Processing Herbs

The Stevia was showing signs of bolting. I cut back the entire plant and made Stevia extract. After steeping the leaves for two days, straining out the leaves, and cooking down the infused alcohol, I ended up with 5 cups of home-grown Stevia sweetener! See my post dated July 2, 2014 for all the details on how to do it.

Leaves cut from stems, washed in cool water, drained and dried thoroughly

Quart jars packed with leaves  and covered with cheap vodka
Ready to steep for two days in a cool, dark place

I cut back four of my eight Basil plants to make Basil pesto for the freezer. Along with other batches already stowed away, this should get us through the winter. I gave away the rest of the plants while they're still in their prime. For the freezer I prepare a simple basic recipe … basil, garlic, salt & pepper, olive oil … freeze it in blobs, then store in zip lock freezer bags.

Trim off leaves, then wash, drain, and dry thoroughly.
All ingredients go into the food processor to make a savory paste.

The Parsley is still going strong, and it is SO easy to freeze! As with the other herbs, trim off the leaves, wash in cool water, drain and dry thoroughly. Pack the plain ol' leaves into a zip lock freezer bag. Keep pushing and rolling the leaves to the bottom of the bag until you have a big fat cigar shape. Roll up the bag. Secure with a rubber band. Break off what you need in future cooking endeavors. You'll be amazed at how fresh it smells and tastes!

Working with herbs is an olfactory treat!