Lavender Vanilla Tea Cakes

These sweet, fragrant cakes pair well with tea. The delicate lavender flavor lends the recipe a springy taste.

Lavender is considered to alleviate tension and promote inner peace. To those who use plants for their spiritual properties, it is considered a clarifying herb as well as one that promotes awareness of the self and the world around. The vanilla balances out the flavor with a light sweetness.

*Note: Soak the lavender buds in milk overnight to infuse the taste.

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2-3 tbsp dried lavender buds

Soak the lavender buds in milk overnight to infuse the flavor. Strain them out before adding the milk to the mix. 

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a mini muffin pan with paper liners. 

Cream butter and sugar together. Beat the egg whites in one at a time. Stir in the vanilla extract. 

Combine flour and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture in thirds.

Stir in the lavender-infused milk until the batter is smooth. Distribute batter to muffin cups.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until cake springs back to the touch or an inserted toothpick comes out cleanly. 

Yield 36 cakes. 

Lemon Tea

A family classic to warm your heart. This simple tea, which I have discovered is not something a lot of people make, is perfect to enjoy after dinner, in the morning, or basically any time of the day. I am fairly sure lemon tea a commonly Polish drink. My mother always used to make it for us when we were sick, or if the weather was particularly harsh. Now, I like to have it every day, and visits to my dad always include a large pot of this sweet, zippy tea.


Ingredients:

• One black tea bag. 
• I use Barry's Irish Breakfast for a stronger tea or Twining's English Breakfast for a weaker tea. 
• Half of a lemon
• 5-7 teaspoons of sugar, depending on how sweet you want the tea to be
• Enough hot water to fill a teapot

Bring water to a boil in a teakettle. 

While waiting, place a teabag in a teapot. Add juice from half a lemon and the sugar. Pour hot water into teapot. 

Stir until sugar is dissolved completely. Let steep for at least five minutes until the tea is a warm, honey-golden color. 

Enjoy! And let me know what you think!

P.S. I know this doesn't seem like much of a recipe, but hey! I messed up the one I was planning on posting today. This is the easy way out.