Chewy Honey Oatmeal Cookies

I made this for a little party in one of my classes.  The students have been working hard on a service-learning project and we celebrated completing part of it with a pizza party--and some cookies!  These made quite a few (about 50) because they're small.  Another interesting element of the recipe is that the dough sits for awhile so that the oats can soften. If you try to make them right after you mix them, they'll be a bit soupy and hard to form.  I found the recipe on the Food52 website--a cooking website I should check out more often than I do!

Chewy Honey Oatmeal Cookies
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups oatmeal (the original recipe calls for quick-cooking; I used old fashioned)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup demerara sugar (could use turbinado or brown sugar)
1/3 cup honey
12 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (a lovely addition!)

Whisk the flour, oatmeal, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl.  In a larger bowl, whisk together the sugar, honey, butter, egg, egg yolk and extracts until smooth.  Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until well combined.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes. (I let them sit for an hour because I used old fashioned oats.)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Using a teaspoon, scoop and roll the dough into cookies about the size of a walnut.  Place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for about 12 minutes, until nicely browned at the edges.

Delicious Honey Cranberry Pinwheels

Although it's Halloween, there is nothing scary about these cookies, folks!  In fact, a case could be made that these cookies are actually good for you (well...perhaps we should say that they're not as bad for you).  The dough includes whole wheat flour and canola oil and, according to the recipe makers, they clock in at only about 54 calories a cookie.  The recipe comes from the Eating Well website where it has received rave reviews.  I see why--they're tasty and chewy and they make a nice impression.  Robert gives them his thumbs up!  They were also well-received at the Friends of the B.F. Jones Memorial Library annual wine and cheese fundraiser last Saturday. :)

This makes a very soft dough especially for rolling, yet the canola oil makes the dough less sticky than you'd expect.  Refrigerating the dough also makes it more manageable. Don't let the long list of ingredients deter you.  The recipe isn't that complicated to make.

Honey Cranberry Pinwheels

Filling:

1 1/2 cups sweetened dried cranberries

1 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen)

1/2 cup honey

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (could use orange zest)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cardamom (or allspice)

Dough

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cardamom (or allspice if you used it in the filling)

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup honey

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons low fat milk

2 1/2 teaspoons lemon (or orange) zest

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

For filling:  Combine all of the ingredients in a non-reactive* pan over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil.  Let boil about five minutes until the fresh cranberries pop and soften.  Remove from heat and cool.  Place in a food processor and process the filling until finely ground. Place in refrigerator while you make the dough.

For dough:  Whisk the flours, baking powder, salt, baking soda and spices in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, honey, eggs, milk, zest and extracts and beat well.  Stir in half of the flour mixture to incorporate then add the other half. (If you're using a mixture, switch to a wooden spoon when you add the second flour portion.)  Stir to thorough combine, but don't over-mix.  Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to make the dough easier to work with.

To form the cookies:  Take 1/2 of the chilled dough and place between two sheets of waxed paper (about 12 x 18 inches long).  Roll out dough into a 12x15 inch rectangle.  Place the rolled out dough in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.  This will make it easier to spread the filling on the dough.  Remove top sheet of waxed paper and spread 1/2 of the cranberry filling over the dough--it will be thin (I used my hands to get the filling to the edges.  With the long end parallel to the counter, use the waxed paper the dough is resting on to help you roll the dough into a tight, round log.  Place the log on a clean sheet of waxed paper, roll it up and twist the ends to make the log as tight as possible.  Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for at least four hours (and up to three months**).  Repeat with the other half of the dough and filling.

When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Unwrap the roll and, using a long serrated knife, slice the cookies into 1/4 inch wide slices, turning the log as you slice to keep the cookies as round as possible.  Place the slices on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for about 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.  

Makes about 90 cookies.

*Non-reactive pans are stainless steel or enamel--not aluminum (or copper!)

**If you're freezing for an extended time, don't defrost before slicing the cookies.

Honey Chocolate Shortbread Ribbons

I'm still in the midst of my cookie baking extravaganza here.  The recipe for these honey chocolate shortbread ribbons is from the National Honey Board, where I get a lot of great recipe ideas.  I have to confess that these aren't Robert's favorite.  The recipe calls for orange peel, which adds a tang to the dough that Robert isn't that fond of (he ate a few of 'em though!).  You could skip the peel if you'd prefer.  In that case, I might be tempted to add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the dough, just to kick up the flavor a bit.

Honey Chocolate Shortbread Ribbons
1 cup butter, softened
2/3rd cup  honey
1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Cream the butter and gradually drizzle in the honey, beating until light and fluffy.  Add the orange peel and beat to incorporate thoroughly.  In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, salt and baking powder and then stir into the honey-butter mixture, combining well.  Remove about 1/3 of the dough to another bowl and add the melted chocolate to it, combining well.

Line one 9 inch square pan and one 9x5 inch loaf pan with waxed paper, letting the paper hang out of the sides so that you'll be able to lift the dough out once it hardens. Flatten the chocolate mixture into the loaf pan and the remaining dough into the square pan. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Remove the dough from the 9 inch pan and cut in half.  Place the chocolate dough in the middle of the two halves and press lightly but to be sure the layers hold together.  With a large, sharp knife, cut the block lengthwise to make two logs.  Wrap each with wax paper and then with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least four hours (or freeze up to three months).

Preheat oven to 375.  Slice the logs about 1/8th to 1/4th inches wide and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.  Bake for about 7 to 8 minutes until lightly browned.  Makes about four dozen cookies.

And stay tuned!  The recipe for Robert's favorite honey cranberry pinwheel cookies coming soon!

Honey Almond Rugelach

Though I haven't been posting much on the blog recently, get ready for a run of cookie recipes!  The Friends of the B.F. Jones Memorial Library annual wine and cheese is Saturday, October 27 and I've been making a bunch of cookies in preparation.  These almond rugelach cookies are classic--not too sweet--and the hint of honey in the filling really comes through.  They're one of my favorite cookies to make.  This recipe comes from a small cookbook published by the National Honey Board in 1994 called Sweetened with Honey the Natural Way. The recipe is also available on the National Honey Board's website--click on the link.

And stay tuned!  Recipes for shortbread-like honey chocolate ribbons and some delicious cranberry pinwheels will appear in future posts!

Honey Almond Rugelach
1 cup butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 tablespoons honey, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped almonds
1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries, chopped (I used cherries)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cream butter and cream cheese until fluffy.  Add three tablespoons of honey and mix well. Add the flour, stirring until the dough comes together.  Form into a disk, wrap well and refrigerate for at least two hours.

In a small bowl, combine the almonds and chopped cherries. Drizzle about 3 tablespoons of honey over them and mix well.

Divide the dough into fourths and roll one piece into about a 9-inch circle.  Combine two tablespoons of honey and the lemon and mix well.  Brush the dough with the honey-lemon mixture.  Sprinkle about 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon over the surface. Spread about 1/4 of the almond/cherry mixture over the surface.  Cut the circle into 8 wedges.  Starting with the wide end, roll up each wedge and then curve the cookie to make a crescent shape.  Place on parchment-lined cookie sheet and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

You can freeze these cookies unbaked.  Thaw them out before baking.

When life hands you a big zucchini...

Make Honey Zucchini Bread & Cake!  

That's a big zucchini!

It happens every year.  A zucchini hides  from us for most of the summer and slowly but surely turns into baseball bat.  Usually it just gets tossed on the compost pile and we move on. But this year for some reason, I felt compelled to try to put at least some of this beast to use.  It sent me to my cookbooks and the internet searching for some zucchini bread and cake recipes.

I'm happy to report that I have two delicious zucchini recipes to share, both of which use honey as part (or all!) to sweeten.

The first recipe, Chocolate Honey Zucchini Bread, is adapted from one on the King Arthur Flour website, which is always a great source for bread and cake recipes. The King Arthur recipe calls for chocolate chips, which are not included in mine because Robert is adamantly opposed to chocolate chips. (He hates chocolate chip cookies! No lie!) Ah, but he loves this Chocolate Honey Zucchini Bread, and ate half of it before I could take a photo of the finished product. There's no better compliment, actually.  Thanks, Rob!

The second recipe, a Honey Zucchini Bundt Cake, is adapted from a honey zucchini bread recipe on cooks.com.  It's also quite good and would be lovely with a little cream cheese, too.

I'll be making more of both recipes to freeze, because I still have half of that zucchini sitting on my counter! (Robert says he wouldn't be surprised if it doubles in size overnight.  He suspects that even when you take them off the vine, they keep growing.)

Chocolate Honey Zucchini Bread

2 large eggs
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder (optional -but nice!)
1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa
1 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups shredded, unpeeled zucchini

Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a loaf pan (mine was 9x5--an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 will also work)

Beat the eggs, honey, oil, brown sugar and vanilla in a large bowl.  In another bowl, whisk together the salt, soda, baking powder, espresso powder, cocoa and flour.  Add this to the honey/egg/oil mixture and mix until well combined.  Stir in the zucchini.  Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool for about 10 minutes and then remove from the pan.  If you can keep your peeps away, let it cool completely before slicing.

Honey Zucchini Bundt Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Oil and flour a Bundt or fluted cake pan.

3 cups unbleached white all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 cups graded raw, unpeeled zucchini
3 eggs, slightly beaten
2/3 cup vegetable oil (I used canola)
1 2/3rd cups honey
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and ground cinnamon in a large bowl.  In a medium bowl, thoroughly combine the eggs, oil, honey & vanilla and zucchini.  Add this to the dry ingredients and stir just to combine.  Stir in the walnuts to distribute.  Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool for about 15 minutes and then remove from pan.

Looking for even more zucchini bread options?  Check out Allie Smith's blog "Allie's Life" for a recipe for banana zucchini bread, which includes the option to honey as a sweetner.

Honeyed Peach Pie Filling (for freezing)

I missed the "Peach Jam" at McConnell's Family Farm on Sunday, July 29, 2012 hosted by Slow Food Pittsburgh--but I've done a little stocking up on peaches for the winter on my own.  I made the filling for a peach pie, which I'll freeze and pull out one of those gloomy days in mid-November or beginning of February when we could use a little sweet peach sunshine.  I call it "Pop-in-the-Pan" Peach Filling because the idea is that you freeze the filling in a pie plate so that you can pop it right in pastry-lined pie pan, pop on a top crust and bake it without much fuss at all.  Great for unexpected company!  The recipe is fairly basic; you can try this with any pie filling you'd like--I've made blueberry and strawberry pies this way.  This recipe make filling for two pies.  You can double that if you have a lot of peaches (or cut it in half if you want to make only one pie).  Oh, and you could just go ahead and make a peach pie with this recipe, too. If that's the case, then I'd skip the ascorbic acid step.

Pop-in-the-Pan Honeyed Peach Pie Filling for Freezing

2 quarts peeled fresh peaches, sliced about 1/4 inch thick

1/2 teaspoon powdered ascorbic acid*

1/2 gallon water

1/2-3/4 cup honey, depending on how sweet the peaches are

1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca, finely ground in a spice mill

1/8 cup lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

Place the peaches in a large container.  Dissolve the ascorbic acid in the water and pour over the peaches.  Drain.  Combine the peaches, honey, tapioca, lemon juice and salt.  

Line two pie plates with heavy-duty aluminum foil, extending the foil about 5 inches over the rims.  Divide the filling evenly between the pans.  Fold the foil loosely over the filling and place in freezer until filling is frozen (about 4 hours) Remove from freezer, take the filling from the pie plates and wrap the foil snugly around filling.  Label with directions for baking (see below) and place in freezer bags.  

*NOTE:  I didn't have any powdered ascorbic acid (vitamin C on hand), which prevents the peaches from browning,  so I ground up some vitamin C tablets (ascorbic acid is vitamin C, after all).  That's not ideal because the tablets include some filler used to keep the tablet intact.  If, like me, you don't have any powdered ascorbic acid around and don't want to use vitamin C tablets, you can use lemon juice or vinegar instead. The peaches will likely turn a bit browner with the lemon juice (and vinegar may add some acidic notes to the final filling flavor).  Use 1/4 cup lemon juice or vinegar for 1/2 gallon of water.

To bake:  Remove the foil from the filling and place it, unthawed, in a pastry-lined pie plate (the same size that you used to form the filling).  Dot with 1-2 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle with cinnamon (or nutmeg) if you'd like.  Add top crust, flute edges and add vent holes. (Or! check out my handy all-butter pie crust recipe and "rustic" fold-the-top-over method of forming the top crust.)  Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for about 1 hour and 10 minutes or until bubbly. (You might need to tent the crust with foil to keep from over-browning.)

Marbled Brownies for July 4th (or a graduation celebration)!

On July 4th, we're celebrating our brilliant and handsome nephew's graduation from college. (Yay Michael! Anyone looking to hire a clever, skilled writer and incredibly competent new grad? Email us!)   Where was I? Oh! Right!  Brownies:  I'm assigned to bring brownies to the festivities.  I was surprised to find this recipe, which uses honey as the sweetener for the brownie batter, in my loose-leaf copy Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook (1976).  I think I picked this cookbook up in a thrift store in the 1990s.  I don't turn to it when I'm looking for recipes for fruits or vegetables, but I usually check it out when I need a basic recipe like brownies (or mac-n-cheese).

These brownies are a cross between the fudgy vs. cakey  options, though leaning a bit more on the fudgy side.  The recipe appears in narrative form in the book, so why mess with tradition?

Marbled Brownies 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in center of oven.  Grease a 9x9 square baking pan and line with parchment paper and then lightly grease the top of the parchment paper.  Melt 6 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate and 6 tablespoons butter. [I did this in a microwave, heating for 15 second intervals and stirring in between; it took a total of 30 seconds, with about 30 seconds of waiting for the last bits to melt after the second time.]  In a separate bowl, gradually add 1/3 cup honey [I used spring honey] to 2 beaten eggs.  Blend chocolate mixture into egg/honey mixture and add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.  Whisk 1/2 cup all-purpose flour with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and pinch of salt.  Add to chocolate mixture and fold in until just combined.  Batter will be a bit lumpy. [At this point, the recipe calls for pouring 1/2 of the brownie batter in the pan and baking for 10 minutes. I tried this, but it didn't seem to make much of a difference; there wasn't a solid layer of brownie at the bottom, in other words. Next time, I'll skip this step.]  Spoon cheese mixture [recipe follows] over brownie batter and then top with rest of brownie batter.  Lightly swirl cheese and brownie together.  Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few crumbs clinging.  Cool completely and cut into bars.  

Cheese Filling:  Cream together 8 ounces softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar.  Beat in 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of salt.  Stir in 1 cup chopped nuts (optional).  

Makes about 32 1-inch brownies

Granola Bars--great for road trips!

The breathtaking Badlands

Robert and I just returned from a hiking trip around the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota (and the stark but mesmerizing Badlands).  These granola bars went along for the ride and provided some chewy sustenance on the ol' trail.  The original recipe comes from Alton Brown, with just a few tweaks. These are very sturdy and chewy granola bars, so it helps to cut them into small bites to get your teeth around them.  By the end of the week-long trip, the last few had been jostled into granola crumble, but they held up surprisingly well on the trail!

Granola Bars

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

1 cup sliced, raw almonds

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup flax meal (or wheat germ)

1/2 cup honey (I used summer honey)

1/8 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup chopped dried fruit (I used a combination of apricots and cranberries)

Oil an 8x8 baking dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spread the oats, almonds, coconut and flaxmeal on a cookie sheet and toast for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice.  Combine the honey and brown sugar, butter, vanilla and salt in a sauce pan over medium heat and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.  Remove the oats et al.  from the oven and reduce temperature to 300 degrees.  Place oats et al. in a bowl and immediately add the honey mixture along with the dried fruit.  Toss to combine very well.  Pour mixture into the oiled baking dish, and use a cup to press it firmly and evenly down.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Cool completely and cut into 1-inch bars. 

Buffalo at Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota

From the top of Rankin Ridge Trail,
Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota

Berries!

Summer 2012 is proving to be an amazing one for berries.  Our raspberry patch is coming in fast and furious along with the blackcap berries that are ripening along the hillside. They made for a delicious lunch today.  Just a drizzle of honey and some yogurt rounded out the dish.  Robert added some whipped cream to his, which was a bit like gilding the lily in my opinion.  

Blueberries aren't quite ready, but we still have a few pints of frozen blues from last year that made a perfect pie for dessert.  I had to act fast to get this photo before the last piece of pie was devoured. This would be the place for some whipped cream if you have it.

BLUEBERRY PIE SWEETENED WITH HONEY
The ground tapioca in this pie makes it sturdy and not at all soupy.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

For the all-butter pie crust:
1 and 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (12 tablespoons), cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in the freezer while you gather the rest of the ingredients.
1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
1/3 cup ice water
Briefly (about 5 seconds) pulse the flour, salt and very cold butter in a food processor until the butter is pea-sized. Sprinkle water on top and briefly pulse again to evenly distribute it. The dough will be in loose pellets. Pour onto a lightly floured surface and knead it three or four times to bring it together. Form into a flat disk. Roll out to about 16 or 17 inches (1/4th inch thick). Fit into a 9-inch pie plate, letting dough hang over the edge (this overhang will be folded over the filling to form the top crust).


For the blueberry pie
4 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup summer (or spring) honey
1/4 cup tapioca pudding, ground into a powder in a coffee grinder or blender
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or nutmeg)--optional
2 tablespoons butter

Combine the berries, honey, tapioca and spice if using in a bowl and mix gently but well.  Place the berries in the prepared crust. Dot with the two tablespoons of butter.  Fold the overhanging crust over the berries, leaving a vent hole in the center. You can lightly brush the crust with milk or water and sprinkle some sugar on top if you'd like.

Place the pie in the preheated oven and put a cookie sheet underneath just in case there are any drips.  Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the filling bubbles up from the vent hole.  Cool before slicing.

Honey Cannoli! A Dessert Calzone!

New York Times food writer, Melissa Clark's "A Good Appetite" column never lets me down.  Last week, she  offered several recipes for calzones using Mark Bittman's pizza dough recipe, one of which included this Honey Cannoli Dessert Calzone I made tonight.  It's made with fresh ricotta, which Clark demonstrates in a video on the NY Times website.  Sound complicated?  Not at all! Fresh ricotta can be ready in less than 30 minutes depending on how long it takes the milk to boil.  If that sounds like a lot of work, consider (as Clark points out in her video) that fresh ricotta is cheaper than store bought, tastes so much better and is fun to make!

I start by offering the Honey Cannoli Dessert Calzone recipe with photos.  Read on for recipes for pizza dough, fresh ricotta and a delightful spinach/red pepper calzone that Robert and I made last night with some of this dough.

HONEY CANNOLI DESSERT CALZONE
Preheat oven to 500 degrees (yes! 500!)
Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease

Take 1/4 of Mark Bittman's pizza dough recipe (see below--make the whole recipe, divide into 4ths and use one ball; freeze the rest if you're not making any other dishes)  Pull/roll the dough into a 6 to 7 inch circle.


In a bowl, combine:
3/4ths cup fresh ricotta (see below for recipe)
3-4 tablespoons honey (we used summer honey)
1-2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.





Spread the ricotta mixture on one half of the dough. Lightly wet the edge and fold the dough in half, covering the ricotta mixture.

Crimp the edges, sealing well.  Brush lightly with olive oil.  Bake for about 15 minutes until the calzone is well-browned and puffed.  Let cool for 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and drizzle with more honey. Split and serve.  One calzone generously serves two for dessert.

Mark Bitmann's Pizza Dough Recipe
3 cups all-purpose flour (or bread flour)
1 teaspoon fast-rising yeast (2 teaspoons if you want to speed things up)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Put the flour, yeast, salt and oil in a food processor and pulse to mix well.  With the processor running, slowly add 1 cup of water through the feed tube, and process until the mixture forms a ball, which should be sticky.  Using flour or oiled hands, form the dough into a ball and let rest at room temperature 1 to 2 hours (or, do as I did, which was wrap the dough well and refrigerate overnight; return the dough to room temperature before proceeding with recipe).  For the honey cannoli recipe,  divide the dough into four equal pieces and use one for the honey calzone. (You could wrap and freeze the others for later, or double the recipe if you want more servings.)

FRESH RICOTTA 
2 quarts whole milk (1/2 gallon)
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In a large pot, stir the milk, cream and salt together and bring to a rolling boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent the milk from scorching.  Meanwhile, prepare a sieve or colander by lining it with four layers of cheese cloth, leaving a big overhang. Place the colander over a large pot.

When the milk/cream mixture comes to a rolling boil, stir in the lemon juice, reduce the heat and simmer just until curds start to form.  If you want firmer ricotta with big curds, cook for about a minute more.  Pour the mixture into the cheese-cloth lined colander and let drain until it's the consistency you like.  The longer it drains, the drier the curds will be.  That's it!  Place the ricotta in a container and refrigerate--it should keep for at least a week.  (For a simple and divine dessert, try this drizzled with some honey and cinnamon.)

BONUS RECIPE!  SPINACH, RED PEPPER CALZONE
Preheat oven to 500 degrees (yes! 500!)  Line a cookie sheet with foil and lightly grease.
1-2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing calzone
3 or 4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 sweet red pepper, diced in 1/4 inch dice
1/2 pound fresh spinach, cleaned well
1/2 of Bittman's pizza dough recipe (see above)
1 cup fresh ricotta
3 ounces mozzarella, sliced in 1/4 inch slices
tomato or pizza sauce for serving on the side

Heat oil in a skillet add garlic, sprinkle with a little salt and lightly saute, being careful not to burn.  Add diced red pepper and saute for a few minutes.  Add spinach and cook until it's wilted.

Pull and roll the pizza dough until it is about 12 inches in diameter. Spread one half of the dough with ricotta, leaving about 1/2 inch margin to seal the dough.  Top with the spinach/pepper mixture (draining if it's very watery) and then with the mozzarella slices.  Fold the dough over, wet the edges and crimp and seal well. Transfer the calzone to the prepared cookie sheet and place in preheated oven for 20-30 minutes.  The calzone should be very brown--even a little darker on top.  Remove from oven and cool for about 5 or 10 minutes before slicing into it.  Makes two very generous servings for a main course.

Chocolate Honey Snacking Cake

I can't let the advent of Valentine's Day go by without some kind of chocolate honey concoction!  This is not a strongly flavored chocolate cake, so the taste of the honey in the batter really comes through.  I used our summer (clover) honey in this recipe.  More richly flavored fall honey would also be a good choice. We plowed right into the cake after it came out of the oven, but if you want a more strongly chocolate flavored cake--and a prettier presentation to impress your valentine--you can add a chocolate honey glaze once you take the cake from the pan. I'm including a glaze recipe below.

FOR THE CAKE:
1 10-inch spring form tube pan at least three inches deep; you could also use a 9-inch regular round cake pan if you'd like.Oil and flour the pan.  If you're using a regular cake pan, it'd be wise to line the bottom with parchment paper.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt.
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup summer or fall honey
2 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil (I used canola)
1 1/2 cup milk soured by adding 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice. (You could also use butter milk.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.  Using a standing or hand-held mixer, blend the sugar and honey for about 2 minutes, beating really well.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix for another minute to blend well.  Add oil and mix again for about 30 seconds to a minute until the ingredients are fully combined.  Add one half of the flour mixture and mix until there are no pockets of flour left (there may be some lumps).  Add the milk and mix carefully, as the batter will be very soupy at this point.  Add the rest of the flour and combine well.  Pour batter into prepared pan and bake about 50 to 55 minutes.  The top should be highly domed and spring back when lightly touched with your finger.  Alternatively, insert a toothpick in the center and remove.  If it's dry, the cake is done.  Take care not to over-bake.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.  If serving plain, serve warm!  You can glaze the cake when it's still warm if you'd like.

HONEY CHOCOLATE GLAZE
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup summer or fall honey
10 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate,(NOT baking chocolate), chopped or broken into small pieces
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
toasted pecans, almonds or walnuts--about 1/2 cup (optional)

Bring whipping cream and honey just to a boil in a sauce pan, stirring to blend and watching carefully so that it doesn't boil over.  Place the chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot cream and honey over it, stirring to melt the chocolate until all is smooth.  Add the vanilla and a pinch of salt and let sit for about 5 minutes.

Place a cooling rack on some waxed paper on the counter and put the cake on the rack.  Pour the glaze evenly over the cake, spreading if necessary so that the glaze drips down the sides.  Sprinkle the toasted nuts on top if using.  Place the cake in the fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour to set the glaze.

This cake keeps well, so you could bake it a day ahead if you'd like.  Just tightly cover it overnight.

Walnuts Soaked in Honey

In her "On the Menu" column in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Sunday, January 29, 2012, China Millman sings the praises of walnuts, and especially the marriage of walnuts and honey.  She offers two great dessert recipes:  Grizzly Bear Pie, which sounds like a pecan pie made with walnuts, and Toffee Walnut Squares, both available by clicking on the link above.

She also mentions the Greek specialty:  walnuts soaked in honey.  Here's a great recipe for them--which makes a unique gift.  These can be used in a variety of ways:  serve with a nice log of goat cheese (or feta! or ricotta! or ricotta salata! or cheddar!) and crackers; pour onto vanilla ice cream; use as a topping for waffles or pancakes; or drizzle on yogurt or rice pudding.

1 cup of walnuts, toasted in a 325 degree oven (or a dry skillet) until fragrant--careful not to burn.
1 1/2 cups honey (classic summer honey works well here, especially since it'll show off the nuts).
Pour 3/4th cup of honey into a glass jar (or two glass jars).  Add the nuts and top with the remaining honey.  Seal the jar.  Will keep at room temperature for about 1 month.  Makes one 12-ounce jar or two 6-ounce jars.

Variation:  You can really play around with the flavors here.  Add a sprig of thyme or rosemary or a cinnamon stick.  Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes for some heat.  Add a handful of dried fruits.  You can also experiment with the nuts, using a combination of unsalted mixed nuts, or cashews or almonds (blanched would be best).

Simple Rice Pudding

We made this simple rice pudding Saturday night, which was the perfect accompaniment to catching up on the Colbert Report. It's adapted from a recipe on Martha Stewart Living. You can make the pudding as rich or simple as you like, depending on whether you use cream, whole milk or skim milk. Because there isn't much sweetness in the pudding itself, the honey is highlighted and each person can sweeten as they please.  

INGREDIENTS:  

3 3/4 cups milk (whole, 2% or skim; if you want a really rich pudding, you can substitute 1/2 cup cream for some of the milk)

1/2 cup aborio (or short grain) rice

1 tablespoon sugar

pinch of salt

3 tablespoons honey, plus more for drizzling

Combine the milk, rice, sugar and salt in a sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 or 25 minutes, until rice is soft and chewy and has absorbed all the milk. Remove from heat and stir in the honey.  Let sit for about five minutes.  Serve in bowls with more honey drizzled on top. Makes four 1/2 cup servings.

Variations/additions:  Tuck star anise or a stick of cinnamon in the milk and rice while simmering. (Remove before serving!)  Add a handful (about 1/2 cup) dried fruit.  Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg once you place the pudding in the bowls.

Honey Cashew Butter Cookies

Looking for a cookie to put out for Santa?  You could do worse than these honey cashew butter cookies, adapted from a recipe from Better Homes and Gardens 2011 Christmas Cookie book.

1/2 cup roasted cashew butter
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup summer (amber) honey
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4ths cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped cashews (optional)

In a large bowl, beat cashew butter and butter until thoroughly blended and fluffy.  Add the sugar and honey and combine thoroughly.  Add the egg and mix well.  Stir in the vanilla extract and combine.  In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, baking powder and salt.  Add this to the cashew butter mixture, and mix to combine well.  Add the chopped cashews if using.  Cover and chill dough for about 30 minutes.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place them about 2 inches apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  (If you decide not to use parchment, no need to grease the cookie sheets.)  This is a very soft dough, so if after 30 minutes of chilling, it's still difficult to form into balls, add another 1/8th to 1/4th cup of flour.  Flatten the balls by making criss crosses with the tines of a fork dipped in flour.  Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned on the bottom and taking care not to over-bake.  Let cool for about a minute on the cookie sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack.  Store at room temperature and tightly covered for up to five days, or wrap well and freeze for up to three months. Makes about 50 cookies

Best-Ever Honey Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookies

The honey in this recipe keeps the cookies nice and chewy, yet they also have enough structure to hold up to any decoration you pile on them.  We'll post photos we get another chance to bake them!

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup honey (summer honey works well here, but fall honey is also good)

1/4 cup molasses

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Whisk first seven ingredients together (flour, soda, salt and spices).  Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg and mix well.  Add honey & molasses and mix well.  Gradually add flour mixture and mix until just combined.  Refrigerate for about 1 hour. This makes a soft dough, which will need additional flour for rolling.  Roll out on floured surface to about 1/4" and cut into desired shapes. Place on parchment-lined cookie sheet.  To make sure the cookies retain their fancy shapes, you can freeze them for 15 minutes before baking. (nb: Cookie testers Jeff & Laurie note this doesn't seem to make much difference.)  Bake 10-15 minutes, rotating pan half way through. The cookies should be nicely (but lightly) browned on the edges.   Let cool on cookie sheet for a minute or two before transferring to cooling rack.  Cool completely before decorating.  Makes about 4 dozen cookies, depending on how big your cookie cutters are.

Jennie's Honey Blueberry Cake (with photos!)

Jennie's Honey Blueberry Cake

I adapted this recipe from one that uses white sugar.  It makes a very delicate cake when it first comes out of the oven, which ripens into almost a pound cake consistency after a day or two. This is not a very sweet cake, though the flavors intensify a bit if you wait for a day. This cake can be baked in a  9x5 loaf pan, but I find when baking with honey that a spring form tube pan works especially well.  The center hole reduces the baking time needed and lessens the chance that the honey in the recipe will scorch and burn the crust. The recipe in a more printable form follows the photos along with some variations to try.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cream 1/2 softened unsalted butter with 1/2 cup summer (amber) honey.

Add two eggs, combining well after each addition.

Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a separate bowl, whisk 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Add 1/3 of the flour to the butter mixture and combine well.  Add 1/4 cup milk and combine well. Add another 1/3 of the flour, then another 1/4 cup of milk and the final 1/3 flour, combining well after each addition.

fold in 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Spoon batter into greased spring form tube pan

Bake at 325 for about 45 minutes

Cake is done when it's golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean

Voila!

JENNIE'S HONEY BLUEBERRY CAKE
Oven:  325 degrees; grease a 9 inch spring form tube pan*

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup summer (amber) honey
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Cream butter and honey until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Stir in vanilla.  In a separate bowl, whisk dry ingredients together.  Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.  Stir well after each addition.  Fold in blueberries.  Spoon batter into prepared pan and bake about 45 minutes, until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool, remove from pan and slice.  Cake keeps if well wrapped. The flavors strengthen after a day. *If you don't have a spring form tube pan, you can use a 9x5 loaf pan instead.  Hope you enjoy!

VARIATIONS:
MUCHO Blueberry Honey Blueberry Cake:  You can up the amount of blueberries to 2 cups, though the cake will need to be eaten with a fork! :)

Lemon Honey Blueberry Cake:  Add 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind.  You can also ditch the vanilla extract for 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.  If you want a sweeter cake, make a glaze of 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 4 tablespoons honey.  Right when the cake comes out of the oven, prick in several times with a toothpick and pour the glaze over the cake.  Let cool.  This will be a bit sticky, so it's also best eaten with a fork!

Honey Blueberry Nut Cake: Add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or almonds when you add the blueberries.