(5/2021) As April showers, bring May flowers, the hives of honeybees kick into full gear. Here on the farm, honeybees have the very important job of pollination, and they are essential for pollinating our many varieties of apples. Having enough honeybees is so important that we even rent bees to have on our farm. In addition to apples, bees also pollinate many types of berries, vegetables, and herbs. Of course, they have no idea of this tremendous service they are doing for us. They are visiting the blossoms for another reason – food! They collect pollen and nectar, and bring it back to the hive for processing.

As bees return from foraging, they deliver the nectar to the honeycomb where evaporation of water yields a concentrated sugar product – honey. This amazing substance never spoils and has been used for thousands of years as a sweetener in food. The first arrival of honeybees in North America dates to 1622 in Jamestown. The English settlers brought honeybees with them on the voyage across the Atlantic. I’m not sure how they managed to keep the bees happy on the ship, but this demonstrates how important it was to have honey available.

While we have many choices of sweeteners today, I like the taste of honey the best. Plus, using local honey has been linked to improved health. We’ve kept bees for several years now at my home, and there is nothing better than harvesting honey made by your own bees. I love adding it to tea and toast, making honey butter, and finding recipes that use this golden deliciousness. Plus, it gives me an excuse to create lots of flower gardens!

Honey Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 cup 2% milk
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• ¼ cup honey

Preparation Directions: Preheat oven to 400 oF. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, combine egg, milk, butter, and honey. Stir in dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake until a toothpick in center comes out clean, 15-18 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack. Serve warm.

Honey-Thyme Butter

Ingredients:

• ½ cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup honey
• teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

Preparation Directions: In a small bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add honey and thyme and beat until just blended. Store in refrigerator. Tip: This is perfect on bread or rolls and works with sweet or savory dishes.

Ham, Swiss, and Apple Quesadillas

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 4 – 10 inch flour tortillas
• 1 ½ cup swiss or gruyere cheese, shredded
• ½ lb. black forest ham, thinly sliced
• 1 tart apple, cored and very thinly sliced
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons coconut oil

For Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce:

• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
• ¼ teaspoon paprika

Preparation Directions: Preheat oven to 375 ˚F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper. Whisk together the Dijon mustard and cream cheese to a spreadable consistency. Lay out 2 of the tortillas on each pan, divide cream cheese mixture between the 4 and spread within 1 inch of the edges. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the cream cheese mixture. Add ham slices evenly over each tortilla, add the apple slices to only half of each tortilla and drizzle each with 1 Tablespoon of honey and some scallions. Fold each tortilla in half and brush with melted coconut oil. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cheese is melted and tortillas are browned. Mix together the dipping sauce ingredients. Remove the tortillas from oven and let rest for 2 minutes, cut into wedges and serve immediately with the Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce. Note: You can cook these tortillas in a skillet or grill pan if you prefer.

Honey Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Preparation Directions: Whisk together vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Add olive oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until smooth. Tip: This dressing goes well on a spinach salad with strawberries, onions, crumbled bacon, and blue cheese.

Spaghetti Squash with Honey Roasted Peppers, Zucchini and Crispy Goat Cheese Medallions

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash, washed and cut in half around, not lengthwise
• 2 red peppers, remove stem, seeds and core and cut into thin strips
• 2 small or 1 large zucchini, ends removed and sliced into ¼ inch thick rounds
• ¼ cup olive oil, divided
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 8 ounces log of goat cheese
• ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan
• ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation Directions: Preheat oven to 375 ˚F. Add ½ inch water to shallow pan and place the cut side of the squash down. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour or until squash is tender and strands easily separate. While squash is baking, unwrap the goat cheese and place in freezer so that it can get firm for slicing, about 15 minutes. Toss red peppers and zucchini with the 3 Tablespoons olive oil, honey, and salt. Spread on a sheet pan. In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs with the remaining 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Remove goat cheese from the freezer and cut into 12 slices. If it crumbles, just press it back together. Gently press each slice into the bread crumbs and place on a second sheet pan lined with parchment paper. When squash is done, remove it from the oven and raise oven temperature to 425 ˚F. Add the sheet pans of veggies to the oven and roast for 5 minutes. Then add goat cheese slices and cook for another 5-7 minutes. Remove goat cheese when they start to brown and become crispy. Take care that the cheese doesn’t start to run. When the veggies and goat cheese are almost done baking, take a fork and begin to remove the strands from the squash into a large bowl. Add the veggies along with parmesan basil, and garlic and toss to combine. Serve immediately with the crispy goat cheese medallions on top along with pepper and salt to taste.

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