Pan Bagnat

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.

 

 

Every 6 months we have to make a drive to my doctor in Chicago for my bi-yearly checkups. It's never an appointment I look forward to, but Jason always tries to put a happy spin on the trip by finding new restaurants that we can try that we don't have here at home. For some reason he thinks I'm on a French cuisine kick lately, (probably because I've been reminiscing a lot on the amazing chaussons aux pommes we had in Paris a few years back) and everywhere we go now he's yelping French restaurants in the area. He did manage to find a little French cafe in Chicago that we haven't been to yet (Maison Parisienne), and it was so good that we've been making our own versions of their L'avocat and Croque-Monsieur sandwiches at home for the last few weeks. I did go a little overboard on purchasing baguettes this week and decided I'd branch out a little and try a new French inspired sandwich for a little more variety to our lunches. Golden Blossom Honey had this Pan Bagnat recipe that looked tempting, so I gave it a whirl. 

 

 

 

What I liked about this recipe is how versatile it can be. Carnivore? No problem. Want a vegetarian version? Easy, peasy. Don't want the tuna the recipe calls for? Shredded chicken or turkey would be an easy substitute. For our sandwiches, I left all of the meat off and Jason, a man who always prefers meat on his sandwiches, had zero complaints. His review: "This sandwich is good. And I don't mean like just good. I mean like this is deli shop good. One that needs to be on a restaurant menu." And there you have it folks. If it passed Jason's taste test with flying colors, I'm sure it will pass yours as well. 

Ingredients

Dressing:
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 cup marinated sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
Sandwich:
1 loaf crusty Italian or French bread or 4 crusty rolls
2 (6.5 ounce) jars marinated artichokes, coarsely chopped
4 large plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
8 large fresh basil leaves, slivered
16 Kalamata olives, sliced
1/2 cup marinated roasted red peppers
2 (6 ounce) cans tuna, drained or 8 slices fresh mozzarella cheese

 

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 kind of cuisine do you usually look for when you're out of town traveling? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Orange Creme Fraiche Sauce and Berries

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 berry season. I missed going to the u-pick farms last year, but this year I'm prepared. Today I noticed that the local strawberry patches just opened for the season and I have it marked on my calendar to head out to the fields next week to pick my fair share. I can already taste the strawberry recipes that are bound to be made at the Mahoney house this summer. Pies, cobblers, tarts, breads... I. Can't. Wait! Though it's not technically summer yet, I have been loading up on store bought summer berries this month but I haven't baked anything spectacular with them yet. I did, however, find a really amazing sauce/dip on Golden Blossom Honey that has been adding a tremendously delicious kick of sweetness to those sometimes bland store berries. Orange Creme Fraiche Sauce is the sauce that I didn't know that I needed in my life until I had it for the first time this month. 

 

 

Look, I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with store bought berries, but they sure don't compare to their fresh off the vine counterparts. And just like we all need a little help from time to time to be the best version of ourselves that we can be, so does grocery store produce. And that's where as far as summertime fruit goes, this orange creme fraiche sauce comes in handy. The flavor is sweet in its own right, but it also helps to bring out more of the natural sweetness in your favorite fruits and berries. You can use it as a topping in a bowl of mixed berries, or you can serve it charcuterie style on a smorgasbord of berries and fruits of your choice and use it for dipping. I'm more of a fruit cup kind of girl myself, but charcuterie boards are all the rage right now, so toss one together for your next social gathering for an offering that will not disappoint.

 

Ingredients

1/3 cup creme fraiche (found in dairy section)
3 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM RAW HONEY
2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 cups fresh mixed berries

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 have plans to visit a u-pick farm this summer? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grilled Corn and Bacon Foil Packets

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

 

 

In my younger days, I never understood the appeal of stopping at a roadside farm stand. It was just easier for me to grab my produce during my weekly grocery runs. It wasn't until I got older and a little more wisdom under my belt that I realized how much better straight from the farm to the table that produce tasted. There's a farm about a mile down the road from my house that come the end of July is always packed with cars lined up to get their share of farm fresh sweet corn. I drove by there earlier this week and saw the farmer tending the fields and actually got a little excited knowing that here shortly I would be able to get my greedy little hands on that summertime goodness once again. I'm not saying that the ears of corn are bad that the supermarket sells, but once you've had farm fresh sweet corn, it's hard to go back to enjoying the ears that you find at the grocers unless you load them with salt and butter to combat their otherwise bland flavor. However, I did end up purchasing a few ears of corn this week because I was searching through Golden Blossom Honey for a different recipe and ended up stumbling upon this Grilled Corn and Bacon recipe and felt inspired enough to toss them in my cart because I always get a kick out of grilled foil packet foods. 

 

 

A savory and sweet combination, this recipe takes bland ears of corn and turns them into a side dish you're going to want to make all summer long. The honey gives it just the right amount of sweetness, and the bacon combined with the grilling process lends a beautiful smokiness to round out a delicious mix of flavors here. The only suggestion I would make outside of the recipe instructions would be to lightly mist your foil with cooking spray before placing the bacon. I had a few issues with sticking in that area, otherwise it was smooth sailing and a recipe the whole family enjoyed. 

Ingredients

4 ears fresh corn, kernels cut from the cobs (using a serrated knife seems to work best)
2 strips bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces and cooked until just crisp
2 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM RAW HONEY
2 scallions, 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 ever make foil packet meals or side dishes on the grill? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cube Steak Sandwiches with Mushrooms

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.

 

 

It may not seem like it quite yet, but trust me when I say that Father's Day is coming in hot this year. Thankfully my girls are grown, so they are fully responsible for picking out Jason's gifts by themselves, though they do still ask my opinion on what he'd enjoy most for every special occasion. And I always tell them the same thing. Food. You can never go wrong with the gift of food when it comes to their dad. And honestly, I think most dads enjoy food gifts. I'll be making my father-in-law his favorite chocolate chip cookies, but Jason is more of a meat and potatoes kind of guy so I thought the girls could make him Cube Steak Sandwiches with Mushrooms, a quick and simple recipe from Golden Blossom Honey. 

 

This is a great recipe for those who have minimal kitchen skills. I won't call out which daughter I'm referring to by name, but it isn't the one who still lives at home with us LOL. The first time I made this for Jason, he thought it was something that needed ketchup before he even tried it. Just no. This recipe doesn't need a single thing added to it. Just let it simmer, put it on the toasted bread and leave it be. No other condiments are necessary. This cube steak is great with steamed veggies or a side of fries. Sweet potato fries are usually our pick when fries should be on the menu. There are always so many suggestions for lunch with mom on Mother's Day, but dad deserves something yummy for his day too. This recipe can be tossed together in under 20 minutes, so even if the kids are limited on time with dad this year, there's still plenty of time to squeeze this sandwich in. 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil, separated
4 (4-6 ounce) cube steaks
2 large portabella mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
8 scallions, chopped
1 cup canned beef broth
3 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
4 thick slices country style bread, toasted

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 making any special meals this Father's Day? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spiced Chocolate Cake with Ganache Frosting

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.

 

 

Next week is my oldest daughter's birthday. This one will be a bit bittersweet for me since it's the last one she's going to have in this state for the foreseeable future. I mentioned before that she's moving out to Colorado in July, so gone will be the days of reaching her by a 2 hour car ride. I wanted to do something a little special for her day this year, so I booked us a wine tasting tour at the Oliver Winery in Bloomington. I'd normally make her a cheesecake as well, but since this is going to be an all day outing for us, I don't feel comfortable leaving a cream cheese based dessert in the car unrefrigerated for an entire day. But she still needs a cake, right? So I thought about making her a Spiced Chocolate Cake with Ganache Frosting, a recipe I grabbed recently from Golden Blossom Honey. Since it's not dairy based, other than the little bit of heavy cream in the frosting, I figured this one would be fine for a day in the car packed in a cooler filled with ice. 

If you have a sweet tooth for chocolate, then this is the cake for you! You've got your chocolate cake base, your chocolate ganache frosting, then I went a little extra and tossed some extra chocolate chips on the top for good measure. You could also do chocolate shaving ribbon curls for a finishing touch to make it a little more elegant. I'll admit, I doubled (maybe even tripled) the chocolate chips that the recipe called for in the cake batter because that's just how I roll. I missed the boat on getting my summer body in shape, so I'm just gonna enjoy all the treats and try again next year LOL. I did waffle on using a bundt pan here for more dimension to the cake shape, but ultimately went with the tube pan that was stated in the recipe. You could use either, but the more I look at this cake, I think you could pull it off as a giant doughnut and celebrate National Doughnut Day with this recipe next Friday. I mean, who's going to correct you if you offer everyone a slice?

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup strongly brewed coffee, cooled
1 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

 Ganache

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/3 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

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 like cake for your birthday, or do you prefer a less traditional birthday dessert like cheesecake, brownies or pie? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bowtie Noodles with Grilled 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 know it's not Memorial Day yet, but grilling season has officially begun in my book. Hot dogs, hamburgers and steaks tend to be the popular grilling items, but for this girl it's ALL about the grilled veggies. If you have a Dollar Tree close to you, they have these cookie sheet like pans with holes in them that are great to put sliced vegetables on that make grilling them a breeze. I stocked up on the pans last year, but I did see they are carrying them again this year, so if you can find them at your store, I suggest grabbing a few. As the weather heats up, I find myself looking for lighter meal options. Leafy salads are a huge staple here during hot weather months, but so are things like pasta salad, too. Fresh veggies are in abundance at the supermarkets right now, and I have been taking full advantage until I can harvest from my own garden later this summer. I had overbought on bell peppers earlier this week, so I ended up using them in this Grilled Vegetables with Bowtie Noodles and Parmesan recipe that I grabbed from Golden Blossom Honey. 

This recipe has everything you are going to need for a light, colorful and nutritious summertime meal. There's minimal prep going on here, and since the majority of this recipe is cooked on the grill, short of boiling noodle water, you aren't adding unnecessary heat to the house by turning on the oven. This can be a meal in itself, but you could also toss a chicken breast on the grill for those who like protein in their pasta dishes. I mentioned before that we'll be hosting a large grad party in late June, and I think this recipe would be perfect to double, or even triple to add to our side dish table. Made in batches large or small, this recipe covers all. Keep it handy for summertime potlucks, parties, or for a quick and easy meal to enjoy by yourself out on the deck. 

Ingredients

2/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon each dried rosemary, thyme, basil
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 red bell pepper, quartered
1 yellow bell pepper, quartered
salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces bowtie noodles, cooked al dente, drained
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

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 are your favorite vegetables to toss on the grill?