When it's fresh I use it in tabouleh and other summer salads featuring tomatoes and lemon juice and scallions. I put it in my version of "chopped salad" and some other salad dressings. You can put it in tsatsiki and the dressing that is a mix of yogurt, tahini and lemon juice that goes over falafel. Good in pilaf with cous cous. Is OK in some tomato based sauces. I use it for "agrodolce" type dishes, which is a sweet and sour sauce made with sugar, wine vinegar, garlic, onion and mint. You can do cauliflower agrodolce, but I mostly use it for butternut and acorn squash.

I dry a lot of it. Don't much care for it sweet. It is a classic herbal tea, but I don't like it unfortunately.

Make a super strong tea from it and freeze it for future use. Freeze the leaves chopped up and a bit of water added for mid winter mojitos or minted simple syrup.

Alexa

Use it to keep the moths away...LOL!
Don't much care for mint but in a julep....or toothpaste.

Here's a link to the Giada DeLaurentis recipe for Israeli cous cous summerish salad that I like. Calls for 1/2 cup mint.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mediterranean salad

I actually printed out that Mediterranean Salad recipe, but I am not sure I could get Tim to eat couscous. I don't care for taboulleh, so that's out.

Maybe freezing some of it is the answer. A mojito in January sounds kind of nice!

I was also thinking maybe a mint sorbet?

Linda

I don't like regular cous cous much either, but the Israeli cous cous has a very different texture, kind of like acini de pepe pasta, which in fact you could substitute for it, or even use orzo for the pilaf.

I used to make meadow tea, an Amish recipe. It was half mint tea and half lemonade, served cold. Yummy!

Try mint pesto... substitute mint for basil and pistachios for pine nuts. It works especially well alongside fish, but you can even mix it with cream cheese and call it a cracker spread.

Mint is crazy invasive. Personally, I'd pick as much of it as you could now so you have a reasonable amount next year. A friend of mine let her mint and raspberries duke it out... and the mint kicked butt!

It certainly can be invasive. So I cut the bottom out of a large plastic nursery pot, sunk it into the ground with an inch of pot above the surface and planted the spearmint in that. It has kept it well under control for three seasons, now.

Good idea, lpink, maybe I'll try that salad after all!

Mint pesto, huh? That sounds like a contender, too! Plus mint & lemonade....what's not to love there?
LOL

Linda

I found a recipe for pears canned in a mint syrup in my Ball canning book if you want it. I love mint lemonade.

Linda, I think Round Up might take care of it for you, but I'm not sure...

Annie

No Annie, I am not trying to get rid of it. Just looking for ways to use it!

It is beautiful this year. And my planting method mentioned above has kept it in check so it hasn't taken over.

Linda

LOL, Linda, I was kidding. I don't care for fresh mint, so I'd go with the Round Up. (grin)

In fact the only mint I like at all is in sweet stuff, like Peppermint patties and creme de menthe ice cream type stuff. I was sure I'd like mint juleps but nope, I don't!

I do drink peppermint tea when I have an upset stomach, but you wouldn't use much up that way.

Annie

LOL Annie, I've been avoiding this thread because my first reaction was.... compost.. heh. I am so weird about mint. I'll eat those peppermint patties with you and I like the spearmint jelly leaf things and mint chip ice cream, but can't stand mint gum, toothpaste, tea, or jelly. Mint julep... shudder. It's so funny how people react to mint. I'd be drying a bunch of it and making sachets to give as presents.

Linda you've gotten some good ideas and I think freezing some ground up for winter drinks would be great... for you.. lol..

it's gonna crawl right out the bottom of that pot and continue to take over the world. Dig, Dig, Dig every year.

I'm having the same problem with Shasta Daisies. Started with a mothers day pot 15 or so years ago. After about 5 years I had to pull it al out and re plant just a few... now I divide drastically every three years. I've populated this part of the state filled two landfills and everyone runs when they see me coming in late summer.

kay

oh ... should add the daises are beautiful... the mint taste good -- all things in moderation.

Tea does seem like a good way to use up a whole bunch. If you don't have freezer space, you might just hang the plant upside down and then crumple the leaves into a bin. Or you could pour alcohol over them and make mint extract for baking.