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I was trying to think of an inspiration for this week’s column, and it came in an unusual form. Our publisher, Matt Silver, and I were  judges in the Chisago Lakes Spelling Bee earlier this week. Matt has been doing it for quite some time and this was my third year doing it. As I was writing this column on Tuesday and brainstorming for it, I was also counting down the hours to the bee and for some reason it came to me to just do honey recipes!

There’s plenty of unique recipes with honey, and they are pretty useful right now. Honey is versatile and can be used in so many different sides, meats and desserts.

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I just had some breakfast biscuit sandwich recipes last week, and the star of this next recipe is the honey butter!

SKILLET BISCUITS WITH CINNAMON HONEY BUTTER

4 1/2 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 1/4 c. cold salted butter, divided

2 1/2 c. buttermilk, divided

3 tbsp. honey, divided

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Cut 1 cup of the butter into small chunks, making sure it stays as cold as possible. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the chilled butter bits into the flour mixture until blended thoroughly. Make a well in the center and gently stir in 21⁄4 cups buttermilk and 2 tablespoons honey until the dough just comes together.

Turn-out the dough onto a generously floured surface and use floured hands to press it into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Fold one of the short sides into the center and then the other side (like a letter); rotate the folded dough 90° and press to 1-inch thick again. Repeat this process two more times, folding, rotating and pressing the dough.

Using a floured 2 1⁄4-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out rounds of dough and place in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet (do not twist the cutter when pressing out the rounds—twisting seals the edges and prevents the biscuits from rising). Gently reroll the scraps, if needed, and cut out more biscuits (you should have about 14). Brush the tops of the biscuits with the remaining 1⁄4 cup buttermilk.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the tops and bottoms are golden brown and the dough is cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe bowl, combine the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon honey, and the cinnamon and microwave until softened; mix until combined. Brush the hot biscuits with some of the cinnamon butter and serve the rest on the side.

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Can’t go through this space without a honey mustard recipe. It’s a killer flavor and I don’t even like mustard!

HONEY MUSTARD CHICKEN

1/4 c. country dijon mustard

1/4 c. honey

1/4 c. yellow mustard

3 tbsp. olive oil, divided

2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

2 tbsp. mayonnaise

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts

In a medium bowl, whisk together the country Dijon mustard, honey, yellow mustard, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, garlic, rosemary, salt, paprika, and pepper. In another medium bowl, place ⅓ cup of the marinade and whisk in the mayonnaise. Cover and refrigerate the dipping sauce until ready to use.

If using chicken breasts, put the chicken breasts between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound with the flat side of a meat mallet or a heavy skillet so they are of uniform thickness.

Place the chicken thighs or breasts in a gallon-sized plastic zip-top bag. Add the remaining marinade, seal the bag, and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours).

For the stovetop: Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Discard the remaining marinade. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and swirl to coat the pan.

Place the chicken in the pan and cook until nicely seared and the chicken releases easily from the pan, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, undisturbed, until the chicken releases easily from the pan and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let rest for 5 minutes and serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

For the grill: Preheat a grill to medium heat, around 350 degrees. Oil the grill grates well.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Discard the remaining marinade. Place the chicken over the grill. Cover and cook until grill marks appear and the chicken easily releases, 6 to 8 minutes.

Flip the chicken and continue cooking until it is no longer pink in the middle and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, 2 to 3 minutes more. Let rest for 5 minutes and serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

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BEE KNEE’S 

COCKTAIL

1/2 oz. honey syrup (see step 1)

1 oz. lemon juice (about ½ medium lemon)

2 oz. gin

Lemon twist, for garnish

To make the honey syrup: Combine equal parts honey and water (say, 2 tablespoons each if you’re only making a few cocktails) in a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan. Warm in the microwave or over the stovetop just until you can completely stir the honey into the water. Set aside.

To make the cocktail, fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the honey syrup, lemon juice and gin. Securely fasten the lid and shake until the mixture is very cold, about 30 seconds.

Strain the drink into a glass. Twist the lemon peel over the cocktail to release some of its oils

TFD: Don't watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.

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