Greetings! Raven loves to eat, especially the harvested goodies from her well-tended garden. Therefore she has decided to share her favorite garden recipes with all of her guests. So gather in your harvest, scurry to the kitchen, roll up your sleeves, wash your hands of garden dirt, and begin to prepare your feast! Enjoy!!
DAY LILY CHICKEN
1 Whole chicken breast, skinned, boned, and sliced thin
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
3 tablespoons oil, divided
1 small onion, sliced
3 cups fresh Day Lily petals ( pick blossoms early in the morning as they just begin to open)
1/4 cup water
In a bowl, mix the chicken, chopped onion, soy sauce, ginger, and cornstarch. In a wok or skillet, heat two tablespoons of the oil until very hot but not smoking; add the chicken mixture and stir-fry for two minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Wipe out the pan and brown the sliced onions in the remaining oil. Add the lily petals, water, and chicken mixture. Cook and stir for two minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Makes two or three servings, depending upon your appetite.
Raven also enjoys a fresh garden salad made with Day Lily petals, nasturtium blossoms and leaves, pecans, iceberg lettace, chow main noodles, and shredded cheddar cheese, topped with her favorite dressing, Thousand Island. You may wish to try your own combination of gardens delights topped with your favorite dressing. Isn't Summer grand?
FRUIT SALAD WITH LEMON BALM
6 to 8 cups of mixed summer berries, five different kinds
1/4 cup lemon balm leaves, finely chopped
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar
Wash and trim the berries. Place in a glass bowl. Sprinkle with the lemon balm and 1/4 cup sugar. Put in the refrigerator until ready to use. If desired, stir in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Serves 4 to 6.
PINK LAVENDER LEMONADE
2 1/2 cups distilled water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup pesticide-free dried pink hibiscus flowers
1/4 cup chopped English lavender leaves or 1 tablespoon dried lavender flowers
2 1/2 cups distilled water
2 1/4 cups lemon juice
1/2 cups sugar ( optional)
Fresh lavender flowers for garnish
In a meduim sausepan , compine 2 1/2 cups water, sugar, and hibiscus flowers. Bring to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat. Simmer 5 minutes to extract pink color from hibiscus.
Remove from heat. Stir in lavender leaves. Cover and cool.
Strain cooled herb liquid into large pitcher or jar. Add remaining 2 1/2 cups water and lemon juice. Stir well. Add 1/2 cup sugar more, if desired.
Just before serving , add ice cubes. Pour into chilled glasses. Garnish with lavender flowers.
Yield 6 to 8 servings
NOTE: If dried hibicus flowers are not available, cook six large hulled strawberries in the syrup instead. When straining syrup after cooking , gently press juice from berries.
I didn't have potatoes, so I substituted rice.
I didn't have paprika, so I used another spice.
I didn't have tomato sauce, so I used tomato paste,
A whole can, not a half can, I don't believe in waste.
A friend gave me the recipe.
She said you couldn't beat it,
There must be something wrong with her,
I couldn't even eat it!
Author Unknown
A daily recipe of a non-gardening nature can be found below.
