thyme

Since I am hosting my half birthday happy hour at a bar that does not serve food, I plan on making some snacks for my friends to enjoy. However, before I thought about the menu, I spoke to the owner of Rye and asked if I could bring in the food. After receiving his permission, I decided to keep things simple and elegant. I won't have access to an oven so the appetizers will be cold or at room temperature. An assortment of half sandwiches — brie and pesto, ham and gouda, shrimp salad — will be served on mini brioche buns.

Other savory bites include roast beef grissini and gruyere thyme crackers. For the recipes to these scrumptious hors d'oeurves, read more

A couple weeks ago FabSugar and I went to the opening of Carrots, a spacious and sophisticated boutique in San Francisco. Actual carrots were a prominent ingredient in most of the hors d'oeuvres, including a memorable carrot soup served in shot glasses. Since that night I've wanted to make carrot soup. However, I couldn't find a recipe that simply highlighted the pure flavor of carrots. When I came across Nancita's warm winter dinner, I knew the search was over. This soup is pure elegance in a bowl with a creamy texture and lovely taste. To see how I made it, read more

Ok here's the deal: You are at home and hungry for food. You have to cook up something scrumptious for you and your boyfriend/ girlfriend/ spouse/ child/ friend, but the ingredients you have on hand are limited.

You have cheddar cheese, fresh thyme, and all-purpose flour. Using these ingredients, along with whatever staples you currently have in your cupboard and refrigerator, what would you make? Tell me in the comments section below!

To see what I would make, read more

If you're like me, you probably have a tendency to turn your meat into kabobs. However, sometimes a primal craving strikes and all you want is a nice, big, juicy steak. So why not keep your meat intact and skewer only the veggies? This grilled beef sirloin is slathered in a fragrant mustard-thyme glaze and the farmer's market inspired skewers will keep you from feeling guilty. Pair it with some garlic bread and you'll be set. Oh and did I mention that it's simple enough you could make it for dinner tonight, tomorrow or any other day of the week? To get the recipe, read more

You guys did a great job finding recipes including thyme. It was a tough call and I almost went for a refreshing Vodka-Thyme Lemonade, but in the end my favorite recipe came from reader celebrity_soup. I think the cold weather got to me, that and my love for tomatoes, because when I read her recipe for Roasted Tomatoes I knew it was all over. Thanks to everyone who submitted a recipe for thyme.


In honor of this week's Top Chef episode, this week's secret ingredient is chocolate! So go crazy, I want to see chocolate desserts, chocolate entrees, chocolate drinks and more! Post your chocolate recipe to the Secret Ingredient group and I'll put my favorite one here. You've got until Thursday, so get started!

Don't forget to submit your favorite recipe featuring thyme! Recipes are due to the Secret Ingredient group by Thursday. I'll pick my favorite one and share it with everyone on Friday. So happy cooking and let us know what you come up with!

Thanks to everyone who submitted their raisin recipes to the Secret Ingredient group! There were so many tasty recipes, including a drink, but the one that made me drool the most was a Crossiant Bread Pudding with Pecan-Toffee Sauce submitted by reader luvbriere (who also took the gorgeous photos on the right).

The next secret ingredient is thyme. FitSugar recently wrote about how thyme is an amazing herb and so I thought it would make a good Secret Ingredient candidate. So dig up your best recipes featuring thyme and post them into the Secret Ingredient group. You've got until this coming Thursday, so get started!

Did you know there are many ways to treat common cold symptoms just hanging out in your spice rack. Thyme is ready to tackle your cough.

Thyme, an amazing herb, has been used for centuries as a cough remedy, digestive aid and treatment for intestinal parasites. The active ingredient in this common herb is thymol which can be found in Listerine mouthwash because of its well-known antibacterial and antifungal properties, and Vicks VapoRub.

Suzanne Zick, a naturopathic physician, recommends drinking tea made from steeping thyme as a treatment for coughs since ingesting or inhaling thymol helps to loosen phlegm and relax the muscles in the respiratory tract. In fact in Germany, concoctions made with thyme are often prescribed for coughs, including those resulting from whooping cough, bronchitis and emphysema.

To make a tea, use two teaspoons of dried herb per cup of boiling water and steep for ten minutes. Add sage to the tea if you have a nagging cough. The Food and Drug Administration includes thyme on its list of herbs generally regarded as safe, but large doses may cause intestinal problems.