
Chives: The easy, enjoyable herb!
Chives in Cooking
Chives are best used fresh. They can be frozen in small plastic bags and used right out of the freezer also. Before I started gardening with herbs I only thought of chives for topping baked potatoes, but they are good for so much more! You can add them to scrambled eggs or any egg dish, dips, sauces,breads, biscuits and off course any potato dishes. The following recipes are easy and versatile. You can substitute margarine for the butter if you need to. Remember, these toppings are savory, so you don't need much! The great thing about them is they accent your healthy vegetable and fish dishes and make the simplest meal elegant.
Herb Sauce
ingredients:1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. salt
dash pepper
Melt butter, add other ingredients and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Pour over cooked vegetables. Makes 1/2 cup sauce.
Herb Butter
Ingredients:1 cup butter
2 tablespoons parsley
2 tablespoons chives
1 clove minced or crushed garlic
Mince herbs and mix all with room temperature butter by hand or mixer. Chill for at least 3 hours before serving. Wonderful with vegetables, eggs, fish or bread. Makes 1 cup butter.
Spicy Sour Cream
ingredients:1 cup sour cream, light, no fat or regular
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon chopped sage
Salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste
Mix together all ingredients. Herbs may be varied but must be fresh for this recipe. Makes 1 cup.
Herb Cheese Spread
ingredients:2 blocks (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons chopped chives
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp. dried
Beat together cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add remaining items, beat well. Place into a covered container. Serve with crackers or bagels. Makes 2 1/4 cups spread, or 36 servings of one tablespoon each.
Herbed Baked Potatoes
ingredients:4 med. potatoes
1 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. melted butter
3 tbsp. chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme, chives (3 tsp. dried)
4 tbsp. grated cheddar cheese
1 1/2 tbsp. parmesan cheese
Scrub and rinse potatoes. Cut potatoes into thin slices but not all the way through. Put potatoes in a baking dish. Fan them slightly. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with butter. Sprinkle with herbs. Bake potatoes for 55 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with cheeses and bake for another 10 minutes until lightly browned, cheeses are melted and potatoes are tender. Check with a fork. Makes 4 servings.