Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Sweet Memories of Honey!


Oh, the memories of being a kid....

especially the treats we got when we visited grandpa and grandma's house.

Tracy and I
have such fond memories of going to our grandparents houses when we were young. I don't know what there was about it, but it was so much fun.

My grandma always made the best Honey Cookies. In fact, I loved them so much I always volunteered to go and mow her lawn every week because I knew that she would have honey cookies for me to eat with a glass of "Tang" when I was finished!
(I loved her "Tang" container...
it was a glass pitcher with orange slices going around it with an orange top).

Tracy and I both have fond memories of going to grandparents houses and getting fresh baked whole wheat bread or scones with fresh butter and honey or jam to spread on it. This was so yummy with a bowl of bottled peaches, pears or cherries they would dish up for us as well.

Oh, the "Simple Life"....I miss it!
*************
Many of my "Sweet" childhoold memories involved
"honey" in some way or another!
Honey cookies, Honey Wheat bread and Honey candy.
(also, I grew up in a town with "Honey" in the name)
*************
Anyway, I'm sad that my children will not have these same sweet memories as Tracy and I had (because it seems that going to grandpa and grandmas houses in this era of time means getting fruit snacks, their favorite candy bar, candy, pop and juice, etc....)
Don't get me wrong, their memories will be great, just different than the memories Tracy and I had and so I have tried to make as many "treats" from our past that we used to enjoy when we were younger so my kids can enjoy these yummy treats as well!

********************

Honey Cookies are actually Tracy's favorite cookie...he would choose a honey cookie over a chocolate chip cookie anyday.

Honey Wheat Bread
is a treat to all us. Especially when Jade can put Honey Butter on it.

"Energy Balls" this is the favorite recipe that my kids have added to the mix...I honestly think if I made these every day they would never get sick of them.

And so, I am listing my 3 of my favorite honey recipes today!

"How Sweet every day can be
when a little Honey is drizzled on top of it"!
****************
Light Honey Cookies
3 cups
flour

1 teaspoon
baking soda

1 teaspoon
salt

1/3 cup
REAL butter

1/3 cup sugar
1
egg

2/3 cups
honey

1 teaspoon
lemon extract


Cream
together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Next beat in egg, honey, lemon extract and salt and soda.
Stir in flour 1/3 cup at a time blending well to make a stiff dough.
Wrap in plastic wrap and chill overnight OR at least 1 hour.
Roll out and cut into shapes.
Bake at 350
degress for 8-10 minutes.

**********
Kids LOVE these cookies and they’re not too sweet.
My grandma had these cookies to eat every time we came to her house when I was a little girl.
****************************
Kimberly’s Homemade Bread
(our family’s staple)
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the following:
3 cups HOT tap water
1/3 cup
honey

2 tsp
. Salt


Stir above ingredients until dissolved.
Add:
1 ½ Tbsp. SAF yeast (you HAVE to use this yeast… it is by far the best yeast you can get)

and 3 cups
WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR


Let sit until bubbly.
(about ½ hour)
Then add

1 more cup WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR and
2-3 cups
unbleached white flour (or enough to make a nice soft dough).

This recipe can also be made with ALL whole wheat flour—if you have “High Protein” wheat. If your wheat is low in protein you will need to use the “unbleached white flour” to make the loaves rise and not be so dense.


***********
(you may also substitute 1 cup fresh ground oat flour for 1 of the cups of flour—this is exceptionally tasty)

Roll
dough in oil in another bowl.
Let rise until double. Shape into 2 or 3 loaves and let rise.
Bake at 350 degrees for 42 minutes.



This bread FREEZES well and is GREAT for toast, French toast and sandwiches.
************************

Energy Balls
(my kids favorite...they would eat them everyday if I let them)
1 cup
peanut butter
 
3/4 cup DRY powdered milk
1/2 cup raw 
honey


Mix
peanut butter and honey in large bowl.
Add milk a little at a time until mixture is firm.
Shape into many small balls.
(also yummy to add in coconut or chopped peanuts)

I keep these in a container in my fridge
and it is a great treat for my kids to "grab and go"
***
Great energy treats and they are not real bad for children***
**********************

4 comments:

Ann Marie said...

First of all I have to say that I adore that old cookbook.

I love memories with Grandparents also.. I cherish them.

That bread you baked looks so yummy their are not words to describe how good it looks.

I will write down the recipes for the honey cookies and the energy balls. I have never heard of the honey cookies and we always like to try new things..

You know what I just found out? I took Tenney to the Doctor Monday with BAD coughing.. She asked me if I had been using Honey to treat it?? I looked at her like what? She informed me that "honey" is a natural cough suppresent. I was amazed! We have had PB& honey sandwiches, scones and etc.. and it does help! It's incredible how mnay things that are here on the earth "naturally" have so many different benefits for us.

TLC said...

Hi! I'm a good friend to Ann --Old Fashioned Girl--and I was on the phone with her the other day telling her about this new blog I blog hopped to. It was yours and I was telling her how FUN your blog looked and light hearted with so MANY great things! It's SO neat.

I will be trying the honey bread recipe. Your sweet story of simple mermories tugged at my heart. I'm all about the simple good things that this life has to offer and I just had to say you have such a sweet fun spirit that comes through your blog! LOVE the name!

Have a great Week into the weekend!!!

:: Tierra C. ::

CB said...

I love the memories you have with your grandparents. I am really lucky that I still have my grandparents on both sides - Wow! One of my grandmothers still cooks up a storm - I feel so lucky.

The energy balls brought back so many memories for me. I remember having those and I had totally forgotten about them. I am so glad you posted the recipe - i want to make them!

Thanks so much!

Stephanie said...

Those look delicious. My family makes those energy balls, except we always called them peanut butter balls or peanut butter candy. I can't wait to try it with coconut, yum!