MINT RECIPES
~~ FRESH MINT LEMONADE ~~
Ingredients:
4 cups fresh mint, chopped
1 gallon water
2 cups honey
1-1/2 cups fresh lemon juice
Directions:
1. Simmer chopped mint leaves in the water, covered, for 10 minutes. It's very important to cover it for maximum mint flavor.
2. Stir in honey until it dissolves. Cover and let steep and cool for several hours or overnight.
3. Add lemon juice. Chill until ready to serve.
~~ ROSEMARY AND MINT PESTO ~~
This brightly-flavored pesto is excellent with lamb, or you can spread a little on a slice of baguette. You can find rosemary-infused oil in specialty stores, or you can infuse it yourself by adding fresh rosemary to olive oil and letting it sit for several days to a few weeks.
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup rosemary-infused olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
In a food processor or blender, puree all ingredients. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
~~ APPLE AND MINT CHUTNEY ~~
Ingredients:
5 pounds tart apples, peeled, cored and chopped
2-2/3 cups brown sugar
2-1/2 cups cider vinegar
2 cups finely chopped onion
1-1/4 cups dates, pitted and chopped
1 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
Directions:
Bring all ingredients except the mint to a simmer in a stainless steel pot. Cook, stirring often, until thick and golden brown, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Stir in mint and let cool.
Note: This chutney is an excellent choice for canning so you have it on hand all year round.
~~ MINTY PEA PUREE ~~
Ingredients:
3 (10-ounce) packages frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves
3 tablespoons half-and-half, plus extra
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Combine the peas, water and mint in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and let cook until peas are just tender. Drain well.
2. Puree the hot pea and mint mixture with the half and half, and butter. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Serve immediately, with a bare drizzle of half and half on top.
~~ STRAWBERRIES AND MINT CREAM ~~
Ingredients:
4 fresh mint sprigs
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 quarts strawberries, halved
2 tablespoons sugar
Directions:
1. The night before serving, place the mint in a bowl. Using the back of a spoon or other blunt instrument, bruise the mint a bit to help bring out some of the essential oils. Pour the whipping cream over the bruised mint. Cover tightly and refrigerate.
2. An hour or so before serving, strain the mint from the cream. Whip the cream, adding the sugar slowly and then the vanilla. Whip until soft peaks form. Refrigerate until serving.
3. Combine strawberries and sugar. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes. Divide the strawberries among bowls. Gently heap some of the mint cream on top.
~~ GRAPE AND MINT SALSA ~~
This minty fresh salsa is amazing with grilled chicken breasts.
Ingredients:
4 cups seedless green grapes, coarsely chopped.
2 tablespoons chives, chopped
Juice of 1/2 fresh lime
2 tablespoons spearmint, chopped
1 whole jalapeño, diced
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and let sit an hour before serving.
~~ MINT AND LEMON DRESSING ~~
Delicious on a spring salad with chicken or fish! (see our two recipes below for delicious chicken and fish dishes!)
Ingredients:
1/3 cup olive oil 
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint* leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves*
**Substitute mint leaves with 1-2 drops of peppermint or spearmint oil.
Directions:
- Stir together olive oil, lemon juice, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of mint or the mint oil until well blended. Set aside for 2 hours.
- When using fresh mint: Strain mint out of dressing with a fine mesh strainer. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves and serve.
Found on allrecipes.com.
~~ BROWN SUGAR CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES ~~
Our Mint Christmas Elves have made chocolate chip cookies before (see recipe way down below), but here is a variant of this all time favorite treat…
This Aromatherapy Foods™ recipe made with pure essential oils makes very flat, crispy chocolate chip cookies. They will spread a lot on the pan while baking. If you enjoy cookie pieces these cookies are ideal for cutting into bite-sized pieces before they cool. Or you can remove them immediately from the baking sheet and allow finishing cooling on a rack.
Ingredients:
Half pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus some for baking sheet
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 - 6 drops pure peppermint essential oil
3 cups all-purpose pastry flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 - 2 cups chocolate chips
Preparation and Baking Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment; set aside.
In small bowl, cream butter until smooth, then add sugars, and beat until smooth. Beat in eggs, vanilla and peppermint oil.
In a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Slowly stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips.
Drop 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie onto baking sheet; space dough 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
Bake until golden, 8-10 minutes. Remove cookies immediately and allow to cool. Makes sixty 3-inch cookies.
PLEASE NOTE: There are many cheap, synthetic copies of aromatic oils, but these are not recommended for cooking. For best flavors and results purchase the highest quality oils you can possibly find. Use organically grown and wild crafted essential oils that have been tested for purity and are pesticide free.
About the Author
KG Stiles is a certified aromatherapist practicing in Ashland, Oregon, USA. She has utilized essential oils in her professional practice for more than 30 years, and teaches aromatherapy workshops, including cooking with essential oils. KG is the Director of PurePlant Essentials Organic Aromatherapy and a specialist in formulating aromatic blends for healthy living.
Found on http://chocolaterecipes.diy-home-tips.com
~~ CHOCOLATE MINTS ~~
12 oz. chocolate chips
14 oz. can condensed milk
1 teaspoon peppermint flavoring
Melt chocolate and milk slowly over low heat. Stir in peppermint. Drop by small spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Let dry and set for several hours or overnight. Store in a covered container, but do not refrigerate.
Found on http://chocolaterecipes.diy-home-tips.com
~~ BASIL MINT CHICKEN ~~
This is a Get Mint Trading Co. favorite. Not only a delicious recipe, but also healthy, easy and great to cook for, I say... Eastern?
Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
3 Tbs soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbs honey
1 clove crushed garlic
1 Tbs chopped mint
1 Tbs chopped basil
2 Tbs olive oil
1/4 cup warm water
Place chicken breasts in shallow baking dish. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Refrigerate for 1 hour or more. Bake for 45 minutes on 375F. Serve hot or cut into strips for a salad. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.
~~ GRILLED SWORDFISH WITH LEMON, MINT AND BASIL ~~
Hmmm, another favorite this spring! A delicious dish for the seafood lover. Of course, with mint. 
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves*
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 (5 to 6-ounces each) swordfish steaks
- *Substitute with 3-4 drops of spearmint oil if no fresh mint is available.
Directions
Prepare the grill (medium-high heat). Whisk the oil, mint, lemon juice, basil, and garlic in a medium bowl to blend. Season the lemon and olive oil mixture with salt and pepper, to taste.
Brush the swordfish steaks with 2 tablespoons of the lemon and olive oil mixture. Grill the steaks until just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side (depending on thickness of steaks). Transfer the steaks to plates. Spoon the remaining sauce over and serve.
~~ CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEA ~~
For one of our holiday newsletters we tried our hands on a batch of mintalicious chocolate-mint cookies! Made from scratch, these are a real treat on a cold winter day, fun to make and with the right packaging, unique and thoughtful giveaways!
You can make different varieties and then give them as little gifts to neighbors, friends, the mailman, the Get Mint Trading Co. team ;), the baker, party hosts or your coworkers. Make it a gift to remember during the holidays when you present them in one of these fun Christmas mugs that you can buy for just a dollar at the 99 cent stores!
You need:
2 sticks of salted butter
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup (packed) brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
15 drops of Get Mint Trading peppermint oil
Preheat the oven at 375F and line a baking sheet (or two) with parchment paper.
Cream the butter in a large bowl. Add the white and brown sugar and mix until smooth. Then, add the eggs and vanilla extract, mix well.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour and baking soda. Combine this with the egg mixture and mix until corporated, adding the chocolate chips about halfway through.
Take a teaspoon of white sugar and add about 15 drops of Get Mint Trading Peppermint Oil. Mix well into the dough.
**Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to firm it up.**
Drop dough by rounded teaspoon, about two and a half inches from each other, on the cookie sheet. Keep in mind to make them small enough to fit in a Christmas mug or tin. Place in heated oven and bake for about 14 minutes, or until the edges are nice and brown... 
Let the cookies cool off completely before you place them on a dish. Wrap them up in Christmas mugs, tins or boxes! With colored cellophane and some ribbon you have a personal gift ready to put under the tree! Don't forget to taste them yourself...
*** MINT ANGEL CLOUD CAKE
At this year's Get Mint Trading Co's Christmas party, Linette surprised the crew with this beautiful cake. Here is the how to:
You need:
1 pkg. (16 oz.) angel food cake mix
24 large marshmellows
6 milk chocolate candy bars with almonds, chopped
2/3 cups milk
1 tsp sugar
2-4 drops of peppermint oil
1 carton (12 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
hard peppermint candy (crushed) for decoration
Following the directions, prepare the angel food cake, using a 10 in. tube pan. Let cool.
Combine the marshmellows, candy bars and milk in a small saucepan, and cook and stir until melted over low heat. Take a teaspoon of sugar and add 2-4 drops of peppermint oil, mix into mixture until well distributed. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Fold in 3/4 cup whipped topping.
Cut the cake horizontally into three layers and place the bottom on the serving plate. Spread a third of the chocolate-mint mixture on top and repeat layers twice. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
Frost top and sides of your cake with the remaining topping. Crush the hard candy and sprinkle on top.
Enjoy!!