I love my basil from the garden!! I use it all the time. I always say when I am in a nursing home, I will have a basil plant on my nightstand. Love the way it smells, love the way it tastes! Oregano is my second most often used herb. The nice thing about oregano is that it is a perennial. So, plant it once - and you will have it forever. I started a tea garden with herbs, and I a few others here and there, but the two I use most everyday are basil and oregano.
I don't have much growing in the way of herbs.......working on that too! but I do have a nice rosemary bush and on my second year of growing basil. But my favorite is garlic. Not sure if it would count as a herb, but that is my favorite. Also have some cayenne pepper growing, it gives a nice kick to things.
I use lots of thyme, parsley, cilantro (which sure don't last long) and of course basil. I also grow shallots green onions and chives in the kitchen garden and have garlic this year that I have not got to try out yet. I want to put in oregano and marjoram yet
Since you said cooking herbs, I won't mention eating parsley in the garden .
Rosemary with beef roasts (or thyme)
basil with spaghetti and noodle soup
dill or lemon basil with baked salmon
chives for the 1st of the growing season scrambled eggs
cilantro with just about everything
lemon verbena and anise hyssop for herb tea
Steve who wonders if he doesn't care much for his oregano because it is planted in too much shade
I have one big rosemary plant. I try to always grow cilantro (cool season growing here). chives are great, but when they go to seed they seed EVERYWHERE & they're very deep rooted & hard to eradicate. I have peppermint. it is in a very confined space so it cannot escape and take over my world. I have thyme & sage. I don't have, but wish I had oregano. I LOVE dill. I only use it when I grill salmon, but I love the smell & I love the giant swallowtail butterflies that lay their eggs in it. I also have parsley. these are my list. I do love going out and snipping what I need when i'm cooking.