Two recent articles in local media highlight area honey. Check out Kate Chynoweth's article in Pittsburgh Magazine, which features Master Beekeeper, Steve Repasky; a nice discussion of local honey varieties; and a great recipe for honey goat cheese spread with Fuji apples.
And in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, last week, Bob Batz offers some wonderful apples and honey recipes, just in time for Rosh Hashana.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Honey Date Bread--Great for Lunches!
Melissa Clark's "A Good Appetite" column in the New York Times is often a source of great recipe ideas. In the link above, she offers some great sandwich suggestions for pack-able lunches and includes a recipe for Whole-Wheat Date Bread. I adapted it, using a bit more honey and a little less olive oil. The texture is a bit grainy, but if you wait a day and then slather a slice with cream cheese...well, it's to die for! I generally bake quick breads in a 9 inch x 2 inch tube pan, which seems to help with the problem of over-baked tops before the center sets.
Whole-Wheat Date Bread
1/2 cup white sugar (or brown sugar)
2/3 cup plain yogurt
3 tablespoons summer honey
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup sliced, pitted dates
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan (or a 9 inch x 2 inch tube pan). Whisk the sugar, yogurt, honey and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time an mix well. In a separate bowl, mix the flours, baking powder, soda and salt. Add to the sugar/yogurt mixture and combine just until there are no more traces of flour. Fold in the olive oil and then the dates. Pour into prepared pan and bake about 50-55 minutes if using a loaf pan (or 40-45 minutes if using a tube pan). Check halfway through and tent with tinfoil if crust becomes too brown. Let rest for 10 minutes before removing from pan.
Melissa Clark suggests using this bread to make a sandwich of cream cheese and sliced grapes or cream cheese and black olives.
Whole-Wheat Date Bread
1/2 cup white sugar (or brown sugar)
2/3 cup plain yogurt
3 tablespoons summer honey
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup sliced, pitted dates
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan (or a 9 inch x 2 inch tube pan). Whisk the sugar, yogurt, honey and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time an mix well. In a separate bowl, mix the flours, baking powder, soda and salt. Add to the sugar/yogurt mixture and combine just until there are no more traces of flour. Fold in the olive oil and then the dates. Pour into prepared pan and bake about 50-55 minutes if using a loaf pan (or 40-45 minutes if using a tube pan). Check halfway through and tent with tinfoil if crust becomes too brown. Let rest for 10 minutes before removing from pan.
Melissa Clark suggests using this bread to make a sandwich of cream cheese and sliced grapes or cream cheese and black olives.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Honey-as-Seasoning for Fall Harvest Bounty!
Back-to-school means were slacking on our blog posts, folks. My apologies to those who have a hankering for honey recipes and need more ideas!
In these two recipes, the honey acts almost like a seasoning, rather than a main ingredient.
Peaches, Figs, Maytag Blue Cheese & Honey
Our dear friends, Jeff and Laurie, made time in the midst of canning tomatoes to feed me dinner last week. They asked me to bring a seasonal fruit side dish or dessert, and this is what I made. I would work as a nice "first course," side dish, or--as we used it--dessert. It received rave reviews from Jeff, Laurie and bonus guests, Beth and Steve, who stopped by on their way home from a trip to Chicago.
Two, large-ish fresh peaches, peeled. (McConnell's Farm peaches are amazing!)
Four fresh figs, washed
4 oz Maytag blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup almonds, toasted and chopped
2-4 tablespoons summer honey
Just before serving, slice the peaches into 1/2 inch wedges and place in a bowl. Cut off the stem of the figs, and quarter or "sixth," and add to bowl, and gently toss. Crumble blue cheese over the fruit. Add almonds and drizzle honey over top. Gently toss and serve. Serves 5-6 (but you might want to add another peach if you're serving six).
Baked Tomato & Cheddar Cheese Pasta
Jeff and Laurie roast their tomatoes before canning them, and gave me the idea for this casserole. I'll confess that it doesn't look very pretty--it's definitely for a week-night family meal. Yet it has a pleasing, comfort-food flavor and is a great use of end-of-the-season plum tomatoes.
6-8 medium fresh plum tomatoes, peeled and diced (you could use a 14-oz can of whole tomatoes)
1/2 cup diced sweet onion (like Vidalia)
4 oz sharp yellow cheddar cheese, diced in 1/2 inch dice
2 oz sharp yellow cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 pound dry pasta (I used medium shells, you could use any smaller size cut pasta)
2 tablespoons summer honey
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped (you could substitute fresh oregano or basil)
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a casserole or 8x8 square baking pan. Boil pasta in salted water for about 4 or 5 minutes less than the package directs. The pasta should be pliable, but not quite al dente, so it will soak up the tomato juices. Place the tomatoes, onions, diced cheese & pasta in casserole and toss to combine. Stir in honey, thyme, salt & pepper. Taste and add more seasoning if needed. Sprinkle grated cheese on top and bake for about 30 minutes. The cheese should be thoroughly melted in to the dish and it should be bubbling. Let sit for 10 minutes so that the pasta absorbs the cheesy-tomato-y juices. Serves 4.
In these two recipes, the honey acts almost like a seasoning, rather than a main ingredient.
Peaches, Figs, Maytag Blue Cheese & Honey
Our dear friends, Jeff and Laurie, made time in the midst of canning tomatoes to feed me dinner last week. They asked me to bring a seasonal fruit side dish or dessert, and this is what I made. I would work as a nice "first course," side dish, or--as we used it--dessert. It received rave reviews from Jeff, Laurie and bonus guests, Beth and Steve, who stopped by on their way home from a trip to Chicago.
Two, large-ish fresh peaches, peeled. (McConnell's Farm peaches are amazing!)
Four fresh figs, washed
4 oz Maytag blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup almonds, toasted and chopped
2-4 tablespoons summer honey
Just before serving, slice the peaches into 1/2 inch wedges and place in a bowl. Cut off the stem of the figs, and quarter or "sixth," and add to bowl, and gently toss. Crumble blue cheese over the fruit. Add almonds and drizzle honey over top. Gently toss and serve. Serves 5-6 (but you might want to add another peach if you're serving six).
Baked Tomato & Cheddar Cheese Pasta
Jeff and Laurie roast their tomatoes before canning them, and gave me the idea for this casserole. I'll confess that it doesn't look very pretty--it's definitely for a week-night family meal. Yet it has a pleasing, comfort-food flavor and is a great use of end-of-the-season plum tomatoes.
6-8 medium fresh plum tomatoes, peeled and diced (you could use a 14-oz can of whole tomatoes)
1/2 cup diced sweet onion (like Vidalia)
4 oz sharp yellow cheddar cheese, diced in 1/2 inch dice
2 oz sharp yellow cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 pound dry pasta (I used medium shells, you could use any smaller size cut pasta)
2 tablespoons summer honey
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped (you could substitute fresh oregano or basil)
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a casserole or 8x8 square baking pan. Boil pasta in salted water for about 4 or 5 minutes less than the package directs. The pasta should be pliable, but not quite al dente, so it will soak up the tomato juices. Place the tomatoes, onions, diced cheese & pasta in casserole and toss to combine. Stir in honey, thyme, salt & pepper. Taste and add more seasoning if needed. Sprinkle grated cheese on top and bake for about 30 minutes. The cheese should be thoroughly melted in to the dish and it should be bubbling. Let sit for 10 minutes so that the pasta absorbs the cheesy-tomato-y juices. Serves 4.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Healthy--and Delicious!--Back-to-School Granola Bars: Two Versions
These two super-easy recipes are adapted from Honey for Health and Beauty, which I reviewed in a previous post (click on the link for the review). They both are takes on granola bars. The first is a classic, chewy-crunchy bar without flour or eggs. The second is a bit more cookie-like, and softer but still very much in the granola bar family. Even though the Apricot Honey Oat Bars are softer, they're a bit less sweet and so my bet is that kids will prefer the classic Honey Granola Bar recipe.
Honey Granola Bars
(In Honey for Health and Beauty, the recipe is called "Pack-Along Snack Bars.")
This recipe is not only easy, it's also easy to adapt. Add 1/2 a cup of raisins, currants or other chopped, dried fruits. Use walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts or sunflowers instead of (or in addition to!) almonds. Toss in a handful of dark chocolate chips when you pull the granola out of the oven if you want to make it extra "healthy." :)
3 cups uncooked rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1 cup flaked coconut (I used unsweetened, but sweetened would work, too)
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup almonds (I used 1/2 cup almonds and 1/2 cup walnuts)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used canola)
1 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine the oats, coconut, wheat germ, nuts, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl, blend oil, honey and vanilla, mixing well. Stir honey mixture into dry ingredients and stir well to be sure the dry ingredients are thoroughly coated with the honey mixture. Spread onto a 9x13 inch pan (no need to grease). Bake, stirring at 10 minute, 20 minute, 25 minute and 30 minute marks for a total of 35 minutes. Line a 10x15 inch jelly roll pan with aluminium foil and then grease the foil. Press hot mixture into the jelly roll pan, pressing it firmly into the pan using a rolling pin. (It will seem like the mixture won't fit at first, but does. You also might question whether it will all hold together once it cools, but it does that, too!) Cool and cut into squares. Makes about 48, depending on how big you cut them.
Apricot Honey Oat Bars
You can make a super-lean version of these bars (suggestions are in parentheses). Like the recipe above, this one is also easily adapted to ingredients you have on hand. About 1/2 cup of nuts would be a nice addition, as would chocolate chips. Swap out the dried apricots for another dried fruit--or use a mixture. Dried dates would be really good. The apricot flavor dominates here, so whatever fruit you use will flavor these bars.
1/2 cup finely chopped dried apricots
1 1/2 cups uncooked rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
2 tablespoons wheat germ
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup 2% Greek yogurt (or any plain yogurt--it's okay to use non-fat)
1 egg (or 2 egg whites), lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons butter, melted (or 3 tablespoons vegetable oil)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Pulse dried apricots in a food processor until finely chopped (or chop by hand). Add the apricots, oats, wheat germ, flour, salt & cinnamon to a large bowl and toss to combine. In a smaller separate bowl, stir the honey and yogurt together. Add the egg and vanilla and stir to combine well. Mix in the melted butter, stirring well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well. Place in the prepared pan, spreading the mixture to fill in the corners and sides. Bake about 25 minutes until edges are brown and the center is firm. Cool and cut into 2-inch squares. Makes 15-20 bars.
Honey Granola Bars
(In Honey for Health and Beauty, the recipe is called "Pack-Along Snack Bars.")
This recipe is not only easy, it's also easy to adapt. Add 1/2 a cup of raisins, currants or other chopped, dried fruits. Use walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts or sunflowers instead of (or in addition to!) almonds. Toss in a handful of dark chocolate chips when you pull the granola out of the oven if you want to make it extra "healthy." :)
3 cups uncooked rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1 cup flaked coconut (I used unsweetened, but sweetened would work, too)
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup almonds (I used 1/2 cup almonds and 1/2 cup walnuts)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used canola)
1 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine the oats, coconut, wheat germ, nuts, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl, blend oil, honey and vanilla, mixing well. Stir honey mixture into dry ingredients and stir well to be sure the dry ingredients are thoroughly coated with the honey mixture. Spread onto a 9x13 inch pan (no need to grease). Bake, stirring at 10 minute, 20 minute, 25 minute and 30 minute marks for a total of 35 minutes. Line a 10x15 inch jelly roll pan with aluminium foil and then grease the foil. Press hot mixture into the jelly roll pan, pressing it firmly into the pan using a rolling pin. (It will seem like the mixture won't fit at first, but does. You also might question whether it will all hold together once it cools, but it does that, too!) Cool and cut into squares. Makes about 48, depending on how big you cut them.
Apricot Honey Oat Bars
You can make a super-lean version of these bars (suggestions are in parentheses). Like the recipe above, this one is also easily adapted to ingredients you have on hand. About 1/2 cup of nuts would be a nice addition, as would chocolate chips. Swap out the dried apricots for another dried fruit--or use a mixture. Dried dates would be really good. The apricot flavor dominates here, so whatever fruit you use will flavor these bars.
1/2 cup finely chopped dried apricots
1 1/2 cups uncooked rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
2 tablespoons wheat germ
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup 2% Greek yogurt (or any plain yogurt--it's okay to use non-fat)
1 egg (or 2 egg whites), lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons butter, melted (or 3 tablespoons vegetable oil)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Pulse dried apricots in a food processor until finely chopped (or chop by hand). Add the apricots, oats, wheat germ, flour, salt & cinnamon to a large bowl and toss to combine. In a smaller separate bowl, stir the honey and yogurt together. Add the egg and vanilla and stir to combine well. Mix in the melted butter, stirring well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well. Place in the prepared pan, spreading the mixture to fill in the corners and sides. Bake about 25 minutes until edges are brown and the center is firm. Cool and cut into 2-inch squares. Makes 15-20 bars.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Beekeeping catching on from Aliquippa to Pittsburgh - Timesonline.com: Business
Hey! We're famous! :)
Beekeeping catching on from Aliquippa to Pittsburgh - Timesonline.com: Business: ALIQUIPPA -- Standing in the yard of Jennifer Wood and Robert
Steffes, as thousands of bees buzz across the sky in seemingly
random paths, it'…
Beekeeping catching on from Aliquippa to Pittsburgh - Timesonline.com: Business: ALIQUIPPA -- Standing in the yard of Jennifer Wood and Robert
Steffes, as thousands of bees buzz across the sky in seemingly
random paths, it'…
Friday, August 19, 2011
Western PA + Fall Wildflowers + Honeybees =Unique Fall Honey!
Western PA's beautiful late summer- and early fall-blooming wildflowers are one-third of the equation that adds up to the dark, rich fall honey that is the unique flavor of our region. Another third is, of course, the honeybee's tireless labor. She and her sisters turn the dark nectar of these lovely fall blossoms into a delicious expression of Western Pennsylvania!
Ah, but what's the final third, you ask? It's the unique climate and terrain of this area. In warmer regions of the US, honey production ends by mid-summer.Western Pennsylvania's wet and chilly climate and hilly terrain combine to create a unique setting that often enables our honeybees to eke out a fall honey crop. Some years, the fall honey harvest can be small (and even non-existent), so it's not wise for beekeepers (or honey lovers) to count their fall honey before it's made. But when fall honey flows, nothing is sweeter!
These photos, from Wildflowers of Western Pennsylvania, is the labor of love of Bob Zuberbuhler, a retired pediatric cardiologist, hobby photographer and wildflower aficionado. He's posted beautiful photos of area wildflowers as well as useful information for identifying an unusual and unknown bloom. Check it out!
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| Ironweed photo by B. Zuberbuhler |
Ah, but what's the final third, you ask? It's the unique climate and terrain of this area. In warmer regions of the US, honey production ends by mid-summer.Western Pennsylvania's wet and chilly climate and hilly terrain combine to create a unique setting that often enables our honeybees to eke out a fall honey crop. Some years, the fall honey harvest can be small (and even non-existent), so it's not wise for beekeepers (or honey lovers) to count their fall honey before it's made. But when fall honey flows, nothing is sweeter!
 |
| Japanese Knotweed photo by B. Zuberbuhler |
 |
| Curled leaved mint; Photo by B. Zuberbuhler |
 |
| Golden Rod Photo by B. Zuberbuhler |
These photos, from Wildflowers of Western Pennsylvania, is the labor of love of Bob Zuberbuhler, a retired pediatric cardiologist, hobby photographer and wildflower aficionado. He's posted beautiful photos of area wildflowers as well as useful information for identifying an unusual and unknown bloom. Check it out!
Monday, August 15, 2011
Honey Roasted Eggplant Caponata
If you're like us, just about now, you have a back up of eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes and have probably started to tire of ratatouille. Try this! It's almost like an eggplant relish, with tart-but-sweet flavors that go well with grilled meats or, on its own as a salad. We've even used this as a bruschetta topping on some toasted baguette slices. The eggplant needs to sit for about 2 hours, so this recipe takes some advanced planning.
Honey Roasted Eggplant Caponata
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
olive oil (about 3 or 4 tablespoons)
1 medium zucchini (or summer squash), cut in 1/2 in dice
1 large sweet onion, cut in 1/2 in dice
2 large (or 4 small) fresh plum tomatoes, peeled if you like, and diced
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
1-2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup honey
salt and pepper
Place the eggplant in a strainer. Sprinkle with the salt and toss to coat thoroughly. Place strainer over a bowl and let sit for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse the eggplant well. Rinse it again for good measure. Squeeze out as much water from it as you can.
Coat the bottom of a roasting pan (or cookie sheet with a lip) with oil. Place the eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and capers in a bowl and toss together. Add the vinegar and 1-2 more tablespoons of olive oil and toss to coat again. Spread out in an even layer on the roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and roast for about 45 minutes to an hour, until the vegetables are very soft and the liquid is almost evaporated. Some of the veggies will brown, which is good! Cool for about 10-15 minutes, then drizzle on the honey, starting with 1/8th cup then taste. Add more honey to suit your palate. You can serve this at room temperature or chilled. Makes about 6 1/2 cup servings.
Honey Roasted Eggplant Caponata
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
olive oil (about 3 or 4 tablespoons)
1 medium zucchini (or summer squash), cut in 1/2 in dice
1 large sweet onion, cut in 1/2 in dice
2 large (or 4 small) fresh plum tomatoes, peeled if you like, and diced
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
1-2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup honey
salt and pepper
Place the eggplant in a strainer. Sprinkle with the salt and toss to coat thoroughly. Place strainer over a bowl and let sit for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse the eggplant well. Rinse it again for good measure. Squeeze out as much water from it as you can.
Coat the bottom of a roasting pan (or cookie sheet with a lip) with oil. Place the eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and capers in a bowl and toss together. Add the vinegar and 1-2 more tablespoons of olive oil and toss to coat again. Spread out in an even layer on the roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and roast for about 45 minutes to an hour, until the vegetables are very soft and the liquid is almost evaporated. Some of the veggies will brown, which is good! Cool for about 10-15 minutes, then drizzle on the honey, starting with 1/8th cup then taste. Add more honey to suit your palate. You can serve this at room temperature or chilled. Makes about 6 1/2 cup servings.
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