I have mint growing in my front yard. What are some good uses for it?

Answer 1

mint julep

The Perfect Mint Julep Recipe courtesy Bill Samuels
Show: Cooking Live
Episode: All American Foods: Kentucky Derby





4 cups bourbon
2 bunches fresh spearmint
1 cup distilled water
1 cup granulated sugar
Powdered sugar

To prepare mint extract, remove about 40 small mint leaves. Wash and place in a small bowl. Cover with 3 ounces bourbon. Allow the leaves to soak for 15 minutes. Then gather the leaves in paper toweling. Thoroughly wring the mint over the bowl of whisky. Dip the bundle again and repeat the process several times.
To prepare simple syrup, mix 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 cup of distilled water in a small saucepan. Heat to dissolve sugar. Stir constantly so the sugar does not burn. Set aside to cool.
To prepare mint julep mixture, pour 3 1/2 cups of bourbon into a large glass bowl or glass pitcher. Add 1 cup of the simple syrup to the bourbon.
Now begin adding the mint extract 1 tablespoon at a time to the julep mixture. Each batch of mint extract is different, so you must taste and smell after each tablespoon is added. You are looking for a soft mint aroma and taste-generally about 3 tablespoons. When you think it's right, pour the whole mixture back into the empty liter bottle and refrigerate it for at least 24 hours to "marry" the flavors.
To serve the julep, fill each glass (preferably a silver mint julep cup) 1/2 full with shaved ice. Insert a spring of mint and then pack in more ice to about 1-inch over the top of the cup. Then, insert a straw that has been cut to 1-inch above the top of the cup so the nose is forced close to the mint when sipping the julep.
When frost forms on the cup, pour the refrigerated julep mixture over the ice and add a sprinkle of powdered sugar to the top of the ice. Serve immediately

Answer 2

Boy this is hard but fun work and worth the effort. If you do not have a tiller then you are going to need a pointed shovel, a hoe, a rake. Before you dig know where your power lines, telephone, and cable lines are or if you dig and hit those lines that can be a fine and repairmen coming out. Not fun. If all is clear you are going to have to turn the soil over and when you get tired of that you can take the hoe and break up dirt clods. Turn it all over before you put any nutrients in there. What does your soil need? You can guess and add things you do not need. Get a soil sample. You can get kits at the hardware store and they are easy to use. That test kit will tell you what is lacking in your soil. Soil LOVES loom and by that I mean plants like organic matter like peat moss ( do NOT use LOTS of it. It can weigh the soil down so watch it.) There are wonderful granular fertilizers like 17-17-17 that are just perfect for any plant. If you do all this really hard work and just throw anything in that soil you may be sorry later. Get that test kit. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither will your garden. You mentioned roaches. Roaches LOVE mulch, pinestraw especially. Try Cedar Mulches...the colored ones are ok but a little pricier than just ordinary Cedar. You can take a garden hose and use it as a guide to circumfrence what this is going to look like, width wise. Find out what kind of plants do well in full sun and which ones do not...go to a GOOD garden center. I hope this helps alittle. Have a ball and wish I was there to help you. :)

Answer 3

I always keep a jug of iced water with a few mint leaves in it in the fridge. It makes the water tase lovely and encourages me to drink more.

Answer 4

Put it in a pitcher of iced tea, or flavor your regular hot tea.

Dry the leaves and use them to season canned or frozen peas.

Mix a little bit of the dried leaves in the filling for manicotti, stuffed shells, or the cheese layer of your favorite lasagna recipe.

Answer 5

you can make a refreshing mint chutney in a blender and eat with any fried food or snacks
1small onion
1tomato
mint leaves
1small green hot pepper
1teaspoon white vinegar
salt to taste

Answer 6

tea, homemade mint choc chip ice cream, garnish, mince some up and add it to chopped fresh fruit (really brings out the flavor)

Answer 7

The obvious one will be tea, but we use it in a lot of things that we cook similar to the way we use Oregano.
It comes especially good with Zucchini

Answer 8

There good to chew on as kids we get them eat them your mouth taste like mint. try it you will like it.Your lucky you have them in your yard. share them with your friends they like put some in there food when cooking

Answer 9

Don't forget to add it to your summer smoothies.
Just a few leaves with strawberries, blueberries or watermelon, and whatever you add to make your blender to make it delightful. I even add some vodka sometimes.

Answer 10

Stuff it in your loved ones mangina till it fit no more.