Ways to use honey in cooking (Honey in general)

Member Name: jammaker49

Product:	Honey in general
Date:	12/12/02 (194 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Natural sweetness

Disadvantages: Not for babies under 1 year

We know that bees have been producing honey as they do today for at least 150 million years. Bees produce honey as food stores for the hive during the long months of winter when flowers aren't blooming and therefore little or no nectar is available to them. European honey bees, genus Apis Mellifera, produce such an abundance of honey, far more than the hive can eat, that humans can harvest the excess. For this reason, European honey bees can be found in beekeeper's hives around the world!

Honey is delicious on toast, but it is also very versatile, and can be used in many recipes where sweetness is required. Below are a few recipes which utilise honey well.

1) HONEY CRANBERRY RELISH
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1 medium orange
12 oz. fresh whole cranberries OR frozen whole cranberries
2/4 cup honey

Quarter and slice unpeeled orange, removing seeds. Coarsely chop orange and cranberriers. Place in medium saucepan and stir in honey. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Cook 3 to 4 minutes; cool. Serve over turkey.
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2) Honey Eggnog
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3 cups whole milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup honey
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon rum flavoring
whipped topping (optional)

In a large saucepan, combine milk, egg, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; mix well. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and rum flavoring. Chill at least 2 hours. Serve with whipped topping as desired.
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3) Honey Spiced Cider
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5 cups apple cider
3/4 cup honey
24 whole cloves
2 small navel oranges, quartered
7 (4-inch) cinnamon sticks
1 (4-inch) strip
lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Combine cider and honey in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the honey dissolves.

Push 3 cloves into the rind of each orange quarter. Add to the cider along with the cinnamon sticks, lemon zest, and nutmeg. Bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the fruit and spices with a slotted spoon and discard. Serve hot.
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4) Honey Apple Turnovers
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1 tablespoon dried currants
3 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus additional for dusting
6 tablespoons honey, divided
2 large baking apples
Prepared pie dough for two single-crust 9-inch pies (purchased or homemade)

In a small bowl, combine currants, walnuts and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.
Stir in 3 Tbsp. honey.
Peel apples and cut each in half lengthwise.
Trim away stem and blossom ends.
Scoop out core from each half with a melon baller, making a wide hole for filling.
Divide honey mixture evenly between apple centers.
Divide pie dough into 4 balls.
Roll each ball into a 6-inch circle about 1/4-inch thick.
Lay 1 piece of dough over each apple half with filling-side up.
Tuck and wrap dough around each apple half.
Trim dough to fit.
Pinch the edges of dough underneath apples to seal entirely.
Combine 1 Tbsp. honey with 1 tsp. steaming hot water.
Stir until honey dissolves.
Brush mixture over tops of turnovers; dust with additional cinnamon.
Transfer turnovers to an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake at 375°F for about 35 minutes, until turnovers art golden.
Remove from oven and drizzle with remaining 2 Tbsp. honey.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
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5) Summer Fruit So
up
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1/2 cup honey
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups (16 ounces) pitted cherries or blueberries, thawed if frozen
3 large peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/2" cubes
2 cups plain nonfat yogurt

In large saucepan, combine honey, cornstarch, vanilla and cinnamon; mix well.
Stir in fruit.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes or until fruit is tender.
Remove from heat; transfer to large bowl.
Remove 1 cup of liquid from fruit mixture.
In medium bowl, combine liquid with yogurt.
Pour into small pitcher.
Refrigerate both mixtures for at least two hours.
To serve, spoon fruit mixture into 4 large bowls.
Pour yogurt mixture evenly over fruit in bowl.
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6) Sweet Pork
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1 lb cubed lean pork
One onion, chopped
One potato, peeled and diced.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Dash Worcestershire sauce
One Oxo Cube, chicken flavour or vegetable.
One small can pineapple pieces
2 Tablespoons honey

Brown the pork in a frying pan with just a little Olive oil.
Transfer to a casserole dish
Add all the other ingredients, including the juice from the pineapple.
Mix one pint gravy using the Oxo cube and pout into dish.
Cover, and cook in oven, gas mark 4-5 for approx 2 hours, or until meat is tender.
Serve with rice if required, or selection of steamed vegetables.
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Honey is a safe and wholesome food for children and adults, however, it should not be fed to infants under one year of age. Honey may contain bacterial spores that can cause infant botulism - a rare but serious disease that affects the nervous syste
m of young babies (under one year of age). Botulism spores are common and may be found in dust, soil and uncooked foods. Adults and children over one year of age are routinely exposed to, but not normally affected by, botulism spores.

"THE SAFETY OF HONEY AS A FOOD FOR OLDER CHILDREN AND ADULTS REMAINS UNQUESTIONED"
- Center for Disease Control


Enjoy honey. It is a totally natural food, easily digested, and satisfies a sweet craving! I always use a spoonful in a Lemsip as well, just to help the medicine go down!

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