TEA for TWO! ~ HERBAL ICED TEA / DILLY ENGLISH CUCUMBER SANDWICHES / LEMON THYME COOKIES

"How could such sweet and wholesome hours
Be reckoned but with herbs and flowers?"
~ Andrew Marvel
(English Poet)

~ Enjoying God's beautiful day

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HERBAL ICED TEA

~ Perfect for a hot summer day

8 bags herbal tea (Celestial Seasonings Orange, Red or Lemon Zinger Tea)

1 quart boiling water

1 quart fresh orange juice or lemonade

fresh lemon and/or orange slices

crushed ice

sprigs of fresh mint

Steep the tea bags in boiling water for ten minutes. Discard tea bags.
Pour juice over tea. Add lemon and/or orange slices and fresh mint sprigs. Refrigerate until well chilled.
Remove lemon and/or orange slices and mint before serving.
Pour over crushed ice adding additional fresh fruit slices and sprig of fresh mint. ( 2 quarts)

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DILLY CUCUMBER SANDWICHES

~ What memories are made of

Favorite loaf of soft sandwich bread (white or wheat)

1-2 peeled and thinly sliced English cucumbers

thinly sliced sweet onion (optional)

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup good mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1-2 tsp. dried dill weed

coarse salt & cracked pepper

Place cucumber in colander and sprinkle cucumber with a bit of salt. Let rest.
Trim crust from bread slices. Slather each slice with soft butter.
Combine mayonnaise, sour cream and dill. Spread over butter on bread.
Wipe cucumbers dry and layer on one side of bread. Sprinkle with a bit of salt & pepper. Top with onion, if desired. Sprinkle with additional dill weed. Top with bread slice.
Cut diagonally and then again to make triangles or in fingers. Wrap and refrigerate before serving.

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LEMON THYME COOKIES

~ A treasured Michigan recipe from Woodland Herb Farm

1 cup unsalted butter

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 organic eggs

2 1/2 cups unbleached flour

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 tsp. salt

zest of 1 lemon

3 Tbsp. dried lemon thyme

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix well.
Sift together flour, cream of tartar and salt.
Work flour mixture into other mixture until well blended. Stir in lemon zest and thyme. Chill overnight.
Roll into balls the size of small walnuts. Bake on greased cookie sheet for 10 minutes. (About 3 1/2 dozen)

AUTUMN DINNER ~ ROASTED SAGE SPAGHETTI SQUASH With GUYERE, SAUTÉED FRESH GARLIC, PARSLEY and TOASTED PINE NUTS

“Welcome sweet November, the season of senses and my favorite month of all.” ― Gregory F. Lenz November Sunset (Hubbard Lake, MI) ROASTED SAGE SPAGHETTI SQUASH With GUYERE, SAUTÉED FRESH GARLIC, PARSLEY and TOASTED PINE NUTS ~ Delightful autumn dinner slightly adapted from pinch of yum . 1 halved and seeded spaghetti squash Extra-virgin olive oil coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste 2-3 minced cloves garlic 2 tsp. white balsamic vinegar 1 cup minced fresh parsley 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage or 2 tsp. dried 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese 1/2 - 3/4 cup toasted pine nuts Preheat oven to 375º. Rub squash with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Place cut side down on sprayed rimmed baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes or until fork tender. Let cool until able to handle and scrape inside with a fork and pull strands away from ski...

FIRE TO WARM THE SOUL & BODY ~ SOUPE A L'OIGNON GRATINEE (FRENCH ONION SOUP)

" The sun broke like an egg into a full sunset and the water caught fire." ~ Pamela Johnson January sunset (Hubbard Lake) __________________ SOUPE A L'OIGNON GRATINEE (adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking ) “Onion soup sustains. The process of making it is somewhat like the process of learning love. It requires commitment, extraordinary effort, time, and will make you cry." ~ Ronni Lundy _________________________________________ (FRENCH ONION SOUP) 6 pounds thinly sliced yellow onions 6 Tbsp. butter 3 Tbsp. oil 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. sugar 6 heaping Tbsp. flour 5 quarts good beef stock 2 cups dry white wine coarse salt and cracked pepper few drops of Kitchen Bouquet 12 Tbsp. Cognac 1 pound Swiss cheese* 1 - 1 1/2 pound assorted shredded cheddar, Colby and Swiss or Parmesan Cook onions slowly in butter and oil in covered stockpot for 15 minutes. Uncover, raise heat to moderate , and stir in salt and sugar. Cook for 30-40 minutes stirring frequently until on...

AS THE GARDEN GROWS (MID-JUNE GARDEN STROLL) ~ 'BURSTING BUDS'

"In June, as many as a dozen species may burst their buds on a single day. No man can heed all of these anniversaries; no man can ignore all of them." ~ Aldo Leopold WAVE PETUNIAS ROCK GARDEN WONDERS STREPTOCARPUS BLUE WONDERS GERBERA DAISY IN THE ROSE GARDEN CHOCOLATE COSMOS JOHNSON'S BLUE GERANIUM EVENING PRIMROSE ( Oenothera) - ASTILBE HYDRANGEA (ANNABELLA - MACROPHYLLA) ASTILBE KOUSA DOGWOOD JAPANESE PAINTED FERN - HOSTA

THE VILLAGE VOICE

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