Herbed Cherry Chicken Salad:Makes 4 servings

• 3 cups cooked and chopped chicken breasts
• ½ cup dried Bing cherries, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
• ½ cup orange rosemary mayonnaise (see below)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Drain chicken and add all ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and serve on crackers or bread.

Orange Rosemary Mayonnaise:

• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 3 teaspoons fresh rosemary
• Salt, to taste
• 2 drops orange extract (optional)

Cook orange juice in a saucepan on medium heat, swirling occasionally until juice is reduced to thick syrup, about 10 to 12 minutes. Combine mayonnaise and sour cream in a bowl and add syrup, rosemary, salt, and orange extract (optional). Stir well. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours for flavors to blend.

(Recipe from Holly Stark Jeffries, courtesy of the Charlotte Herb Guild)

• 6 cups potatoes, peeled, cooked, and cubed
• 1½ cups cheddar cheese, grated or cubed
• ⅔ cup black beans, rinsed and drained
• ⅔ cup chopped red pepper
• ½ cup chopped celery
• ⅓ cup sliced green onions
• 2 tablespoons minced cilantro
• ¾ cup ranch salad dressing
• ½ cup chunky salsa
• ¾ teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients together and serve.

(Recipe from Dixie Kelly, courtesy of the Charlotte Herb Guild)

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 eggs
• Zest of 1 lemon, grated
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon verbena, chopped
• 3¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon ground mace
• ½ teaspoon baking soda

Cream butter with sugars until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in lemon juice. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon zest and chopped lemon verbena.

In a separate bowl, sift flour with salt, baking powder, mace, and baking soda. Stir dry ingredients into butter mixture.

Chill dough until it is easy to handle. Divide the dough into four parts. Shape each into a log about 2 inches in diameter and freeze until very firm. Roll logs in additional sugar and chopped lemon verbena and cut the cookies into thin slices no more than ¼-inch thick.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange cookies 1 inch apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Place on wire racks to cool.

(Recipe from Jane Ireton, courtesy of the Charlotte Herb Guild)