Two Dozen Ways to Use Backyard Patch Items to Jazz Up your Summer!

Cooking & Grilling

1. Grilled Herb-Rubbed Meats & Veggies – Use herb blends as dry rubs or mix with olive oil for marinades.
2. Chilled Herb-Infused Pasta Salad – Add herb blends to vinaigrettes for fresh pasta salads.
3. Herbal Butter for Corn on the Cob – Mix herb Spread blends into softened butter for a summery upgrade.
4. Herb-Seasoned Kabobs – Sprinkle onto skewered meats, veggies, or tofu before grilling.
5. Zesty Herb Guacamole & Salsa – Stir herb blends into guacamole or fresh tomato salsa.
6. Refreshing Summer Salads – Toss leafy greens with edible flowers and herb dressing.
7. Savory Herb Popcorn for Outdoor Movie Nights – Toss popcorn with herbed butter and parmesan. 
8. DIY Herbal BBQ Sauce – Mix Backyard Patch herb blends to create homemade BBQ sauce.
9. Herbed Flatbread or Pizza – Sprinkle blends onto homemade flatbread or pizza with seasonal toppings.
10. Watermelon & Herb Feta Salad – Combine diced watermelon, feta, mint, and a light herb dressing.

Summer Drinks & Mocktails

11. Iced Herbal Tea Blends – Brew herbal tea and chill for a refreshing summer drink.
12. Herbal Lemonade or Limeade – Infuse lemonade with Lemon Lavender Splash tea or Holy Basil Relaxing Tea.
13. Mocktail Spritzers – Use Faux Gin with sparkling water and citrus for a refreshing non-alcoholic cocktail.
14. Herbal Simple Syrups – Infuse syrups with herb tea flavors from the Backyard Patch to use in mocktails and cocktails.
15. Cold Brew Hibiscus Tea Sangria – Make a chilled, fruity herbal tea sangria for gatherings. We shared the recipe, which uses our Tangy Hibiscus Tea on an earlier post.
16. Frozen Berry & Herb Tea Slushy - Cool, fruity, and herbaceous — the ultimate summer refresher! Brew 2 cups of herbal tea (we recoment Summer Burst, but any fun flavored herb tea will work), then chill completely. In a blender, combine chilled tea, 1 1/2 cups frozen berries, a splash of lemon juice, and sweetener (if using). Add ice if you want it extra thick and frosty. Blend until smooth and slushy. Pour into glasses and garnish with a sprig of mint or lemon balm.
17. Backyard Patch Berry Tea Freezie A frozen slushie-style drink using our most popular Backyard Patch tea – Holy Basil Relaxing Tea and frozen berries.

Outdoor Fun & Entertaining

19. Herbed Butter Boards – Serve a variety of herb-infused butters with bread for picnics and BBQs.
20. Charcuterie with Herbal Accents – Add herbed nuts, spreads, and pickled veggies to summer boards.
21. Edible Flower Garnishes – Use dried or fresh edible flowers on desserts and drinks.
22. DIY Herbal Cocktail Station – Let guests mix their own herbal cocktails and mocktails.
23. Grilled Herb Cheese Sandwiches – Make gourmet grilled cheese with herbed butter and fresh summer cheese.
24. DIY Herb-Infused Olive Oil Tasting Station -- Create a simple and elegant activity where guests sample different herb-infused olive oils with bread, veggies, or cheeses.  Choose 3–4 Backyard Patch herb blends – like Italian Seasoning, Greek Blend, Garlic & Herb, or Tuscan Blend. Infuse ¼ cup of olive oil with 1 tsp of each blend (let sit at least an hour, overnight is best). Serve in small bowls or jars with bread chunks, sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, or fresh mozzarella. Provide little cards to describe the herbs and flavor notes. Add a simple scorecard for guests to vote on their favorite.