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!
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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)
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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!

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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"!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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(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.

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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***

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