Lavender Peach Iced Tea

Makes about 6 servings

3 tea bags of black tea (decaf or neutral herbal blend)
5 or 6 sprigs of fresh lavender
2 tablespoons honey (or to taste)
4 cups boiling water
3 cups chilled peach nectar

Place tea bags, lavender, and honey in a one-quart glass jar and pour on boiling water. Steep for 5 to 10 minutes and stir. Strain into a pitcher and chill until cold. Stir in the peach nectar and serve over ice in tall glasses.

Homemade Soda Pop

Of course we all know that soda pop is one of the worst things for our health. Thus said, I would like to share a recipe for you for homemade soda. The recipe includes real ingredients from natural sources, so maybe without the additives and high fructose cornsyrup it might be a bit better for you. I'm not sure where I first got this recipe. It's one that I scribbled on a piece of notebook paper and saved because it was such an unusual recipe. Here it is:


Homemade Soda


2 cups organic cane sugar (Florida Crystals)
1/4 cup water


Melt the sugar and water in a warm saucepan until it carmalizes. Stir constantly during this process. The temperature should rise to about 280 degrees F. and the sugar should turn to a dark amber.


Remove from heat. Slowly add:


2 cups of water


Place mixture back on the heat. Add the:
juice of one lemon (may use other fruit juices as desired)


Then add the:
scrapings of one vanilla bean


Bring mixture to a boil, then allow mixture to steep for one hour. Do not strain. Fill syrup into jars and cork. This makes the flavored syrup for soda. When ready to prepare soda:


Fill a glass with ice. Place 1/4 cup of the syrup you have made into the glass of ice. Add plain seltzer water and give a quick stir.


Add a straw and enjoy!

Santa Claus Wassail

1 can grape juice concentrate
3 grape juice cans of water
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup brown sugar (optional)
3 sticks cinnamon
1 Tbsp. whole allspice
1 Tbsp. whole cloves

Combine first four ingredients in a large saucepan. Place spices in a tea infuser or tied in a cheesecloth. Simmer the juice with the spices for 20 minutes. Remove spices and serve hot in a pretty mug or clear glass teacups. Enjoy this festive and healthy beverage!

An Autumn Pumpkin Smoothie

This is a favorite family recipe! For an 'on the go' breakfast, I serve these to my family in plastic, disposable cups with a straw. What a delicious way to get Vitamin A! This smoothie was garnished with pineapple mint and spearmint.

1 cup vanilla flavored soymilk or other milk alternative
1 medium banana, frozen and broken into pieces*
1/3 cup solid pack pumpkin
a dash of cinnamon
1/2 tsp. stevia (or to taste)

Place all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until very smooth. Delicious! 

Serves 2.

*if you don't have a frozen banana ready to to, use a fresh banana instead and add about 3/4 cup of ice cubes to the ingredient list.

Over the Moon Smoothie

Over the Moon Smoothie

1/2 cup silken tofu, drained
1 ripened pear
1 ripe avocado
1/4 cup pear juice (or soy milk)
2 Tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups ice

In a blender, combine silken tofu, pear, avocado, and liquid. Add honey and vanilla. Add ice and blend until very smooth.

Serve in tall glasses with a straw. Garnish with a mint leaf and enjoy.

Pumpkin Smoothie

Pumpkin Smoothie

This is a favorite family recipe! For an 'on the go' breakfast, I serve these to my family in plastic, disposable cups with a straw when they need it 'on the go'. What a delicious way to get Vitamin A! This smoothie was garnished with pineapple mint and spearmint.

1 cup soymilk

1 medium banana, frozen and broken into pieces

1/4 cup solid pack pumpkin

a dash or two of cinnamon

a dash of nutmeg

1/2 tsp. stevia (or to taste)

Place all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until very smooth. Delicious! Serves two.

***We enjoy this recipe year around. There's supposed to be a shortage of pumpkin this year because of flood conditions where pumpkins are grown. So --- to be prepared, we bought a case of pumpkin! It was even on sale for the holiday.

Cool as a Cucumber

We are having a real heat streak in the west. Record breaking temperatures are making life somewhat miserable at times. Afternoon breaks in the shade (or naps), cool and refreshing beverages, and air conditioning if available are all ways to cope. The weeds in the garden grow, but it's way too hot to work outside for very long! Let them grow! Fortunately the vegetables thrive in the heat too, sometimes growing larger than we really wish they would. Oversized cucumbers are wonderful when used to combat the heat. Simply slice them and put them in a gallon jar. Fill with pure water and allow to sit in the fridge for twenty-four hours. Then, pour some over a glass of ice. So good! Add mint, rosemary, ginger or sweet basil if you'd like. Be creative and have fun!

Here's Jill's recipe for staying as cool as a cucumber! She says:

My fav is cucumbers, a bit of parsley, a dash of salt and pepper, plain yogurt and lots of ice blended together. Heat survival special!

Making Jelly Punch

Tea time beverages don't have to be 'only tea'. There are many other delicious drinks that can be served in a teacup. Children, especially, will enjoy something sweet and cool in their teacup. In the summertime, chilled drinks are welcome and perfectly acceptable served with a cup and saucer. What better than jelly punch to make a tea party perfect!

There is no limit to combinations and types of drinks that can be made with something as simple as melted jellies! In my pantry there's jelly in many flavors --- lavender, yellow violets, grape, and more. Each can be made into a easy Jelly Punch, a delicious teatime treat! Here's the simple recipe:

Jelly Punch

2 cups boiling water

1 jelly jar of jelly

1/2 cup sugar (or the sweet herb, stevia to taste)

3 Tbsp. lemon juice

Place the jelly in a pitcher or jar. Pour boiling water over the jelly and let it sit until the jelly is dissolved. Stirring will help to speed the process. Once the jelly is completely dissolved, add the sugar and lemon juice. Cover and place in the fridge to chill. Just before serving, dilute with ice and additional water to taste. Each flavor of jelly will require a varying amount of water, to taste. Grated lemon rind can be added for zest.

If lemon juice is not available, other acidic juices can be used instead. Try orange juice, rhubarb juice, or a small amount of apple cider vinegar. Lemon juice, though, enhances the distinctive flavors of the fruits that it is put with.

It's jelly-tea-time!

Photo: at Paula's place on Elm Street.

After Gardening Soak

It's July --- which means the weeds are growing in the garden --- and need pulled so we can continue to enjoy the beautiful flowers and veggies we planted last spring. It also means it's quite hot outside. Aches and pains are intensified with all the sweat and labor. Here's a simple recipe for the bath to help sooth your muscles and help you relax. Enjoy a warm soak while sipping on a glass of iced Strawberry & Lavender Lemonade.

After Gardening Soak

1/4 cup lavender, dried
1/4 cup rosemary, dried
1/4 cup eucalyptus, dried

Pour 4 cups of boiling water over herbs and allow to steep for 20 minutes or longer. Remove herbs and add the liquid to bath water. Relax and enjoy. Be soothed!

Strawberry & Lavender Lemonade

2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 large strawberries
1 tablespoon lavender flowers, dried
2 1/2 cups water
2 1/4 cups lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
Fresh lavender flower stems for garnish

Combine 2 1/2 cups water, sugar, and strawberries in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. After sugar dissolves, reduce heat and simmer for five minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in lavender flowers and cover. Allow mixture to cool. Then, strain into a large pitcher, mashing the strawberries as you strain. Add the additional water with the lemon juice and stir well. Pour into tall glass over ice and garnish with a long stem of lavender and bud. Enjoy!

[Click on the photo if you'd like a larger view]

A Spot of Tea

Shall we have a spot of tea? Paula has created this beautiful vignette with a child sized wicker set and a children's tea set. Cute little bunnies sit in the chairs, seemingly conversing over gentle things. It's such a calming and serene scene.

Maybe they are sipping on chamomile tea just like Peter Rabbit. Here's a variation on Peter Rabbit's chamomile that I hope you enjoy:

Peter Rabbit Tea

1 part chamomile flowers

1/4 cup soy milk

Maple syrup to sweeten*

Place chamomile flowers in teapot and pour 1 - 2 cups boiling water over it and allow to steep for 15 - 20 minutes. Strain, then add soy milk and maple syrup. Place in your favorite teacup and enjoy in a quiet place.

*May substitute honey

Marion, Mint, & Lime

The days are getting warmer, and a slushy cold drink sounded delicious this afternoon. The mint is growing in the garden, so I plucked a liberal supply and brought them into the kitchen with me. Frozen marionberries mixed equally with limeade were placed in the blender. A packet of stevia to sweeten (to taste) and a handful of fresh mint leaves were added. After blending until everything was slushy and smooth, this smoothie was put in glasses, garnished with mint, and served for a refreshing pick-up on the day. Yum! It was delish!

Refreshment for a Hot Summer Day

Refreshing Strawberry Basil Lemonade

2 quarts pink lemonade
2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced
12 whole basil leaves

Combine ingredients. Place in a large container, stirring well. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours. To serve, remove infused basil if desired. Serve over ice, garnishing with an additional strawberry, a fresh basil leaf, and a splash of pink lemonade.

Makes 10 - 14 servings.

Kitchen at Far-Away Ranch, Arizona

Tia & Sparkling Lavender Lemonade

It's going to be a hot one today! With temperature's over 100 degrees yesterday, it appears that today will be no different. Outside chores are best done in the semi-coolness of the early morning on days like this! A quick wander through the yard to turn on the garden water reminded me that my lavender is ready to harvest. It takes awhile to cut the large plants, so I set a goal this morning to harvest two near the back porch. It was such a fragrant task, and Tia decided to join me while I worked. A full bin and a box of fresh cut lavender are now sitting in the house, waiting for me to decide what to do with them. I wonder what lavender syrup would be like? How delicious it would be, added to some sweet lemonade during the months when no lavender bud is available in the garden and ready to cut. I'm sure there's enough for the family to enjoy it during these hot summer days as well.

Sparkling Lavender Lemonade

Cut fresh lavender and remove most of stem. Place about 1/2 cup of lavender flowers in a glass container and pour 2 cups of boiling water over top. Allow to steep for 10 minutes. Strain using a mesh strainer or coffee filters. Combine this lavender infusion with 2 quarts of fresh lemonade. Sweeten with the sweet herb, stevia, for added flavor. Chill and serve over ice. Add a long stem of fresh lavender to the glass (like a straw) for a pretty effect. For sparkling lavender lemonade, add a splash of lemon or lime carbonated beverage or plain soda water.

For times when fresh lavender isn't available, cut some fresh lavender flowers and place in an ice cube tray. Cover with fresh water and freeze until ready to use.