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Goat Cheese With Honey-Pepper & Fig Balsamic Drizzle

Since moving to North Carolina I’ve found more time to visit my local farmer’s markets. One of my favorite booths belongs to the “Goat Lady Dairy“. I first discovered them when visiting the Piedmont Triad Farmers Market back in the summer while here on a visit. After we completed our move I ventured out to our Farmer’s Curb Market right here in Greensboro only to discover another Goat Lady Dairy booth. That small discovery made my day, as the Curb market is closer to home.

The City of Greensboro began the Curb Market in 1874 on Commerce Place downtown, where farmers backed their wagons to the curb to sell produce. In the 1950’s, the Market moved to its current location, a former armory building. Now scores of vendors and hundreds of customers enjoy this indoor market facility weekly. Vegetables, fruits, meats, cheeses, honey, baked goods and more await eager customers every Saturday from 7 a.m. until noon. From May through December they also open their doors to shoppers on Wednesdays from 7a.m. to noon.

This past weekend I brought home a log of the tangy, creamy goat cheese. It’s always such a hard decision to choose which cheese to buy. I love their Farmers Cheese, similar to Feta yet less briny, with its crumbly texture, the Chèvre Camembert delicate and rich with a hint of mushroom, and the spreadable Goat Cheese flavored with Basil and Garlic, Orange, Fig and Honey or Roasted red pepper make quick and easy appetizers. The one I choose most often is the Chèvre Log. It it quite possibly their most favored cheese, used by chefs in many of Greensboro’s finer restaurants.

Today’s recipe is so easy to throw together for a party or a quick appetizer before dinner. What I like best is to make a couple for myself to snack on when mid-day hunger pangs strike. It satisfies the desire for crunchy and creamy, with a touch of honeyed sweetness intensity from the balsamic and a bite from the fresh cracked pepper. All of that in one little bite!

Enjoy!

Goat Cheese With Honey-Pepper & Fig Balsamic Drizzle

Ingredients:
1 log of fresh/local goat cheese
Raw honey
Fresh cracked pepper
Fig Balsamic Vinegar
1 Fresh baguette, sliced into rounds

Remove cheese from refrigerator about 30 minutes before preparing to allow it to soften a bit. Spread baguette slices out on a platter. Slice goat cheese and lay a slice on each baguette. Drizzle with honey. Grind pepper over all and finish with a drizzle of fig balsamic.

April 2, 2014
Honeyed Pecans

Hello honey! Pecans might be my favorite nut. I suppose it’s got something to do with growing up in Texas where pecan trees are abundant and spending an afternoon shelling pecans is synonymous with canning tomatoes or pickling okra. It’s time consuming but well worth it. A delightful way to spend a fall afternoon! They are one of our most versatile nuts. Just think pecan pie, pecan tassies, pecans in brownies, in cookies, sprinkled into pineapple upside down cake, coffee cake or sweet rolls. Maybe the best way, eaten straight out of their tan colored shells. There’s nothing like the sweet meat of a pecan.

My intention in making these was to sprinkle them over a mixed green salad made with fresh, plump blueberries. They did make it into the salad but not before I had to slap my husband’s hand to keep him out of these crunchy, sweet & spicy nut meats. My point is they are a perfect match for a healthy green salad, especially a fruited one, but they also make a heavenly snack. You choose!

Enjoy!

Honeyed Pecans

Preheat oven to 325*. In a medium bowl, warm 1/4 cup honey in the microwave on high for 20 seconds. Stir in 1 cup of pecan halves, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Stir until well blended. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper, sprayed with cooking spray. (I like coconut oil spray) Bake for 15 minutes or until toasted, stirring at the half way point. Cool completely and break into pieces.

March 31, 2014
Friday Fun Facts – Plants For Honeybees

In the natural world honeybees forage wherever they can, taking advantage of local abundances of particular flowers and trees. Flowering plants produce nectar and pollen and in the wild honeybees visit a vast array of plants, gathering nectar and pollinating the plants they visit. The true worth of honeybees to the environment and to the human economy is in the act of pollinating flowers.

When bees go about their business of foraging for nectar and pollen they tend to visit only one type of plant. This greatly increases the success of pollen transfer among each type of flower. When they have exhausted the bounty of one they move on to another continuing to gather pollen and nectar and to ensure the life of the plant they visit. Perennials benefit from bee visits as it blooms again and again year after year. Bee keepers can benefit from the bees flower fidelity by producing honey from a single flower source. Honey such as Orange Blossom, Tupelo, and Clover are examples of honey sourced from only one type of plant.

The onset of spring gets us outdoors and in the mood for planning and planting our gardens. You may have acres of space on which to plant fruit trees or you might be gardening in containers, raised beds, or on windowsills. Whatever your type of gardening endeavor you can attract honeybees to help you succeed in growing flowers, fruits, herbs and veggies.

Following is a partial list of flowers and crops that need bees for pollination. Please plant a few of these this spring when you begin your gardening adventures. The bees will thank you and you will be doing a small part in helping them survive our fragile world.

Almond
Apple
Dandelion (yep bees love ’em – don’t kill ’em)
Holly
Maple Tree
Orange
Thyme
Lavender
Rosemary
Alfalfa
Blueberry
Thistle
Canola
Sunflower
Cosmos
Shasta Daisy
Primrose
Mint
Hollyhock
Candytuft
Alyssum
Black-eyed Susans
Bee Balm
Zinna
Aster
Poppy
Peach
Enjoy!
Find poster artist.

March 28, 2014
Orange Bee Lemon Bars

I can not go for long without sharing a dessert recipe. Using honey in all of my posts this year of course lends itself to lots of recipes for sweets. One of my goals in publishing honey recipes for twelve months is to substantiate the use of honey in all sorts of recipes. You’ve now seen it used on chicken, ribs, and veggies but now it’s time for LEMON BARS!

I adore the fragrance and flavor of citrus. Orange, lime and lemon all turn me on. Lemon Meringue Pie is my favorite lemon dessert however I wanted to bake something sweet to share with my neighbors. After having been away on a “girls week” trip I wondered if Mr. W was missing my weekly handouts. The honest to goodness reason I “share” is to get some of the “sweets” out of this house. My man Dan likes sweets but not as much as yours truly. You know how it goes, bake a batch of some yummy little something with the intention of your family helping to polish it off. But the majority of that batch of cookies, brownies or lemon bars is always consumed by me. It’s always and I mean always me! Does this happen to you too? I am thankful for neighbors who love a plate of goodies from the Orange Bee kitchen!

I think you’re going to like these bars. You know how lemon bars or the lemon filling can often times have a synthetic taste? These my friends boast a fresh tangy sweetness and are just the right amount of gooey! I am certain it’s using fresh squeezed lemon juice that makes the difference. I know Mr. W liked them. Here is what he texted to me after he’d tried a couple. “What would be the point of living if we didn’t have lemon bars! Yum Yum! Thx again. BTW I’m glad your back I was starting to loose to much weight” Quote-unquote.

Enjoy!

Orange Bee Lemon Bars
Ingredients:
Crust:
1 ¾ cup flour
¼ cup cornstarch
2/3 cup powdered sugar, plus extra to sprinkle on bars
½ tsp. salt
12 tbsp. unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks) chilled

Filling:
4 eggs
2 tsp. lemon zest
1 ½ tsp. honey
1 1/3 cup sugar
3 tbsp. flour
2/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, 3-4 large lemons
1/3 cup milk
Pinch of salt

Directions:
Place an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9X13-inch baking pan with foil and lightly grease.

Stir together the flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt (this can be done in a food processor or in a large bowl by hand). Add the pieces of butter and cut the butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender, two knives or your fingers (be careful not to melt the butter too much or process in the food processor for 8 to 10 seconds and then as needed until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Sprinkle the mixture into the prepared pan and press into an even layer on the bottom and about 1/2-inch up the sides of the pan. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and flour in a medium bowl and then stir in the lemon zest, juice and milk to combine.

Pour the filling onto the warm crust (it’s important that the crust is still warm!) and reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake for about 18-20 minutes until the filling feels slightly firm to the touch. Cool the bars to room temperature, sprinkle with additional powdered sugar and cut into bars.

March 26, 2014
Smoky Brisket Chili

Did you ever try a recipe only to find the result disappointing? Such is the case with Smoky Brisket Chili. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good enough, just not up to Orange Bee standards.

If you asked my man, Dan he’d say, “chili shouldn’t have beans”. This chili has two kinds of beans so I knew when I started out there would be a problem with it’s acceptance. Three things it does have going for it, beer, brisket and it cooks in your crockpot. When I think about chili I visualize browning meat and onions in a dutch oven, stirring and adding ingredients as you go, and once lidded taking a peek every so often, stirring and smelling it all coming together. When I cook with a crockpot I don’t open the lid to stir or smell, albeit the aromas waft through the kitchen. There is no browning of the meat or onions just dumping all ingredients into the bowl of the slow cooker, putting on the lid and walking away for a few hours. That last aspect being one I like, but not for chili. I feel the need for a bit of “slaving away” over a pot of chili.

My prize winning chili is a lengthy process and I have not and am not posting the recipe. This chili is similar to my “First Place Chili” and you ‘ll notice “no Beans”. I won’t make this crockpot version again but if you’re one of those folks who likes beans in your chili, and the ease of throwing all the ingredients together in one big pot you might want to give this recipe a try. It does deliver a nice smoky flavor, tender chunks of beef brisket and it is immensely filling. If you are wondering how this fits into “all recipes with honey all year”, notice it does have a couple of tablespoons of dark honey added to help balance out the smoky flavors.

Enjoy!

Smoky Brisket Chili

Ingredients:
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 cup dark beer
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons dark honey
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds flat-cut beef brisket, fat trimmed, cut into chunks
1 sweet onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 can red beans, rinsed and drained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Directions:
In the base of a slow cooker, combine broth, beer and vinegar. Whisk in cornstarch until dissolved. Stir in tomato paste, honey, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir in beef, onion, garlic and tomatoes. Cover and cook on high power for 6 hours or low power for 8 hours. Stir in beans just to heat through at the end.

March 24, 2014
Friday Fun Fact – Parasite Eradicator

Summer is around the corner and that signals vacation time! Many of you may already be planning exotic vacations, European excursions, mountain hikes, beach breaks, or visits to family and friends. Often times when we travel we incur tummy troubles. Public places such as airplanes, trains, ships, and rest stops are germ havens. I would venture to guess contracting a tummy bug is usually not our own fault. Nonetheless, an upset stomach can easily spoil our plans and those of anyone we are traveling with.

If you feel that you’ve picked up a parasite from unclean water or ice, unwashed fruits or veggies, or simply contacted the germ by accident you’ll want to rid yourself of it swiftly. Fatigue, bloating, diarrhea and constipation are all signs that something is amiss in your gut. Here is a quick remedy for minor stomach ailments. Honey, when mixed with cider vinegar and water, can remove parasites from your body. The combination of vinegar’s acidity and honey’s therapeutic components is more than enough to wipeout or expel bodily intruders. When you suspect that you have picked up a bug, drink ample amounts of this solution regularly.

Here’s the breakdown: 1-2 teaspoons of vinegar and 1-2 teaspoons of honey mixed into 8 oz. of warm water. (Warm water helps dissolve the honey) Drink this a few times a day until symptoms subside.

Please note: These remedies are for minor stomach ailments. Always seek proper medical attention for any serious issue.

Next Monday’s post Smoky Brisket Chili.

March 21, 2014
Happy Spring – Honey Lemon Cake

Today is the first day of spring 2014! Hurray! In honor of this most important day I thought I needed to share this adorable and delicious cake recipe with you once again. It fits the bill for a recipe using honey and it says “spring” like nobody’s business.

This cake is without a doubt the cutest cake I’ve ever made. I’ve taken my sweet time baking in this adorable pan that Miss T gave me at Christmas. Time was eaten up with my job, traveling and general day-to-day “stuff”. I admit I was a bit concerned that it wouldn’t release into the cuteness it is. I’m happy to say it released darn near perfectly.

This oh so cute honeycomb pan made by Nordic Ware is a perfect match for The Orange Bee kitchen!. I’ve seen the unusual Bundt cake pans they make but had never laid eyes on this one. It is one of the best gifts I’ve ever received. Thanks Miss T!

Since I was a bit worried about the cake releasing I decided to follow the recipe that came with the pan. It is perfection. Light and airy inside and crisp on the edges. You should know by now that citrus is one of my favorite flavors so adding lemon rind to the batter and lemon juice to the glaze gave it that little tang I enjoy so much. Of course the honey added to the glaze gives health benefits like no other sweetener. Next I’ll try a different recipe just to see what the final results are but for now a little piece of comb with or without a bee on top is a delightful spring snack or dessert.

Enjoy!

Honey Lemon Bee Cake

Ingredients:
3 cups cake flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tbsp. finely grated lemon rind
1 cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt

Glaze:
3 tbsp.honey
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp. lemon juice

Heat oven to 325*. Grease and flour pan; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large bowl beat butter and sugar on low-speed until blended. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until well blended. Add flour mixture; sour cream and lemon rind; blend on low-speed 1 minute, scraping bowl often. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan.

Meanwhile, make glaze. In a small saucepan combine all glaze ingredients and heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves and glaze is warm. Invert cake onto cooling rack and brush with honey glaze.

March 20, 2014
Weekend Brisket
I admit this post may cause me to look a bit lazy. I did not take these photos nor create the recipes. I did borrow the photos and recipes from my March issue of Southern Living magazine. Let me defend myself – I am not lazy, but once again dinner was served long after the sun had set, so getting a shot of the food, not happening!

Lisa Fain of Homesick Texan and I do have something in common. We are both displaced Texans homesick for the food we grew up on and love. Finding brisket in North Carolina, well that’s become a standing joke with the hubby and me. North Carolina is a “pig” state, plain and simple. If we want brisket I’m gonna have to make it. I am okay with this!

This brisket hit the spot. It’s quick to assemble and once it begins to cook in your oven the smell makes your mouth water all afternoon. I marinated mine for several hours as opposed to the 1 hour called for in the recipe. The meat came out tender, was easy to slice and disappeared quickly. We were really craving some beef brisket. It’s a Texas thing to be sure and I suppose we are still Texans at heart.

I’m also posting the Jalapeno-Cheddar Popover recipe that is shown in the magazine. They were amazing and also disappeared from the table quickly. The cheddar flavor stands out and the fresh jalapeños lend just the right amount of heat. No honey in the popovers but you need to make them to accompany the brisket. They are pretty much to die for! This was my first time to make popovers and we loved them so much they will become a staple in my kitchen!

Enjoy!

Weekend Brisket

Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons light molasses, honey, or sorghum
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (4- to 5-lb.) brisket flat, trimmed
1 yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup beef broth

Preparation
1. 1. Stir together first 6 ingredients in a small bowl to form a paste. Rub on brisket, and let stand at room temperature 1 hour.
2. 2. Preheat oven to 250°. Cook onion in hot oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until tender. Add 6 garlic cloves, and sauté 30 seconds. Remove from heat, and add beef broth, stirring to loosen browned bits from bottom of skillet. Place brisket in Dutch oven, fat side up. Spoon onion mixture over brisket.
3. 3. Bake, covered, at 250° for 4 to 5 hours or until fork-tender. Let stand 30 minutes. Thinly slice brisket across the grain.
Jalapeno-Cheddar Popovers

Ingredients:
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk, at room temperature $
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup (1 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese $
1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeño pepper (about 1 pepper)
Vegetable cooking spray

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 450°. Process first 5 ingredients in a blender 15 seconds or until smooth. Stir in cheese and jalapeño, and let stand 30 minutes. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray; place in a jelly-roll pan, and heat in oven 2 minutes. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan, filling halfway. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°, and bake 8 to 12 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.
Lisa Fain, HomesickTexan.com Southern Living
March 19, 2014
Honey Tangerine Glaze

I recently posted a recipe using a whole chicken seasoned with honey, ginger & garlic . I really like the ease of roasting the bird in its entirety. I really don’t like the part when dinner is over and there is meat to be pulled away from the carcass and bones. I guess I don’t mind it so much because I made roasted chicken again, this time using a Honey Tangerine Glaze. Talk about easy!

This is so simple I could just jot it down here but I’ll stick with my usual formula for posting a recipe and list the ingredients and directions below. The tender leftover meat from this version makes a wonderful and spring like chicken salad or add the citrusy chicken to pasta Primavera.

Spring is in the air, or it was in the air. Temps reached 70* here yesterday and today have fallen into the low 30’s with the chance of a wintry mix. I’m ready for some lighter meals using fresh fruits and seafood. How about you? If you’re in the mood for some lighter fare try this glaze drizzled over a bowl of tossed fruit, brushed on a slab of wild-caught salmon or sprinkled on grilled shrimp.

Enjoy!

Honey Tangerine Glaze

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
1 bunch of green onions, trimmed
Tangerines, sliced
Tangerine zest from 1-2 fruits
2 tablespoons honey

Directions:

Heat oven to 350*. Wash and pat dry chicken. Rub the outside and inside of the chicken with salt and pepper. Stuff cavity of the chicken with the green onions and as many tangerines as you can fit in. Place the bird in a roasting pan on a rack and set it, uncovered in the oven.

Meanwhile mix the grated zest of 1-2 tangerines with 2 tablespoons of honey and juice of 2-3 tangerines. After the bird has roasted for about 40 minutes remove the cover and brush glaze over bird. Repeat this process every 10 minutes until the chicken is done and the juices run clear when pierced with a fork.

Remove chicken from oven, brush any remaining glaze over the entire bird and cover loosely for a few minutes. Carve and serve.

March 17, 2014
Friday Fun Fact – Cuts & Scrapes

Honey has been known for it’s healing benefits for thousands of years. Ancient Greeks, Egyptians and Mayans used it and in recent years it’s medicinal value has been confirmed as research demonstrates that the enzymes in honey do indeed have antiseptic and antibacterial properties.

Honey absorbs moisture and discourages the growth of bacteria and other harmful micro-organisms around a cut, scrape or wound. Think of it as a natural form of Neosporin.

To treat minor cuts, scrapes, or burns clean the area thoroughly with soap and water and dry completely. For scrapes or burns cover the area with raw honey and cover with a clean dressing. This can be repeated twice a day as necessary, unit completely healed. For a cut, after washing, spread a bit of honey on clean dressing and apply this to the cut. Change the dressing two to three times a day. Cover scalds or burns directly with honey to prevent blisters.

Please note: These remedies are for minor cuts, scrapes and burns. Always seek proper medical attention for any serious issue.

Monday’s post is a citrusy and spring-like recipe for Honey Tangerine Glaze.
Enjoy!

March 14, 2014