Honey Recipes - Appetizer

Bees in the Herb Garden Dip or Dressing - Makes 20 (2 Tablespoon) servings -

Ingredients

1 pint sour cream 6 Tablespoons honey 2 Tablespoons orange juice, thawed, undiluted 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons cream-style horseradish 2 teaspoons rosemary, crushed 1 teaspoon chervil, crushed 1 teaspoon basil, crushed 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon white pepper 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

Combine all ingredients; mix well. Refrigerate, covered, several hours to blend flavors. Stir before using.

Serving Suggestions

Use as a dip for chips, shrimp, ham cubes, vegetable dippers, ripe olives and pineapple chunks. Use as a salad dressing for green and fruit salads.

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Chafing Dish Chicken Wings - Makes 15 servings -

Ingredients

15 broiler-fryer chicken wings 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup lemon juice 2 Tablespoons canola oil 1/4 cup honey 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce Sweet & Sour Sauce (recipe below)

Directions

Make marinade by mixing together soy sauce, lemon juice, canola oil, honey, garlic and hot pepper sauce; stir until honey is dissolved. Place chicken wings on cutting board; cut and discard (or save for stock) wing tips. Cut remaining wing into two sections at joint, making 30 drummettes. Place chicken in bowl and pour soy-honey mixture over all; cover and marinate in refrigerator overnight. Arrange chicken drummettes in single layer on baking pan; pour marinade over chicken. Bake in 425°F. oven for about 20 minutes or until chicken is fork-tender, basting several times with marinade during cooking. Place chicken in chafing dish, reserving marinade for making sauce. Pour Sweet and Sour Sauce over wings and keep warm in chafing dish. To prepare Sweet and Sour Sauce, in saucepan, pour marinade remaining after chicken has cooked. Add 1 can (8 ounces) pineapple cubes (drained but juice retained), 1 green pepper cut into cubes, 1/4 cup vinegar and 1 cup chicken broth. Slowly bring to a boil. In small bowl, mix together until smooth 4 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/4 cup reserved pineapple juice. Stir mixture into liquids in saucepan and boil until thickened and smooth, about 2 minutes.

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Cheese Dip with Fresh Fruits - Makes 4 servings - Preparation Time: 8 minutes

Ingredients

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese 1/4 cup honey 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup diced toasted almonds

Directions

In a medium mixer bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and lemon juice; mix well. Spoon into a small bowl and top with almonds. To serve, place bowl on a plate and surround with assorted fruits such as banana slices, grapes, apple slices, strawberries, and peach or nectarine slices.

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Creamy Honey Sesame Dip For Vegetables - Makes 1-1/3 cups -

Ingredients

3/4 cup nonfat mayonnaise 1/4 cup rice vinegar 1/4 cup honey 3 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds 1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger root 1 small garlic, minced 3/4 teaspoon oriental sesame oil 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes Salt, to taste

Directions

Whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar and honey in small bowl. Add remaining ingredients; mix thoroughly. Dip may be stored tightly covered in refrigerator up to 1 week.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with assorted fresh vegetables.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (3-1/2 Tablespoons)

Protein: 1 g Fat Total: 3 g Sodium: 383 mg Carbohydrates: 19 g Calories from Fat: 25% Cholesterol: 0 mg Calories: 106 Dietary Fiber: <1>

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Curried Chicken Wings - Makes 13 servings -

Ingredients

1 cup honey 2/3 cup Dijon mustard 2 Tablespoons butter or margarine 4 teaspoons curry powder 2-1/2 lbs. chicken wings

Directions

In a small saucepan, combine honey, mustard, butter and curry powder; cook and stir over medium heat until blended. Arrange chicken in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish; drizzle with honey mixture. Cover with foil and bake at 350° F for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 30 minutes longer; turn after 15 minutes.

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Easy Honey Chicken Wings - Makes 8 servings -

Ingredients

1/2 cup honey 1/3 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup chili sauce 1 teaspoon garlic salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 8 drops red pepper sauce 3 lbs. chicken wings or drumettes

Directions

Combine honey, soy sauce, chili sauce, garlic salt, pepper and red pepper sauce. Arrange chicken in single layer in a 9x13-inch baking pan and pour on sauce. Turn chicken over to coat with sauce. Bake at 350°F for one hour, turning over once. Cool slightly and serve.

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Golden Nugget Dip - Makes 1 cup -

Ingredients

1/2 cup honey 1/2 cup spicy brown mustard, prepared

Directions

Combine honey and mustard; mix well.

Serving Suggestions

Serve as a dip for chicken nuggets, vegetables or pretzels.

Tips

Substitution Tip: regular or Dijon mustard may be used in place of spicy brown mustard.

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Hawaiian Honey Dip - Makes 2/3 cup -

Ingredients

1/2 cup catsup 1/4 cup honey 2 Tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions

Combine all ingredients; microwave on HIGH (100%) 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture boils and thickens, stirring every 30 seconds. Cool. Serve as a dip for chicken nuggets and/or vegetables.

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Honey and Nut Glazed Brie - Makes 16 to 20 servings -

Ingredients

1/4 cup honey 1 Tablespoon brandy 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans 1/4 oz. (about 5-inch diameter) Brie cheese

Directions

In a small bowl, combine honey, pecans and brandy. Place cheese on a large ovenproof platter or 9-inch pie plate. Bake in preheated 500°F oven 4 to 5 minutes or until cheese softens. Drizzle honey mixture over top of cheese. Bake 2 to 3 minutes longer or until topping is thoroughly heated. Do not melt cheese.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with crackers, tart apple wedges and seedless grapes.

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Honey Champagne Fondue - Makes 2 servings -

Ingredients

16 oz. Swiss or Gruyere cheese, shredded 4 teaspoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon dry mustard 1 Tablespoon butter 1/4 cup shallot, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 1-1/4 cups brut (dry) champagne, or sparkling wine 1/3 cup honey 2 Tablespoons lemon juice Pinch nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Directions

Toss cheese with cornstarch and dry mustard to coat; reserve. In a heavy pan or fondue pot, over medium heat, melt butter. Saute shallot and garlic until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add champagne and bring to a boil. Slowly add reserved cheese mixture, a little at a time, stirring constantly, until cheese melts. Stir in honey and lemon juice; stir until smooth and continue to simmer 2-3 minutes more. Season with nutmeg and pepper. Serve immediately; keep warm.

Serving Suggestions

Dipping suggestions: Crusty bread cubes (French, Rye, Pumpernickel), Granny Smith apple slices, carrots, and steamed broccoli.

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Honey Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches - Makes 7 servings -

Ingredients

Any variety bread slices 3 oz. cream cheese, softened 2 Tablespoons honey 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel Watercress sprigs Orange peel*, finely julienne

Directions

Remove crust from bread; cut into desired shapes. Combine cream cheese, honey and grated orange peel; blend until smooth. Spread cheese mixture on bread; garnish with watercress sprigs and orange peel. *Remove white part of peel.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (Per 1 Tablespoon)

Protein: 1.6 g Fat Total: 7.1 g Sodium: 64 mg Carbohydrates: 9.2 g Cholesterol: 23 mg Calories: 105 Dietary Fiber: 0 g

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Honey Figs with Goat Cheese and Pecans - Makes 6 servings -

Ingredients

1 cup chopped pecans 1 log (6 oz.) goat cheese 12 fresh figs such as Calimyrna or Black Mission, halved 3/4 cup Clover honey Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place the finely chopped pecans in a shallow dish. Season with salt and pepper. Roll the goat cheese log in the pecans to evenly coat. Refrigerate log until firm if necessary, then cut evenly into rounds. Divide the figs evenly between six shallow bowls or dessert plates. Top figs with a round of pecan-crusted goat cheese. Drizzle 2 Tablespoons of Clover honey over each serving. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information Per Serving

Protein: 9 g Fat Total: 22 g Sodium: 245 mg Carbohydrates: 58 g Calories from Fat: 43% Cholesterol: 22 mg Calories: 438 Dietary Fiber: 5 g

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Honey Picante Chicken Wings - Makes 24 to 30 servings -

Ingredients

1/2 cup honey 1/2 cup prepared picante sauce 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 2 lbs. chicken wings, tips removed Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Microwave honey in a 1-quart microwave-safe measure at high (100%) 4 to 5 minutes or until honey boils and thickens. Stir in remaining ingredients except chicken wings; microwave at high 4 to 5 minutes. Cut wings in half at joint; arrange wings in shallow baking dish. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. Raise temperature to 375°F. Turn each piece, brush generously with sauce in pan and bake 45 minutes longer or until glazed and completely cooked, turning chicken and brushing with sauce every 15 minutes.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 wing)

Protein: 9 g Fat Total: 6 g Sodium: 152 mg Carbohydrates: 6 g Calories from Fat: 50% Cholesterol: 26 mg Calories: 118 Dietary Fiber: 0 g

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Honey You're Good Sauce - Makes 1 cup - Preparation Time: less than 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup honey 1 Tablespoon vinegar 1 Tablespoon soy sauce 2 teaspoons fresh ginger root, minced 2 teaspoons sesame oil 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

Combine all ingredients and mix until blended. Serve over broiled chicken or as a dip for vegetables.

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Honey-Glazed Sweet Potatoes - Makes 4 servings -

Ingredients

2 lbs. sweet potatoes or yams 2/3 cup orange juice 1/3 cup honey 1 Tablespoon cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 Tablespoon butter or margarine

Directions

Wash and pierce potatoes or yams. Place on a piece of heavy-duty foil and bake at 375°F for 40 to 50 minutes until just tender. Cool, peel and cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces. Spray 8x8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place cooked potatoes or yams in dish; set aside. In small pan, combine orange juice, honey, cornstarch, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Stir until smooth. Cook over medium-high heat stirring until thick and mixture begins to boil. Stir and cook for one minute. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Pour over potatoes or yams stirring to coat. Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes until hot and potatoes are tender.

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Hot n’ Honey Dip - Makes 4 servings -

Ingredients

1/2 cup honey 1/2 cup Dijon-style mustard 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce black pepper Cayenne pepper, to taste

Directions

Beat together honey and remaining ingredients.

Serving Suggestions

Use as a dip for pretzels and bread sticks, fresh or fried vegetables, chicken wings or shrimp.

Honey Recipes

Honey Recipes

These recipes, submitted by our own members, won ribbons at the PSBA summer picnic recipe contest.

Honey-Wheat Banana Bread

• 1¼ c. Flour
• ½ c. Whole-Wheat Flour
• ½ c. Sugar
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1⅓ c. Mashed Bananas (about 2-3)
• ⅓ c. Coconut
• 4 tbsp. Softened Margarine
• ¼ tsp. Lemon Extract
• ½ c. Honey
• 1 Egg

Mix together first 5 ingredients. Beat mashed bananas, then add margarine, extract, honey and egg. Beat in, then add combined dry ingredients, followed by coconut. Pour into greased and floured 8½″ x 4½″ loaf pan. Bake at 325° 60-75 minutes until done. Remove from pan to cool. Makes 1 loaf.

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Honey Hermits

• 2¼ c. Sifted Flour
• 1 tsp. Baking soda
• ¼ tsp. Salt
• ½ tsp. Allspice
• ½ tsp. Cinnamon
• ½ c. Shortening
• 1 c. Honey
• ½ c. Brown Sugar
• 2 Eggs, well-beaten
• 3 tbsp. Milk
• 1 c. Seedless Raisins
• 1 c. Cranberries
• 1 c. Chopped Dates
• ½ c. Chopped Nuts

Sift flour, soda, salt and spices together. Cream shortening with honey and sugar. Add eggs. Add milk, dry ingredients, fruits and nuts and mix thoroughty. Drop from teaspoon onto greased baking sheet and bake in hot oven (400°) 10 to 12 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen.

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Honey Muffins

• 1 c. Honey
• 1 c. Softened Margarine
• 1 Egg
• 1 c. Sour Cream
• 2 c. Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• ½ tsp. Salt

Combine honey and margarine in bowl. Blend in egg and sour cream. Add dry ingredients; mix just until moistened. Fill greased muffin cups or paper cups ⅔ full. Bake at 400° for 12-15 minutes or until light brown. Yield: 1½ dozen.

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Honey-Apple-Cheese Braid

• 1 tsp. Dry Yeast
• 2 Tbsp. Honey
• ⅛ tsp. Salt
• 1 c. + 1½-2 c. Flour
• ½ c. Water
• 4 Tbsp. Margarine
• 1 Lg.Egg

Apple Filling

• 1 ½ c. Chopped Apple
• ½ c. Water
• ½ c. Sugar
• 8 tsp. Cornstarch
• ¼ tsp. Cinnamon

Cheese Filling

• 4 oz. Light Cream Cheese
• 2 Tbsp. Honey
• 1½ tsp. RealLemon

Combine 1 c. flour, salt and yeast. Heat water and margarine to 120°-130°F. Add egg and honey; add to flour mixture. Beat until fairly sommth. Gradually add the 1½-2 c. flour to form a soft, but not too sticky dough. Cover and let rise about 1 hr. Meanwhile combine all apple filling ingredients and bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened. Cool. Combine all cheese filling ingredients and mix well. Roll dough into 15" by 9" rectangle. Place on greased baking sheet. Spread cheese filling lengthwise down center third; then apple on top. Cut about 12 strips 3" into center on both sides. Fold alternating strips at an angle across filling. Seal ends. Cover and let rise 25 minutes. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes. Cool.

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Honey-Lemon Sponge Pie

• ½ c. Honey
• 1 Tbsp. Flour
• 3 Egg Yolks
• 1 c. Milk
• 1 Lemon - juice and rind
• 3 Stiffly Beaten Egg Whites
• 1 Unbaked Pie Shell

Cream honey and flour. Add and beat after each of yolks, milk, lemon. Fold in the egg whites. Bake in pie shell at 400° for 15 minutes; turn down to 325° and bake for 25 minutes longer.

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Sweet Potato Pie

• 1 can (15 oz.) Sweet Potato
• 1½ c. Marshmallow
• 1 c. Honey
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 3 Egg Whites
• ½ recipe Plain Pastry (or Graham Cracker Crust)

Heat sweet potatoes and then mash until smooth. Add the next 3 ingredients. Then pour into crust. Beat egg whites until stiff. Put on top. Bake at 350°.

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Honey Date Bars

• 1 c. Honey
• 3 Eggs
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• ⅛ tsp. Salt
• 1 ⅓ c. Flour
• 1 c. Walnuts, chopped
• 1 lb. Dates, chopped
• 1 tsp. Vanilla

Beat honey and eggs together; set aside. Sift baking powder, flour, and salt together; add honey-egg mixture along with nuts, dates, and vanilla. Mix well. Pour mixture int greased 9½ x13 baking pan. Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in pan. Cut into 16 squares.

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Basic Honey Bee Facts

Basic Honeybee Facts

Pollination

Agriculture depends greatly on the honeybee for pollination. Honeybees account for 80% of all insect pollination. Without such pollination, we would see a significant decrease in the yield of fruits and vegetables.

Pollen

Bees collect 66 lbs of pollen per year, per hive. Pollen is the male germ cells produced by all flowering plants for fertilization and plant embryo formation. The Honeybee uses pollen as a food. Pollen is one of the richest and purest natural foods, consisting of up to 35% protein, 10% sugars, carbohydrates, enzymes, minerals, and vitamins A (carotenes), B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (nicotinic acid), B5 (panothenic acid), C (ascorbic acid), H (biotin), and R (rutine).

Honey

Honey is used by the bees for food all year round. There are many types, colors and flavors of honey, depending upon it's nectar source. The bees make honey from the nectar they collect from flowering trees and plants. Honey is an easily digestible, pure food. Honey is hydroscopic and has antibacterial qualities. Eating local honey can fend off allergies.

Beeswax

Secreted from glands, beeswax is used by the honeybee to build honey comb. It is used by humans in drugs, cosmetics, artists' materials, furniture polish and candles.

Propolis

Collected by honeybees from trees, the sticky resin is mixed with wax to make a sticky glue. The bees use this to seal cracks and repair their hive. It is used by humans as a health aid, and as the basis for fine wood varnishes.

Royal Jelly

The powerful, milky substance that turns an ordinary bee into a Queen Bee. It is made of digested pollen and honey or nectar mixed with a chemical secreted from a gland in a nursing bee's head. It commands premium prices rivaling imported caviar, and is used by some as a dietary supplement and fertility stimulant. It is loaded with all of the B vitamins.

Bee Venom

The "ouch" part of the honeybee. Although sharp pain and some swelling and itching are natural reactions to a honeybee sting or most, a small percentage of individuals are highly allergic to bee venom. "Bee venom therapy" is widely practiced overseas and by some in the USA to address health problems such as arthritis, neuralgia, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and even MS.

Honeybee Castes

Queen Bee

There is only one queen per hive. The queen is the only bee with fully developed ovaries. A queen bee can live for 3-5 years. The queen mates only once with several male (drone) bees, and will remain fertile for life. She lays up to 2000 eggs per day. Fertilized eggs become female (worker bees) and unfertilized eggs become male (drone bees). When she dies or becomes unproductive, the other bees will "make" a new queen by selecting a young larva and feeding it a diet of "royal jelly". For queen bees, it takes 16 days from egg to emergence.

Worker Bee

All worker bees are female, but they are not able to reproduce. Worker bees live for 4-9 months during the winter season, but only 6 weeks during the busy summer months (they literally work themselves to death). Nearly all of the bees in a hive are worker bees. A hive consists of 20,000 - 30,000 bees in the winter, and over 60,000 - 80,000 bees in the summer. The worker bees sequentially take on a series of specific chores during their lifetime: housekeeper; nursemaid; construction worker; grocer; undertaker; guard; and finally, after 21 days they become a forager collecting pollen and nectar. For worker bees, it takes 21 days from egg to emergence. The worker bee has a barbed stinger that results in her death following stinging, therefor, she can only sting once.

Drone Bee

These male bees are kept on standby during the summer for mating with a virgin queen. Because the drone has a barbed sex organ, mating is followed by death of the drone. There are only 300-3000 drone in a hive. The drone does not have a stinger. Because they are of no use in the winter, drones are expelled from the hive in the autumn.

Honeybee Races

Characteristics of the most common races of honeybees are detailed on this page.

More Bits of Information

• Honeybees are not native to the USA. They are European in origin, and were brought to North America by the early settlers.
• Honeybees are not aggressive by nature, and will not sting unless protecting their hive from an intruder or are unduly provoked.
• Honeybees represent a highly organized society, with various bees having very specific roles during their lifetime: e.g., nurses, guards, grocers, housekeepers, construction workers, royal attendants, undertakers, foragers, etc.
• The queen bee can live for several years. Worker bees live for 6 weeks during the busy summer, and for 4-9 month during the winter months.
• The practice of honey collection and beekeeping dates back to the stone-age, as evidenced by cave paintings.
• The honeybee hive is perennial. Although quite inactive during the winter, the honeybee survives the winter months by clustering for warmth. By self-regulating the internal temperature of the cluster, the bees maintain 93 degrees Fahrenheit in the center of the winter cluster (regardless of the outside temperature).

Some interesting facts about bees

Some interesting facts about bees

Honey bees' wings beat 11,400 times per minute.
Bees' flight speed averages only 15 miles per hour.
Bees possess five eyes.
Honeybees can perceive movements that are separated by 1/300th of a second. Humans can only sense movements separated by 1/50th of a second. Were a bee to enter a cinema, it would be able to differentiate each individual movie frame being projected.
Bees cannot recognize the color red.
Honeybees' stingers have a barb which anchors the stinger in the victim's body. The bee leaves its stinger and venom pouch behind and soon dies from abdominal rupture.
Africanized Honey Bees (killer bees) will pursue an enemy 1/4 mile or more.
Honeybees communicate with one another by "dancing" so as to give the direction and distance of flowers.
A single hive contains approximately 40-45,000 bees.

Queen bees
The queen is the only sexually developed female in the hive.
The queen mates in flight with approximately 18 drones. She only mates once in her lifetime.
A queen can lay 3,000 eggs in a day.
Queens can live for up to 2 years.
A queen can lay her weight in eggs in one day and 200,000 eggs in a year.
Fertilized eggs will become female offspring, while unfertilized eggs will become males.

Drones
The only function of drones is to mate with the queen.

Workers
The workers are sexually undeveloped females.
Life expectancy is approximately 28 to 35 days.

Honey
Bees have been producing honey for at least 150 million years.
The honeycomb is composed of hexagonal cells with walls that are only 2/1000 inch thick, but support 25 times their own weight.
Honey is nectar that bees have repeatedly regurgitated and dehydrated.
In the course of her lifetime, a worker bee will produce 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey.
To make one pound of honey, workers in a hive fly 55,000 miles and tap two million flowers.
Theoretically, the energy in one ounce of honey would provide one bee with enough energy to fly around the world.
The honeybee is not born knowing how to make honey; the younger bees are taught by the more experienced ones.