Post Refresh: Leftover Herbs into Christmas Cheer

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Drying bundles of herbs is a great way to both use up leftover herbs and use up little scraps of wire and ribbon. And they are really pretty around the house, smell wonderful, and can be wonderfully delicious in any meal.

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Did you try out a few new recipes this year that call for fresh herbs? Don’t let the leftovers rot in the fridge, instead tie them into bundles to dry them and use as gifts in your Christmas handmade basket bundles. Here’s how:

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First, take some floral wire or any nice, thin wire and wrap it around the stems.

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Knot two ends of a 16 inch piece of wire ribbon.

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Loop ribbon around the stem.

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Cinch it up.

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Take another piece of ribbon and wrap it around, covering up the knotted ribbon.

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Tie it into a nice bow and then you are ready to hang it up. If you are giving them as a gift, include a few of your favorite recipes for using the dried herb.

What herbs dry well? Sage, parsley, rosemary, and thyme are my favorites–basil and cilantro, not so much.

You can always crush up the herbs and store then in a jar for later. They’ll be ready for cooking as needed!

Happy cooking!
Kristin

ps – originally posted here in Fall of 2009.