There are many, many recipes for lavender; you will find the ones I have tried here. They include lavender tea, lemonade, steak, chicken, squash and ice cream. You will also learn how to make a Lavender Eye Pillow.

Lavender is felt to induce calmness, as well as reduce headaches. Little lavender pillows or eye pillows make wonderful gifts. Use Lavender sprigs among other flower arrangement to give the room a wonderful smell.

Dry as you would other herbs, but remember that dried Lavender is about 3 times more potent that fresh lavender.

Lavender Lemonade

(Source: Happy Valley Lavender and Herb Farm)

For that extra touch, garnish lemonade with fresh lavender sprigs. Makes 6 cups.

Ingredients
1 Cup sugar
1/4 Cup (a generous handful) fresh or 1 tablespoon dried lavender blooms stripped from stems
1 Cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained
Ice cubes
Lavender sprigs for garnish

Directions
1. Combine sugar with 2 1/2 cups water in a medium pan. Bring to a medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

2. Add the lavender blooms to the sugar water, cover and remove from heat. Let stand at least 20 minutes (up to several hours).

3. Strain mixture and discard lavender. Pour infusion into a glass pitcher with lemon juice and another 2 1/2 cups of water. Stir well and watch lemon change colour.

4. Pour into tall glasses, half-filled with ice or refrigerate until ready to use.

Lavender Tea

(Source: www.kitchenniche.ca).

This caffeine-free Lavender Tea makes a wonderful tasting infusion with a decidedly floral flavor. Herbalists claim that Lavender Tea can be used to treat migraines, ease digestive spasms and soothe the nervous system.

Lavender is also used as a local anesthetic that can be made into a compress to treat local swellings or sprains. You can also use this Lavender Tea in baths for aromatic relaxation, a practice from ancient Rome.

To prepare the Lavender Tea as an infusion, use 1 teaspoon per cup of tea. Put the Lavender into your teapot and add boiling water. Let the Tea steep for 2-3 minutes.

Lavender Steak

(Source: Lavender Hills of Kentucky).

Ingredients
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh pepper
1 teaspoon ground fennel
2 - 4 rib eye steaks (8 ounces each)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 or 2 Tables spoon butter
1 or 2 Tablespoon A-1 steak sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried lavender ( Crush using a mortar and pestle or finely chop several springs of fresh lavender, along with a sprig of thyme and/or Rosemary if available).

Directions
Mix salt, pepper and fennel and rub on both sides of steaks. Place on grill and use an iron skillet. Heat oil in skilled until very hot. Cook to preferred "doneness", approximately 5 to 7 minutes per side for medium; less if rare. Remove from heat. Combine remaining ingredients and sprinkle on top of each steak. Cover and let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

Roasted Chicken with Herbs

(Source: Melba Rabinowitz)

Rinse and prepare fresh of thawed chicken for roasting. Turn on oven at 350 degrees. Rub with Olive Oil and a little kosher salt. A mixture of any herbs works well.

Try - fresh leaves of lavender, rosemary and thyme. Rub thoroughly over chicken. Toss remaining herb mixture into a bowl. Add cooked rice or bread crumbs. I use brown rice. Add pine nuts, raisin, etc, apples, whatever you like for stuffing mix. Fill cavity. Place extra stuffing around chicken or bake separately. It helps but is not necessary to secure stuffing in the cavity by by tying legs together, the old fashion way!. Bake for l hr. Go for a walk or weed the flower beds. Wonderful Grand !!

Baked Potato with Goat Cheese and Lavender

(Source: Lavender Hills of Kentucky).

Bake potatoes as usual. Baste 1 red pepper, quartered, with marinate. Grill or Broil. Then, combine with 1/4 cup goat cheese and Lavender. Heap on potatoes as serving.

Summer Squash Sauteed with Fresh Herb

(Source: Lavender Hills of Kentucky).

Ingredients
1 lb summer squash, any kind
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced or finely clipped garlic scapes.
2 Tablespoons fresh mixed herbs, ground with a mortar and pestle or finely clipped with scissors (e.g. thyme, lavender, fennel, rosemary)
Salt and pepper

Clean and thinly slice squash. Heat olive oil in saute pan. Add garlic and cook until softened. Add squash and cook, turning frequently, until almost done. Add herbs, salt and pepper. Cook another minute.

Lavender Eye Pillow

(Source: Ladies Blend Website).

Materials Needed: 3.5 x 8.5 inch pieces of fabric Matching Thread 1/4 cup - Dried Organic Lavender 1/2 cup - Organic Flax Seed Instructions: With right sides of fabric together, facing each other, stitch 3 sides together leaving one of the smaller ends open. Turn right side out. Add Lavender and Flax Seed. Fold fabric ends in for a clean finish & stitch open end together.

Tips:
A sewing machine is recommended, but these are so small that they could easily be hand sewn also. You may adjust the fabric size for a smaller or larger Eye Pillow. You may also adjust the Lavender and Flax Seed Ratio.

Be careful not to overfill, you want these pillows to have a very light pressure while resting over your eyes.

These pillows are very nice to have when you want to take a break and rest your eyes a bit. Lavender is very well known for it's calming & stress reducing properties. If you prefer something cool over you eyes you may place the pillow in the refrigerator a bit before using. These Pillows make a great gift when you want to give your girl friends, teachers, anyone really, a little something that is very much appreciated! Relax, Unwind and enjoy...