HELOISE: Honey facts, recipe: Sweet!

Dear Readers: Did you know that September is National Honey Month? If you like honey as much as I do, here are a few “sweet” honey facts and a delicious, easy-to-do Honey Baked Apple recipe:

It’s best to store honey at room temperature, not in the refrigerator.

According to the National Honey Board, honey can last indefinitely if stored correctly.

The source of the nectar determines honey’s color.

The color determines the flavor: Mild flavors are light, and robust flavors are darker.

There are more than 300 different varieties in the United States alone!

Now, that’s a lot of yummy honey to taste, and what fun trying them all!

Here is a tasty and healthy recipe from the National Honey Board:

HONEY BAKED APPLES

1/2 cup honey, divided

1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel

Cinnamon to taste

4 baking apples, cored and pared 1/3 way down from the top

Blend 1/4 cup honey with the orange peel and cinnamon, then set aside. Arrange the apples in a 9-inch round or 8-inch square microwave-safe baking dish. Fill the center of each apple with 1 tablespoon honey mixture. Cover with plastic wrap, and make sure to vent the wrap. Microwave on high (100 percent) until almost tender (approximately 2 to 21/2 minutes per apple); rotate the dish 1/4 turn halfway through cooking time. Drizzle remaining honey over apples and let stand 2 to 3 minutes before consumption.

I sometimes put little red cinnamon candies and a tablespoon of strawberry jam in the middle of the apple. When done, I put one or two in the refrigerator and have a sweet, yet healthy, treat.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: When I need to slice mushrooms, such as white button or cremini, I save time by using my hard-boiled-egg slicer. This works best with mushrooms that are firm and fresh. Before slicing, I wipe any dirt off the mushrooms with a damp paper towel.

Lorraine H., Basking Ridge, N.J.

Dear Heloise: Here’s my hint: Don’t toss out the round, plastic, 33-ounce coffee containers. These containers make handy small buckets for minor cleaning jobs. They’re great for storage — anything from birdseed to small craft supplies. Fill one with crayons, colored pencils and a small pad of paper for keeping little ones occupied. The list can be as long as our imagination!

Dorsee Bernat, Canton, Ohio

Dear Heloise: Rita from San Antonio wrote about freezing bacon on a cookie sheet. I put the individual strips of bacon on a cookie sheet, bake them, drain the bacon grease in a container for future use, put the strips in a freezer bag and freeze. Just take out how many strips you need and microwave for a few seconds. Easy, and no mess.

Barbara P., via e-mail

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, fax it to 210-HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.

King Features Syndicate