I think I’ve mentioned in the past, I’m an awful cook.  Desperate, really. But with a backyard of herbs, it’s tough not to do some experimenting and, with me, desserts are the way to go!

Here are some great recipes I’ve made, perfect for any mint-grower. And believe me, if I can make them, you can too!

Candied Mint Leaves:

Serve these easy-to-make candies as an after-dinner mint or a garnish to a sorbet. They’ll leave you with a surprisingly refreshing taste like you’ve never experienced.

My candied mint leaves were a big hit at my 4th of July party. I served them aligned in rows on a platter I bought from Natural Home magazine (which is now on clearance!)

• 1 egg white
• Small amount of water
• Handful of rinsed mint leaves (chocolate-mint, spearmint, peppermint, lemon-balm, orange mint and/or cinnamon-mint)

1. Beat egg white with water.

2. Dip or brush mixture on to mint leaves.

3. Coat mixture in granulated sugar.

4. Cool in refrigerator for one hour and serve. 

“Hint of Mint” Dark-Chocolate Truffles:

So easy to make and always in demand, these dark chocolate truffles can be a bad-cook’s best friend!

Inspired by truffle mushrooms, good chocolate truffles should have a fresh-from-the earth look. Pictured here are a few of my truffle variations rolled in cocoa: mint, orange-almond and coffee. I served them with a sprig of chocolate mint and I used a recycled glass bowl from Natural Home magazine (which is also on clearance!). 

• 1 large handful of freshly-cut chocolate-mint leaves (substitute peppermint leaves)
• 1 pound dark chocolate baking chips or baking chocolate bar, chopped
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

1. Rinse mint leaves and crush in a mortar and pestle until smooth. You can also chop them using a food processor or  just crush them with a spoon.

2. Pour chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate bars) and crushed mint leaves into a mixing bowl

3. Bring cream to boil in saucepan and immediately pour over chocolate chips. Let cool for 60 seconds

4. Next, take a whisk and, beginning in the center, very gently stir the mixture at the surface in small circles. As the cream melts the chips, you can continue to stir deeper and more quickly until the mixture is even and shiny. This smooth, almost pudding-like mixture is called a ganache.

5. Now, you should let the ganache chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour. When you remove the mixture, it will have firmed and can be sculpted.

6. For my truffles, I used a small melon-baller to scoop spheres and rolled them in cocoa powder as a coat. You can also roll in crushed cookies, graham crackers, hot chocolate powder, or you can coat with chocolate syrup that hardens.

Substitutions:

By simply substituting other ingredients for the mint in this recipe, you can completely transform the flavoring of your truffles for a wonderful mixture of candies.

- Lemon Truffles: Substitute lemon balm and a pinch of lemon juice for the chocolate-mint leaves to punch up a citrusy flavor.

- Lime Truffles:  Peel, chop and mix-in half a lime and all its juice.

- Lavender Truffles: Crush and chop finely a handsome bunch with a touch of mint leaves to taste.

- Orange-Almond Truffles: Substitute freshly-chopped orange zest or orange oil extract and a small bag of chopped almonds.

- Coffee Truffles: Use instant coffee and a bit of cinnamon to taste. A little can go a long way in terms of flavor.

- Spicy Truffles: Add a few shakes of cayenne pepper (I would half this recipe with another variation of truffle if you’re not sure you’ll like it).

The variations really are endless, try ginger, white-chocolate and saffron, peanut butter, etc. Any basket of truffles would make for a thoughtful, homemade gift.

If you've got a question, I've got your answer! Shoot an e-mail over to tmiller@ogdenpubs.com.

Since my internship with The Herb Companion began, I’ve sought out new ways to incorporate herbs into my daily routine. Learning new recipes and adding herbs to my favorite recipes was a great first step and easy to do.

A week ago I came across Organic and Chic (HarperCollins Publishers, 2009) by Sarah Magid at my local bookstore—a bake book filled with 60 yummy, organic recipes. Although I’m still in the "undercooked or burnt phase" of baking Magid’s recipes, I am enjoying the process of making organic treats with the herbs from my backyard. My favorite recipe is Minty Strawberry Shortcakes (see below). The recipe is an easy summer treat and most of the ingredients can be found at your local farmer’s market. 
 
Magid and her husband are teaching and raising their two young children to love cooking and baking. One of my favorite sections is the children’s goodies section because the recipes are easy to make and they introduce children to the baking process. 

Check out my chat with Sarah Magid!
 
Q: What's your favorite recipe in the book?
A: It’s a tie between the Goldies and Crisp, Crumbly Shortbread. I make the Goldies so much—they are so easy. The shortbread is a great excuse to create new flavors with herbs that are in season.

Q: Why do you choose to use organic ingredients in your cooking?
A: Organic is important to me because of the quality and purity that is inherent—no hormones, no GMOs, no pesticides, etc. I am a mom of two, so besides worrying about what I eat I think about my kid's growing bodies and I want to make sure they have what is best for them.

Q: What herbs and/or vegetables do you grow in your yard?
A: Right now (in my NYC apartment window!)  I have lots of herbs—such as rosemary, oregano, thyme and basil—and some that my son picked out to make summer drinks with—lemon verbena, pineapple sage and rose geranium.

Q: What's your favorite herb to cook with or incorporate into your baking?
A: I love lavender, it is perfumed and tastes amazing in cookies. I also love rosemary because it can be added to my lemon cake and it gives the dish a new flavor.

Q: When it comes to cooking, what's your motto?
A: Fresh, farmers market, simple.

Q: What advice would you give people who are just starting to cook or bake?
A: Keep it simple and try to have fun!

Minty Strawberry Shortcakes

Makes 12 shortcakes

Shortcakes
• 2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
• ¼ cup organic cane sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ sticks (3/4 cup) organic unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
• ½ cup organic buttermilk
• ½ cup organic heavy cream, plus more for brushing
• 2 teaspoons grated organic lemon zest
• Organic raw sugar, for sprinkling

Strawberries
• 3 pints farm-fresh organic strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh organic mint
• ¼ cup organic cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon fresh organic lemon juice (use the lemon you zested for the shortcakes)

Vanilla Whipped Cream
• 1 pint organic heavy cream
• 1/3 cup organic powdered sugar, sifted
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon organic vanilla extract

1. In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to combine.

2. Add the butter, a few cubes at a time, pulsing on and off until the mixture looks like a coarse meal. This should take 20 to 40 seconds. Dump this mixture into a large bowl and set it aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, cream, and lemon zest. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture, stirring with a fork just until a dough forms.

4. Lightly flour a work surface. Gently knead the dough on the floured surface a few times, until all the ingredients are combined. Form it into a disk. Place the disk on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly sprinkle the disk with flour, and use a rolling pin to flatten the dough to 3⁄4- inch thickness. Let the dough chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

6. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Using 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutters, cut out the shortcakes as close together as possible, so that you’re using almost all the dough. Place the heart shapes at least 1½ inches apart on a baking sheet. Brush with cream and sprinkle with raw sugar for sparkle. Reroll the scraps, following the directions until all the dough is used up.

7. Bake the shortcakes until they are pale brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and use a spatula to place them on a wire cooling rack.

8. While the shortcakes are cooling, combine all the strawberry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Let stand for about 30 minutes, until the strawberry juices come out. (You may need to drain the mixture before placing it on the shortcakes.)

9. When you are ready to assemble the shortcakes, chill the metal bowl for a standing mixer (or if you’re using a hand mixer, a stainless-steel bowl) for about 10 minutes in the freezer. Pour the cream into the chilled bowl and beat with the whisk attachment on low speed, gradually increasing to high speed as the cream thickens. Slowly pour in the powdered sugar, and when the cream has thickened, add the pinch of salt and the vanilla. Continue beating until fully whipped.

10. To assemble, slice the cooled shortcakes in half and arrange them on individual plates. Spoon ¼ cup or more of the strawberry-mint mixture onto the shortcake bottoms, and finish with a dollop of Vanilla Whipped Cream. Place the other halves of the shortcakes on top and devour!

When I think of summer, images of light blue swimming pools, colorful swimsuits and tall glasses of iced tea pop into my mind. During the summer iced tea is my beverage of choice. Although I like plain iced tea, I also enjoy experimenting with different flavors. Try these three herbal iced tea recipes to add some zest to this summer drink.

For an especially refreshing taste, try this mint iced tea.

Photo by annamatic3000/Courtesy Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/annamatic3000/

Mint Iced Tea

• 5 cups water
• 1 teaspoon comfrey
• 1 teaspoon rose petals
• 1 teaspoon uva ursi
• 1 teaspoon spearmint
• 1 teaspoon peppermint

1. Bring water to a simmer and stir in herbs, either loose or in a reusable tea bag. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand, no longer than 5 minutes. After 5 minutes the tea becomes bitter.

2. Strain and chill the tea until cool. Serve over ice with a sprig of mint.

For a tart, flavorful drink try this ruby iced tea.

Ruby Iced Tea  

• 1 cup lemon balm
• 2 tablespoons dried hibiscus flowers
• ½ cup spearmint leaves
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Maple syrup (to taste)

1. Place the herbs, lemon juice and maple syrup into a gallon jar. Fill with boiling water and let steep for 10 minutes.

2. Strain and discard the herbs. Serve over ice garnished with lemon slices.

For a lightly sweetened, tangy taste, try this lemongrass ginger iced tea.

Photo by toastforbrekkie/Courtesy Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/toastforbrekkie/

Lemongrass Ginger Iced Tea

• ½ cup sugar
• 7 ½ cups water
• 1 large stalk lemongrass, dry tops and tough outer leaves removed, stalk cut into small rounds (about ¼ cup)
• 1-inch by 2-inch knob of ginger, peeled and chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
• 4 mild black teabags, such as Darjeeling or Assam
• Ice for serving

1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, 1/2 cup water, lemongrass and ginger. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to the dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the lemongrass and ginger to steep in the sugar syrup for at least half an hour. For more pronounced flavor, place in the refrigerator and allow to steep several hours or overnight.

2. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the teabags, turn off the heat, and allow the tea to steep for 5 minutes. Squeeze out the teabags and discard. Pour the brewed tea into a heat-proof pitcher.

3. Strain the lemongrass ginger syrup through a small sieve, pressing on the solids to extract as much flavor as possible. Discard the solids, and add the syrup to the pitcher of tea. Add three cups of cold water to the tea, and stir well. Serve over ice.

The combinations of flavors of iced tea are endless. Do you have a great herbal iced tea recipe? Feel free to share it with me in the comment section!

References:

Essential Eating A Cookbook: Discover How to Eat, Not Diet by Janie Quinn (Azure Moon Publishing, 2000).

For more herbal iced tea recipes, visit Summer Brew: Iced Tea Recipes Part  1.

1. Simmer the potato in the water or stock until just tender.

2. Add the greens, kale,scallions, olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper and simmer, covered, for ten minutes.

3. Take pot off the heat and add the nutmeg and mint. Stir.

4. Using a regular blender, or immersion blender, puree soup.

5. Taste carefully, adding more pepper or salt as needed.

6. Garnish with a chive blossom.

7. Serve with warm sourdough bread and cheese.

Q: Why are my herbs dying?

A: The fourth part in our “Herb 911” series is dedicated to mint (Mentha spp.). Although it is easy to grow, I’ve killed a few mint plants for many different reasons. Whether you have better luck or a light brown gardening thumb like me, these tips will improve the health of your mint.

All mint varieties are “easy” to grow because they can flourish in almost any lighting condition, but mint performs the best in full sun. The general ideal temperature range is between 60 to 80 degrees.

The herb likes a medium-rich soil—not too moist and not too dry. The pH should be around 5.6 to 7.5. If you live in a dry climate, you might want to water more frequently. The opposite goes for wet tropical climates, such as southern California or Hawaii.

A few common types of mint are spearmint, which is often used in dishes; peppermint, which is commonly used in teas as it is stronger than spearmint; and apple mint, which is used in teas and salads. The main differences between these various types of mints are their scents, flavors and appearance.

Tips for Keeping Mint Alive:

In general, the same tips for growing common types of mint are the same for unique and rare types of mint.

• If you plan on planting mint in a pot, keep in mind that its roots grow quickly. I recommend using a medium sized pot, around 12 to 15 inches deep and seven to 10 inches wide.

• If you are going to plant mint in the ground, keep it away from other herbs. It will give a minty flavor to its closely surrounding plants. On that same note, don’t plant different types of mint next to each other, as they will loose their original flavors.

• Keep an eye out for weather conditions, such as sudden freezes or heat waves that could damage your plants and adapt water and fertilizer amounts.

• Find an appropriate watering balance for your growing Zone and plant size. For a medium sized plant, about five to seven inches, use about two to three cups of water every three days and adjust from there. 

Do you have problems growing mint? What herbs do you have a difficult time growing? Let’s chat about it; drop me a comment or email me at snelson@ogdenpubs.com.

Even though we’re still having hard frosts, sigh, our garden centers and nurseries are already beginning to sell herbs and plants, and I’m having trouble restraining myself. You see, it used to be that I was an emotional eater, and to a certain extent, I still am. But now, I think I’m an emotional plant buyer, and it’s been a LONG WINTER.

Check out my latest additions:

1. MINTS: I have always had a lot of success with mint, especially because, when I first planted mint (catnip) during my freshman year of college, I planted it directly into the ground. Big mistake – it spreads like a weed. On any given summer night, you can still catch me chasing cats from the yard or watching as Pitters and Janie (my two fancy felines) flirt through the dining room window with the drunk kitties of the night. 

Peppermint (Mentha × piperita)

So far this year, I’ve bought chocolate mint (Mentha piperita cv.), spearmint (Mentha spicata), and peppermint (Mentha × piperita). Read about all kinds of mints from the article Many Mints: Recipes and Growing Tips for Mint, found in the latest issue of The Herb Companion by herb expert, Jim Long.

I grew spearmint and peppermint last year, so I’m excited to experiment with chocolate mint this year. It is said to leave an Andes Chocolate Mint flavor in your mouth. Here’s a recipe I found from Mountain Valley Growers:

Chocolate Mint Banana Bread

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 extra large eggs
• 1 cup mashed banana
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/8 cup dried crushed chocolate mint
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and butter loaf pan.

2. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, banana and vanilla. Add flour, soda, salt, chocolate mint and nuts. Mix well.

3. Bake for about an hour – a knife inserted in the middle should come out clean. Freezes well and mint quantity can be adjusted for taste.

2. PINEAPPLE SAGE (Salvia elegans) and LEMON THYME (Thymus × citriodorus): Still excited about the idea of dessert herbs, I added these two really fragrant herbs to enjoy when the weather starts to warm up, which, I hope, will be happening soon-in the very NEAR future. Ahem, anyone up there listening?

I was introduced to pineapple sage my first day working for The Herb Companion and was fascinated with the potent fragrance – I’m looking forward to using it in some dishes this summer, like this one from a 2005 article in The Herb Companion, Sizzling Summer Treat: Herbs on the Grill. 

Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans)

Tropical Chicken 
In early fall, when the rest of the garden is drifting into slumber, this 6-foot-tall herb ignites the sky with a lipstick-red flower that’s just as tasty and heady as its leaves.

• 4 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 20-ounce can pineapple chunks in juice
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup dark rum
• 2 sprigs cinnamon basil, chopped, stems removed
• 2 red peppers, cut into chunks
• 12 large pineapple sage leaves, torn in half
• Skewers
• 1 handful pineapple sage flowers

1. Wash chicken and pat dry with a paper towel. Set aside. Reserving juice, drain pineapple chunks. Set aside. Mix pineapple juice, brown sugar, rum and basil in a medium-sized glass bowl. Place chicken in mixture and marinate for at least 30 minutes. Thread chicken, pineapple chunks, red peppers and pineapple sage leaves onto skewers, alternating ingredients.

2. Place skewers on prepared grill, away from direct heat. Grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side, basting with marinade. Garnish with pineapple sage flowers.

Lemon Thyme Cookies
Makes 3 to 4 dozen

This recipe is from a 1995 article in The Herb Companion, Herbs in the Cookie Jar. 

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons freshly snipped lemon thyme

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Beat the ¬butter with the sugar until fluffy, then add the flour and thyme. Roll the dough 1/4 inch thick and cut out shapes (we like stars). Place the cookies on ungreased baking sheets and bake 10 minutes. Cool on racks.

3. CILANTRO: Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) is an essential herb for most dishes of the Mexican food variety, my other emotional crutch (which also happens to be what I gave up for lent). I have a sad face right now, but I'm thinking it’s going to be a nice summer.

Photo by Ciordia/Courtesy Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ciordia/ 

Here’s a cilantro recipe I found from a 1998 article in The Herb Companion, The Cilantro Seduction. 

Shredded Chicken in Cilantro Sauce (Pollo Encilantrado)
Serves 8

Serve this dish with small bowls of chopped cilantro, chopped white onion, chopped serranos, and lime wedges. It’s also good with rice instead of corn tortillas or tostadas (deep-fried tortillas). Any extra sauce keeps for several days in the refrigerator. Tomatillos look like small, green-husked round tomatoes. They have a sweet-tart flavor and are widely used in Mexican cooking.

• 2 pounds (about 20 medium) tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed
• 1/2 white onion, quartered
• 13 cloves garlic, peeled
• 10 to 12 serrano chiles, stemmed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 white onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups cilantro sprigs, packed
• Pinch of sugar (optional)
• 5 teaspoons canola oil
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 4 cups cooked chicken, shredded into bite-sized pieces
• 20 corn tortillas or tostadas

1. Place the tomatillos in a pot with enough boiling water to barely cover along with the quartered onion, 4 garlic cloves, serranos, and salt and pepper; reduce the heat and simmer for 7 minutes, or until the tomatillos lighten in color and become soft. Don’t cook them so long that they burst open. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid.

2. Puree the cooked ingredients in a blender with the chopped onion, 6 garlic cloves, and 3 to 4 tablespoons of the cooking liquid. Add the cilantro and coarsely blend. Season to taste with sugar, more salt, or additional chopped serranos. Set aside and keep warm.

3. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large pan; add the green onions and remaining garlic, minced, and sauté briefly. Add the chicken and toss over medium heat for 2 minutes.

4. In a large saucepan, heat the remaining oil and add the cilantro/tomatillo sauce and cook for about 3 minutes on medium heat.

5. Place the chicken in a large bowl and pour about 3 cups of the warm tomatillo sauce over it. Serve over tortillas or tostadas. Pass the remaining sauce.

4. FRUITS: I also added a few brambles (raspberries and blackberries), some blueberries and a self-pollinating cherry tree I'm particularly excited for. I have also purchased a few perennials, ferns, hyacinth and columbine as well as a beautiful exotic indoor orchid, The Jungle Monarch (photos of which will be posted when in bloom!)

So, that's what I've been up to so far this spring, how about you?! Any exciting experiments?

If you've got a question, I've got an answer. Shoot an email over to tmiller@ogdenpubs.com.

Saturday evening, my friends Chris and Dave visited for dinner. We began the evening with mojitos, made with spearmint and peppermint picked from a pot on my deck.

This refreshing cocktail is especially tasty when temps rise into the 90s. Chris asked for the recipe … I thought you might like it too. (Credit goes to Havana restaurant in Bar Harbor, Maine, where my husband Steve and I first sampled this tasty version four summers ago.)

Havana Mojito
Serves 1

• 1.5 ounces golden rum
• 12 fresh mint leaves
• ½ lime
• 2 tablespoons simple syrup (see below)
• Ice cubes
• Club soda
• Additional mint leaves for garnish

 1. In a tall glass, muddle mint leaves with lime wedges, releasing the juice.

2. Add simple syrup. Fill glass almost to top with ice cubes.

3. Add rum. Fill glass with soda.

4. Stir well. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Note: To make simple syrup, boil 2 cups sugar with 1 cup water for 5 minutes. Refrigerate to cool; use as needed.