Herbs and Bread

Herbs and bread are such a natural combination! You can take a nice wheat or white bread recipe and add a tablespoon of mixed dried or fresh, minced herbs. Try basil, thyme, sage and oregano. I also like to add a little bit of sugar and some Parmesan cheese to the basic recipe.

You can also add herbs to pizza dough-even the simple box of Jiffy Pizza Dough comes alive if you add herbs and a touch of sugar and cheese! Try adding minced herbs to a plain scone recipe, or throw in some chopped chives and oregano into your cornbread mix.

Herbs can be used with sweet breads as well. Add fresh lavender blooms or a few leaves to your favorite sweet breads, such as Sally Lunn. You can also add any of the lemon herbs to bread, cake and cookie recipes.

Here are a few easy recipes to try:

Easy Herb Pizza

Ingredients:

4 boxes or envelopes of pizza crust mix (Jiffy or Martha White)

One teaspoonful of mixed dried herbs-basil, oregano or rosemary

About 2 tablespoons of Parmesan Cheese

Dash garlic powder

Pizza Sauce and toppings

Mix the dough according to box directions but BEFORE adding liquid mix in the herbs, garlic and cheese. Mix and form into a loose ball with your hands that you've coated in Olive Oil. Let it rest 5-10 minutes. Press into two 12 inch pizza pans-half for each one. Top with sauce, toppings and cheese. Bake at 450 degrees until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Herbed Croutons

Ingredients:

Day old homemade or bakery bread

Olive Oil

minced fresh herbs of your choice

For every 2-3 cups of cubed bread, drizzle olive oil over the cubes and sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons of minced herbs (or 1 tablespoon dried) on a cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees, stirring and watching often, about every 5 minutes until crispy. Use in salads and soups.

Easy Focaccia

Ingredients:

Premade pizza crust

Olive Oil

Parmesan Cheese

Fresh, minced herbs

Preheat oven according to crust directions. Drizzle the crust with olive oil, sprinkle with a tablespoon of minced herbs. Rosemary also works well by itself but use sparingly! Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake. This can be used with a meal, or as a snack.

Another Easy Focaccia!

Mini Focaccia

Ingredients:

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup fresh thyme sprigs

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt, if desired

Dash pepper

1/4 cup oil

1 (12-oz.) can refrigerated biscuits (in the tube)

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In blender container combine basil, thyme, garlic, salt, pepper and oil. Cover; blend until finely chopped, scraping down sides if necessary. Separate dough into 10 biscuits. On ungreased cookie sheets, press each biscuit into a 3-inch circle. Make several indentations with fingers in tops of biscuits. Spread about 1 teaspoon basil mixture evenly over each biscuit. Sprinkle each biscuit evenly with cheese. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown. Serve warm.

Herbed Angel Biscuits

Ingredients:

1 package active dry yeast

2 tablespoons warm water

2 1/2 cups flour

4 teaspoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 tsp. thyme leaves

1/4 tsp. dried basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup oil

3/4 cup buttermilk

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix yeast and warm water; set aside. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, herbs, baking soda and salt. With fork, mix in oil until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in reserved yeast mixture and enough buttermilk to form a soft dough. (use extra if necessary). Shape dough into a ball; place on floured board. Roll out to 1 inch thickness and cut with a 2 inch floured cutter. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake 10-15 minutes or until light golden brown.

These are easy recipes to start you on your way to using herbs with bread, but be sure to try your own combinations and experiment with your favorite recipes!

 

Image: Wikimedia.org