Lavender Sugar

Finely chop 2 tablespoons dreied lavender flowers in a food processor. Add 1 cup of sugar and blend. Store your sugar in an airtight container.

At your next garden party place in a pretty glass bowl for use in tea.

Lavender Syrup
Pour this wonder lavender syrup over fresh melon to create a light dessert for those backyard gatherings and picnics.

1/2 c sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sweet dessert wine
2 T orange juice
1/4 c dried lavender flowers

Bring water, sugar, wine and orange juice to a bowl. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir the sugar while simmering to dissolve. Remove from heat. Add the lavender flowers and cover, allowing the mixer to steep for 1 hour. Strain flowers. Pour over melon.

Lavender Cookies

3 1/2 T dried lavender
1 cup butter or margarine
3 eggs, beaten
2 t. baking powder
1 t. vailla
2 cups sugar
1/2 c. Milk
3 1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. soda

In a food processor, grind the lavender and sugar into a powder. Cream the butter. Add the powdered sugar and lavender to the butter. Add 3 beaten eggs and vanilla. Sift soda and baking powder into one cup of flour. Add the sugar mixture. Alternate remaining flour and milk to make a soft dough. Roll out and cut with pretty cookie cutters. (Watering cans, flowers, etc.)

Herbed Steamed Chicken Breast
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 small bay leaf
1 cup white wine or chicken broth
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1TBS olive oil
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
2 tsp. minced garlic, or to taste
paprika

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Sprinkle each chicken breast with paprika. Lightly brown the breasts on both sides. Add the white wine, garlic and bay leaf. Sprinkle the chicken with the dried herbs. Cover the skillet tightly and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle. Turn the chicken breasts over once during the cooking time. Remove the cover during the last 5 minutes of cooking to allow the pan juices to thicken. Pour the juices over chicken and serve immediately.

copyright 2001 by Sandi Shores www.freshcutherbs.com

Herb Butters

If you are new at cooking with herbs, a great way to become more familiar with the flavor of a specific herb is to make herb butter. Use a tablespoon of snipped fresh herbs, such as basil, chives, chervil, garlic chives, lemon balm, parsley, savory, tarragon and thyme. Combine one cup of sweet, unsalted butter which has been softened at room temperature with your choice of herbs, or you can experiment by combining herbs.

Your herb butter can be spread on crackers, bread, pasta, corn on the cob, or other cooked vegetables.

For a party or pretty presentation, serve the chilled butter in a pretty bowl. Decorate the butter with snips of the herb(s) used in the butter.

*Better Homes and Gardens Herbs: ideas and instructions for creating beautiful herb gardens.

Strawberry Cheesecake
This easy classic strawberry cheesecake recipe is so remarkably simple to make, and foolproof too! You can't go wrong when you make this "berry" delicious dessert!

Crust
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 ounces butter or margarine, melted

Filling
1 cup granulated sugar
3 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 8-ounce carton of sour cream

Combine graham cracker crumbs with 2 tablespoons of sugar and the melted butter or margarine. Press into the bottom of a springform pan.
Set aside.
Cream the softened cream cheese with the sugar and vanilla extract.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add the sour cream, which should be at room temperature.
Pour into graham cracker crust.
Bake for half an hour at 350 degrees F.
Turn off the oven, leaving the cheesecake inside for another half hour.
Chill and refrigerate for at least 4-8 hours.
Top with your favorite fruit topping, garnish with fresh strawberries or graham cracker crumbs.

A special thanks to Susie at www.easy-strawberry-recipes.com for allowing me to use this recipe. Check out her website for more great strawberry recipes!