Carrot and Parsnip Saute

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.  

 

 

 

Tis the season of the root vegetables. We're slowly moving away from the tomatoes, green beans, and snap peas, swapping those out more frequently now for carrots, sweet potatoes, and beets. Most nights I'll just season them and toss them in the slow cooker, steamer, or do a little oven roasting, but every now and again we'll saute them as well. Usually that involves just a quick drizzle of olive oil and a few herbs sprinkled in, but I found an interesting saute recipe on Golden Blossom Honey this week that involved a mixture of apple cider and honey and thought to myself that I might like to give that a try. So, I pulled out the ingredients for a Carrot and Parsnip Saute and got busy with the chopping. 

 

 

Does anyone else think parsnip is one of those easily forgotten fall vegetables? It's such an easy vegetable to work with, yet somehow it slips off my radar often. Probably because they look bland with their pale coloring in comparison to the brighter colors of the other autumn veggies. So, I am trying to make a conscious choice to add them to my grocery list a few times a month to break the habit of overlooking them at the produce stand. Parsnips are fiber rich, contain folate (so important for women's health!), a great source for Vitamin C (helping to get those immune systems in shape for cold and flu season), and are low in fat, so keeping those health benefits in mind, you really don't want to sleep on parsnips. They pair so well with carrots because both have a natural sweetness, but the earthy notes in parsnip help to tone down the sweet a bit so it's not overpowering. Plus, I like how visually pleasing the two look paired together, with the bright orange contrast against the cooler white, it adds a beautiful presentation on any autumn table. The addition of apple cider, honey, mint, and nutmeg offer a touch of warmth, making this a side dish that won't be soon forgotten. If you're looking to swap out the potatoes this holiday in favor of something with more pizzazz, carrot and parsnip saute is where the party's at!

 

Ingredients

12 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

3 large parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced

1 cup water

2 cups apple cider

1/4 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped

1/4 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! 

   

What's your favorite way to cook root vegetables? 

Glazed Shallots and Brussels Sprouts

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. 

 

 

 

Are there any foods that you have a love/hate relationship with? For me, it's brussels sprouts. I go through periods of loving them for months on end, then something shifts and I can't stand them anywhere near my plate. The last time I gave them up was because I thought they started to taste like dirt. Yes, I wash them really well before cooking, but they still had a taste to them that I just couldn't get over. I don't think I've eaten one in 2-3 years since, but Jason brought home some roasted brussels sprouts from Sam's Club a few weeks ago for dinner that were quite delicious, which ended my breakup with the little green sprouts. Now that I'm back to frequently purchasing them, I've been on the hunt for recipes that will keep me coming back for more. I wanted to skip roasting them to avoid burnout since we've already had that method this month, so I grabbed a recipe for Glazed Shallots and Brussels Sprouts from Golden Blossom Honey, because who can resist caramelized vegetables hot from the pan? Definitely not me! 

 

While I do like the char that hits the edges when roasting, there's something even more enticing about caramelizing that offers a sweeter and more tender vegetable over a crisp, smoky one. My daughter likes to eat brussels sprouts raw, so I wasn't surprised when she initially declined my offer to test the finished recipe. "I don't like cooked brussels sprouts!" However, curiosity sucked her in, so the tune changed to, "Well, maybe I like this version. Oh, these are actually really good. I think I'm going to eat the whole pan!" Needless to say, we never needed a serving spoon because we both just stood over the kitchen counter with forks in hand eating directly from the serving dish. With this recipe at my fingertips, I can confidentially claim that my love affair with brussels sprouts just might be everlasting now. 

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed, bottoms scored with an x

1/4 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, plus 1 teaspoon for garnish

2 tablespoons butter

1 pound small to medium sized shallots, peeled and left whole

pinch of ground cardamom, optional

salt and pepper to taste

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! 

   

Are there any love/hate foods in your life? 

Fresh Summer Pickles

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.  

 

 

 

My daughter has really been into all things pickled these days. Asparagus, garlic, green beans... anything that she can find jarred and pickled at the grocers, in the cart it goes. She's been playing around with adding her own ingredients to the jars and letting them marinate for a few days as well. Sort of a mini recipe creating experiment when she has the time. She did mention at one point that we should make our own pickles this summer, and I happened to remember that I saw a recipe on Golden Blossom Honey once for Fresh Summer Pickles. I never saved it or gave it much thought though because I always had it in my head that it was probably something that was going to be too much effort, but that couldn't be further from the truth. 

 

 

I was actually surprised at how easy and cheap it is to make your own homemade pickles. Especially because they are so expensive at the craft fairs that I've seen pickle vendors selling, and these turned out just as good as theirs. If you were able to grow your own cucumbers this year, that especially helps cut down the cost. Also, you can get a jar of pickling spice at the grocery store that has all of the necessary spices listed here instead of spending money on several different spice jars that you may or may not use again. These pickles tasted a bit tangy and sweet, but had a distinctive tartness to them as well. I prefer a more sweet pickle though, so next time I'll only use 3 cups of vinegar cut with 1 cup of water to reduce some of that tartness. If you have some extra cucumbers from your garden this year, I'd highly recommend using them to make your own homemade pickles for a fun and inexpensive snack. 

 

Ingredients

Brine:

4 cups distilled white vinegar

6 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt

Pickles;

2 seedless cucumbers, unpeeld, washed and scrubbed

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves

several springs fresh dill leaves

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! 

   

Have you ever made homemade pickles? 

Potatoes with Spiced Walnuts

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

 

 

My best friend was visiting from Georgia this week and I was pretty excited that the weather held out both days she was in town. I feel like we had a very windy, rainy, chilly May, so she must have brought that Georgia sunshine with her because it was finally nice enough that we could clean off the patio furniture and have our first outdoor meal of the season. While out on the deck, I found myself thinking about all of the upcoming summer gatherings and getting excited for those backyard barbecue foods that are about to fill plates real soon. I'll never turn down a potato salad, but those can be tricky in the summer heat if they are mayo based because you have a short window for serving before it starts to go bad. But, I found a new potato side dish that I plan to use this summer instead so we don't have to rush to side dish serving: Potatoes With Spiced Walnuts, a Golden Blossom Honey recipe. 

 

 

You know I am a fan of easy, cheap, and delicious recipes, and this one fits the bill for all 3 of those requirements. I simply toss some red potatoes into my steamer while preparing the dressing and we have a complete potato side dish ready in under 15 minutes. I like that this recipe doesn't have heavy mayo as a base ingredient. It does have bacon, which could be a bit heavy in the tummy, but I think it could be left out and it wouldn't make too much of a difference where flavor is concerned since the dressing is quite bold and flavorful in itself. These potatoes can be served warm or cold, so they are the perfect summertime side dish for all of your picnic, barbecue, and backyard gatherings all season long. 

 

Ingredients

Toasted Walnuts:

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon butter, melted

Potatoes:

2 pounds small red skinned potatoes

Dressing:

5 slices bacon

1/2 cup scallions, minced

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1/3 cup dry sherry

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1 Tablespoon GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY MUSTARD

3 Tablespoons parsley, chopped

1/3 cup vegetable oil

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's your favorite picnic side dish?  

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?   

Tomato and Ricotta Bake

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. 

 

 

 

I go through these phases of eating the exact same thing for breakfast every day for months on end. Like, if I'm stuck on steel cut oats, that's what I'll eat every single day for the next two or three months without fail. Then a shift happens and I'm stuck on Honey Nut Cheerios cereal for the next several months. And so on. I haven't figured out if it's my neurodivergence kicking in or if it's my attempt to eliminate the anxiety of eating non safe foods that make my autoimmune disorder flare in the morning. Lunch and dinner aren't issues though. It's just breakfast that has to be routine for me for some reason. I know a morning food shift is coming when I wake up and crave something out of the blue. A palate cleanser of sorts to get me ready to swap over to my next breakfast obsession. This week I was really craving cherry tomatoes each morning, and while I don't like to spend a lot of time at the stove after just waking, I kept thinking about a recipe for Tomato and Ricotta Bake I saw on Golden Blossom Honey a while back. I was saving the recipe to try this Easter but decided that was going to be this round's palate cleanser before I move on to a bowl of Raisin Nut Bran each morning, probably until spring.  

 

 

I don't know if one would classify this as a breakfast dish, but are there really any rules when it comes to each individual's food preferences? I don't think there are. This just worked well for me for an early morning meal, especially since it doesn't require much thinking to get it from prep to stove to belly. I mean, people make omelettes with eggs and cheese and veggies, and if this has eggs and cheese and veggies also, it passes the breakfast check in my book. I really liked the addition of the toasted breadcrumbs on top and how it gave a nice contrast to the creamy ricotta and soft baked tomatoes. It was just a warm, delightful way to break from my monotonous morning meal routine. But, if it's not your breakfast cuppa tea, it also makes for a great appetizer or side dish. Like I said, I was going to save this for Easter (and will still do so as a side dish) so it works as a nice addition to any holiday dinner menu as well. And you know I love a versatile recipe like that! 

 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds cherry tomatoes, preferably a mixture of red and yellow

2 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

2 tablespoons scallions, chopped

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 garlic clove, minced

2 teaspoons dried basil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

1 cup ricotta cheese

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 cup heavy cream

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! 

   

Are you a routine food eater or do you need variety at mealtime every day?  

Pineapple-Cranberry Sauce

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

 

 

 

I was watching a Facebook recipe reel the other day where they were coating cranberries in powder sugar and calling that a snack. Now, I don't know about you, but even coated in powdered sugar, I am not a fan of cranberries whole. They are just way too tart and bitter for my liking to be eating them straight from the bag. Unless we're talking the dried version, which I'll eat straight from the bag all day long. I don't mind them in baked goods either. And cranberry sauce? I can't resist it! My family has always been on the less classy side when it comes to cranberry sauce. Just dump the jellied sauce from the can into a bowl and boom. Done. But for Thanksgiving this year, I thought it best to act like we weren't complete hillbillies since it was the first meal we were hosting for my daughter's new beau. I opted to not serve cranberry sauce from a can, (but you better believe I still bought it to enjoy after he went home lol) and went with a "from scratch" version. I looked at a few different cranberry sauce recipes, and ultimately went with this Pineapple-Cranberry Sauce from Golden Blossom Honey because it didn't seem basic or boring, a vibe I was definitely trying to avoid.

 

 

This cranberry sauce has a perfect blend of sweet, tart, and warm, with a lovely texture added in with the walnuts. Not gonna lie, but I did question mixing in nuts though. Was this going to be the holiday equivalent of adding raisins to the potato salad during the summer months, which is a big no-no? But, y'all, it's really fine. Better than fine. It helps tone down the sweetness and adds an earthy touch to the flavor profile. And I really liked the added crunch since it's usually unexpected to have anything other than a smooth texture when eating cranberry sauce. The pineapple added an extra element of sweetness and I loved the tropical flair it gave the overall flavor, making me think that not only would this be great for the winter holidays, but will work for our Easter dinner next spring as well. And you know I love recipes that can carry over from season to season, so this one is for sure going in the holiday section of my recipe box so we can enjoy it again and again! 

 

Ingredients

2 (8 ounce) cans crushed pineapple

1 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries, about 3 cups

1/2 cup SOUTHERN BLOSSOM HONEY

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1 tablespoon orange juice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

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 whole or jellied cranberry sauce?  

Orange Yams

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

 

Now that Halloween is over, it's time to indulge in all things holidays. My in-laws usually take over Thanksgiving dinner, but they are both well into their 70's and decided that this year they wanted to skip out on a big Thanksgiving family dinner. I don't blame them. It is a LOT of work and they definitely deserve to take a holiday off. I thought my daughter was going to be spending the weekend with her boyfriend's family, so Jason and I made plans to order a Polish dinner from a local diner. We were going to keep it low key just the two of us at home in our pj's, eating our dinner and watching holiday films. Alas, plans changed and now my daughter wants to stay at our house so we can get to know her new beau better. I'm still going to keep things simple, ordering the main course from the Polish diner (because I don't eat turkey or ham so I don't want to cook it this year) but will whip up a few side dishes so it doesn't feel like I completely lazed out on the family dinner this time. I decided we'd make homemade rolls and southern style green beans, but I also want to add a side of these Orange Yams from Golden Blossom Honey because I've been obsessed with them for months now, sometimes even making them as a standalone lunch for myself. 

 

When I first saw this yam recipe, I was a bit skeptical on the addition of orange, but OMG, yes. Just yes. These yams are so warm and inviting, and just so dang perfect for your holiday dinner spread. They pair well with any meat or vegetarian main course. And short of grating, they are fairly simple to prep for the oven. The top crust caramelizes into a nice, crisp crust, and the center bakes up soft. These are a bit like hash browns but not so crispy if you are wondering about a comparable texture. I've been making these for myself for lunch since early autumn, but I think they are going to be a year round staple at our dinner table, and not served just for the holidays. So, if you're looking for something new and exciting to wow your guests this year, allow me to emphatically offer up these orange yams!

 

Ingredients

3/4 cup half & half

1/2 cup orange juice

3 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

4 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 tablespoons grated orange zest

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 1/2 pounds yams, peeled and grated

salt and pepper, to taste

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! 

   

Will you be hosting Thanksgiving at your house this year?  

Corn and Black Bean Salad

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. 

 

While I don't watch much football myself, living a stone's throw from Notre Dame stadium is a constant reminder that we're in the thick of football season right now. On home game days it gets loud with the military flyovers, the band, and the cheers from the crowd, all of which I can take in from my patio. And while I haven't had time to host any game day parties this year, I thought for those of you who will be having them, I'd share a fun Corn and Black Bean Salad recipe from Golden Blossom Honey with you this week. It's a perfect accompaniment for burgers, brats, and steaks fresh off the grill.

This is a salad that can be tossed together in under 30 minutes, but I like to make it a day ahead of time so the dressing really marinates into the veggies. This is the kind of salad recipe that's been hot on Tik Tok lately, with a bunch of yummy veggies mixed together without lettuce or heavy dressings. It's so perfect for not only a dinner side dish, but we served it as a stand alone lunch, too. Or, you could even serve it as a party appetizer. Just pop it in a festive bowl next to some tortilla chips. We like to get the scooped chips to really load up the veggies, but I'm sure there won't be any complaints with pairing this with whatever tortilla chips you have on hand. It will be a surefire crowd pleaser for any gathering this season.  

Ingredients

Salad:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups frozen or fresh corn

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced

2-3 teaspoons chopped jalapeno pepper (to taste)

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup scallions, white and light green parts only, chopped

Dressing:

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons RAW GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

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! 

   

Have you watched any football games this season? 

Carrot-Pineapple Slaw

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

 

 

I really wanted to jump into more autumn recipes this week, but decided not to be premature since we still have a few good weeks of warm weather days ahead of us. Plus, we haven't celebrated Labor Day yet, so I decided I'd find some good recipes to share with you until we've at least had that holiday in our review mirror. Then, it's game on as far as autumn dishes go because I really want to get into all of the soups, stews, and comfort foods. With one more hurrah as far as summer parties go, I thought I'd give you an interesting side dish to consider for your Labor Day celebrations this year. I saw this Carrot-Pineapple Slaw on Golden Blossom Honey and waffled on giving it a try because I am a slaw snob and find that most cole slaws are usually boring and bland. I like flavorful, extra sweet slaws, but the recipes that I find online for sweet versions usually require the addition of a lot of refined sugar, which I'm not a fan of. But I noticed that this recipe is sweetened with pineapple and honey, neither of which I've ever put in my cole slaw, so worst case scenario, if I hate it I'd just dump it in the trash and move on to something else. 

 

 

KFC was my first job ever and while I worked there for several years, I never did learn the secret behind their sweet and tangy slaw dressing, of which I am a huge fan. Sadly, we no longer have that chain in our area, so I am unable to drop in and get my fix whenever I like. I've tried many different online recipe dupes over the years, and some have come pretty close, but again, only with the use of lots of refined sugars added in. Surprisingly though, this recipe with the pineapple and honey was a very close version of what you'd get in the restaurant. I'll be honest, I wasn't quite sure how the pineapple was going to blend in here and was fully expecting to dislike the end result, but the complete opposite happened and I found that this was one of the best homemade slaws I've come across yet. The walnuts did throw me off a bit and I'll probably leave them out next time I make this, but that's just a personal preference of mine. But overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this recipe and will definitely be keeping at the top of my side dish recipes to make again and again. 

 

Ingredients

4 cups of 3-color coleslaw mix

1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained, reserve juice

1/3 cup walnuts, chopped

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons RAW GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

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 a sweet or mild cole slaw? 

Soy Glazed Green Beans

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

 

 

How are your gardens doing this year? Mine were awful. I had a 2 day window to pick cherries from my tree and raspberries from my bushes before the fruit shriveled up and died. To top it off, both of my blueberry bushes bit the dust as well. I think it's fair to say we got about a handful of fruit from our yard this year. Maybe less. We had too much rain at the beginning of summer, then a few weeks of scorched earth heat, I don't think my produce ever stood a chance. Between the weather and my limited time these days, I ended up giving up on the garden this year. There was no energy to sit around and baby my plants, so we'll be doing store bought produce for the remainder of the year. Thankfully we can still hit up the local farmer's market for garden fresh fruits and veggies this summer. I did snap up a lot of green beans recently because I love putting them in my steamer pot with a few pats of butter to serve as a main course side dish once or twice a week. But I saw this Soy Glazed Green Beans recipe on Golden Blossom Honey and thought we'd try that for a change this week. 

 

These green beans are so flavorful! A sweet, savory, and salty mix all rolled into one amazing side dish. I've never thought to put cashews in my green beans, or any other nuts for that matter, but what a surprisingly fun combination that turned out to be! These beans pair well with any cut of meat, poultry, pork, or seafood, as well as tofu, seitan, and tempeh, so it makes for a pretty versatile side dish. You can boil the beans as the recipe states, but I still popped mine in the steamer because I think that's the best way to get the perfect crisp/tender consistency that I like without over boiling, which I'm prone to do. The sauce actually cooks up pretty thick on its own, so you could probably skip the cornstarch if you wanted to, but that's totally up to you. Serve these up for a fast side dish, or bring to potlucks and picnics this summer for an effortless but flavorful offering. 

 

Ingredients

2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed

1/3 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

3 teaspoons cornstarch

3/4 cup cashew nuts

2 teaspoons garlic, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 bunch scallions, sliced

1 red bell pepper, diced

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! 

   

Tell me about your gardens this year. How are they doing?

 

*I know I'm about a month behind on replying to comments. I will be getting to that this week. With the grand opening of my new store (which wasn't so grand as it's still a work in progress LOL) I have fallen behind this month. I'll be back on schedule soon!   

Zucchini with Tomatoes

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

 

 

I had to repot my aloe plant a few weeks ago because it was getting too big for its old container. I didn't have any soil on hand at the time, so I bought a cheap bag from the hardware store so I could hurry up and get the job done. Fast forward a few weeks... I went to water said aloe plant and noticed a weird, leggy looking stem growing in the pot along side it. I immediately get agitated, telling myself that's what I get for buying the cheap bag of soil, and pull the stem from the pot. I mean, who has time to weed indoor plants? Then, the scent hits me and I'm like "I recognize this scent. This is a tomato plant!" Just to confirm though, I pull up my plant identifying app and indeed, it said it was a tomato plant. What kind though is anybody's guess. Will it be little cherry tomatoes, beefsteak, roma? I don't know, but I planted it out in my garden with the other tomatoes and will keep an eye on it to see if it thrives and produces any fruit in a few weeks. The suspense will kill me before then, surely. I honestly feel like this is more of a post for the Dull Men's Club Facebook group, getting excited over the possibility of a free tomato plant! Almost like the suspense of getting a prize inside of the Crack Jack Box. Y'all, if this doesn't confirm that I have no life, I'm not sure what would LOL. With having tomatoes on the brain and in anticipation of my freebie plant blooming, I decided to lean towards this Zucchini with Tomatoes recipe from Golden Blossom Honey for this week's honey post share.  

This is a recipe that makes for a great summertime side dish, but it's also one that I would eat as a full meal on its own. It highlights some of summer's best produce- juicy tomatoes, zucchini, and basil plucked fresh from the garden. It's perfect for picnics, potlucks, or for a warm day lunch option when you need something light and refreshing to eat. My garden always produces more tomatoes and zucchini than I know what to do with, so if yours is the same, this is going to be the recipe you're going to want to turn to time and again for the next several months. And if you're also like me and share your excess bounty, print it out and include it with any gift baskets so your recipients can enjoy this dish as well. 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup celery, sliced

1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced

3 medium zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick

5 large plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced

salt and pepper to taste

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! 

   

Have you ever found a surprise plant in your yard or planters? 

Whipped Lemon Nutmeg Sweet Potatoes

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

 

 

If you know me, you know that I love simple recipes. I also love sweet potatoes, but I find that most recipes that include them aren't very quick or simple. I think my main problem with them is they are much harder for me to peel than a russet or a yukon, and they take longer to dice as well. So, I usually only bake them whole, then scoop out the pulp, mix with butter and cheese and call that good as far as my culinary skills with sweet potatoes go. But I saw this Whipped Lemon Nutmeg Sweet Potatoes recipe on Golden Blossom Honey not too long ago and thought it sounded interesting. I don't think I've ever thought to pair lemon and sweet potatoes, so that was a bit unique in my mind. Plus, it was labeled as a microwave recipe, so I figured that alone meant that it wasn't going to be too hard to toss together. 

My mom likes to bake canned sweet potatoes with marshmallows and I think I've mentioned it here before before that combo never sat well with me. I know it's a popular pairing, but I just can't get behind it. The addition of lemon did cause me to raise my eyebrows a bit, but the nutmeg I knew that I was going to love sprinkled in. In the end, the grated lemon zest was a fantastic contrast to the warm, earthy flavors that make up most of this recipe. It wasn't overpowering in the least, but gave it just the right amount of oomph to jazz up the sweet potatoes. Let's talk about ease of getting this dish to completion. If you have 10 minutes, that's all the time you need to have this prepped, zapped, and on the table ready to go. It's a great side dish for weeknight meals or swap out your regular mashed potatoes and gravy at Easter dinner this year for a delicious upgrade on a holiday favorite. 

Ingredients

2 (23 oz) cans sweet potatoes

1/4 cup butter or margarine, room temperature

3 Tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

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 potatoes do you like best served mashed?