Thursday, November 20, 2014

Thanksgiving Honey Recipes from The National Honey Board

Giving Thanks!
Thanksgiving has snuck up on us once again this year and since it is next week, we thought a honey-inspired holiday menu was appropriate.

You see, one-thirds of our food is made possible by insect pollinated crops and these hard-working ladies are responsible for about 80 percent of that pollination. And if that isn’t enough, honey bees travel more than 55,000 miles just to bring one pound of honey to consumers. Now that hard work is something to be thankful for!

From the ham to the pecan pie, the honey bees and their scrumptious honey have you covered! Enjoy this time with your friends and family, and reflect on the fact that sometimes, it’s the littlest things we are thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving from the National Honey Board!

Fallen Butternut Squash Gratin

  • 3 cups (6 medium) - butternut squash, cooked
  • 1/2 cup - honey
  • 3 Tablespoons - flour
  • 1 teaspoon - salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon - nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon - cinnamon
  • 3 large - eggs, separated
  • 1/4 cup - chopped pecans
Combine squash, honey, flour, salt, spices and egg yolks; blend well. Beat egg whites until they reach stiff peaks; sold into squash mixture until no streaks of white remain. Pour into 6 buttered ramekins; sprinkle nuts over top. Place ramekins in hot water bath; bake at 350°F until golden, about 30 minutes.

 Wild Rice & Mushroom Stiffing  

  • 1 cup - wild rice
  • 4 cups - water, salted to taste
  • 1 Tablespoon - oil
  • 1/2 cup - minced onion
  • 1/2 cup - chopped celery
  • 1 teaspoon - minced garlic
  • 2 cups - sliced mushrooms
  • 1/4 cup - chopped dried apricots
  • 2 Tablespoons - minced parsley
  • 1/4 cup - honey
In small saucepan, combine wild rice with salted water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until tender, approximately 45 minutes. While rice is cooking, heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in onions, celery and garlic; sauté until onion is translucent and celery is soft, about 7 minutes. Add mushrooms; sauté until mushrooms are soft, about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat. When rice is cooked, drain in a colander. In large bowl, combine rice and mushroom-onion mixture. Add apricots, parsley and honey, stirring until mixed well. Serve warm as a side dish or use to stuff poultry.


Cranberry Pecan Pie

  • 2 cups - fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 cup - orange juice
  • 1/2 cup - honey
  • 2 Tablespoons - cornstarch
  • 2 Tablespoons - cold water
  • 1/2 teaspoon - orange extract
  • 1 - 9-inch baked pie shell
  • 1/2 cup - honey
  • 3 Tablespoons - butter or margarine
  • 1-3/4 cups - pecan halves
In medium saucepan, combine cranberries, juice and honey. Cook, uncovered, over low heat for 15 minutes if using fresh cranberries or 20 minutes if using frozen berries. Cool. Puree cranberry mixture in blender; return to saucepan. Combine cornstarch and water. Stir into cranberry mixture. Bring to boil and cook until thickened. Stir in orange extract. Cool; then pour into pie shell. Spoon topping evenly over cranberry mixture. Bake at 350°F 20 minutes or until top is bubbly. Cool on wire rack. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Topping: In medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup honey and 3 Tablespoons butter or margarine; cook and stir 2 minutes or until mixture is smooth. Stir in 1-3/4 cups pecan halves until well coated.

 
Honey Whiskey Clove-Glazed Ham

  • 3/4 cup - honey
  • 1-1/2 Tablespoons - bourbon whiskey*
  • 1/2 teaspoon - ground cloves
  • 1 (5-lb.) - bone-in fully cooked ham, spiral sliced

Combine honey, bourbon and cloves in small bowl until well blended. Place ham, cut-side down, in roasting pan; brush with honey mixture. Cover pan with foil and bake at 275°F about 1 hour or until heated through. Remove foil from ham and increase oven temperature to 425°F Brush with honey mixture. Bake about 10 minutes more or until ham is golden brown. Remove from oven and place on serving platter. Pour juices over ham.
*2 teaspoons vanilla can be substituted for bourbon.



 Honey Pot Cider

  • 1-1/4 cup - apple cider
  • 1 Tablespoon - Orange Blossom honey
  • 1 pinch - cinnamon
  • 1-3/4 oz. - Apple Jack brandy
  • 1 - cinnamon stick
  • 2 - apple slices
Combine the apple cider, honey and cinnamon in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until heated through. Stir in the Apple Jack brandy and pour the cider into a mug.
With the tip of a small knife, pierce small holes in the apples and string them onto a cinnamon stick. Place the garnish across or in the cider.

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