Catherine Love~ Ramblings from my Heart and Home

Herb of the Week: Sage

Trying to get back on track here at my little "Home Sweet Blog" .  Several weeks ago I started doing an "Herb of the Week"; but got busy and let it slide.  Here's to a new beginning .  I frequently find myself needing to "begin again" with things.  I'm so glad that each new day is a new beginning, and His mercies are new every  morning! 

So......here we go: 

Sage

Salvia

There are reported to be 800+ species of the herb, Salvia or commonly known- Sage.  From the common Garden Sage that is a must for Cornbread Dressing here in the south, to the beautiful and fragrant Pineapple Sage, variety abounds when it comes to this genus.  

With Thanksgiving coming, I thought we would focus on Garden Sage, or common sage.

Salvia officinalis is a perennial herb that prefers a dry climate.  It doesn't do very well in the typical hot and humid summers of my central Texas home; so we grow it as an annual.  

The word sage  comes from the Latin salvere- "to be well" or "to be saved", and was valued as a medicinal herb in days past. 

Sage is singularly good for the head and the brain; it quickeneth the senses and memory, strengtheneth the sinews, restoreth health to those that hath the palsy, and takes away shaky trembling of the members.

                                                             --John Gerard 

Thanksgiving dinner just wouldn't be the same with out lots of rubbed sage.  Here in Texas, we make Cornbread Dressing, and my husband likes it with lots of sage and black pepper!  Here's my version:

1 pan cornbread (without sugar please), crumbled

6-8 slices toast, crumbled

1 onion, chopped

2 stalks celery sliced thin

2 eggs

broth from turkey, plus additional canned broth and/or water

dried rubbed sage (a lot)

freshly ground black pepper

parsley to taste (optional)

salt to taste

Mix together cornbread, bread crumbs, onion, celery, eggs and enough broth to make it really soupy.  Stir in sage, pepper, salt and parsley to taste.  For us that means almost an entire spice bottle of sage, lots of pepper and several tablespoons of dried parsley.  Place this in a large baking pan and bake at 350 until cooked thru and beginning to brown around the edges.  Serve with homemade cranberry sauce, and hot rolls.  Turkey is optional .  Oh, and sweet potatoes, green beans, pumpkin pie, chocolate pie and Crystal's pumpkin cake!  Yum!

Herb of the week & recipe

11:35 AM, Friday, November 3, 2006 .. Posted by Anonymous

thank you , I will check back later on your blogs
I'm farly new in Homestead Bloggers, got a blog but havn't blog sence I joined, my pc is messed up so I have to go over and use my sister pc, but I can read and post others blogs : ) , I will enjoy your herb of the week. I grow herbs. I'm going to try your cornbread recipe this Thanksgiving. We sure have a lot to be thankful for don't we . tc linda, i'm adding you to my friends list, ths again

Oops forgot to log in

11:37 AM, Friday, November 3, 2006 .. Posted by Linda

I just sent first post tc linda

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6:47 AM, Wednesday, November 8, 2006 .. Posted by GrandmaRosie

Good old sage. What would Thanksgiving turkey be with out it! Just another bird. But pile my plate high with cornbread dressing w/sage and I am happy. My sage is ready to be harvested, guess I better get off my duff and get it done this week.