(Courtesy of the National Honey Board)
Who taught you how to ride your bike, throw a ball and drive a car? Chances are your first thoughts go to dad, your childhood hero! June is an exciting month! Not only do we have Father’s Day, but we also get to usher in the official start of summer (which just happen to be on the same day)!
Break out the porch umbrella, patio set and fire pit! Let’s celebrate Dad and the first day of summer with a colorful and flavorful backyard cookout! Invite family, friends and neighbors and wow them with these recipes that highlight all the things we love about summer!
Fruit & Mint Quinoa Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing
- 1 cup – quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh strainer for 3 to 5 minutes
- 2 cups – water
- 1½ cups – fruit, chopped (e.g. mangoes, strawberries, raspberries, peaches)
- ⅓ cup – mint leaves, chopped
- Honey Lime Dressing – .
- 1 – lime
- 2 tablespoons – honey
- ¼ teaspoon – salt
- ¼ cup – mint leaves, (optional, for garnish)
Heat medium saucepan over medium heat and toast quinoa for 1 minute. Add water and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove saucepan from burner and allow to sit for 4 minutes. If chilled salad is desired, transfer quinoa to medium serving bowl and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together lime juice, honey and salt. Mix fruit, dressing and chopped mint into quinoa. Garnish with additional mint and serve.
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Honey Watermelon Crush
- 16 oz – watermelon, diced
- 16 oz – seedless watermelon, small cubes
- 10 oz – cucumber
- 6 – mint leaves
- 4 Tbsp – honey
- 16 oz – ice
- 2 – sprig of mint, garnish
Place the diced watermelon, cucumber, mint leaves, honey and ice in the blender and blend on high till you receive a smooth consistency.
To serve, place the small cubes of watermelon into the glass, then pour the blended juice over it, slightly stir and serve with a small spoon. Garnish with a sprig of mint.
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Honey Roasted Chicken Sandwich with Honey-Blue Cheese ‘Butter’ & Arugula
For Focaccia:
- 1 tablespoon – honey, clover
- 1 teaspoon – water
- 1 each – focaccia, quarter sheet tray cut into fourths, sliced in half (4 portions)
For Honey-Blue Cheese ‘Butter:
- 6 ounces – blue cheese, room temperature
- 1/3 cup – honey, clover
For Honey Roasted Chicken:
- 4 each – chicken breast, skinless, bone less
- as needed – salt, kosher
- as needed – pepper, ground
- as needed – oil
- 4 tablespoons – honey, clover
For Assembly
- 9 ounces – honey-blue cheese ‘butter’
- 4 each – focaccia
- 4 each – honey roasted chicken
- 1 cup – arugala, washed
For Focaccia:
Preheat the grill. In a mixing bowl, combine the honey and water. With a pastry brush, brush the cut side of the focaccia with the honey mixture. Place on the grill to warm the bread. When there are grill marks on the bread, remove and reserve the grilled focaccia for assembly.NOTE: A panini press can be used as a substitute for the grill.
For Honey-Blue Cheese ‘Butter’:
In a mixing bowl, combine the blue cheese and honey. Work the ingredients with a spatula until the mixture is creamy. Reserve for assembly of the sandwich.
For Honey Roasted Chicken:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Season both sides of the chicken breast with salt and pepper. In a preheated sauté pan with oil; sear the chicken breast for 4 minutes on each side. The chicken breast should be golden brown on both sides. Transfer the chicken breast to a half sheet tray and glaze each breast with the honey. Roast in the oven for 13–15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken breast reaches 165°F. Place the cooked chicken breast on the cutting board and slice the breast into 8 pieces on a 45° bias.7) Reserve the chicken for assembly.
For Assembly:
Smear the honey-blue cheese butter on the toasted side of all focaccia pieces. Place the sliced chicken breast on one piece of focaccia. Top each piece of chicken with arugula. Place another piece of the focaccia on top of the arugula to form a sandwich.Serve immediately.
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Alfalfa Arnold Palmer Cocktail
- 1.5 oz – citrus gin
- 1.5 oz – lemon juice
- 1.5 oz – alfalfa honey syrup
- 2 oz – unsweetened black tea
- 1 – lemon wheel, for garnish
For alfalfa honey syrup:
2 parts alfalfa honey
1 part HOT water
Combine ingredients. Stir until dissolved.
For drink preparation:
1. Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker.
2. Top with ice and shake vigorously.
3. Strain into an iced glass.
4. Garnish with lemon twist.
Recipe courtesy of Kim Haasarud, 101 Cocktail Book Series
Photography by Alexandria Grablewski
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Peaches ‘N Honey Frozen Yogurt Cookie Sandwiches
Honey Cookies:
- 2¾ cups – sifted flour
- 1 teaspoon – baking soda
- 1 teaspoon – baking powder
- ½ cup – unsalted butter
- ¼ cup – low fat greek yogurt
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons – honey
- 1 – egg
- 1 teaspoon – vanilla extract
Peaches ‘N Honey Frozen Yogurt:
- 4 medium – Eastern yellow ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
- 2 cups – nonfat vanilla yogurt
- ¼ cup – honey
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon – freshly grated cinnamon
Honey Cookies: Preheat oven to 375°F. In small bowl combine flour, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside. In a separate bowl, cream butter and honey until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually add dry ingredients. Drop rounded teaspoons of dough onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet 2 minutes before removing to cool on wire rack. Makes about 4 dozen cookies, depending on size.
Peach ‘N Honey Frozen Yogurt: Puree the peaches in a blender. (You should have about 1½ cups of pureed peaches). Add yogurt and honey to a bowl and combine the pureed peaches. Mix well. Pour into a freezer bowl of an automatic frozen yogurt-ice cream maker. Turn the machine on and let mixture thicken, about 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in cinnamon by hand.
Once the cookies have thoroughly cooled, place 1 ice cream scoop of frozen yogurt onto a cookie and gently press a second cookie on top. Use a knife to trim the sides of excess yogurt. Repeat with remaining cookies and frozen yogurt. Eat immediately or wrap in plastic wrap and freeze up to 2 weeks.
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