Lemon Balm on Ice

This is a soothing a refreshing cool drink for any occasion. Makes 10 cups.

10 sprigs fresh lemon balm, including stems, leaves and flowers
8 sprigs fresh orange mint
5 sprigs fresh apple mint

Gently fold the herbs into a large bowl to lightly "bruise" them. Pour 5 cups boiling water over the herbs and allow to steep for 15-20 minutes. Strain into a serving pitcher and add 5 cups cold water and ice. Add sugar to taste. Garnish with fresh lemon balm leaves if desired.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 cups fresh lemon balm leaves
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup coarse mustard
1 tbls. Worcestershire sauce
Juice of 2 lemons
1 tbls. olive oil
1 tbls. butter or margarine

Marinate the chicken breasts in the lemon juice for 1-2 hours, set aside. Heat the butter, or margarine, and oil in a large skillet. Sauté the mushrooms and red onion just until tender, then set aside. Add the chicken and lemon juice to the pan, cover and cook over low-medium heat 15-20 minutes, turning once, until lightly browned. Remove the chicken and keep warm. And the wine, mustard and Worcestershire sauce to the pan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens. Return the chicken and vegetables to the pan. Layer the lemon balm leaves on top of the mixture and continue to simmer until the leaves are just wilted. Serve at once over a hot bed of rice.

Grilled Shrimp Salad with Lemon Balm & Artichokes

1 lb. uncooked, peeled, deveined medium shrimp
1 large bunch romaine, torn into bite-sized pieces
2 61/2 oz. jars artichoke, drained
1 8 oz. jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained reserving 2 tbs. oil
1/2 cup Caesar salad dressing
1 1/2 cups lemon balm leaves, rinsed and pat dried

Slice the artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes into manageable pieces. Brush the shrimp with the reserved oil and grill 5-6 minutes over medium heat in a wire basket or on a rack. Combine the cooked shrimp with the remaining ingredients in a large salad bowl and toss. Serve with freshly ground black pepper and freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese if you wish.

Mushrooms Stuffed with Lemon Balm & Crab

1 cup steamed crab, shredded
10 - 12 large mushrooms
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 gloves garlic, minced
10 - 12 sprigs lemon balm, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup bread crumbs plus 2 tbls.
2 tbls. parmesan cheese

Wash and pat dry the mushrooms. Remove the mushroom stems and chop into fine pieces. If necessary, use a teaspoon to make a hollow in each mushroom to hold the stuffing. Sauté the onion, garlic and mushroom stems in the butter over low-medium heat until the onion is just clear. Reduce heat and add the bread crumbs; stir well. Add the steamed crab and stir again. Remove from heat. Stuff each mushroom with the mixture from the pan. Sprinkle each mushroom with the lemon juice. Combine the 2 tbls. each Parmesan and bread crumbs and sprinkle over the mushrooms. Bake in a pre-heated 350 F oven for 15-20 or until very lightly browned. Allow to cool slightly and serve.

Other sweet nothings

Other common names for lemon balm: balm mint, sweet balm, blue balm, dropsy plant, cure-all

Keep it under your collar: Immunovet of Tampa, Fla., has devised a collar for dogs with an obsession for needless barking. The collar contains the essential oil of lemon balm which is released in a fine mist each time the animal exercises his vocal chords. Apparently, dogs abhor the scent and begin to associate its appearance with their barking. According to Cornell University, the collar has an 88% success rate in conditioning the dog's behavior.