Theresa Loe is a freelance garden/culinary writer, book author and blogger who specializes in organic edible gardening and gardening with children. You can find her recipes and garden tips at www.gardenfreshliving.com.

I love salad, but I get bored with the same old salad dressings that come straight from a bottle. I like to make my own dressing and add fresh-from-the-garden ingredients. The flavor just can’t be beat. Below are two super simple recipes to get you started with your own salad experiments.

Making your own salad dressing is quick, easy and cost-effective! It is also a great way to experiment with herbs. You can easily substitute different herbs in the recipes below and get completely different results. For example, in the Blueberry Vinaigrette, try using salad burnet, chives or lemon verbena in place of the lemon balm. In the Rosemary Vinaigrette, you can substitute oregano, sage or summer savory for the rosemary. They all work! Have fun experimenting!

Blueberry Lemon Balm Vinaigrette

Tart blueberries and lemon balm are combined with a little sugar to create this tangy salad dressing. Just toss it over a green salad for a fruity delight. It works especially well over a fresh spinach salad.

• 1/3 cup fresh blueberries
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 20 fresh lemon balm leaves
• 1 tablespoon minced red onion
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon dry mustard
• ¼ cup canola oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a food processor, combine blueberries, vinegar, lemon juice, zest, and lemon balm leaves. Pulse the blade until the berries are finely chopped. Add the onion, sugar, and mustard. Process again until well combined.

2. Use a strainer to strain out the large skins and solids. Pour strained liquid back into the food processor bowl. (Any small bits of blueberry skins will just add to the flavor.) With the blade running, slowly pour in the oil until fully incorporated.

3. Add salt and pepper. Use with a fresh green salad and serve immediately.

Rosemary Balsamic Vinaigrette

The robust flavor of rosemary balances nicely with the sweet, woodsy taste of balsamic vinegar.

• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons freshly chopped rosemary
• 1 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a small glass jar, combine all ingredients except salt and pepper. Cover and shake until well combined.

2. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve over a green salad.

Theresa Loe is a freelance garden/culinary writer, book author and blogger who specializes in organic edible gardening and gardening with children. You can find her recipes and garden tips at www.gardenfreshliving.com.

The leaves of bay (Laurus nobilis) are used in many slow-cooked foods such as stews, soups, and roasts; they are equally good in sweet recipes. In Europe, bay leaves are commonly used to flavor desserts such as custard and pudding.

Most people are familiar with dried bay in cooking, but fresh bay has a much more distinctive flavor. Crush fresh bay leaves in your hand and discover their sweet, spicy scent, reminiscent of nutmeg. If a recipe calls for dried bay, you may substitute fresh with excellent results.

(Learn more about how to grow bay in your own garden.)

Here is a recipe that uses quite a few FRESH bay leaves. It is a perfect introduction to the spicy flavor of this herb. The fresh bay leaves add a nutmeg flavor to this old favorite. Be sure to only use fresh leaves in this recipe, as dried do not impart enough flavor.

Rice Pudding with Bay

Serves 4

• 1 ½ cups milk
• 15 fresh bay leaves, lightly crushed
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups cooked short-grain rice
• ½ cup raisins
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Hot water (for the oven)

1. In a small saucepan, combine milk and bay leaves. Over a medium flame, heat the milk and leaves to almost boiling. Turn off the heat, cover and steep for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Strain the milk into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Discard the bay leaves. Add the eggs, sugar, vanilla, rice, raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk to combine. Pour the mixture into an ungreased, 2-quart casserole dish. Set the casserole dish inside a larger, shallow pan. Add enough hot water to the larger pan to come up halfway on the casserole dish.

2. Place the pan of water, with the casserole dish into the oven and bake for 45-60 minutes, stirring the mixture after 30 minutes. As with all rice puddings, the cooking time varies depending upon the shape of your casserole dish. Just cook the pudding until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  Then you know it is done. Serve warm or chilled.

(Try more delicious recipes using the 2009 Herb of the Year.)