Strawberry Surprise

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.

 

 

 

Happy Independence Day to my US friends! It's shaping up to be a sunny and hot day without a cloud in the sky in our area, so I imagine the festivities are going to go on all night long. Probably all weekend long, if we're being honest. The celebrations actually started here several weeks ago, and since my new storefront is right on the lake, I watch fireworks nightly while I am working on my building. Jason and I usually grab a late dinner so we can sit outside and watch the show, but tonight we should be wrapping up the finishing touches and getting all of our product moved in and ready for our grand opening, so the fireworks will feel extra special. A celebration of a year's planning, several months of hard labor, and what feels like a lifetime of stress and uncertainty will finally be coming together and that deserves a special treat on top of the fireworks as a reward for our accomplishments. I'll be taking this Strawberry Surprise, a Golden Blossom Honey recipe, tonight to help me bask in the glow of the lit up sky and my lit up heart. 

 

Strawberry Surprise is a light, refreshing fruity dessert perfect for your weekend celebrations, or simply as a dessert to end a summertime meal. It's one that is very easy to prepare, and since we're still in the thick of sweltering heat, it's a bonus that it's a no-bake dessert. It does take a little planning because of the chill time, so you may not be able to whip this up in time for your celebrations today unless you're reading this post early in the morning, but if your area is anything like the Midwest, you've got a weekend of gatherings, so there will be plenty of time to piece this together for the dessert table. Just a quick tip to pop the pan in the freezer about 30 minutes before serving. This will make slicing through the dessert a lot easier and keep the squares uniform. 

 

Ingredients

1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin

1 1/2 cups hot water

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/3 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1/2 cup light cream

1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped (optional)

fresh strawberries and mint 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! 

   

Have a safe and fun 4th of July!   

Chicken Salad with Strawberries and Nectarines

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.

 

 

My daughter found out I was using ChatGPT to quickly organize some business files this week and she wasn't pleased. Apparently I'm causing this massive heatwave because the AI software uses up lots of water, contributing to global warming. Who knew? Sorry, y'all. I'll try to kick my AI habit so we can see some cooler temperatures here soon. In a peace offering, allow me to share a refreshing salad recipe to help beat the heat this weekend. I love mixed greens in the summer and even better when fresh fruit is added in. My husband doesn't consider it a complete meal unless a protein is included, so I consider this Chicken Salad with Strawberries and Nectarines from Golden Blossom Honey a winner of a summer salad recipe if there ever was one. 

 

On sweltering days like most of us have been experiencing this summer, the stove and oven are off limits in our house. It's just too hot to even think about turning them on, so salads are a perfect go-to meal for those kinds of days. While there is chicken in this recipe, the great thing about that is it uses a prepared rotisserie chicken from the grocers, which not only saves time, it saves you from having to add any extra heat to your kitchen. The homemade poppy seed dressing is the perfect pairing for this fruit-filled salad. I usually add a raspberry vinaigrette to my fruity salads, but I think the poppy seed dressing is my new favorite. It's creamy and not too heavy, so you can eat it on the worst heat days without feeling weighed down. I plan on having this salad many more times this season while the fruit is at its peak, and I encourage you to try it as well! 

 

Ingredients

Dressing:

1/3 cup mayonnaise, regular or lite

1/3 cup sour cream, regular or lite

2 tablespoons RAW GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

3 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Salad:

1 cooked rotisserie chicken, from grocery store

2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

2 ripe nectarines, sliced

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/3 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

6 cups mixed baby greens

4 strawberries 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! 

   

Do you use ChatGPT or any other AI programs for business or personal use? 

Fresh Berry Chocolate Tart

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.

 

 

From weddings to graduations and everything in-between, we're officially in summer party season. If you're looking for a tasty treat for your gatherings, do I have something special for you today! The inspiration for today's share came a few weeks ago when we were in Minnesota at the Mall of America and we spotted this cute little French inspired bistro inside. While I was in a hurry and didn't have a chance to sample their delicacies that day, it did spark some memories from our trip to Paris years ago and how I still dream about all of their amazing pastries to this day, especially the fruit-filled ones. So when I saw this Fresh Berry Chocolate Tart recipe on Golden Blossom Honey, I figured it was going to be as close as I was going to get to French pastries without the expensive plane ticket across the pond. 

 

 

The secret to this delightful dessert is using a pre-made sheet of frozen puff pastry. Because honestly, unless it's your profession, nobody has time for making homemade pastry dough. A thin layer of chocolate and fresh summer berries will top the golden, flaky crust, making it a decadent seasonal treat that will be the highlight of the dessert table at any gathering. Nobody needs to know how easy this is to make, either. It never hurts to let them think you're just as good as the French when it comes to beautiful and delicious pastries! I'll keep your secret if you keep mine. 

 

Ingredients

1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed (half of 17 1/4 ounce package)

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon sugar

3 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 cup blackberries or blueberries

1 cup strawberries, hulled and cut in half lengthwise

whipped cream or vanilla ice 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! 

   

How many summer parties do you plan on attending this year? 

Swordfish a L’Orange

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.

 

 

Father's Day is this Sunday and Allison has been struggling with what to get Jason for the occasion. I had to remind her that we're not really gift people, and he'd probably be happiest with a Costco size bag of trail mix or a case of his favorite diet soda. Or better yet, a home cooked meal that I wouldn't normally make for him, which usually falls in the seafood category. The was an advertisement for lobster in this week's grocery flyer, but she's on a broke college student budget, so I suggested maybe fish tacos or this Swordfish a L'Orange recipe from Golden Blossom Honey because it seemed more in line with not only her budget, but her cooking skills as well. 

 

You all know that even though I like to think I have some expertise when it comes to culinary creations, I will almost always gravitate towards those easy recipes when given a choice. And while I've never made swordfish before, after looking over the cooking instructions, I knew that this was going to be about as simple as they come as far as recipes go and it was definitely going to be one our daughter could handle cooking all on her own. From prep, to cook, to plate, this recipe was all done in under 20 minutes. It cooked up tender, juicy, and had the right amount of flake you want to see for cooked fish. The orange and honey added a delicious sweetness to the dish, and while I am not a fish eater myself, even I was tempted to eat more than a sample bite when all was said and done. It will be a great dinner idea for Father's Day, but it's one that's going to get you through these hot summer months as well. It's light, tangy, and refreshing. A perfect warm weather dish for any seafood lover! 

 

Ingredients

1-1/2 to 2 pounds swordfish

2 large oranges

4 Tablespoons grated orange peel

6 Tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

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's on your Father's Day menu this year? 

Quick Cheesecake With Lemon Topping

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.

 

 

Rain, gloom, and a bit of a chill. For it being the first week of June, it's not feeling like summer is on the horizon. Maybe it's the Canadian wildfires that are seeping down putting an overcast, foggy look to the sky, or maybe it's Mother Nature off her meds again. Who knows? But I can tell you I am ready for some sunshine already. My weather app tells me that we won't be seeing it peek through the clouds and haze for at least another week, so I decided to add a little sunshine yellow into our home this week the best way that I knew how. And that was by whipping up a Quick Cheesecake With Lemon Topping dessert. This Golden Blossom Honey recipe is just what we needed to brighten up some otherwise gray days around here.

 

Cheesecake is one of my all-time favorite desserts, and while I normally go for strawberry or caramel as a topping, I couldn't resist swapping those sweet flavors for a more tangy and sour flavor this week. While I think cheesecake is actually pretty easy to make at home yourself, this recipe really was one of the quicker ones I've ever made myself. I don't think I've ever used honey as a binding agent in cheesecake crust before, but I must say that I absolutely loved how it held the crumbs together but still kept the crust soft and chewy. It's definitely how I'll be making all of my crusts going forward. The cheesecake itself baked up beautifully and didn't crack on the top, which was surprising since I usually get a little cracking if I don't use a water bath while baking them. Here it would have been fine though since the lemon pie filling would have covered any imperfections, but if you opt to make this recipe without any topping, yours should hold together just fine without any splits or cracks as well. The only thing that I had to change was cook time, baking it for 50 minutes. I then turn the oven off, but leave the door closed for another 15 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator for several hours to fully set. If you don't like lemon, no worries. The cheesecake itself it an amazing base recipe that you could put pretty much any topping of your choosing on and it would still be perfection. For me though, I'm going to stick with the lemon a little bit longer and hope that encourages the sunshine to swoop in and stop letting this beauty be the star of the show. A girl can always hope, right?

 

Ingredients

Crust:

1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

3 Tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

Filling:

3/4 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 (16 ounce) can lemon pie filling

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 topping for cheesecake? 

Stir-Fried Beef and Vegetables

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 love this time of year when fresh produce is in abundance. Our library had a seed bank to take from this spring, giving away many different herbs and veggie seeds to anyone in the community who wanted to plant a garden. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of space in my yard where the sun hits for 8 hours a day, so I have to be mindful of what I'm planting with the limited space I do have. I decided to grab a few herbs that I can container grow, but then I also grabbed some pepper and snap pea seeds since those plants don't take up much ground area. While my plants won't be fruitful for another 6-ish weeks, I am already plotting out how we'll use up our garden fresh produce once it's ready for picking. Since we eat a lot of stir fry during the warmer months, I thought this Stir-Fried Beef and Vegetables recipe from Golden Blossom Honey was one that we'd want to test this week so we'd have something to look forward to while waiting for our garden to sprout.

 

 

With the variety of veggies and a sweet sauce, this stir fry is packed full of flavor and texture, making it an enticing meal option for warm weather dining. The vegetables fry up crisp and the beef browns quick and tender. If you aren't into beef, chicken or shrimp would make great substitutes, or if you're trying to stick with a vegetarian option, add some shiitake or portabella mushrooms the last minute or two before removing the wok from heat. Serve your stir fry over noodles or rice, and add in a side of hot and sour soup or egg rolls and you've got a tasty feast with plenty leftover for lunch the next day. 

 

Ingredients

Sauce:

1/3 cup water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

3/4 teaspoon dried ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Stir-Fry

1 pound boneless beef sirloin

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 carrots, cut into 3-inch pieces

1 red bell pepper, cut into 3-inch strips

1 cup sugar snap peas

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! 

   

Does your library give away garden seeds to the community?