IMG_0172Here are the recipes I did for New Day Cleveland.

 Chicken and Asparagus with Fresh Herbs

 

1 lb. chicken, sliced into thin strips

2 T. sherry

2 T.oil

2 c. chopped fresh asparagus

¼-½ c. fresh chopped herbs, I used chives, parsley and lovage

Salt and pepper to taste

Place sliced chicken in a bowl and stir in the sherry. Cover and refrigerate for 2-24 hours. Heat oil in skillet. Sauté asparagus for 2 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, stirring often until no pink is visible on the chicken, about 4 minutes. Add the herbs and seasonings and cook, stirring often for another 2-3 minutes. Spoon chicken over lilac salad. Serves 3-4.

 

Lilac Salad

 

4-6 cups mixed salad greens, washed and spun dry

Olive oil

Lilac vinegar*

Salt and pepper to taste

Edible flowers, optional

 

Place greens in a salad bowl. Drizzle with a little olive oil and toss until leaves look glossy. Drizzle with a little lilac vinegar and toss. Season with salt and pepper and toss again. Add flowers, if desired and place in serving bowls.

 

* To make lilac vinegar take clean, organic lilac blossoms and place them in a jar. Pour in red wine vinegar to cover flowers completely. Place lid on jar and store at room temp, out of direct sunlight for at least a few days. The longer the blossoms steep in the vinegar the stronger the flavor you will get. You can use any vinegar you like as long as it is 5% acidity. Before using, strain out the blossoms and discard. Strain vinegar through a coffee filter to get out any sediment. Can be stored at room temp but holds it color longer if stored in the fridge.

 

Lavender Shortbread

 

1 c. sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

2 c. butter

4 c. flour

2-3 T. lavender blossoms

Cream together the one-cup of sugar and butter. Stir in the flour and lavender blossoms. Press mixture in to a greased 9×13 inch-baking dish. Cut or score into small squares, or on the diagonal for diamond shapes. Sprinkle with extra sugar and bake in a preheated 300-degree oven for 50-55 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Re-cut the squares as soon as you remove the shortbread from the oven. Cool before removing from pan. Make about 100 small squares