Toasted Oatmeal Carrot Cookies

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 posted a lovely recipe last week for Passover, but I couldn't let the month go by without sharing something sweet for Easter as well. I usually take my own version of Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs to the family dinner, but ever since I stuffed peanut butter balls with  brussel sprouts for an April Fool's prank a few years back when Easter fell on April 1, the family hasn't been too keen on my peanut butter desserts. Hilarious at the time, but now I'm left searching for new recipes every year to pop on the dessert table. (Truth be told, I'd do it all over again because I still giggle thinking about how mad they were at the prank lol). I can never go wrong with my soft batch chocolate chip cookies because that's my #1 most requested dessert (you can find that recipe in the search bar to the right), but I just made those for my mil's birthday and wanted to contribute something more suited for the Easter/spring season and ultimately decided that I'll be taking Toasted Oatmeal Carrot Cookies, a Golden Blossom Honey recipe, this year. 

While I'll never turn away any cookie, I am more prone to reach for a soft baked cookie over a crisp one, so these immediately piqued my interest. I love a good carrot cake, but have never had carrot cookies before, so I was eager to give these a try. They had a perfect blend of sweet and warm flavors and indeed baked up soft and chewy, moving them to the top of my favorite springtime cookie recipes. I wouldn't go as far as calling them healthy, because a cookie is still a cookie after all, but with the oats, raisins, and carrots, we could call this a breakfast cookie, and since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, that makes these cookies a great way to start the day, no? Don't rain on my parade and answer that. Just let me live my life, one breakfast cookie at a time. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups dry oats (not instant)

3/4 cup raisins

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 egg white

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup prune pie filling

2 tablespoons vanilla

1 cup grated carrot

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 prefer crispy or chewy cookies? 

Almond Mandelbrot

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 usually focus on Easter recipes this time of the year, but thought since I do have some readers who celebrate Passover, it would be nice to share a dessert for those who will be celebrating that instead. I've been wanting to try my hand at making biscotti for the past few years, but I never did get around to it. So when I saw this Almond Mandelbrot recipe on Golden Blossom Honey, which was described as being similar to biscotti, and I noticed that they tagged it for Passover, I figured now was as good of a time as any to give it a whirl.  

This is a delicious dessert that was a lot easier to make than I had anticipated. And you know I love me an easy to follow recipe! While it is quite similar to biscotti, the noticeable difference would be where biscotti is more crisp and suitable for dunking, the mandlebrot was softer and a bit chewier. Still ok for a quick dunk in the tea or coffee, but don't let it soak in the liquid. I do think that a change I will make next time is swapping whole almonds for either sliced or slivered. I found the whole almonds made it tougher to cut through into nice, even strips. I also found them to bit a bit overwhelming when it came to the dough/almond ratio where texture is concerned. While it wasn't called for in the recipe, I do like to dress my desserts up when I think they are a bit on the plain side, and made a call to drizzle a citrus glaze on top for a touch of class. Just a little powder sugar and orange juice mixed together is all you need for a pretty glaze. My daughter knows the rule about not touching my honey recipes until photos have been taken, and it tested her patience to have to wait to get her share of these delectable treats. And boy did she have her fair share when given the all clear! It's definitely a keeper of a recipe if there ever was one. These will be so perfect for the upcoming Passover and Easter celebrations, or for any occasion. Or non-occasion. Because you never need a reason to treat yourself to a sweet snacky snack! 

Ingredients

3 eggs, separated

1/4 cup margarine, softened (Kosher for Passover)

1 cup matzo meal

1/2 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY, divided in half

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

3/4 cup almonds, whole

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! 

   

Are you a fan of biscotti and similar treats? 

Savory Glazed Ham

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 usually have a solid take on what Golden Blossom Honey recipes that I bring to you each week since they are always my first choice when I am looking for meal inspiration. This week though, I figured that while my family doesn't eat it, I'd still throw a ham recipe into the mix for those of you who will be celebrating the upcoming Easter holiday this month. I've went a little heavy on the vegetarian offerings this year so far, and we do like to keep things well rounded around these parts, so ham was the obvious choice to break things up a bit. I saw this Savory Glazed Ham recipe on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe index and thought the glaze sounded interesting. I used to make my own brown sugar and pineapple glaze when we would host Easter at our place, but their option offered a savory flavor profile compared to my sweet and I was intrigued. 

 

 

Even though I am not a ham eater, I do adore roasted pineapple. Even better when they have a yummy glaze coated on them! This glaze still offered a touch of the sweet that I'm used to because of the honey, but it was toned down quite a bit with the addition of the other ingredients. I was a little curious about the Worcestershire sauce and coffee granules, but ended up pleasantly surprised with how much I adored this glaze. I also liked the rich coloring it left on the meat. I did take this ham to a family in need so it wouldn't go to waste and got such positive feedback on the flavor, I am going to send the recipe to my in-laws as a suggestion for their Easter meal this year. My half ham cooked up in 45 minutes, so with prep you can have your main dish on the table in just under 1 hour. It's perfect for small family gatherings, and if you end up with leftovers, the savory flavors would be really great in a pot of ham and bean soup.
 

Ingredients

4-5 pound fully cooked boneless ham half

1 (20 ounce) can pineapple slices, drained

Glaze:

1 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons dry mustard

4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons instant coffee granules

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 your glaze more savory or sweet? 

Spring Carrot Soup

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.

 

 

Spring is finally here and I am loving the longer, brighter days that have been presenting themselves to us. I've also noticed that my tulips and hyacinths are just starting to peek through the ground and that makes me excited that the world will be in colorful bloom in just a few short weeks. But even with the sunny days, there is still a nip in the air, so it's not time to shelve all of the soup recipes yet. There are so many great soup options that are perfect for spring days that still have a bit of a bite in them, like this Spring Carrot Soup. This is a Golden Blossom Honey recipe that you'll be glad to have on hand throughout the season.  

This is a light soup that won't weigh you down, but you'll still feel full and satisfied after a bowl. For there being minimal ingredients, it's packed full not only in flavor, but in nutrients also. Like with most Golden Blossom Honey recipes, this is another that doesn't take a lot of prep or cook time. I actually made the first half the night before, then added the milk and reheated the following day for lunch. So this is a great make-ahead meal if you know you're going to be short on time the following day. While this recipe is written to eat the soup warm, I ate a bowl cold, fresh out of the fridge and found that I enjoyed it equally, so it will transition perfectly into the summer months for those who love a cold soup as well. 

Ingredients

1 bunch of carrots, about 1 pound

1 baking potato

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup chopped shallots

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

2 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

black pepper to taste

Garnish

plain yogurt or sour cream

chopped scallions or chives

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 springtime soup? 

Whipped Lemon Nutmeg Sweet Potatoes

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.

 

 

If you know me, you know that I love simple recipes. I also love sweet potatoes, but I find that most recipes that include them aren't very quick or simple. I think my main problem with them is they are much harder for me to peel than a russet or a yukon, and they take longer to dice as well. So, I usually only bake them whole, then scoop out the pulp, mix with butter and cheese and call that good as far as my culinary skills with sweet potatoes go. But I saw this Whipped Lemon Nutmeg Sweet Potatoes recipe on Golden Blossom Honey not too long ago and thought it sounded interesting. I don't think I've ever thought to pair lemon and sweet potatoes, so that was a bit unique in my mind. Plus, it was labeled as a microwave recipe, so I figured that alone meant that it wasn't going to be too hard to toss together. 

My mom likes to bake canned sweet potatoes with marshmallows and I think I've mentioned it here before before that combo never sat well with me. I know it's a popular pairing, but I just can't get behind it. The addition of lemon did cause me to raise my eyebrows a bit, but the nutmeg I knew that I was going to love sprinkled in. In the end, the grated lemon zest was a fantastic contrast to the warm, earthy flavors that make up most of this recipe. It wasn't overpowering in the least, but gave it just the right amount of oomph to jazz up the sweet potatoes. Let's talk about ease of getting this dish to completion. If you have 10 minutes, that's all the time you need to have this prepped, zapped, and on the table ready to go. It's a great side dish for weeknight meals or swap out your regular mashed potatoes and gravy at Easter dinner this year for a delicious upgrade on a holiday favorite. 

Ingredients

2 (23 oz) cans sweet potatoes

1/4 cup butter or margarine, room temperature

3 Tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

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 potatoes do you like best served mashed? 

Italian Cheese Fruit Trifle

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've been on this planet long enough to know that we're in fool's spring right now, but with the warm spring-like temperatures and bright sunny days, it sure is tempting to think that we've left winter in the dust already. I had to force myself to leave the garden untouched this week because I don't want to disturb any slumbering pollinators that will be beneficial to my garden this summer, so I directed my energy into the kitchen instead. I wanted to do a trial run of this Italian Cheese Fruit Trifle, a Golden Blossom Honey recipe, that I thought would be amazing to share with our loved ones this Easter. I don't use mascarpone cheese often, other than for my tiramisu, and I wanted to make sure to note any adjustments before presenting it to others for the holiday dinner.  

I want to point out that while I always try to bring you budget-conscious recipes each week, this one does not fall into that category. I've been saving it for probably a year or two because it was hard for me to justify sharing a splurge recipe in these uncertain economic times that many of us are struggling through, and I calculated that ingredients ran a little over $50 for this dessert. While I appreciate that you can get a bakery made dessert for less than that, there's also something to be said for presenting a truly remarkable trifle that you prepared at home with the freshest ingredients possible. Thankfully you don't need to do a trial run though since I did that for you. And better yet, I can say that other than doubling the raspberry juice to dip your margherites, nothing needed adjusted or tweaked. This was a sweet, creamy, sinful dessert that I probably shouldn't push for Easter with that description, but it's a dessert I'm willing to sin for, so there's that. The only issue I did run into is margherites were hard to find locally, and the only place I could find them online was Amazon, which only offered the chocolate and vanilla combo variety.  But I personally like both flavors, so that was just a bonus for me. You could probably substitute madelines and still have a very similar turnout. If you don't celebrate Easter, no worries. With the red, white, and blue coloring, this would work for Independence and Labor Day, or really any time during the summer months, but I'd recommend taking advantage as soon as the berries are in season since it will really add maximum flavor and sweetness to the trifle, giving more bang for the buck that way.

Ingredients

6 Tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1 (10 oz) package frozen raspberries in lite syrup, thawed

1/4 cup Chambord Raspberry Liqueur

2 (14 oz) packages Stella D’Oro Margherites

24 ounces mascarpone cheese (available at gourmet food stores or cheese shops)

1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

1 pint strawberries

1 pint raspberries

1 pint blueberries

1 (10 oz) package frozen strawberries in lite syrup

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 splurge recipe?