Sweet on Honey: 28 Favorite Recipes

Nature's sweetest nectar brings new energy to recipes for desserts, salads, marinades and more.

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Honey-Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

Chicago chef Myk Banas created these utterly delicious and subtly sophisticated cookies.Honey-Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

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Honey Cream Scones

Fresh thyme and finely shredded lemon or lime peel add delicate flavors to these soft scones. Serve warm, and drizzle with a little extra honey if you like.Honey Cream Scones

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Fingerling Potato Salad with Honey-Thyme Vinaigrette

"Potato salad is classic summer fare, but I rarely see one as light as this," says amateur beekeeper and chef Myk Banas from the Chicago Marriott Downtown. The addition of fresh haricots verts gives it fresh-from-the-garden taste.Fingerling Potato Salad with Honey-Thyme Vinaigrette

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Peach-Topped Honey Rice Pudding with Chocolate

Peaches poached in sweet wine and rich dark chocolate add a sophisticated twist to homey rice pudding. The recipe comes from Urban Roots Farm in Springfield, Missouri.Peach-Topped Honey Rice Pudding with Chocolate

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Feta, Honey and Date Spread

This spread can be made ahead and stored in the fridge up to 3 days. For a flavorful dipper, brush pita wedges with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and thyme before toasting in oven.Feta, Honey and Date Spread

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Lemon-Mint Honeyed Iced Tea

Stir lemonade or limeade concentrate and honey into a combination of mint tea and green or black tea for an easy, refreshing drink.Lemon-Mint Honeyed Iced Tea

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Honey-Glazed Buttermilk Oatmeal Coffee Cake

Turning this homey cake out of the pan reveals a honey glaze that baked at the bottom. Lemon juice and zest add a little zing.Honey-Glazed Buttermilk Oatmeal Coffee Cake

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Honey Berry Frozen Yogurt Sundaes

Fresh raspberries, blackberries, strawberries or blueberries star in our Honey-Berry Frozen Yogurt Sundaes, which take only 15 minutes to make from start to finish.Honey Berry Frozen Yogurt Sundaes

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Whipped Honey Butter

Try this creamy three-ingredient spread on freshly baked corn bread, biscuits or bran muffins.Whipped Honey Butter

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Lemon-Herb Grilled Chicken

Herbed lemon marinade cooks down with honey to a glossy, gorgeous glaze that gives this chicken a golden color.Lemon-Herb Grilled Chicken

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Fresh Fruit Salad with Honey-Rum Dressing

Mint, lime juice, rum and honey bathe this fruit mixture in fresh flavors.Fresh Fruit Salad with Honey-Rum Dressing

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Bavarian Honey-Bran Muffins

Honey, sugar and raisins sweeten these hearty bran muffins. Serve warm with honey or butter.Bavarian Honey-Bran Muffins

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Noodles with Honey-Balsamic Beef

Tangy balsamic vinegar, sweet honey and the bite of red pepper flakes blend as they season this beef stir-fry. We like the crunch of the Chinese cabbage called bok choy.Noodles with Honey-Balsamic Beef

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Hot-Off-The-Grill Tropical Treat

Looking for an informal yet special dish? Surprise your family or guests with this sweet fruit hot-off-the grill. Fresh pineapple slices get brushed with a lime and honey sauce.Hot-Off-The-Grill Tropical Treat

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Romaine Hearts with Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette

We based this salad on heart of romaine lettuce because it's so easy to serve. Colorful cherry tomatoes and tangy kalamata olives add flavor and visual interest.Romaine Hearts with Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette

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Sweet and Spicy Caribbean BBQ Sauce

Cookbook author Nina Swan-Kohler created this sauce to remind her of the Caribbean flavors she enjoyed while living in Trinidad and Tobago after college. Brush the sauce -- a combination of honey, chili sauce and spices -- on beef, chicken or pork.Sweet and Spicy Caribbean BBQ Sauce

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Honey and Poppy Seed Hearts

Honey gives these cinnamon-spiced cookies great flavor and a slightly soft texture.Honey and Poppy Seed Hearts

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Honey-Rhubarb Muffins

Lemon-flavor honey butter accents the sweet-tart flavor of the rhubarb in these muffins. Either frozen or fresh rhubarb work.Honey-Rhubarb Muffins

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Honey-Ginger Salmon

Simple but sophisticated, this sweet and spicy salmon gets great flavor and aroma from a combination of honey, soy sauce, bourbon and ginger. Try serving the fish with steamed asparagus and a tossed salad.Honey-Ginger Salmon

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Nut and Honey Crunch Granola

Get creative with this breakfast or snack food! Layer the granola with yogurt, serve it with milk or eat it plain.Nut and Honey Crunch Granola

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Wisconsin Honey Bee and Vanilla Bean Pudding

Jill Prescott, a Midwest cooking-school teacher, shared this dessert named for her home state.Wisconsin Honey Bee and Vanilla Bean Pudding

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Curried Yogurt Marinade

Use this spicy, golden marinade on pork, chicken, lamb or beef. Marinate your meat for 2 to 4 hours before grilling. Grill long-cooking meats over indirect heat, so the splash of honey in the marinade doesn't burn during cooking.Curried Yogurt Marinade

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Roasted Root Vegetables

Get fresh, sweet flavor from parsnips, turnips, potatoes, carrots and onions with a drizzle of honey and sprinkle of sage.Roasted Root Vegetables

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Pancetta-Feta Red Cabbage

Our warm red cabbage salad makes a tasty accompaniment to any roasted meat or chicken. The honey-mustard dressing brings tang and the baconlike pancetta a familiar salty flavor. Add the feta, and the blend is mouthwatering.Pancetta-Feta Red Cabbage

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Polynesian Honey-Pineapple Chicken

Marinate chicken in a sweet and tangy mixture of honey, pineapple juice, minced garlic and fresh ginger before grilling.Polynesian Honey-Pineapple Chicken

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Orange-Honey Sweet Rolls

The recipe for these hearty rolls comes from Jean Hixson of the Kansas Wheat Commission. They'll keep in an airtight container for a couple days, or you can freeze them (unfrosted) for up to 2 months. They're best served warm, so when ready to eat, wrap the frozen cinnamon rolls in foil and bake about 25 minutes in a 300° oven. Frost as directed.Orange-Honey Sweet Rolls

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Fruit Brunch Medley

Honey and lime add snap to this fruit bowl with Granny Smith and Delicious apples, red and green grapes, kiwi, and dried tart cherries. Serve it at brunch or as a meal accompaniment.Fruit Brunch Medley

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Honey-Baked Cornish Hens

Team baked honey-glazed game hens with fruited wild rice and a trio of vegetables for a company-special meal.Honey-Baked Cornish Hens

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Honey cooking tips

Substituting for sugar: When you substitute honey for other sugar in a recipe, you're adding liquid, so you need to adjust the recipe accordingly. When baking, you can substitute honey for up to half of the granulated sugar in a recipe. For every cup added, reduce the nonsweet liquid by 1/4 cup, add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and lower oven temperature by 25 degrees.Measuring: When measuring honey, spray the measuring cup or spoon with nonstick vegetable spray coating so the honey won't stick to the surface.Choosing a honey flavor: Many cooks like adding bold-tasting honey to baked goods, such as buckwheat honey in wheat muffins. Milder honey complements sauces, glazes and salad dressings. For example, try apple honey in a light vinaigrette. See next slide for more information on honey flavors.Checking labels: Honey blends--honey and syrup--are increasingly common in stores today. To ensure you're buying 100 percent pure honey, always check the label.Storing: Honey keeps for years in your pantry. If your jar of liquid honey becomes too granular, heat it in a pan of warm (not boiling) water until it's smooth and clear again.For more honey information, go to the National Honey Board website (honey.com).National Honey Board

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Honey colors and flavors

Honey's color gives clues to its source and flavor. As a rule, light-color honey tastes mild. Dark honey tastes bolder. Try one of these Midwest varieties:Alfalfa Delicate flavor with a subtle spiciness.Apple Mildly floral, delicate taste.Basswood Sweet and light with a hint of mint.Blackberry Mildly sweet with a trace of fruit.Blueberry Hints of green leaves and lemon.Buckwheat Definite molasses and malt flavor with lingering aftertaste.Clover Most common. Flowery aroma and mild taste. Hints of its blossom. Goldenrod Slightly strong, almost spicy.Raspberry Mellow, smooth flavor with raspberry finish.Soybean Distinctive, mildly fruity flavor.Star thistle Moderate sweetness with a grassy, anise aroma and flavor.Sunflower Slightly herbal with citrus notes.Tulip poplar Very mild for a dark honey.Wildflower Taste varies by flower.Honeys pictured include (left to right), buckwheat, prairie wildflower, goldenrod and clover. To order a four-jar sampler of some of our favorite Midwest honeys ($49.95), call 800/678-5752 or visit MWLcatalog.com.Order a Midwest honey sampler

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