1 (3- to 4-pound) beef tenderloin roast
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoons whole white peppercorns
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender flowers

Bring roast to room temperature before cooking. Trim the tenderloin of fat and silverskin.  Note: Silverskin is the silvery-white connective tissue. It doesn’t dissolve when the tenderloin is cooked, so it needs to be trimmed away. 

Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Lightly oil outside of roast.

In a small spice or coffee grinder, coarsely grind the black peppercorns, white peppercorns, fennel seeds, thyme, and lavender flowers; rub mixture all over the meat. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight (preferably).

Preheat oven to 425°F. Unwrap roast and place onto a rack in a shallow baking pan, tucking the thin end under to make it as thick as the rest of the roast. Place roast onto a rack in a shallow baking pan, tucking the thin end under to make it as thick as the rest of the roast. Roast for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F and continue to roast until the internal temperature reaches desired temperature on a meat thermometer (see below).
Rare – 120°F
Medium Rare – 125°F
Medium – 130°F

Remove from oven and transfer onto a cutting board; let stand 15 minutes before carving (meat temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees after it is removed from the oven).

Transfer onto a serving platter and serve immediately with any accumulated juices.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Source: http://whatscookingamerica.net/Beef/lavenderbeef.htm

For a complete list of edible flowers, Check out the Edible Flower Chart at Eden Florist.

Rose Water Skin Tonic is one of the oldest skin-fresheners discovered by an Arabian dermatologist in the tenth century. Rose water  is very easy to make on your own. Mix rose essence in water and shake thoroughly. Two tablespoons essence of roses is sufficient for 4 ½ liters purified water. 

Gypsy Rose Water Skin Tonic – Gypsy Rose Water Skin Tonic –

Take 2 handfuls of dark, scented rose petals and put them into a jar or a wide topped bottle. Now put 1 liter of water and 200 gms. of sugar into the bottle or jar. Keep this mixture for 2 hours, shake again, then strain and store it in a cool place.Rose Water and Witch-Hazel Tonic –

To make  simply mix 3/4 cup rosewater and cup witch-hazel. If you have a very greasy skin you can use equal proportions of rose water and witch-hazel.

TESTIMONIAL - “Thank you for the beautiful arrangement sent to me for Teacher of the Year. The rose smells so good. My students were just tickled with the delivery to our room. I will order roses from you from now on. They are lovely.” Ms. Meghan Greenwell 4th Grade Teacher Dolphin Bay Elementary

Rose Water Skin Tonic - one of the oldest skin-fresheners discovered by an Arabian dermatologist in the tenth century – in Victorian times rose water was mixed with glycerin for use as a skin softening treatment.  
Rose Water is still used today in many beauty products from toners to soaps to lotions to sea salts and is very easy to make.

Yarrow – For Beautiful Skin  Yarrow is a wonderful herb with many uses, and it’s so easy to grow.  Just check out your local garden center for the seeds.  In this issue you will find some simple skin and hair care products you can make at home from yarrow.

Cleanser For Oily Skin:

Place a tablespoon of yarrow in a bowl and fill the bowl half full with boiling water. Lean over the bowl, and cover your head with a towel so that no steam escapes. You should be 12-18 inches from the water. After steaming, splash your face with cool water and pat dry.

For added benefit, you could add one or more of the following herbs:

Stimulating Herbs: Rosemary, Sage, Mint
Healing Herbs: Comfrey, Thyme
Soothing Herbs: Lavender, Chamomile

Yarrow and Chamomile Compress:

1 teaspoon of dried yarrow flowers
1 teaspoon of dried chamomile flowers
1 cup of boiling water

Pour the boiling water over the herbs and steep for 20 minutes. Strain out the herbs and discard. Cool the liquid to a comfortable temperature. Dip a tea towel into the liquid and squeeze out the excess.

Rinse your face in lukewarm water. Place the towel over your face and relax for 15-20 minutes. Pat your face dry. If you want to apply a moisturizer afterwards, choose one that doesn’t contain alcohol.

Tip: You can also use this compress to soothe rough, red, or cracked hands.  If your hands are dry, coat with almond oil before applying compress.  

Make Your Own Fortune Cookies !

“The future is in your own imagination (and your kitchen).” - Heidi Richards   

Want to make a lasting impression with your relationships? Create your own custom-made fortune cookie complete with the sentiment you design.. Great for parties, baskets, to put on your love’s pillow or even use to promote your products and services.

  Recipe:
1 large egg
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 to 2 Tbsp of water

Beat egg slightly.  Add sugar and beat until very thick and smooth.  Add oil to mixture.  Add water and a little of the egg mixture to the cornstarch and stir until smooth; beat into egg mixture.  Heat griddle to about 350*.  Drop a heaping teaspoonful of batter into the griddle.  Then spread with a spoon into a cookie about 3 inches in diameter an d about 1/8 inch thick.  Turn over to brown underside.  Cook until cookies are light golden in color and lifts easily from the pan.  Remove cookies one at a time from the griddle. Place the fortune paper you previously created in the center of the cookie and fold the cookie in half, pinching the edges together and folding down.