Tag: honey

Crockpot Asian Meatballs

And just like that, another year is almost over! As it turns out, my mother was on point when she told 13-year-old Amye not to wish her life away. I turned around, and a another whole year has flown by!

Do most of you celebrate New Year’s Eve in a big way? We never really have. We typically prefer to keep things relaxed and low-key on New Year’s Eve. We have camped in the past, which was always fun. Winter camping is my absolute favorite because there are no bugs! And, occasionally, we have friends over. But no matter where we are or how we celebrate, we never have a sit-down meal.

We will prepare appetizers and hors d’oeuvres for the evening. And after all of the Christmas cooking, the easier and quicker the recipe is, the better!

These Asian Meatballs could not be easier! Dump everything in the crockpot, set it for 2 hours, and wait. They are yummy, with the addicting flavor of soy sauce and ginger, with just a touch of sweet heat that you can customize to your taste! My grandson can clean a plate of these in no time! Adults will be thrilled to have these as well.

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Crockpot Asian Meatballs

Course Appetizer
Author Amye Melton

Equipment

  • crockpot

Ingredients

  • 1 (48-oz.) pkg. fully cooked homestyle frozen meatballs
  • 1 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • sriracha sauce optional, to taste
  • sliced green onion for garnish
  • sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

  • Add meatballs to a crockpot.
  • In a bowl, mix hoisin, soy, honey, vinegar, garlic powder, ginger, brown sugar and sriracha. Pour over meatballs and mix.
  • Cook on LOW 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Check after 2 hours.

Notes

If you prefer a thicker sauce, you could thicken with cornstarch.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And just like that, another year is almost over! As it turns out, my mother was on point when she told 13-year-old Amye not to wish her life away. I turned around, and a another whole year has flown by!

Do most of you celebrate New Year’s Eve in a big way? We never really have. We typically prefer to keep things relaxed and low-key on New Year’s Eve. We have camped in the past, which was always fun. Winter camping is my absolute favorite because there are no bugs! And, occasionally, we have friends over. But no matter where we are or how we celebrate, we never have a sit-down meal.

We will prepare appetizers and hors d’oeuvres for the evening. And after all of the Christmas cooking, the easier and quicker the recipe is, the better!

These Asian Meatballs could not be easier! Dump everything in the crockpot, set it for 2 hours, and wait. They are yummy, with the addicting flavor of soy sauce and ginger, with just a touch of sweet heat that you can customize to your taste! My grandson can clean a plate of these in no time! Adults will also be just as thrilled to have these. 

Print Pin

Crockpot Asian Meatballs

Course Appetizer
Author Amye Melton

Equipment

  • crockpot

Ingredients

  • 1 (48-oz.) pkg. fully cooked homestyle frozen meatballs
  • 1 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • sriracha sauce optional, to taste
  • sliced green onion for garnish
  • sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

  • Add meatballs to a crockpot.
  • In a bowl, mix hoisin, soy, honey, vinegar, garlic powder, ginger, brown sugar and sriracha. Pour over meatballs and mix.
  • Cook on LOW 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Check after 2 hours.

Notes

If you prefer a thicker sauce, you could thicken with cornstarch.  

The New Beekeepers in Town

Since I am not posting recipes at present, I thought I would share with you the big news here at the farm. We have bees!!

A couple of years ago we came home from a weekend trip to find hundreds of dead honeybees in the living room floor. Not being familiar with bees or their activity at all we freaked! Well, maybe I freaked! I was sure that we had a colony in the walls of the house or possibly in the attic. I wasn’t sure where they were, but I was sure they were going to attack us in our sleep.

Turns out they were swarming and looking for a new place to live.  I’m not sure how they died and as much as I want honeybees around here I do not want to live with them!

A few weeks later, while mowing grass, I saw them.  They were flying in and out of an old pop-up camper that’s behind the barn. You may notice it in some of the pictures because one of the hive boxes is set up near it. They lived in the camper until this past spring. Even after a local beekeeper, Michael, came over to set up a few boxes and caught a couple of swarms.

A few months ago we noticed they were there one day then all of the sudden there was no activity. They had moved out. While another box was set up to catch a swarm, not only did a swarm move into that box, but to our surprise, another swarm moved into the camper! We have not opened the camper in years and have no idea what is inside of it now, but one day we are going to open it up to take a look.  I’ll take pictures!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We now have two active colonies on the farm. Greg and I did our first hive inspections over the weekend. With only three stings between us, I think we fared pretty good. Notice the white part on the frames. That is capped honey. Once 80% of the frame has capped honey, we can harvest. We ordered a small extractor over the weekend along with a few other tools, and when the time is right, we will be ready to harvest.

I’m looking forward to this new adventure. We have so much to learn that it’s almost overwhelming but having honey in our backyard is so worth it! I will continue to share pictures with you throughout our learning process.

Healthy Nutty Bars

healthy-nutty-bars

 

I know that we all go through times in our lives when we simply get bogged down by the demands of life. Honestly, I have been going through one of those times for a few months now. I think there are several contributing factors which include an empty nest and Greg’s changing work schedule. I have come to realize that one thing that keeps me sane and grounded is writing to you!

I enjoy “talking” to you about the good things happening in my life, as well as the bad. I like running across old recipes to share and finding new favorite recipes to try for you. I feel a change coming to NJSD, and I’m not exactly sure what that change is going to be yet. With my changing life, my recipes also are in need of a rehaul. I believe I am moving in the direction of fresh, easy, few ingredient recipes.  I don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen at this point in my life.

I hope you also look forward to the new and exciting recipes that I will be bringing you in the future. As promised, I also plan to bring at least one healthy recipe a month your way, starting today!

These Healthy Nutty Bars are fresh and delicious. With the Paleo Bars from my blog as a guide, I set out to make a substitute to a store-bought nutty bar. I am thrilled with this final recipe! The nuts are crunchy, and with the addition of honey and dried fruit, they are a sweet treat too.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

 

5.0 from 1 reviews
Healthy Nutty Bars
 
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Ingredients
  • 2 c. whole almonds, coarsely chopped
  • 1 c. walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tbsp. chia seeds
  • ½ c. flax meal
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 c. rolled oats
  • ½ c. apricots, chopped
  • ½ c. dried cherries, chopped
  • 12 Medjool dates, pitted, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • ½ c. almond butter
  • ½ c. coconut butter or coconut oil
  • ½ c. local honey
Instructions
  1. Toast almonds and walnuts in a 200°F oven. Remove and cool.
  2. In a large bowl combine the cooled nuts, chia seeds, flax meal, salt, rolled oats, apricots, and cherries.
  3. In a medium saucepan combine the almond butter, coconut butter (or oil), honey, and chopped dates. Stirring occasionally keep over heat until ingredients are combined and warm. Remove from heat and add to the bowl of a food processor. Add vanilla extract and process until dates are finely chopped Pour over the nuts and fruit and using a large spoon or spatula combine.
  4. Press the mixture into a 9 x 9-inch pan lined with wax paper. Use the bottom of a glass to press it down tight so that they bars will be solid.
  5. Cover and refrigerate until firm, a couple of hours.
  6. Remove from pan using the wax paper, cut into small bars. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

 

Paleo Bars

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Greg seems to be the world’s best at sticking to a low-carb diet.  He has more willpower than anyone else I know. I can usually stick to a low-carb plan better than any other but I just can’t shake craving something sweet occasionally.

These are a sure-fire way to satisfy that sweet tooth.  These Paleo Bars are full good things, with just a little chocolate on the top.  You can leave the chocolate off if you prefer, or use dark chocolate instead of semi-sweet chocolate.

It’s best to use virgin coconut oil, which can be found in many grocery stores.  Also, eat local raw honey, if possible.  Because local raw honey has not been processed it still contains pollen, enzymes, antioxidants, and many other beneficial compounds that make it nutritious.  Research has shown that local honey, obtained as close as possible to where you live, may help build immunity to some seasonal allergies.  Honey, raw or processed, should never be given to a child under the age of 12 months old.

I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with these Paleo Bars, they are healthy and delicious, even if you are not following a low-carb diet.

Paleo Bars
 
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Recipe from the Very Vera show from Augusta, Ga.
Ingredients
  • 2 c. almonds
  • ½ c. flax meal
  • ½ c. shredded coconut, unsweetened
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ c. coconut oil
  • ½ c. almond butter
  • 9 - 10 large Medjool dates, pitted
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. almond extract
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • ½ to ¾ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Place nuts, flax meal, coconut, and salt in food processor. Pulse until you have sizes ranging from the size of sand to the size of a pea.
  2. In a small saucepan melt the coconut oil over low heat. Add the dates, almond butter, vanilla and almond extracts, and honey. Stirring occasionally keep over heat until ingredients are combined and warm.
  3. Add the coconut oil mixture to the food processor and pulse until it all comes together.
  4. Press the mixture into an 8 x 8-inch pan (I lined mine with wax paper). Use the bottom on a glass is you need to in order to press in down tight so that they bars will be solid.
  5. Melt chocolate chips and spread over the bars. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until the bars cool and chocolate sets.
  6. Remove from refrigerator and cut into small squares.