Butternut Squash Puree with Orange, Ginger and Honey

Serves 8
5 lbs. butternut squash, cut in ½ lengthwise, seeded (about 2 large)
¼ c. butter
2 T frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 T honey
2 T. minced fresh ginger
1 t. fresh grated orange peel
1 t. fresh grated lemon peel
¾ t. cinnamon
½ t. ground allspice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray and place squash, cut side down, on it. Bake until squash are very tender—50 minutes. Cool slightly. Scoop out pulp and process until smooth in a food processor. Combine butter, orange juice concentrate, honey, ginger, and orange peel in small saucepan. Boil until mixture is reduced to 1/3 cup—about 3 minutes. Stir mixture into squash puree along with the rest of the ingredients. Season generously with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and serve. (Can be made in advance and reheated in microwave or on stove top over medium-low heat.) Bon Appetit–November 2002

Candied Curried Pecans

Ingredients:

3 cups
1 ½ t. onion powder
1 ½ t. garlic powder
1 ¼ t. kosher salt
¾ t. curry powder
¼ t. cayenne
2 T. unsalted butter
2 T. honey
3 c. pecan halves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Mix onion powder, garlic powder, 1 t. salt, curry powder and cayenne in small bowl. Melt butter and honey and remaining ¼ t. salt in heavy saucepan over medium heat.

Add pecan halves and stir to coat. Remove from heat. Add spice mixture and toss well. Spread pecans in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake until dry and toasted— about 40 minutes. Cool completely. Separate pecans. Store in airtight container. Bon Appetit—November 2002

Honey Citrus Glazed Carrots

Makes 4 servings
1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
4 cups sliced carrots
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon minced orange zest
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

In large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add carrots and sauté for several minutes. Add honey, broth, orange juice and orange zest. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until carrots are cooked and liquid is thick. Season with salt and pepper. Courtesy of the National Honey Board

Honey Spice Glaze for Turkey

Ingredients:

12-16 servings
12 to 16 lb. Butterball Turkey
1/8 t. cayenne
¼ t. ground cumin
¼ t. ground allspice
¼ t. salt
½ t. garlic powder
2 t. chili powder
1 t. water
2 T. honey

Directions:

Prepare turkey according to your whim. Combine all of the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. When turkey has about 45 to 60 minutes left to cook, brush glaze over skin. Continue cooking turkey until it is 180 degrees in the thighs. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes. Carve.

Note: to get best spice flavor on each slice, carve each breast off of the breast bone and then slice breast portions cross-wise. Courtesy of Butterball

Rosemary Rolls

24 rolls
3 ½ c. flour (preferably unbleached and organic)
¼ c. honey
½ t. salt
2 t. (1 package) yeast
5 T. softened butter or margarine
2/3 c. very hot water
2 T. fresh rosemary

Combine water, yeast and 1T of the honey in a measuring cup and let sit until foamy. In the bowl of a food processor, combine 1 c. of the flour with 2 T of the fresh rosemary. Process until rosemary is well distributed and cut small. Add rest of flour, salt and butter to the bowl and process until mixed. Add yeast mixture and process until the dough forms a ball—adding more flour if necessary. Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease the top and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled. Punch down and divide into 4 equal pieces. Divide each of the 4 pieces into 6 small balls to form rolls. Place on a large cookie sheet a couple of inches apart. Let rise until doubled—about 40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake rolls for 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown. Brush tops with melted butter. Let cool—if you can. My boys eat these as fast as I can make them.

Editors note: These are magnificent split and stuffed with left over cooked tri tip or roast and horseradish mayonnaise or Trader Joe’s wasabi mayonnaise. Courtesy of Beth Conrey

Honey Pumpkin Pie

by Barbara Stauffer

8 servings

1 can (16 oz.) solid pack pumpkin or 1 pie pumpkin from your very own garden
1 c. evaporated lowfat milk
¾ c. honey
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 T all-purpose flour
1 t. ground cinnamon
½ t. ground ginger
½ t. dark rum or rum extract
Pastry for 9” single pie crust

To make the honey pumpkin pie combine all ingredients except the pastry in a large bowl. Beat until well blended. Pour into the pastry lined 9 inch pie plate. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Nutritional info (per slice):
Calories: 284 (27% from fat); Total fat 9g; Protein 7g; Carbohydrates 46g; Cholesterol 82 mg; Sodium 209 mg; Dietary Fiber 2g

Sweet and Spicy Nuts

½ c. plus 2 T. honey
1 T. water
1 lb. fancy pecan halves
10 T. Sugar in the Raw Turbinado sugar
1 t. ground cumin
½ t. ground cinnamon
1/8 t. ground cloves
1/8 t. cayenne
½ t. kosher salt

To make these sweet and spicy nuts preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Warm honey and water but do not allow to boil. Mix well and cool to room temperature. In a small bowl, combine ½ c. (8 T.) of Sugar in the Raw and spices. In a large mixing bowl, combine honey syrup and nuts. Toss well until nuts are thoroughly coated and there is no syrup in the bottom of the bowl. Add spice mix to nuts and toss quickly and thoroughly.

Spread nut mixture on foil lined sheet pan and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and separate nuts with a spoon. Sprinkle with remaining 2 T Sugar in the Raw. Continue baking 5 to 7 minutes more until nuts are browned and crystallized. Let cool. Store in airtight container. Adapted from Sugar in the Raw