10 Best Herbs to Pair with Tomatoes

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10: Pungent Oregano

Did You Know? Oregano is often confused with marjoram because the names for the two herbs were used interchangeably for years. Oregano has the stronger flavor of the two herbs, which both come from the mint family.

You've probably tasted oregano in pizza sauce, but any tomato-based sauce tastes wonderful with the addition of this herb. If you pair it with basil, as is the case with many Italian dishes, you won't be disappointed. The two spices combined create a distinctive aroma that noses everywhere know is a prelude of delicious things to come.

Oregano can be used in your cooking either whole or cut up, but it's good to remember that its strong flavor can be weakened with lots of heat, so try to add it toward the end of your cooking.

This herb makes a great addition to a Greek salad -- combine it with cut-up tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, feta cheese, olive oil, a little basil and lemon juice for an easy meal.

9: Oniony Chives

Chives are alliums and belong to the same family that includes onions, garlic and leeks. If you tend to shy away from powerful onion and garlic, don't worry -- they have a much more delicate flavor. Chives don't last long once they're picked, so be ready to use them in the kitchen quick. The subtle flavor is at its best when the herbs are raw or slightly heated, so add your chives at the very last minute.

Their light oniony taste makes them a great addition to vegetable cakes and fritters. You can make a delicious tomato and chive quiche with goat cheese for a quick afternoon snack for your kids, or you can sprinkle chives over some steamy tomato soup for a savory meal on a cold night

8: Zesty Chili Powder

Chili powder is a great way to add a dash of spice and heat to your cooking, whether you're serving up Indian, South American or Mexican dishes. It's typically made from cayenne or red peppers that are finely ground. Paprika, garlic, cumin and oregano are also often used in the mixture.

Chili powder is a real favorite in the United States when it comes to making chili. After you've got your ingredients of hamburger, tomatoes (freshly cut up or diced from the can) and beans ready, sprinkle a healthy amount of the chili powder into the pot and cook the mixture slowly, giving the chili plenty of time to simmer and soak up the spices.

7: Sweet Tarragon

Did You Know? Tarragon is one of four herbs -- the others are chives, parsley and chervil -- that are together known as the "fines herbes." They form the flavoring building block of many traditional French cuisine dishes.

Compared to the other herbs on this list, tarragon has a relatively recent history in European cuisine, going back only to the 16th century. This herb, with the wonderfully romantic nickname of dragon's wort, has a lovely sweet licorice taste to it that has made it a popular flavoring ingredient for salad dressings. Tarragon does lose its flavor after it's dried out, so put it to use in the kitchen right away. Also, make sure that you're using French tarragon in your cooking and not Russian tarragon, which has a coarser, less pleasing taste to it.

Tarragon can be used as the prime seasoning in a great spaghetti dish that children will wolf down and that you will love for its nutritional value and aesthetically pleasing look. Combine a tablespoon of the herb with small cut-up pieces of plum tomatoes, some ground pepper, Parmesan cheese, olive oil and mushrooms, and you've got a tasty mixture that can be spread over your pasta

6: Reliable Thyme

Thyme is a mainstay seasoning in a widespread variety of culinary dishes. Common thyme is the most popular type of thyme, grown for the ease with which it mixes with the other spices in the kitchen. It's not too overpowering, but not too subtle either. Because thyme's flavor takes a while to come out when cooking, it's usually added to dishes at the beginning of their preparation.

Vegetable dishes go great with thyme, as do many soups and baked goods. You can use some thyme to create delicious thyme-flavored semi-dried tomatoes. Cut up about16 plum tomatoes into quarters and then sprinkle them with three tablespoons of chopped up thyme and salt and pepper. Bake the tomatoes at 315 degrees for about two and a half hours. Add some olive oil to the tomatoes, tightly seal them and refrigerate for a full day before serving

5: Vital Pepper

We're cheating slightly on this one -- pepper is a spice, not an herb. But it's also probably the only thing on this list that's used more often than thyme, and it's an absolutely necessary ingredient to have in any kitchen. Though we're mostly familiar with it as a finely ground up mixture that's paired with salt in holiday-themed shakers, pepper begins its life as a peppercorn grown on a bush.

Whether freshly ground from peppercorns or from a shaker, pepper can be added to just about any dish. A lot of seasoned cooks know to add pepper at the end of cooking because it works to preserve the more delicate flavors of other herbs used. You can use pepper in the seasoning of tomato sauces, as a salad dressing ingredient and in just about any dish you think to cook up in the kitchen.

4: Delightful Dill

Dill is great for pickling things like cucumbers and tomatoes. It works to bring out other herb flavorings in your cooking, though it can also overpower them if you use too much of it. Despite its very strong effect in your dishes, its flavor fades with heat, so add it at the very end.
You can make a light cucumber salad and tomato salad that uses dill. Combine cut-up tomatoes, cucumbers and a red onion with some crumbled feta cheese and dill. Drizzle over this salad a mixture of dried mint, lemon juice and olive oil.

3: Aromatic Basil

Italian cooks swear by basil. The herb is often combined with oregano when used to season Italian dishes. And there's not just one type of basil -- there are 60. While you can purchase cinnamon basil, lemon basil and purple basil, the most common one found in the kitchen is sweet green basil.

Basil is a rare herb in that its flavor actually grows stronger with heat, so it needs to make an appearance at the beginning of your cooking. Try making some tasty tomato bruschetta that uses basil or sprinkle a bit of the herb into your marinara sauce the next time it's pasta night in the kitchen.

2: Powerful Parsley

Like most of the herbs on this list, parsley hails from the Mediterranean, where it's very well regarded for its versatility in the kitchen. Power-packed with large quantities of vitamins A and C, parsley is a great way to sneak some nutritional value into your kids' meals.

Parsley is popular as a garnish because of its bright green color, but its uses go way beyond that in the kitchen. You can find ways of mixing in parsley pretty easily. Toss it in with other green salad ingredients or use it in a fish sauce. Beware -- like many other herbs, parsley's flavor fades with heat, so add it toward the end

1: Odiferous Garlic

One of the strongest smelling herbs out there, garlic has a very long history in the kitchen. Don't let the pungency of garlic keep you from using it in the kitchen, because it's a great addition to many dishes. You can control the strength of your garlic flavoring by how you heat the cloves, but don't cook it too much -- it will cause the herb to become bitter.

Try making some of your own tomato sauce with garlic. Add garlic to pureed tomato, basil and olive oil on the stove. Give the sauce a half an hour alone on the stove to allow the seasonings to mix together. Spread this sauce on your pasta or your pizza.

Sunday Stealing: The Tell Me About Yourself Meme

1. When is your birthday?
november 10

2. Where were you born?
oak ridge, tn., where the bomb was built

3. Where do you live now?
up in the high country of north carolina

4. What is your heritage?
cherokee



5. Tell us about a weakness.
baskin-robbins maple walnut sundae on black walnut ice cream esp if i'm feeling sorry for myself



6. What's a goal that you'd like to achieve?
be a professional pastry chef


7. What is the most overused internet phrase?
lol and omg

8. What was your first thought this morning?
why do my husband's sons have to be so damn loud in the mornings-i really wish they would stop screaming

9. When do you usually go to bed?
around 11 pm

10. Do you smoke? If not, did you ever?
No. i tried it for a couple of weeks in 7th grade till i found out you have to inhale. i've buried 3 with lung cancer so i'm VERY ANTI-SMOKING now


11. Do you like your current relationship status?
to be honest, not as much as i thought i would

12. Do you (or did you) get along with your parents?
it was so-so with my mother. i know that she loved me, but i always felt that she thought i was stupid. about 3 years before she died, she broke her arm, and was in a pain pill stupor-she actually said to me "you're stupid, you know that?" i was stunned, but i managed to say "what?". she was laughing and said it again "you're stupid, you know that? will you even know how to wipe your ass when you shit when i die?" 
i didn't see my dad for 18 yrs after he remarried, and when we finally met again, he didn't even make a half hearted effort at getting to know me-when he died in 1999, we hadn't talked in 4 years. the Lord let me know that life is too short to hold grudges....when someone is gone, there is no second chance.

13. How often do you drink alcohol? 

14. Have you ever tried drugs (that weren't prescribed)?
Nope

15. Have you ever gone skinny dipping? If yes, do tell.
no

16. If given the choice, how would you like to die?
i hope the Lord is merciful and just lets me go to sleep

17. What did you want to be when you grew up?
i wanted to be a nurse like my mother


18. Have you ever been dumped?
YES-had my heart ripped out and stomped, thrown back in my face, and told i had no reason to cry

19. What's on your pizza?


20. Have you ever shoplifted?
only once, i was in middle school and i took a rabbits foot key chain. i felt really bad about it and have never done it again.

Medline has donated almost a half million dollars to the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) to provide education and free mammograms to those in need and continues to make contributions every year. We plan on making a contribution of $100,000 this March to NBCF. We also are donating a portion of the sales from the pink gloves to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. We were involved with the video to create awareness for breast cancer in a fun and creative way.

1. Tell us about your superstitions. Do you have any? Do you "x out" black cats on the windshield of your car, avoid cracks in the sidewalk or practice other rituals that make you feel safer?
Don't have any? Come on now! Make up some....

x-nay on the black cats and cracks in the sidewalk-but i will say that i believe in some of the pregnancy superstitions such as "marking the baby" (by seeing something that frightens you while you are pregnant)
or wrapping the cord around the baby's neck, and feeding your cravings. i believe this because it has actually happened to me with both of my children
2. Has anything paranormal ever happened to you that you can write about? the only thing that comes to mind is a dream i had about my mother after she passed away. i had put the house up for sale and moved about 50 miles away. i had been in my apartment for about 3 weeks when i had this dream. in the dream, it was during the day,, and heard someone knock at the door. i had a little hallway going to the door, and as i was going to answer it, the door opened, and it was my mother-she had her purse in her hand, and her maroon windbreaker over her left arm, just like she always did, and when i saw her, i started crying. she said what on earth is the matter? why are you crying?" i said "because i know that you can't stay"
she looked around at everything and said it was really nice, and that she had just come by to check on me, to make sure that i was happy in my apartment and in sevierville. she didn't get up and leave, or fade from view or anything like that-i just woke up. and felt her get up off my bed.


3. Have you ever had a near-death experience?
the closet thing was when i had open-heart surgery in 1993-not an out of body experience thoughyes, because it has happened to me more than once!!

i dont know for sure, but i'd have to say yes. if i could do something like that and it not come back on me, when i was going through my second divorce (i grew my hair out for a man that left me for a woman with hair shorter than his!) it would have been the "other woman", and during my last divorce, it would've been my ex just because of the hell he put us through. BUT, if i did something like that, i'd be afraid that it would return to me two-fold, so i leave all that to God.


8. Tell us about a time you "knew" something was going to happened before it did. Are you one of those intuitive types or do you know someone who is ? Do tell.
and i knew my daughter was pregnant before i bought the pregnancy test

9. I'm a tad gifted in the dream department. Really. Sometimes my dreams are prophetic and come true. It can be a blessing and a curse. Has this ever happened to you? If not, would you like to have this gift? (Be careful what you wish for. It can be freaky at times.)
well, i've already told you about my biggie, but yes, sometimes i have dreams that come true, and yes, it can be freaky!

This is basically the same recipe that my Aunt Betty has always made for our family get togethers, only she doesn't use the pumpkin. I don't think it can be any better than what she makes, but I do think this sounds good. I saw this on an old Paula Deen show and found the recipe on her site.

www.pauladeen.com 

Ingredients:

Cake:
1 18 1/4-ounce package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
1 15-ounce can of pumpkin
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 16-ounce box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make the cake, combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Pat the mixture into a lightly greased 13x9-inch baking pan.

Prepare filling:
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter and beat together.

Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well.

Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to over bake as the center should be a little gooey.

Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with kitchen parchment paper or grease lightly.
    
2. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, soda and salt. In a large bowl, beat together butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla and sour cream.
    
3. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring just enough to blend. Add nuts with the last addition of flour.
    
4. Drop by level measuring tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set and very lightly browned (do not overbake). Transfer to wire racks to cool. Prepare icing and ice when cool.
    
5. Top each cookie with a cashew half. Makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies. In a small saucepan over medium heat, lightly brown butter, stirring often to prevent burning.
    
6. Remove from heat and cool for a few minutes. Add vanilla and gradually add sugar, beating until smooth after each addition. Stir in just enough half-and-half to make an icing that can be spooned over the cookies.

Having downloaded this fab template today, i also had trouble editing and customising the road signs, but found the answer – no one has bothered to anwer this properly anywhere except for the person who designed it.

All you need to do is go to LAYOUT, then click on PAGE ELEMENTS. You will see (header) bar then underneath should be menu which you can EDIT.
Click on EDIT, enter what title you want, eg HOME, add the link for your home page in New site URL box or whatever you want it to be.
New site name: ‘HOME’ (or whatever you want to show in the road sign).

There’s space for 4 titles, so type 4 into the Number of links to show in list box.

Hope this helps, I got so annoyed not being to get this bit done and it was so bloody easy!

How To Install Free XML Blogger Templates

If you enjoy blogging, you might be using Google’s free Blogger.com platform, sometimes known as Blogspot. The drop and drag gadget system makes it easy for first-time bloggers to produce content without having to build a website.

But compared to its competitor, Wordpress, Blogger theme templates are rather bland and less flexible. Many online entrepreneurs avoid using Blogger specifically because of these limitations.

However, there is a way to spruce up your blog with free, open-source templates designed specifically for Blogger. They are attractive as well as functional.

To install a new Blogger template, first search the term “free blogger XML templates”. You’ll get a list of sites offering free designer themes. Btemplates is the most popular.



Next, select a theme that you like. You may preview what the theme would look like in full view before you choose download it. If you do like it, click the download button.



The template will be saved to a zip file that you will have to unzip. The folder contains you’re your template. I like to put my downloaded templates into a separate folder elsewhere on my computer labeled “Blogger Templates” just to keep track of them.



Next, log into your Blogger blog and click “customize” in the upper right hand corner.

Click the tab entitled “Layout”. The click on “edit html”. You will be brought to the screen code of your blog where you can edit your templates. Your blog file is saved in XML code that makes it easy for you to just upload instead of trying to copy and paste an entire page of code like you would with HTML.

Click the browse button.

Choose the template you downloaded from where you saved it. Open the file. Click on your template with the XML extension. (ex. Holidaytemplate.xml)



Your file will appear in the browser bar. You may now click “upload”. You may see a warning appear in red telling you that certain widgets like your profile or link list will be copied over. This will happen, but you can always add them back.

Now, you may view the look of your new blog. To add gadgets, simply go back to the layout tab, click page elements, drop and drag these elements as you wish until you are satisfied with your complete design.

Whether we’re a vibrant Orange, or a peaceful Blue, our color preferences are a key to understanding our personalities. Find out what this color expert has to say about your favorite color. What does it reveal about who you really are?

White: Symbolic of purity, innocence and naivete, white has strong connotations of youth and purity. If you are an older person, your preference for white could indicate a desire for perfection and impossible ideals, maybe an attempt to recapture lost youth and freshness. It may also symbolize a desire for simplicity or the simple life.

Red: The color of strength, health, and vitality, Red is often the color chosen by someone outgoing, aggressive, vigorous and impulsive—or someone who would like to be! It goes with an ambitious nature but those who choose it can be abrupt at times, determined to get all they can out of life, quick to judge people and take sides. Red people are usually optimistic and can’t stand monotony; they are rather restless and not at all introspective, so they may be unaware of their own shortcomings. They find it hard to be objective and may blame others for any mishaps. Quiet people with a preference for red may feel the need for the warmth, strength and life-giving qualities of the color, or they blanket their true feelings under a sober exterior. Red is usually chosen by people with open and uncomplicated natures, with a zest for life.

Maroon: Harsh experience has probably matured the Maroon person into someone likeable and generous. It is often a favorite color of someone who has been battered by life but has come through. It indicates a well-disciplined Red personality—one who has had difficult experiences and has not come through unmarked but who has grown and matured in the process.

Pink: This color embodies the gentler qualities of Red, symbolizing love and affection without passion. Women who prefer Pink tend to be maternal. Pink desires protection, special treatment and a sheltered life. Pink people require affection and like to feel loved and secure, perhaps wanting to appear delicate and fragile. Pink people tend to be charming and gentle, if a trifle indefinite.

Orange: This color of luxury and pleasure appeals to the flamboyant and fun-loving person who likes a lively social round. Orange people may be inclined to dramatize a bit, and people notice them, but they are generally good-natured and popular. They can be a little fickle and vacillating, but on the whole they try hard to be agreeable. Orange is the color of youth, strength, fearlessness, curiosity and restlessness.

Yellow: The color of happiness, wisdom and imagination, Yellow is chosen by the mentally adventurous, searching for novelty and self-fulfillment. Yellow usually goes with a sunny and shrewd personality, with a good business head and a strong sense of humor. It is the color of intellectuality and all things to do with the mind. Yellow folks are usually clear and precise thinkers who have a good opinion of their own mental capacities and who have lofty ideals. They may at times tend to shun responsibility, preferring freedom of thought and action.

Green: The color of harmony and balance, Green symbolizes hope, renewal and peace, and is usually liked by the gentle and sincere. Greens are generally frank, community-minded people, fairly sociable but preferring peace at any price. Green people can be too self-effacing, modest and patient, so they may get exploited by others. They are usually refined, civilized and reputable.

Blue: Soft, soothing, compassionate and caring, Blue is the color of deliberation and introspection, conservatism and duty. Patient, persevering, conscientious, sensitive and self-controlled, Blues like to be admired for their steady character and wisdom. They are faithful, but are often worriers with somewhat inflexible beliefs and can be too cautious, and suspicious of flamboyant behavior.

Blue-Green: Exacting, discriminating, poised and attractive, the Blue-Green person tends to be sensitive, intellectual and refined, persevering and stable if rather detached. Blue-Greens have excellent taste, and are usually courteous and charming, capable but often refusing help or guidance.

Turquoise: Complex, imaginative and original, Turquoise people drive themselves hard and may be in a state of turmoil under their outwardly cool exterior.

Lavender: This is often chosen by a person who lives “on a higher plane,” who never notices anything sordid and who is always impeccably and beautifully dressed. Lavender people may be on a continual quest for culture and the refined things of life, high and noble causes but without the necessity of getting their hands dirty. A Lavender person is usually creative, charming, witty and civilized.

Purple: Purples are highly individual, fastidious, witty and sensitive, with a strong desire to be unique and different. Temperamental, expansive and artistic, a Purple person may become aloof and sarcastic when misunderstood. If you chose Purple, you tend to be unconventional, tolerant and dignified, likely to achieve positions of authority.

Brown: A Brown person has stamina and patience, tending to be very solid and substantial, conscientious, dependable, steady and conservative. Browns are not impulsive, and may be inarticulate and tactless but they love responsibility and are reliable and kindly. If you chose Brown, watch out for a tendency to be obstinate and inflexible.

Gray: The color of caution and compromise, diligent Grays search for composure and peace and often work hard without reward. Older Grays like life to run on an even keel with few ups and downs. Young Grays may be withdrawing from life and suppressing their personalities. Grays often have good business ability and tend to work too much.

Black: Dignified and impressive without being showy, Black people want to give the appearance of mystery, but their preference may also indicate a suppression of desires and worldly aims, suggesting hidden depths and inner longings.

Adapted from The Healing Power of Color by Betty Wood (Inner Traditions, 1998).