Quick! Run to your pantry and check the expiration dates on your herbs and spices! I’ll bet you they are out of date by A LOT. At the same time, if you are one of my gardening people, I bet you have a garden overflowing with herbs every fall. Here is an EASY and PRACTICAL gift idea!
Head out to your garden and gather baskets of herbs. If you are harvesting basil and other annual herbs, cut back the whole plant in the fall because it’s not coming back. For perennial herbal cut as much as you like with out killing the plant. Most herb like oregano, sage, rosemary, and thyme can tolerate a harsh cut, but it also depends how much you want to dry. Is this for yourself? Or a gift for friends?
Wash your herbs and pat them dry. Then either set up your food dehydrator (don’t have one? Look here or you can use your oven. I often do both. If you are using your dehydrator, follow the directions for herbs, which us usually 95 degrees for 24 hours but read the package insert to be sure. For the oven, I like 175 degrees for 3 or 4 hours depending on how much moisture is in the herbs. Garlic slices will take longer, while basil is quick! The main goal is to get them completely dry so they won’t create mold once you jar them up.
Once your herbs are completely dry, you can process them. I often use this adorable food processor because it’s small and light – perfect for processing small batch herbs, but you can use a big one if that’s what you have! For some herbs that need a finer blend, I use a coffee grinder. Please don’t use your regular coffee grinder! It will make your coffee smell like herbs. Instead, grab an inexpensive second one for just this purpose
You’ll need some containers and this can be as inexpensive or as fancy as you choose. For a free option, I often collect spice jars all year from friends. Just make a social media post or ask around. People will save them for you! And you can also save small condiment jars during the year. This not only saves you money, but it is more sustainable – keeping those jars and lids out of the landfill. If you want to buy some pretty options, there are so many! They these cute tubes jars with cork tops, or these jam jars that come with labels, or these hexagon jars!
Once your herbs are completely dry and you have processed them to your desired consistency, add them to your jars and create some cute labels. They make a lovely hostess or holiday gift for anyone who loves to cook!
