Lavender Sachets
Lavender. Thought we would never get to Lavender. Truly one of the finest, most delightful aroma’s to have in one’s life. And here today I have some fabulous recipes for your July Essence. One of the must have’s for my office / studio is a bottle of Bath and Body Works “Sleep Pillow Mist” of Lavender Chamomile. Why my office and not my bedroom? Because I find it so calming. And I am like my Springer Spaniels, a bit wound up when it comes to my work. Never enough hours in a day to get done all of the things I want to accomplish. So I take my bottle and spray it
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and say tomorrow is yet another day for creating if I find myself past midnight surrounded with unfinished projects. It happens! More often than I care to admit. But moving right along………..
Back in 2007 I was asked by a Point Reyes Lavender Farmer to help her sew up some sachets. She was wanting to get her lavender into the Sundance Catalog and asked me if I could whip up some sachets for her. My home was never the same. That is how and why I started making these. Since then, I never run out (on purpose) and make sure I share this time honored fragrance with all my friends and customers.
July is a PERFECT month for one of my all time favorite drinks. Lavender Lemonade. What is more refreshing? Not much. And I have plenty of Lavender recipes for you this month. Check them out!
Honey Lavender Shortbread Cookies
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My Macedonia Kitchen blog- makes about 30 cookies –
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon dried or fresh lavender
6 ounces unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 coarse sugar
Combine flour, salt, baking powder, in a medium bowl.
Cream the butter, honey, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the lemon. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add lavender.
Divide the dough in half, use two large pieces of wax paper to roll each half of the dough into a long log. Chill dough in the refrigerator and until firm, about 1 to 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Unroll wax paper and sprinkle coarse sugar over each log–make sure to cover all of the dough (sometimes I recover with the wax paper to press the sugar into the sides of the dough.) Slice the log of dough into 1/2-inch slices. Place cookies about an inch and a half apart, and bake until light golden brown (about 6-9 min).
Lavender Syrup from Dulcis in Furno Blog
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Lavender syrup has an unmistakable aroma and gives a good flavor to the simple ingredients i.e. the sugar or dishes or sweets. The syrup is very easy to make but I suggest you to do it because its aroma will diffuse into the room, wow! Recipe from Il Pranzo di Babette
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups water
2 1/4 cups sugar
0,7 oz fresh lavender flowers (or 0,53 oz dried)
Method
Put the water and the sugar in a saucepan with a thick bottom. Cook for 30 minutes about. Add the lavender flowers and cook for other 15 minutes, Turn off the flame and let rest for 10 minutes. Filter the syrup and transfer it to glass jars. Keep for 6 months. Don’t worry if sugar crystallizes.
Honey Lavender Ice Cream from Kitchen Fervor Blog
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1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup dried lavender
4 egg yolks
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
Bring the milk, cream, honey, and lavender to a gentle boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and let steep for 10-15 minutes. Strain and let cool a bit.
In a separate medium bowl, beat the egg yolks, then gradually add some of the warm milk mixture, whisking as you pour. Pour the warmed eggs back into the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain again into a bowl.
Set the bowl over a large bowl of ice water. Stir the custard until cool, then cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled (3 hours or overnight).
Freeze in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Lavender Citrus Cordial (makes 4-5 pints) From Inn Brooklyn
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Ingredients:
6 cup sugar
Zest of 6 citrus, in large pieces of peel
4 cups fresh citrus juice
2 cup water
2 cups lavender
Method: In a large pot bring sugar, zest, juice, and water to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Add the Lavender and let the syrup infuse for at least 15 minutes.
Strain syrup through a fine sieve, squeezing out as much syrup as possible from the herb leaves before discarding them.
Boiling water process for 10 minutes.
Serve with vodka and a splash of soda water, or just soda water if you prefer!
Lavender Honey Biscotti with a Lemon Glaze by The Ginger Cook blog
Adapted from bake.mix.stir
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Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sugar
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons honey (I used a raspberry infused honey)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon dried lavender blossoms
Juice of one large lemon
Approx. ¾ cup powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, whisk sugar and eggs until it achieves a light lemon color. Mix in honey, vanilla, zest and lavender. Sift dry ingredients over the wet mixture and mix just until dough is combined.
The dough will probably be a little sticky. Cut the dough in half and move one piece of dough to a
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parchment lined baking sheet. Using lightly floured or wet hands, stretch dough into a rough 13×2″ log. Repeat with remaining dough (you want them to be about 3″ apart on the baking sheet.) Pat down each dough a bit to flatten and to smooth the top. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until firm and golden brown – turning pan once halfway through.
Cool the loaves for 5-10 minutes – until you can handle them. Lower the oven temperature to 325.
Using a serrated knife, cut each loaf diagonally into 1/4 to 1/2″ slices. Lay slices back on the baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake 15 minutes, until dry, turning over after 7 minutes. Transfer biscotti to wire rack and cool completely.
In a bowl with lemon juice, add in powdered sugar one tablespoon at a time until glaze at at the consistency you want. Drizzle on cooled biscotti and sit until dry to the touch.
Lavender Hot Chocolate from å la mode journals
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Since lavender is quite fragrant, adjust amount according to preference. For a creamier hot chocolate, a 1 to 1 ratio of dark to milk chocolate can be used. Makes 2 servings.
2 cups whole milk
3 ounces dark chocolate (70% cacao)
1 ounce milk chocolate
1/4 teaspoon lavender buds
whipped cream:
1/2 cup cold heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract or seeds from 1/4 of a whole vanilla bean pod
1/2 tablespoon granulated white sugar
For whipped cream, place cold cream, vanilla, and sugar into a cold mixing bowl. Beat the mixture with a whisk or mixer until stiff peaks form. keep refrigerated until ready for use.
For hot chocolate, heat milk and lavender over medium heat, whisking occasionally until the milk begins to simmer. Remove from heat and let lavender steep for 5 minutes. Strain lavender and return milk to saucepan. Over medium heat, add chocolate and mix until chocolate is melted and incorporated. Whisk milk mixture for 10-20 seconds until frothy. Pour into mugs or bowls and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
Lemon-Lavender Pound Cake from Desserts for Breakfast
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makes 2 loaves
1/3 cup milk
6 large eggs
1 1/2 Tbspn fresh lemon juice
1 Tbspn vanilla
3 cups AP flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tspn baking powder
1/2 tspn salt
2 Tbspn freshly grated lemon zest
1 2/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup dried lavender flowers
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour the sides and bottoms of two loaf pans. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, combine milk, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla. Whisk until combined.
3. In the bowl of a mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and freshly grated lemon zest. Mix to combine.
4. Add the softened butter to the flour mixture. Cream for 2-3 minutes until fluffy.
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5. Gradually add the milk mixture in 2-3 parts, mixing thoroughly for about 30 seconds to 1 minute before each addition.
6. Mix in lavender flowers until evenly distributed through the batter. Be careful not to over mix.
7. Divide the batter into the two prepared loaf pans.
8. Bake in oven for ~30-35 minutes. When the tops are about to crack, score the tops in one line with a sharp, oiled knife to create an even crack. Then, place an oiled piece of foil on top of the cakes, oil side down. Continue to bake for 25-30 minutes (for a total baking time of ~55-60 minutes).
9. When a toothpick removed from the center of the cake comes out clean, the cakes are done. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes on a rack before turning the cakes out. Let cool completely.
for glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
juice of 1 lemon
zest of 1 lemon
sliced almonds, optional
1. Mix together the powdered sugar and the lemon juice.
2. Add in the lemon zest. Mix until combined.
3. Pour the glaze over the pound cakes.
4. Immediately top with a sprinkling of sliced almonds, if using. Let dry.
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Pork Tenderloin and Lavender/ Rosemary
from Cook Like a Chef: Techniques, Tips and Secrets from the Professional Kitchen to Yours
Serves 8-10 (based on 1 pound of pork serving 4)
2½ pound pork tenderloin
2 sprigs fresh lavender, finely chopped
½ cup fresh rosemary, finely chopped
½ cup white wine
2 teaspoons yellow onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons roasted or fresh garlic, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Touch of honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
To Prepare and Eat Now:
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Preheat oven to 375°F.
In a large bowl, mix the lavender, rosemary, onions, garlic and bay leaf.
In a small saucepan, reduce the white wine by half and add it to the lavender mixture.
Put all the ingredients back into the pan and reduce it to the consistency of molasses.
Dry the pork tenderloin with paper towel. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Coat the pork tenderloin with the lavender mixture.
Put the tenderloin in a roasting pan and roast in the oven for 25 minutes, or until still slightly pink in the middle about 155°F-160°F.
AND Finally…….a few household tips.
Foot Odor Remedy Recipe
4 drops Lavender
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2 drops Peppermint
6 drops Rosemary
1 drop Tea Tree
Add the above oils to a warm basin of water. Soak your feet for 10 minutes!
SNEAKER FRESHENER
5 drops Lavender
5 drops Tea Tree
1 Tablespoon baking powder or cornstarch
Add the drops of Lavender and Tea Tree to the baking powder (cornstarch). Stir gently to spread the scent of the oils through the powder. Store in a container with a shake top. Give the insides of your shoes a coating of the powder overnight. Empty the shoes before wearing.
Enjoy!!!
