Updated

There are two things I love about Carrabba’s: their manicotti and the herb mix they serve with their bread. I found a recipe that come very close to this herb mix on Recipezaar.com. I’ve made a few changes since finding it. For one thing, this is so good you’re going to want extra. I quadrupled the recipe, yielding about a cup of the mix when finished. It freezes very well in an air tight container and will keep for months.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup basil, packed
1/4 cup Italian parsley, packed
2 teaspoons rosemary, packed
4 cloves garlic slightly crushed
4 teaspoons dried thyme
4 teaspoons dried oregano
4 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground sea salt
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons olive oil
½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Combine the fresh herbs and garlic in a food processor. Pulse a few times to coarsely chop the ingredients. Add the dried herbs, salt and peppers. Pulse several more times until you have a coarse, uniform mixture. Stir in olive oil and lemon juice.

To serve, place half a teaspoon (or more if you like it strong) on a small plate and pour on some olive oil. Serve with warm, crusty bread.

Makes 1 cup.