Dry Basil

Dry basil stands out among all cooking spices and herbs. Use it to spice up your family's favorite recipes. Dried basil leaves can be used to add flavor and color to so many recipes including soups, stews, casseroles, pasta dishes ... just about any recipe you can think of.

Whether you dry your own or purchase some from the cooking herbs and spices section of your local grocery store, you want to make sure what you are using is fresh. The best way to do this is to mark the date on the jar and dispose of it after 6 months.

Unlike fresh herbs, which should be added to most dishes at the end of the cooking process, dried herbs can be added in the beginning to really permeate the entire dish with flavor. To release the essential oils and get the most flavor, crush the dried leaves in the palm of hand or in a mortar and pestle just before adding to your dish.

A good rule of thumb when substituting dried basil for fresh is that 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh basil leaves is equal to 1/2 teaspoon of dried basil leaves.

You can use dried basil alone or you can combine it with other dried spices and herbs to create some well-known and frequently used spice blends or put it together with some of your own favorite flavors to create a blend unique to your taste.

Dried Herb Recipes

If you are looking for something to spice up your meals, you might want to give these dried herb mixes a try. They are simple to make and will provide a healthy way to add flavor to your meals.

Bouquet Garni Recipe Herbes de Provence Pasta Blend

Vegetable Seasoning Italian Seasoning Recipe

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