Honey Ice Cream

Adapted from: Food Network

Yield: 1 quart

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1 cups heavy cream
3 cup whole milk
1/2 cup honey
2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise and scraped
4 large egg yolks
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

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Heat the cream, milk, honey and vanilla beans and seeds in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until hot, being careful not to let the mixture boil and curdle. 

 

Lightly whisk the egg yolks in a medium heatproof bowl, then slowly drizzle 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks while whisking. Pour the yolk mixture into the saucepan of cream; heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a wooden spoon, again being careful not to let it boil and curdle.
 

Pour through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the vanilla beans and any bits of cooked egg yolk. Stir in the vanilla extract.

 

Cover the custard with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, about 6 hours. (You can speed this process dramatically by partially submerging the bowl of custard in a larger bowl of ice water to form an ice bath and stirring the custard occasionally until cold. The colder the custard is, the faster the machine will be able to freeze it for ice cream.)

 

Follow the directions on your ice cream maker to freeze. Once the mixture is frozen, put it into containers and allow it to "ripen" for at least 2 hours in the freezer.

Dairy-Free Sugar-Free Ice Cream

Adapted from: Food Network

Yield: 1 quart

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14.5 oz can coconut milk
about 2 cups almond milk
1/2 cup honey
2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise and scraped
4 large egg yolks
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

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Pour coconut cream into measuring cup.  Add almond milk to fill to 4 cups.

 

Heat the cream, milk, honey and vanilla beans and seeds in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until hot, being careful not to let the mixture boil and curdle. 

 

Lightly whisk the egg yolks in a medium heatproof bowl, then slowly drizzle 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks while whisking. Pour the yolk mixture into the saucepan of cream; heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a wooden spoon, again being careful not to let it boil and curdle.
 

Pour through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the vanilla beans and any bits of cooked egg yolk. Stir in the vanilla extract.

 

Cover the custard with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, about 6 hours. (You can speed this process dramatically by partially submerging the bowl of custard in a larger bowl of ice water to form an ice bath and stirring the custard occasionally until cold. The colder the custard is, the faster the machine will be able to freeze it for ice cream.)

 

Follow the directions on your ice cream maker to freeze. Once the mixture is frozen, put it into containers and allow it to "ripen" for at least 2 hours in the freezer.

Golden Bars of Happiness

3/4 cup peanut butter or sunbutter
3/4 cup honey
1 cup oats
1 cup brown rice cereal
2 cups total of any combination of:  chopped nuts, coconut flakes, sunflower seeds, dried fruit, mini chocolate chips, etc.

In a medium sized saucepan, melt together peanut butter and honey.

Remove from heat and add oats and cereal.  Mix in chosen nuts/fruits.

Line 9x13 or quarter sheet baking pan with wax or parchment paper.  Spread and press mixture into pan.

Chill for two hours, then cut into bars.

Wrap in plastic wrap for a quick grab and go snack!

Best Whole Wheat Bread Ever

3 3/4 cups warm water (110 deg)

1 1/2 tbsp yeast

1/4 cup oil

1/3 cup honey

1 1/2 tbsp salt

1 1/2 tbsp dough enhancer

2 tbsp wheat gluten

9-11 cups whole wheat flour

(I've started adding a 1/2 cup ground flax seed and 1-2 cups of rye four in place of the wheat flour.  The flax has Omega-3 fatty acids and rye is a good source of fiber and iron.)

Mix water and yeast

Add oil and honey.  If you want Honey Whole Wheat Bread, double the honey.

Pour the oil in your measuring cup first and then the honey and it will all slide out nicely.

After a few minutes the yeast will start to foam.

That way you know if it is alive.

Add the salt, dough enhancer and gluten.

Why add dough enhancer and wheat gluten?

Dough enhancer helps preserve the bread and makes is nice and fluffy.

Gluten helps make the bread elastic, giving it a nice chewy texture.  It also helps the bread to rise properly, keep it's shape and prevents it from crumbling. 

Wheat flour doesn't have a high gluten content so you will end up with crumbly bricks.  Blah.

Now we add the flour.  I grind my own wheat each time.

I use hard red (on left) and hard white wheat (on right).

The amount of flour you use will vary each time.

On very humid days, you'll use more.  On hot, dry days it will be less.

After 10 cups of flour (5 of each), the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

It's still sticky but don't worry.  If you add flour until it's not sticky, you will have added too much and the result will be a hard, dense brick.

Now we mix for 10-12 minutes.  This activates the gluten.

If you don't mix long enough, your bread will crumble to bits.  And that's no good.

A lovely lump of dough.

Now cover the bowl with a towel and let it rise about 1-2 hours.

Until it looks like this!

Now turn it out onto your counter and cut it into loaves.

TaDa!

You don't have to weigh it, but I like to.  I think it cooks more evenly when they are the same.

Two loaves are around 2 1/4 lbs.  Three loaves are around 1 3/4 lbs.

Here's a fun trick.  When you spray your pans, put them on the open door of your dishwasher.  That way any over spray will get washed off next time you run it!  No mess!!

Now shape them in to lovely loaves and put them in your pans.  I got mine from IKEA.  Love that place!

You may be wondering what happened to the third loaf.

Well, I tried to make hot dog buns, but they came out very sad and I don't want to show you.

Moving right along.  Here are our pans of bread and the hidden hot dog lumps.

Cover and let rise until the loaves reach the top of your pan.  Then preheat your oven to 350 degF.

When it comes to temperature, the loaves will be ready to bake!

Bake for 25 minutes.  Tap on the top when it's done.  It should sound hollow.

Cool on a cooling rack.

I tip my pans sideways to cool.  That allows the steam to escape and it helps loosen the bread so it doesn't stick.  After about 5 minutes turn them on the other side.  Wait another few minutes then gently pull the bread out.

And presto!!  How beautiful is that?!?!

If you want, you can butter the tops, but I don't bother.  It does taste really good though!

The reason I make 3 loaves is because we end up devouring one right out of the oven.

Then one goes in the fridge and the other goes in the freezer.  They should fit nicely in a gallon zip bag.

Chewy Nutty Candy

Compliments of Simple Healthy Tasty

1 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup peanut butter
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
½ cup almonds, chopped
1 cup oatmeal
Chopped walnuts or coconut (to roll candies in)

Cook honey over medium heat until it reaches the soft ball stage using a candy thermometer. Take off heat and add vanilla. Cool and add peanut butter, coconut, almonds and oatmeal. Scoop out tablespoonfuls and form into round balls. Roll in chopped nuts. Chill and enjoy!

Caramel Popcorn

2 cups honey
½ cup oil
¼ cup molasses
3 heaping tsp peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
dash of sea salt
Peanuts (optional)

Mix ingredients and pour over popped popcorn (enough popcorn to fill 10-quart stainless steel mixing bowl). Mix well to coat popcorn. Leave in mixing bowl and bake in oven at 200° for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove and cool. OR bake for 45 minutes, remove, and form into popcorn balls using oiled hands.

Cracker Jacks

1 cup peanuts
8 quarts popped corn
1½ cups honey
½ tsp salt
1½ tsp vanilla
¼ cup oil (can omit or use less)

Place peanuts on cookie sheet in 350° oven, stirring occasionally until browned and roasted, about 8 minutes. Lift popcorn with open fingers into another bowl, allowing un-popped kernels to sift out.

In a large saucepan, heat honey and salt over medium heat until hard crack stage with a candy thermometer. Take off heat and add oil, vanilla and peanuts. Stir well and pour over popcorn mixing thoroughly to coat. Spread out on 2 cookie sheets to cool. Break into clusters.

Tee Pee Granola

Adapted from Clawson Live

1 cup honey
1 cup oil
1¼ cups brown sugar
8 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup wheat bran
3/4 cup flax seed

½ cup millet
1½ cups sunflower seeds
2 cups coconut
1 cup sesame seeds
2 cups slivered almond (or any kind of nut you like)
1-2 tbsp cinnamon
Dried fruit (cherries, blueberries, raisins, mangos, apricots, craisins, chopped dates, etc.)

Preheat oven to 350°. Divide oats between two large cookie sheets and toast for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring honey, oil and sugar to a simmer on the stove. Make sure the sugar has dissolved.

Combine remaining ingredients, except fruit, with honey mixture and mix until everything is coated.

Spray cookie sheets with Pam and divide the granola between the pans. Bake for 30 minutes stirring every 10 minutes.

Allow to cool. Break up granola and add dried fruit of choice. Place in bags and freeze what won’t be immediately used.

Popcorn Balls

3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 large bowl of popcorn

Warm honey and peanut butter in saucepan on the stove until the peanut butter is melted. Pour over popcorn and mix well. Form into balls with oiled hands. If you have too much popcorn they will not stick together but it still tastes good; too little popcorn they will be gooey.

Honey Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

I know this isn't a dessert, but I've been looking for a good sandwich bread recipe and this is it so I had to share!! I've had issues with wheat bread not rising well and being very dense. I wanted something that was light and fluffy and didn't crumble. This bread has a soft center and the crust is crusty. If you don't like the crust that way, just bake it at 375° for 25-30 minutes. Initially baking at 400° gives it a harder crust. I used 4½ teaspoons of active dry yeast and had to let it rise longer (the first time for 1½ hours and the second time for an hour). I think I will try the rapid rise next time to see if it makes it rise any higher/faster. I brushed honey butter on the tops, which was delicious, but you may just want to do butter. The honey definitely gives the bread a sweeter flavor that may not taste good with sandwiches. Brushing it with butter also softens the crust a bit.

This recipe make 3 loaves. While I was able to do most of the mixing in my 6qt KitchenAid Mixer, I ended up kneading the last cup of white flour in by hand. I also put the dough in a large greased bowl, covered with a damp towel, in the oven and heat to 120° with a smaller bowl of water on the lower rack. Turn the oven off and let it rise until doubled in bulk. The low heat and humidity help it rise better and stay soft. I know that's a lot of information, but I've been trying several recipes to get it right. Anyway, this is the best bread ever! I don't think I will be buying store bought bread anymore! It's perfect!

3 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon salt
2 packages yeast (rapid rise)
3 cups milk
½ cup honey
2 tablespoons oil
1 cup whole wheat flour
4-5 cups all-purpose flour

Combine the 3 cups whole wheat flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl. In a saucepan over low heat, combine milk, honey and oil. Heat until about 110°. Pour into flour mixture and blend well until all dry ingredients are incorporated. Add the 1 cup of wheat flour and 4-5 cups of all-purpose flour one cup at a time, until the dough is no longer sticky. Knead dough about 8-10 times and place in a large greased bowl. Cover with damp cloth and let rise for 45-60 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.

Punch down dough and divide into 3 sections. Knead each section 4-5 times before shaping into a loaf and placing into greased loaf pans. Cover pans with a damp cloth and let rise for another 45-60 minutes, until doubled.

Place pans in a COLD oven. Set temperature to 400° and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375° and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans. Brush tops with butter while warm, if desired.