COOK OF THE WEEK - SEPTEMBER NATIONAL HONEY MONTH

September is National Honey Month. Honey dates back as far as 2100 B.C. where it was mentioned in the sacred writings of India and Egypt, Sumerian and Babylonian cuneiform writings and the Hittite code. The first and most widespread sweetener used by man, the name comes from the English word hunig. It is said that Cupid’s arrows were dipped in honey before they were aimed at unsuspecting lovers. Honey was prized and often used as currency, tribute or offering. In the 11th century, German peasants paid their feudal lords in beeswax and honey. It is not known if honey is native to the Americas, but it has been documented that Spaniards found the natives of Central America and Mexico had set up beekeeping operations and were using honey in 1600 A.D. Some fun facts to know about honey: 1. Honeybees must tap over two million flowers to make one pound of honey, flying a distance equal to more than three times around the world. 2. The average worker bee will make only 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey during its lifetime. 3. The famous Scottish liqueur Drambuie is made with honey. Honey is easy on the stomach, has an indefinite shelf life, adapts to all cooking processes and is organic with no additives, which makes it a natural sugar alternative. (homecooking.about.com)Awesome Honey PecanPork ChopsKarena, allrecipes.com1-1/4 pounds boneless pork loin, pounded thin1/2 cup all-purpose flour for coatingSalt and pepper to taste2 tablespoons butter1/4 cup honey1/4 cup chopped pecans In a shallow dish, mix together flour, salt and pepper. Dredge pork cutlets in the flour mixture. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add chops, and brown both sides. Transfer to a warm plate. Mix honey and pecans into the pan drippings. Heat through, stirring constantly. Pour sauce over cutlets. Honey Sesame Chicken Nuggetshoney.com1/3 plus 1/2 cups - honey, divided1/3 cup soy sauce3/4 cup rice vinegar, divided1 tablespoon ginger, freshly grated1 teaspoon onion powder1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into nuggets3/4 cup dried apricots, finely dicedSalt and pepper, to taste2/3 cup sesame seeds In a medium size bowl, combine 1/3 cup honey, soy sauce, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, ginger and onion powder. Add chicken; cover and refrigerate to marinate 30 minutes. To make dipping sauce, in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring remaining 1/2 cup honey and 1/2 cup rice vinegar to a boil. Add apricots and return to a boil. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; cool slightly, then puree to desired consistency in a blender or food processor. Season with salt and pepper; set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place sesame seeds in a shallow dish. Coat nuggets with sesame seeds and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until fully cooked. Serve warm nuggets with Honey Apricot Dipping Sauce. Serves 6.Honey-Lime Enchiladaskellycena, allrecipes.com1/3 cup honey1 tablespoon chili powder1/3 cup lime juice2 cloves garlic, minced1 pound shredded, cooked chicken2 cups green enchilada sauce, divided6 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided(10) 8 inch flour tortillas1 cup fat free half-and-half Whisk together the honey, chili powder, lime juice, and minced garlic in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Add the shredded cooked chicken and toss to evenly coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least one-half hour. Remove the shredded chicken from the marinade, and shake off excess. Save the used marinade. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish, and spread 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce over the bottom. Combine marinated shredded chicken with 5 cups of shredded cheddar cheese in a bowl. Mix lightly. Spoon about 3/4 cup of the chicken-cheese mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll tortillas and place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish. In a bowl, whisk together remaining enchilada sauce, fat-free half-and-half, and remaining marinade. Pour sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle top with 1 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese. Bake in preheated oven until the cheese has melted and the top is brown, about 30 minutes.Honey Joeshoney.com1/4 cup chopped onions1/4 cup chopped celery1/4 cup grated carrots2 tablespoons vegetable oil1 pound ground turkey or beef1/2 cup - tomato paste1/4 cup honey3 tablespoons water1 tablespoon vinegar2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder4 hamburger bunsSalt and pepper, to taste In a large pan over medium heat, sauté onions, celery and carrots in oil until soft. Stir in turkey; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until turkey is browned and crumbly. Stir in remaining ingredients, except buns, salt and pepper. Simmer, covered, 3 to 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide mixture evenly between hamburger buns to serve. Serves 4.Strawberry Avocado SaladENIGMA497, allrecipes.com2 tablespoons white sugar2 tablespoons olive oil4 teaspoons honey1 tablespoon cider vinegar1 teaspoon lemon juice2 cups torn salad greens1 avocado - peeled, pitted and sliced10 strawberries, sliced1/2 cup chopped pecans In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, olive oil, honey, vinegar, and lemon juice. Set aside. Place the salad greens in a pretty bowl, and top with sliced avocado and strawberries. Drizzle dressing over everything, then sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving, or serve immediately. Serves 2.Greek Yogurt Cole Slawjake176, allrecipes.com12 ounce container plain nonfat Greek yogurt1/2 cup mayonnaise1/4 cup white vinegar2 tablespoons honey1 tablespoon skim milk, or as neededSalt and ground black pepper to taste(2) 12 ounce packages coleslaw mix Stir yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, and honey together in a large bowl. Gradually beat milk into the yogurt mixture until you reach your desired consistency; season with salt and pepper. Add coleslaw mix and toss to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.Norris’ Sesame Pasta SaladWholesomeHunter, allrecipes.com1 pound spaghetti1/2 cup sesame oil7 tablespoons honey6 tablespoons soy sauce1/4 cup corn oil2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, or to taste1 teaspoon salt3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, or more to taste3/4 cup shaved green onions, or more to taste1/3 cup honey-roasted peanuts, or more to taste2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 12 minutes; drain. Mix spaghetti, sesame oil, honey, soy sauce, corn oil, red pepper flakes, and salt together in a large bowl until spaghetti is evenly coated. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Add cilantro, green onions, peanuts, and sesame seeds; toss to combine. Serves 8.Pumpkin Honey Breadhoney.com1 cup honey1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened16 ounce solid-pack pumpkin4 eggs 4 cups flour4 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons ground cinnamon2 teaspoons ground ginger1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon ground nutmeg Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, cream honey with butter until light and fluffy. Stir in pumpkin. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly incorporated. Sift together remaining ingredients. Stir into pumpkin mixture. Divide batter equally between two well-greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let loaves cool in pans for 10 minutes; invert pans to remove loaves and allow to finish cooling on racks.No Bake Chocolate BrowniesBárbara Trujillo Gómez, honey.com1/2 cup honey1/4 cup coconut oil1/4 cup almond butter1/4 teaspoon sea salt1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/2 cup chopped almonds1/2 cup chopped walnuts1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips1/4 cup sunflower seeds1/4 cup dried cranberries1 cup rolled oats1 tablespoon butter In a medium-sized saucepan, heat honey, coconut oil, almond butter, sea salt, vanilla and cinnamon over low heat. Next, in a large bowl combine chopped almonds, chopped walnuts, semi-sweet chocolate chips, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries and rolled oats. Add the honey mixture from the saucepan into the bowl and mix. Using your hands or a spatula, grease an 8” x 8” pan with the butter. Press the brownie mixture into the pan and refrigerate until hardened. Cut into 16 bars and serve. The COOK OF THE WEEK 3rd Edition Cookbook is available. Cost per copy is $10.70, plus $4.80 shipping/handling. Order a copy today by sending a check or money order, along with name and shipping address, to: Humboldt Independent, 512 Sumner Ave., Humboldt, IA 50548.