FRENCH LAVENDER POUND CAKE and BLUE CHEESE AND ONION DIP WITH LAVENDER and LEMON LAVENDER BARS and LAVENDER AND HONEY SHORTBREAD

A friend organized an evening out with a group of fabulous ladies, for a Holiday Boutique show. I was amused at the entry fee and the available bar, but shopping is definitely more fun with friends and a glass of chardonnay.
I discovered a booth that sold spices, and was immediately entranced. Following a fascinating conversation with the owners, about food and offering suggestions of local restaurants they should try, I purchased lavender and vanilla sugar, fabulous smoked paprika, and curry powder.
I was very excited to try the latest additions to my cooking arsenal, and baked loaves of French Lavender Pound Cake - one to keep and one to share with a friend.
I have also shared the Blue Cheese and Onion Dip with Lavender, Lemon Lavender Bars and the Lavender Shortbread, food is also definitely more fun with friends and a glass of chardonnay.

FRENCH LAVENDER POUND CAKE

1/2 cup lavender sugar
1 teaspoon lavender buds
4 eggs
1 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup sour cream
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
3 to 4 teaspoons of lemon juice

Heat oven to 325F.
Process the lavender sugar and lavender buds in a food processor (it will be like powdered sugar). Let the eggs, 1 cup of butter and sour cream stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Grease and flour 2 loaf tins, set aside.
In a medium bowl, stir flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat the lavender sugar mixture, sugar, 1 cup of butter and vanilla with mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping sides frequently.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed 20 to 30 seconds after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and sour cream to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition until just combined. Stir in lemon peel. Spread in pans. Bake 45 minutes.
Cool completely.
Mix powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon butter and lemon juice.
Spoon over cake.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Spice Market
www.spicemarkettogo.com/‎

BLUE CHEESE AND ONION DIP WITH LAVENDER

2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of butter
2 leeks, chopped
1 onion, chopped
pinch of sugar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
black pepper
1 tablespoon lavender, chopped fine

Heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet, cook the leeks and onion for about 10 minutes, over medium-low heat. Add the sugar and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until browned, about 15 more minutes. Remove from the heat and cool.
In a bowl, blend together the mayonnaise and sour cream. Add blue cheese, lots of black pepper and lavender. Gently combine then stir in the onion mixture.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Fresh Approach to Cooking
freshcatering.blogspot.com/2005/.../blue-cheese-and-onion-dip-with.htm...‎

LEMON LAVENDER BARS

1 cup flour
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, cold and cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon dried lavender
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, plus one egg yolk
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon

Heat oven to 350F.
Line an 8 inch square baking pan with parchment, leaving a 2 inch overhang.
In a food processor, pulse 3/4 cup flour, confectioners' sugar, cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon salt to combine. Add butter and lavender, and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Transfer the dough mixture to the prepared pan, press down to form the crust.
Bake dough until set and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Reduce the oven temperature to 325F.
In a bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat sugar, eggs, and yolk until pale yellow. Beat in lemon juice and zest, and remaining flour and salt, until well combined. Pour filling over the still warm crust and bake until filling is set, about 20 minutes. Remove pan from oven and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least an hour. (I seem to remember the lemon bars were still a bit gooey after cooking, so they may benefit from a longer oven time).
To serve, use the parchment overhang to lift the dessert from the pan. Dust the top with confectioners' sugar and cut into squares.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Country Living, October 2013
www.countryliving.com/recipefinder/‎

LAVENDER AND HONEY SHORTBREAD

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1 1/3 cups confectioner's sugar, divided
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon dried lavender
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
2 tablespoons cream

Heat oven to 300F.
Mix flour, 1/3 cup of the confectioner's sugar and cornstarch in food processor. Add butter and pulse until coarse crumbs form. Add honey, lavender and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Cover and pulse until the dough pulls away from the bowl.
Place dough in a greased tart pan (I made half of the recipe and used two 4 1/2 inch tart pans). Press the top to form a smooth, even layer. Pierce the dough with a fork (I forgot to do this).
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes (I baked my smaller ones for 20 minutes). Place the pan on a wire rack to cool.
Mix the remaining confectioner's sugar, vanilla and cream in a small bowl, until well blended and smooth. Drizzle over the cooled shortbread.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Mc Cormick Gourmet Collection
www.mccormick.com/gourmet‎

CRACKER SPOONS WITH CREAMY PIMIENTO CHEESE and LAVENDER GIN GOAT CHEESE COOKIES and CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT BARS

A dear lady and lovely friend hosted a gathering at her home, a farewell party for a colleague of her husbands. I offered to make and deliver some tasty tidbits to help her out a little with the refreshments. 


CRACKER SPOONS WITH CREAMY PIMIENTO CHEESE

1 1/2 package of refrigerated piecrusts
1 egg white, beaten
3/4 teaspoon salt
creamy pimiento cheese (recipe to follow)

Heat oven to 400F.
Unroll pie crusts, brush with egg white and sprinkle with salt.
Cut dough into rounds, or spoon shapes. Place cutouts onto baking sheets.
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until lightly browned and crisp.
Remove from baking sheets to a wire rack, and cool completely (about 20 minutes).
Spoon creamy pimiento cheese into a zip-top plastic freezer bag, snip one corner of the bag to make a small hole. Pipe pimiento cheese onto end of each spoon.

CREAMY PIMIENTO CHEESE
Beat 10 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 (4 ounce) jar of diced pimiento, drained, 1 teaspoon grated onion, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/4 taspoon ground red pepper, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce at medium speed with a heavy duty electric stand mixer 1 minute or until creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, April 2012
www.southernliving.com/food/‎




LAVENDER GIN GOAT CHEESE COOKIES

3 sticks of butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon gin
3 1/2 cups flour
3 teaspoons dried lavender
generous pinch of salt
2 to 3 egg yolks, beaten
6 ounces of goat cheese

Mix the butter, sugar and gin together until thoroughly blended. Mix in the flour, lavender and salt until it gets doughy. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/2 inch thick. Freeze for 10 minutes.
Roll the dough into about 24 little balls and dunk them in the beaten egg yolks. Put the balls on a silicone baking mat on a baking sheet and smash them with your thumb to make craters. Put some goat cheese in each crater. Bake until lightly golden on the edges, about 10 minutes.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food Network
www.foodnetwork.com › Recipes › Baking‎


CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT BARS

CRUST
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts, toasted
CARAMEL AND CHOCOLATE
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels

Heat the oven to 350F.
Grease a 13 by 9 inch baking pan.
To prepare the crust, combine flour and sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Process about 10 seconds to combine thoroughly. Add butter and process until mixture is crumbly, about 30 seconds. Trtansfer mixture to prepared pan and press firmly. Scatter nuts evenly over crust and press them in firmly.
To prepare the caramel layer, melt the butter in a heavy medium sized saucepan over low heat. Add the brown sugar and stir well until thoroughly combined and smooth. Increase heat to medium high and cook, stirring constantly, until entire surface of caramel is bubbly. Immediately pour hot caramel over nuts and spread evenly. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until caramel is bubbly.
Remove pan from oven. Wait 1 minute, sprinkle chocolate morsels evenly over caramel. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes for chocolate to melt. Spread chocolate evenly. Cool completely, then refrigerate 30 minutes to set. Cut into bars with a sharp knife.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Relish Magazine
relish.com/recipes/‎

LAVENDER AND LEMON COOKIES

Although it already feels like a million years ago, it was Teacher Appreciation just this past week. I was eager to show the wonderful staff at our school a little of the gratitude and thanks I feel they deserve. So filled with warmth and affection, I baked up this treat.
In the same week, I was invited to dinner with an incredible group of ladies, with the most welcoming, lovely, gracious hostess you could imagine.
She prepared the entire gorgeous dinner herself, and because I don't like to turn up empty handed, I
I made these light, flavorful cookies a second time, once again while filled with warmth and affection.
I loved the combination of the two types of flours, and the sweetness of the honey and sugar with the tartness of the lemon, and I am also in love with the fabulous labels from Shindig Paperie (shindigpaperie.com/‎).

LAVENDER AND LEMON COOKIES

3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup almond flour
2 tablespoons arrowroot
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon dried lavender
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick of unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces, chilled
1 lemon, zested
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Heat oven to 350F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a food processor, pulse together flour, almond flour, arrowroot, sugar, lavender, salt and baking soda.
Add the butter and lemon zest. Pulse until the mixture forms a soft dough. Form the dough into 1-inch balls and press into discs, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick (I used a glass and dipped the bottom in sugar so it didn't stick to the cookie dough).
Arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until light brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely, about 15 minutes.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/lavender-and-lemon-cookies-recipe/index.html