September is National Honey Month, so I thought I’d celebrate by sharing some uses for honey. Honey is one of my favorite sweeteners, it’s also been shown to have quite a few vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Whenever I can I try to substitute honey for other sweeteners when I bake.

Did you know you could substitute honey for sugar in many of your baking recipes? For every cup of sugar you would use about 3/4 cup of honey. When you the substitute honey you’ll also need to reduce your liquid by about 1/4 to 1/3 cup for every cup of honey …read more

I’m so excited that it’s finally September! It doesn’t necessarily mean cooler weather where I’m at (that’s October), but I do like that it’s finally pulling out of the “dog days” of summer and that cooler nights and shorter days are on the way.

September is also the bearer of several food holidays! I couldn’t figure out where most of these originate, and chances are good that even though they say “national” holidays they’re usually not. That doesn’t make them any less worthy of being recognized and celebrated, though! September is:
National Biscuit Month:
~ Biscuit Recipes.net
~ Alton’s Southern Biscuits
~ Simple Baking Powder …read more

Here’s an Asian flavored chicken recipe that would complement either side dishes of mashed potatoes or steamed white rice. It’s just something I put together after perusing a chicken cookbook where one dish asked for only 3 ingredients to make the sauce : honey, sherry and vinegar. This chicken was inspired by it but I added more elements to the flavor by including miso and a couple more ingredients.
INGREDIENTS:
3-4 chicken quarters
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sherry
1/2 cup miso dressing (creamy kind)
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 cups of water
oil for browning
In a pan, heat the oil. Brown the chicken …read more

Celebrate summer by enjoying a combination of fruits and a variety of cheese over salad greens topped with a honey vinaigrette. I have a feeling the summer heat will be bearable with this refreshing salad courtesy of National Board of Honey.
Ingredients
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
3/4 pound seedless grapes
3/4 pound fresh figs, apricots, plums or nectarines, sliced
4 ounces camembert or brie cheese, cut into narrow wedges
1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted
2 quarts salad greens
Directions
Combine honey, vinegar, oil, orange juice and poppy seeds in a jar. Shake well. Arrange clusters of grapes, …read more

Honey is a versatile ingredient that not a lot of people know. Besides desserts and tea, I love adding honey in salad dressings, and marinades. National Honey Board is sharing a few side dishes recipe to showcase one of honey’s uses. Take this Red-Skin Potato Salad W/ Honey Dill Dressing for example.
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds small red new potatoes
4 strips bacon
1 medium onion, diced
6 tablespoons honey
6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon water
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped or 1 tablespoon dried dill
1 bunch watercress, washed and chopped

I was poking around the Food Network site this morning and saw that they now have a section just for snacking!
We’ve made Giada’s cheese popcorn before, with Pecorino Romano and Parmesan cheeses, and loved it. I think popcorn made in a pan on the stove always tastes the best but it works well with a popcorn maker too. (I’ve also got one of those Whirly popcorn makers that helps a lot because you don’t have to lift and shake a heavy pan.)
Their section on healthy snacking is great for the upcoming New Year — though I don’t make specific resolutions …read more