by Delishie Hill

Created on: June 27, 2008

While Herbs de Provence are commonly used for cooking meats and vegetables, uses in baked items are not is not as widely practiced. When considering using them in baked items, think about the affect you are trying to make on the meal at hand. If you have prepared meat or poultry in a simple manner such as grilling with very limited seasoning, you can easily add herbs de Provence to your quick bread mix to give more flavor to the meal.

For most breads or muffins, adding the herbs de Provence is not a difficult task. Just add 1 or 2 teaspoons of the dried herbs to the dry ingredients of your recipe. Be sure to rub them in your hands to help bring out the oils and flavor of the herbs. Keep in mind these herbs will blend best in recipes that are considered hardy. Use them in recipes that use cheeses or maybe vegetables like zucchini. With the added flavor from the herbs, the amount of cheese may be decreased slightly. Substitute herbs de Provence for another single herb or spice that would normally be used in bread. Any recipe that calls for basil or thyme would easily accommodate herbs de Provence since both are part of the traditional blend.

For Southern cooks, try adding herbs de Provence to your favorite cornbread recipe. The herbs will compliment the taste of the simple greens or dried beans you serve with the cornbread. It may be that you could forgo any sugar you might be adding to your cornbread; just let the herbs add the extra flavor you desire with out adding additional calories or processed sugars. Just think, you can save the left over bread in the freezer until you make cornbread dressing again and a lot of your seasoning will already be in place!

Also for Southern cooks, try adding a tablespoon of herbs de Provence to your basic biscuit recipe to make it more of a dinner item than breakfast food. If you decide to do breakfast for dinner, make your meats and eggs as normal, but try the biscuits a little different to bring a more savory flavor to the evening meal. Think about using the herbs de Provence when you plan on an omelet for dinner. You know, the type of omelet you fix to make a meal off of that you stuff it with onions and peppers and mushrooms. Having the herbs de Provence in your biscuits will only prove to compliment the dish even more.

Another alterative might be adding herbs de Provence to the oil or butter added to breads before heating in addition to or as a substitute for garlic. Just think of the difference this little change could make in your routine pasta meal. Most breads are simple and bland, making them great receptors for all this flavor and flair.

Think about the trends we are seeing in the deli sections of markets and even in the fast-food industry of herbs and spices being added to different breads. Don't be afraid to experiment in your own kitchen and add your own personal touch to the meals you prepare. What starts out as an experiment may turn into a family favorite for generations to come!

Learn more about this author, Delishie Hill.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.