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| Mint; Ideas? | |
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| Topic Started: Feb 24 2009, 08:04:27 PM (737 Views) | |
| Squashy | Feb 24 2009, 08:04:27 PM Post #1 |
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True Blue Mate
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I bought this sad little mint plant at the grocery store because it was on sale. Since I've taken it home it has really thrived and is growing insanely fast. I love the taste of mint, but I need some new ideas on how to use it! Thanks! |
| Jennifer | |
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| LookingDown(Under) | Feb 24 2009, 10:12:47 PM Post #2 |
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True Blue Mate
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Mint ice tea? I've heard also that mint is good for keeping away certain garden pests. Not sure which ones, though. |
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| kay | Feb 24 2009, 11:43:14 PM Post #3 |
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Anklebiter
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You could make hot mint tea. Grab a bunch of mint throw it in a teapot and pour over boiling water, let it sit for awhile and add sugar. Throw it into an asian or moroccan salad. Put in a smoothie. Thats all i can think of for now. |
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| bdmerriam | Feb 25 2009, 04:37:30 AM Post #4 |
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I add it to raita. Just stir together: Plain yogurt Diced cucumber Sliced green onions Sliced radishes Chopped fresh mint Salt and pepper to taste Let sit in fridge for about half an hour before eating so the flavors meld. Serve with spicy food (or just eat as a salad). Yum.  Also, I dry my extra mint (the plant is a prolific producer!) and keep the dried leaves in a glass jar. During the winter I make mint tea with the dried leaves. Edited by bdmerriam, Feb 25 2009, 04:38:15 AM.
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Bethann Life's an adventure . . . live it! | |
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| tasosmama | Feb 25 2009, 08:29:30 AM Post #5 |
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Mojito's!!!! Bunch of mint leaves and powdered sugar muddled n the bottom of a tall glass. White rum, soda water(or Sprite to get it sweeter), juice from half a lime and lots of ice on top! Yum! And Gorgeous! |
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Missy | |
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| Squashy | Feb 25 2009, 08:30:03 PM Post #6 |
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True Blue Mate
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It all sounds good! This might sound silly, but how do I dry mint. Do I just pick it and let it dry out? It is growing like mad, it's crazy! |
| Jennifer | |
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| shylady | Feb 25 2009, 09:03:22 PM Post #7 |
oldYank
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I put just the leaves (throw out the stems) in the food dehydrator, but you CAN air-dry them, though in Tassie it's not as dry as here, so use the oven. You don't want to cook them, about 90F is ideal, so under 50C if your oven has a setting that low(?), or you have an oven thermometer. Or heat the oven to the lowest setting for a few minutes (so you can still keep your hand in there), and shut it OFF, and stick them in on a cookie sheet. Repeat till crumbly-dry, taking them out while reheating the oven, so they don't get cooked. You need a bit of heat to evaporate the moisture, or they can get mouldy in a jar, and that's not good.  |
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"I could’ve turned a different corner, I could’ve gone another place... " ku,'09 | |
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| crapola | Feb 25 2009, 10:11:05 PM Post #8 |
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True Blue Mate
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if you eat lamb, you can make a mint sauce. put the leaves in a bowl and pour over boiling water. not sure, but i think my dad chops or tears the leaves up. i cant stand mint in any shape, form or flavour, so i never had it. |
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| shylady | Feb 26 2009, 09:03:00 PM Post #9 |
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oldYank
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wow, crapola, you hate mint, you hate "cherry," what ARE your special flavours?  
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"I could’ve turned a different corner, I could’ve gone another place... " ku,'09 | |
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| crapola | Feb 26 2009, 09:38:50 PM Post #10 |
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True Blue Mate
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just to add to my hate list, i detest and loath coriander/cilantro and olives. other than those few things, i'll eat anything. i love love love chocolate though, lol!! |
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| bdmerriam | Feb 27 2009, 03:34:29 AM Post #11 |
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True Blue Mate
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You can dry mint (and other herbs) in the microwave, also. Just wash the mint, pat it dry, remove the stems and then place the leaves on a paper towel. Place in the microwave and cover with another paper towel. Microwave for 2 minutes. If the mint isn't dry, microwave for another 30-60 seconds. Depending on how powerful your microwave is, it might take a longer or shorter time to dry the mint. Just keep a close eye on the time the first time you try this. After the mint has cooled, put it in a jar and store in a cool, dark place. BTW, microwaving herbs makes your house smell great! Enjoy! |
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Bethann Life's an adventure . . . live it! | |
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| shylady | Feb 27 2009, 10:50:46 AM Post #12 |
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oldYank
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I tried the microwave a few times, and thought it made the herbs taste "cooked" rather than fresh/raw, and then tried it on defrost setting, and that was a little better. I also started the paper towels on fire, left a few stems on and they made sparks and it all went *poof* 
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"I could’ve turned a different corner, I could’ve gone another place... " ku,'09 | |
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| bdmerriam | Feb 27 2009, 12:40:00 PM Post #13 |
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True Blue Mate
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LOL! I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh, but I've set things on fire in the microwave, too (not the mint, mind you!). We have a burned mark on the linoleum in the center of our kitchen that is courtesy of a "Bethann flaming something in the microwave" incident...  I should have been more detailed in my earlier message. You do need to watch the power and the time when you microwave the herbs. I don't microwave them until they're crumbly and dry, but until they are soft and mostly dry. As they cool they finish drying out. |
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Bethann Life's an adventure . . . live it! | |
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| KimInMellie | Feb 27 2009, 02:27:57 PM Post #14 |
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Just yesterday, I had an amazing two scoops of pineapple/mint ice cream, which made me think about this: take some fresh pineapple and put it in the blender with several sprigs of mint. Blend it up with a bit of water or pineapple juice and place it in some popsicle (icy pole!) trays ... so refreshing! |
 Go that way really, really fast. If something gets in your way, turn. -- Charles De Mar | |
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| shylady | Feb 27 2009, 03:20:14 PM Post #15 |
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oldYank
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Missy's mention of Mojitos reminded me of drinking Mint Juleps at the Kentucky Derby, where they serve 120,000 of them:
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"I could’ve turned a different corner, I could’ve gone another place... " ku,'09 | |
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| Squashy | Mar 1 2009, 07:16:26 PM Post #16 |
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True Blue Mate
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Thanks everyone, it all sounds great. I'm making rice paper rolls right now with fresh mint
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| Jennifer | |
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| chocopaws | Mar 1 2009, 08:11:47 PM Post #17 |
True Blue Mate
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A bit off-topic, but I have noticed a growing trend in people mentioning that they absolutely detest cilantro. I've always found cilantro to be such a non-offensive little herb. 
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| NurseJules | Mar 2 2009, 11:06:05 AM Post #18 |
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Haha I'll continue the off-topic-ness and say that when I was younger and eating out at a lot of Mexican Food places with my family, my mom ALWAYS asked if dishes had cilantro and would request to hold the cilantro. Me being the young impressionable diner I was, I just assumed cilantro was bad for you or tasted really terrible. Until I was probably 18 or 19 I ALWAYS requested my dishes without cilantro. Finally one day eating out with friends in college, I commented about how great this herb on the dish I was eating was. My friends were all like, "Yea Julie, that's cilantro, the crazy herb you've always refused to try!" Now I love it after never trying it! haha Ok back to talking about mint
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| bdmerriam | Mar 4 2009, 05:09:30 AM Post #19 |
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True Blue Mate
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When I was a kid cilantro tasted kind of "soapy" to me, so I didn't like it. But, living in California, cilantro is used in a lot of dishes because of the Mexican and Asian influence in so much of the cooking here (which I LOVE!), so over time my palate adjusted to the cilantro and I like it now. Okay, have we totally shifted the topic from mint to other herbs, now?!
Edited by bdmerriam, Mar 4 2009, 05:10:43 AM.
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Bethann Life's an adventure . . . live it! | |
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| Angie | Mar 5 2009, 03:51:00 AM Post #20 |
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I too grow my own mint and it does grow quite out of control in the right conditions. I use mine mainly for mint juleps, for added colour on top of daquiris, in icecream, and as a garnish on a dinner plate. I always eat a leaf after I'm done eating to freshen my breath. My motto: The faster it grows the more I have to drink!!! |
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