Home Storage Focus Item: HONEY AND SUGAR

The First Presidency recommends that Church members “begin their home storage by storing the basic foods that would be required to keep them alive if they did not have anything else to eat.” After they have a year’s supply of the basics, they may then add other foods they are accustomed to eating regularly. (“Food Storage for One Year,” Ensign, Mar. 2006, 70) Honey and sugar are included in the category of “other foods.”

Benefits and Drawbacks of Sugar
BENEFITS
* Quick energy source (Anderson, J. & Young, L. (2008), Sugar and Sweeteners, Colorado State University (CSU) Extension Service)
* Concentrated source of calories (Anderson, J. & Young, L. (2008), Sugar and Sweeteners, CSU Extension Service)
DRAWBACKS
* May harden (“Home Storage: Build on the Basics,” Ensign, June 1989, 39)
* Too many calories contributes to obesity (Anderson, J. & Young, L. (2008), Sugar and Sweeteners, CSU Extension Service)
* Major contributor of tooth decay (Anderson, J. & Young, L. (2008), Sugar and Sweeteners, CSU Extension Service)

Benefits and Drawbacks of Honey
BENEFITS (see http://www.honey.com/consumers/honeyhealth/nutritionfacts.asp and http://beprepared.com/article.asp?ai=81&name=The%20Natural%20Sweetness%20Of%20Honey&bhcd2=1220623468)
* Contains small amounts of vitamins and minerals that sugar does not
* Because it is less refined, honey is easier to digest
* May naturally contain antioxidants, which boost the immune system; sugars do not
* Some nutritionists have suggested to have other health benefits like fatigue prevention, increased energy, and enhanced physical performance
DRAWBACKS
* May Crystallize and/or darken (“Home Storage: Build on the Basics,” Ensign, June 1989, 39)
* Do not feed to infants younger than one year, because honey can cause infant botulism. (HeHughes, K.V. & Willenberg, B.J., Using and Storing Honey, Missouri Cooperative Extension Service, available: http://extension.missouri.edu/xplor/hesguide/foodnut/gh1120.htm)

Food Storage Guidelines:
For a one-year supply, store about 60 pounds of honey or sugar for each person over 11 years-old. For child portions, see: “Food Storage for One Year,” Ensign, Mar. 2006, 70.

HONEY
* Store in small containers. Then, if it crystallizes, you can immerse the containers in hot (not boiling water to reliquefy it. (“Home Storage: Build on the Basics,” Ensign, June 1989, 39) (HeHughes, K.V. & Willenberg, B.J., Using and Storing Honey, Missouri Cooperative Extension Service, available: http://extension.missouri.edu/xplor/hesguide/foodnut/gh1120.htm)
* Stores indefinitely if stored at 45°-75° (Shirley Nielsen and Al Vester, “Taking Stock of Food Storage,” Ensign, Mar. 1983, 43)
* One pound of honey is about 1-1/3 cups. A 3-pound container holds about 4 cups of honey. (HeHughes, K.V. & Willenberg, B.J., Using and Storing Honey, Missouri Cooperative Extension Service, available: http://extension.missouri.edu/xplor/hesguide/foodnut/gh1120.htm)

SUGAR
*Store in tightly covered metal or plastic container or place on a shelf away from moisture in its unopened bag. Occasionally knead the bag to help prevent the sugar from hardening. (“Home Storage: Build on the Basics,” Ensign, June 1989, 39)
* Stores indefinitely (Shirley Nielsen and Al Vester, “Taking Stock of Food Storage,” Ensign, Mar. 1983, 43)

Sugar Substitutions:
To replace sugar with honey in your favorite recipes: substitute honey for the sugar, cup for cup; then reduce the liquid called for by 1/4 cup for every cup of honey substituted. In baked goods, add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda to the recipe for every cup of honey substituted. Bake at a temperature 25° lower than instructions call for. (Brown, R., “Need Sugar, Honey?,” Ensign, April 1978, 61; see also-- Rasmussen, J. & Steolpa, D., Honey Use in Recipes, University of Minnesota Extension Service, available: http://www.extension.umn.edu/info-u/nutrition/BJ9752.htm)

OR

Since honey is more concentrated than sugar use approximately 3/4 cup honey for every cup of sugar called for in any recipe. You may substitute up to half of the sugar called for without needing to make any other adjustments to the recipe. If substituting more than half of the sugar with honey, reduce the amount of liquid called for by one-quarter. Using honey also gives a sweeter taste to the foods you are eating. (Emergency Essentials, The Natural Sweetness of Honey, available: http://beprepared.com/article.asp?ai=81&name=The%20Natural%20Sweetness%20Of%20Honey&bhcd2=1220623468)

RECIPES USING HONEY from (HeHughes, K.V. & Willenberg, B.J., Using and Storing Honey, Missouri Cooperative Extension Service, available: http://extension.missouri.edu/xplor/hesguide/foodnut/gh1120.htm) SEE ALSO—www.honey.com

Turkey and rice oriental
4 cups cooked turkey, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup prepared mustard
1 teaspoon curry powder
4 tablespoons turkey drippings
2 cups cooked rice (2/3 cup dry = 2 cups cooked)

Spread diced cooked turkey in a shallow pan, season with salt and pepper. Mix honey, prepared mustard, curry powder and turkey drippings. Blend into turkey. Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 30 minutes, stirring once or twice. Spoon over cooked rice.
Makes 8 servings.

Note Wonderful as a marinade for uncooked chicken pieces. When used in this fashion, omit turkey drippings. Chicken will require approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes to bake.

Honey bee ambrosia
4 medium oranges
1 medium banana
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup flaked coconut

Pare oranges, cut crosswise into thin slices and place in serving bowl. Peel bananas and cut thin slices into the bowl with the oranges. Toss fruits. Blend orange juice and honey and pour over fruits. Sprinkle with coconut.

German-style red cabbage
1 large red cabbage (about 3-3/4 pounds)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 cups coarsely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tart green apple pared, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1/3 cup honey

Cut cabbage in wedges and remove core. Chop cabbage into bite-size pieces. Melt butter in large Dutch oven or saucepan. Add onion and garlic and sauté. Add cabbage and stir-fry about 5 minutes. Add apple slices, vinegar, water, caraway seeds and honey. Stir gently to mix well. Cover and cook over very low heat 1 to 1-1/4 hours.
Makes 8 servings.

Honey raisin bran bars
1/2 cup flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup nutmeats, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup whole bran cereal
2 eggs
3/4 cup honey, slightly warm

Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Combine with raisins, nutmeats and whole bran cereal. Beat eggs until very thick. Then beat in honey, a small amount at a time. Add flour mixture and beat well. Spread batter about 1/2-inch thick in greased 9- by 9- by 2-inch pan. Bake in moderate oven (375 degrees Fahrenheit) about 25 minutes. Cut into bars while warm and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if desired.
Makes 18 bars.

Oven-fried chicken with honey-butter sauce
1 tender chicken, cut up for frying
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 cup (1/4 pound) butter

Dip chicken pieces into mixture of flour, salt, pepper and paprika. Melt butter in a shallow baking pan in a hot oven (400 degrees Fahrenheit). Remove baking pan from oven. As pieces of floured chicken are placed in pan, turn to coat with butter, then bake skin side down in a single layer. Bake in a hot oven (400 degrees Fahrenheit) for 30 minutes. Turn chicken. Pour honey butter sauce over chicken. If chicken cannot be served at once, reduce oven heat and brush chicken again with the sauce.

Honey butter sauce
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup lemon juice

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add honey and lemon juice. Stir. Glaze chicken after it has baked for 30 minutes. (Recipe above).

Honey butter
1/2 cup softened butter
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons fresh orange or lemon juice (optional)
1 teaspoon grated citrus peel (optional)
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Blend softened butter with honey. Refrigerate and use as desired. For variation, add the fresh orange or lemon juice and the grated citrus peel, or add the cinnamon to make cinnamon honey butter.

Rice pudding
2 cups cooked rice (2/3 cup dry = 2 cups cooked)
3 cups milk
3/4 cup honey
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup chopped raisins (optional)

Mix rice, milk and honey. Add the eggs. Stir in the chopped raisins. Bake in a well-greased baking dish at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 1 hour.
Makes 8 servings.