On The Menu

On The Menu is a series in which I share recipes that will grace our table and pallets from all over.  Here's what I have found this week!

Orange Gumdrops

Photo and recipe credit: Maeghan from thewaytohisheartblog                     

I just happen to have a father who just happens to love the old fashioned orange slices who also happens to have a birthday coming up.  This is for sure something I want to try and make for him for his birthday.  I can't wait to try them myself!

Honey Yeast Rolls

Photo and recipe credit: Maeghan from thewaytohisheartblog                    

            

Sometimes it pays off to browse through a new blog and oh my goodness don't these rolls look divine?!  The look like the rolls they used to serve at the mess hall at Beersheba Springs Hotel on Monteagle Mountain.  If they taste at all like them I will be in shear heaven!  I feel these will be the perfect accompaniment to any comfort food like roast or fried chicken.  

bee ready for allergy season

I am happy to report, as if you didn't know, that spring is on it's way!  The official first day of spring is March 20th and after the long cold winter we've had I think a party is in order!  On a different note, allergy season is also coming!  Spring... YAY... allergies... BOO.  I have already begun gearing up my system so I can be ready when the pollen starts a floatin'!  For a week now I have eaten a teaspoon of local wildflower honey a day and have even been adding straight local bee pollen to my smoothies.  I was so happy last year when I resorted to using local honey instead of Claritin D and other allergy medicines and actually haven't bought or touched any of them since!  And it makes me feel so much better than taking the over the counter stuff that left me sleepy or cranky or still stopped up  and sneezing.  I am lucky to have a bee lady right next door but local honey around here is not hard to find.  The best, in my opinion, is from Ed Johnson in Goodlettsville.  You can find it in lots of health food stores in our area from Nashville to White House.  I found both honey and bee pollen in the health food store by the post office just last week.  If you live more to the north of here, there is some out of Crossplains that I have seen too.  They say that if your honey comes from a source within a thirty mile range from your house then you are good because the bees have pollinated from the same types of plants and trees in your area.  Also until summer comes, it is best to use wildflower honey instead of clover honey then move into the clover once it starts blooming later on.  Wildflower honey is a mix of it all.

I use local honey in my hot tea, my granola, cinnamon toast, by the teaspoon-full and many other recipes.  I plan on "bee-ing" ready for allergy season this year!  

By the way, if you have honey in a glass jar that isn't so runny anymore or has turned a bit to sugar, remove the lid and stick it in the microwave for thirty seconds at a time until it is stir-able again.  Be careful ... the jar will get hot.  I haven't tried it in the plastic jars... they may melt in the micro.

Have you ever tried honey for seasonal allergies?  

Here's my post from last year when I started using honey to combat allergy symptoms.

Here's my homemade granola recipe and another for Jiffy granola bars.

And here's a post to some good teas to use honey in.

Oh and also tips on how to make your bedroom an allergy-free zone.

Honey bee picture c/o www.thegraphicsfairy.com

four fanciful things: tea time

  

This week you get a "four fanciful things" double whammy! 
I am a hot tea drinker.  Here, I have featured both a mix of my favorite teas from Yogi that I now order online because my groceries don't carry them and also four fanciful things that go hand in hand with tea drinking.  Enjoy!

find the beatiful teacup HERE

the pretty teaspoons HERE

and the wildflower honey... shoot me an email and I'll get you some



Hello Honey

As we all know, allergy season is all over us!  I have heard of more people with allergy problems this Spring than ever before.  I, unfortunately, am one of those sufferers.  It seems like my nose has been stopped up since March first and over the last month I have had the addition of sneezing (which leads to more stopping up), eyes itching and burning, puffy feeling face, jaw pain... the list goes on.  Pitiful and awful.  I found myself taking Claritin D or 24 hour allergy meds over the counter along with using nose spray at night just to be able to breathe somewhat and get some sleep.  I absolutely hate breathing through my mouth when I sleep so that's when I would use the spray.  UGH!  I felt I needed a different approach and at this point will try anything... except a NetiPot... I'm not too sure about that one yet although I have heard great results from several people. 

 

I had heard about the positive affects of local honey for sinus problems and allergies and decided to call my neighbor who raises bees to get a jar because you just can't get more local than two doors down.  The honey she brought me was actually gathered from hives in Goodlettsville.  I read online that the honey can come from within 30 miles of home and still work.  So last Tuesday I got my honey delivery and immediately ate a teaspoon... ok a tablespoon.  I have to admit that to me this honey is quite addictive.  I feel like I dang near overdosed the first couple of days using it in hot teas, granola, on bananas and by spoonfuls.  I calmed down by Friday.. kind of. 

 

My confession in experimenting with honey to combat my allergies is this... my allergies have cleared up about 95 percent.  And we are still in the middle of spring meaning everything is still blooming.  I am amazed.  I haven't used any medicine or nose spray since last Tuesday when I began using it.  It works like getting a flu vaccine.  It puts the pollen sweetly into your system so your body can fight it off internally and your sinuses won't react like wild fire when it hits your nose.  I am so happy about it, it's insane.  I also got a jar for my Mom who has also had horrible allergies this year.  She is experiencing similar results although still having some reactions to airborne pollens.  But.. I have been eating the honey longer than she has too. 

 

The honey we are using is Wildflower Honey, which would be a mix of all kinds of pollen.  The other kind that she had was Clover Honey which is not used for these types of allergies.  I did get a jar of that too... just in case I wanted to drizzle it over cut up raw hot dogs on Townhouse crackers like I did when I was a kid.... unwanted confession... I know.  If you are in my area and can't find local honey, give me a holler and I will call my neighbor to locate a jar for you.  Her prices are good... $16.00 for a quart jar, $10.00 per pint. 

 

If you are suffering anywhere near like I was I urge you to give it a try.  Honey is not recommended for children under two years old.

 

 

 

QUEENIE UPDATE: We still have not found our rescue dog although she is still within a mile or two of our house, as the crow flies.  She was spotted late Monday night on New Hall Road behind a house hanging out with other dogs.  We tried to find her with flashlights and went back Tuesday afternoon.  Thanks for your prayers and thoughts on finding Miss Queenie.  We're trying to find you sweet thing!