Cooking with Herbs

My family have always been great cooks, so I'm blessed to know quite a bit about cooking and being addicted to the Food Network doesn't hurt either!  Not everyone is educated in the basics of cooking. In fact, several of my friends cannot even toast bread without smoking up the joint! So, in hopes of easing some fears about cooking, I wanted to include some posts about the basics of cooking & some of the ingredients I use often.

Basil
Flavor: Fragrant & Spicy - almost peppery
Great with: Tomatoes, vegetables, poultry, on pizzas & salads

Chives
Flavor: Subtle Onion with grasslike leaves
Great with: Egg dishes, soups, sauces, baked potatoes & fish

Cilantro
Flavor: A lively flavor; soapy, som say; looks similar to parsley
Great with: Asian, Mexican and Indian dishes, mix in salsas & chutneys

Dill
Flavor: Fresh & grassy; feathery leaves used in pickle brine
Great with: Tuna salad, omelets, vegetables, seafood dishes, yogurt dressing for cucumbers, herb vinegars

Mint
Flavor: Cool; brightens up both savory & sweet dishes
Great with: Beverages, jellies, sauces, marinades for meat and vegetables; often tossed with buttered peas

Oregano
Flavor: Earthy, balances acidic tomatoes - common on pizza
Great with: Lamb, beef, eggs, beans & eggplant

Parsley
Flavor: Peppery & fresh; curly parsley is milder than flat-leaf Italian
Great with: Salads, vegetables (especially potatoes) & pasta

Rosemary
Flavor: Pungent aroma and pine flavor
Great with: Mediterranean dishes, lamb, poultry, fish, breads; add sprigs or finely chopped leaves to long-cooking soups & stews

Sage
Flavor: Very aromatic & woodsy
Great with: Fresh Sausage, holiday stuffing for turkey, rich meats like pork, goose & duck

Tarragon
Flavor: Reminiscent of licorice
Great with: Poultry, fish, shellfish, vegetables, vinegar and eggs, indispensable in the French bearnaise sauce

Thyme
Flavor: Minty & Citrusy
Great with: Mediterranean dishes, stews, eggs, seafood, poultry, toss sprigs into boiling water to flavor streamed rice