A Few Quick and Delicious Ideas for using Fresh Herbs in Everyday Cooking. Try some of the following and then follow your own instincts to discover flavor combinations you and your family would like. It’s fun, fast and flavorful.

Quick chicken salad:

1. Shred a poached chicken breast and toss it with a vinaigrette dressing, chopped cilantro, dill or parsley.
2. Mix in 1/2 cup cooked peas and moisten with a little mayo.
3. Add basil, parsley, sage or savory to an omelet, frittata or Spanish tortilla.
4. Mix a little fresh thyme with cooked rhubarb.
5. Garnish mushroom or onion soup with fresh chopped rosemary.
6. Sprinkle cooked frozen peas with fresh dill.
7. Stir chopped sage, garlic, butter and grated cheese into hot cooked rice.
8. Stud a roast of lamb or pork with slivered garlic and rosemary needles.
9. Spread yogurt mixed with dill, fennel, marjoram, or thyme over fish before baking.
10. Mix chopped tarragon and lemon into melted butter and pour over beans.
11. Add chopped fresh marjoram to cottage cheese.
12. Make a lemon mustard sauce to spread on baking, broiling or roasting chicken or pork: 1/2 cup dijon mustard, 1 small onion finely chopped. 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice and 1/4 lemon finely chopped.
13. Garnish white table wine with basil or mint sprigs.
14. Make a basil cream sauce: Gently cook 1/2 cup of cream, a finely chopped small onion and 1/2 cup shredded basil for 5 minutes. Serve over chicken or with rice or pasta.
15. Make a dip, dressing or spread of goat cheese, mayo,crushed garlic, chopped basil and a dash of herb vinegar.
16. Use 1/4 cup of herb vinegar to deglaze a pan the chicken, pork, or beef has been sauteed or
    baked in. Stir in a bit of butter serve over meat.

SAGE PESTO LASAGNA

You will need:

1. 9” by 13” pan
2. Enough lasagna noodles for three layers
3. 1 small package mushrooms
4. 1 onion
5. 2-3 cloves of garlic
6. 1/2-3/4 cup light cream
7. 1/3 cup chopped gruyre cheese
8. 1/4 cup chopped parsley
9. 1/4 cup chopped basil
10. 1 1/2 cup ricotta
11. 1 egg
12. 3/4 cup sage pesto
13. 3/4 cup grated romano
14. aluminum foil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Spread a little pesto on the bottom of the pan. put down a layer of noodles.

Chop the onion, mushrooms,garlic, gruyre, basil and parsley. Spread evenly over the noodles. Pour the cream over the vegetables.

Add a second layer of noodles. Mix the ricotta and egg together and spread over the noodles. Dot 1/4 cup of pesto over the ricotta.

Add the third layer of noodles. Spread 1/2 cup of pesto over the noodles. Sprinkle the grated romano over the pesto.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake 40 minutes. Remove foil and return to the oven to brown a little, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to set for 10 minutes before serving.

BASIL CHEESECAKE

-The Basil Book-Marilyn Hampstead

1. 2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
2. 2 tbs lemon juice (optional)
3. 1tsp vanilla
4. 3/4 cup granulated sugar
5. 2 tbs cornstarch
6. 1 cup sour cream
7. 1 cup crushed vanilla wafers or graham crackers
8. 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
9. 2 tbs butter
10. 1 cup Genovese basil, destemmed

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In food processor or mixer, lightly beat the eggs. Add sour cream, sugar, basil, cornstarch, lemon juice and vanilla. Process until smooth. Add cream cheese, 1⁄2 pound at a time, and process to incorporate.

Spread softened butter on the bottom & halfway up the sides of a 9 or 10 inch springform pan. Cover buttered area with cookie crumbs, pressing to be sure they stick. Pour in cheesecake batter & bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Knife the edges of the cake as soon as cake is removed from the oven. Cool on a wire rack about 5 minutes and remove the side of the pan. Finish cooling, if you can wait. Serves 10