Herbs and bread are
such a natural combination! You can take
a nice wheat or white bread recipe and add a tablespoon
of mixed dried or fresh, minced herbs. Try basil, thyme,
sage and oregano. I also like to add a little bit of sugar
and some Parmesan cheese to the basic recipe. You
can also add herbs to pizza dough-even the simple box
of Jiffy Pizza Dough comes alive if you add herbs and a
touch of sugar and cheese! Try adding minced herbs to
a plain scone recipe, or throw in some chopped chives
and oregano into your cornbread mix.
Herbs can be used with sweet breads as well. Add fresh
lavender blooms or a few leaves to your favorite sweet
breads, such as Sally Lunn. You can also add any of
the lemon herbs to bread, cake and cookie recipes.
Here are a few easy recipes to try:
Easy Herb Pizza
Ingredients:
4 boxes or envelopes of pizza crust mix (Jiffy or Martha White)
One teaspoonful of mixed dried herbs-basil, oregano or rosemary
About 2 tablespoons of Parmesan Cheese
Dash garlic powder
Pizza Sauce and toppings
Mix the dough according to box directions but BEFORE
adding liquid mix in the herbs, garlic and cheese. Mix
and form into a loose ball with your hands that you've
coated in Olive Oil. Let it rest 5-10 minutes. Press into
two 12 inch pizza pans-half for each one. Top with sauce,
toppings and cheese. Bake at 450 degrees until the cheese
is melted and bubbly.
Herbed Croutons
Ingredients:
Day old homemade or bakery bread
Olive Oil
minced fresh herbs of your choice
For every 2-3 cups of cubed bread, drizzle
olive oil over the cubes and sprinkle with
about 2 tablespoons of minced herbs (or 1
tablespoon dried) on a cookie sheet. Bake
at 400 degrees, stirring and watching often,
about every 5 minutes until crispy. Use in
salads and soups.
Easy Focaccia
Ingredients:
Premade pizza crust
Olive Oil
Parmesan Cheese
Fresh, minced herbs
Preheat oven according to crust directions.
Drizzle the crust with olive oil, sprinkle with
a tablespoon of minced herbs. Rosemary
also works well by itself but use sparingly!
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake.
This can be used with a meal, or as a snack.
Another Easy Focaccia!
Mini Focaccia
Ingredients:
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup fresh thyme sprigs
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt, if desired
Dash pepper
1/4 cup oil
1 (12-oz.) can refrigerated biscuits (in the tube)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Heat oven to 400 degrees. In blender container combine basil,
thyme, garlic, salt, pepper and oil. Cover; blend until finely
chopped, scraping down sides if necessary. Separate dough
into 10 biscuits. On ungreased cookie sheets, press each
biscuit into a 3-inch circle. Make several indentations with
fingers in tops of biscuits. Spread about 1 teaspoon basil
mixture evenly over each biscuit. Sprinkle each biscuit evenly
with cheese. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until biscuits are
golden brown. Serve warm.
Herbed Angel Biscuits
Ingredients:
1 package active dry yeast
2 tablespoons warm water
2 1/2 cups flour
4 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 tsp. thyme leaves
1/4 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix yeast and warm water;
set aside. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level
off. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, herbs, baking
soda and salt. With fork, mix in oil until mixture resembles
coarse crumbs. Stir in reserved yeast mixture and enough
buttermilk to form a soft dough. (use extra if necessary).
Shape dough into a ball; place on floured board. Roll out to
1 inch thickness and cut with a 2 inch floured cutter. Place
on greased cookie sheet and bake 10-15 minutes or until
light golden brown.
These are easy recipes to start you on your
way to using herbs with bread, but be sure to try
your own combinations and experiment with your
favorite recipes!
About the author:
Brenda Hyde is a wife and mom to three living in the Midwest
United States. She is also editor of OldFashionedLiving.com.
