Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts

Monday, July 21, 2025

Summer Cooking with Herbs: Seasonal Dishes

Make the most of summer produce with fresh herb recipes!

Summer is peak herb season, with gardens overflowing with lush, aromatic leaves and Farmer’s Markets brimming with locally grown produce. Cooking with fresh herbs is the best way to highlight seasonal produce and add layers of bright, unforgettable flavor to every meal.

Herb-Forward Salads and Dressings

  • Add chopped parsley, dill, basil, or chives to green salads.
  • Whip up an herby vinaigrette: olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, Dijon, fresh herbs.
  • Quick Herb Vinaigrette

    • 3/4 cup light flavored oil
    • 1/4 cup herb or rice vinegar (sweet and savory work well)
    • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • 1/2 teaspoon honey
    • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (savory or sweet)
    • Salt and pepper to taste

Place all the ingredients in a mason jar and shake vigorously until emulsified. Serve immediately. Makes 1 cup. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to a week.

 

  • Toss tomato, cucumber, and feta with oregano and mint for a Mediterranean touch. Or add our Greek Blend Seasoning.
  • which is perfect on tomatoes.

Grilling with Fresh Herbs

  • Make marinades with rosemary, thyme, and sage for meats and veggies.
  • Easy Marinade

    • ½ cup olive oil
    • 1/8 cup cider vinegar  
    • 2 clove garlic, crushed 
    • 1 bay leaf 
    • 1 Tbls. finely chopped onion
    • ½ tsp. brown sugar
    •  ½ tsp. fennel seed
    •  ½ tsp. salt 
    • 1/8 tsp. pepper 
    • 2 tsp. fresh, 1 tsp dried herbs of your choice

Combine ingredients in a jar or cruet and shake well. Pour over cooked or uncooked vegetables, pasta salad, or chicken or beef.  Allow to marinate 2 to 8 hours, then grill, bake or broil as desired.

  • Create herb butters with parsley, garlic, and chives to melt over grilled corn or steaks. Check out our previously posted herb butter recipes.
  • Use sturdy herbs like rosemary or thyme as skewers for kebabs.

Light, Summery Pastas and Grain Bowls

  • Toss pasta with olive oil, cherry tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella.
  • Make tabbouleh with fresh parsley and mint, bulgur, lemon juice, and tomatoes.
  • Add chopped herbs to rice or quinoa salads with summer vegetables,
  •  Tabbouleh
    • 1 cup bulghur wheat
    • 1 1/2 cups boiling water
    • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
    • 1/4 cup good olive oil
    • 3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
    • 1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (1 bunch)
    • 1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (1 bunch)
    • 1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (1 bunch)
    • 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
    • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
    • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the bulghur in a large bowl, pour in the boiling water, and add the lemon juice, olive oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Stir, then allow to stand at room temperature for about 1 hour. Add the scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper; mix well. Season, to taste, and serve or cover and refrigerate. The flavor will improve if the tabbouleh sits for a few hours. 

 

Closing

Your summer harvest deserves center stage. By weaving herbs into every dish, you celebrate the freshest flavors of the season while making meals that are as colorful as they are delicious.

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Elevate Your Summer BBQ with Herbal Blends from the Lombard Farmers Market

Nothing says summer quite like the smoky aroma of food sizzling on the grill. Whether you're a weekend grill master or a casual backyard cook, using the right herbal blends can take your barbecue to the next level. At BackyardPatch Herbs, we’ve crafted blends designed to enhance meats, vegetables, and even grilled fruit, all while keeping things fresh and flavorful.

And what better place to grab the freshest ingredients than your local Farmers Market? Pair our Grilled Meat Rub, Paprika Chicken Rub, and BBQ Spice Blend with market-fresh produce and proteins for an unforgettable outdoor feast!

Grilling with Herbs: The Flavor Boost You Need

Herbs add depth, complexity, and balance to your grilling. Unlike traditional salt-heavy seasonings, our blends focus on fresh, homegrown flavors that complement rather than overpower.

🌿 Grilled Meat Rub – A balanced blend of garlic, onion, thyme, and other aromatic herbs that bring out the natural richness in beef, pork, and even portobello mushrooms.

🌶️ Paprika ChickenRub – A smoky, slightly spicy mix featuring paprika, rosemary, and a hint of citrus, perfect for chicken, turkey, and even shrimp skewers.

🔥 BBQ Spice Blend – The ultimate all-purpose BBQ seasoning with a savory, slightly sweet profile—ideal for ribs, burgers, or roasted corn on the cob.


Farmers Market-Inspired Grilled Recipe

Try this Herb-Rubbed Grilled Chicken with Summer Veggies, featuring our Paprika Chicken Rub!

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs chicken thighs or breasts
  • 2 tbsp Paprika Chicken Rub
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 zucchini, sliced
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 ear of corn, cut into rounds
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp BBQ Spice Blend

Coat the chicken with olive oil and Paprika Chicken Rub. Let marinate for 30 minutes. Toss the zucchini and peppers in olive oil and BBQ Spice Blend. Grill the chicken for 6-8 minutes per side until fully cooked. Grill the veggies and corn for 5 minutes, turning occasionally. Serve hot and enjoy the herbal-infused goodness!

Come See us in Person

This summer, stop by our local Farmers Market, if you are in Lombard, Illinois Tuesday afternoon from 3 to 7 PM and pick up your favorite Backyard Patch Herbs blends to make your grilling season unforgettable!

Thursday, July 5, 2018

Summer Lemon Bath Blend - Monthly Bath Blend

Lemon baths are especially refreshing in hot weather.  The healing agents in lemons will refresh & revive tired skin.  Lemons will also cool the skin, and help tighten large pores!  For this recipe you will use lemons, and lemon herbs to get a variety of lemon and herb benefits. Lemon Balm with help you maintain a sunny disposition.



Lemon Bath Recipe

Squeeze and drop 5-6 lemons into your running bath.
Add to a muslin bag  1 Tbls Lemon Basil (fresh or dry)
                                  1 Tbls Lemon Balm (fresh or dry)
                                  1 Tbls Lemon Thyme (fresh or dry)

Place the herbs in a muslin bag or tie into a cotton wash cloth and drop into the water.
Soak & relax.

NOTE: If you don’t have lemons, 3/4 cup of bottled lemon juice will work just as well.   
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