Tag: honey

Talya Boerner: Buttermilk Honey Chicken Tenders {Foodie Friday}

There are certain dishes every southerner should have in her cooking toolbox. Fried chicken is one of them. Right? A few days ago, I fried a batch of buttermilk honey chicken tenders, a slight twist on everyone’s favorite comfort food. I’ll confess I’m not the neatest cook, nor the most accomplished. Far from it! But I’ve learned a few tips over the years that I’m happy to share with you.

Growing up, I was surrounded by a host of fabulous family cooks—my Momma, both grandmothers, and too many aunts to mention here. Yes, the men in our family grilled a juicy steak and deep fried a mess of catfish pulled straight from the Mississippi River. But the women? They were the ones who masterfully wielded the cast iron skillet. At least once a week, our menu included buttermilk fried chicken.

Back then, I never paid much attention to the details of all that chicken being fried. It seemed to happen rather naturally while my sister and I played outside. When Momma stuck her head outside and called us in to eat, we raced to the back porch, breathing in warm, salty smells before we laid eyes on the platter of fried chicken. Momma untied her apron and casually draped it over her chair the same way she slipped her shoes off after church.

buttermilk honey chicken tenders via @gracegritsgarden for #ARWB #FoodieFriday

Later, when I tried to make my own fried chicken, I learned there are a few essential tricks of the trade. Today, I’m sharing my buttermilk honey chicken tenders recipe along with tips and common pitfalls of frying chicken. Read more HERE.

Talya Tate Boerner

 

Talya is a Delta girl who grew up making mudpies on her family’s cotton farm in Northeast Arkansas. She blogs at Grace, Grits and Gardening and has been published in Arkansas Review, Front Porch Magazine, and Delta Crossroads Magazine. Her debut novel, The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee, recently placed as a National Indie Book Award Finalist for regional southeast fiction. She loves to cook and believes most any dish can be improved with a side of collard greens.

 

Links:

Grace Grits and Gardening
Author: Talya Tate Boerner
Facebook Blog: Grace Grits and Gardening
Facebook Author: Talya Tate Boerner
Instagram: gracegrits
Twitter: @gracegrits
Amazon: Talya Tate Boerner
Goodreads: Talya Tate Boerner

 

Shana Chaplin: Honey Glazed Hot Pepper Jelly Carrots {Foodie Friday}

 l loved cooking with my grandmother.  Being in the kitchen with her made me feel safe, loved, and valued.  As she aged and had to be moved into subsidized housing for seniors, we began a new tradition.  Each holiday she would come to my home 2-3 days in advance.  We would plan out the menu, talking about each family member’s favorite dish, and in the midst she would share stories of days gone by.  One of my favorite dishes each holiday was candied carrots.
 
honey glazed hot pepper jelly carrots via shana chaplin for arwb foodie friday
 
The aroma of melting butter and brown sugar is always quick to remind me of the holidays.  Always one to want to experiment a little, add a new twist, which grandma welcomed and encouraged, I began adding a few new ingredients.  I love a little salt with a little sweet.  Add some “heat” and it is all the better!  Thus was born the Honey Glazed Hot Pepper Jelly Carrot recipe.
 
 
And I am proud to say, it was grandma approved.  Not only approved, but she agreed it was our new go to recipe.  I still think of her each holiday as I begin to prepare for my family.  And not a holiday goes by without a batch of these carrots.  Love is shared around the family table.  Memories come alive with the scents and tastes of family recipes.  I hope you enjoy this recipe and consider adding it to your family favorites this next holiday season.  READ MORE
 
Shana Chaplin

 

I am a wife, mother to twin daughters, sister, daughter and aunt to nine. I love faith, home and family. I grew up missionary kid living in Japan and Morocco. I now live in the South. My home is my haven and I seek for it to be the same for all who enter. I have returned to full time work after 17 years as a stay at home mom. I now serve as the Deputy Chief of Community Engagement & Faith-based Partnerships. As I wait for God to unfold His plans in His time I seek to be faithful and to live life fully, keeping home my priority and sharing it with those I hold near and dear.

KD Reep: Honeyscotch Cake with Sweet Whiskey Glaze

Are you as thrilled fall is in the air as much as K.D. Reep is? See how she was inspired to create this amazing autumnal deliciousness. Debbie

Ok, maybe not quite fall yet, but September is close enough for me, and this cake makes me think of all the good things i look forward to in Autumn.

I ran across the inspiration for this cake at the ultimate fall celebration: the Arkansas State Fair. Last year, one of the entrants made this piece of art that was a three-layer white cake with a cream cheese icing that was mixed with Arkansas-raised honey and smokey scotch whisky. On the top of this sculpture was a hunk of beeswax, and oozing from it was that golden, gorgeous honey spilling down the sides.

There is no way I could make that cake. If it’s not a sheet or bundt cake, I can’t ice it, and nothing about that cake said “easy”.

honeyscotch cake with sweet whiskey glaze via k.d. reep for ARWB Foodie Friday

So I took it upon myself to GTS (google that stuff) and I found this, which is as good, WAY easier and will remind you of fall as well.  The recipe I used is adapted from Life’s a Feast, and the only thing I amended is I dusted the bundt pan with sugar instead of flour. I like to do this to bundt cakes because it gives them a crunch, and for this cake, it adds a hint of caramel to the compliment the honey. Oh, and I used honey whiskey instead of scotch because, well, honey.

READ MORE

 

KD Reep is a KD Reep headshotwriter, public relations practitioner and aspiring author in Little Rock. She owns Flywrite Communications Inc., a marketing communications agency in Mabelvale. She is a six-time recipient of the Public Relations Society of America’s Prism award and has been published statewide as well as in the Arkansas Times, Inviting Arkansas, Savvy Magazine, Bourbon & Boots, Arkansas Money & Politics, Delta Farm Press and Rice Farmer magazine, among others. 

Kristie Jones: Arkansas Peach and Tomato Salsa via Bernice Garden

By Kristie Jones of Love On Main Street

bernice garden 2

Popping the most delicious grape tomatoes in my mouth made a warm, sunny Sunday in July even sunnier at The Bernice Garden Farmer’s Market.  Situated on the corner of 14th and Main streets in downtown Little Rock, it’s a welcomed oasis for those in search of locally produced fruits, vegetables, wildflowers, honey, coffee, and more.  My dear friend, Kelly Brant, accompanied me on a journey to discover the wonder of the market.  The vibrant colors, aromatic herbs and juicy flavors far surpass anything found in the produce section at your local commercial grocery.  Meeting the farmers would serve to add another dimension to an already personal experience of hand picking locally grown food.

Robert of Willow Springs Market Garden provided a sampling of peppers and humor in his handwritten signs describing defiant tomatoes and cosmetically challenged garlic.  He provided a lemon drop pepper for the recipe that began to unfold with a visit to each booth.  This little pepper is known for its citrus flavor and packs a bit of heat that ranges from 30,000 to 50,000 on the Scoville Scale.

bernice garden 3

Kelly Carney of the certified organic North Pulaski Farms enticed us with heirloom grape tomatoes of a somewhat addictive quality and unmatched sweetness.  Carney has been a fixture at this market since the first Sunday it began back in 2012.  In addition to the tomatoes, there were overflowing pints of blackberries capable of inducing dreams of grandma’s homemade cobblers.  With charming humor, Carney described his exclusive use of organic tools as more expensive and less effective.

tomatoes from Bernice Garden

Flat leaf parsley was the gem found by meeting Kevin Haggerty and Lauren Tyner of the North Little Rock Community Farm.  All of their lovely vegetables and herbs were harvested from the student farm of Lakewood Middle School’s freshman campus.  From seed to market, I thought of the work and pride that they poured into their colorful array from the garden.  With corn on the cob from Barnhill Orchards and peaches from Val of the Russian Farmer, items from practically every vendor combined to make a sweet yet savory salsa idea.  Small purple onions from Sara Fulton-Koerbling and Ryan Boswell of The Victory Garden and a touch of Sun Harvest Honey from Pat Cullivan’s apiary in North Little Rock were the final ingredients needed.

blackberries bernice garden

The Bee in my Bonnet booth was by far the most charmed as it was adorned with hand-tied bouquets of wildflowers.  Katie, the farmer, allowed me to take her photo holding a bouquet and although we chose the lemon drop pepper over a jalapeño, her peppers were the prettiest.  One of the fresh bunches of flowers had to come along for the journey and made a lovely display on Kelly’s dining room table.

bernice garden 4

From seed to plant, harvest to  table, this adventure to create a recipe from The Bernice Garden Farmer’s Market was a rewarding experience with a great payoff.  Here’s the recipe for a perfect summer salsa to keep you cool and refreshed.

 

bernice garden arkansas

Arkansas Peach and Tomato Salsa {Bernice Garden}
Yields 3
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Ingredients
  1. 1 ear of fresh corn, in husk
  2. 2 small ripe peaches
  3. ½ pint grape tomatoes
  4. 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons minced purple onion (see tip)
  5. ½ to 1 small lemon drop pepper, seeds and membranes removed, minced
  6. 3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, minced PLUS 1 sprig for garnish
  7. ¼ teaspoon red wine vinegar or to taste
  8. 1 light pinch coarse salt or to taste
  9. 1 teaspoon honey or to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roast corn for 15-20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, dice the peaches and quarter the tomatoes.
  3. Shuck corn and using a sharp knife, carefully cut kernels from cob. Discard cob (or freeze for another use such as making corn chowder).
  4. In a mixing bowl, combine the diced peaches, tomatoes, corn, onion, lemon drop pepper and parsley and mix well.
  5. Add the vinegar, salt and honey and stir well to combine. Taste and adjust salt, vinegar and honey, if needed.
  6. Garnish with a sprig of the flat leaf parsley. Serve with tortilla chips or atop chicken breast or fish. Makes about 3 cups
Notes
  1. Tip: To tame the bite of raw onion, soak it in cold water for 5 minutes; drain well and proceed with recipe.
Arkansas Women Bloggers https://arkansaswomenbloggers.com/

arkansas peach and tomato salsa

headshot kristie love on main street

I love carbs and men who lie.
I’m nostalgic at heart and a lover of all things vintage.
Writing and photography have been passions since childhood, and I’m constantly amazed at the beauty found in what others may see as ordinary.
I think there’s a bit of love in everything if you’re willing to see and feel it. My journey is to find love in the places, people, food, communities and stuff of life.
Adventure awaits!

 

 Blog:  loveonmainstreet.wordpress.com

Instagram: loveonmainst

Debbie Arnold: Feta with Peppered Honey and Toasted Almonds {Foodie Friday}

By Debbie Arnold of Dining With Debbie
 
One of my favorites for summer dining is a simple cheese and fruit plate, such as this Feta with Peppered Honey and Toasted Almonds served along with locally grown Arkansas peaches.  This plus a fresh-from-the-garden salad (or local farmers’ market) and probably some crunchy bread might easily be a meal at our house.  If needed, a simple protein, perhaps a chicken breast, thrown on the grill could round it out.
 
The fruit and cheese plate serves two roles: as an appetizer or as a dessert. It’s summer in the south, ya’ll and that means it’s hot!  While most Southern belles “glisten,” I sweat, especially when the oven comes on.  Fortunately, Hubby’s great with the grill and the smoker, and he really doesn’t mind a light meal at all. 

The man has will power.  He does so well with his weight.  I wish that trait passed on to me by osmosis.  Or something that doesn’t involve dieting and exercise (aka work). But he does have a weakness for desserts, nuts and cheeses.

feta with honey 2 Foodie Friday

Ta – dah!  This Feta With Peppered Honey and Toasted Almonds works perfectly to satisfy his cravings (and mine), and it borders on healthy when served alongside fresh, locally grown summer fruits.  I think peaches , such as those we get from our Arkansas Grown friends at Peach Pickin’ Paradise  (Twitter) in Clarksville or Barnhill Orchards in Lonoke, are perfect but you can use whatever fruit you like.  I usually use slivered almonds, but here again,  you can use toasted walnuts or pecans if that’s what you have and what you prefer. I prefer the honey I get from  P. Allen Smith’s Moss Mountain Farm hives.  If you’re lucky enough to have your own hives, or have a neighbor who does, then definitely use that. 

Don’t limit yourself to feta for this dish either.  Goat cheese or homemade ricotta (check that out next week on Dining With Debbie) work very well.  I like feta because of its sharpness which contrasts nicely with the sweetness of the honey.  And you just won’t believe what the cracked pepper does until you give it a try!  Not a pepper fan?  Leave it off.  There’s nothing hard and fast about the cheese plate — always suit the tastes of yourself and your family.  Be brave.  Experiment.  Some of my best dishes, okay and some of my worst, have been through experimentation.  

feta with honey Foodie Friday

If you have edible flowers available, such as nasturtiums, use those as garnish.  The peppery flavor of the nasturtiums goes quite nicely with this dish.  Or, garnish with basil or mint for a different palate pleaser.

Summer is all about relaxing, and this dish definitely fits that bill.  Take it easy, ya’ll.

What are some of your go-to summer dishes?  I hope you’ll share.

 

Feta with Peppered Honey and Toasted Almonds
Serves 4
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Ingredients
  1. 8 ounces chunk feta
  2. 1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely cracked black pepper
  3. 1/4+ cup honey
  4. 1/4 + cup toasted slivered almonds
  5. Fruit or crackers
  6. Mint or edible flowers for garnish, optional
Instructions
  1. Dry feta and place on a serving platter. Chill.
  2. Prepare fruit (slice peaches, etc.)
  3. Stir together cracked pepper and honey.
  4. When ready to serve, pour honey mixture over feta and arrange fruit around the cheese.
  5. Garnish
  6. Serve with crackers, if desired.
Adapted from Gourmet's Casual Entertaining
Adapted from Gourmet's Casual Entertaining
Arkansas Women Bloggers https://arkansaswomenbloggers.com/
Debbie-Arnold-1 Dining With Debbie

 Debbie Arnold serves as a co-administrator for Arkansas Women Bloggers and pontificates and eats at Dining With Debbie.  She and her Hubby split their time between Central and Northwest Arkansas.  She loves to cook, develop recipes and have play dates with her two perfect grands.  Mostly, she has play dates with the Perfect Ones.  If you’re interested in writing for Foodie Friday, she’s the one to contact.

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