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Suzi's LAVENDER SHORTBREAD

Ingredients:
8 Tbls. cool unsalted butter cut into pieces
1/4 c. plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup cornstarch
1-2 T Fresh or dried Lavender flowers (finely chopped)

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar. Combine remaining to make a soft dough, then shape into a ball. Roll out on floured board and shape about 1/4" thick and score into rectangles (1 inch X 4 inches). Bake on greased cookie sheet lined with parchment paper at 350 degrees for 15-20 min. until shortbread is browned. Cool and sprinkle with a little extra sugar. Makes about 30.


LAVENDER LEMONADE

Yield: 5 servings

5 cups water, divided
2 tablespoons dried lavender (2 tea bags where 1 bag = 1 Tbls. dried lavender flowers)
1 cup granulated sugar or equivalent sugar substitute
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 4-6 lemons)
1 dash salt, optional

Bring 2 1/2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add lavender (2 TBLS. loose or 2 tea bags) Let steep for 15 minutes. Remove lavender. Add 1 cup sugar or equivalent sugar substitute. Stir until sugar dissolves.

Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups of water and lemon juice. Taste; if desired, add salt, more lemon juice or more water. Chill; serve over ice.

Per cup: 148 calories, no fat; no cholesterol; no protein; 37g carbohydrate; 34g sugar; no fiber; 7 mg sodium; 7 mg calcium; 51 mg potassium.

Use 2 tea bags/2 cups of boiling water. Let steep for 15 minutes. Remove tea bags. Add 5 tablespoons sugar or sugar substitute. Add 1/6 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice.

BIG Surprise!! The lavender flowers make a green colored tea. When you add the lemon juice, it turns pink!! Very cool.

Amazing cool, adult drink: Pour 1/2 cup lavender lemonade over shaved ice, add one shot Raspberry flavored vodka. Voila!


LAVENDER-ALMOND BISCOTTI

  • 1 cup slivered almonds
  • 1 T dried lavender flowers
  • 2 squares white almond bark (chopped roughly)
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lay the almonds on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake for 5 minutes or until the nuts are lightly toasted. Remove from the oven.

 In an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy. With the mixer running, gradually add the eggs, sugar, and vanilla; mix until creamed. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dough until smooth. Mix in the almonds,  white almond bark and lavender flowers until evenly distributed.

 Put the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut in half. Roll each half into a log, each 12 inches long by 1-inch high. Slice each log on a diagonal into 12 1-inch thick pieces. Place the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 35 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly brown.  If needed to brown both side, turn the cookies over and bake the other side for another 5 minutes. Store cookies in an airtight container. 




JASMINE RICE PILAF WITH LAVENDER AND MUSHROOMS

"Add the subtle scent of lavender to aromatic jasmine rice and you get a new side dish fit for company- and easy enough for quick weeknight meals. Take your choice of mushrooms. Cremini and Shiitake are especially good. I like to prepare the pilaf in a rice cooker. If you don't have one, use a covered 2-quart casserole dish and bake the rice at 350 F for 20 to 25 minutes."

Ingredients
1 tbls. dried Lavender flowers
2 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
2 tbls. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 lb. mixed mushrooms, (I prefer Cremini and Shiitake) diced
1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
1/2 cup finely diced shallot
1/2 cup finely diced green onions
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

Combine the lavender, mustard seeds, and fennel seeds in the spice grinder. Pulse until finely ground.
Warm oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute` for 7 minutes, or until golden and the liquid released my the mushrooms evaporates. Add the rice, shallot, green onions, salt, pepper, and lavender mixture.
Transfer to the rice cooker and add the chicken broth. Cook for 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.