Double Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies

Do you ever envision a recipe and simply crave it for weeks? Thinking about how it might come together and how good it can taste? No? I am alone in this? I hope not. While I know it is still fall and not even Thanksgiving, I have been daydreaming about Double Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies for weeks. 

I am a sucker for all things peppermint. Candy Cane Chapstick? I stock up while they are in stores so have them year round. Peppermint mocha creamer? I can’t get enough. I even find myself treating myself to an Andes Candies Candy Bar at Kwik Trip whenever we have long car trips. Since we are living in the craziness of 2020, all the early Christmas decorations have me wanting peppermint even more. 

And while peppermint is divine, mixing it with chocolate takes it to a new level. I knew I needed a simple drop chocolate and peppermint cookie in my life, and I was certain others did too. This Double Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookie came together nicely. Since it is drop cookie, it takes minimal work. Beyond the peppermint chips, the ingredients are pantry items that you likely have on hand. Always a big win in my book. 

I hope you give them a try. They dip so well in milk and get better the next day, taking on a brownie flavor that’s “close your eyes and enjoy” worthy. Yum. 

Your Ingredients

  • 2 sticks butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs 
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt 
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup peppermint chips
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Your Steps to Double Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and extracts. Stir until well combined. 

If you are an awesome baker, you’ll mix the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda) in a separate bowl and then gradually add it to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. I HATE creating more dishes than I need to (the dishwasher here is named “Jess”), so I simply put the dry ingredients on top of one another, stir slightly to distribute the salt and baking soda, and call it good. This method has served me well. You do you though 😉 

Once the dry ingredients have been mixed in, add peppermint and chocolate chips. Fold in. Place dough on an ungreased baking sheet by the tablespoonful. Bake 8-11 minutes. Enjoy as all good cookies should, straight out of the oven (Okay, wait maybe 2 minutes so you don’t burn your mouth, but seriously, aren’t fresh baked cookies the best?!). Also, I ten out of ten recommend dipping in milk. Freaking yum. 

Butter and sugar…the beginning of a beautiful cookie!
Add the extract and eggs.
Yes, I know we should use another bowl, but really, who wants more dishes?!
Almost there!
Getting ready to bake!
A simple pleasure: fresh baked cookies!

Looking for other sweet treats? Check out my baking page below!

Baking

I love baking on silicone baking mats. Eliminates the waste that comes from parchment. Something I am passionate about.

I was gifted this baking sheet set for Christmas a few years ago and it’s my go to when I bake cookies. Love it!

I can’t bake without wooden spoons. That’s all there is to it.

Double Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies

Is there any greater combination that chocolate and peppermint? They come together in an easy drop cookie!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 3 dozen

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 sticks butter softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup peppermint chips
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Add eggs and extracts. Stir until well combined.
  • In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Add to wet ingredients slowly, stirring until just incorporated.
  • Add peppermint and chocolate chips. Fold in.
  • Place dough on an ungreased baking sheet by the tablespoonful. Bake 8-11 minutes.
Keyword chocolate and peppermint, Cookies, drop cookies, peppermint cookies
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other cookie recipes?

Check out some of my favorites below!

JessLeave a comment

Slow Cooker Italian Sausage Casserole

I never utilize the slow cooker as often as I should. To the extent that I actually have a Pinterest board called, “Crockpot: Not Used Enough at My House.” What can I say? It’s fun to create silly names on Pinterest, right? That being said, once I pull out the slow cooker, I am all over it for a week or so. This week I began with making some crockpot applesauce. Then I roasted a ham (so easy!). Since my clean slow cooker was still on my counter, I decided to throw this little ditty together for dinner: Slow Cooker Italian Sausage Casserole. 

To me, this recipe has a “hot dish” feel about it. Never heard of Hot Dish? It’s the Midwest comfort food; A term used for casseroles that have a starch, a protein, and some vegetables, especially in Minnesota. Some may say it is even the state food in Minnesota. Often, the starch is a tater tot. Because of this, my husband told me I couldn’t name it a hot dish. We are also die hard Wisconsinites, so that may be why he declared it a casserole instead 😉 Want to learn more about hot dish and its history? Check it out here! 

But really, does the name matter?

Regardless of the name, this slow cooker Italian sausage casserole has comfort food written all over it. With many people working from home during this pandemic, it’s a great recipe that can be prepared mid afternoon with minimal prep work. If you have followed me much at all, you know I love to sneak extra vegetables in all I cook and this is no exception. This slow cooker Italian sausage casserole is chuck full of fresh vegetables that are kid friendly. My kids not only went for seconds, but thirds. They requested it for lunch when it was leftover day. That’s a big win, right? 

Perhaps the best part is the minimal dishes that are created. I don’t know about you, but I love being able to minimize the clean up part of cooking and this recipe helps you do that. Ready to start your prep and have a fantastic dish for dinner tonight? Let’s go! 

Your Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage
  • 1 white onion, chopped
  • 2 cups zucchini, chopped (about 1 medium) 
  • 1 sweet pepper, chopped (any color)
  • 2 cups button mushrooms, chopped 
  • ½ tablespoon minced garlic 
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano 
  • black pepper, to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, if you like a little kick
  • 2 15 ounce cans diced tomatoes (I used Italian seasoned. If you don’t have them on hand, add a little more spice, if you’re so inclined)
  • 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce 
  • 2-3 cups water
  • 12 ounces tri color rotini, uncooked
  • 2 cups Italian blend shredded cheese 
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan

Your Steps to Slow Cooker Italian Sausage Casserole 

In a large skillet, brown sausage. To this, add chopped sweet pepper, onion and garlic. Cook 3 minutes over medium heat. Add mushrooms, zucchini, oregano, basil, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook an additional 3 minutes, stirring often. 

From here, transfer sausage and vegetable mixture into your slow cooker. Add diced tomatoes (undrained) and tomato sauce. Cook on low for 5-6 hours to allow all those flavors to mingle. Approximately 35-45 minutes before you would like to eat, add water, rotini, and cheeses. Stir. Turn the slow cooker to high and cook for 35-45 additional minutes, checking the noodles for your desired texture. 

A complete meal right in your bowl: protein, vegetables, and a starch. A hot dish that will warm your belly and your soul. The perfect comfort food.

  • Diced and browned.
  • Add the tomatoes!
  • Cook it up!
  • Comfort food at its finest.

Tools of the Trade

I may or may not have about 5 slow cookers, but who is counting?

I ADORE flexible cutting boards and are my go to anytime I have to cut anything.

This is honestly my favorite knife we own. My mom broke mine once cutting candy. I had to immediately buy a new one!

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

Cooking

Slow Cooker Italian Sausage Casserole

Italian sausage, zucchini, mushrooms, diced tomatoes, and pasta. What's not to love in this slow cooker dish?!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage
  • 1 white onion chopped
  • 2 cups zucchini chopped (about 1 medium)
  • 1 sweet pepper chopped (any color)
  • 2 cups button mushrooms chopped
  • ½ tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • black pepper to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes if you like a little kick
  • 2 15 ounce cans basil garlic, and oregano diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
  • 2-3 cups water
  • 12 ounces tri color rotini uncooked
  • 2 cups Italian blend shredded cheese
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet, brown sausage.
  • Add chopped sweet pepper, onion and garlic. Cook 3 minutes over medium heat.
  • Add mushrooms, zucchini, oregano, basil, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook an additional 3 minutes, stirring often.
  • Transfer sausage and vegetable mixture into your slow cooker.
  • Add diced tomatoes (undrained) and tomato sauce.
  • Cook on low for 5-6 hours (or 3 hours on high) to allow all those flavors to mingle.
  • Approximately 35-45 minutes before you would like to eat, add water, rotini, and cheeses. Stir. Turn the slow cooker to high and cook for 35-45 additional minutes, checking the noodles for your desired texture.
Keyword crockpot, Italian casserole, Italian sausage, slowcooker
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

My darling son is ten years old. For about as long as I can remember, chicken noodle soup has been his favorite. So much so that he has requested it for his birthday meal for the last four years, regardless of where we are celebrating. Then I put together this creamy chicken and wild rice soup. I think his favorite meal changed. He makes this glorious face when he eats food he loves: closing his eyes, taking in the flavor, all while a small grin spreads across his face. His first bite brought on this expression, telling me we had a winner of a recipe. 

What I love about this creamy chicken and wild rice soup is that it has all the creamy goodness all while leaving out the heavy or processed ingredients found in many creamy soups. It eats like a soup the first day and more like a stew the second, as the rice absorbs more liquid. 

Usually from scratch soups are reserved for cozy weekends, but I recently made this soup on a weeknight. The weather had changed from warm fall days to chilly winter, complete with some snow. I don’t know about you, but those first snow falls just call for a kettle of soup. It took me exactly one hour start to finish, including cooking the chicken. Is it a great weekend recipe? Absolutely. But is it doable on a weeknight? Sure!

Enough talking! Let’s get cooking! 

Your Ingredients

  • ½ cup long grain brown rice, uncooked
  • ½ cup wild rice, uncooked
  • 2 ½  cups water
  • 2 cups diced cooked chicken 
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 2 cups sliced carrots
  • 1 ½ cups sliced celery
  • 1 ½ cup diced onion 
  • ½ tablespoon minced garlic
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups milk (I used skim)
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • ¾ teaspoons dried thyme
  • ½ – 1 teaspoon pepper, to taste
  • ½  teaspoon salt 

Before we begin cooking…

If you don’t have cooked chicken on hand, you can 100% start cooking it when you start the rice and your timing will be just fine. I seasoned two chicken breasts with salt and pepper and cooked them over medium heat in a cast iron skillet (I just love cast iron. I have the Lodge Skillet). If you would like to do like me, cook them for about 8 minutes on each side. Then put in a preheated 400 degree oven. Finish them in the oven, cooking to 165 degrees.

YOUR STEPS FOR CREAMY CHICKEN AND WILD RICE SOUP 

Start by bringing water to a boil in a saucepan with a cover. Add rice (and maybe a little salt and pepper if you are so inclined), cover, and lower temperature to a simmer. Cook for 40 minutes, stirring periodically. Once complete, leave the rice, even if there is remaining liquid. We will add it all to the soup. 

While the rice is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Add olive oil to a soup kettle (again, I adore my cast iron Dutch oven for soups), and heat over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add onions, celery, carrots and garlic. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until they are beginning to soften. Add mushrooms and cook an additional 4-5 minutes. 

Remove vegetables from the kettle. Lower the temperature slightly. Add butter and allow to melt. Once melted, add flour, creating a roux. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. SLOWLY add milk, about ⅓ cup at a time, stirring the whole time, allowing the mixture to just begin to boil before you add more. (Be patient here. I have gone too fast too many times to count, and then you miss the creaminess!). Add the chicken stock in a similar nature. Add thyme, salt, and pepper.  

From here, stir in the rice from the saucepan, including any remaining liquid. It will help keep the soup thick. Reincorporate the vegetables and stir in the chicken. Allow to cook an additional 10-20 minutes if you have the time. The flavors will mingle and simply get better if you can wait 🙂 

  • Cutting board pictures make me smile!
  • Get them cooking!
  • All that goodness
  • Pan roasted chicken. Simple.
  • Patience is key on a good roux!
  • Perfection.

Looking for other dinner ideas? Check out my cooking page!

Cooking

Tools of the Trade

I truly believe every home kitchen needs a selection of good cast iron pans. We cook everything in them, from corn bread to chicken, from sourdough bread to soups and stews. They can go from stove top to oven and create beautiful food. These are some of my favorites!

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

A hearty belly warming recipe full of fresh roasted chicken, vegetables and perfectly cooked rice.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup long grain brown rice uncooked
  • ½ cup wild rice uncooked
  • 2 ½ cups water
  • 2 cups diced cooked chicken
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 2 cups sliced carrots
  • 1 ½ cups sliced celery
  • 1 ½ cup diced onion
  • ½ tablespoon minced garlic
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • ¾ teaspoons dried thyme
  • ½ – 1 teaspoon pepper to taste
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Bring water to a boil in a saucepan with a cover. Add rice (and additional salt and pepper, to taste), cover, and lower temperature to a simmer. Cook for 40 minutes, stirring periodically.
  • While the rice is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Add olive oil to a soup kettle and heat over medium heat.
  • Once oil is hot, add onions, celery, carrots and garlic. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until they are beginning to soften. Add mushrooms and cook an additional 4-5 minutes.
  • Remove vegetables from the kettle. Lower the temperature slightly. Add butter and allow to melt.
  • Once melted, add flour, creating a roux. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Slowly add milk, about ⅓ cup at a time, stirring the whole time, allowing the mixture to just begin to boil before you add more. Add the chicken stock in a similar nature. Add thyme, salt, and pepper.
  • Stir in the rice from the saucepan, including any remaining liquid. Reincorporate the vegetables and stir in the chicken. Allow to cook an additional 10-20 minutes.
Keyword chicken, chicken and wild rice soup, chicken soup, from scratch
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Jess2 Comments

Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffins: Clean Eating Style

Recently, I put together some delightful sourdough pumpkin muffins. However, all my friends who aren’t sourdough bakers yet (You know you want to! Here’s a great link by King Arthur’s Flour on how to get started!) requested a non-sourdough pumpkin muffin, preferably of the healthy persuasion. After a little bit of testing and trying, here it is! Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffins (with chocolate chips!). 

This Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffin pairs well with a warm cup of coffee in the morning. I love that it isn’t overly sweet and that it’s a baked good I can feel good about putting into my body. While it pains me at times, I just can’t do too much sweet in the morning. It leaves me a feeling out of sorts and not fueled the right way to tackle all the big goals I have! 

One more note: This recipe was created using a home roasted pumpkin. If you haven’t tried roasting your own pumpkin yet, I highly recommend it and the time is still right. Pick up a pumpkin or two from the local market, roast them up using the directions you can find here. Then freeze some so you can have fresh pumpkin baked goods all year round!

Okay, enough talking, let’s get baking some Oatmeal Pumpkin muffins my friends! 

Your Ingredients (about 18 muffins)

  • 2 cups pumpkin puree 
  • 2 eggs, room temperature 
  • ⅓ cup real maple syrup (if you like things on the sweeter side, up this to ½ cup) 
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted 
  • 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour 
  • 1 cup old fashioned oats
  • ¾ teaspoon pumpkin spice (or a combination of cinnamon and nutmeg with a dash of clove)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt 
  • ⅓ cup chopped walnuts 
  • ⅓ cup chocolate chips 

Your Steps to great Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two muffin tins with muffin cups or by spraying with non-stick cooking spray. 

In a large bowl, combine puree, eggs, and maple syrup. Combine flour, oats, pumpkin spice, baking soda, and salt. Add to wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the walnuts, and chocolate chips. Add coconut oil and stir once more. 

Spoon into prepared muffin tins, filling approximately ¾ of the way. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until cooked all the way through. Marvel at the beautiful texture and promptly pop one in your mouth. Aren’t the melty chocolate chips just the best?!

  • It’s as simple as wet ingredients…
  • …dry ingredients…
  • …spoon into the tin..
  • …and marvel at their beauty!

Tools of the trade

If you’re baking, you need a great muffin tin. If you are fortunate enough to have a pumpkin to roast, I recommend a nice thick baking sheet lined in foil. Looking to get a new one? Check out the links below!

Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffins

Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffins: Good for you ingredients combine in these pumpkin muffins made from freshly roasted pumpkin!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 18 muffins

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups pumpkin puree
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • ⅓ cup real maple syrup if you like things on the sweeter side, up this to ½ cup
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
  • 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup old fashioned oats
  • ¾ teaspoon pumpkin spice or a combination of cinnamon and nutmeg with a dash of clove
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ cup chopped walnuts
  • ⅓ cup chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two muffin tins with muffin cups or by spraying with non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, combine puree, eggs, and maple syrup.
  • Combine flour, oats, pumpkin spice, baking soda, and salt. Add to wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
  • Fold in the walnuts, and chocolate chips.
  • Add coconut oil and stir once more.
  • Spoon into prepared muffin tins, filling approximately ¾ of the way.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, until cooked all the way through.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Oh So Good Banana Bread (Gluten Free!)

I have this great banana bread recipe. In fact, I had declared it THE best banana bread. It was clean and gluten free, which, let’s be honest, when combined can mean it doesn’t taste that great. But my friends and family will agree, it is darn good banana bread. You can get the recipe by clicking here. 

However, THE best banana bread requires the baker to create oat flour by putting all the dry ingredients in a food processor. I love my food processor, but the other evening, I was not interested in heading to the basement to grab it to make banana bread. Yes, I know this is slightly lazy. Okay, a lot lazy. But out of my refusal to grab an appliance, another great recipe was born. 

This recipe is STILL gluten free. While I am not gluten free myself, I dig being able to create for my friends who are. It still doesn’t have refined sugar. While I still love me some sugar, I enjoy finding good substitutes for my friends who try hard to cut extra sugar from their life. So if you are gluten free, watching your sugar, or you’re like me who really just loves a great banana bread recipe, I hope you give this a try. My husband (who doesn’t love banana bread) definitely went for seconds. And thirds. 

Ready? Let’s get baking!

Your Ingredients

  • 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (olive oil would do fine too!)
  • ¼ cup real maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups almond flour
  • ¾ cup old fashioned oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt 
  • ¼ cup chopped walnuts 
  • ¼ cup dark chocolate chips 

Your Steps for Great Banana Bread 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×5 quick bread pan. In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla. Stir in oil. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Stir into the wet mixture. Fold in walnuts and chocolate chips. If you want it to look extra beautiful, sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 45-60 minutes, until cooked through. 

  • Start with the best–a few overly ripe bananas
  • Mix up some wet ingredients
  • Add the dry.
  • Stir it up. It will be moist. That’s okay!
  • Baked to perfection. Freaking yum.

Looking to bake other delicious treats? Head on over to my baking page for more inspiration!

Baking

Tools of the Trade

There isn’t much you need for a quick bread, but I want to share out the tools I love when I am baking!

Oh So Good Banana Bread

Oh So Good Banana Bread (Gluten Free!): Clean eating doesn't have to be flavorless. This banana bread is to die for and is gluten free too!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 3 very ripe bananas mashed
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted (olive oil would do fine too!)
  • ¼ cup real maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups almond flour
  • ¾ cup old fashioned oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup chopped walnuts
  • ¼ cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×5 quick bread pan.
  • In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla.
  • Stir in oil. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Stir into the wet mixture.
  • Fold in walnuts and chocolate chips. Sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top.
  • Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 45-60 minutes, until cooked through.
Keyword Banana Bread, bananas, Breakfast, Quick Bread
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Don’t Throw That Away Apple Scrap Jelly

Apple season brings everyone visiting the orchard, making fresh applesauce and maybe even a pie or two. With all the peeling and coring happening, you’ll be happy to know there is something to do with all those scraps that will result in a delicious outcome: Apple Scrap Jelly!

We bought our house about 11 years ago and promptly began to dig up the ground to put in gardens, bushes, and trees. Since then, we have planted a total of 16 fruit trees on our little slice of happiness. Developing trees takes time, and we are finally at the point where we are picking a few bushels of apples. Oh the joy! This means I am preserving the apples into apple pie filling, applesauce, and the like. A few years ago, I saw the piles of peels and cores knew there had to be something I could do with the “waste.” Enter Apple Scrap Jelly. With only four ingredients, you will likely have everything on hand to make it. It doesn’t even need commercial pectin! What a win! 

Do you have some apples you’re hoping to peel and core to make fall treats? Get another bowl, save the scraps, and be prepared to create another treat! 

Your Ingredients

  • a kettle full of apple peels and cores
  • water
  • sugar (½ cup for every cup of liquid after boiling down)
  • lemon juice (½ tablespoon for every cup of liquid after boiling down)

Begin The Boiling

After peeling and coring apples for another recipe, place all scraps into a large kettle. It doesn’t matter how much you have, although the more the better simply because it will result in more jelly. I generally keep two vessels going at the same time: one for my apples for sauce/pie/etc and one for the scraps. 

Cover the apple scraps with water, filling until the scraps begin to float. Heat over medium-high heat, bringing to a boil. Boil water and apple scraps until half of the liquid is remaining (this is an estimate, it doesn’t need to be perfect by any means). This will likely take an hour or so.

Now, if I’m being real, I generally let water/apple mixture cool overnight in the refrigerator. Not because you have to, but because I don’t want to finish that day. 

Time for Jelly!

Either way, your next step is to separate the water from the scraps. I generally place a finer colander over a bowl with a pour spout. Press into the apple to extract all the apple-goodness. From here, pour the water into a liquid measuring cup to determine the amount of sugar and lemon juice you should add. 

Place the liquid 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 apple jelly 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, 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 warm apple scrap 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.

Apples for sauce.
Scraps for jelly!
Boil away!
Strain the liquid from the scraps.
Press out the apple goodness!
Almost complete!
The color of that jelly is divine. Yum.

Tools of the Trade

A nice strainer is a must in a stocked kitchen!

I love my waterbath canner.

The shallowness of this stock pot makes boiling down go so much quicker. My go to kettle for jelly.

Apple Scrap Jelly

Don't throw away the apple peels and cores. Create a delicious apple scrap jelly with just a handful of pantry ingredients!
4.80 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Canning
Servings 12 per jar

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • a kettle full of apple peels and cores
  • water
  • sugar ½ cup for every cup of liquid after boiling down
  • lemon juice ½ tablespoon for every cup of liquid after boiling down

Instructions
 

  • After peeling and coring apples for another recipe, place all scraps into a large kettle. It doesn’t matter how much you have, although the more the better simply because it will result in more jelly.
  • Cover the apple scraps with water, filling until the scraps begin to float. Heat over medium-high heat, bringing to a boil. Boil water and apple scraps until half of the liquid is remaining.
  • Separate the water from the scraps. I generally place a finer colander over a bowl with a pour spout. Press into the apple to extract all the apple-goodness. From here, pour the water into a liquid measuring cup to determine the amount of sugar and lemon juice you should add.
  • Place the liquid 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. 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.
  • While the jelly is boiling, begin to prepare your water bath canner and jars if you plan on processing them rather than storing in the refrigerator.
  • 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 apple jelly 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

If your altitude is over 1000 ft, be sure to add 5 minutes to your processing time. 
Keyword apple jelly, apple recipe, apples, Canning, Jelly, Waterbath Canning
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Looking for other canning recipes? Check out my canning and preserving page below!

Canning and Preserving

Jess43 Comments

Happy Mistake Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins

Isn’t it grand when a “happy little mistake” turns out to be a delight? While I have recently adopted the mentality of “what’s the worst that can happen?” when I am cooking and experimenting (by the way the worst that can happen is I learn what DOESN’T work and I throw away a little food), it is always exciting when the experiment turns out to be the best case scenario. That happened for me a week or so ago when I set out to make pumpkin scones. Scones were not the result, but the sourdough pumpkin muffins I created were a hit! 

Let me backtrack A little bit…

I have a great standard scone recipe that I adapt for all sorts of flavors of scones. You can check out one of my sourdough scone recipes here. I generally modify the spices and maybe add some diced fruit or lemon zest. This time, I had freshly roasted pumpkin that I was excited to use and figured it would mix well into the scone recipe. Needless to say, it became a little more damp than I am accustomed to, and I knew scones would be a no go. 

A few minutes of thinking and a few additional ingredients resulted in a batter the perfect consistency for muffins. I allowed it to rest (like a good sourdough bread should do), and lo and behold, a light, full of spice sourdough pumpkin muffins were born. I was so excited to share it with all of you! 

As an aside, it may not be traditional to share the mishaps turned to beauty in the kitchen. I believe in being real in life and on social media, and man, cooking isn’t always pretty. We make mistakes. Burn things, forget the salt, add one too many eggs, or forget just how many cups of flour you put in (Seriously, I use the least amount of measuring cups possible so if that means I have to use the ½ cup 5 times, I am down for it. Sometimes I lose track though. What can I say?) Bottom line, being in the kitchen should be an adventure. Take chances, embrace the mishaps and love the learning. It’s the only way to get better. 

Now let’s get cooking!

Your Ingredients for Sourdough Pumpkin muffins

  • 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves)
  • ⅓ cup cold butter
  • 1 ½ cups fresh, active sourdough starter
  • 1 cup fresh or thawed pumpkin puree
  • ¼-½ chocolate chips (optional)

Your Steps for Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare muffin tins by greasing or lining with muffin tin liners. Combine all dry ingredients. Cut cold butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture. Mix by hand, pinching the butter in your fingers until it’s mixed together-ish. To that mixture, add starter, pumpkin, and chocolate chips. Mix by hand until just combined, making sure to reach the bottom of the bowl. Cover. Allow to rest 20-30 minutes. Scoop by ¼ cup full and fill muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes, or until they pass the toothpick test (a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean). 

Round out the fall flavor sensation by pairing your freshly baked muffins with some warm apple cider or maybe even a pumpkin spice latte. 

  • Dry ingredients..easy to measure!
  • Wet ingredients, starter and pumpkin, a great pair!
  • Mix by hand and let it rest 20 minutes!
  • Scoop into the muffin tin…
  • ..and perfection!

Tools of the Trade

If you’re baking, you need a great muffin tin. If you are fortunate enough to have a pumpkin to roast, I recommend a nice thick baking sheet lined in foil. Looking to get a new one? Check out the links below!

Roasted Pumpkin Recipe

Looking to roast your own pie pumpkin? Click here to get the recipe!

Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins

Sourdough discard mixed with fresh roasted pumpkin puree make for a delightful sourdough pumpkin muffin.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings 16 muffins

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ⅓ cup cold butter
  • 1 ½ cups fresh active sourdough starter
  • 1 cup fresh or thawed pumpkin puree
  • ¼-½ chocolate chips optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Prepare muffin tins by greasing or lining with muffin tin liners.
  • Combine all dry ingredients. Cut cold butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture.
  • Mix by hand, pinching the butter in your fingers until it’s mixed together-ish.
  • To that mixture, add starter, pumpkin, and chocolate chips.
  • Mix by hand until just combined, making sure to reach the bottom of the bowl.
  • Cover. Allow to rest 20-30 minutes.
  • Scoop by ¼ cup full and fill muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes, or until they pass the toothpick test (a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean).
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

How Can it Be This Easy Home Roasted Pumpkin

I love everything about autumn. The jeans and sweatshirt weather. The leaves changing. All the smells. Fresh apples from the orchard and warm cider. I love all of it. I even got married in the fall so we could have the changing trees as a backdrop with mums in every bouquet. However, one thing I could never get behind was pumpkin spice. It just wasn’t my jam. I’ll just skip that flavor and jump to peppermint mocha, thank you very much. Then my mother in law introduced me to home roasted pumpkin, and it was a game changer. 

If you have never roasted your own pumpkin, get to the store and pick up a pie pumpkin. Or really, any small pumpkin. I am telling you, it’s SO good. And did I mention it’s easy? Oh, and you even get the seeds out of the pumpkin so you can roast them. Win, win, and win. 

If you are an “all things pumpkin” baked goods lover, the even better news is that roasted pumpkin freezes great. If you have a few tried and true recipes, pre measure the pumpkin you need for that specific recipe, place it in a freezer container or bag, label it, and you’ll be good to go the next time you want to get baking. Or you can be like my friend Britt and just eat it by the forkful as you stand around the stove, sipping hot apple cider. I won’t judge. 

Your Ingredients 

  • 1 pie pumpkin
  • Olive oil cooking spray (or any other means to grease the pan)
  • Salt and pepper or cinnamon and brown sugar (optional)

Your Steps

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. While the oven is preheating, cut the pumpkin in half with a sharp knife. Using a large spoon, clean out the insides and seeds. (I highly recommend separating the seeds from the pulp and placing them in another bowl. Cover with a little water until you’re able to roast them.) 

Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Lay the pumpkins cut side down. Roast for 25-40 minutes, depending on the size of your pumpkin. It is done when you can easily pierce the skin with a fork. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Once cool, scrape the flesh from the skins. You can totally puree it, but I just leave it in its natural form. 

From here, you have a few options:

  • Eat it straight from the skin. If you choose this option, might I recommend making it sweet or savory with a sprinkle of a little cinnamon and brown sugar or salt and pepper before you roast it? 
  • Measure it out for your favorite recipes and freeze it. Although many will say it only lasts a few months, I have had zero issues using year old frozen pumpkin.
  • Measure it out and bake right away. I often will roast one day and bake a few days later. It will keep in the fridge for up to a week in my experience. 

What’s your favorite pumpkin recipe? Or are you more of an apple cider kind of guy or gal?

Get the innards out!
Scraping, get it smooth!
Save those seeds to roast later!
Ready to cool…
All done!

Don’t have a favorite recipe? This is a great, indulgent pumpkin bread recipe from All Recipes.

Hoping to bake other treats? Check out my baking page by clicking the button below!

Baking

Home Roasted Pumpkin

You'll never want to buy canned pumpkin again after you've eaten your own home roasted pumpkin. Simple and delicious: plain, savory, or sweet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Preserving
Servings 1 pumpkin

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pie pumpkin
  • Olive oil cooking spray
  • Salt and pepper or cinnamon and brown sugar optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • While the oven is preheating, cut the pumpkin in half with a sharp knife.
  • Using a large spoon, clean out the insides and seeds, saving the seeds to be roasted later.
  • Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Lay the pumpkins cut side down.
  • Roast for 25-40 minutes, depending on the size of your pumpkin. It is done when you can easily pierce the skin with a fork.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool. Once cool, scrape the flesh from the skins. For smoother pumpkin, puree it using an immersion blender.

Notes

Options for eating:
Eat it straight from the skin. If you choose this option, I recommend making it sweet or savory with a sprinkle of a little cinnamon and brown sugar or salt and pepper before you roast it. 
Measure it out for your favorite recipes and freeze it. Although many will say it only lasts a few months, I have had zero issues using year old frozen pumpkin.
Measure it out and bake right away. I often will roast one day and bake a few days later. It will keep in the fridge for up to a week in my experience. 
Keyword fall, pumpkin, roasted vegetables
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other great recipes?

Check some out below!

Jess3 Comments

Dark Chocolate and Coconut Sourdough Scones

With the garden game slowing down as we move into October, my sourdough game is ready to step up to the plate. Over the weekend, I pulled out my starter and had a lot of excess. And you know what? I hadn’t baked a batch of scones in a while. I looked around my kitchen to see what I had and my eyes were drawn to the bag of dark chocolate chips. Then the bag of unsweetened coconut. Finally, almond extract. What’s not to like?! And so, my dark chocolate coconut sourdough scones were created. 

While this recipe is specifically for dark chocolate coconut sourdough scones, it’s a flexible recipe with all sorts of variations. Maple pecan? You got it. Simple cinnamon and sugar? That’s great too! Look around your kitchen and play with the recipe, leaving the base alone. Who knows? You may just develop a perfect, one of a kind recipe that is to die for! 

Let’s get cooking! You’re about 30 minutes away from fresh baked dark chocolate coconut scones! 

Your ingredients

  • 2 ½  cups of flour 
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½  cups white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½  teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ cup unsweetened coconut
  • ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • ⅓ cup butter
  • 1 ½ cups sourdough starter 

Glaze and Toppings Ingredients

  • ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil 
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract 
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and unsweetened coconut. Cut cold butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture. Mix by hand, pinching the butter in your fingers until it’s mixed together-ish. It will look somewhat like sand. To that mixture, add sourdough starter and almond extract. Mix by hand, adding starter as needed to fully incorporate all the dry ingredients but not be wet. Mix in chocolate chips. Once you have a soft dough, cut into four pieces and form them into four discs, approximately 6 inches in diameter. Cut these discs into 6-8 slices, your preference. Bake for 15 minutes, until firm to the touch and just beginning to brown. 

Allow to cool slightly. Meanwhile, put glaze chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave until just melted, about 30 seconds. Stir in extract. Place chocolate in a plastic baggy, cut the tip, and drizzle onto scones. (Hint: Recut the scones right after they come out of the oven.) Sprinkle with remaining coconut. Allow chocolate to cool prior to storing. 

  • Dry ingredients. Mix it up!
  • Cut up the butter and mix by hand!
  • Add some starter and a little extract.
  • Mix…mix…mix..
  • Add some chocolate chips!
  • Time for some glaze!
  • Yum!
  • And even more yum!

Hints and Tips for Dark Chocolate and Coconut Sourdough Scones

Love toasted coconut? You can toast all of the coconut (or just the topping) by spraying a small frying pan with cooking spray and heating over medium heat. Once hot, add coconut. Heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. It will go from perfection to burned quickly, so watch it. 

Looking for other sourdough recipes or hoping to start your own starter? Check out my sourdough page by clicking the link below! Maybe you just want to bake. I have some awesome sweet treats on my baking page too!

Sourdough Adventures
Baking

Dark Chocolate and Coconut Sourdough Scones

Dark Chocolate and Coconut Sourdough Scones: Extra sourdough starter? These scones use it up nicely, making a subtly sweet breakfast treat!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 24

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ½ cups of flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cups white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ cup unsweetened coconut
  • ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • ⅓ cup butter
  • 1 ½ cups sourdough starter
  • Glaze and Toppings
  • ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened coconut.

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Whisk flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and unsweetened coconut.
  • Cut cold butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture.
  • Mix by hand, pinching the butter in your fingers until it’s mixed. It will look somewhat like sand.
  • To that mixture, add sourdough starter and almond extract.
  • Mix by hand, adding starter as needed to fully incorporate all the dry ingredients but not be wet.
  • Mix in chocolate chips.
  • Once you have a soft dough, cut into four pieces and form them into four discs, approximately 6 inches in diameter.
  • Cut these discs into 6-8 slices, your preference.
  • Bake for 15 minutes, until firm to the touch and just beginning to brown. Recut scones as soon as they come out of the oven.
  • Allow to cool slightly. Meanwhile, put glaze chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small microwave safe bowl.
  • Microwave until just melted, about 30 seconds.
  • Stir in extract. Place chocolate in a plastic baggy, cut the tip, and drizzle onto scones.
  • Sprinkle with remaining coconut. Allow chocolate to cool prior to storing.

Notes

Love toasted coconut? You can toast all of the coconut (or just the topping) by spraying a small frying pan with cooking spray and heating over medium heat. Once hot, add coconut. Heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. It will go from perfection to burned quickly, so watch it.
Keyword chocolate, coconut, Scones, sourdough, sourdough baking, sourdough scones
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Jess1 Comment

Finally Fall Root Vegetable Soup

I’m telling you, I love summer and all that comes with that: swimming, warm skin, camping, gardening, and carefree days. But man, this time of year, I relish the beautiful fall weather. In Northern Wisconsin, this brings on duck hunting. When it’s duck hunting, I get to relish the enjoyment of cooking for a large crowd of hunters. Usually that means I throw together a few kettles of soup, and this year was no different. We had an abundance of root vegetables in our home and I couldn’t wait to cook with them. What resulted was a delightful Finally Fall Root Vegetable Soup.

From the Garden…

We grew potatoes, carrots, and rutabagas this year. I wanted sweet potatoes, but oddly enough, I forgot I wanted them until it was too late (story of my life). So alas, the sweet potatoes were store bought. However, the ground protein was last season’s venison so this root vegetable soup was almost a fully “home harvested meal.” My absolute favorite and leaves me feeling crazy proud. 

Now, I recognize not everyone gets the opportunity to grow their own food. Totally okay (Although I am telling you, you should start. It’s the best for SO MANY reasons. I won’t start listing them here, even though I want to). The great thing is that all of these ingredients can be pantry items, which means you can throw it together anytime you are feeling soup without any special trips. How great is that? Ready to get cooking and put together a fantastic Finally Fall Root Vegetable Soup? Let’s get to it! 

Your Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds ground protein (we use venison, but any ground protein would do)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 cups of each, diced: sweet potatoes, rutabaga, red potatoes, and carrots 
  • 1 1/2 cups diced onion 
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil 
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon dried sage 
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 8 cups beef broth, divided

Your Steps

In a large Dutch oven, combine diced potatoes, rutabaga, carrots and 5 cups of beef broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, brown ground protein, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. 

In the same large saucepan (I am all about minimizing dishes), begin to heat the onions and garlic, adding ½ tablespoon-1 tablespoon of oil if necessary. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon pepper and 1 tablespoon dried sage. Once the onions have softened (about 5 minutes), add butter. Melt over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, stir in the flour, making a roux. VERY slowly, stir in remaining beef broth, ½ cup at a time, stirring the whole time, bringing to a boil before you add more broth. (Gluten free? You can 100% skip this and have a thinner broth). 

Once the broth has been fully incorporated, slowly add the onion mixture to other root vegetables. Stir in the ground protein and allow everything to come up to temperature. Give a quick taste test here, adding extra pepper or salt if needed. (I tend to get heavy with the pepper according to my kids, so I start light and almost always add a little more). 

Serve the Root Vegetable Soup!

Serve right out of the kettle with a fresh slice of bread and perhaps a salad. I don’t think I am wrong when I say it doesn’t get much better than homemade soup, sourdough bread, and salad. It might just be my favorite meal of all time. Comfort food at it’s finest!

  • Rutabaga: An underrated vegetable
  • Spoonful sized diced vegetables.
  • Ground venison, so lean!
  • Veggies, done with their boiling bath.
  • Get that roux going.
  • Flour and broth, thickening just enough.
  • A little sage.
  • Serve it up!

Tools of the trade

There isn’t too many tools here, but I’m telling you, nothing beats a good cast iron Dutch Oven for your soups, bread baking, and everything in between. I love my red kitchen, so this is a perfect fit!

Looking for other soup? Check out my recipes on my cooking page below!

Cooking
Sourdough Adventures

Finally Fall Root Vegetable Soup

Finally Fall Root Vegetable Soup: Comforting and full of good for you vegetables, this soup will bring joy to your heart and your belly.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 10

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ pounds ground protein we use venison, but any ground protein would do
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 cups sweet potatoes largely diced
  • 3 cups rutabaga largely diced
  • 3 cups red potatoes largely diced
  • 3 cups carrots largely diced
  • 1 ½ cups diced onion
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon dried sage
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 7 cups beef broth divided

Instructions
 

  • In a large Dutch oven, combine diced potatoes, rutabaga, carrots and 5 cups of beef broth.
  • Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
  • Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, brown ground protein, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
  • In the same large saucepan begin to heat the onions and garlic, adding ½ tablespoon-1 tablespoon of oil if necessary. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon pepper and 1 tablespoon dried sage.
  • Once the onions have softened (about 5 minutes), add butter.
  • Melt over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, stir in the flour, making a roux.
  • Slowly add in remaining beef broth, ½ cup at a time, stirring the whole time, bringing to a boil before you add more broth.
  • Once the broth has been fully incorporated, slowly add the onion mixture to other root vegetables.
  • Stir in the ground protein and allow everything to come up to temperature. Add additional salt or pepper as needed.

Notes

Gluten free? Feel free to skip the flour and butter roux. 
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Jess1 Comment