Herbal Remedies

If you're tired of coming out of the doctor's office with an expensive prescription every time you visit, you may find some relief . . . in your kitchen cabinets. Herbal remedies have been around for centuries, and modern science is rediscovering the wisdom of many of these treatments. The three examples below will give you an idea of scope of herbal cures and show you how they can help you

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Creole Spice Blend

Paprika is the base for this smoky Creole spice blend that's hot and very flavorful. Use it to spice up your meats and vegetables. For the best results, use a quality paprika. Many of the imported varieties have either a sweet or very spicy flavor, use a blend or go with the sweet. Better yet, this spring, try planting a variety of paprika peppers and dry them for your own ground paprika blend.

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Beef Jerky is Easier to Make Than you Think

If you are a lover of beef jerky and are not making your own, you know that buying it can take a bite out of your wallet. What you might not know is how easy it is to make yourself. Whether you have a dehydrator, barbecue, smoker, or just an oven, with a little preparation and some time you can have healthy, homemade beef jerky quickly and inexpensively.Beef jerky is lean meat cut into thin

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Harvesting Coriander - Coriander Tea

If your cilantro is calling it quits for the season, don't forget to harvest the coriander seeds for winter use. Shake the seed heads into a paper bag, allow them to dry completely in a cool, dark place, and store them in an airtight container.Medicinal Uses for CorianderCoriander seed is a powerful, natural anti-bacterial agent. It can be used to flavor both sweet and savory dishes, and has

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Checking Your Herbs for Freshness

Even though we love our homegrown herbs, we all probably have supplemental spices in our cupboard. If you've wondered about the freshness of your dried ginger or nutmeg, you're not alone. Don't pitch those herbs before you check their freshness dates. McCormick, the spice giant, has a nifty site where you can check the freshness code on the bottom of your herb and spice bottles. Give it a try

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Growing and Using Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

Fennel is a perennial that grows to five feet high. It has hollow stems and brilliant green, feathery leaves. Because all parts of the plant can be used, it is an almost perfect herb. A native to the Mediterranean, fennel has been an import wherever native Italians have traveled. In many areas of the world, it now grows wild.Growing FennelFennel is an easy plant to grow. It will thrive in harsh

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Don't Forget the Lowly Onion

Good flavors come in threes, and onions are often used with garlic and olive oil as an aromatic and flavorful base for many traditional savory dishes. If it isn't dessert, there's probably an onion in it somewhere, and using onions to advantage can be an art.Onion Facts and BackgroundOnions (Allium cepa) are biennial plants with edible bulbs. They are related to the lily, and from their origins

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