I have always been interested in herbs. I remember when my high school English class in Vermont visited a woman with a huge herb garden next to her old farmhouse. She showed us all the beautiful plants, told us how to use them, and let us pick sprigs so we could appreciate their delicious and unique aromas. I was fascinated by the different textures, sizes and shapes of the leaves, and the potential of the knowledge for my cooking. My ambition was to have a kitchen herb garden some day. And I have tried, I really have. I have planted herbs. I have brought home tiny pots of fresh herbs as well as larger collections. The trouble is, I don’t water them. I get distracted, or go out of town and they die. No lovely kitchen herb garden for me.
When a recipe calls for ingredients like fresh basil or cilantro, I think about how nice it would be to have that little garden just outside my kitchen. Sometimes I just skip over recipes because it’s too much trouble to drive the 10 miles to the grocery store from our home for one or two ingredients. I’m not good at planning ahead either. When it’s time to cook, I look for what’s in the pantry, in the freezer or on the kitchen counter. (We usually have plenty of avocados!)
Gourmet Garden Herbs and Spices come fresh from your fridge!
This week my dream of having a kitchen herb garden came true! At last I have fresh garlic, cilantro, basil, lemon grass, cilantro, Italian herbs, oregano, parsley, dill…and even fresh ginger and chili pepper! I received the most beautiful selection of fresh herbs and spices from Gourmet Garden after meeting them at Camp Blogaway. It’s like having a palette of colors to brighten up our meals! The fresh herbs for Gourmet Garden products are organically grown, harvested, washed, chopped, blended and packed fresh into tubes that can be kept for three months in the refrigerator or six months in the freezer.
Now I can have all of the fresh herbs I want, exactly when I need them! Thank you so much to Gourmet Garden for sending me this generous gift to try. They arrived in a cute little cooler, nestled in with ice packs to keep them fresh. I’m so glad that I’ll be able to replace them all … they’re sold in the refrigerated section at the grocery store! (Yes, they’re also Gluten Free!) I even signed up for their Herb eCooking School on the Gourmet Garden website to receive recipes and tips on how to use them to enhance everyday meals.
I love the sweet smell of mango!
I happen to have a few mangoes left from the box that was sent to us by the National Mango Board after Camp Blogaway last week. Our family has discovered a whole new perspective on life now that we’ve tasted those fresh mangoes. It’s hard to want to cook with them, as the fruit is so deliciously sweet and juicy that we gobble each one up as soon as it’s ripe. Today I decided to make Mango Chicken on top of the stove. I have to admit that I ate about a third of the mango instead of adding it all to the marinade. Sigh.
Easy Stovetop Mango Chicken
Ingredients
- To make the Marinade/Simmer Sauce:
- 1 fresh mango sliced or chopped
- 1/2 small brown onion chopped
- 1 tsp. Gourmet Garden fresh ginger
- 1/2 tsp. Gourmet Garden fresh cilantro
- 1/2 tsp. Groumet Garden fresh garlic
- 2 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
- about 1/2 cup of water use it to get the last of the mango-y goodness from the Vitamix or blender
- Frozen or fresh skinless and boneless chicken breasts or thighs
Instructions
- Puree the above ingredients and pour it over frozen or fresh chicken.
- Cook on medium heat, covered, until the chicken is tender.
- Serve over rice or quinoa.
Notes
Since my husband is a farmer, he comes in for lunch every day. He was happy to find Mango Chicken on quinoa with avocados and broccolini all ready to eat. Now that we’re eating healthier, it’s a pleasure and a treat to include mangoes in our meals and to have fresh herbs and spices at our fingertips for our everyday needs.
Mango Chicken Thighs on Quinoa with Avocado and Broccolini
