Rustic Apple Crisp

They tell me these weather conditions are not normal for North Carolina.  Snow, snow, snow and many freezing cold days.  Yesterday we got 7″ in about 6 hours.  I don’t mind the snowy, frigid temps and seeing my world blanketed in white.  I’ve always wanted to live where the winters warranted wearing a coat.  Before the storm hit yesterday I headed for The Bog, my favorite place for a walk.  I walked briskly as the temps were in the 20’s.  I wasn’t surprised to see a multitude of birds flitting about, searching for food in preparation for the snow storm.  I saw Cardinals, Tufted Titmice, Carolina Chickadees, Carolina Wren, Eastern Towhees, a Great Blue Heron, a pair of Barred Owls, Downy Woodpeckers, a Red-Bellied Woodpecker, White Chinned Sparrows as well as a flock of Mallards, Canadian Geese and the ever-present Crows.  Quite a dazzling display.  This made me happy and hungry.
I’ve been buying tons of apples while they still seem to be seasonal.  I tire of eating raw apples and have been thinking of ways to use them in cooking.  Apple pie is one of my man Dan’s favorite desserts.  I prefer a crisp made of apples.  We had recently had one of each.  So what did I do?  I combined the two and made a Rustic Apple Crisp.  It was a bit fancy and less work than a double crust pie.  This may just be the ideal apple dessert!

I promised to share a recipe for Honey, Ginger & Garlic Roasted Chicken next, but I couldn’t resist sharing this one first.  The chicken recipe will be up next week.

Enjoy!

RUSTIC APPLE CRISP

Ingredients:
Filling:
6 cups of thinly sliced, peeled apples (preferable a mix of apples)
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Topping:
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (pecans would work nicely too)
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 pre-made pie crust

Instructions:
Place the apples, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and honey in a large bowl and toss until coated.  Set aside.

Mix together the flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, salt and walnuts.  Stir in melted butter, tossing  until well combined.  Set aside.

Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, into a 14″ circle.  Transfer the parchment and dough onto a baking sheet.  
Pile the apple filling onto the center of the dough and spread out to within 2″ of the edge. Fold up the edges to keep the filling snuggly in the center.  Brush the pastry with egg wash.  Sprinkle crumble topping over the center.

Bake at 375* for about 1 hour, or until the filling is bubbly and crust is golden brown.  Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving.

Oatmeal, Pear & Date Cookies

I was in the mood for something sweet yet a bit healthy.  Hmmm…oatmeal cookies seemed like a good place to start.  Once I decided on oatmeal it was a matter of what else to put in them.  No plump golden raisins in the pantry but what I did find were sticky sweet dates.  I love dates.  When I lived in the California desert many moons ago, going to the date farms for fresh dates was a real treat.  My favorite part of that trip was ordering a date shake.  OMG!  Sweet, rich and sinfully delicious.  In fact last time I visited the desert in 2010 I was able to visit one of the farms and believe me I enjoyed every last  slurp of an icy cold date shake.  When the temps are soaring above 110F nothing tastes quite as refreshing as a cold, creamy, fresh made date shake, or chocolate, strawberry or banana for that matter.

So it was decided oatmeal, honey and dates.  I was liking this idea when I noticed a couple of ripe pears just waiting to be devoured.  Perfect!  Oatmeal, honey, dates and pears in the cookies.  Sounds healthy enough for me.  Honey we know is a great natural sweetener.  A small amount of brown sugar is also added to the cookie.  I used pecan oil as it is low in saturated fats with a balance of fatty acids that may help reduce LDL cholesterol.  It also gives a slightly nutty flavor to the cookie.

I want you to know these cookies are mild in flavor.  The sweet, creaminess of the pears works well with the chewy bits of dates dotting the cookies.  They come out of the oven very soft and chewy.  If you like a crunchier cookie just leave a few out on a plate overnight and they will get a bit of crunch.  Either way, delicious and healthy with a glass of ice-cold organic milk.

Coming soon a recipe for Honey, Ginger & Garlic Roasted Chicken!

Enjoy!

OATMEAL, PEAR & DATE COOKIES

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped dates
1 cup chopped, peeled pear (I used Bartlett)
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup raw honey
1/2 cup pecan oil
1/3 cup organic milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375*F.  In a medium bowl combine oats, fours, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Stir to mix well.  Stir in dates and pears.

In a large bowl combine egg, honey, oil, and milk.  Stir into dry ingredients until a smooth batter forms.

Drop rounded teaspoons of batter onto un-greased baking sheets leaving 2″ between.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden brown.  Transfer cookies to a cooling rack.

Sticks and Stones Review ****

 

 

All day yesterday it seemed like winter was bearing down on us.  The skies were dark and grey, cloudy, with a bit of rain.  The temps were in the 30’s, cold enough to keep the dogs indoors and warm.  All in all not that cold, but the dark skies and damp air sent a chill through my bones.  I stayed in most of the day and baked a Rustic Apple Crisp Tart, which I will share soon.  Baking and sipping on a steamy cup of “orange” tea kept me from hunkering down under a blanket in front of the fire.  Around lunch time I got a call from a friend inviting us to meet up at Sticks and Stones for a little local beer and pizza.  The thought warmed me up right away.  Wood fired pizza and ice-cold chocolate beer sounded like a good way to end this winters day.  I accepted the invitation and went back to my hot tea.

 

Around dinner time we headed over to meet up with our friend and chow down on some yummy pizza.  Here’s what Sticks and Stones website has to say about the restaurant.

“We figure that if the whole is only as good as the sum of its parts, let’s start with the freshest ingredients of the highest quality. Here, we celebrate sustainability and the organic operation by purchasing as many fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients as we can get our hands on. We use all-natural, free-range, grass-fed beef and pasture-raised hogs from Bradds Family Farm inClimax, NC. Our fresh milk, cream, and butter, all of which are free of hormones and anitbiotics, are provided by Homeland Creamery in Julian, NC. The goat cheese is from the Goat Lady Dairy in Climax, NC. Our all-natural, free-range eggs come from Eggman Eggs in PleasantGarden, NC. We receive much of our local, organic produce from Faucett Farm in Browns Summit, NC, as well as from other local farmers, letting the season dictate available selections. Fresh herbs are often picked from the beds right outside our door.”  “Pizzas are baked in an oven that is solely wood-burning – no gas or electricity – with an average temperature of 700 degrees. We not only recycle cans and bottles, but we also use paper products made from recycled materials.”

Fresh, local and seasonal – count me in!  Sticks and Stones is in a hip area of Greensboro.   Popular, groovy, happening places to dine and drink.  A short walk from UNCG, University of North Carolina @ Greensboro.  The crowd was a mix of a few young college kids, and those of us out of college taking up most of the tables.  Low, glowing lights, big screen TV’s strategically placed, and a mix of music, not too loud in the background; simple and comfy.  There is a lovely outdoor seating area that I look forward to enjoying when old man winter has blown out of here.

Plenty of beer on tap and a chocolate stout to boot!  Here is a list of whats’ on tap right now:
Current Draft List 2/1/14
Ballast Point- Tongue Buckler, Guajillo Pepper Calico Amber
Boulevard- Rye on Rye
Founders- Imperial Stout
Lagunitas- Hairy Eyeball
No-Li- Crystal Bitter Ale
Rogue- Chocolate Stout
Unibroue Ephemere Apple
Foothills- Hoppyum IPA, Torch Pilsner
Highland- Gaelic Ale, St. Terese’s Pale Ale
Lonerider- Sweet Josie Brown
Mother Earth- Weeping Willow Wit
Natty Greene’s- Old Town Brown, Southern Pale Ale

Dan ordered the 2014 Sexual Chocolate Stout and declared it to be heavy, chocolatey and smooth.  One glass would be enough.  I’m a light weight when it comes to dark beers so after our cheerful, tattooed, dark-haired waitress brought me a taste, I ordered a Blonde Ale, which is always on the menu.  It delivered a smooth and soft texture on my palate.

Choosing which pizza to order was not too hard.  I found several immediately that made my mouth water.  We decided on New York New York.  Tomato sauce, Giacomo’s sopressata, arugula, fresh mozzarella, pine nuts, parmesan.  Giacomo’s is the Italian deli I reviewed recently.  We love their meats and especially the sopressata.  I am pretty sure this had everything to do with why we chose this one.  The pizza arrived with just the right amount of sauce, loads of sopressata, and silver dollar size rounds of melted mozzarella.  The spicy arugula and crunchy pine nuts, generously sprinkled about, added just the right flavors and textures to our pie.  We made the right decision this time and are looking forward to trying one of these pies on our next visit. Mockingbirdsing, topped with walnut pesto, wood roasted chicken, fennel, tomatoes, spinach, mozzarella and gorgonzola or Magnolia Mountain loaded with local wild mushrooms, olives, arugula, mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan, fresh herbs and extra virgin olive oil.  If reading about those pizzas didn’t make you want to head to Sticks and Stones for a fresh made pie check out the entire menu here.  It boasts a complete menu including appetizers, salads, and sandwiches.  The tap beers rotate frequently and there is also a standard beer and wine list.
Enjoy!
Sticks and Stones Rating
**** 4 Stars

Coming next Oatmeal, Pear and Date Cookies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chewy Nutty Honey Bars

Are you looking for a healthy breakfast or snack food?  This is it!  These Chewy Nutty Honey Bars are exactly that.  Healthy and perfect for a mid-day snack or on the go breakfast.  The  best feature of this recipe is it’s very versatile.  These bars deliver chewy texture and a bit of crunch from the seeds and nuts.  The sweet yet tangy bite of the cranberries will leave you coming back for more.

Here are some suggestions for substitutions for the recipe below.  Instead of using those sweet-tart cranberries,  adding dates, dried apricots or figs will leave you wanting one more honey bar.  I used pecans but walnuts, peanuts or cashews would still deliver a yummy crunch.  Choose your favorite.  Pumpkin seeds could be replaced with sunflower seeds, chia or flax.  I liked the color the pumpkin seeds lent to the bars, especially along with the juicy red cranberries.  One ingredient I would  not substitute is the honey.  I used Wholesome Sweeteners organic honey. It’s the next best thing to my honey!

While we are on the subject of pumpkin seeds – did you know that men can suffer from low levels of testosterone?  Ladies, who wants a grumpy guy around the house?  I absolutely do not!  Much like women going through menopause with decreased levels of estrogen, men experience a drop in testosterone as they age.  Pumpkin seeds are a natural way to help a man trying to preserve his masculinity, adding pumpkin seeds to your or your husbands diet is a great way to help raise testosterone levels naturally.  Just saying’.

These bars will become a staple in my kitchen.  Healthy, tasty and easy to put together and based on my previous suggestions, versatile as well.  Go ahead, look in your pantry and see how you can make these today.  If you give the recipe a try using alternate  ingredients drop me a note below in the comments section and fill me in on what you use.  I’ll probably want to give it a try!

Enjoy!
CHEWY NUTTY HONEY  BARS

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cup organic old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups Uncle Sam toasted whole wheat berry flakes
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup Wholesome Sweeteners Fairtrade Organic Honey
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup organic smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon Mexican vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Kosher salt

Line the bottom of a 9×13″ pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. (I use coconut oil spray)
In a large bowl combine the oats, cereal, nuts, and fruit; stir to combine.
In a 2 qt. saucepan, combine the brown sugar, honey, vanilla, butter, peanut butter and salt.  Bring to a boil and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, over medium-high heat until it reaches 220* on a candy thermometer.  Immediately pour the liquid mixture over the oat mixture, stirring until the dry ingredients are coated.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press into the pan using your fingers. Chill in the refrigerator for about an hour.  Cut into bars before serving.

Without Bees

I have a hunch many of you have seen this or a similar list of the foods we would not find available if we didn’t have bees.  I couldn’t help posting it for those of you haven’t seen it or who need a reminder.  When discussing bees and what they pollinate,  how they are truly vital to the food we find readily available, I am usually met with that “deer in the headlights” look.  We take for granted that these foods will continue to be readily available and find it hard to believe that if bees are not protected and nurtured we will start to see a decline in the offerings, particularly in the produce section of our local grocery store.

I don’t know about you but I’d be miserable without the joy of biting into summers first ripe peach, the nectar dripping down my chin.  I’d miss creamy and versatile avocados, dressing my tacos, salads and sandwiches.  Without a stalk of crisp, crunchy celery what would I stir my bloody mary with?  No steamy hot, cocoa in front of the fire, or chocolate anything for that matter.  What would I eat with my black-eyed peas on New Years to bring not only luck but good monetary fortune too, without a fresh, ruffly head of cabbage?  Coffee, well that’s a huge one.  No waking up to the aroma of a freshly brewed, pot of joe inviting me to crawl out from under the warm covers of the night.  If there was no broccoli, I have no idea which green vegetable I would feed to Miss T, broccoli is her favorite, well truthfully it’s the only green veggie she will eat.  OMG, I just realized grapes are on the list…..NO wine. Ok that’s it!  I”ll stop there.  I would be unhappy beyond belief if I couldn’t sip on a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or savor a deep red Cab or toast with a flute full of bubbly.

Do your part.  Support local, organic farmers.  Do not use pesticides and do not support those who do.  Become informed and knowledgeable about how you can help.  Heck, become a bee keeper.  It’s the most rewarding, engaging and pleasurable hobby I’ve ever taken up.

My next post will feature Chewy Nutty Honey Bars.  Delicious and healthy.

Enjoy!

Honey-Ginger-Basil Vinaigrette

I had plans to make a healthy sauce using carrots and oranges, for some beautiful salmon filets I bought at the Fresh market on Saturday.  Fresh Market has become, possibly, my favorite place to shop in Greensboro but I can only allow myself a trip there about every two weeks.  It’s small and full of gourmet everything.  Right up my alley.  I’ll be writing a review on it in the future.

So, I had these plans…you know how the best laid plan goes sometimes!  You may have guessed by now that my plan changed.  I like it when this happens because it challenges me to create something to replace my original idea.  My plan changed when I opened the crisper drawer and discovered that the carrots, which I need to tell you were not old at all, were nasty.  I chunked them.  Must not have bought them at Fresh Market.

Those gorgeous pieces of fish were still waiting to be cooked for dinner.  I had picked up some fresh basil and ginger at the store and lemons too.  I put my thinking cap on and decided to mix all of those ingredients with a bit of honey, garlic and some grape seed oil, to “sauce” the fish.    Did you know that grape seed oil is predominately polyunsaturated and therefore not recommended for cooking?  Polyunsaturated fat is easily damaged by heat.  Due to it’s clean, light taste it is good for salad dressings, sauces and is an excellent addition to baked goods, pancakes or waffles.

Sadly I have no photos of the final meal.  Darkness comes rather early in N.C. and on Saturdays we aren’t in any hurry to sit down for an early meal.  You will have to take my word that not only did it taste great but the sauce makes a lovely presentation spooned over the fish.  The fresh ginger and basil combine to make a peppery addition to the tang of lemon and the sweetness of the honey.  You can’t go wrong with the addition of fresh minced garlic – EVER!  Starting with wild-caught, fresh fish is the only way to go if you’re serving fish for dinner.  I sautéed the fish in a bit of olive oil with a sprinkle of fleur de sel and fresh ground pepper before spooning the Honey-Ginger-Basil vinaigrette over the plump filets.  Delicious!

This sauce, quick to prepare would also be delicious over shrimp, chicken, sliced avocado or a crisp salad.  My next post will feature a recipe for Chewy Nutty Honey Bars.  

Enjoy!

HONEY-GINGER-BASIL VINAIGRETTE

Ingredients:Process 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 2 tsp. minced fresh ginger, 1 garlic clove minced, 1 tsp. honey and 1/2 tsp. fleur de sel in a food processor or Ninja blender until smooth.  With machine running slowly pour 2/3 cup grape seed oil through food chute in a slow steady stream, processing until smooth.
Makes about 3/4 cup.

Giacomo’s Review ****

Giacomo’s!  Ah…where do I begin?  This little gem of a restaurant/deli and market has become one of our local favorites.  Here is link to an article in North Carolina’s “Our State” magazine about the owner, Giacomo and how he came to own this genuine Italian deli.

My man Dan discovered it first when a co-worker mentioned it to him.  It didn’t take him long to find the frozen section where fresh made and frozen meat or vegetarian lasagna, lemony chicken picatta, cheesy manicotti, and such make it easy for a guy doing the “bachelor” thing to have a delicious hot dinner.  I now find myself picking up at least one every time I make a run to Giac’s.

On my birthday visit to Greensboro, back in the fall, we went to Giacomo’s to pick up all the goodies for a picnic lunch in the mountains.  After seeing all I had to choose from it was more like a picnic feast!  It’s a pleasure to peruse the long case filled with wedges of savory Parmesan, rounds of Provolone, crumbly Asagio, soft and mild Fontina to name a few of the cheeses available.  Giacomos also carries a large assortment of meats, spicy Salami, sweet and hot Soppresatta, marbled Capicola, hot, spicy or sweet tubes of Pepperoni and Miss T’s favorite, thinly sliced, salty Proscuitto.  A second case holds a bevy of olives displayed in shallow bowls.  Choices range from black to red to green to purple, stuffed, in oil or in brine.  This case also tempts me with roasted red peppers, (the ones that don’t give me indigestion!), marinated mushrooms, tomato salad, pasta salad and the one store staple that is hardest to pass up, fresh mozzarella, made daily.
Behind the counter are large black boards listing fresh made sandwiches to go or eat in.  Hot meatball subs, fresh-baked rolls generously filled with handmade meatballs,doused in thick tomato sauce and topped with melted mozzarella are one of our favs.  Speaking of meatballs the last case near the register holds amazing handmade sausages, meatballs, veal and chicken, pounded thin so you can make your own veal or chicken Picatta.  I always drool over the sheets of fresh made pasta, stacked in neat squares ready to be cut to order.  A couple of different loaves of bread made fresh daily line the top of this case and they pull me in; fresh and aromatic, lightly dusted with flour from the bread board.

Friendly staff and interesting customers make this authentic Italian deli a must if you find yourself in Greensboro.  Oh…did I mention the amazing, fantastic, delicious food?  If you won’t find yourself in N.C. any time soon go here to order from Giacomo’s mail-order company, San Guiseppe Salami Company.

Giacomo’s Rating
**** 4 Stars

My next post will feature Honey- Ginger-Basil Vinaigrette.

Enjoy!

SCHIACCIATA AL ROSMARINO

Schiacciata Al Rosmarino is Italian for Flat Bread with Rosemary.  I am enjoying the challenge of learning how to spell Schiacciata!  A flat pizza-type bread, Schiacciata originates in the Tuscan area of Italy.  Commonly sprinkled with olive oil and salt just before baking, additional herbs bring a welcome flavor to the otherwise rather plain bread.  I’m baking this to be served alongside steamy bowls of Pasta Fagioli.  Like the soup referred to in the Dean Martin song “That’s Amore“, “When the stars make you drool, just-a like pasta fazool, that’s amore”.  Ahhhh…love Italian style!

One of our favorite hangouts in Greensboro is a fantastic Italian deli named Giacomo’s.  Dan found it pretty quickly after arriving in Greensboro and we’ve been regulars ever since.  I will be writing a review on Giacomo’s soon.  You won’t want to miss that – it will make your mouth water, particularly if you are an Italian food lover.  I tell you all of that to say that the Pasta Fagioli is from Giac’s.  I’ll simply be warming it on the stove.

I knew all we needed to round out dinner was salad and a delicious loaf of bread.  I’ve been wanting to try my hand at breads other than the basic white or whole wheat loaves which I am somewhat accomplished at.  I must admit the bread did not turn out exactly as planned.  It is too thick and seriously bland.  Even with the addition of fresh rosemary and sun-dried tomato salt the bread doesn’t have taste.  It is edible and fortunately it will be saved by dunking it in the tomatoey broth of the Pasta Fagioli as well as dipped in a bit of olive oil and balsamic as an appetizer.

If memory serves me well the first time I tried to bake white or whole wheat loaves I did not have 100% success.  Let me share my thoughts on why the Schiacciata didn’t turn out as planned. During the first rise I’m confident it was not in a warm enough place. Secondly I didn’t roll it out flat enough before the second rising leading to a thicker loaf of bread than I’d anticipated.   I am not discouraged by the outcome of my Schiacciata.  I now have a reason to bake flat bread again and bottom line is who doesn’t like bread?

Enjoy!

SCHIACCIATA AL ROSMARINO

Ingredients:
1 envelope dry yeast
1/2 cup tepid water
1 tablespoon honey
3 cups bread or all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large fresh rosemary sprig
Sun-dried tomato salt (or your favorite flavored salt)

Directions:
Dissolve the yeast and honey in tepid water and let stand for about 10 minutes.  Heap the flour on a board and make a well in the center.  Pour the dissolved yeast/honey mixture into the well and add enough water to make a soft dough.  Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.  Form it into a ball.  Sprinkle the inside of a large bowl with flour.  Place dough in the bowl and cover with a clean cloth.  Let stand in a warm place until doubled in volume.

Knead the dough again briefly.  Roll out on a lightly floured baking sheet into a circle or oval until about 3/8 inch thick.  Let rise again for 30 minutes.  Poke dents with your fingertip into the top of the dough then brush with olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary and salt.

Bake in a preheated 450*oven until golden brown.  About 30 minutes.  Let cool slightly before serving.

 

2014 and the Greensboro Adventure

I completely missed my date of return.  In my final post of 2013 I indicated I’d be back up and running by November.  I didn’t mean to lie but I should have known better.  If you have been following my blog for anytime and read the last post you know my husband was working out of town for several months while I held down the Texas fort, held down a job and made preparations for one spectacular wedding!

I made mention of some changes when 2014 rolled around. Now I can divulge the changes that have taken place with “The Orange Bee”.  It will explain why I wasn’t able to be back up and running in November.

First, we are proud of the addition of our terrific son in law, who I’ll refer to as Ty.  Our daughter LuLu tied the knot with Ty on a dreary October day in the Texas hill country.  No matter the grey of the day nor the quick rain shower that came just as dinner was to be served the event was perfect and beautiful.  Held in an old Amish barn adorned with glowing candles and just under 200 of our closest friends and families LuLu and Ty said, “I do”.  Then we had a party!  I can’t resist sharing a few photos of LuLu & Ty’s big day.
Now that I have bored you with family photos let me move on to what happened next.  My man Dan and I moved to North Carolina!  Yep, we have moved to Greensboro, N.C. All of the time spent apart for Dan and me turned into a permanent job for him as senior photog for a major department store.  His working for this new studio is a blessing to say the least.

The decision for us to move – lock, stock and barrel from Texas to North Carolina didn’t come easy.  The one hard part for me is that I chose to leave my bees in Texas.  I felt the move, especially at this time of year would be stressful for them and I could end up loosing them.  I have found another beekeeper who will move the hives to his pastures in the spring.  I  miss my bees.  I worked hard to recover each hive I have and to keep them healthy and happy for over 3 years. It is not easy to give them up.  One good thing is I have already met a couple of local bee keepers and plan on taking my hobby up again, here in North Carolina.  I can’t say for sure when I will start my first hive but you will be the first to know!  I might even be lucky enough to keep one or two in my back yard.

Needless to say my delay in blogging can be attributed to having to pack up our home of 22 years, solo, and prepare to move the week of Thanksgiving.  It was huge for me but I accomplished it and when the movers showed up I was ready.

Greensboro is a beautiful city and North Carolina is a fabulous state.  We are already enjoying the diversity so close by.  Mountains, rivers, lakes, wildlife, city life, and beaches, all a stones throw away. The city of Greensboro is bursting with local arts, night life, Revolutionary War history, parks, hiking trails and an abundance of fantastic grocery stores.

I am still adjusting to all the newness but am feeling so grounded today as I sit and begin writing for “The Orange Bee” once again.  This year I am devoting my blog recipes to “Honey”.  I will be testing and using honey in dozens of recipes and sharing my results with you.  I am also excited to begin writing reviews about restaurants, food stores, and farmers markets not only locally, but around the state.  This seems like a natural progression for me as we will be exploring new establishments regularly.

Please stop by again soon to follow along on my “Greensboro Adventure”.  I’ll leave you with one of my favorite honey recipes which I will be baking later today.  Don’t be fooled, in the future my honey recipes will not always be dessert related!

Enjoy!

Honey, Orange & Ginger Cookie

Honey, Orange & Ginger Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp. orange extract
1 large egg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. orange zest
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Preheat oven to 350*.  Beat sugar and butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy.  Add honey, orange extract and egg, beating until blended.  In a medium bowl stir together dry ingredients.  Gradually add dry ingredients to sugar mixture beating until blended.  Cover and chill at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.  Shape dough into 1″ balls, roll in sugar.  Place 2″ apart on ungreased baking sheets and slightly flatten each with the bottom of a glass.  Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool completely on wire racks. Makes about 4 dozen.

Where Have I Been?

Of late, I have been a failure at blogging.  I do however, have a few good excuses.  It has been over a month since my last post.  July 29 was the last time I found time or energy to write.

For my regular readers you may recall my husband being out-of-town on business during honey harvest.  Well I am happy and melancholy at the same time to say that he is still out of town….on  business.  When the studio where he shot beautiful photography for 30 years closed it’s doors back in 2011, our lives took a drastic turn.  We no longer could rely on his steady income.  He is the “bring home the bacon” guy in our family!  Not to beg for your sympathy but it is has been a bit rough from time to time.  Oh, he picked up, got busy and continued to provide for our family but when a job in another state fell in his lap he had no choice but to say “yes” and so he’s in and out of our home in Texas.  Working here a bit and then there a bit.

I said all of that to say that my life has changed too.  I do still own this blog and love this blog.  But, and that is a big BUT, I have such a full plate; holding down the Texas fort, managing the fantastic gourmet kitchen store, taking care of our menagerie, and planning a wedding for our LuLu.  Not to mention trying to entertain a college girl home for the summer who found herself “home alone” more than she would’ve liked.

I know personally when I follow a blog and it goes stagnant for a time I become disinterested.  I do not want this to happen to The Orange Bee.  That is why I am posting today.  I am still here in heart and soul but simply cannot devote the time needed to write interesting or provocative or delicious posts for your entertainment.  I will be back with some new ideas and some big changes.  I trust that you will stick with me and check back from time to time.  I anticipate being up and running in full force sometime in November.

When 2014 rolls around my blog will celebrate its 4th anniversary.  There will be some interesting changes and ideas for you to plug into and I hope to see you around when the changes come.  You, my audience are what makes a blog….I appreciate each and every one of you who take the time to read religiously, stop by weekly, pop in occasionally or stumble upon me periodically.  I’ll be back before you know it and I look forward to hanging with you in the foodie blogosphere soon.

Meantime there are candles to order, cakes to pay for, flowers to smell, tuxedos to fit, earrings to buy, booze to purchase, DJ’s to listen to and so much more.  I won’t bore you with the details.  I will be attending engagement parties, bbq’s, bridal showers, bridal portrait sessions and somehow in the midst of all of this I will celebrate a “monumental” birthday. That my friends, will be a much-needed vacation!  After that the wedding will be on top of us.  It will be a beautiful affair and I am ready….well almost.

I’ll see you soon, and I’ll leave you with a few links to some of my favorite posts, recipes or bee stories.

Enjoy!
Gold Bars

Chili Cook-off Madness

Chocolate Cake 

Fresh Figs and Honey 

Orange Cheesecake

Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake

Honey-Jalapeno Glazed Salmon 

A Bee Story

Dinner With The Orange Bee

Cake & Champagne