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IHPA Annual Meeting Cooking with Honey Contest

Here are the winning recipes for the 2008 IHPA Annual Meeting Cooking with Honey Contest. The contest was judged by Donna Rayhons, Doris Ramsey and Carol Wehr. Thank you ladies.

Cakes:

Mini Apricot Cakes

Donna Brahms--First Place

1/2 c. chopped apricots

1/2 c. boiling water

3.4 c. Iowa Honey

1/4 c. butter

1/2 c. milk

2 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. orange peel

1/4. c chopped macadamia nuts

Soak apricots in boiling water for 5 minutes. In a bowl, cream honey and butter until fluffy. Add milk; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; stir into creamed mixture. Drain apricots. Fold in apricots, peel and nuts. Fill in muffin cups. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Note: You could use peach or apricot creamed honey for a topping for these cakes.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Julie Swett--Second Place

1 1/2 c. flour

1/4 c. milk

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. melted butter

1/2 c. honey

3-4 ripe bananas, mashed

1 c. chocolate chips

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in bowl. Make a well in the center. Add butter, honey, milk and vanilla. Then stir in bananas and chocolate chips. Do not over mix. Bake 20 minutes in muffin tins at 350 degrees.

Applesauce Cake--

--Third Place

1/2 c. softened butter

1 c. honey

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. whole wheat white flour

t tsp. baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ground allspice or ginger

1 c. chopped dates

1/3 c. chopped walnuts

1 c. unsweetened applesauce

Cream butter in large bowl. Gradually beat in honey until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl. Reserve 2 T. flour mixture. Combine dates and walnuts and reserved 2 T. flour mixture in small bowl; set aside.

Add remaining flour mixture and applesauce alternately to creamed mixture beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in date mixture. Pour batter into greased 13 X 9 X 2 inch pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes or until wooden pick inseted near center comes out clean. Optional--Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Bread:

Honey Beer Bread

Donna Brahms--First Place

3 c. all purpose flour

4 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

3/4 c. Iowa Honey

12 oz. beer (may substitute soda or carbonated juice)

Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir in honey and beer;

combine until dough cleans the bowl. Place dough in loaf pan or other pan--well

greased. (May place in two smaller pans.) Bake at 350 degrees oven for 45 minutes, until golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Serve with honey butter or jalapeno creamed honey.

Beverages:

Fall Drink--Fruit and Honey Punch

Donna Brahms--First Place

2 c. apple cider

2 c. cranberry juice

1/4 c. pure Iowa Honey

1 cinnamon stick

4 slices lemon

4 whole cloves

(*Can add 1 or 2 cups of dry red wine)

Combine all ingredients in saucepan, slow cooker or percolator coffee pot; heat only until mixture boils. Pour into serving glasses or mugs; serve immediately. ( I kept doubling the recipe to fill the slow cooker.)

Winter Drink--Honey Nog

Dawn Bernhard

4 eggs, well beaten (I use EggBeaters)

4 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. honey

1 quart chilled whole milk

2 Tbsp. frozen orange juice concentrate

Nutmeg

Beat eggs and honey together. Beat in milk, vanilla and orange juice concentrate.

Pour into glasses. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Makes 6 servings. Can also include

vanilla ice cream. [Recipe from IHPA Honey Recipes, pg. 96]

King's Crossing Winery Mulled Mead:(This was served during the Wine & Cheese Party)

5 large bottles King's Crossing King's Mead 4-5 cinnamon sticks (broken in half)

10 whole cloves

10 whole allspice

several orange slices

2 to 2 1/2 cups honey

cheese cloth bag

Pour King's Crossing King's Mead into a coffee pot, slow cooker or stock pot. Place spices in cheese cloth and form a bag around the spices. Tie bag. Place bag in King's Mead. Stir in honey, tasting as you add. Heat over medium heat until hot. Simmer for an hour or so. Remove spice bag. Serve hot. ( If using percolator coffee pot, just put spices in basket.)

[From:King's Crossing Vineyard and Winery, LLC.Glenwood, IA www.kingscrossingvineyard.com]