Quick, Easy, Delicious

[Ellen]

I have the Gourmet Herb garden growing currently. When the herbs need a little pruning but I don't have enough of any one thing to fully harvest for a recipe I just take a little bit from each plant, chop it and then scramble it with a couple of eggs and some cheddar cheese. MMMMMMM.

[sprout83]

That's a really good idea. Thanks for the tip! I wonder if my basil clippings would be good in scrambled eggs.

[Ellen]

Sprout,

Usually I have more than plenty of the basil (Italian and purple), chives, dill, thyme, parsley to make at least a couple of teaspoons to throw in with the eggs. The mint we harvested for the first time yesterday to do the vanilla mint yogurt sauce for fruit from the AG website. Really yummy with strawberries and mint does not go well with eggs. 

I think just basil in the eggs would work just as well as the combination.

[sprout83]

Excellent, thanks for letting me know.  I will have to try that vanilla yogurt recipe. Mmmmm...

[sprout83]

Ellen, I got inspired by the way you use your herbs. I made an omelet using clippings from Italian basil, a purple basil leaf, and dill. I added chopped onions, tomato, green bell peppers, and cheese to it as well. Also, I gave it seasoning while it was cooking, and it came out wonderfully!

[Ellen]

I'm glad I was able to inspire you! Yours with all the veggies in it sounds delicious. Maybe when I get my second garden I'll put in some tomatoes and peppers. HA!

[sprout83]

Totally--you'll have a salsa garden like mine! 

[Joyce]

speaking of salsa...  Does anyone have a good (and easy) salsa recipe?
We like it mild here.

[Ellen]

Hi Joyce,

I normally do ours on the fly depending on what I have in the kitchen. It's really easy if you just chop stuff roughly and throw it in the food processor and then pulse it until you get the desired consistency. For a standard salsa we usually use the following:

2 large tomatoes or 4-5 roma tomatoes
1/2 jalepeno (be sure to remove the seeds and vein if you don't want it really spicy)
3-4 tbs cilantro depending on taste
2-3 green onions
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp red wine vinegar
salt to taste

I have a tomatillo salsa recipe that I do as well if you are interested. It is tangy....almost like a lime salsa.

[Joyce]

Thank you! 
I didn't know that about the jalepeno.

[Ellen]

Yes, it makes it a little milder if you remove the seeds and vein. Just be sure not to touch your eyes and wash your hands thoroughly after handling them. If you find it to be too much, you can always try cutting the ppper down to 1/4 instead of 1/2. Enjoy!

[gisette]

Not really salsa, but used the same way, and this stuff is excellent! "Ninfa's" is the name of a wonderful Mexican restaurant in Houston. Dunno if they're still around, haven't eaten there in years.

Ninfa's Green Sauce

1 ripe avocado
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1 t minced onion
1 clove garlic, mashed
1/4 t salt
1 T fresh cilantro (dried ok)
1/2 t tabasco (easy to adjust spicyness to taste)
2 or 3 T lemon juice

Mash avocado. Blend remaining ingredients in with wire whip or mixer. Let stand at least one hour before serving.

Store the avocado seed in it to help keep it fresh.

[Ellen]

Gisette that is making my mouth water. I love avocado and will absolutely be trying this. Hmmmmm...maybe this weekend with some homemade chimichangas. Thanks for posting that!

[gisette]

Ooh, with chimichangas sounds wonderful... Well, on the side. I don't think that stuff would stand up to cooking, unfortunately.

I love avocado, too. Guacamole... Oh, and simplest of all, sliced avocado, tiny shrimp, and Caesar salad dressing. Yummmm.

[Ellen]

Absolutely it will be served on the side. I don't think it would stand up to cooking either! 

[nascar81054]

Good idea I will have to try this.

[AquaShamrock]

Mmmmm that Ninfa's Green Sauce recipe sounds absolutely fantastic!  And I never would have guessed I could find such delicious avacadoes in Alaska... I love Costco!!!  Now I have to go back, and you know what Costco does to your bank account, right?  LOL

[Ellen]

I am not allowed to shop at Costco for that very reason.   

[monica435]

Ninfa's is definitely still around.  Mama Ninfa died years ago but her original restaurant is still right outside of downtown Houston on Navigation.  If you are ever in Houston I highly recommend it.  Having grown up in Houston, I consider myself a Mexican food connoisseur and I will go out of my way to go to the original Ninfa's.  Ninfa's is a chain with restaurants all over but the only one I like is the original one.