Sweetening the Day with Operation Honey Bear Hug
A Testament to the Spirit of Sioux Honey’s Beekeepers
Mark Mammen, President Emeritus at Sioux Honey, summed up the initiative by stating, “Our beekeepers live in these communities, and they are some of the most lovable people you’ll ever meet. They’re all about sharing sweetness, so we decided to make this donation – our largest single donation ever – in their honor, to celebrate Sioux Honey’s beekeeper families.”
This sentiment underscores the deep connections and genuine care that Sioux Honey and its beekeepers have for their communities, driving the decision to contribute in such a significant way.

A Thoughtful Approach to Community Giving
Faced with the phase-out of their 8oz bear packaging, Sioux Honey saw a unique opportunity to support the communities around them. Instead of tossing the unused containers, the co-op filled them with their premium honey and distributed them to those in need. Mammen highlighted the suitability of this donation, noting, “Our premium honey is an ideal product for food banks and pantries because of its versatility. It doesn’t need to be refrigerated; it can be used to help soothe a sore throat or tame a cough; it’s a great natural substitute for sugar in baking; and it has an epic shelf life.”
Maximizing Impact Through Strategic Donations
The 30,000 honey bears were evenly distributed among five food banks/pantries, carefully selected for their reach and impact within their respective states. These donations were directed to:
- Great Plains Food Bank in Fargo, North Dakota
- The Idaho Foodbank in Meridian, Idaho
- Second Harvest Heartland in Minnesota
- South County Outreach in Irvine, California
- Food Bank of Siouxland in Sioux City, Iowa
Through the careful selection of these food banks/pantries, Sioux Honey made certain that the donation touched the lives of numerous individuals and families, highlighting their deep-rooted commitment to extensive community support.
Beekeepers’ Role in Enhancing Community Connections
The involvement of Sioux Honey’s beekeepers in “Operation Honey Bear Hug” highlights the collective spirit and dedication of the co-op to community outreach. Many beekeepers, actively preparing for the almond pollination season, still participated in the distribution of honey bears to the food banks. This direct involvement showcases the beekeepers’ commitment to their communities and to the mission of Sioux Honey to make a positive, meaningful impact.
Continuing the Legacy of Community Support
“Operation Honey Bear Hug” is a testament to Sioux Honey’s commitment to making a difference in the communities they serve. By creatively utilizing their resources, the co-op provided a nutritious and versatile product to those in need, reflecting their ongoing dedication to quality and community support. As Sioux Honey looks to the future, the co-op continues to explore new opportunities to support communities and address specific needs, continuing a legacy of generosity and community engagement.
Bee part of something bigger, connect with our community today. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
Bee Mine, Valentine!
Print, cut and share these colorful cards with your sweetie this Valentine’s Day
When do honeybees get married? When they find their honey, of course!
To celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, we’ve created four fun cards that can be printed and cut out. Each one has a silly “dad joke,” and they’re perfect for kiddos to take to school for their parties.
Happy Valentine’s Day from “Sue Bee® Mine Cards!”

Click below to download the high-resolution version of the cards, then print and cut along the dotted lines for individual cards.
Sue-Bee-Honey-Valentines-Day-Cards-2024-1Download
SUE BEE® & AUNT SUE’S® HONEY IS NOW U.S. FARMED™ CERTIFIED

*CERTIFICATION INCLUDES UPDATED SEAL FOR SUE BEE® AND AUNT SUE’S® HONEY PRODUCTS MADE WITH INGREDIENTS GROWN AND HARVESTED BY AMERICAN FARMERS AND BEEKEEPERS*
When you reach for a bottle of SUE BEE® or AUNT SUE’S® Honey, you’re not just getting a delicious, golden treat–but also supporting a movement towards more sustainable, transparent, and locally-focused agriculture and beekeeping. That’s why we have obtained the U.S. Farmed Certification from American Farmland Trust. AFT is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to save the land that sustains us by protecting farmland, promoting sound farming practices, and keeping farmers on the land. This marks SUE BEE® and AUNT SUE’S® as the first honey brands to be U.S. Farmed Certified and signifies the brands commitment to domestically sourced products.

#HoneyCloseToHome – Know Where & Who Your Honey Comes From
One of the most powerful aspects of SUE BEE® and AUNT SUE’S® Honey is the commitment to transparency. The honey that ends up in your pantry and on your tablespoon doesn’t come from far-flung corners of the globe. Our Co-op Member Beekeepers harvest it right here in the United States. This not only ensures you’re getting pure, high-quality honey, but also means you can trust where it comes from.
The U.S. Farmed Certification is an important milestone in our ongoing dedication to honesty and integrity in our honey. From beehive to household, you can be sure that our honey is harvested and packaged within the United States. In today’s world, where supply chains can span continents, knowing exactly where and who your honey comes from is more important than ever. That’s why every bottle of SUE BEE® and AUNT SUE’S® Honey can be traced back to the exact beekeeper it came from.

Support Our Local Beekeepers and Farmers
At the heart of every bottle of honey are the hardworking Sioux Honey Co-op Member Beekeepers. These beekeepers are a part of a dedicated cooperative of family-run operations that span across the U.S., from the sunny fields of California to the rolling hills of the Midwest. By sourcing honey from our own beekeepers, we harvest every drop with care, expertise, and respect.
When you purchase U.S. Farmed Certified honey, you’re helping support local agriculture in ways that go beyond just the beekeepers themselves. Honey production plays a crucial role in supporting crop pollination, and beekeepers are often the unsung heroes behind our country’s bounty of fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Strengthening this local supply chain, is a must because it impacts not only the health of our ecosystem, but also the stability of rural economies.
SUE BEE® and AUNT SUE’S® Honey aren’t just about great taste–they’re also about creating a better and more sustainable future for the agricultural communities that help sweeten our lives. The U.S. Farmed Certification is more than just a seal on our label; it’s a commitment to our land, our farmers, and our beekeepers.
So the next time you pour a spoonful of SUE BEE® or AUNT SUE’S® Honey into your tea, drizzle it on your toast, or stir it into your favorite recipe, rest assured that you’re not only treating your tastebuds, but also supporting local farmers, beekeepers, and a more sustainable home.
Learn more about some of our Sioux Honey Co-op Beekeepers: David Coy, the Honl’s, Bob & Michael Newsander
About American Farmland Trust & The U.S. Farmed Certification
American Farmland Trust (AFT) is a nationally recognized nonprofit whose mission is to save the land that sustains us by protecting farmland, promoting sound farming practices, and keeping farmers on the land. AFT is the only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 6.8 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally-sound farming practices on millions of additional acres and supported thousands of farm families. AFT launched the conservation agriculture movement and continues to raise public awareness through our No Farms, No Food message, and now, the U.S. Farmed Certification
Companies across the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry are encouraged to join this critical work by obtaining U.S. Farmed Certification for their domestically-sourced products. AFT will use funds raised through these partnerships to expand programs that provide U.S. farmers across all 50 states with free resources and expert advisory services to help them access, protect, and maintain American farmland.
By harnessing the potential of U.S. sourced goods across the entire CPG industry, the U.S. Farmed Certification aims to create a far greater impact for American agriculture than any one company could alone. Learn more about AFT and how you can help support our local farmers, ranchers, and beekeepers at www.farmland.org.




Bee part of something bigger, connect with our community today. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, X, and Pinterest.
SUE BEE® Honey Gift Box Giveaway Rules
SIOUX HONEY ASSOCIATION CO-OP (SHAC) OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES
NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE THE CHANCES OF WINNING.
1. Eligibility: This giveaway is only open to legal residents of the United States who are 18 years or older as of the date of entry and is void where prohibited by law. Employees of SHAC, its affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies, and suppliers, (collectively the “Employees”), and immediate family members and/or those living in the same household of Employees are not eligible to participate in the giveaway. The giveaway is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
2. Agreement to Rules: By participating, the Contestant (“You”) agree to be fully unconditionally bound by these Rules, and You represent and warrant that You meet the eligibility requirements. In addition, You agree to accept the decisions of SHAC as final and binding as it relates to the giveaway and these Rules.
3. Campaign Period: Entries will be accepted online starting on February 7, 2025, and ending February 14, 2025. All online entries must be received by midnight Central Time, February 14, 2025.
4. How to Enter: To enter, You must follow the Sioux Honey page on Instagram and like the giveaway post. The entry must fulfill all giveaway requirements, as specified, to be eligible to win a prize. Entries that are incomplete or do not adhere to the rules or specifications may be disqualified at the sole discretion of SHAC. You may enter only once. You must provide the information requested. You may not enter more times than indicated by using multiple email addresses, identities, or devices in an attempt to circumvent the rules. If You use fraudulent methods or otherwise attempt to circumvent the rules, your submission may be removed from eligibility at the sole discretion of SHAC.
5. Prizes: The Winner(s) of the giveaway (the “Winner”) will receive a SUE BEE® Honey Gift Box, which includes a bottle of SUE BEE® Sea Salt Honey, a bottle of SUE BEE® Hot Honey, a bottle of SUE BEE® Original Honey BBQ Sauce, and a bottle of SUE BEE® Sweet and Spicy Honey BBQ Sauce. The specifics of the prize shall be solely determined by SHAC. No cash or other prize substitution shall be permitted. No substitution of prize or request for the cash equivalent by the Winner is permitted. No transfer/assignment of prize to others is permitted unless the Winner does not respond to contact by SHAC within one week of initial contact. At that point, another Winner will be chosen. Acceptance of prize constitutes permission for SHAC to use Winner’s name, likeness, and entry for purpose of advertising and trade without further compensation, unless prohibited by law.
6. Odds: The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.
7. Winner Selection and Notification: The Winner will be selected by a random drawing under the supervision of SHAC. The Winner will be notified by a comment and/or message within five (5) days following selection of the Winner. SHAC shall have no liability for the Winner’s failure to receive notices due to spam, junk email or other security settings or for the Winner’s provision of incorrect or otherwise non-functioning contact information. If the Winner cannot be contacted or is ineligible, the prize may be forfeited and an alternate Winner selected. Receipt by the Winner of the prize offered in this giveaway is conditioned upon compliance with any and all federal, state, and local laws and regulations. ANY VIOLATION OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES BY THE WINNER (AT SHAC’s SOLE DISCRETION) WILL RESULT IN THE WINNER’S DISQUALIFICATION AS THE WINNER OF THE GIVEAWAY, AND ALL PRIVILEGES AS THE WINNER WILL BE IMMEDIATELY TERMINATED.
8. Rights Granted by You: By entering this giveaway, You understand and agree that SHAC or anyone acting on behalf of SHAC and SHAC’s licensees, successors, and assigns, shall have the right, where permitted by law, to print, publish, broadcast, distribute, and use in any media now known or hereafter developed, in perpetuity and throughout the World, without limitation, your entry, name, portrait, picture, voice, likeness, image, statements about the giveaway, and biographical information for news, publicity, information, trade, advertising, public relations, and promotional purposes without any further compensation, notice, review, or consent. By entering this content, You represent and warrant that your entry does not violate any third party’s proprietary or intellectual property rights. If your entry infringes upon the intellectual property right of another, You will be disqualified at the sole discretion of SHAC. If the content of your entry is claimed to constitute infringement of any proprietary or intellectual proprietary rights of any third party, You shall, at your sole expense, defend or settle against such claims. You shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless SHAC from and against any suit, proceeding, claims, liability, loss, damage, costs or expense which SHAC may incur, suffer, or be required to pay arising out of such infringement or suspected infringement of any third party’s right.
9. Terms & Conditions: SHAC reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Campaign should virus, bug, non-authorized human intervention, fraud, or other cause beyond SHAC’s control corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, or proper conduct of the Campaign. In such case, SHAC may select the Winner from all eligible entries received prior to and/or after (if appropriate) the action taken by SHAC. SHAC reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers or attempts to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the Campaign or website or violates these Terms & Conditions. SHAC has the right, in its sole discretion, to maintain the integrity of the Campaign, to void votes for any reason, including, but not limited to: multiple entries from the same user from different IP addresses; multiple entries from the same computer in excess of that allowed by Campaign rules; or the use of bots, macros, scripts, or other technical means for entering. Any attempt by an entrant to deliberately damage any website or undermine the legitimate operation of the Campaign may be a violation of criminal and civil laws. Should such attempt be made, SHAC reserves the right to seek damages to the fullest extent permitted by law.
10. Limitation of Liability: SHAC and its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, partners, representatives, agents, successors, assigns, employees, officers, and directors shall have no responsibility for any liability (including tax liability), illness, injury, death, loss, litigation, claim, or damage that may occur, directly or indirectly, whether caused by negligence or not, from: (i) such entrant’s participation in the Campaign and/or his/her acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any prize or any portion thereof; (ii) technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to, the malfunction of any computer, cable, network, hardware, software, or other mechanical equipment; (iii) the unavailability or inaccessibility of any transmissions, telephone, or internet service; (iv) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Promotion; (v) electronic or human error in the administration of the Promotion or the processing of entries.
11. Disputes: THIS GIVEAWAY IS GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF IOWA, WITHOUT RESPECT TO CONFLICT OF LAW DOCTRINES. As a condition of participating in this Campaign, participant agrees that any and all disputes that cannot be resolved between the parties and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Campaign shall be resolved individually without resort to any form of class action, exclusively before a court located in Iowa having jurisdiction. Further, in any such dispute, under no circumstances shall participant be permitted to obtain awards for and hereby waives all rights to, punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, including reasonable attorney’s fees, other than participant’s actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e., costs associated with entering this Campaign). Participant further waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased.
12. Copy of Rules/Winners List: To obtain a copy of the Winner’s name or a copy of these Official Rules, mail your request along with a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: Bozell, 2215 Harney St, Omaha, NE 68102. Requests must be received no later than May 31, 2022, 12:00 p.m. CST.
13. Sponsor: The Sponsor of the giveaway is Sioux Honey Association Co-op, 301 Lewis Blvd, Sioux City, IA 51101.
14. Facebook/Instagram: The Campaign hosted by SHAC is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook or Instagram.
Sharing Sweetness + Honey For Hope

Giving Back & Spreading Sweetness. Doesn’t Get Much Better Than That.
The hive has really been buzzing this year! From supporting the local Siouxland Warming Shelter, to donating over 10,000 bottles of SUE BEE® Honey to Food Banks across the nation, you could say we’ve been pretty busy bees! Bee puns aside, we saw the need for support and aid in our community and decided that we needed to do our part. All of this is a part of our charitable initiative Sharing Sweetness, in which we help give back to our communities that have helped us spread sweetness for over 100 years!



A Football Field Sized Honey Donation for National Honey Month
Sioux Honey Co-op also donated 10,000 bottles of its delicious SUE BEE® Clover Honey to food providers in California and Idaho. That’s enough honey to cover an entire football field, or drizzle over 220,672 pancakes! These donations were made in partnerships with Los Angeles-based Smart & Final, which operates 255 grocery stores in the western U.S., and WinCo Foods, a Boise, Idaho-based grocer with 126 locations in the Midwest and western U.S., all based around local communities near our co-op beekeepers.
Honey is shelf stable and incredibly versatile, it doesn’t need to be refrigerated, can be used to soothe a sore throat, tame a cough; it’s also a great substitute for sugar, honey is really truly a superfood. Sioux Honey Co-op has committed to more honey donations as the co-op continues sharing sweetness!


Sharing sweetness with the siouxland community
Our local Siouxland Warming Shelter was facing closure, with so many people in our community depending on them for a safe, warm, and caring place to stay through the winter, Sioux Honey Co-op saw this and had to step in, too many people depended on them to stay open. Our co-op made donations to help keep the Warming Shelter open so it could continue to serve our community members in need. Great news! With the huge outpouring of support, the Warming Shelter will continue to be able to serve those in need in our community!
Project Apis m. Researching the Honeybee
All of this is only possible because of the honeybee, and all of our beekeepers too! The health of honeybees is one of our top priorities as a co-op and thus have decided to contribute to Project Apis m. in order to help further the Projects research to better protect our beloved honeybees and develop better methods for successful beekeeping!
Check out Project Apis m. and their initiatives here: Project Apis m.









Bee part of something bigger, connect with our community today. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, X, and Pinterest, also check out more on our donations and blogs here: Honey For Hope. Sioux Honey Co-op Blogs.
Cinnamon Tortillas with Ice Cream & Honey
Ingredients
10 – 8in flour tortillas
SUE BEE® Sea Salt Honey
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
Ice cream of your choice
Any other toppings of your choice
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Brush tortillas with butter and cut each into wedges – 8 wedges per tortilla.
In a small bowl combine sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle over wedges.
Place on un-greased baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes or just until crisp.
Allow the chips to sit for about 5 minutes so they have time to fully crisp.
Scoop ice cream into a bowl, drizzle with SUE BEE® Sea Salt Honey, add toppings and enjoy!
Honey Oatmeal
Ingredients
Oatmeal
SUE BEE® Sea Salt Honey
Berries, nuts, or other preferred toppings
Directions
Cook oatmeal to preference.
Drizzle with SUE BEE® Sea Salt Honey.
Top with nuts, berries, or other preferred toppings.
Watermelon & Feta Honey Pizza
Ingredients
Watermelon
Feta cheese
SUE BEE® Sea Salt Honey
Mint or basil leaves
Directions
Cut watermelon into slices like pizza.
Drizzle with SUE BEE® Sea Salt Honey.
Top with feta and mint or basil leaves.
Whipped Cottage Cheese Dip
Ingredients
16oz cottage cheese
2 tbsp SUE BEE® Sea Salt Honey
Directions
Whip cottage cheese with 2 tbsp SUE BEE® Sea Salt Honey together in a blender.
Top with more honey.
Serve with chips, bread, crackers, fruit…
Salted Caramel Bananas Foster
Ingredients
2 large bananas, sliced in half lengthwise, then in fourths
1/4 cup SUE BEE® Sea Salt Honey
3 tbsp butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp brown sugar
Directions
Melt butter in pan, add all other remaining ingredients except bananas.
Mix well until bubbly.
Fold in bananas, sauté bananas for 2-3 minutes.
Serve with ice cream.
Salted Honey Popcorn
Ingredients
Popcorn (of your choice)
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp SUE BEE® Sea Salt Honey
Sea Salt (to taste)
Directions
Add honey to melted butter, stir until combined.
Add a couple dashes of sea salt, to taste.
Pour over popcorn and stir well.
Air fryer Honey Roasted Chickpeas
Ingredients
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 tbsp SUE BEE® Sea Salt Honey
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp vanilla
ground cinnamon, to taste
Directions
Preheat the air fryer to 380°F . Set the timer for 15 minutes
Pat the chickpeas dry with a paper towel.
In a bowl, mix the honey, olive oil, vanilla and cinnamon. Then add the chickpeas and toss them until they are evenly coated.
Transfer the seasoned chickpeas to the air fryer basket and spread them out evenly.
Allow the chickpeas to cook for 5-7 minutes, then shake the basket and cook for another 7-10 minutes.
Spicy Honey Ramen Noodles
Ingredients
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp SUE BEE® Sea Salt Honey
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp Sriracha
1/2 tsp ginger
1 garlic clove, diced
(optional) chopped green onions, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes
Directions
Cook ramen according to the package.
Add and stir: soy sauce, SUE BEE® Sea Salt Honey, olive oil, rice vinegar, Sriracha, ginger, and diced garlic clove.
Top with: chopped green onions, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes.
SUE BEE® Hot Honey Pickles
Ingredients
4-5 pickling cucumbers
3 cups water
3/4 cups distilled white vinegar
3/4 cup SUE BEE® Hot Honey
1 tsp whole mustard seed
2 tbsp Kosher salt
2 habanero peppers, stem removed, cut into fourths
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tsp whole white peppercorn
Directions
In a medium sauce pot, combine water, vinegar, hot honey, mustard seed, and Kosher salt. Bring to a low simmer, stirring until all ingredients (except mustard seed) are dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
In the bottom of two 16 ounce mason jars, place habanero peppers, garlic, and peppercorns, dividing evenly.
Cut cucumbers according to preference, divide evenly in mason jars.
When cooled, divide liquid evenly into the jars.
Place lids on jars and store in refrigerator.
The amount of time it will take to pickle depends on the size of the cut cucumbers, thinner slices can take around 10 days while thicker cuts can take up to 1 month.
Blooming Benefits: Sioux Honey Co-op’s Pollinator Garden

Great for the pollinators, even better for the environment!
In May of 2024, we planted our very own Sioux Honey Co-op pollinator garden right in our front yard! It was a great way to bring the team together, roll up the sleeves and get to work. We planted native flowers to better suit the needs of our local pollinators. Since May we have gotten to track the progression of our garden and let’s just say it is absolutely flourishing, bees have been buzzing, butterflies have been fluttering and flowers have been in full bloom! We can’t wait to see it continue growing next year and continue to nourish our local pollinators.



Why a Pollinator Garden?
Pollinator gardens are vital for sustaining local ecosystems. With many pollinator species, particularly bees, facing threats from habitat loss and pesticides, creating spaces filled with native plants is a simple yet effective way to support their populations. Native flowers are perfectly suited to the local climate and soil, providing the right resources for our local pollinators.
The Buzz About Bees and Other Pollinators
Bees play a crucial role in our food production. Approximately one-third of the food we eat relies on pollination, and bees are one of the top pollinators. By planting this garden, we’re not only creating a haven for them but also contributing to our own food security. A thriving population of pollinators means better pollination for fruits, vegetables, and even our beloved wildflowers.



A Buzzing Community
The pollinator garden is also an educational tool for our community. We invite visitors to learn about the importance of pollinators and how they can contribute to their protection. Simple actions, such as planting native flowers in backyards or reducing pesticide use can have a significant impact. Even the smallest of gardens, rooftop patches, or window boxes with native flowers can have a big impact on the health of pollinators!




Join Us in the Buzz!
Share your garden with us! If you plant a pollinator garden, we would love to see it. Be sure to post a photo on one of our social channels: Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest. For more information about planting for pollinators check out this guide from https://www.pollinator.org/ Quick Start Guide for your pollinator-friendly garden. Pollinator Friendly Gardens.
Check out some more Sioux Honey Co-op blogs here!







Halloween Themed Spooky Pasta
Ingredients
1 package (16 ounces) squid ink spaghetti
Chicken Stock
Mushrooms
1/4 cup Hot Honey
Parmesan Cheese
Bacon
Thyme
Salt and Black Pepper
Olive Oil
Cream
Onion
Garlic
Butter
Directions
Cut mushrooms in half. Carve eyes, nose, and mouths into mushrooms to make them into skulls.
Place a large pot of water with a generous sprinkle of salt on the stove ready to bring to a boil.
In a large non-stick frying pan melt butter with olive oil over medium heat. When the butter is foaming place mushrooms in the pan cut side down, skull faces up. Do not crowd the pan as the mushrooms will stew and not brown.
Cook mushrooms until browned and caramelized on their undersides.
Flip mushrooms over and cook for no more than a minute. Remove from the frying pan, place on a plate, and set aside.
Using the same frying pan the mushrooms were cooked in, add the extra ½ tablespoon of butter, and melt.
Add onions to the pan and cook over medium low heat until soft and translucent. Do not brown the mushrooms. This will take at least 5 minutes over medium low heat.
Once the onions are soft and translucent add bacon to the pan and cook a further 2-3 minutes.
Add garlic, SUE BEE® Hot Honey, and chicken stock to the pan and continue cooking.
Continue cooking and stirring the bacon mixture until the stock has reduced by half. The mixture will thicken and take on a cloudy saucy appearance.
At this point start bringing the pot of well salted water to a boil while you finish the sauce.
Then add cream to the pan and continue to cook for another few minutes until the sauce reduces slightly and thickens.
Reserve a couple of pinches of parmesan cheese to sprinkle over the finished dish. Then add the rest of the parmesan to the bacon mixture. Stir continuously until the cheese has melted through the bacon mixture.
Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper as needed. Remove creamy bacon sauce from the heat and set aside until the pasta is cooked.
As soon as the pot of water comes to a boil drop the squid ink spaghetti in. Cook as per packet instructions, and the pasta is al dente. Be careful not to overcook the pasta as it will continue to cook when added to the sauce.
Reserve some of the pasta cooking water.
Drain the spaghetti. Place the pan with the sauce back on medium low heat, and add the spaghetti.
Using tongs toss the spaghetti through the sauce. Add a little of the reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
Add skull mushrooms to the pasta and gently toss them through. Serve spooky pasta immediately with a sprinkle of fresh thyme and the reserved parmesan cheese.
Spooky Halloween Pizza
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Sue Bee® Hot Honey
- 2-8 oz cans crescent rolls
- 1 red pepper
- black olives
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Directions
- Make crescent rolls into pizza dough.
- Cut red pepper into strips and roast.
- Spread on ingredients. Make ghosts with mozzarella cheese and black olives.
- Bake at a reasonable temperature until dough is golden brown.
Sue Bee® Honey S’mores Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Sue Bee® Honey
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup graham crackers
- 10 large marshmallows
Directions
- Combine flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl.
- Cream butter, pour in sugar and mix.
- Mix in honey and beat the eggs.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
- Fold in chocolate chips and graham cracker pieces.
- Refrigerate for at least one hour and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Flatten 1 tbsp of dough, place on lined cookie sheet.
- Set marshmallows on cookies and top with another tbsp of dough. Repeat until cookie sheet is full.
- Bake 10-13 minutes and enjoy!
Sweet and Spicy Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup Sue Bee® Hot Honey
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup buttermilk or heavy cream
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
Directions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees F and lightly grease a 9×9-inch baking pan.
- Stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl; form a well in the center. Add cream, eggs, oil, and honey; stir until well combined and pour batter into the baking pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.
- Slather on butter or drizzle with Sue Bee® Hot Honey if you really want to kick up the heat. Enjoy!
Pollinator-Friendly Gardens
Create a honeybee-friendly garden today!
You don’t need a sprawling homestead to create a bee-friendly flower garden. It can be a small area of your yard and as modest as a window container or rooftop patch. The goal is to add to the shrinking amount of natural flower-rich habitat for honeybees.
In return, the bees will pollinate your flowers and can help provide a harvest of fruits, seeds and vegetables that you and others in your neighborhood might plant. Planting flowers and plants that honeybees, butterflies and other pollinators can forage not only helps sustain the honeybee, it also adds colorful, natural beauty to a yard. It’s a win-win.
Before you get started, consider these five tips:
1. Plant native flowers – Plant flowers that bees in your area are used to – ones that are uniquely adapted to your region. It’s a good idea to visit a local garden center whose experts can help you find the perfect bee-friendly flowers. Plus, they will carry seeds and flowering plants that are specifically suited for your area. Here is a site that can help you find pollinators native to your area. https://www.pollinator.org/guides
2. Single-flower tops are ideal – Try to select single-flower tops for your bee garden, such as daisies and marigolds, rather than double-flower tops, such as double impatiens. Double-headed flowers look pretty, but they also produce much less nectar and make it tougher for bees to access pollen.
3. Variety is the spice of life for bees – Mix up the selection of the types of flowers you plant so you can have blooms during as many seasons as possible. That way, bees have a consistent food source on which to dine. More examples include: springtime bloomers – crocus, hyacinth, borage, calendula and wild lilac; summertime bloomers – cosmos, echinacea, snapdragon, foxglove and hostas; fall bloomers – zinnias, sedum, asters, witch hazel and goldenrod.
4. No need to make it high maintenance – It’s important to remember that a bee-friendly garden doesn’t need to rely on constant upkeep. In fact, this is the type of garden that you can plant and then let grow.
5. About pesticides and fertilizers – Don’t use them in a bee garden. They can be toxic to bees. Ladybugs, spiders and praying mantises will naturally keep pest populations in check. If you must, use only natural pesticides and fertilizers.
Share your garden with us! If you plant a summer bee garden, we would love to see it. Be sure to post a photo on one of our social channels: Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest.
For more information about planting for pollinators check out this guide from https://www.pollinator.org/
Quick Start Guide for your pollinator-friendly garden. Pollinator Friendly Gardens