September is National Honey Month. As I was looking through my recipes that include this sweet substance, I couldn’t help but be reminded that for me, the sweetest thing in life is the presence of God. I love the ways He shows up to remind me that He is there, even in the little things.
I mowed my grass on Friday afternoon, wanting to make sure that I accomplished that task so I could stay inside most of Saturday. Besides, I needed to do laundry and clean my house. I usually start working in the kitchen and work my way back to my bedroom; sometimes that last room doesn’t get as much of a cleaning as it should. Preparing for my usual routine, I went to get something I needed out of my room. Noticing how dusty it had become, I realized that for me to sleep better, I should remedy that situation before I tackled the rest of the house.
As a matter of course, I saved my desk until last. It was piled with papers that needed to be filed away. “I’ll finish that later” went through my mind and I started to walk away. However, I was struck by the urge to finish the task. Knowing how the Lord has worked on me in the past, I started putting each paper where it belonged. I was almost to the bottom of the heap when I found an envelope from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. That piece of mail held the registration for my minivan, plus it had a tag that needed to be placed on my license plate to show that it had been renewed for this year. The old one expired on September 14th.
I had placed an online order for the registration in mid-August; when it was delivered to my mailbox, I stuck it on my desk. I was busy at the time, and I knew I had a few weeks before I needed to deal with it. Of course, I promptly forgot about it. Now here I was on September 15th cleaning off my desk and what did I find but the very thing I needed to deal with that very day. Some would call it a coincidence; I choose to believe that it was my Heavenly Father watching out for me. It is sweet to know that I am in His care, no matter how small the task. I recall these verses from Psalms:
“The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.” Psalm 19:9-10 NIV.
With that said, here are some recipes that are made sweeter with honey:
Honey-Mustard Dressing
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon paprika
In a saucepan, combine the oil, sugar, vinegar, honey, lemon juice and seasonings; cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat; set aside to cool. Stir well before serving. Serve over salad. Refrigerate any leftover dressing.
Honey Joes
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 medium-sized grated carrots
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound ground turkey or beef
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 – 6 hamburger buns
In large pan over medium heat, sauté onions, celery and carrots in oil until soft. Stir in turkey (or beef); cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until meat is browned and crumbly. Stir in tomato paste, honey, water, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and chili powder. Simmer, covered, 3 to 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide mixture evenly between hamburger buns to serve. 4-6 servings.
Honey Pineapple Carrot Salad
1 can crushed pineapple
2 packages (3 ounces each) lemon gelatin
1/4 cup honey
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons orange juice concentrate, undiluted
1 cup grated carrots
1/2 pint whipping cream or 1-1/2 cups defrosted frozen whipped topping
Drain liquid from canned pineapple into measuring cup; add enough water to make 1-1/2 cups liquid. Pour liquid into pan and bring to a boil. Stir in gelatin until dissolved. Remove from heat; blend in honey, lemon juice and orange juice concentrate. Pour into medium bowl and refrigerate until slightly thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. Whip cream until soft peaks form. Blend pineapple, carrots and whipped cream (or defrosted frozen whipped topping). Pour into a 9-by-9-inch pan and refrigerate until firm.
Serve each portion on a lettuce leaf; if desired, garnish with a lemon slice and a teaspoon of shredded carrot.
Fruit ‘n Honey Granola
3-1/2 cups raw oatmeal
1 cup toasted pecan halves, broken into large pieces
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 cups any combination of dried fruit (raisins, dates, apples, cherries, etc.)
In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together except the dried fruit. Spread the mixture out on a cookie sheet and bake it at 300 degrees for 30 minutes. Let it cool slightly and stir in the dried fruit. Break up any clumps and store granola in an airtight container. Good for snacks or as a cereal with milk. Try sprinkling it on yogurt, too.
Honey Caramel Apple Dip
1/2 cup honey
1 (14-ounce) package caramels
1/2 cup evaporated milk
Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Heat over low, stirring constantly until caramels are melted and the mixture is smooth. For a thinner sauce, heat with additional evaporated milk. Cool to room temperature and use as a dip for apple wedges. Also good as an ice cream topping or drizzled over unfrosted cake squares. Keep refrigerated for weeks.
Honey-Glazed Snack Mix
4 cups Rice Chex, Corn Chex, or Crispix cereal
1-1/2 cups miniature pretzel twists (I used fish-shaped)
1 cup pecan halves
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup honey
In a large mixing bowl, combine cereal, pretzels and pecans; set aside. In a saucepan, melt butter; stir in honey and blend well. Pour over cereal mixture and stir to coat evenly. Spread in a jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until mixture is lightly glazed, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Spread on waxed paper to cool completely. Store in airtight container.