Milk and Honey Sourdough Bread

Gosh, I adore sourdough bread. I love watching the starter grow when it gets fed. I feel good about the food I am feeding my family when I serve them bread with three to four ingredients rather than a list of things I can’t pronounce. For years, I did a simple water, flour, salt dough. My kiddos ate it, but they yearned for something better for sandwiches. Something less dense with a little more flavor. I did some research, and have started baking a delicious milk and honey sourdough bread that I am so excited to share with you. 

But first, can I share a SHORT story with you? 

A few years ago, I decided to make a list of 33 random things to do while I was 33. They varied from bake a fruit tart, to compete in a sprint triathlon, go to a concert, visit three new state parks, etc. It was so much fun to challenge myself to try new and fun things I wouldn’t normally do. One item on the list that truly changed my life was, “take a class at one of two foundations in town.” Initially, I took a Restorative Yoga class, which led me to the instructor, which lead me to her studio, and now, I get to lead barre classes 2-4 times a week. This has brought a beautiful community of women into my life that I am grateful for every day. 

I also took a class on sourdough baking put on by Sunrise Flour Mill. And honestly, I knew nothing about sourdough. I knew some people loved it, but had no idea how it was created, baked, anything. The idea of a sourdough starter was foreign to me. But I took a little portion cup of my starter I fondly called “Fred,” and got to work. I made terrible bread. Then I made beautiful bread. I played with sourdough bagels, crackers, tortillas. I made all the things, and I am at a point in my life and gut health that I strive to only eat bread products that I have created. 

Why do I share?  

Because this little list that I was inspired to create truly has molded my life in a way I never could have imagined. I am a teacher at heart, but never thought I would lead fitness classes. I love to bake, but never had heard of sourdough in my life. It led me to buying flour from the natural food store and having better, whole foods in my home for my family. If you at all feel inspired, make yourself a list for a year and do some wonderful and out of your comfort zone things. Future you will thank you. 

But this is a blog post about a delicious milk and honey sourdough bread that I am beyond excited to share with you. Ready to get preparing? I hope so! Oh, and you say you don’t have a sourdough starter? Check out King Arthur’s Flour for a great recipe!

Your Ingredients for Milk and Honey Sourdough Bread

  • 250 grams fresh and active sourdough starter 
  • 300 grams bread flour 
  • 50 grams whole wheat flour (you need a little whole wheat in your life)
  • 250 grams white all purpose flour
  • 20 grams kosher salt
  • 400 grams skim milk 
  • 40 grams honey 

Determining Your Time Line

If your starter hasn’t been doubled in the last 12-24 hours, be sure to start there. I usually do this the morning I am going to put it together or in the evening if I want to mix it up in the morning. The thing about sourdough is that it takes time and determining how to fit it into your schedule can be the hardest part. Here’s what has worked for me: 

If you want to bake in the late morning: 

The morning before, double the starter. 

The evening before, you will mix the dough. It will rest overnight. (Mixing and folding the dough will need about 40 minutes of time, but can be done while you are doing other things)

The morning of, do the final folding of the dough about 2-3 hours before you want to bake it. 

If you want to bake in the evening: 

The evening before, double the starter. 

The morning of, you will mix the dough. It will rest overnight. (Mixing and folding the dough will need about 40 minutes of time but can be done while you’re getting ready for the day)

The evening of, do the final folding of the dough about 2-3 hours before you want to bake it. 

Your Steps to Delicious Milk and Honey Sourdough Bread

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl with a cover (plastic wrap or bees wraps would work too)  Mix together with hands that have been run under water and then shaken off, but not dried (damp hands?). And I have to say, truth be told, I have forgotten the salt more than I care to admit because I can mix this by memory. Don’t do that! It’s amazing what 20 little grams of salt does to bread. 

Allow the dough to rest, covered, for 10-15 minutes. It WILL be very wet. After the 15 minutes has finished, fold in the “corners” (think, north, south, east, west) of the bed to the center with damp hands. I keep one hand wet and it does the folding the and the other hand spins the bowl. Repeat this process 4-5 times, every 5-10 minutes. (“Alexa, set a timer for 5 minutes” is heard at our house so often. But if you miss the 5 minute mark for any reason, it’s very forgiving.) Cover and allow the rest approximately 12 hours. 

Note: My dough generally rests overnight or during the work day. If you need to speed up the process, find a warmer spot for your dough to hang out. I have set it on the porch on a warm, humid day and had bread ready to go in 5 hours. You can slow it down by putting it in the fridge. 

About 12 hours later

Uncover the dough. Fold in the corners once more. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Heavily flour a surface (I LOVE to have an old, large spice container for this. It’s a must in the kitchen for a baker). With damp hands, lift the dough out of the container and onto the flour. Cut into two equal pieces (I use a turner in a pinch if you don’t have a pastry scraper). Fold the top and bottom of each piece in. Allow to rest 5-10 minutes. With damp hands, repeat this process, flipping the seam onto the table, resting once more. Place loaves into greased bread pans, cover with a towel, and allow to rest until doubled. I generally preheat my oven at this point, and allow the loaves to rest on a burner that is NOT the vent. This speeds up the doubling process just a little bit. 

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place bread in oven, baking for 30 minutes. If your oven bakes unevenly at all, rotate the bread half way through. 

Now, I challenge you to take it out of the oven and NOT cut right into it. I can’t help it, every time. Fresh bread is just the best. Get a little butter, or homemade jam from my canning page, and man, life is so good. It’s the simple, little things, right? 

  • A food scale is a must!
  • Add the milk
  • and then the honey!
  • Mix it with one hand. Keep the other clean.
  • Fold it in 5-10 times.
  • After a little rest.
  • Getting ready to be baked.
  • Perfection.

Tools of the Trade

Here are a few tools I love to have around when I am baking sourdough!

Dough scrappers are great for not only cutting the dough, but cleaning the mess off the table and getting the dough out of the bowl.

I love that this scale is rechargeable. I can’t tell you how often I used to take out my kitchen scale only to find that the battery was dead and I didn’t have another one on hand. No more waste!

And my go to bread pans. I love bannetons too, but when I am baking sandwich bread, these are the pans I use!

Milk and Honey Sourdough Bread

A simple, seven ingredient milk and honey sourdough bread that is ready for sandwiches, jelly, and more!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Rest TIme 12 hours
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Sourdough
Servings 2 loaves

Ingredients
  

  • 250 grams fresh and active sourdough starter
  • 300 grams bread flour
  • 50 grams whole wheat flour
  • 250 grams white all purpose flour
  • 20 grams kosher salt
  • 400 grams skim milk
  • 40 grams honey

Instructions
 

  • Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl with a cover. Mix together with hands that have been run under water and then shaken off, but not dried.
  • Allow the dough to rest, covered, for 10-15 minutes. It be very wet.
  • After the 15 minutes has finished, fold in the “corners” (think, north, south, east, west) of the bed to the center with damp hands.
  • I keep one hand wet and it does the folding the and the other hand spins the bowl. Repeat this process 4-5 times, every 5-10 minutes.
  • Cover and allow the rest approximately 12 hours.
  • Uncover the dough. Fold in the corners once more. Allow to rest for 10 minutes.
  • Heavily flour a surface With damp hands, lift the dough out of the container and onto the flour.
  • Cut into two equal pieces. Fold the top and bottom of each piece in. Allow to rest 5-10 minutes.
  • With damp hands, repeat this process, flipping the seam onto the table, resting once more.
  • Place loaves into greased bread pans, cover with a towel, and allow to rest until doubled on a preheating stove (400 degrees), but away from the vent.
  • Place bread in oven, baking for 30 minutes. If your oven bakes unevenly at all, rotate the bread half way through.
Keyword sandwich bread, sourdough, sourdough baking
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Jess1 Comment

Garden Fresh Tomato Sauce

Canning and preserving from my garden is my jam all summer long. I love the color, the flavor, the dirt under my nails and ALLL the mason jars. Seriously, there isn’t much better than a line of mason jars that are full of the garden’s bounty. I remember when I first started planting our garden, my theory was, “Plant all the plants. The worst thing that happens is that some of the food goes to the chickens, our friends, or the compost pile.” But I love to fill our shelves and freezer with food we grew, so it rarely goes to waste. One of my favorite things to preserve is garden fresh tomato sauce. 

After trying a few different recipes, I developed this lower yield recipe (15 pounds really is a lower yield! Check out any Ball Canning Book to see!). I hear you saying, “But Jess! I don’t have 15 pounds of tomatoes ready at any time and I don’t go to the farmer’s market!”. I’ve got your back with a great solution: The freezer.

The Hack

I rarely have enough tomatoes ripe at one time for 15 pounds. If you are like me, let me share the trick that was an immediate love for me: When you have a large amount of ripe tomatoes on the counter, stem, wash, and dry them. From here, place the tomatoes in a freezer safe container or bag. I like to label them with their weight ahead of time. When you are ready for canning, simply take the bags out a day or two ahead of time to thaw (or you can place them in the sink with warm water to speed up the process). 

This method is awesome for two reasons: 

  1. You can use your own tomatoes, even if you don’t have a ton of plants. They won’t rot on your counter waiting. 
  2. When the tomatoes thaw, the skins come right off. I like to can my sauce with the skin (so many of the nutrients are there!), but it is nice to get rid of a few of them. 

Regardless of how you come by your tomatoes (friends, farmer’s market, your own dirt), let’s get going with some great garden fresh tomato sauce! Oh, and if you plan on canning it and are new to it, check out the National Center for Home Preservation Site for more information! 

Your Ingredients For Garden Fresh Tomato Sauce

  • 15 pounds of tomatoes, cleaned and roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil 
  • 2 cups onions
  • 3 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 cup fresh basil, chopped
  • ½ cup fresh oregano
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pepper 
  • 1 tablespoon canning salt 

Your Steps to Garden Fresh Tomato Sauce

Cooking

Begin by heating olive oil over medium heat in a sauté pan. Add onions and garlic. Cook until translucent and soft, about ten minutes, stirring often. 

In a large kettle, combine onion mixture, chopped tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Continue to simmer over medium heat, stirring often. 

Pro tip

As the sauce is cooking down, you will have a lot of liquid that you are simmering off. You can cut your cook time significantly by bailing out this liquid using a colander and measuring cup. Push the colander down onto the tomatoes, forcing the liquid up. Then use the measuring cup to ladle it out. You can simply dump it or save it as a light tomato juice. I ladle it into mason jars and save it in the fridge for my husband. 

After the tomatoes have begun to break down (about 30-60 minutes later), puree them. I like to use my stick blender to do this. It means less dishes to clean! Alternatively, you can transfer it to a food mill to puree. Once totally in sauce form, continue to cook down until the volume of the sauce has reduced to about one-half the original amount. 

Canning

While the tomatoes are cooking down, you can begin to prepare your canner and jars if you plan on processing them. (If you want to simply place the sauce in the freezer, that’s totally okay. You can transfer it to freezer safe containers or bags and freeze once cool.)

Wash and sanitize pint or quart jars, rings, and lids. Keep warm. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 2 inches of water. Cover and heat on high. Watch the temperature, you want a simmer but not a boil when you place the jars in the water. 

Once the sauce and canner are ready, you can begin to fill the jars. To be sure there is enough acid to have self stable jars, you must add citric acid or bottled lemon juice. 

  • Add ¼ teaspoon citric acid or 1 tablespoon lemon juice to pint jars. 
  • Add ½ teaspoon citric acid or 2 tablespoons lemon juice to quart jars. 

Finish it up!

Ladle the hot tomato sauce into jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process pint jars 35 minutes or quart jars 40 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Then remove jars from the canner, placing them on the counter. Listen for the ping of the lids over the next 12 hours. Sealed jars are self-stable. If any jar doesn’t seal, simply place it right in the refrigerator and enjoy over the next week or so. 

Onions and garlic. Perhaps the best smell?
I adore all the color!
Slowly cooking down.
Getting so much closer!
Bailing it out is such a hack!
Blended and cooked down!
Get the jars ready!
Almost there!
Delicious!

Looking to preserve more of your garden? Check out my canning and preserving page by clicking the button!

Canning and Preserving

Tools of the Trade

I adore my immersion blender for all things canning when I need to blend. Canning tools are a must and what is canning if you don’t have a waterbath canner?

Garden Fresh Tomato Sauce

Basil, oregano, and garlic flavor this great tomato sauce
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Processing Time 40 minutes
Course dinner
Cuisine Canning
Servings 3 quarts

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 15 pounds of tomatoes cleaned and roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups onions
  • 3 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 cup fresh basil chopped
  • ½ cup fresh oregano
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pepper
  • 1 tablespoon canning salt

Instructions
 

  • Begin by heating olive oil over medium heat in a sauté pan. Add onions and garlic. Cook until translucent and soft, about ten minutes, stirring often.
  • In a large kettle, combine onion mixture, chopped tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Continue to simmer over medium heat, stirring often.
  • After the tomatoes have begun to break down (about 30-60 minutes later), puree them. A stick blender or food mill works well. Once totally in sauce form, continue to cook down until the volume of the sauce has reduced to about one-half the original amount.
  • While the tomatoes are cooking down, you can begin to prepare your canner and jars if you plan on processing them. (If you want to simply place the sauce in the freezer, that’s totally okay. You can transfer it to freezer safe containers or bags and freeze once cool.)
  • Wash and sanitize pint or quart jars, rings, and lids. Keep warm. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 2 inches of water. Cover and heat on high. Watch the temperature, you want a simmer but not a boil when you place the jars in the water.
  • Once the sauce and canner are ready, you can begin to fill the jars. To be sure there is enough acid to have self stable jars, you must add citric acid or bottled lemon juice.
  • Add ¼ teaspoon citric acid or 1 tablespoon lemon juice to pint jars. Add ½ teaspoon citric acid or 2 tablespoons lemon juice to quart jars.
  • Ladle the hot tomato sauce into jars, leaving ½ inch headspace.
  • Wipe rims of the jars with a damp cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high.
  • Once the canner reaches a boil, process pint jars 35 minutes or quart jars 40 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Then remove jars from the canner, placing them on the counter.

Notes

As the sauce is cooking down, you will have a lot of liquid that you are simmering off. You can cut your cook time significantly by bailing out this liquid using a colander and measuring cup. Push the colander down onto the tomatoes, forcing the liquid up. Then use the measuring cup to ladle it out. You can simply dump it or save it as a light tomato juice.
Keyword Canning, from the garden, preserving, tomato sauce, tomatoes
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Wild Grape Jelly

I am so excited to share my wild grape jelly with all of you! It’s just three simple ingredients that you likely have and didn’t even know! But before I get there, I want to share a habit I have that led to this fun recipe! 

About five years ago, the Mr. and I started a routine of grabbing a cup of coffee and walking around our orchard on top of the hill on our land. We did it right before I left for work, saying good morning to our trees and plants. That little walkabout gradually turned into a ½ mile walk, which grew to 2 miles, and is now generally a 2.5-4 mile walk every morning. It’s so special and a pivotal part of our marriage; we make big plans, fight, discuss our children, our dreams, everything. 

Our walks have added a lot of value to our lives beyond helping our marriage be the best it can be. I have learned a crazy amount about the plants and animals we see along the way. I can identify at least ten different plants that can be foraged from the side of the road, including the wild grape. (You should hear our conversations…here’s just a bit of it: 

Me: What’s that plant? 

Mr: It’s ‘fill in the blank.’ 

Me: I think you can eat that! 

Mr: Just because you can eat it doesn’t mean you need to. Or sometimes, “I love you honey.” 

Anywho, the Mr. doesn’t discourage the wild grapes. He just reminds me that if I want to make wild grape jelly, I need to get to them before the birds do. Many of the wild grape vines don’t seem to produce fruit, but you know I am always on the lookout. The moment I find some, I go in for the harvest. The grapes that grow here are perfectly tart; think blueberries that have been harvested just a hair too early. And that makes them delicious and the perfect candidate for wild grape jelly. 

And great news! This recipe is VERY flexible in terms of quantity. Whatever you harvest is what you can work with. (Be sure you are finding wild grapes and not a poisonous look alike. Wild grapes will have heart shaped leaves with serrated edges. While I am not from Missouri, there Department of Conservation has a great website on identifying animals and plants in the field.)

Your Ingredients For Wild Grape Jelly

  • wild grapes, rinsed and removed from the stem 
  • sugar (½ cup for every cup of juice after straining)
  • lemon juice (½ tablespoon for every cup of juice after straining)

Begin Boiling 

Place the rinsed and stemmed grapes in a kettle. You can add a few tablespoons of water here to help prevent sticking. Heat over medium-high heat, using a potato masher or wooden fermentation tapper to break them down. A large spoon would also work, but I love my tapper and I don’t even ferment food yet. 

Once the grapes have come to a boil and sufficiently broken down, remove from heat. From here, you have a few options: 

  • Strain through a few layers of cheese cloth, collecting the liquid in a liquid measuring cup. 
  • Rest a small holed strainer over a bowl and use the tapper once more to force as much liquid and pulp through the strainer, being mindful to have holes smaller than the seeds of the grape. (This is the option I go with)

If you haven’t already, pour the grape juice into a liquid measuring cup to determine the amount of sugar and lemon juice you should add. 

Place the juice in a large kettle. For every cup of liquid, stir in ½ cup sugar and a ½ tablespoon lemon juice. Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often. Your end goal is to reach the gelling point. There are lots of tests for this, but I prefer the temperature test. If you are at sea level, the gelling point is at 220 degrees. For every 1000 feet of elevation, you subtract 2 degrees. For me, the gelling point is 218 degrees. Don’t have a decent food thermometer? Check out the National Center for Home Preservation website for other ways of testing for the gelling point. 

It takes longer to reach the gelling point than I think it should. It also goes from needing 3 degrees to reaching the gelling point fast. You can get complacent while you are waiting and suddenly hit the temperature, so I am trying to warn you 🙂 

While the jelly is boiling, begin to prepare your water bath canner and jars if you plan on processing them. (If you want to simply place the jelly in the fridge after it hits the gelling point, that’s 100% okay. You don’t need to process it. However, if you want it self-stable, you should process in a waterbath canner.)

Canning Time!

Wash and sanitize jars, rings, and lids. Keep warm. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 2 inches of water. Cover and heat on high. Watch the temperature, you want a simmer but not a boil when you place the jars in the water. 

Once the wild grape jelly has reached the gelling point, remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ¼  inch head space. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from canner, placing on the counter. Listen for the ping of the lids over the next 12 hours. Sealed jars are self stable. If any jar doesn’t seal, simply place it right in the refrigerator. 

PS…To be especially awesome, have some fresh baked bread on hand to spread the left over wild grape jelly in the kettle on a slice. Enjoy while the rest of the jelly is in the water bath. I promise, you’ll thank me.

First, harvest from the field.
Then smash them up!
Get that beautiful juice and pulp.
Check that color!
Boil, boil away to get to the boiling point.
I just love a cutting board picture!
Finally, perfection!

Tools of the Trade

If you haven’t gotten one yet, you’ll want a nice kettle for water bath canning! While not necessary, a set of canning tools makes the process so much easier. And finally, a fermentation tamper actually works GREAT for all sorts of canning processes!

Wild Grape Jelly

Foraged wild grapes from the woods come together with some sugar and lemon juice to create a tart and delicious wild grape jelly!
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Canning
Servings 12 per jar

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup grape juice per 1/2 pint jar
  • 1/2 cup sugar per 1/2 pint jar
  • 1/2 tbsp lemon juice per 1/2 pint jar

Instructions
 

  • Place the rinsed and stemmed grapes in a kettle. You can add a few tablespoons of water here to help prevent sticking. Heat over medium-high heat, using a potato masher or wooden fermentation tapper to break them down.
  • Once the grapes have come to a boil and have sufficiently broken down, either strain through a cheese cloth into a liquid measuring cup or run through a mesh strainer using the tapper or a spoon to force as much liquid and pulp through.
  • Pour grape juice into a liquid measuring cup to determine the amount of sugar and lemon juice you should add.
  • Wash and sanitize jars, rings, and lids. Keep warm. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 2 inches of water. Cover and heat on high. Watch the temperature, you want a simmer but not a boil when you place the jars in the water.
  • Place the juice in a large kettle. For every cup of liquid, stir in ½ cup sugar and a ½ tablespoon lemon juice. Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often. Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often.
  • Heat to 8 degrees above the boiling point of water. If you are at sea level, the gelling point is at 220 degrees. For every 1000 feet of elevation, you subtract 2 degrees.
  • Once the jelly has reached the gelling point, remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ¼ inch head space. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from canner and allow to rest for 12 hours before storing.

Notes

You can skip the processing step all together if you feel more comfortable. If you do so, the jam will need to be stored in the refrigerator. The process of water bath canning creates a self-stable jam. That is, a jam that can be stored on the shelf.
Keyword Foraging, Grape Jelly, Jellies and Jams, Waterbath Canning, Wild Grapes
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Jess19 Comments

Roasted and Preserved Tomatoes

Every year, I get so excited to plant tomato plants. Even in our first years with a garden, we couldn’t keep up with our tomato love. I vividly remember my darling son as a toddler eating every single cherry or grape tomato we grew. They didn’t even make it out of the garden! Now, I get all those beautiful drops of red, orange, and yellow and turn them into roasted and preserved tomatoes. 

Now, it’s a joke between my husband and I that I will always plant too many cherry and grape tomato plants. Why buy one if you can buy four? And you have to have a few varieties, right? And so, we have an abundance of bit size tomatoes. One year, an acquaintance suggested roasting them, and I have never looked back! 

This is such a simple and flavorful way to preserve tomatoes. All you need is an oven, a baking sheet, some parchment paper, and your favorite tomato spices. Let’s get to creating some roasted and preserved tomatoes. 

Per pound of tomatoes, you will need: 

½ tablespoon olive oil 

¼ teaspoon each of: salt, pepper, oregano, garlic, or any other spice you love with tomatoes

Your Steps to Roasted and Preserved Tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Wash and dry the tomatoes. Slice each tomato in half. Lay cut side UP on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic, etc on top. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until just beginning to caramelize. Allow to cool. 

From here, you can totally just snack on them. If you want to preserve for later, stick the tray in the freezer for 2-3 hours. Transfer to a freezer safe container and use within a year. So quick, easy, and a great way to preserve your harvest!

Slice them up!
Drizzle with oil and season it up!
Roast them!
Freeze them!

Roasted and Preserved Tomatoes

Too many grape and cherry tomatoes? Like to preserve the flavor of summer for the winter months? Create these roasted and preserved tomatoes!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 5 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound cherry or grape tomatoes any variety
  • ½ tablespoon olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  • Wash and dry the tomatoes.
  • Slice each tomato in half. Lay cut side up on a parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic, etc on top.
  • Bake for 20-30 minutes, until just beginning to caramelize. Allow to cool.
  • To preserve, place the tray in the freezer for 2-3 hours.
  • Transfer to a freezer safe container and use within a year.
Keyword cherry tomatoes, freezing, preserving, side dish, tomatoes, Vegan, vegetables
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other preserving recipes?

Check out my canning and preserving page! Or maybe one of the recipes below will speak to you!

Jess2 Comments

Gooseberry Jam

My journey to gooseberry jam has been an interesting one with more than one road traveled. The beginning of the story starts at the farmer’s market. Initially, I had tried a berry and loved it. I left, forgetting what it was that I had tried, and decided it was gooseberries and had to plant some. 

Well, they grew fruit and they were not the fruit I remembered from the farmer’s market trip. But I still enjoyed them. Around the same time, I became fascinated by foraging and the idea of finding the edibles of the woods. And would you know it, wild gooseberries became on my radar. Friends, they are everywhere! I find them in our woods, on the side of the road, and in so many state parks. If you are a midwesterner like myself, check your woods. I bet you have some too! Here’s a great link to get an idea of what you’re looking for. I became enamored with the berries in my yard and all around me. I wanted to share them with everyone!

Currently, I have four bushes (some red, some green) that I tend to. And boy, do they produce. We snack on them, but I have also taken to canning these sweet-tart berries into three ingredient jam. It can’t get much better than that, can it? (See what I did there? I am punny!) Ready? Let’s get gooseberry jam creating!

Your Ingredients for Gooseberry Jam

Per ½ pint jar (jelly jar), you will need: 

  • 1 cup of gooseberries, cleaned
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ tablespoon lemon juice 

The Prep Work

Fill the canning kettle with enough water that the jars will be covered by at least 2 inches of water. More is better in this case so over estimate. Begin to heat over high heat. Place the canning rack so that it is hooked over the side of the canner and put clean jars on it to keep them warm. Note: You don’t have to keep the jars in the rack, although it is helpful to keep them warm. You want the jars warm to prevent breaking when they are being filled. 

Set the clean rings aside. I like to simmer my lids on low low heat in a small saucepan. Not necessary, but I like to think it helps them seal better. 

If you have not already done so, clean 1 cup of gooseberries for every ½ pint jar of jam you intend on canning. To clean, you need to remove both the stem and the flower portion of the berry. See the picture below. 

The Gooseberry Jam Making

In a large, preferably shallow, kettle, smash the gooseberries with a potato masher. Then, for every cup of berries, stir in ½ cup sugar and a ½ tablespoon lemon juice. Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often. I like to smash the berries more as they are cooking down. 

Your end goal is to reach the gelling point. There are lots of tests for this, but I prefer the temperature test. If you are at sea level, the gelling point is at 220 degrees. For every 1000 feet of elevation, you subtract 2 degrees. For me, the gelling point is 218 degrees. Don’t have a decent food thermometer? Check out the National Center for Home Preservation website for other ways of testing for the gelling point. 

It takes longer to reach the gelling point than I think it should. It also goes from needing 3 degrees to reaching the gelling point fast. You can get complacent while you are waiting and suddenly hit the temperature, so I am trying to warn you 🙂 

The Canning

Once the jam has reached the gelling point, remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch head space. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from canner, placing on the counter. Listen for the ping of the lids over the next 12 hours. Sealed jars are self stable. If any jar doesn’t seal, simply place it right in the refrigerator. 

Note: You can skip the processing step all together if you feel more comfortable. If you do so, the jam will need to be stored in the refrigerator. The process of water bath canning creates a self-stable jam. That is, a jam that can be stored on the shelf. 

Cleaning, the most tedious part!
Time to measure and prep!
Smash those babies!
Cooking down. So pretty!
Almost there!
Jammy goodness!

Gooseberry Jam

Three little ingredients (lemon juice, sugar, and gooseberries) combine to make this wonderful sweet-tart jam.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Canning
Servings 12 per jar

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup gooseberries cleaned, per 1/2 pint jar
  • 1/2 cup sugar per 1/2 pint jar
  • 1/2 tbsp lemon juice per 1/2 pint jar

Instructions
 

  • If you have not done so, clean and measure gooseberries by cutting off the stem and tail on each berry. You will need 1 cup of berries per 1/2 pint of jam you want to create.
  • Wash and sanitize jars, rings, and lids. Keep warm. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 2 inches of water. Cover and heat on high. Watch the temperature, you want a simmer but not a boil when you place the jars in the water.
  • In a large, shallow kettle, smash gooseberries with a potato masher. For every cup of berries, stir in 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice. Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often. Smash more as they are cooking down.
  • Heat to 8 degrees above the boiling point of water. If you are at sea level, the gelling point is at 220 degrees. For every 1000 feet of elevation, you subtract 2 degrees.
  • Once the jam has reached the gelling point, remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch head space. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from canner and allow to rest for 12 hours before storing.

Notes

You can skip the processing step all together if you feel more comfortable. If you do so, the jam will need to be stored in the refrigerator. The process of water bath canning creates a self-stable jam. That is, a jam that can be stored on the shelf.
Keyword gooseberries, gooseberry, gooseberry jam, Jam, Waterbath Canning
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other berry inspiration?

Check out any of the recipes below!

Jess1 Comment

Honey and Soy Marinated Chicken Bites

Are you ever the person who feels like they are always late to the party, intentional or not? I certainly am. I’m the girl who decides not to read Harry Potter or buy an Instapot simply because it’s what everyone else is doing and I want to be unique…or something. It doesn’t always work in my favor, but we all have our quirks, right? For me, I was late to the party with the air fryer. But friends, I bought one and now I can’t stop using it. And here, I am so excited to share honey and soy marinated chicken bites. 

Initially, I had boneless, skinless chicken thighs to cook up. I marinated them and cooked them whole. My family RAVED about them. Unfortunately, I don’t generally have thighs on hand; however, I almost always have chicken breasts on hand. My son gets frustrated with chicken because it can be dry, but he was head over heels for these honey and soy marinated chicken bites. He even requested I bring the air fryer on vacation with us so we could share this recipe with our whole extended family. That didn’t happen, but these will be on our “go to meals” list as the school year gets underway! 

YOUR INGREDIENTS⁠

  • 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks⁠
  • 1/4 cup honey ⁠
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce⁠
  • 1 tablespoon water⁠
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic⁠
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil ⁠
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar⁠
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil ⁠
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger⁠
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion ⁠
  • a shake or two of red pepper flakes⁠

Your Steps to Honey and Soy Marinated Chicken Bites

Combine all marinade ingredients in a liquid measuring cup. Whisk together until well blended. Place cubed chicken in a 1 gallon plastic bag. Massage the chicken slightly and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. ⁠

When you are ready to cook chicken, preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees. Cook for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through. ⁠

I served this chicken with jasmine rice (so good!) that was seasoned with some salt and pepper. I also did a quick stir fry in sesame oil of some red onions and snap peas from the garden. Those got a small shake of soy sauce with a little cornstarch to thicken it mixed with minced garlic and ground ginger and red pepper flakes. So good! ⁠

  • Pro tip: Mix in a liquid measuring cup!
  • Easy to measure! Easy to pour!
  • Filet knife for the win!
  • Season it up!
  • Marinade it up!
  • Peas and Onions
    Cook it up!
  • Finished dinner
    And serve! A complete and beautiful meal!

Tools of the Trade

I am telling you, I was slow the the air fryer game, but I absolutely adore mine. I also love a good filet knife for ease in cutting up anything from fish to chicken. These are my favorites!

Looking for other dinner inspiration? Check out my cooking page here!

Finished dinner

Honey and Soy Marinated Chicken Bites

A quick eat for weeknight meals: Use your air fryer to cook up some delicious and healthy honey and soy marinated chicken bites!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Rest Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 4 people

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks⁠
  • 1/4 cup honey ⁠
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce⁠
  • 1 tablespoon water⁠
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil ⁠
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic⁠
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar⁠
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil ⁠
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger⁠
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion ⁠
  • a shake or two of red pepper flakes⁠

Instructions
 

  • Combine all marinade ingredients in a liquid measuring cup. Whisk together until well blended. Place cubed chicken in a 1 gallon plastic bag.
  • Massage the chicken slightly and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. ⁠
  • When you are ready to cook chicken, preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees.
  • Cook for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
  • ⁠Serve with jasmine rice and some quick stir fried vegetables of your choice such as broccoli, red onions, or sugar snap peas.
Keyword air fryer, chicken, chicken breast, marinated chicken
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Lemon Zested Blueberry Muffins

Friends! My blueberry bushes are FINALLY producing enough blueberries to actually create with them. It brings me such joy to see these little splashes of blue among the sturdy green bushes. And while it seems to take a long time to harvest, I find it to be meditative. I do it silently and alone, taking in the sounds and smells; experiencing a nature bath. Once I harvested a pint, I got to work at creating lemon zested blueberry muffins. I have been so excited to share with everyone. 

I dig using oatmeal as a base in quick breads and muffins for the added nutrition and texture. However, I don’t see it mixing well with blueberries. Maybe I am wrong, but this recipe doesn’t use them. (You can check out some that do by checking out my baking page here.) In order to attempt to add some nutrients, I went with coconut oil and some Greek yogurt. I cut the sugar slightly as well. And don’t be afraid to try a quality whole wheat for some of the flour. You may be surprised! Now let’s get baking those lemon zested blueberry muffins. 

Your Ingredients for Lemon Zested Blueberry Muffins

  • ½ cup sugar
  • ⅓ cup coconut oil, room temperature (about 70 degrees) 
  • ½ tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour 
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup vanilla Greek yogurt, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • Zest of one lemon 
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (If frozen, measure frozen)

Your Steps

Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and preparing two muffin baking tins by spraying with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, cream sugar and coconut oil (Note: the coconut should be solid but soft).  Add in vanilla and eggs, whisking until well combined. Stir in Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and zest. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix into the wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in blueberries. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-24 minutes until baked through. Serve them with a warm cup of coffee or tea!

  • A little sugar and coconut oil.
  • Farm fresh eggs. Does it get much better?
  • And the way the blue just pops!
  • Almost there!
  • Let’s go!
  • Perfection!
  • Check that berry goodness!

Lemon Zested Blueberry Muffins

Does it get more classic than lemon and blueberry? These lemon zested blueberry muffins are more nutrient dense with all the flavor!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 15 muffins

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup sugar
  • ⅓ cup coconut oil room temperature (about 70 degrees)
  • ½ tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup vanilla Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • Zest of one lemon
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries If frozen, measure frozen

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and preparing two muffin baking tins by spraying with non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, cream sugar and coconut oil (Note: the coconut oil should be solid but soft).
  • Add in vanilla and eggs, whisking until well combined.
  • Stir in Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and zest.
  • Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix into the wet ingredients until just combined.
  • Fold in blueberries.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 20-24 minutes until baked through. Serve them with a warm cup of coffee or tea!
Keyword blueberry, Breakfast, currant muffins, lemon, lemon blueberry
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Baked Tortilla Egg Muffins

A few months ago, we had guests coming up for the weekend. The week prior had been hectic and crazy and meal prep was not in the cards. Because of this, I didn’t have a whole lot planned besides baking fresh cherry donuts (get the recipe by clicking the link. They are amazing and have been a request for guests around here). However, the guests also raise chickens so we were gifted a few dozen eggs. I developed these baked tortilla egg muffins with various leftovers in the fridge. 

Let me tell you, they were a huge hit. I was able to customize them for different preferences: drop the tortilla for those watching their carbs, skip the spinach for the kids, etc. I couldn’t believe how fast they came together. Beyond the speed, they were beautiful and looked like I had to have worked hard putting them together (Let them believe it, right?). Oh, and the tortilla egg muffins were no fuss with minimal mess. All the winning. 

I tweaked it a little for this recipe, using street taco sized tortillas. If you can’t find them, you can cut regular shells into thick strips and layer them (what I did the first time). I am impressed with the crisp tortilla shells and how the egg bakes up perfectly. Okay, enough talk. I hope you all enjoy baked tortilla egg muffins as much as my family did! 

Your Ingredients for Baked Tortilla Egg Muffins

  • 18 street taco size tortillas
  • 10 eggs
  • ¼ teaspoon each of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika 
  • ⅛-¼ cup milk 
  • ½ cup diced ham or browned breakfast sausage
  • ½ cup each spinach, diced peppers, tomatoes
  • Shredded cheese

Your Steps

Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and preparing two muffin baking tins by spraying with non-stick cooking spray. Press tortillas into the muffin tin, folding in get them to form a cup. 

Begin by In a large liquid measuring cup (or bowl with a pour spout), whisk eggs, milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika until well combined. Pour into tortilla cups, filling approximately ¾ of the way full. 

Here, you can personalize each cup by dropping pieces of ham or sausage, spinach, peppers, and tomatoes. For a final touch, sprinkle them with the shredded cheese of your choice.

Finally, bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. The shells will become perfectly crispy and delicious. Serve immediately. 

Sprayed and lined with shells.
Pro tip: Mix in a liquid measuring cup!
Check that fun tool!
Pour!
Top!
Bake!
Eat!

Baked Tortilla Egg Muffins

Tortilla shells, eggs, some basic pantry and refrigerator items come together to make these quick and filling baked tortilla egg muffins.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 18 muffins

Ingredients
  

  • 18 street taco size tortillas
  • 10 eggs
  • ¼ teaspoon each of salt pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika
  • ⅛-¼ cup milk
  • ½ cup diced ham or browned breakfast sausage
  • ½ cup each spinach diced peppers, tomatoes
  • Shredded cheese

Instructions
 

  • Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and preparing two muffin baking tins by spraying with non-stick cooking spray. Press tortillas into the muffin tin, folding in get them to form a cup.
  • In a large liquid measuring cup (or bowl with a pour spout), whisk eggs, milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika until well combined. Pour into tortilla cups, filling approximately ¾ of the way full.
  • Personalize each cup by dropping pieces of ham or sausage, spinach, peppers, and tomatoes. For a final touch, sprinkle them with the shredded cheese of your choice.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until the egg is cooked through. The shells will become perfectly crispy and delicious. Serve immediately.

Notes

Note: Using fresh shells will be ideal as they are more flexible. However, if your shells aren’t fitting into the tins well, you can microwave them for a few seconds to soften them up. Just be sure to use them right away. 
Keyword baked eggs, Breakfast, Eggs
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other breakfast dishes?

Check out my breakfast page or maybe one of my favorites below will tickle your fancy!

Jess7 Comments

Raspberry and Nectarine Sorbet

Oh my goodness friends. I think you may be to the point of, “Enough with the raspberries!” But this year, they just keep coming and I’m beyond grateful for the harvest and all I have created using them. If you have missed it, you can check out regular raspberry jam, raspberry cherry jam, and raspberry jalapeño jam by clicking their links. Now, it’s raspberry and nectarine sorbet. Let me tell you, it’s a heavenly summertime treat. 

As a long distance runner (Training for my 5th marathon this summer!), I need a snack that will provide a quick refuel but will also cool me down when I get done with a long run. These little guys have been the answer to that need. I have been known to make a training partner’s stomachs growl as I describe raspberry and nectarine sorbet as we near mile 20. Sorry, not sorry, right? 

Beyond myself, my kids love sorbet and will default to that even at the best ice cream shops. But I also love being able to control the amount of sugar they consume, and while this does still have some added sugar, it is far less than I have seen in a number of recipes. You can cut it even further if you care to, which I do from time to time.

The color alone brings me immense joy. It is simply summer in a jar. Even in the bitter cold of Wisconsin winters, I crave little jars of sorbet to bring back that “sunburned lips and summer” feeling. I hope you enjoy these jars of sunshine as much as my family does! 

PS…Don’t have raspberries or nectarines? I have such good news! This recipe is totally moldable to your favorite flavor combination. Ultimately, you will need 4 cups of chopped soft fruit. Think berries, peaches, nectarines, etc. 

Your Ingredients for Raspberry Nectarine Sorbet

  • 2 cups raspberries
  • 2 cups diced nectarines, about 2 nectarines
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice 
  • ¼ – ½ cup sugar 

Your steps to Sorbet

Combine fruit. Use a blender or immersion blender to break fruit down. I use an immersion blender and blend right in the kettle I will be heating them in. Add remaining ingredients. Use the immersion blender to mix everything together once more. Once combined, heat over medium heat until the mixture is beginning to simmer, stirring often. Pour into a 9×13 pan, cover, and place in the freezer and allow to freeze solid. I generally wait overnight.

Once fully frozen, remove and allow to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. This will make it easier to remove the sorbet. Working in small batches, puree frozen sorbet. There are lots of options for this. You can use a blender, a food processor, or an immersion blender. I dig the immersion blender because clean up is so easy. Scoop the puree into freezer safe containers, leaving ½ inch headspace at the top. I like to use 4 ounce jelly jars for ½ cup servings ready to go! Be sure to label and return to the freezer until you’re ready to enjoy them! 

I just love the color!
Blend it up right in the kettle!
Pour it up!
There are a few chunks. That’s okay, we have a second blend!
Getting prepared to blend again!
Second blending.
1/2 cup containers are perfect.
But first a bowl for myself!

A few notes

When I initially found this recipe, I wanted to cut the second blending of the sorbet. It is critical to complete if you want fluffy sorbet that you remember from childhood. It’s worth the extra step. Don’t skip it! 

I did love this with freshly picked raspberries so feel free to mix it up in terms of fruit. Ultimately, you need 4 cups of chopped/crushed fruit so let your taste buds do the work here. 

Looking for an adult version? I found that adding ½ cup of lime twisted gin was a delight to the raspberry sorbet! Be mindful of how much alcohol you add as it will affect the ability of the sorbet to freeze. 

Have a sweeter tooth? The recipe originally calls for 2 cups of sugar. Feel free to add more to suit your own tastes. I think the fruit flavor is great the way it is and doesn’t need the extra sugar. 

Hoping to use some of the tools I love for creating these? Here’s the link for the 4 ounce jelly jars I used as well as an immersion blender. Seriously, the immersion blender is an underrated tool in the kitchen and it hardly takes up any storage space! If you don’t have one yet, I highly recommend investing. You’ll thank me! 

Raspberry and Nectarine Sorbet

A "Summer in a jar" treat no matter the time of year
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Freeze Time 4 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine Canning
Servings 6 1/2 cup servings

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups raspberries
  • 2 cups nectarines diced
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • ¼-½ cup sugar to taste

Instructions
 

  • Combine fruit.
  • Use a blender or immersion blender to break fruit down into a puree.
  • Add remaining ingredients. Blend once more to fully break down the fruit and incorporate added ingredients.
  • Once combined, heat over medium heat until the mixture is beginning to simmer, stirring often.
  • Pour into a 9×13 pan, cover, and place in the freezer and allow to freeze solid.
  • Once fully frozen, remove and allow to sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to make it easier to remove from pan. Working in small batches, puree frozen sorbet using food processor, blender or immersion blender.
  • Scoop the puree into freezer safe containers, leaving ½ inch headspace at the top. Label and return to freezer if not enjoying immediately.

Notes

This recipe works for any soft fruit so feel free to combine strawberries, blueberries, peaches, the options are endless! 
You may be tempted to skip the second blend step. Don’t! It’s critical for the sorbet to be fluffy, just the way you remember it. 
Keyword nectarines, Raspberry, sorbet, sweets
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Raspberry Cherry Jam

We are knee deep into berry season around our garden. The red and black raspberries are in full force. The blueberries are starting, and I just stripped the gooseberries and the naking cherries (which are super versatile! Learn more by clicking here!) Normally, the cherries grow in abundance, but with the near drought we have experienced this year, they just didn’t produce as much. That meant we had some to eat, and just a little to process. Enter a beautiful raspberry cherry jam.

Don’t worry if you don’t have access to naking cherries (but seriously, a great plant that is low maintenance with fun tart cherries that grow through zone 3!). Any tart cherry will do. I recommend using fresh red raspberries so the two fruits blend together nicely. I made the mistake of mixing red and black raspberries in a jam once, and let me just say, it looked as though there were some insects I didn’t quite clean out of the berries. Yuck! 

While we are here, I will give you all the information you need to successfully can a batch of jam. However, if you are new to canning, you may likely want to gather additional information. My favorite places to learn more are The Ball’s Book of Canning or the National Center for Home Food Preservation. 

Your Supplies

This recipe will result in approximately nine 8 ounce jelly jars. Be sure you have rings and lids for them.

You will need a water bath canner or large stock pot with a lid. The jars need to be off the bottom of the pot. A water bath canner will have a rack to use if you go that route. If you use a stock pot, I would invest in canning racks. You can also put a towel down in a pinch, but it is MESSY in terms of getting water everywhere.  

It is also helpful to have the tools in a canning kit like this, but it isn’t necessary. Canning would be crazy challenging without the jar funnel and jar tongs. The lid lifter is also very handy. 

Your Ingredients

  • 4 cups raspberries (If frozen, measure first. Then thaw)
  • 1 ½ cups pitted tart cherries
  • 4 cups sugar 
  • 6 tablespoons powdered pectin 
  • ¼ teaspoon butter, optional

Your Steps to Raspberry Cherry Jam

Begin by measuring out your sugar in a large bowl and set aside. It’s important to have all your ingredients prepared before beginning the canning process so don’t skip this step. I also highly recommend reading through the steps more than once before beginning (I know that we are all guilty of flying by the seat of our pants when cooking). 

Fill the canning kettle with enough water that the jars will be covered by at least ½” water. More is better in this case so over estimate. Begin to heat over high heat. Place the canning rack so that it is hooked over the side of the canner and put clean jars on it to keep them warm. Note: You don’t have to keep the jars in the rack, although it is helpful to keep them warm. You want the jars warm to prevent breaking when they are being filled. 

Set the clean rings aside. I like to simmer my lids on low low heat in a small saucepan. Not necessary, but I like to think it helps them seal better. 

Now to Create the Raspberry Cherry Jam 

In a large, preferably shallow kettle, smash the raspberries and cherries with a potato masher. Stir in powder pectin. Add butter if desired. It will decrease foaming while the jam is cooking, but is not necessary. The foam isn’t bad. It just makes the jam a little less pretty. 

Heat raspberries and pectin over medium high heat, stirring consistently. Once it is close to a boil, stir constantly until you cannot stir down a rolling boil. On more than one occasion, I have thought I reached this point only to go a little longer and see what a “real rolling boil” looked like. 

Once a rolling boil has been reached, quickly stir in the sugar. I find a strong whisk is helpful to make sure there are no clumps of sugar in the jam. Continue to heat over medium-high heat until a rolling boil is reached again, stirring constantly. Once the roiling boil is reached, time for EXACTLY one minute. Remove from heat. 

Ladle hot jam into jars using the canning funnel, leaving ¼” head space. Wipe rims of the jars as you go, top with a lid, and put on a ring so that it is finger tip tight. Finger tip tight means you know its tight but you aren’t sealing it so much so that it wouln’t leak on it’s side, if that makes sense. (Any leftover jam can go in a small container and get placed in the fridge to be enjoyed immediately)

Place jars in JUST about boiling water bath canner. Place the cover on the kettle and raise heat until a rolling boil is reached. Cook jam for 10 minutes (adjusting for your altitude…under 1000 feet, you’re good. Over? Add 5 minutes for every 1000 feet). Once the time is complete, remove canner from heat and remove the cover. Allow the jam to sit in the canner an additional 5 minutes. Then remove and place on a towel on the counter. 

  • Measure the raspberries and pit the cherries
  • Get everything measured ahead of time!
  • Cook it up!
  • Ladle it in!
  • Look at that beautiful jam!

Afterward

Listen for the ping as the jars seal and just let them be for 24 hours. I know it will be hard to let them be because you’ll be so proud, but it’s recommended to make sure you get a good seal. Any jars that do not seal can be refrigerated and enjoyed right away. Note: It is recommended to store canned goods with their rings removed so that you can know if a false seal occurs. I generally just loosen them as loose as they can go. 

Looking for other canning and preserving recipes? Check out my page below!

Canning and Preserving

Raspberry Cherry Jam

The flavor of summer in a jar: raspberries and cherries, oh my!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Canning

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups raspberries
  • 1 ½ cups pitted cherries
  • 4 cups sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon butter optional
  • 4 ½ tablespoons powder pectin

Instructions
 

  • Prepare your water bath canner. Fill the canner with enough water so that once the jars are in the canner, they will be covered by at least one inch of water. Cover and begin to heat over a medium-high heat.
  • Measure out sugar. Set aside.
  • Place the raspberries and cherries in a large, non reactive kettle. Crush them with potato masher. Add ¼ teaspoon of butter, if desired, to reduce foaming.
  • Sprinkle and stir in the pectin. Cook over high heat until a rolling boil is reached, stirring consistently.
  • Once a rolling boil is reached, slowly stir in sugar.
  • Continue to stir until you reach another rolling boil that can not be stirred down. Once a rolling boil is reached, cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  • Ladle jam into prepared jelly jars, wipe the rims with a damp cloth, add lids, and tighten rings to fingertip tight. Put into the water bath canner. When the canner has a steady boil going, time and process for 10 minutes.
  • Once the jam is done processing, remove the canner from heat and let jars rest in the water for an additional 5 minutes. Finally, remove jars from the canner and allow to cool for 12-24 hours before moving.

Notes

  • Make sure you are using powdered pectin rather than liquid pectin. They do not set the same. 
  • If you have never canned, you can reference the instructions within the pectin box for additional, more detailed directions. 
  • Sealed jars are shelf-stable, meaning they can be stored on a shelf unrefrigerated. If your jars don’t ping (a sign that they have sealed), they are still good. You will just need to store them in the refrigerator. 
  • Most sources recommend removing the rings from jars for storage so that you will know if they unseal for any reason. I generally just loosen them as much as I can without removing them.
Keyword Canning, Jalapeño, Jam, Jam Recipes, Raspberry
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Jess1 Comment