i really like this! im gonna try it with other stuff...prolly wont work with my favorite herb though, lemon balm...might interfere with taste, smell... I bet it works with my 2nd favorite, rosemary!

I use small half-cup containers to freeze different herb mixtures, one for spaghetti, one for chicken, etc. We like these much better in the winter than the mixes available at the store. There are a few things that I don't add until cooking time, like garlic which gets much too strong when frozen. I just chop the herbs, pack them in the containers and cover with water, freeze, then dump them in the sauce at cooking time. Works great!

@andrewofthelemon...

I actually have lemon balm growing at my place from the previous owners with NO IDEA how to use it. Since it is your favorite...any suggestions?

To preserve the taste even better, freeze in water rather than oil. Works better in things like soup, where you might not want an oily taste or appearance.

Kissingfrogs - using lemon balm:

Honey and Lemon Balm Biscuits
1 cup butter
1 cup honey
3 eggs
3 cups self-raising flour
1 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
4 springs lemon balm, chopped

Cream the butter with the honey, add eggs, beat well. Add remaining ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake 8-10 minutes at 190�C.

Lemon Balm and Mushroom Salad
2 apples, chopped and sprinkled with lemon juice
100g mushrooms, sliced
4 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
lettuce, dandelion leaves, sorrel, purslane or other greens
grated cheese
chopped capsicum
2 tablespoons chopped lemon balm leaves

Combine apples, mushrooms, celery and onion. Make a bed with the greens, cheese and capsicum, place the mushroom mixture on top, sprinkle with lemon balm leaves.

Lemon Balm Berry Tart
1 2/3 cups plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 teaspoons iced water
1 cup icing sugar
4 cups mixed strawberries and raspberries
1 cup unsalted butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon finely chopped lemon balm leaves

Preheat oven to 190�C. In a food processor, combine the flour, salt, baking powder and butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the water and process until the mixture forms a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out the dough and press into a 22cm tart pan. Prick the base evenly with a fork. Bake blind until edges begin to brown, about 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 160C. Arrange the berries in the tart shell. Whisk together the icing sugar and butter until well blended. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add the vanilla and lemon balm. Pour the mixture over the berries and bake for 25-30 minutes until set. Cool before serving.

Lemon Balm Butter for Seafood and Vegetables
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons lemon balm, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped

Combine the butter lemon balm and chives. Using a piece of waxed paper to help mould, shape into a log. Cover and refrigerate overnight to blend the flavours. May be frozen. Use on seafood or vegetables.

Lemon Balm Cheesecake
Pastry:
125g plain flour
pinch salt
60g margarine

Preheat oven to 200�C. Sift the flour and salt, rub in margarine until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add enough water to make a soft dough. Roll out to fit a 18cm flan dish. Bake blind for 15 minutes.

Filling:
60g margarine
2 tablespoons honey
360g cream cheese
2 eggs, beaten
6 tablespoons finely chopped lemon balm

Cream margarine, honey and cream cheese together, beat in eggs, fold in lemon balm. Reduce oven temperature to 180�C. Pour filling into prepared pastry case, bake for 45 minutes until filling is golden and set. Serve with whipped cream or yoghurt.

Lemon Balm Salad Dressing
1/4 cup oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped lemon balm

Put all ingredients through a blender, refrigerate.

Lemon Balm Spread
Combine 1/4 cup finely chopped lemon balm leaves, 1 teaspoon lemon rind and 250g cream cheese. Use on crackers or to stuff celery sticks.

Add Lemon Balm to stewed fruit of all kinds, and use instead of lemon when making squash or rhubarb jam.

Add a few lemon balm leaves to summer drinks, or to fruit salads.

Use Lemon Balm in stuffings for lamb or pork. Cover a chicken with the leaves before roasting.

Culinary Uses: Use fresh leaves in salads and as a garnish for fish and other dishes. When candied, the leaves make attractive cake decorations. Chopped leaves can be added to egg, fish and chicken dishes and sprinkled over fresh vegetables. Goes well with corn, broccoli, asparagus, lamb, shellfish, ground black pepper, olives and beans. Add the leaves to cooked dishes in the last few minutes. They can also be added to summer drinks and fruit salads, soups, sauces and ice cream, and make a good substitute for lemon peel in recipes. An ingredient of Benedictine and Chartreuse. The flower tips and young leaves are floated in wine or fruit cups as a flavouring and garnish. Substitute for lemon rind in jam making and add to marmalades. Makes a delicious tea, alone or added to ordinary tea.

Medicinal Uses: It helps relieve anxiety attacks, palpitations with nausea, mild insomnia and phobias and when used as a sedative it is good for children. It combines well with peppermint to stimulate circulation and can also be used for colds and flu and is most effective in the early stages of a cold. The tea is used to treat headaches and tiredness, mild depression, eczema, laryngitis, colic and dizziness and is reputed to enhance the memory. It calms a nervous stomach, controls high blood pressure, relieves menstrual cramps, promotes menstruation and treats insomnia. Useful for liver, spleen, kidney, bladder and bowel troubles. Helps if suffering from tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Fresh juice is used to treat goitre and Grave�s Disease. It is especially suitable for children and makes a good substitute for chamomile. A crushed fresh leaf applied to insect bites eases discomfort. As a poultice, it treats sores and tumours. In ointment, it is good for cold sores.

Other Uses: Attracts bees to the garden. Potpourri. An infusion of leaves makes a refreshing skin toner and can be used in rinse water for clothes. A stronger infusion makes a good rinse for oily hair. Use as a facial steam for dry skin and to treat acne. Use in furniture polishes. The leaves rubbed onto wooden furniture make a fine furniture polish. Rub on a fresh leaf to soothe insect bites. Use in sleep pillows and add to soaps. Used to bathe discharging eyes in puppies. Used to bring down retained afterbirth in farm animals. Also used for farm animals for eye ailments, nervous and brain disorders, heart abnormalities, uterine disorders, to increase milk yield and to prevent miscarriage.

Warning: Avoid medicinal doses when pregnant or if suffering from night sweats. People with either Grave's disease or other thyroid-related illness should not use this herb except under medical supervision. Prolonged contact with balm plants or leaves may cause contact dermatitis (itching, sting, burning, reddened or blistered skin) or it may sensitise you to other allergens.