Honey Orange Spice Blend | #DominoHoneyGranules

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January and February are usually my default down time when it comes to menu planning. After three fast and furious months of holiday inspired food, those couple of months are a welcome relief. But once the snow has melted and green starts to replace brown, and birds are chirping and tease outside my window, the itch returns. Those signs of rebirth signal not only the start of spring, but the return of the get-together. And that means menu planning!

While the first day of spring and St. Paddy's Day are both reason enough to celebrate, Easter plans usually wind up taking center stage. This is probably because it's really the first extended family get together of the new year. For as long as I can remember, we've eaten ham on Easter. Where our fall and winter holiday menus tend to be extensive, the ideas of a new beginning and spring cleaning seem to prevail this time of year.

Sides of scalloped potatoes and tender new asparagus, Hawaiian rolls, and occasionally a corn casserole, fit nicely alongside the ham (which is usually the star) on our menu. Where my grandma and mom always kept it pretty traditional, when I started cooking the ham, it's been different every year. Some years a simple glazed spiral ham, others a picnic ham cooked, with the skin pulled back to reveal a glistening layer of fat just begging to be scored and flavored.

One of my (and maybe everybody's) favorite ham components is honey. Today I want to share how Domino® Honey Granules, a free-flowing mix of granulated pure cane sugar and honey, can fit perfectly into anybody's spring menu planning—Easter or otherwise. I love me some honey, but everybody knows that it can be a sticky mess. This easy-pour canister with recloseable flip-top lid on Domino® Honey Granules helps you avoid clogged messy bottles and sticky rings on the shelves of your cabinet or pantry which is a major bonus. But really, my favorite thing about the Honey Granules is the convenience factor.

I love the taste of honey, and the fact that they can be used as a substitute for some (or all) of the granulated sugar called for in recipes makes me happy. They are fantastic for sweetening tea or some plain Greek yogurt, but today I want to talk about one of the coolest ways to use them—in homemade spice blends.

Today I'm sharing a blend that I made specifically with Easter ham in mind. I used the traditional flavors of honey, allspice, cloves, mustard, and citrus as the base of this blend. It lends itself perfectly to flavoring a ham by permeating that scored layer of fat that I mentioned it. But I know some people can't have a ham without glaze, fortunately this Honey Citrus Spice Blend works well to flavor a glaze, as well.

But if you don't eat ham, don't let that stop you from making a jar of this to keep in your spice cupboard. It also adds wonderful flavor to roasted veggies, and pairs nicely with duck, chicken, or other cuts of pork. So go ahead, sprinkle a taste of honey this season!

Honey Orange Spice Blend

This versatile homemade spice blend featuring Domino® Honey Granules and orange peel adds the perfect sweet citrus touch to both meat and veggies.

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: n/a

Keywords: condiment

Ingredients (scant 1 1/2 cups)

• 3/4 cup Domino® Honey Granules
• 1/4 cup dried orange peel
• 1/4 cup ground mustard
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper

Instructions

Place all of the ingredients in a bowl or baggie and stir/shake until well combined. Transfer to a jar or container with an airtight lid and store in a dark place.

Uses for Honey Orange Spice Blend:

Season pork, chicken, or duck before cooking or in advance with a little fat and/or liquid to marinate. Pat a couple of tablespoons over the scored fat of a ham during the last 15-20 minutes of roasting.

Mix 1 heaping tablespoon with 1 cup of good jam or marmalade and a splash of orange juice or wine. Heat over low heat and stir until combined and Honey Granules are dissolved. Brush over ham (or pork, duck, chicken) several times during the last 15 minutes of roasting.

Drizzle trimmed potatoes, carrots, or other root vegetables with olive oil, then sprinkle with some of this mixture. Toss to coat, then spread on a baking sheet and roast until tender.

Domino® Honey Granules is sold where I live, but if they don’t sell it in your area, look for C&H® Honey Granules, the sister brand of Domino®.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.