H: Herb Store Favorites

H: HERB STORE FAVORITES

For three years I owned a small herb and garden store in southern California. I loved every single day of it. I loved going to work. I enjoyed planning classes and handouts. I got to order dried herbs, buy live herbs and live and breathe herbs seven days of the week. It was heaven.

In the store, we had several bread baking contests and other food contests. We also had contests at the three annual herb festivals in town. And, for open houses and other celebrations, we had food and refreshments in the store for customers to nibble on throughout the day.

In the process, I ended up with a lot of delicious recipes, compiled in Herb Store Favorites. Here’s one of my favorites, for Minted Apple Bread.

MINTED APPLE BREAD

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup brown sugar
1 TB baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 TB minced spearmint
1 egg
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup canola oil

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°.
Grease two 8” x 4” loaf pans and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
In a small bowl, stir together the spearmint, egg, applesauce and oil. Add to the dry ingredients.
Stir until well blended.
Pour batter into loaf pans and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.