How To Use Fresh Herbs

According to Cooking Light Magazine, there are 10 herbs every cook should have in their kitchen. I have always been afraid of using anything that didn't come with a Lawry's label. After reading their suggestions, I may give these fresh herbs a try. If you plan to grow your own, place them in decorative pots and add them to your patio decor. Get the kids involved with planting and picking your fresh herbs for your favorite summer dishes.

• Basil
• Chives
• Cilantro
• Dill
• Oregano
• Parsley
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Tarragon
• Thyme

I love cilantro in eggs and Mexican dishes. Last summer, I grew it on my patio and loved the fresh taste this herb added to my cooking. It was also fun to let the kids go cut off the stems for their meal. Sage is pleasantly bitter and works well on pork, chicken, stews and stuffing. Go to Cooking Light.com and view some great recipes that use these wonderful herbs. There are even tips on how to grow your own.

Photo (Cookinglight.com)

Barbecued Summer Vegetables

My father has a beautiful home garden filled with raspberries, squash, zucchini, tomatoes, plums, peaches and cucumbers. There is so much garden bounty that we cannot eat all of it. He calls us up begging for us to come get some of his produce. Every year we get the call to come get some before it rots. This year, I am testing out some new recipes to help my family benefit more fully from my father's harvest. This recipe is for zucchini steaks. At first, I was pretty skeptical about their taste because I have never been a fan of squash and any type of zucchini that wasn't fried. These turned out absolutely delicious! What a healthy side dish for your family. Here is the recipe:

One or two large zucchini cut lengthwise. You want to cut them lengthwise to make it easier to handle on the grill.

Lay the zucchini out on foil and spray them with non fat cooking spray (you can use olive oil if you wish).
Sprinkle the steaks with sea salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano to taste.

You may choose to sprinkle on some Parmesan cheese.

Place on barbecue grill for 7 minutes or until soft flipping once. Close to the end of cooking, squeeze with lemon juice for an extra flavor boost.

Be sure to try this easy recipe for summer vegetables that even your kids will eat.

On the Way to the Beach- A Great Place to Stop

Our favorite place to stop on the way to the Pacific Ocean is a small unassuming place called Taylor's Sausage. We have visited Taylor's Sausage long before it became a restaurant and was only known to locals. Someone gave us the tip to go down a side road and visit the small factory. We were hooked.
Taylor's Sausage has been in business since 1924 and they truly know their craft of making delicious sausage, hot dogs, ham and cheese sticks (our favorite), pepperoni and jerky.

Now that they have a restaurant, we stop by for lunch or dinner also. You see here I had a Taylor dog, fresh salad and water. They have a great collection of wines also, but we did not order that. My husband enjoyed the fresh Fish sandwich. Their food is delicious and if you ever get a chance to order something from them or stop by Cave Junction, please visit, you'll be glad you did.

If you go on a Friday night, you will be pleasantly surprised with live music from local artists. Last September we went and were thrilled to listen to a wonderful guitarist and the lights were dimmed and the food that was served for dinner included fresh local corn on the cob....what a wonderful treat!