Herbs de Provence

This post is not actually a recipe, but a highlight of one of my favorite ingredients - herbs de provence. This is a french mixture of herbs and spices including basil, thyme, savory, and lavender blossoms (among other things). I seriously don't know how I cooked before Ryan introduced me to this wondrous delight. My local closed-on-Sunday little grocer doesn't carry it, but most well-stocked spice aisles should have it. I usually buy it at Target, but I would imagine that Smith's or Kroger carry it as well, and we have found it at Harmon's too. It's priced about typical for spice blends - a regular size jar is several dollars, but a little bit goes a long way, so it's not like you'll be buying more every other week. I use this in pretty much anything, here's just a few examples:

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Meat: throw some in the cavity of a roast chicken, add it to your pot roast, use as a pre-grilling rub for steaks, or sprinkle it on fish before baking.

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Veggies: sprinkle on mixed veggies before roasting, toss in a salad, or mix with bread crumbs and stuff in tomatoes (see recipe for tomatoes Provençal).

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Bread: add to mayo with garlic and lemon to make a savory sandwich spread, mix in olive oil and vinegar for a yummy dip, mix in butter to toast on french bread.

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A little addition of these herbs really adds new life to your meal! Try it, I'm begging you ...