I tried to find the best ones w/ pictures as I could. . .
Strawberries in Lemon-Lavender Syrup
1 pound fresh strawberries
6 tablespoons water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons dried lavender flowers
Whipped cream (optional)
Rinse and drain strawberries. Hull and cut into halves or quarters into a large bowl and set aside.
In small saucepan over low heat, combine water, lemon juice, sugar and lavender and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and lavender is infused. Remove from heat and strain syrup, discarding the blossoms.
Pour strained syrup over strawberries and toss gently to mix. Serve berries and syrup right away in pretty glass bowls or stemmed glasses. Garnish with whipped cream, if desired.
Note: You can prepare the syrup in advance and let it cool. Toss with berries just before serving.
Makes 4 servings.
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Cucumber Mint Tea Sandwich
1/2 seedless cucumber, peeled and very thinly sliced (about 32 slices)
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, rinsed, spun dry, and chopped fine
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup cream cheese, room temperature
16 slices best-quality white bread
Salt to taste
Place cucumber slices between layers of paper towels to remove excess moisture.
In a small bowl, combine mint, butter, and cream cheese; spread on one side of each slice of bread. Lay cucumber slices onto the buttered side of 8 slices of bread. Sprinkle with salt. Top with the remaining slices of bread, buttered side down.
Carefully cut the crusts from each sandwich with a sharp knife. Cut the sandwiches in half diagonally and then cut in half again.
Yields 8 whole sandwiches or 16 halves or 32 fourths.
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Cherry Bon Bon Cookies
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons cherry flavoring (optional)
48 fresh sweet cherries, pitted*
1 (6-ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
* If you cannot get any fresh cherries, well-drained maraschino cherries may be substituted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl, combine flour and cocoa; set aside.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, and baking powder until blended. Add egg, vanilla extract, and cherry flavoring; beat until well combined. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place 1/2-inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Press down center of each ball with thumb to create a small hollow; fill each center with a cherry.
In small pan over low heat, combine chocolate chips and condensed milk; heat until chocolate is melted. Spoon about 1 teaspoon chocolate mixture over each cherry, spreading to cover cherry.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until done. Remove to wire racks and cool.
Yields 48 cookies.