• Home
  • Meet Mary
  • Speaking
  • Writing
  • Contact
  • Northern Gardener Book

My Northern Garden

August 26, 2014 · 2 Comments

Parsley Paradise: Ways to Preserve Herbs

Recipes

Parsley, garlic, salt -- yum!

Parsley, garlic, salt — yum!

This year, I decided to edge some of my ornamental beds with parsley. I got the idea from The Wildlife-Friendly Garden.  The author suggested parsley be planted as a decoy plant to keep rabbits out of the vegetable garden. I haven’t see a lot of rabbits in the vegetable garden, so maybe it’s working. (I also haven’t seen a lot of chew marks on the parsley, either, so who knows?)

The result is, I have a LOT of parsley in my garden! I like parsley — it’s probably my favorite herb, but now I need to figure out what to do with it all. Time to think about new ways to preserve herbs.

I’ve been making pesto-like spreads from it, which I will freeze for addition to soups, sauces or vegetables during the winter. I also tried Margaret Roach’s approach of rolling the herbs into a log in a freezer bag. Then you can cut some of the herb roll off anytime you need it.

The other night, I decided to try a recipe from a new book I’m reviewing called Preserving by the Pint. This recipe involves chopping the parsley finely with garlic and salt and then setting it on a plate to dry. The idea is you will have a homemade spice mix to sprinkle on cooked dishes or in salad dressings. The garlic odor got a little strong in the house, so I had to set it out in the back porch. After 48 hours (the suggested drying time), it was still damp. I gave it a couple more days, but I think our August weather was too humid for outdoor drying. Time for Plan B.  I took the mix, added more parsley and some basil, a bit of olive oil and whirred it in the blender.

ways to preserve herbs with salt

Plan B — a delicious salty herby mixture.

I froze several packets of the salty herb mix for using in soups and on vegetables. Last night, I broke off about a teaspoon of it and added it to some cooked broccoli. It was incredible and added just the right bit of herb and salt to the vegetables.

What are your favorite ways to preserve herbs?

Related posts:

  1. Checking the Larder, and Squash Waffles A check of the larder led to a delicious supper...
  2. Recipe for a Use-What-You-Have Summer Salad My vegetable garden is like a jungle these days, but...
  3. Thai Basil NonPesto This year I planted three kinds of basil: the sweet...
« Soil Test Results
Recipe: Garden Ratatouille »

Trackbacks

  1. Preserving Herbs: Ideas and Infusions - Minnesota State Horticultural Society says:
    September 28, 2018 at 12:25 am

    […] oil and other good things and made into a sauce. One year, I accidentally made something I called “Salty Herbs.” The idea was to try to dry parsley with garlic and lots and lots of salt. Unfortunately, I did not […]

  2. It's Time for Some Pickling and Jamming - My Northern Garden says:
    June 3, 2019 at 11:22 am

    […] freezing and eating them daily, and I have bunches of herbs to make into pesto and a sauce I call salty herb blend, which is great for putting in soups or on […]

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Connect

  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed for Posts

Grow it, Minnesota Podcast

Now Available!

My Northern Garden book

mynortherngarden_mary

What’s a northern gardener to do all winter? In What’s a northern gardener to do all winter? In these pandemic times, I’ve been having fun making quilts. Small, easy, no stress quilts. And, these garden themed fabrics on discount through Etsy were irresistible. 

I’m a beginner quilter and learned the craft through YouTube! (My favorite tutorials are the scrap buster quilts from @justgetitdonequilts) This fabric bundle included 21 different half yard prints, so I’ll probably have fabric left over for next winter too. 

How are you keeping sane/busy this winter? 
.
.
.
#gardenlife #gardenfabric #modafabric #offseason #beginnerquilter #winter #minnesotawinter #minnesota
Sometimes amaryllis are just so extra—like extra Sometimes amaryllis are just so extra—like extra large! What I really like about this one (it’s called Magic Green) is that the blooms are just right. Showy but not excessive. So far, the color is more cream than green though there is a pale green undertone. Beautiful variety! 

And, for those who may notice those tell-tale yellow strips in the pots—yes, I am having an ongoing fungus gnat issue. Not out of control, but definitely irritating. 

How’s your indoor garden 🪴 growing? 
.
.
.
#amaryllis #amaryllisflower #magicgreenamaryllis #indoorplants #bulbs #wintergarden #indoorgarden #houseplants #topview #mngarden #mngardening #bloomingbulbs
We’re still a few weeks away from seed starting We’re still a few weeks away from seed starting time, but I’m looking forward to having baby plants in the house. 🌱My conversation with Meg from @seedtofork on the Grow it, Minnesota podcast got me thinking about how I might change my set up this year. I’ve never used heat mats for seed starting since I keep my seedlings in the heated part of the house. But maybe this is the year to try that for peppers and tomatoes? Meg swears by heating mats! 

She also got me thinking about LED lights vs. fluorescent. I’m not inclined to replace lights that are still good, but light technology is changing. A lot to learn! 

Link to the podcast in the bio. Also links to seed starting charts and tips in the show notes at growitminnesota.com. 
.
.
.
#seedstarting #growyourownfood #startfromseed #gardentipsandtricks #seeds #veggies #vegetablegarden #coldclimategardening #gardenpodcast #mnpodcast #mngardening #minnesota
Succulent Sunday. I bought this trio from the loca Succulent Sunday. I bought this trio from the local Boy Scout troop during the holidays. It came with  snowman decorations and Christmas glitter, but once that came off it has a subtle charm. Low maintenance too!
.
.
.
#succulents #succulentsofinstagram #succulentdish #houseplants #januarygarden #echiveria #mynortherngarden
Wondering about what garden zone you are in or wha Wondering about what garden zone you are in or what first and last frost dates mean for your vegetable garden? Here’s the zone info for Minnesota and Midwest gardeners. 

My latest blog post on MyNorthernGarden.com has the basics on zones and frost dates. (Link in bio.) Knowing a few simple things about your climate is a key to success in the garden. 

With the warm temps we have had this winter, it feels like we are gardening in about zone 6, but never fear, it will get cold again. Listening to the weather the other night, I was reminded that in early January of 2019, it hit 47 (!) in the Twin Cities. On January 29 that year, I recorded the coldest temp I’ve ever seen in my garden—minus 23. 🥶🥶🥶 
 If you haven’t listened to it yet, check out the latest episode of Grow it, Minnesota to find out how to beat the cold with hoops, cold frames and more. Link to that in bio, too. Stay warm! 
.
.
#garden #coldclimategardening #gardenzones #zone3garden #zone4garden #itscoldouthere #gardenfacts #minnesota #minnesotaweather #minnesotagardens #minnesotapodcasts #growingundercover
Super excited about tomorrow’s episode of the Gr Super excited about tomorrow’s episode of the Grow it, Minnesota podcast. My guest is Niki Jabbour to talk about cold frames, mini hoops, poly tunnels and her new book, Growing Under Cover. The book is packed with information for northern gardeners who want to stretch our short growing season. The episode goes live tomorrow morning and you can subscribe in Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. 
.
.
#vegetables #growyourown #growtourownfood #storeypublishing #extendtheseason #greenhouses #hoophouse #coldframe #polytunnel #growitmn #gardenpodcast #minnesota #minnesotapodcast
Top nine images from 2020! A bit surprised my tool Top nine images from 2020! A bit surprised my tools made it into the list 🤔 but the rest are plants I love. I’m looking forward to more gardening friends and fun in 2021. Happy New Year! 🎈 
.
.
.
#goodbye2020 #happynewyear #gardeninglife #gardeninspo #gardenlife #gardenlove #mynortherngarden #northerngardener #mngarden #mngardening #minnesota #stpaulgarden #coldclimategardening #mnhort #gardentools
Yea! Look what came in today’s mail. The latest Yea! Look what came in today’s mail. The latest Northern Gardener is out with lots of great garden advice from @renegade_gardener @kopurdy @gbrownhudson (cover photo by Gail) and more. Just the thing for a long winter weekend. 
.
.
.
#northerngardener #coldclimategardening #gardenmagazine #magnoliascale #lavender #garden #mnhort #mnhorticulturalsociety
I was listening to the @plantramapod podcast on my I was listening to the @plantramapod podcast on my walk and the hosts were waxing poetic about wax plant, aka Hoya. I could not agree more! It is a great house plant, and the first one I had success with. My two plants are offspring of a Hoya that my grandmother had, which was passed to my mom and now me. The original plant 🪴 was planted at least 60 years ago! Hoya are long lived, don’t need much watering or fuss and do well in many sun situations even in our dry Minnesota homes. 

My plants have bloomed in the past but not since we’ve been in our current house. Maybe 2021 will be the lucky year. Anyone have tips for getting them to bloom? 
.
.
.
#hoya #hoyacarnosa #houseplantsofmsp #houseplantsofinstagram #houseplants #gardenpodcasts #gardeninfo #indoorgarden
#garden #mygarden #mynortherngarden #gardeninspo
#mngardening #minnesota #mnhort
#gardeninglife #coldclimategardening
#stpaulgarden #stpaulmn
#Zone4garden #zone4b
We snuck in a walk at Lebanon Hills park this morn We snuck in a walk at Lebanon Hills park this morning before the weather turned. This old tree seemed to be smiling at us. 
.
.
.
#mntrees #dakotacountyparks #nature #takeawalk
Can’t imagine why my sister thought this would b Can’t imagine why my sister thought this would be a good shirt 👚 for me?  Thanks, @kelzenbergs ! 
.
.
.
#plantmama #plantsmakepeoplehappy #mynortherngarden #justonemoreplant
Keeping my spirits bright with this book on arrang Keeping my spirits bright with this book on arranging flowers. Inspiring and educational. Now, if I just had an acre or two of land for all the 🌻🌷🌺🌸.
.
.
.
#gardenbooks #flowerarranging #cutflowers #floretflowerfarm #myreadinglife #flowerfarm #alwayslearning #mynortherngarden #coldclimategardening #bloom
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Top Posts & Pages

  • How to Pollinate a Meyer Lemon Tree
  • Big Changes in Minnesota Hardiness Zone Map
  • How to Winter Sow Wildflowers
  • What to Do with Not-Quite-Ripe Winter Squash? Recipes Included
  • How to Build a Vegetable Garden Box for Your Deck
  • Snow's Insulation Power in Winter
  • Growing Lettuce in a Window Box
  • How to Use the Winter Sowing Method to Start Seeds Outdoors
  • Update on the Winter Sowing Containers
  • How to Grow Lemons in the North (Plus a Recipe)

Post Categories

  • Books/Writing
  • Climate
  • How to
  • Plants
  • Recipes
  • Uncategorized
  • Why We Garden

Copyright © 2021 · captivating theme by Restored 316