontina cheese. Return chicken to skillet and cook just until cheese melts. Transfer chicken to individual plates and top each with some of the mushroom sauce before serving.

I found this recipe online awhile back and finally got a chance to make it. The original called for fresh corn that you cut off the ear and saute. You certainly can do that if you wish but I didn't have that in my house at the moment. I bet it would be great in the summer with fresh corn. However, since I usually have canned or frozen corn on hand, thats what I used.




Corn Salad with Feta serves 2


1 can (160z.) canned corn, drained well
1 tb. butter
2 tb. olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. dried thyme (you can use fresh if you have it)
3-4 green onions, green portion only, thinly sliced on the diagonal
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
4oz. feta cheese cubed or crumbled
Juice of half of a lime
1 tb. fresh chopped basil


In a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the butter and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil until nearly smoking. Add the garlic and sauté, stirring constantly, 20 to 30 seconds. Add the corn and sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden and just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the thyme and green onions and sauté for about 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a large bowl. Let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
3. In another bowl, combine the tomatoes, cheese, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper and toss gently to mix. Add the tomato mixture, the lime juice and basil to the cooled corn and toss to mix. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper and more lime juice. Serve at room temperature.


We just loved this. Its a nice change from a green salad as a side but this could even be a lunch with some nice crusty bread on the side.

Easter is on its way and I'm thinking about what I want to make for the holiday this year. As I wandered online looking for some new ideas I ran across a recipe for this cheese. I was stunned! My gramma made this cheese and I used to long ago too. In fact I taught my mom how to make it. I used to watch gramma make it and mom never did. So one day when she asked about it, I said I know how to make it!

Its not really a cheese per se, its more like a solid custard. But we serve it with the Easter meal of ham and kielbasa and such. Its a very Hungarian thing. But I never knew anyone who ever made it besides gramma. This recipe makes a lot. You don't have to make all this. In fact you can eyeball it cuz Ive done that when I wanted to make just a bit. I just used the amount of eggs I wanted, added some milk, the flavorings and tasted it while it cooked to see how much sugar to use. So here's the basic recipe. Feel free to make as much or as little as you want. Its really easy. Plus we used to fight over the liquid that was left. We loved to drink it. It almost tastes like eggnog only lighter. Don't waste it, its yummy.

Easter Cheese

* 12 eggs
* 4 cups milk
* 1 cup sugar (I would do this to taste, you can get away with less)
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
* 1 pinch ground nutmeg (my gramma used cinnamon, no nutmeg)

1. In an electric mixer, beat the eggs until mixed well.
2. Transfer the eggs to a double boiler and stir in milk, sugar, vanilla and nutmeg. Cook over a medium heat for 30 minutes. Use a metal slotted spoon and constantly stir the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching.
3. When the mixture looks just like cooked scrambled eggs, pour it carefully into a cheesecloth-lined colander. Carefully gather the ends of the cheesecloth in your hands and pull them together until the cheese forms into a ball. Tie the cheesecloth tightly at the top of the ball. Tie the cheesecloth ends over a faucet or to the handle of a kitchen cabinet (place a bowl under to catch the whey dripping down) and let hang for about 3 hours.
4. Untie the cheesecloth and wrap the cheesecloth ball in plastic wrap before refrigerating. The cheese will keep for about a week. Slice and serve.

Save the liquid to drink. Its safe its been cooked and its delicious!

When I was working in the restaurant, we didn't get much time to eat. So some days I would make a cheese platter with what was in the walk-in. That was my dept. I was their Garde Manger. I would make these huge cheese and fruit designs on marble for parties. Because of that, I would have all sorts of yummy cheeses on hand. Some I never had before and since it was my job, Id taste them as part of my lunch to know what to tell folks if they asked about it.

I also made all the sausages, pate's and terrines and pastas for the whole place. So because of that I often had some on hand. Sometimes we would even have it on the menu. There was always fruit around for these too. The bakery made all its own breads and at any given day there would be something different to choose since they tried to use up bits and pieces of things there. With all this around me it was ez to make one of my favorite snack/lunches.......a Fruit, Cheese, and Pate platter.

Sometimes we had nice sliced meats around too, like Bresaola a dried cured beef, or prosciutto. So before service, when I had a few min. I would create a platter for me to either snack on all day or have lunch later. It became one of my very favorite things to eat even when I wasn't at work. Too tired after work or when my ex was travelling and I was home alone.....it would be a great meal to make with some baguette, crackers and a glass of wine.

Its not the kind of meal to eat when your really hungry, its a slow grazing kind of meal you savor. Ive made it for my bf and I once in awhile on his days off. I like to have Brie and Cheddar around most of the time. Some feta, a nice blue cheese, even some Greek kasseri cheese. I keep many of these around for my general cooking so its pretty good odds that some of these will be on my plate. Sometimes when I know I will be making this, Ill scope out some new cheese that interests me and bring it home to try. Often Ill just have some salami or a bit of prosciutto on the plate too. I buy store bought pate slices now since I'm not going to make a whole recipe of it just for us. I buy one slice and freeze it. This way if its just for me I can whack a piece off for that meal and the rest keeps well. Pate doesn't last real long in the refrigerator.

As far as fruit, I love sliced oranges with this, sometimes if I have green apples here Ill slice a few too. I love the tartness of green apples the best. Often we will have grapes but my very favorite grape is the tiny little champagne grapes. I especially like those with kasseri cheese. Strawberries of course if in season but its really whatever is in season that I use the most of.

Then of course there is bread. Living in the SF bay area, I just adore sourdough. I have ever since I first came here on a trip many yrs ago. I fell so in love with this bread that when my ex would come here on business, I would make him buy me several loaves. I then sliced them when he brought them home and froze them. Toasted sourdough with lots of butter on it was pure heaven with a cup of good coffee for breakfast. Its part of the allure that made me want to move here. So for my own household uses I buy sourdough baguettes for this. But I also buy assorted crackers too and use whatever seems to interest me that day. We have a store here now that makes artisan breads and Ive become quite fond of their herbal foccacia too. Sometimes Ill even make foccacia to use with this. But any of their good crusty bread would be great with it too.

With this, a nice glass of wine and I'm all set. Ill turn on the tv and bring in a platter laid out with all the yummy things and relax while I nosh. The best part of this is...........I didn't have to cook.


Kasseri [kuh-SEHR-ee] This Greek cheese is made from sheep's or goat's milk. It has a sharp, salty flavor and hard cheddar like texture that's perfect for grating. An American version is made with cow's milk. The creamy gold-colored kasseri has a natural rind and is usually sold in blocks. It's delicious plain, grated over hot foods or used in cooking. Kasseri is the cheese used in the famous Greek dish saganaki, where it's sautéed in butter, sprinkled with lemon juice and sometimes flamed with brandy.
Bresaola is air-dried salted beef that has been aged about 2-3 months until it becomes hard and a dark red, almost purple colour. It is made from eye of round and is lean and tender with a sweet, musty smell. Sliced very thin it can be used like Prosciutto.

Champagne Grapes Although called by the more glamorous name of "champagne grapes," this is actually the Black Corinth variety. They're extremely tiny (about 1/4 inch in diameter), violet to purple in color, and exceedingly sweet and juicy. Champagne grapes are available in clusters in specialty produce markets. Refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to 1 week. These diminutive grapes are great with cheese and make a wonderful garnish for many dishes. The grapes are harvested Mid August to late September.

Focaccia foe-CAH-cha) is a flat oven-baked Italian bread, which may be topped with herbs or other ingredients. Focaccia is related to pizza, but not considered to be the same. Focaccia is quite popular in Italy and is usually seasoned with olive oil and herbs, topped with onion, cheese and meat, or flavored with a number of vegetables. Focaccia doughs are similar in style and texture to pizza doughs consisting of high-gluten flour, oil, water, salt and yeast. It is typically rolled out or pressed by hand into a thick layer of dough and then baked in a stone-bottom or hearth oven. Bakers often puncture the bread with a knife to relieve bubbling on the surface of the bread. Also common is the practice of dotting the bread. This creates multiple wells in the bread by using a finger or the handle of a utensil to poke the unbaked dough. As a way to preserve moisture in the bread, olive oil is then spread over the dough, by hand or with a brush prior to rising and baking.

Focaccia can be used as a side to many meals, as a base for pizza or as sandwich bread.

I used to make this for parties and there's never any left. I sometimes even made it for dinner for us. The kids love to play with their food and this was a nice leisurely meal while we watched a movie. Now they make it for their own families.

PIZZA FONDUE

2 tb. butter
1 onion, chopped
1/2 lb. chopped beef (you can add a bit of italian sausage out of the casing too)
1 (10 oz.) cans of tomato sauce or pizza sauce.. I use Contadina
1 tsp. fennel seed (opt).
1 tsp. cornstarch
10 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
10 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
Garlic bread cubes to dip into it

Brown meat and onion in the butter. Add sauce, fennel seed, and cornstarch. Stir well. When hot and bubbly add the cheeses and serve. Use garlic bread to dip. Fennel seed does make a difference so try not to eliminate it if you can. Thats what is in many Italian sausages on the east coast. In many other areas tho they dont put that in.

Don't stir the cheeses in too good because they will just blend in. We like it gooey so I just stir it in and once its melted I serve it. I kept mine hot in a fondue pot but becareful because the bottom can burn. If you have a nice size crock pot tho that's better.

I make homemade garlic bread but when I'm in a hurry I buy packaged.

For my garlic bread: I throw a stick of butter , a couple garlic cloves and some S&P in a food processor. Zap till soft and blended. Spread on a split loaf of Italian or sourdough bread. Sprinkle with some parsley and Parmesan cheese and bake at 400 degrees till bubbly and brown. Cut into chunks to serve.

***I have frozen leftovers. While the cheese does blend more with the sauce, it still tastes good. I used to keep it around even for snacks in small microwavable containers.

I have some rosemary growing in my yard and love how it looks and smells but somehow I just don't use it enough. Found some great recipes for things to make and meals to cook. Out here in CA. it grows like a weed. We have upright and trailing rosemary. The trailing looks good over a wall or in a raised bed and the upright can practically become a small tree but both can be used the same. What I like about the upright tho is once you strip the leaves from it the hard woody stems can be used like kabob skewers, adding more flavor to your meal.


ROSEMARY
Rosmarinus officinalis
Lamiaceae (Mint family, formerly Labiatae)
Rosemary is a perennial evergreen with an ash-colored scaly bark and ½- to 1½-inch long green needlelike leaves growing in an opposite pattern. Most varieties have leaves that are deep glossy green on top and light grayish green underneath. The leaves have a wonderful piney fragrance. It has tiny blue, white or pink hooded flowers that grow in clusters of two to three per branch. The upright varieties grow as a shrub to be up to 5-feet tall and 2- to 3-feet across. The prostrate varieties grow to 2-feet tall and 2- to 3-feet across, and can be used as ground cover.

They are fairly slow growing plants that can be propagated from seed, cuttings or ground layering; the latter two methods being much preferable to the first. Rosemaries prefer full sun or mottled shade. They like a well-drained, slightly alkaline soil. While they do like good drainage, they are fairly sensitive to a lack of water. They prefer to be watered lightly, but often. They have fine, shallow root systems that will rot if kept too wet. They are fairly tolerant of winter weather. They’ll withstand most freezes, particularly if they’ve been heavily mulched and covered. The safest location is at the base of a south-facing wall in a spot protected from cold northern winds. In general, upright varieties are more cold-tolerant than the prostrate varieties.

Harvesting and Uses Harvesting can be done year round. As with most herbs, rosemary thrives from frequent "haircuts," but be careful not to remove more than about 20% of the plant in any one clipping session. The leaves can be dried by hanging in bunches or by layering on paper towels in a shady well-ventilated area. However, because rosemary is an evergreen perennial, there’s little motivation for preserving the leaves for later use.

Rosemary can be used in the bath to refresh and stimulate a weary body. A volatile oil in rosemary gets the blood flowing under the skin. Make a strong tea from the leaves and add it to the bath water. Rosemary can also be used as a hair rinse for brunettes. A rosemary rinse will brighten your hair. A rinse is made by steeping a sprig of rosemary in 1 cup of boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes. Use the rinse after shampooing.

A few of rosemary’s medicinal properties have been confirmed. The flowers and leaves contain a volatile oil responsible for the plant’s pharmacological properties. The oil is an ingredient in rubefacient liniments (to stimulate blow flow beneath the skin) and has been used in combination with other drugs as a carminative. It is officially listed in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia.

Rosemary is an excellent culinary herb in sweet or savory applications. It’s a fine complement to meats or vegetables, and is wonderful in lemon-y beverages and desserts. Varieties popular in the kitchen are those with lower levels of the component oils pinene and camphor. Its flavor harmonizes well with tomatoes, spinach, peas, mushrooms, squash, cheese, eggs, lentils, and complements the herbs chives, thyme, chervil, thyme, chervil, parsley, and bay in recipes.

History and Folklore
Rosemary is shrouded in history and folklore. Probably the most well-known of the herb’s legends is that while fleeing Herod’s troops, the Virgin Mary draped her cloak over a bush of white-blooming rosemary. When she removed her cloak from the bush, the blooms had taken on the blue color from her garment.
In the Middle Ages, rosemary was thought to possess the power to protect against evil spirits. Sprigs were placed under the pillow to ward off demons and prevent bad dreams.

Rosemary is known as the herb of remembrance, friendship and love. Shakespeare’s Ophelia says, "There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray you, love, remember." St. Thomas More said of rosemary, "I let it run all over my garden wall, not only because my bees love it, but because ‘tis the herb sacred to remembrance, and therefore to friendship..." At one time rosemary was almost always woven into brides’ bouquets. At funerals, fresh sprigs were tossed into the grave as a sign that the departed would not be forgotten. Even today, rosemary is offered as a symbol of love, friendship and remembrance.


Slow Cooker Rosemary or Basil Infused Oil
1 C mild olive or vegetable oil
1/4 C packed chopped fresh rosemary leaves OR 1/3 to 1/2 C packed roughly chopped fresh basil leaves

Yield: 1 Cup Cooking Time: 1 1/2 to 2 hours Slow Cooker Size: 4 Quart

Place the oil and the rosemary (or basil) in the insert of the slow cooker. Cook on high, uncovered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, then turn the cooker off.
Allow the oil to cool for about 20 minutes, and then pour it through a sieve lined with a clean paper towel or paper coffee filter into a metal bowl. When the oil is completely cool, transfer it to a clean glass jar, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 month; after that the flavor may fade. The oil may cloud under refrigeration, but it will become clear again at room temperature.

Rosemary-infused oil can be used for stirring into soup, for drizzling on pasta and vegetables, and for dipping with good Italian bread. It can be made on the stovetop, but its hard to keep the oil in a small saucepan from getting too hot too fast. The finished infusion is a lovely pale green, and your kitchen will smell like Provence.


Nutty Rosemary Bread
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees to 115 degrees F), divided
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons cornmeal
1 tablespoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
5 cups bread flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1 egg, beaten

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Add the whole wheat flour, oil, honey, cornmeal, rosemary, salt, 1 cup bread flour and remaining water. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining bread flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; add pecans. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a bowl coated with nonstick cooking spray, turning once to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Divide in half; shape into two loaves. Place in two 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pans coated with nonstick cooking spray. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Brush egg over loaves. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pans to wire racks.



Red Onion-Rosemary Jam
Spread this on your next bagel or biscuit. This also makes a good marinade for chicken or beef.

7 cups red onions, sliced thin
¾ cup red wine vinegar
1 tbls. olive oil
3 ½ cups sugar
1 package Sure-Jell Light
¼ tsp. dried thyme
¼ tsp. ground white pepper
½ tsp. dried rosemary, crumbled

Sauté onions in olive oil and vinegar for 10-15 minutes, or until tender. Place onions in food processor or blender. Add rosemary, thyme and white pepper. Blend 1 minute. Place onion mixture in saucepan or Dutch oven. Add Sure-Jell and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add sugar and boil 1 minute more. Remove from heat, stir well and pour into sterile jars (about 6 pints) and seal.



Goat Cheese Marinated in Rosemary, Fennel, and Hot Red Pepper

a (1/2-pound) log of mild goat cheese, such as Montrachet, cut crosswise into 4 pieces, or four 2-ounce crottins
1 tbl fennel seeds crushed
1 tsp crushed dried hot red pepper flakes
6 rosemary sprigs up to 8
the zest of 1 lemon removed with a vegetable peeler
1/2 cups olive oil up to 1c. if needed

In a 1-pint jar with a tight-fitting lid combine the cheese with the fennel seeds, the red pepper flakes, the rosemary, and the lemon zest, pour enough of the oil over the mixture to cover the cheese completely, and let the cheese marinate, covered, and chilled, for at least 1 week and up to 4 weeks. Let the mixture come to room temperature before serving.