Spring Carrot Soup

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

 

 

 

The temps are rising, the daffodils have popped up, and the rain showers are in full effect here, and while it is officially spring, I'm not ready to get my hopes up yet that the cold days are finally behind us. The weather has been nothing short of insane this past year, so I'm keeping my soup pots on standby in anticipation of a few more days of needing a hot bowl for comfort on a chilly day. While I was searching for some Easter recipes last month, I came across this Spring Carrot Soup recipe on Golden Blossom Honey and thought that not only would it be a nice starter to an Easter dinner, it would make for a perfect transitional soup between seasons.  

 

 

This is a soup that I think can be eaten either hot or chilled, so that's why I group it in with the transitional recipes to shift from one season to the next without much fuss. It's light, creamy, and refreshing, which makes it a perfect first course to your holiday (or any!) meal. Hit it with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of chives for extra pizzazz and added color that's especially pleasing to the eye. This is a soup that can be eaten paired with a side of your favorite bread or rolls for a satisfying lunch, or add a salad to make it a full dinnertime meal. Head to the farmer's market for the freshest carrots and enjoy the flavors of spring in this soup all season long! 

 

Ingredients

1 bunch of carrots, about 1 pound

1 baking potato

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup chopped shallots

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

2 tablespoons SOUTHERN BLOSSOM HONEY

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

black pepper to taste

Garnish

plain yogurt or sour cream

chopped scallions or chives

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE 

 

 

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest! 

Is it starting to feel like spring in your area?   

Pecan Fudge Tart

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

 

 

With Easter hot on our heels, I've been trying to brainstorm something different to take to my in-laws for dinner this year. I feel like for the last 15 years I've switched between peanut butter balls or peanut butter pie because it's what is requested year after year, but I'm ready for a change. I've been going back and forth between a brownie trifle or a decadent tart because we all have a major sweet tooth in my family, a rich dessert will be in demand the replace the family favorites I'll be skipping this year. I saved a couple of trifles on my Pinterest dessert board, but I also had this Pecan Fudge Tart, a Golden Blossom Honey recipe, saved to test out. I did a trial run this week and once it all came together, the scales were tipped in the favor of this tart over all of the other dessert recipes I saved to Pinterest. 

 

This pecan fudge tart will delight anyone who has a sweet tooth as big as ours. Its rich filling really packs a punch in the sweetness department, so even if you have a big family to cater to, one tart will be enough because a little slice goes a long way!  I am a huge fan of pecan pie, but I know there are many who don't care for that dessert, so for me this is a great compromise. You get the pie loaded with pecans and a sweet filling without the syrupy, goopy mess that usually comes with the traditional pecan pie. With store bought crust and a short ingredient list, this tart comes together quite easily. However, it looks so fancy, your guests will definitely think you put way more effort into it than is actually required. To give it just a little more oomph, I tossed some dark chocolate shavings over the top and added a few toasted pecans, but that step was purely cosmetic. Definitely optional if you don't want to put in any extra effort, but I'm one who always likes to add a little flare when I can. You can pair it with some fresh brewed coffee or tea for an indulgent after dinner dessert that will surely have your family requesting it again at the next holiday gathering. 

 

Ingredients

1 9-inch ready made pie crust, baked according to package directions

Filling:

1/2 cup chocolate syrup

3 eggs

2 Tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

3 Tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa

1 1/2 cups pecans

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE 

 

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest! 

   

If you celebrate Easter, what's on the dessert menu this year?   

Brisket of Beef

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

 

 

Saint Patrick's Day isn't for a few more days, but since my husband is going to be out of town for the next few weeks and will miss that day, as well as Easter at home, we had to move up our holiday plans this year. Even though I was never a corned beef eater, I faithfully make a brisket every March 17 to celebrate my husband's Irish heritage. It's usually the only time of the year that I'll buy corned beef, so I'll grab a  good portion size because he'll eat for days on the extras and I can make what I want to eat without any complaints from him until it's gone. It's really a win, win for the Mahoney household. This year I decided to go with Golden Blossom Honey's Brisket of Beef recipe because I had a bottle of red that was gifted to me over Christmas that I wasn't a fan of poured but figured it would be perfect for cooking. Since this recipe used up a hefty portion of the bottle, I was glad that it wouldn't be collecting dust or going to waste. 

 

 

 

There are a lot of ingredients in this recipe, but that's ok because it makes for a complete meal. There are no extra sides to plan out, so just get everything in the pot and you'll be good to go. Corned beef, to me, has always been tricky because you run the chance of it either coming out of the oven too dry or tough. But with the broth/wine mixture you needn't worry about dryness or a tough bake here. My husband said that this corned beef was the most tender, juicy brisket he's ever had. And even though he's technically American Irish, we're just going to say it's Irish approved. At the very least, it's Jason approved so that endorsement is as good as a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. 

 

Ingredients

2 large onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 Tablespoons corn oil

3 Tablespoons tomato paste

1 Tablespoon GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

3 Tablespoons paprika

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 (28 ounce) cans vegetable broth

1 3/4 cups red wine

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 4 pound beef or corned beef brisket, first cut

8 small red skinned potatoes, cut into quarters

1 large turnip, peeled, cut into small pieces

6 large carrots, peeled, and cut into four pieces

4 large parsnips, peeled, cut into small pieces

chopped parsley for garnish

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE 

 

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest! 

   

Wishing you all a lucky St. Patrick's Day next week!    

Mustard Glazed Pearl Onions

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

 

I looked at the calendar the other day and was shocked to realize that we're only a month away from Easter. It seems to come earlier and earlier each year, but after the endless, brutal winter we just went through, I am embracing its arrival asap since that means spring is near. I won't have to host this year, but if I were having the family over for Easter dinner, I would definitely add these Mustard Glazed Pearl Onions to our menu. Since I don't eat ham that's become the main course for our family holiday gatherings, I am always seeking out new and tasty side dishes that keep me looking forward to the meal. This onion recipe that I found on Golden Blossom Honey is a delightful side dish that is not only tasty, but a snap to prepare. 

 

 

You can make quick work of this recipe by using frozen pearl onions, which is perfectly fine to do and still tastes great, but I'd highly recommending buying fresh since the frozen are roughly half the size of the fresh. I made these both ways recently and felt like the mustard to onion ratio was much better matched on the larger, fresh onions. This recipe compliments most meats, making it a perfect companion to your Easter main course dish. Since the onions cool quickly, I wouldn't suggest making this if you're going to be a guest outside of your home. It's best served soon after it comes out of the pan, so I'd just pass it along as a suggestion to the host if it's something you'd really like to try. 

 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

1 (14-16 ounce) package fresh pearl onions, peeled and cooked to crisp tender or frozen pearl onions, thawed

2 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY MUSTARD

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

 

 

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest! 

   

Do you prefer onions raw or cooked?   

Lentil and Sausage Soup

 Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

 

 

 

Every once in awhile, I like to make homemade mac and cheese for dinner. My daughter and I are good with making a full meal out of the noodles and cheese, and my husband will eat it like that without complaint, but he usually prefers to have a meat mixed in with his portion to consider it a complete meal. I'll buy smoked sausage when I am planning on having mac and cheese for dinner because it's easy to heat and add to his bowl. The problem is, smoked sausage usually comes with 2 links to a package, so we end up with way more meat than he'll eat in one sitting. If I don't feel like freezing the extra link, I find a soup recipe to use up the remainder. So after our mac and cheese dinner this week, I planned to use up the extra sausage and the last bits of an open bag of lentils in my cupboard to make a pot of Lentil and Sausage Soup, which is another great Golden Blossom Honey recipe. 

 

 

I am always looking for delicious and comforting soups during the colder months of the year, and this one fits the bill perfectly. It's hearty on its own, but it's also what I like to call a dipping soup because we'll serve it with a side of bread or dinner rolls to dip into the soup to soak up some of the liquid and give the bread flavor instead of using butter or oils. I usually never use water when making soup because I prefer to use a broth or stock as the liquid base, so I did swap out the water in the recipe and replaced it with chicken broth. If you're going for a vegetarian version, you can omit the sausage and use a vegetable broth instead. We've almost reached the winter finish line, but don't be in a hurry to put the soup pots away just yet. There's still a stretch of cold weather ahead, so keep the pot and this recipe on standby to get over the last few dregs of the season cozily and with a fully belly. 

 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 ounces smoked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup onion, chopped

2 carrots, diced

3 large cloves garlic, minced

6 cups water

2 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1 1/4 cups green lentils, rinsed

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE 

   

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest! 

   

What are your favorite "dipping soups"?   

Hawaiian Fish Fillets

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. 

 

 

My husband travels a lot for work, and when he brings home his dining receipts, I'm constantly reminded how awful he eats when on the road. He's always on a tight schedule, so usually it's just faster and easier to swing through a drive through or convenience store for a meal, then get back on his way. But when he is home, I try my best to balance his diet by cooking healthier, lighter meals. This week was unseasonably warm so I thought it would be a great time to lean into the weather and pull out the frozen mahi mahi fish fillets I had tucked into the freezer to make him some Hawaiian Fish Fillets from Golden Blossom Honey for lunch.

 

Even though the fish is breaded, it's still a light and healthier meal option over take and go or processed foods, so I don't mind the little bit of flour and butter that's a part of this recipe. This is an under 30 minute meal, with most of the work going into chopping the veggies. I am sure you could buy the pre-diced varieties in your freezer section if you're looking to speed things up, but I have a good chopper so I don't make a big deal over the extra work there. Since the fish finishes cooking in the sauce, it comes out flaky and juicy. You certainly don't have to worry about dried out, overcooked fillets here! Hubby was definitely a fan of this recipe, so I'll be saving it to cook more often on those weeks he'll get to eat at home. 

 

Ingredients

salt and pepper to taste

2 pounds Mahi Mahi, skinned, or other fillets

4 Tablespoons butter or margarine

2/3 cup onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup red or green bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1 teaspoon ground ginger

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE 

 

 

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest! 

   

Where do you find healthier meal options when traveling?