Photo By: Photo courtesy of Marguerite GarciaCookies
Honey adds a sweet dimension to these crunch-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside honey and peanut butter oatmeal cookies.
By Marguerite Garcia
Woodburn Independent
Spring is right around the corner and I bet the bees are buzzing with anticipation — at least I hope they are! There are many of us “foodies” who can’t help but fret about our food chain’s most precious VIPs (very important pollinators).
The onset of the Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) phenomenon, along with the sober realization of what it could mean for the world’s food supply, causes many of us to count honey bees like bird watchers count birds. Last spring, my little apple tree was covered in blossoms. I carefully watched and waited for a few bees to show up and do their thing.
Not a single bee showed and not a single apple formed. I am anxious to see what kind of honey bee turnout we’ll have this spring.
For an update on the honey bee’s status, I contacted Richard Farrier, President of the Willamette Valley branch of the Oregon State Beekeepers Association (ORSBA). There’s good news and bad news.
I asked Mr. Farrier if researchers were any closer to discovering the cause of CCD.
“No, but they seem to generally agree that there isn’t just one mysterious culprit,” he said.
Like the scientists, Farrier believes CCD is a perfect storm of various factors, the specifics of which vary from region to region — mites, viruses and pathogens seem to be a major factor in the West, with chemical pollution and stress from farm to farm transport impacting hives in the South and East.
Farrier indicated that urban and rural Portland-area beekeepers had a devastating winter. Losses were heavy in the Willamette Valley as well. Eugene area beekeepers seemed to fare better, but not much.
In other words, there is still great cause for concern.
The toll on the number of bees in the U.S. has been serious. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture data, there are 50 percent fewer honey bees in the country than there were just five years ago and researchers have yet to zero in on a solution.
“Gee, what’s the good news?” you ask. Well, there are some areas of the country where honey bee losses are stabilizing, particularly in the eastern U.S. Let’s hope Oregon’s bee losses stabilize as well.
In addition, Farrier is enthusiastic about the explosion of interest in beekeeping, thanks in part to media coverage and people’s concern over the honey bee’s plight.
“People already involved in farming are taking up the hobby, as well as avid gardeners and even restaurateurs,” he said.
“Most ORSBA branches teach an annual beekeeping class. In the past, a typical year would draw about 20 students, tops.
“For the last two or three years, we’ve had 50 or 60 people sign up, and that’s the case with other Oregon branches as well.”
While Farrier was reassuring that the honey bee population will eventually recover, with or without a scientific answer to the CCD mystery, I certainly no longer take bees, or the golden miracle food they produce, for granted. Here’s to honey!
Peanut Butter and Honey Oatmeal Cookies
As cookies go, this is actually a pretty healthy one!
If you wish, you can make an indentation with your thumb at the top of the cookie and add a spoonful of jam or jelly before baking. Recipe from the Quaker Oats Company.
3/4 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 egg whites or one egg
1/4 cup fat free milk
3 Tbls Canola oil
2 tsps vanilla extract
3 cups uncooked oats (Use quick cook or old-fashioned oats. If using old-fashioned, add 2 tablespoons flour)
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanuts
In a large bowl, beat peanut butter, honey and sugar with an electric mixer until creamy. Add egg whites, milk, oil and vanilla extract; mix well.
Combine oats, flour and baking soda and add to the peanut butter mixture. Mix well. Stir in raisins and chopped peanuts. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Remove refrigerated dough and drop rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until light golden brown.
Remove to wire rack and cool completely. Store tightly covered at room temperature or wrap airtight and freeze. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.
Dolce Di Miele
(Italian Honey Cake)
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup honey
4 Tbls sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 eggs
1 Tbl baking powder
Grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup hot water
2 Tbls rum or cognac
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3 Tbls freshly squeezed lemon juice
Grease and flour a bundt cake pan and set the oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the honey and the sugar with the hot water, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then work in the remaining ingredients, adding the raisins and nuts last.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake 45 to 50 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched or an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then turn out to cool.
To make the glaze: Sift powdered sugar into a bowl and add lemon juice until desired consistency is reached. Drizzle over cake, allowing it to run down the sides. Serves 12.
Honey Nut Bars Shortbread Crust
2 cups flour
1 cup cold, unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
Nut Topping
3 Tbls butter
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbls half and half
3/4 cup toasted whole almonds
3/4 cup pecan halves
3/4 cup salted cashews
3/4 cup salted pistachios
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Put flour, butter, granulated sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low speed until blended, then increase to medium and mix until dough is no longer crumbly and just comes together.
Press dough evenly onto the bottom of a 9x9-inch baking pan. Bake 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make nut topping: In a small saucepan, bring butter, honey, and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat.
Stir in half and half, and nuts. Carefully spoon mixture over shortbread and return to oven. Continue to bake until nuts are toasted and liquid is bubbling, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Let cool completely. Use a serrated knife to cut into 16 squares, then cut each square diagonally to make 32 triangles.
Warm Goat Cheese Toast with Rosemary, Walnuts and Honey
There are treasures to be found at our local grocery mark-down store! You can fork over $6 for goat cheese and ambiance at the fancy grocery chain across the corner, or you can buy the exact same thing for $2.50 at the outlet. I’m just sayin’. ... Besides, you’ll still have to go across the corner for the French baguette.
1 8-oz French baguette
8 oz soft fresh goat cheese
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1/2 Tbls chopped fresh rosemary
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange walnuts in single layer on small baking dish. Toast in oven for 4 to 6 minutes. Watch carefully and remove from oven when oil in walnuts becomes fragrant. Set aside to cool.
Cut 18 1/4-inch diagonal slices from baguette. Spread goat cheese on each slice.
Arrange in a single layer on rimmed baking sheet.
Bake until edges are slightly golden and cheese softens, about 10 minutes. Set aside on sheet. Heat honey in small saucepan over medium heat until warm, about 2 minutes.
Sprinkle toast with toasted walnuts, then rosemary. Drizzle with honey and serve. Makes 18 toast.
Hoisin Honey Chicken
In this recipe, roast chicken is given a beautiful mahogany color by basting it with a dark and delicious mix of Hoisin and honey.
1 (3 to 3 1/2 lb) chicken
1/2 cup Hoisin sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
4 Tbls honey
2 Tbls rice vinegar
3 Tbls soy sauce
1/3 cup dry sherry or Chinese cooking wine
1 Tbl grated fresh ginger
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Optional garnish:
toasted sesame seeds
sliced green onion
Place the Hoisin sauce, sesame oil, honey, vinegar, soy sauce, sherry or rice wine vinegar, ginger and garlic in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Reserve two or three tablespoons of the marinade in a small covered dish and refrigerate. Place the chicken in the bowl and turn to coat.
Cover, refrigerate chicken for four hours or overnight, turning the chicken occasionally and brushing it with marinade.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the chicken in the roasting pan, breast side up. Use a rack in your pan, if you have one. Brush the chicken with the used marinade left in the bowl. Discard any leftover used marinade.
Roast the chicken for about an hour, or until the chicken’s internal temperature (center of the thigh) reaches 170 degrees on an instant read meat thermometer. During cooking, baste the chicken occasionally with the pan juices.
When chicken is finished roasting, transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Tent with foil and allow to rest 10 to 15 minutes before carving. Pour pan juices into a glass measuring cup and let it cool during the chicken’s resting time, allowing the fat to rise to the surface.
Remove the fat and pour pan juices into a small saucepan. Add the previously reserved, refrigerated marinade and bring to a boil. Allow to reduce for a minute or two, then drizzle over the carved chicken. Garnish with a teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onion (including green tops).
Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes
A quick and nutritious side that’s perfect with a Sunday roast or the upcoming Easter ham.
2 lbs red-skinned sweet potatoes
2 Tbls olive oil
2 Tbls honey
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1 ½-inch chunks and put in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, honey and lemon juice.
Pour mixture over potatoes and toss to coat. With your hands, scoop up potatoes and place onto 9x13 baking dish.
Sprinkle with the salt and bake, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes to one hour, until potatoes are tender.
