Tag: honey

Breakfast

Santa’s Nutola

cathysmahaLeave a comment

My dear friends, Mr. & Mrs. Santa, often visit me for summer holiday to escape the North Pole cold. During one visit they brought Santa’s delicious Nutola to have for breakfast. Wow! It was almost as magical as the reindeer on Christmas Eve. It’s wonderful with yogurt or as a snack. I made a batch and froze much of the batch to enjoy later.

Thanks, Santa and Mrs. Claus, for sharing this wonderful recipe with me

Santa’s Nutola

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 lb. flaked coconut
  • 1 lb. chopped pecans, chopped and whole
  • 1 lb. cashews, salted & roasted (or raw)
  • 1 lb. almonds shaved, slivered and whole (1/3 each)
  • 1 lb. walnut pieces
  • 1 lb. hazelnuts (pound them in a bag to smash)
  • 1 lb.  sunflower seeds, raw or roasted
  • 1 lb. pumpkin seeds, raw or roasted
  • 1 cup honey (heat to melt)
  • 1-2 tablespoons vanilla
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • dash of kosher salt
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Roast coconut on a large cookie sheet until light brown.  Watch closely.  Cool.
  3. Combine all nuts.  Sift before roasting.
  4. Using two cookie sheets, roast nuts about 10-15 minutes, until warm. Pour nuts into large mixing bowl.
  5. Heat honey.  Remove from heat. Add vanilla and maple syrup.
  6. Coat nuts and toss.
  7. Sprinkle with cinnamon and kosher salt.  Toss again until thoroughly mixed.
  8. Pour into the two cookie sheets.  Roast again for 10-15 minutes.
  9. Cool completely in the pans.  Break apart and store in air tight container. Note: It freezes well.

Recipe from My good friends the Portwoods/aka Dallas Santa

Desserts

Peach Roll Ups (or are they dumplings?)

cathysmaha2 Comments

This recipe caught my eye and I took a screenshot of it but didn’t save the source. Darn! Anyway, I tried the recipe and made 8 individual rolls or dumplings. They were quite good and the grandboys loved them. I am not a big fan of Crescent rolls so next time I would make them with Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry.

They were easy and would be great for a quick dessert. I made them with fresh peaches and honey but you could easily substitute canned peach halves or sugar for the honey.

Peach Roll Ups

INGREDIENTS:
  • Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
  • Fresh Peaches, peeled and cut in half (or canned peach halves)
  • butter
  • honey
  • cinnamon
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Peel and pit fresh peaches, cut in half
  3. Roll out the crescent rolls into rectangles.
  4. Add the half peach, cut side up, on top of crescent roll rectangle.
  5. Add a dollop of butter to the center of each peach.
  6. Drizzle each peach with honey.
  7. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
  8. Fold the crescent rolls from the corner and pinch along the seams.
  9. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
  10. Remove from the oven and let cook for a few minutes for the syrup to thicken.
  11. Serve warm with or without ice cream.

I took a screenshot of the recipe and now I cannot find the source. If anyone knows the source, please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due!

Breakfast · Cookies and Bars · Health

No Bake Energy Cups

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Peanut butter, oat and chocolate are a winning combination and I love having these in the frig for a quick snack or healthier dessert. I’ve made similar cups or bites but never with chocolate topping. Yum! I forgot to add the flaky sea salt, which would have been delicious, but I enjoyed them nonetheless.

No Bake Energy Cups

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 3/4 cup crunchy natural peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (I used regular milk)
  • 3 T. chia seeds
  • 2 tsp. honey
  • 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (53% cacao)
  • 1 T. unrefined coconut oil
  • 3/4 tsp. flaky sea salt (I forgot this step!)
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Line the cups of a 24 cup mini muffin tin with silicone or paper liners.
  2. Combine the oats, peanut butter, almond milk, chia seeds, honey, vanilla and salt in a large bowl; stir to mix well. Divide the mixture among the prepared cups, about 1 heaping tablespoon each; firmly press the mixture into the cup bottoms.
  3. Combine chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until the oil is melted and the chocolate chips have softened, 45 to 60 seconds. Stir until the chocolate chips are completely melted and incorporated into the oil.
  4. Spoon a scant teaspoon of the melted chocolate mixture over the oat mixture in each cup, spreading to cover the entire surface. Refrigerate, uncovered, until the chocolate layer is beginning to set (the surface will begin to lose its shine and become dull) 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with the flaky sea salt; refrigerate, uncovered, until chilled and the layers are fully set, about 1 hour.

Recipe from EatingWell

Cookies and Bars · Czech Heritage and Dishes

No Bake Christmas Honey Balls (Czech Medovníkové koule)

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Czech Honey Balls remind me of a very rich cake pop, only better. I like the cookie dough as well and could easily just eat it as a cookie, vs. crumbled in this yummy honey ball. My family is divided about this cookie. One half loves it and says it’s one of the best cookies they’ve ever had. The other half doesn’t like the texture…what? I just want to give honest feedback here. Just know my grandsons will eat every one I make and any you have leftover.

No Bake Christmas Honey Balls (Czech Medovníkové koule)

INGREDIENTS:
  • Honey dough:
    • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (230 g)
    • ½ cup powdered sugar (60 g)
    • 1 egg
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 2 Tablespoons honey liquid (I heated in microwave for 20 seconds)
    • ⅓ stick unsalted butter (40 g) softened at room temperature
  • To finish:
    • 1 stick unsalted butter (110 g) softened at room temperature
    • ⅔ cup caramelized sweet condensed milk (200 g) Dulce de Leche or make your own with 1 can sweet condensed milk (see recipe below).
DIRECTIONS:
  1. If you are making your own caramelized sweet condensed milk, it’s so easy. Remove the label from the can and place, unopened, in a large pot of water. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 3 hrs. Remove from the water and cool. Ta-da you have caramel!
  2. Mix the flour with the baking soda and put the floury mixture in a bowl. Add the eggs, softened butter, liquid honey, and powdered sugar. First, mix the wet ingredients with the flour using a fork, then work into a soft dough with your hands.
  3. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge to rest for an hour.
  4. Roll the rested honey dough into sheets about 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick. The shape doesn’t matter too much, as the dough will be crushed into crumbs when baked. When rolling out the dough, I recommend dusting the work surface lightly with flour to prevent the dough from sticking.
  5. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and place the honey dough sheets on it. Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C). Place the baking tray in the oven and bake for about 12 minutes.
  6. Once baked, take off the parchment paper with the honey dough sheets and put them on a wire rack to cool. If you let the baked dough cool on the tray, it’s fine, but in that case, I recommend placing the tray in a cool spot.
  7. Once the sheets of dough have cooled, break them into crumbs. You can do this by hand or by placing the pieces of dough in a food processor and pulsing them a few times until they turn into small crumbs. Alternatively, you can grate the dough using a hand grater.
  8. Set aside about half a cup of the crumbs to coat the balls. Combine the remaining crumbs with the caramelized milk and softened butter. Start by mashing them together with a fork, then use your hands to form a soft dough.
  9. Cover the soft dough with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for about an hour to firm up.
  10. Scoop equal-sized portions of the dough, roll each into a ball using your hands, and coat them by rolling in the reserved crumbs.

Recipe slightly adapted from CooklikeCzechs.com

New Favorite · Salads

Apple Bacon Brussel Sprouts Salad

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Typically, I roast brussel sprouts but this salad was intriguing. I sliced the brussel sprouts very thinly with my food processor and the flavor and texture were perfect. The sweetness of the apples, the crunchiness of the almonds, and of course the saltiness of the bacon, make this a declicious salad. I served it alongside pulled pork sandwiches. The leftover were still good for 1-2 days after making it. A new favorite salad!

Apple Bacon Brussel Sprouts Salad

INGREDIENTS:
  • 4 slices bacon
  • 8oz brussels sprouts, ends trimmed
  • 1/4 cup Fisher Naturals whole almonds, roughly chopped
  • 1 Tablespoons shallot
  • 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar (could use red wine vinegar)
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 red apple, chopped (I like Pink Lady apples)
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Crisp bacon in a large skillet over medium heat then remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Reserve 3 Tablespoons bacon grease in skillet (add extra virgin olive oil if there’s not enough.) Chop or crumble bacon when cool enough to handle.
  2. Meanwhile, use the grating blade attachment on a food processor, mandolin, or very sharp knife to slice brussels sprouts very thin. Add to a large bowl with almonds and bacon then set aside.
  3. To the bacon grease, still over medium heat, add shallots then saute until tender, 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat then whisk in vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper (be careful, vinegar may spatter a bit.) Return skillet to heat then whisk until dressing is combined, 30 seconds. Pour over brussels sprouts mixture then toss well to coat. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. Add chopped apple then toss again to mix, and then serve. Serves 2-3 as an entree, 5-6 as a side.

Recipe from IowaGirlEats

Vegetables

Roasted Golden Beets with Honey

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Golden beets have become a staple in my garden. Besides roasting them, the top/greens are also delicious. They are so sweet and roasting them with honey and lemon juice adds a new twist. Leftovers can be used in salad or on their own.

Roasted Golden Beets with Honey

INGREDIENTS:
  • 3 cups roasted golden beets
  • avocado or canola oil for roasting
  • 1/2 tsp fresh thyme
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • drizzle with honey
  • salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Clean the beets and remove the tops and stems. Place the raw, cleaned beats in a large square of aluminum foil. Sprinkle with salt. Close the foil to seal the beets.
  3. Roast for 35-40 minutes or until beets are tender. Remove from oven and cool.
  4. When cool, the skins of the beets should come off easily.
  5. Slice the beets and place in a bowl. Add thyme, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Drizzle with honey. Stir to combine.
  6. Place beets on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for another 10-15 minutes to carmelize.

This recipe was created by Cathy after looking at numerous recipes and methods.

Appetizers

Apple and Brie Crostini

cathysmahaLeave a comment

The Brie at Costco is always wonderful this recipe from their Magazine was a winner. What’s not to like with almond butter, brie, apple, honey, spiced pecans–wow! I used the spiced pecans that I make every Christmas. This would be a wonderful appetizer for Valentine’s Day or a gathering of friends and family.

Apple and Brie Crostini

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 baguette, thinly sliced on the bias (Fork-Lore: I used Croccantini Original Sea Salt Artisan Crackers)
  • ½ cup Kirkland Signature Almond Butter
  • 3 oz. brie cheese
  • 1 large Honeycrisp apple
  • Fresh cracked pepper
  • ½ cup candied pecans, chopped (for garnish)
  • ¼ cup honey
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Heat oven to 375 F. Arrange baguette slices on a rimmed 9 x 13-inch baking sheet. Thinly spread almond butter on one side of each baguette slice, about 2 tsp.
  2. Slice the brie and the Honeycrisp apple thinly so one flavor doesn’t overpower the other, about ¼-inch-thick slices. Place brie on top of almond butter spread. Set apple aside.
  3. Bake 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
  4. Top crostini with apple and pepper. Sprinkle pecans on top for garnish and drizzle with honey. Serve immediately. Makes 4 to 6 servings, about 12 crostini.

Recipe from Costco Magazine

Breads

Healthy Banana Bread with Honey

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Banana Bread is always a winner and I have tried many. My go-to Banana Bread is moist and delicious; my Christmas verision with maraschino cherries and chocolate chips is a family favorite, and I enjoyed this version made with honey. Honey is a precious commodity in my home, so I will routinely opt for my other two recipes, but know this version is also delicious.

Healthy Banana Bread with Honey

INGREDIENTS:
  • ⅓ cup (75 grams) melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil or high quality vegetable oil*
  • ½ cup honey (168 grams) or maple syrup (155 grams)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup (225 grams) mashed ripe bananas (about 2 ½ medium or 2 large bananas)
  • ¼ cup (56 grams) milk of choice or water
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda (NOT baking powder; they aren’t the same!)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more to swirl on top
  • 1 ¾ cups (220 grams) white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour**
  • Totally optional: ½ cup mix-ins like chopped walnuts or pecans, chocolate chips, raisins, chopped dried fruit, fresh banana slices…
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the oil and honey together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well, then whisk in the mashed bananas and milk. (If your coconut oil solidifies on contact with cold ingredients, simply let the bowl rest in a warm place for a few minutes, like on top of your stove, or warm it for about 10 seconds in the microwave.)
  3. Add the baking soda, vanilla, salt and cinnamon, and whisk to blend. Lastly, switch to a big spoon and stir in the flour, just until combined. Some lumps are ok! If you’re adding any additional mix-ins, gently fold them in now.
  4. Pour the batter into your greased loaf pan and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. If you’d like a pretty swirled effect, run the tip of a knife across the batter in a zig-zag pattern.
  5. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (typically, if I haven’t added any mix-ins, my bread is done at 55 minutes; if I have added mix-ins, it needs closer to 60 minutes). Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for at least 10 minutes. You may need to run a butter knife around the edges to loosen the bread from the pan. Carefully transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool before slicing.

Recipe from CookieandKate

Fish

Honey Mustard Salmon Bake

cathysmahaLeave a comment

The Honey Mustand Salmon is so delicious and will remain a favorite recipe with or without the vegetables. I had several vegetables on hand, including leftover roasted brussel sprouts, that I used in this recipe. I like roasted radishes, but if that is not your thing, you could easily replace with sweet potatoes, carrots, green beans, etc. A one pan meal is always a great way to prepare a meal. Enjoy!

Honey Mustard Salmon Bake

INGREDIENTS:
  • Salmon:
    • 1 tsp. mustard
    • 2 heaped tsp. Wholegrain mustard
    • 1 1/2 tsbp. honey
    • 3 minced garlic cloves
    • 1/2 tsp paprika
    • 1/4 tsp chili flakes
    • 1 pound salmon
  • Vegetables:
    • 1 pound new potatoes, halved or cubed potates
    • 1 red onion, sliced thin
    • bunch of radishes, halved
    • 2 tbsp. olive oil
    • a big pinch of: salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, ground coriander and ground cumin
    • 8 oz. brussel sprouts, halved or sliced thinly
    • 3 spring onions, halved and cut into pieces
    • Lemon & dill to serve
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Mix together mustards, honey, garlic, paprika and chili flakes. Brush over flesh side of salmon and set aside.
  3. Combine potatoes, radishes and red onion. Add olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, ground coriander and ground cumin. Stir to coat
  4. Add potatoes, radishes and red onion to baking sheet and baked for 25 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, combine brussel sprouts, spring onion and squeeze over juice of one lemon. Add sprout misture to potato mixture and stir. 
  6. Make a well in the center of the baking sheet and lay the salmon down with a slice of lemon.
  7. Bake for another 12-15 minutes depending on how you like your salmon. Serve with fresh dill.

Recipe from Mediterranean.diet.plan

Breads

Cranberry Brie Sheet Pan Biscuits

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Marrying two of my favorite fall flavors, Brie and Cranberry, into a biscuit was too good to skip. The fresh herbs and the drizzle of honey makes these savory biscuits a must for a special fall meal or Thanksgiving dinner. They are especially good warm from the oven. Even my grandsons liked them…but who doesn’t love a biscuit with honey!

Cranberry Brie Sheetpan Biscuits

INGREDIENTS:
  • Nonstick cooking spray, for the pan
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting (see Cook’s Note)
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
  • 2 1/2 sticks (20 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus
  • more for serving
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, plus more for brushing
  • 8 ounces Brie, cut into small pieces
  • 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped chives
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
  • 1/4 cup honey
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray an 18-by-13-inch half sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda and 2 teaspoons of the salt in a large bowl. Rub 4 tablespoons of the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until completely absorbed. Work the remaining 16 tablespoons butter into the flour mixture until pea-sized bits of butter remain. Use a fork to stir in the buttermilk until the mixture comes together into a shaggy dough. (Don’t overmix the dough.)
  3. Add the Brie, parsley, cranberries, chives and thyme to the bowl and gently mix with lightly floured hands, folding the dough over itself (this is where the flaky layers will form) until the ingredients are just combined.
  4. Turn the dough out onto the prepared sheet pan and use lightly floured hands to evenly distribute the dough into the prepared pan. Using a paring knife, gently score 24 squares on top of the dough, making sure the knife does not cut through to the bottom of the biscuit. (If baking the biscuits the following day, cover gently with plastic wrap at this point and refrigerate up to 24 hours.)
  5. Brush the top of the dough with more buttermilk. Bake until the biscuit top is lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then use a paring knife to follow the score marks to cut through the biscuits.
  6. Meanwhile, mix the honey with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Drizzle the honey over the warm biscuits. Serve the biscuits warm or at room temperature with more butter, if desired.

Recipe from Food Network