Quick Cheesecake With Lemon Topping

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

 

 

Rain, gloom, and a bit of a chill. For it being the first week of June, it's not feeling like summer is on the horizon. Maybe it's the Canadian wildfires that are seeping down putting an overcast, foggy look to the sky, or maybe it's Mother Nature off her meds again. Who knows? But I can tell you I am ready for some sunshine already. My weather app tells me that we won't be seeing it peek through the clouds and haze for at least another week, so I decided to add a little sunshine yellow into our home this week the best way that I knew how. And that was by whipping up a Quick Cheesecake With Lemon Topping dessert. This Golden Blossom Honey recipe is just what we needed to brighten up some otherwise gray days around here.

 

Cheesecake is one of my all-time favorite desserts, and while I normally go for strawberry or caramel as a topping, I couldn't resist swapping those sweet flavors for a more tangy and sour flavor this week. While I think cheesecake is actually pretty easy to make at home yourself, this recipe really was one of the quicker ones I've ever made myself. I don't think I've ever used honey as a binding agent in cheesecake crust before, but I must say that I absolutely loved how it held the crumbs together but still kept the crust soft and chewy. It's definitely how I'll be making all of my crusts going forward. The cheesecake itself baked up beautifully and didn't crack on the top, which was surprising since I usually get a little cracking if I don't use a water bath while baking them. Here it would have been fine though since the lemon pie filling would have covered any imperfections, but if you opt to make this recipe without any topping, yours should hold together just fine without any splits or cracks as well. The only thing that I had to change was cook time, baking it for 50 minutes. I then turn the oven off, but leave the door closed for another 15 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator for several hours to fully set. If you don't like lemon, no worries. The cheesecake itself it an amazing base recipe that you could put pretty much any topping of your choosing on and it would still be perfection. For me though, I'm going to stick with the lemon a little bit longer and hope that encourages the sunshine to swoop in and stop letting this beauty be the star of the show. A girl can always hope, right?

 

Ingredients

Crust:

1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

3 Tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

Filling:

3/4 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 (16 ounce) can lemon pie filling

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

 

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest! 

   

What's your favorite topping for cheesecake? 

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

 

 

I love this time of year when fresh produce is in abundance. Our library had a seed bank to take from this spring, giving away many different herbs and veggie seeds to anyone in the community who wanted to plant a garden. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of space in my yard where the sun hits for 8 hours a day, so I have to be mindful of what I'm planting with the limited space I do have. I decided to grab a few herbs that I can container grow, but then I also grabbed some pepper and snap pea seeds since those plants don't take up much ground area. While my plants won't be fruitful for another 6-ish weeks, I am already plotting out how we'll use up our garden fresh produce once it's ready for picking. Since we eat a lot of stir fry during the warmer months, I thought this Stir-Fried Beef and Vegetables recipe from Golden Blossom Honey was one that we'd want to test this week so we'd have something to look forward to while waiting for our garden to sprout.

 

 

With the variety of veggies and a sweet sauce, this stir fry is packed full of flavor and texture, making it an enticing meal option for warm weather dining. The vegetables fry up crisp and the beef browns quick and tender. If you aren't into beef, chicken or shrimp would make great substitutes, or if you're trying to stick with a vegetarian option, add some shiitake or portabella mushrooms the last minute or two before removing the wok from heat. Serve your stir fry over noodles or rice, and add in a side of hot and sour soup or egg rolls and you've got a tasty feast with plenty leftover for lunch the next day. 

 

Ingredients

Sauce:

1/3 cup water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

3/4 teaspoon dried ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Stir-Fry

1 pound boneless beef sirloin

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 carrots, cut into 3-inch pieces

1 red bell pepper, cut into 3-inch strips

1 cup sugar snap peas

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE 

 

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest! 

   

Does your library give away garden seeds to the community? 

Blueberry Peach Sundaes

 Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

 

 

While it's not technically summer then, I usually look at Memorial Day as the start of the summer season. The kids are wrapping up the school year, the pools are starting to open, and grill scents fill the air almost daily. People seem to be a bit happier once summer hits, and that's probably because it's the season where people are more inclined to get together for sun and fun and not because another holiday is rolling around silently forcing families into obligatory gatherings. The seasonal depression is lifting, we're getting more Vitamin D, and who doesn't love a little sun-kissed glow from more time spent outdoors? Since I know a lot of people will be kicking the season off this weekend with their loved ones, I really wanted to share a grilling recipe to coincide with the extended weekend. Alas, it has been too windy and cold here for outdoor cooking. However, the cold didn't stop me shifting gears from the grill to the freezer because you'll hardly ever see me turning down an ice creamy treat no matter the forecast. I was going to share these Blueberry Peach Sundaes (a Golden Blossom Honey recipe) with you around Independence Day, but the fruit and ice cream sales this week were too good to pass up, so we moved them up a bit. Which is okay in my book because it just gives you more time to enjoy this delicious dessert this summer. 

 

One of the best things about summer are the treats! This sundae incorporates 2 of my favorite fruits, blueberries and peaches, into the sauce and I must say that it is divine! A perfect fruit pairing if there ever was one. My daughter and I are guilty of making late night fast food runs for ice cream, but the last few times we've grabbed sundaes, we've noticed the portions are so much smaller than they used to be, but the prices are double. Needless to say, we decided we'd cut way back on our late night sweet treat excursions and have stocked the freezer with tubs of ice cream to make our own sundaes like these for a fraction of the cost. That way we can still indulge in tasty summer treats and have money leftover for other summer outings. Which for me means fruit picking, that then turns into coming home and turning my bounty into desserts like this sundae. It's a vicious cycle, but oh what a sweet one it is. 

 

Ingredients

1 cup orange juice

4 Tablespoons Grand Mariner

4 Tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

5 Tablespoons butter or margarine

3 peaches peeled and sliced

1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (if frozen, drain well)

1 pint frozen vanilla yogurt or ice cream

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

 

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest! 

   

What are your favorite sundae toppings or mix-ins?? 

Zucchini with Tomatoes

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

 

 

I had to repot my aloe plant a few weeks ago because it was getting too big for its old container. I didn't have any soil on hand at the time, so I bought a cheap bag from the hardware store so I could hurry up and get the job done. Fast forward a few weeks... I went to water said aloe plant and noticed a weird, leggy looking stem growing in the pot along side it. I immediately get agitated, telling myself that's what I get for buying the cheap bag of soil, and pull the stem from the pot. I mean, who has time to weed indoor plants? Then, the scent hits me and I'm like "I recognize this scent. This is a tomato plant!" Just to confirm though, I pull up my plant identifying app and indeed, it said it was a tomato plant. What kind though is anybody's guess. Will it be little cherry tomatoes, beefsteak, roma? I don't know, but I planted it out in my garden with the other tomatoes and will keep an eye on it to see if it thrives and produces any fruit in a few weeks. The suspense will kill me before then, surely. I honestly feel like this is more of a post for the Dull Men's Club Facebook group, getting excited over the possibility of a free tomato plant! Almost like the suspense of getting a prize inside of the Crack Jack Box. Y'all, if this doesn't confirm that I have no life, I'm not sure what would LOL. With having tomatoes on the brain and in anticipation of my freebie plant blooming, I decided to lean towards this Zucchini with Tomatoes recipe from Golden Blossom Honey for this week's honey post share.  

This is a recipe that makes for a great summertime side dish, but it's also one that I would eat as a full meal on its own. It highlights some of summer's best produce- juicy tomatoes, zucchini, and basil plucked fresh from the garden. It's perfect for picnics, potlucks, or for a warm day lunch option when you need something light and refreshing to eat. My garden always produces more tomatoes and zucchini than I know what to do with, so if yours is the same, this is going to be the recipe you're going to want to turn to time and again for the next several months. And if you're also like me and share your excess bounty, print it out and include it with any gift baskets so your recipients can enjoy this dish as well. 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup celery, sliced

1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced

3 medium zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick

5 large plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced

salt and pepper to taste

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

 

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest! 

   

Have you ever found a surprise plant in your yard or planters? 

Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with Fresh Peach Relish

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

 

 

The closer we inch towards June, the more excited I become for my favorite fruits to come into season. I love how you can use them in everything, from appetizers all the way through to dessert, so naturally we always have a fridge full of a variety of fruits in the house from May through September. I've been craving peach smoothies a lot these past few weeks, so I bought an abundance. The problem I ran into though, is I grew tired of peach smoothies, yet still had a few to use up before they were beyond saving. I thought about making peach muffins, but now that Jason's home full time for the summer, I decided I'd use my extras in this Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with Fresh Peach Relish recipe from Golden Blossom Honey for him for lunch this week.  

Now that we're about to kick off grilling season, this recipe is the perfect one to keep in your arsenal of summertime lunch and dinner ideas. It has a great mix of savory and sweet, with a bit of a peppery bite added in, and it is so simple to prepare, this could quickly become a summertime favorite recipe you'll turn to time and again for the next several months. My daughter is in her sandwich era, pretty much eating sandwiches daily lately. A self described Dash-Whore, if the girl could have Chick-Fil-A Door Dashed daily, I'm pretty sure she would. Alas, she's learning that adulting is a scam and is quite expensive, especially when you're a broke college girl on a budget. Now she has to find alternative chicken sandwich options that she can make at home, and save those restaurant options for special treats when she wants to splurge on herself. Since she's not keen on using the grill at home, the chicken in this recipe can be put in the broiler, so she can make this all on her own anytime the chicken sandwich craving hits. It's so much cheaper and healthier than those fast food chicken sandwiches, and is gourmet enough to pass as restaurant quality, and that makes makes this whole recipe just peachy in my book.

Ingredients

Relish:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 large onions (about 2 cups), peeled, halved and sliced

1/4 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

2 fresh peaches, peeled and chopped

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup dry sherry

1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

salt to taste

Chicken:

2 whole chicken breasts, halved, skinned and boned

2 teaspoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

4 crusty rolls cut in half

romaine lettuce leaves

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest! 

   

Have you fired up your grill yet this year? 

Spinach Salad with Creamy Bacon Dressing

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

 

 

It's been one of those weeks that if it could break, it most certainly did. The refrigerator was the last in a long string of broken things around here and it was a mad rush to salvage what we could. We just purchased a carton of eggs and with the cost of them these days, there was no way I was going to toss them without a fight. Thankfully, because I had planned on having salads for lunch this week with the warmer weather hitting us, I had also purchased a bag of fresh spinach and a pack of bacon on my last grocery run. So after a quick, panicky scroll through Golden Blossom Honey, because time was of the essence here, I was relieved to find this Spinach Salad with Creamy Bacon Dressing to make good use of the produce that was otherwise going to head straight to the trash.

 

This simple salad may be light on the ingredients, but it's heavy on the flavor! I've always been a big fan of homemade dressings over store bought, or even just using a little balsamic vinegar or even a squirt of lemon over my greens, so it was fun finding a new way to prepare dressing. While this one is a little heavier than what I'm used to because of the mayo, my husband loved it. He's never been a big salad fan, so anything that keeps him from complaining about the greens on his plate deserves praise in my book! This recipe will be good to keep on hand throughout the summer months. Toss in some of your own home grown produce once those gardens start blooming with fresh veggies too. I am so looking forward to slicing up my cucumbers and tomatoes in a few months to add to recipes like this. The dressing will pair well with so many other veggies, you could change out your produce daily and still feel like you're having a fresh recipe every time.

Ingredients

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise, regular or light

2 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

4 bacon slices, cooked crisp and crumbled

Salad:

1 (9-ounce) package baby spinach leaves

1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced

4 eggs, hard-boiled and sliced

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest! 

   

Have you also had costly repairs around the house lately?