Lavender Cookies

½ cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers, finely chopped
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and lavender, and mix well. Combine the flour and baking powder and add the lavender mixture, stirring until well blended. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned on the edges. Cool on baking sheet for a minute or two, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling.

Mint Cookies

1 cup butter 2 Tablespoons crushed, dried mint leaves
½ cup sugar 2 cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt sugar
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the salt, extract, mint leaves, and flour. Mix thoroughly. Chill the dough for 1 hour or until it is firm enough to handle. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Form the dough into 1 inch balls and roll them in sugar. Press each ball with your thumb. Place them on ungreased baking sheets and bake 12 minutes. Cool on racks. These are great with tea!

Herbed Coleslaw

Shred ½ head of cabbage and 1 or 2 carrots in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat together
1 ½ to 2 cups of mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, minced
1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh basil, minced
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon dill, minced
½ teaspoon yellow mustard
½ teaspoon garlic, minced
Sugar to taste
Dash of pepper

Add beaten ingredients to shredded veggies and mix thoroughly.

Iced Lavender-Mint Tea Punch

6 teaspoons dried mint
1 liter bottle ginger ale
2 cups water, boiling
1 cup purple grape juice
1 tablespoon dried lavender blossoms

Brew the mint in the water in a teapot for 10 minutes. Add the lavender blossoms to the pot. Allow tea to cool. Strain the tea, and add the ginger ale, grape juice. Serve with ice.

If fresh herbs are available, use twice as many as dried. A special touch – freeze a fresh mint leaf in each ice cube.

Roasted Asparagus with Lemon-Chive Butter

1 ½ pounds asparagus spears
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced

Trim asparagus to take off any woody ends. Place asparagus in a large zip lock plastic bag. Add oil and garlic. Seal bag and roll bag on counter to distribute oil mixture. Line a shallow baking pan with foil. Remove asparagus from bag and place in prepared pan. Drizzle oil mixture over spears. Bake, uncovered, in a 425 degree oven for 8-10 minutes until asparagus is crisp-tender. Don’t overcook. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with Lemon-Chive Butter. Makes 6-8 servings.

Lemon-Chive Butter

Mix ½ cup softened butter with finely snipped chives, 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel, 1 clove minced garlic and 1/8 teaspoon salt until well combined. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. This butter is also great on bread, fish or chicken.

Basil Garlic Butter

This butter can be made a pound at a time and frozen to use all winter long.

1 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
Handful of fresh basil, clean and dry
2 to 3 cloves garlic
3 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Place the butter in a mixing bowl or food processor. Put the garlic through a press into the butter. Add the cheese and whip with the electric mixer or process until the mixture is smooth and evenly blended.

Chop basil leaves fine and mix in, or add basil leaves and pulse until chopped to the desired consistency. Pack butter into 4 crocks. Allow flavors to blend at least 4 hours before serving.