Homemade Sourdough Pizza Crust

One thing at a time is what I am telling myself, but I am not so good at that. Earlier this week, I went on Facebook Live to share out how I work with my sourdough starter and how to bake bread from scratch. I am by no means an expert (both at sourdough and at going live on Facebook haha) and it was so scary for me. I wish you could have felt my heart beating. It was crazy! Back to the one thing at a time…I have a list a mile long of things I want to get up on my blog, but with friends starting sourdough starters, I wanted to quickly share out our FAVORITE use of our extra sourdough starter: Pizza Crust.

Homemade pizza has always been a go to at our home. My husband would make a yeast dough that we would have to plan hours ahead and it was good. Then I started doing sourdough and had the inevitable extra that happens when you double your starter and hated wasting it. A friend joined us on the sourdough adventure and stumbled on a pizza crust recipe, which he shared with us. This is our version of the pizza crust he found and our go to whenever we are craving pizza (about every other week). (Edit: I just read this aloud to my husband and he said, “Once a week! Generally on the weekend!”–And yes, that might be true because I double on the weekends 🙂 )

Your ingredients (for one thick crust or two thin on 13 inch pizza pans):

  • 2 cups active sourdough starter (that being said, we OFTEN use starter that has been in the fridge for a few days. It still works)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1-1 1/2 cups flour, to consistency
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Optional mix-ins: 1 teaspoon dried oregano, basil and/or garlic powder. When I am feeling especially fancy, I might mix in 1/4 cup or so of shredded parmesan as well.
  • extra olive oil

Your Steps for Sourdough Pizza Crust

Measure out and mix all ingredients in a large glass bowl until it forms a nice ball. It will come together with a little flour on the outside. Cover and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes. The dough won’t rise too much so don’t worry if yours is approximately the same size after resting.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. If you are making 2 crusts, cut the dough in half here. Grease the pan(s) using olive oil (cooking spray [our go to!] or regular). Place dough on the pan and spread by hand (keep your hands floured so it doesn’t stick!). Once the dough is spread, brush or spray the dough with additional olive oil.

Note: The crust will shrink as it bakes so spread out to the edges as much as possible. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the the bottom is becoming golden brown (less time for thin crust). Remove from oven and top with your favorite toppings. Return to oven and bake until the cheese is golden brown, approximately 8 minutes for us. If you’re Wisconsin born and raised like us, enjoy during a Packer game with a nice cold beer :). If you aren’t fortunate enough to be Wisconsin born and raised, you should probably still enjoy your pizza with a Packer game and a cold beer.

Other hints:

  • We canned our own pizza sauce this summer, but quickly ran out. In a pinch we will use store bought, but our go to has become one 15 ounce can of tomato sauce mixed with some basil, oregano, garlic powder, dried minced onion and maybe some red pepper flakes to taste. We heat it on the stove to a boil and then bring it down to a low heat, stirring often. We cook it down until it thickens, approximately 30 minutes. We start it shortly after we finish putting the crust together to rest.
  • Since the pizza isn’t cooking all too long with the toppings on it, you may want to sauté some of the vegetables first (I am thinking onions, green peppers, etc)
  • I like to be extra fancy and sprinkle a little more basil and oregano on top of the cheese before I put the pizza in the oven. 🙂
So simple: Just a few ingredients!
Sourdough Pizza and beer. A classic combination.
I will update with new pictures soon! Check back, but for now, get some pizza going!

tools of the trade

You don’t need much to create a stunning homemade pizza. But a great baking stone is a good place to start! Not only do I use it while making pizza, but I also bake some “fancy” sourdough bread on it. A nice addition to your kitchen if you’re a baker like me!

Looking for other sourdough recipes? Check out my sourdough page.

Homemade Sourdough Pizza Crust

A few simple ingredients and some sourdough discard and you are set with some homemade pizza!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Rest Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups active sourdough starter
  • 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cups flour to consistency
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • extra olive oil
  • Optional mix-ins: 1 teaspoon dried oregano basil, garlic powder, and Parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Measure out and mix all ingredients in a large glass bowl until it forms a nice ball.
  • It will come together with a little flour on the outside. Cover and allow to rest for at least 45 minutes.
  • Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. If you are making 2 crusts, cut the dough in half here.
  • Grease the pan(s) using olive oil.
  • Place dough on the pan and spread by hand (keep your hands floured so it doesn’t stick!).
  • Once the dough is spread, brush or spray the dough with additional olive oil. Note: The crust will shrink as it bakes so spread out to the edges as much as possible.
  • Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the the bottom is becoming golden brown (less time for thin crust).
  • Remove from oven and top with your favorite toppings. Return to oven and bake until the cheese is golden brown, approximately 8 minutes.
Keyword pizza, sourdough
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Sourdough Inspiration!

sourdough discard crackers
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JessLeave a comment

Cranberry Jalapeño Dip

Headed to a get together or hosting a get together and need a dish to share? Have I got one for you! This one comes together in less than 10 minutes and is so fresh with really intriguing flavors. The tartness of the cranberries. A hint of sweet from the onion and sugar. A bit of kick from the jalapeño. And it’s flexible too! Serve this Cranberry Jalapeño Dip with scoop tortilla chips or spread it on top of some cream cheese with a side of Wheat Thins. Or…you can even do it as a relish on its own. Possibilities are always endless! This quick little blog post leaves you with the recipe next:

Your ingredients

  • 12 ounces whole cranberries, rinsed, drained, and then chopped in a food processor (I dig this one from Kitchen Aid)
  • 1 jalapeño, diced finely (about 1/3 of a cup)
  • 1/4 cup diced onion (I like red for the hint of color, but whatever you have on hand works)
  • 2 tablespoons-1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • juice from 1/2 of a lime (1-2 tablespoons)
  • pinch of salt

Your quick steps to Cranberry Jalapeño Dip

In a medium sized bowl, mix cranberries, onion, and jalapeño. Top with cilantro, sugar, juice, and salt. Stir. Allow the flavors to mingle for at least 30 minutes before serving (or as long as you can wait…I never listen to those directions 🙂 ). Serve it on its own, with tortilla chips, or perhaps with wheat thin crackers and cream cheese. There are so many options and it’s sure to please anyone you’re entertaining!

  • A few simple ingredients to make one delicious side!
  • Roughly chopped cranberries
  • A sprinkle of sugar.
  • Serve with cream cheese or on its own!
  • All the colors make me happy!

Check out some other side dishes and great main dishes by heading over to my cooking page!

Tools of the Trade

I always thought that a small food processor was all I needed. I mean, it’s what my mom had and she did just fine. Then I was gifted a 7 cup Kitchen Aid food processor for Christmas one year and my world was changed! If you don’t have one yet, consider investing!

Cranberry Jalapeño Dip

Sweet, tart, and spice combine in this quick and easy dip that's sure to please all the guests you entertain!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 10

Ingredients
  

  • 12 ounces whole cranberries rinsed, drained, and then chopped in a food processor
  • 1 jalapeño diced finely (about 1/3 of a cup)
  • 1/4 cup diced onion
  • 2 tablespoons-1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • juice from 1/2 of a lime 1-2 tablespoons
  • pinch of salt

Instructions
 

  • In a medium sized bowl, mix cranberries, onion, and jalapeño.
  • Top with cilantro, sugar, juice, and salt. Stir.
  • Allow the flavors to mingle for at least 30 minutes before serving.
  • Serve it on its own, with tortilla chips, or perhaps with wheat thin crackers and cream cheese.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Jess1 Comment

Maple Syrup Season

My Story…An Adventure…

Cooking Sap: A new family tradition

(You can totally skip this part if you aren’t into hearing the back story, but I do have some big hints and tips that I learned in my first adventure into maple syrup 🙂 ) Click here to skip my story!

How I roll

I have to begin this post by saying I’m the type of person who gets approximately 75% of the information needed for a grand plan and then I go all in, and my husband has to strap in for a wild ride. This is true with my food blog, fitness activities, you name it. But our favorite example of me doing this is maple syrup. Being from the Northwoods of Wisconsin, we know a number of people who tap trees every spring and cook down their own maple syrup. My new found obsession with foraging and all things homesteading meant I became interested over the last few years.

Gathering

Last March, I was doing some shopping at the local (ish) Fleet Farm and saw the tree tapping supplies. I had done MINIMAL research, but I quickly texted two different friends who tap and got some quick info. Yes, it was late in the season. But I had made my mind up and picked up the materials to tap four (yes, just four) trees. I figured it would be an adventure for my family and worst case scenario, we were out a few hours of work and about $35.

I brought it home, read a little more about gathering maple syrup online, and we began the quick process of hanging the sap bags. Little did I realize just how much sap we would get! After just 48 hours, we had multiple gallons of sap and no real place to store it (again, 75% of the information is all I ever have and then I fake it till I make it).

Cooking

So begins the process of cooking maple sap down, in the middle of the week, after my husband and I had both worked a full day. We got home, ate dinner, and put together a fire outside, setting some 2 inch metal fencing from our garden on top of a few cinder blocks for the old kettles we had to sit on top. The sap got poured into the kettles and we boiled away, keeping the fire stoked.

Because we were using an old canning kettle (something taller than it was wide, so less surface area for the heat to reach), it took longer to boil down than either of us anticipated (75% of the information…maybe more like 50% 🙂 ), and we were so tired. The first time we cooked, we went to bed at 10:30-11 pm, but set an alarm for every 30 minutes so we could stoke the fire. I can’t help but laugh now as I remember that. I think I blocked that from my memory!

By 1 am, the sap had cooked down to about 1-1 1/2 quarts of maple syrup and we were able to bring it inside to finish it on the stove. From here, we boiled away until we had a hard boil, checking the temperature every few minutes. You have maple syrup once the temperature reaches 7 degrees above the boiling point of water (which varies based on your elevation). We hit that point, filtered it through cheese cloth twice, tasted the delicious syrup we had just made and worked SO hard to finish, and immediately collapsed back in our bed.

A sane person may quit after that experience 🙂 It wasn’t hard by any means, but it sure took a lot out of us. However, I got more excited (so did our kids), and although he would never admit it, my husband loved it. He got to spend hours around a fire with a beverage of his choice, watching the sap boil. It’s calming and healing, believe me. We learned crazy amounts after that first experience.

A few hints Before you start

  • Start the fire AS SOON AS YOU GET HOME.
  • Try to use wider pans to cook in to increase the surface area.
  • It’s best if you cook on the weekends so you can cook in the daylight.
  • Don’t chop your wood too close to the fire or hitting the kettle and losing all your sap may occur. Super sad!
  • You don’t need to fill the kettle to the top with sap to begin. Get a boil going and slowly add the rest of your sap.
  • Anyone can do this! It is rewarding and fun to learn.
A perk for the littles: tasting the sap right out of the tree!

Now It’s your Turn!

This year, we tapped just two trees with four taps at my in-laws after our spring break trip fell apart. We figured we would be around and my husband’s family had never experienced it before. It wasn’t the plan, so we began by picking up a kit (simply because then we knew we had everything we needed. You will need:

  • Taps (four is plenty for your first go!)
  • Sap collecting bags (one bag per tap)
  • Hangers for the bags
  • A drill and drill bit to match the size of the tap as well as a hammer
  • Large cooking vessels that you are okay getting covered in carbon as they sit over the fire (think, the soup kettle you never liked anyway)
  • Lots of dry wood, cut smaller
  • Cinder blocks and some form of metal to set the cooking vessel on (wire, an old grill grate, metal posts, etc)
  • Cheese cloth to filter syrup when your finished cooking it down
  • Cooking thermometer, preferably digital

Tapping happens in the spring, when the nights are still below freezing but the days are warmer. The sap should run clear out of the tree. If it is cloudy, it is time to be done collecting. One trick sappers use is to watch for the tree leaves to bud out.  Once the leaves bud out you know that sapping season has come to a close. You can tap any maple tree, but sugar maple are going to be the highest sugar content. You will want to have the bags facing the south to keep them warmest during the day. I am going to write these directions assuming you have the same quantity sap we did with about 4 taps. I want the directions short and sweet so feel free to read around the Internet for more information!

1. Drill a hole into the tree at about chest height, initially going straight in but angling up just slightly to encourage sap flow. The depth of your hole should be about 2 – 2 1/2 inches. (How many taps can a tree hold? Check the diameter: 10-20 inches = 1 tap, 20-25 inches = 2 taps, over 25 inches = 3 taps)

2. Insert the tap into the tree and gently use a hammer to get it inserted the rest of the way. Depending on the temperature outside, the tree may begin dripping sap immediately (if it is warmer). It dripped immediately at my in-laws, but took a while to drip at our own home. Don’t fret.

3. Wrap your bags around the metal ring and insert back into the hanger. Hang bags on the tap, making sure that the spout is dripping inside the bag.

4. Walk around and check on them because you’re just so happy you tapped your first trees.

5. As your bags fill, know that you can truly cook at any time, but be mindful of the size of your cooking vessel. The ratio of sap to syrup is approximately 40:1, that is for every 40 gallons (cups, whatever) of sap you collect, you will get 1 gallon (cup, whatever) of syrup. Whenever you are ready, pour the sap into a kettle and place the bags back on the hangers to continue to collect.

6. We like to build a fire, but protect it with cinder blocks on each side. The first year, we use blocks that had holes in them. This year, we bought solid blocks from Fleet Farm, and they held up to the heat much better. Place the metal grate, wire, etc. on top of the blocks and put the kettle on top.

7. Boil. And boil some more. Keep the fire hot. Sit around with a beverage of your choice (coffee til cocktails, anyone?) and reconnect with nature and your friends. Boil until you’ve reached the point that you have approximately 1-2 quarts left of your sap. That is, once it has begun to turn that glorious syrup color and you have a kettle small enough to finish it off on the stove.

8. CAREFULLY pour your “almost syrup” into the smaller kettle, and bring to a boil on your stove. I told my husband the boil changes when it’s getting closer and he agreed, but I don’t quite know how to describe it. You will notice it too though, I am certain. Stir the “almost syrup” often, and check the temperature every few minutes. It will take longer than you think it should.

9. You have syrup once the temperature reaches 7 degrees above the boiling point of water at your elevation. If you are under 1000 ft above sea level, that will be 219 degrees, but you may want to do an Internet search on the boiling point for your own town. (There are other ways to check for syrup beyond temperature…fancy: hydrometer that measures sugar content, not fancy: spoon test and seeing how it falls off a metal spoon. I recommend just using a digital thermometer)

10. Once you reach the right temperature, you will want to filter the syrup through cheese cloth. We like to put the cheese cloth over a small mesh colander and pour it into a larger measuring cup (see picture). Then we filter it once more from the measuring cup into a mason jar (or whatever you want to store your syrup in). Allow to cool, and then store in your refrigerator.

That’s it! In just 10 steps, you have made your very own maple syrup. It’s great with all of your breakfast goodies like waffles (I have a great recipe here!), as a refined sugar replacement (check out the energy balls here!), or even as your sweetener in your coffee. I hope you enjoyed it as much as we do and start a family tradition like we have 💗

  • Bags getting full in the sunshine.
  • I feel fancy with this photo! See the drip from the the tap!
  • Our set up, if only it was in the sun.
  • Boiling away!
  • Finishing off on the stove. About 1-2 quarts which will turn to a pint or so.
  • Still boiling, watching the temperature every few minutes.
  • It’s done! Time to filter.
  • One more filtering to go.
  • Sweet goodness. Amazing how clear liquid boils down to this golden liquid.

Looking to find more treats that the Earth has to offer? Check out some of the links below:

Foraging
Homesteading
Canning and Preserving

Jess3 Comments

Forget the Meat Italian Vegetarian Pasta Bake

I love me a good Italian dish. Then you put it in bake form and I am essentially in heaven. I hope you enjoy this Italian vegetarian pasta bake as much as my family did!

True confession: This recipe wasn’t supposed to be vegetarian. I browned this fantastic ground Italian venison that my family makes and had it all set on the table. It smelled amazing and I was excited. You see, I had this delightful combination of vegetables simmering and well…I think I got too excited. After I finished layering the vegetables, pasta, and cheese, sprinkling some last bit of mozzarella and some basil and oregano. I marveled at the layers and their beauty. Then I saw it. The bowl of browned venison! How could I forget?! Oh, I forget a lot, so I don’t know why I am so surprised 😀 I looked at my husband and he said, “I don’t need a protein with my Italian and you don’t want to take that apart!” So in the oven it went, and by golly, it was amazing, meatless and all.

It oozes with cheese and has tons of fresh vegetables. My son doesn’t love zucchini, so I knew if I did zoodles or shaved them to replace lasagna noodles, I would have a complainer on my hands. He would eat it, but it wouldn’t be a fun dinner at our house, and I am not a short order cook (no special meals for kids around these parts!). However, I thought I could sneak them in by dicing them up, and he didn’t say a word as he gobbled it up! Give it a try!

Your ingredients for your Italian Pasta Bake

  • 12 ounces tri-color rotini (or other noodle of your choice!)
  • 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
  • 1 cup chopped green zucchini
  • 1 cup chopped yellow zucchini
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1/2 tablespoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 15 ounce cans of diced tomatoes, salt free
  • 1 15 ounce can of tomato sauce
  • 15 ounces ricotta
  • 3 cups mozzarella, divided
  • 3/4 cup shredded parmesan, divided
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Your Steps

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a kettle of water to boil and cook rotini to al dentè. Drain and set aside. Cook Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan (I actually just used my pasta kettle!) over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic, green pepper, and onion. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, until just tender. Add salt, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, zucchini, and mushrooms. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, allowing to simmer while you mix the cheese mixture.

Speaking of the cheese mixture, is it even Italian if it doesn’t have cheese?! This recipe is creamy and cheesy in all the right ways, but if cheese doesn’t speak to your soul like it does to a Wisconsinite, feel free to cut this down just a touch. In a separate bowl, mix ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella, 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan, egg, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic and pepper.

Now to build your Italian Vegetarian Pasta bake!

Layer approximately 2 cups of the vegetable mixture on the bottom of a pyrex pan. Add approximately 1/3 of the noodles and then 1/3 of the cheese mixture. Continue layering until two more times, but end with the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan. Add a little basil and oregano if you’re feeling fancy. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the mixture is heated through. I love my cheese browned on top, so I turn on the broiler at 500 degrees and cook for 1-3 minutes more, watching VERY closely. The broiler is AMAZING, but you can go from perfection to burned in a snap!

I loved that this bake stays saucy. Sometimes a pasta bake can become dry over a day or two as the noodles absorb the extra liquid. Serve with some crusty bread and maybe a salad because you know you need ALL the vegetables 😉 A perfect prep on the weekend to enjoy on those crazy weekday nights! Enjoy! —Jess

A small layer of vegetables on the bottom.
Ricotta and mozzarella for the win!
Later it up!
A minute or two of broiler love gets the cheese perfect!

Looking for other great bakes and dishes for dinner prep? Check out my cooking page for more ideas or click one of the links below!

Cooking

Tools of the trade

Whenever I am creating casseroles and baked dishes in my kitchen, I have a couple go to tools I need: flexible cutting boards, Pyrex dishes, and good parring knives. I don’t know if I really can live without them, what can I say?

Italian Vegetarian Pasta Bake

No ground protein on hand? No problem! Throw this Italian vegetarian pasta bake together for dinner tonight! Bonus leftovers for smaller families!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 12 ounces tri-color rotini or other noodle of your choice!
  • 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
  • 1 cup chopped green zucchini
  • 1 cup chopped yellow zucchini
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1/2 tablespoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a kettle of water to boil and cook rotini to al dentè. Drain and set aside.
  • Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat.
  • Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic, green pepper, and onion. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, until just tender.
  • Add salt, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, zucchini, and mushrooms. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
  • Stir in diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, allowing to simmer while you mix the cheese mixture.
  • In a separate bowl, mix ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella, 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan, egg, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic and pepper.
  • Layer approximately 2 cups of the vegetable mixture on the bottom of a pyrex pan.
  • Add approximately 1/3 of the noodles and then 1/3 of the cheese mixture.
  • Continue layering until two more times, but end with the vegetable mixture.
  • Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan. Add a little basil and oregano if you’re feeling fancy.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the mixture is heated through. If you loved browned cheese, urn on the broiler at 500 degrees and cook for 1-3 minutes more, watching VERY closely.
Keyword pasta, pasta bake, vegetarian
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other great dinner ideas?

Check out the recipes below or head right to my Cooking page!

JessLeave a comment

Stick to Your Ribs Venison and Barley Stew

Living in Wisconsin, it is chilly from mid-October through April. But don’t get me wrong, I love everything about Wisconsin, even the chilly season. I embrace and enjoy it all, from the -30 windchills to the humidity and mosquitoes. Perhaps I love the winter months because it gives me five solid months where it is 100% acceptable to eat soup every week. It’s my go to meal prep option and this venison and barley stew is a great one! Reasons why soup is the best (in no particular order):

  1. It’s comforting, they way it just warms your belly and soul.
  2. It makes fantastic left overs and reheats in no time.
  3. You can get all the color and vegetables you could ask for.
  4. I get to chop all those said vegetables, which is one of my favorite parts of cooking.
  5. Soup making is SO versatile. You don’t like a certain veggie? Cut it. You have extra of something else? Throw it in the pot.

We are just beginning the crazy life of kids having after school activities and sitting down together for meals is a big priority for my husband and me. I want to know about my kids and their days and I want them to know about ours too. Because of this, I try to put together a kettle of soup to feed an army every other week or so. (okay, not an army, but maybe enough for 2-3 meals for our little family) I also like to make food with what I have on hand. Yes, I keep a stocked pantry, but there aren’t any crazy “one time use” ingredients here, I promise. This is filling and wonderful and does everything a good soup should do: warm your heart and belly, leaving you feeling full and satisfied. Give it a try!

Your ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic, divided
  • 2 cups chopped carrots
  • 2 cups celery
  • 1 cup diced onion, divided
  • 1 pound ground venison (We grind our own and do not mix anything with it. Feel free to use any version of ground meat that your family loves)
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon each: salt, pepper, ground sage (to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour (If you are gluten free or like a soup rather than a stew, you can totally leave out the butter and flour)
  • 9-10 cups low sodium beef stock (I always make my own base using Orrington Farms base. You can easily control how much sodium you add this way)
  • 1 cup pearled barley, uncooked

Your Steps to Venison and Barley Stew

Heat a large dutch oven on the stove. Add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Once hot, add 1/2 cup diced onion and 1/2 tablespoon garlic. Sauté over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add ground venison. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Brown meat, breaking into larger pieces, taking about 7 minutes or so. Remove from the kettle, but keep it warm. Add remaining olive oil. Once hot, add remaining onion, carrots, and celery. Add garlic, salt, pepper, and sage. Sauté for approximately 10 minutes, until just tender, stirring often.

Remove the vegetables from pan. Put the meat and onions back into the pan with the butter. Once the butter has fully melted, stir in the flour. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. The SLOWLY stir in the beef stock, 1/2 cup-1 cup at a time, allowing to thicken as you go. (I suck at this game. I am not patient when it comes to maintaining a rue, but when you are able to, it’s magic, so try your best. You can always grow here, right?! Or maybe I just need to…maybe you rock. Go you!).

Stir the vegetables back in, along with the peas and corn. Bring up to a low boil and stir in the barley. Allow to simmer for 40-50 minutes, until the barley is cooked through. This stew becomes so creamy over the next few days as you allow the barley to settle in. Sometimes soup and stew need another side to make a meal, but believe me, this wonderful venison and barley stew is a meal in and of itself. Yum!

Note: You can watch the stock and allow the thickness to suit your needs. It will thicken over time, so you may want to hold onto a cup or two of stock and add it later if you are serving this over a few days like I like to do.

Seasoned and sautéed
Slowly stirring in the beef broth…patience is key!
Finished product!
And thickened after a few days, get it just the way you want it!

Looking for other recipe inspiration?

Check out my cooking or my baking pages or click the links below!

Stick to Your Ribs Venison and Barley Stew

Ground venison and barley combine for a comforting soup perfect for those cool winter nights.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings 8 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic divided
  • 2 cups chopped carrots
  • 2 cups celery
  • 1 cup diced onion divided
  • 1 pound ground venison
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon ground sage
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 9-10 cups low sodium beef stock
  • 1 cup pearled barley uncooked

Instructions
 

  • Heat a large dutch oven on the stove. Add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Once hot, add 1/2 cup diced onion and 1/2 tablespoon garlic. Sauté over medium heat for 3 minutes.
  • Add ground venison. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Brown meat, breaking into larger pieces, taking about 7 minutes or so.
  • Remove from the kettle, but keep it warm. Add remaining olive oil. Once hot, add remaining onion, carrots, and celery. Add garlic, salt, pepper, and sage. Sauté for approximately 10 minutes, until just tender, stirring often.
  • Remove the vegetables from pan. Put the meat and onions back into the pan with the butter.
  • Once the butter has fully melted, stir in the flour. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes.
  • The SLOWLY stir in the beef stock, 1/2 cup-1 cup at a time, allowing to thicken as you go.
  • Stir the vegetables back in, along with the peas and corn.
  • Bring up to a low boil and stir in the barley. Allow to simmer for 40-50 minutes, until the barley is cooked through. This stew becomes so creamy over the next few days as you allow the barley to settle in.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Venison Chili: Wisconsin’s Cold Weather Companion

True confession: I use to hate chili with a capital H. Well, I don’t know if I so much hated the chili or if it was all the kidney beans my mom wouldn’t let me pick out because I actually hated those. But I have grown wiser in my old age and have developed a deep love for venison chili in the cold Wisconsin winter months. If I am feeling ambitious it is accompanied with some honey corn bread. Not so ambitious? A side of homemade sourdough is almost as awesome.

If you have read many of my posts, you know I am all about getting all the veggies in my main meals. Does the recipe originally call for 1/2 cup of green pepper? You can bet I’ll up that to a full cup. Veggies make my heart happy (I am fairly certain I have a Pinterest board by that name…no joke. I mean, who does that?!) So this venison chili recipe has lots of chunky veggies because I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Few things before you get started:

  • I try to buy low sodium or no salt added tomato products if at all possible. I like to be able to control the salt I add to my cooking. If you use regular tomatoes, you may want to decrease the added salt. Just taste it first 😀
  • I started using 4 cups of the tomato juice (saving a couple cups for my husband because he loves it), but my kids thought the chili powder left it a little spicy so I poured the rest of the container of juice in. If you like a spicy chili that is super chunky, leave it at 4 cups instead of 46 ounces. Or just be like me and try it first. If you want to cut the kick or you like a not so thick chili, add the remaining 14 ounces.

Your ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef (We do our home ground venison, so your favorite ground protein would work great here whether it be turkey, beef, bear, you name it)
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped green pepper (about 1 large)
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)
  • 1 cup chopped celery (about 3 stalks)
  • 2 15 ounce cans diced tomatoes (no salt added)
  • 1 15 ounce can of tomato sauce
  • 1 15.5 ounce can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed.
  • 46 ounce container low sodium tomato juice (see the note above for how much you decide to actually use)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon white sugar

Your Steps

Heat a Dutch oven or soup kettle over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Once warm, add 1 teaspoon of garlic. Sauté for 20 to 30 seconds. Add ground protein. Season lightly with salt and pepper from your shakers. Cook until browned and remove. Drain if necessary. In the same pan, add remaining olive oil and garlic. Then add pepper, onion, and celery. Sauté over medium heat for 7-10 minutes, until they are just becoming soft. Stir in remaining ingredients, including the browned protein. Allow to simmer on low as long as you can wait, up to an 90 minutes, to allow the flavors to mingle 🙂

Serve this venison chili alone or with all the toppings: oyster crackers, cheese, chopped onion, sour cream. Even better if you have some fresh baked bread! My son gave it two thumbs up, so I hope you enjoy it as much as he did! —Jess

Sauté those veggies.
All the spices look beautiful
Crisp, but tender.
Stir in the rest of the ingredients.
Simmer it up!
Wisconsin Chili
And serve!

Tools of the Trade

I adore my Dutch ovens. They are something that I use for nearly all my soup and stew making! Also a big fan of my wooden spoons and seriously, flexible cutting mats are all the rage.

Looking for other dinner inspirations? Check out my page below or maybe some recipes below this recipe!

Cooking

Wisconsin Cold Weather Chili

As the snow begins to fly in Wisconsin, venison chili is a sure fire way to keep your heart happy and your belly full! No venison? Beef works too!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound ground venison or beef
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped green pepper about 1 large
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 cup chopped onion about 1 medium
  • 1 cup chopped celery about 3 stalks
  • 2 15 ounce cans diced tomatoes no salt added
  • 1 15 ounce can of tomato sauce
  • 1 15.5 ounce can of kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 46 ounce container low sodium tomato juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon white sugar

Instructions
 

  • Heat a Dutch oven or soup kettle over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
  • Once warm, add 1 teaspoon of garlic. Sauté for 20 to 30 seconds.
  • Add ground protein. Season lightly with salt and pepper from your shakers. Cook until browned and remove. Drain if necessary.
  • In the same pan, add remaining olive oil and garlic.
  • Then add pepper, onion, and celery.
  • Sauté over medium heat for 7-10 minutes, until they are just becoming soft.
  • Stir in remaining ingredients, including the browned protein. Allow to simmer on low as long as you can wait, up to an 90 minutes.
Keyword chili, dinner, venison, venison recipe
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Some of my favorite soups and stews

Kale and White Bean Sausage Soup

JessLeave a comment

Oven Baked Granola

My go to breakfast is overnight oatmeal (check out my recipe here!) topped with Greek yogurt and some frozen berries. However, straight overnight oatmeal lacks the crunch I love, so I really like to have some granola to sprinkle on top. However, I don’t love how much added sugar store bought granola can add to my breakfast so I often default to adding a few chopped nuts instead because I forget just how easy and cost efficient homemade granola is. Well, I remembered yesterday, and put this recipe together. Let me tell you, my husband walked into the house after work and said, “It smells like fresh cookies in here!”…That’s how good this oven baked granola is.

And did I mention easy?! I think it went from containers on the shelves to cooling on the counter in 30 minutes or less. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I start one of those “low temp, bake for an hour or two” recipes and totally get distracted. And you know what that gets me? Burned food. This recipe bakes for 16 minutes, and it’s done! How wonderful is that?! Ready to make some granola? Let’s go!

Your ingredients:

  • 2 cups old fashioned oats (I love these thick cut ones from our local natural food store)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut (optional…if you skip it, add an extra 1/4 cup nuts)
  • 1/3 cup pecan pieces
  • 1/3 cup walnut pieces (or whatever type of nuts you dig…just put in 2/3 cup total)
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey
  • 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Your Steps to Oven Baked Granola

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and move a rack near the top. Mix all dry ingredients in a medium bowl, including cinnamon and salt. Drizzle the melted coconut oil and syrup on top. Stir until well coated. Grease a medium jelly roll pan (mine was the perfect size at 9 by 13 inches). I greased mine using olive oil cooking spray liberally. Spread the granola evenly onto the pan, pressing down slightly. The granola will likely just come up to the top of the pan. That’s okay.

Place the pan on the top rack and allow to bake for 16 minutes, until it is just browning on the edges. If you like granola that has bigger chunks, DO NOT stir it during that 16 minutes. Remove granola from the oven after 16 minutes and allow it to cool on the counter before you break it apart (again, this will get you that bigger, chunkier granola). Mine was cool in 20 minutes. Store at room temperature in an air tight container. Eat on its own, on top of yogurt, or topped with milk. It’s delicious however you serve it! —Jess

All the dry ingredients (minus the cinnamon and salt)
Drizzle the coconut oil
Get ready to bake. Press it down into the pan
Baked, but not broken.
All done!
Look at the texture!

Oven Baked Granola

Homemade granola will always win when put head to head with store bought and it's so simple to make!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups old fashioned oats
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
  • 1/3 cup pecan pieces
  • 1/3 cup walnut pieces
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds optional
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey
  • 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and move a rack near the top.
  • Mix all dry ingredients in a medium bowl, including cinnamon and salt. Drizzle the melted coconut oil and syrup on top. Stir until well coated.
  • Grease a medium jelly roll pan (mine was the perfect size at 9 by 13 inches).
  • Spread the granola evenly onto the pan, pressing down slightly. The granola will likely just come up to the top of the pan.
  • Place the pan on the top rack and allow to bake for 16 minutes, until it is just browning on the edges.
  • If you like granola that has bigger chunks, DO NOT stir it during that 16 minutes.
  • Remove granola from the oven after 16 minutes and allow it to cool on the counter before you break it apart (Again, this will get you that bigger, chunkier granola).
  • Store at room temperature in an air tight container.
Keyword Breakfast, granola, homemade granola, low sugar granola, oatmeal
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Coconut Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

I have this awesome friend. We will call her Britt, which makes sense since that’s her name 🙂 She and I tend to bring out the best in each other and challenge one another at all the appropriate times, namely when it comes to taking chances and embracing the space outside our comfort zone. We also seek each other out when we need to hear, “It’s okay to rest…slow down and enjoy the ride.” If you don’t have a Britt in your life, I hope you find one soon. She’s a real keeper. And she’s the reason for these Coconut Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies.

How you ask?

Recently, Britt said, “I want you to develop a 4 ingredient baked good for me that’s good and I can make because I suck at baking.” Well, she’s generally healthy, avoiding extra sugar and wheat. Gluten free with less sugar? Challenge accepted. Well, sort of. I definitely missed the mark on 4 ingredients and I think this guy is still a work in progress, but aren’t we all?

And because I LOVE to embrace the work in progress life, I thought I would share this out to the world. Give me all the feedback. I am not gluten free, so there is a definite learning curve there. I wanted this to be a recipe you could make without purchasing a whole bunch of crazy ingredients, and I had all of these in my pantry. Give them a try. I personally think they go great with a late morning coffee, but that’s just me!

Your ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
  • 1/4-1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Your Steps to Coconut Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place oats in a food processor and blend them until an oat flour is formed. (I am obsessed with creating my own oat flour. It adds such awesome texture to baked goods. If you haven’t done it yet, you’re welcome 🙂 ). Add coconut flour, salt, and baking soda. pulse until well mixed. Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, cream butter, coconut oil, and sugars until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Stir in flour mixture until just moistened. Then add coconut, pecans, and chocolate. Using a tablespoon, scoop cookie dough and roll into a ball. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with the palm of your hand. Bake for 7-8 minutes. They will not spread anymore than you flattened them. They should just become browned underneath. I think they are the best the next day, but any cookie right out of the oven is a good cookie, right?

NOTE: I toasted my coconut and pecans (and I just slightly salted the pecans). My favorite way to do this is by heating a small frying pan that is sprayed with some olive oil cooking spray. Add coconut (or pecans) and heat over medium heat for 4-7 minutes. You have to watch it carefully, but it is a snap to do. Make some extra. You’ll tastebuds will thank me later.

Butter and sugar make the world go ’round.
Toasted coconut flakes. Watch them carefully!
All mixed together…
Almost forgot the pecans!
All photogenic and the like. Ready to pop into my mouth!

Coconut Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

A gluten free cookie full of flavor: pecans, chocolate chips, and coconut!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Course Cookies
Cuisine American
Servings 2.5 dozen

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1/4 cup butter softened
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
  • 1/4-1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Place oats in a food processor and blend them until an oat flour is formed. Add coconut flour, salt, and baking soda. pulse until well mixed. Set aside.
  • In a medium sized bowl, cream butter, coconut oil, and sugars until well blended.
  • Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.
  • Stir in flour mixture until just moistened.
  • Add coconut, pecans, and chocolate.
  • Using a tablespoon, scoop cookie dough and roll into a ball.
  • Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with the palm of your hand. They will not spread anymore than you flattened them.
  • Bake for 7-8 minutes. They should just become browned underneath.

Notes

NOTE: I toasted my coconut and pecans (and I just slightly salted the pecans). My favorite way to do this is by heating a small frying pan that is sprayed with some olive oil cooking spray. Add coconut (or pecans) and heat over medium heat for 4-7 minutes.
Keyword chocolate chip, chocolate chip cookies, coconut, Gluten Free, gluten free cookies, pecans
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Pork Burrito Bowl

Our family is entering the life of crazy evenings due to kiddo commitments. I am not ready for that season of life, but it’s coming whether I like it or not. Sitting down to a family dinner that is healthy and wholesome is important to my family and me. We plan on holding tight onto those meals around the table as long as we possibly can and is just the reason I put together this Mexican Pork Burrito Bowl.

So enter this week where we have engagement after engagement after school. We have some go to “quick” meals, but I wanted to switch it up. After an early morning wake up, I starting researching pork loin Mexican-inspired recipes, and couldn’t find anything I loved so I developed this little guy that has tons of flexibility! Love a stew? Maybe add a little more broth and top with some fun tortilla chips. Need more substance? Make a few cups of rice or couscous, put a 1/2 cup in a bowl and top with the pork. And what makes it even better? It all goes in a slow cooker so you’ll walk into a house that just smells marvelous and dinner will be totally ready in 10 minutes flat! Doesn’t get much better than that!

Your ingredients

1 pound pork loin
1/2 teaspoon each: salt, pepper, dried minced garlic, and cumin to season pork
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (I used unsalted)
1 15 oz can tomato sauce (this had added salt)
16 oz (2 cups) chicken stock, low sodium
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup diced onion, diced (about 1 small)
1 jalapeño, diced (I am not a lover of spicy food, and this was perfect. Don’t let the whole jalapeño scare you)
1 cup diced pepper (I used yellow)
1 cup frozen corn
2 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons dried minced garlic (feel free to do fresh!)

Optional toppings: cheese, sour cream, cilantro, tortilla strips, it’s endless!

Optional sides: brown rice or couscous. Awesome to serve under or mix in as a stew.

Your Steps to Pork Burrito Bowl

Spray a slow cooker with cooking spray. Then mix the 1/2 teaspoons of salt, pepper, cumin, and dried minced garlic in a small bowl. Massage seasoning into the pork loin and place into the slow cooker.

Stir in the remaining ingredients into the crockpot. Set on low and cook for 8-10 hours (I did 10, and the pork just fell apart). Remove the pork loin from the slow cooker and shred. Stir back into crockpot. You’re ready to serve!

I made some quick brown rice to serve underneath the pork burrito stew and we topped it with cheese, but I wished for some cilantro and tortilla strips. A few days later, I found some left over couscous in the fridge and it needed to get used up. I put some pork burrito stew on top of it and brought it for lunch. I actually think the couscous was better than the rice. Either way, they make it hearty enough to be a solid meal while still being healthy and wholesome.

  • Massage that pork loin.
  • Chopping makes me happy.
  • Almost set to turn it on.
  • It’s falling apart after 10 hours.
  • Shredding is a snap!
  • Mix it all back in.
  • Mmmmmm. Serve alone or over rice!

Pork Burrito Bowl

Craving some Mexican-inspired food? This Pork Burrito Bowl comes preps together quickly and goes right in the crockpot for an easy meal!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound pork loin
  • 1/2 teaspoon each: salt pepper, dried minced garlic, and cumin to season pork
  • 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes unsalted
  • 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
  • 16 oz 2 cups chicken stock, low sodium
  • 1 15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup diced onion diced (about 1 small)
  • 1 jalapeño diced
  • 1 cup diced pepper yellow or orange
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried minced garlic

Instructions
 

  • Spray a slow cooker with cooking spray. Then mix the 1/2 teaspoons of salt, pepper, cumin, and dried minced garlic in a small bowl. Massage seasoning into the pork loin and place into the slow cooker.
  • Stir in the remaining ingredients into the crockpot. Set on low and cook for 8-10 hours (I did 10, and the pork just fell apart). Remove the pork loin from the slow cooker and shred. Stir back into crockpot. You’re ready to serve!

Notes

Optional toppings: cheese, sour cream, cilantro, tortilla strips
Optional sides: brown rice or couscous. Awesome to serve under or mix in as a stew.
Keyword crockpot, pork, slow cooker
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Dandelion Jelly

Yup. You read that right. Dandelion jelly. I know it sounds crazy, but it is so tasty! Light and sweet, like honey. And you know what, it’s the time of year where I get the itch to can and work in my garden. Yes, I know there is still loads of winter left, but a girl can start dreaming, right?

I began having a fascination with foraging nature around me to make food in my kitchen about a year ago. Last year, my sister bought me the book Midwest Foraging by Lisa M. Rose, and my interest got stronger. I flipped through that book like a coffee table book and took mental notes on things I would like to try.

Fast forward to May last year. The dandelions were all over my yard, and I decided I had to try it. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? I would be out a few hours of work, some sugar, and pectin. My daughter, mother in law, and I walked the yard, harvested dandelions, and I set to work. As I was pouring the last of the jelly into jars to go in the water bath canner, I said, “Well, here’s goes nothing…let’s try it,” and we stuck a spoon in the remains on the kettle. My daughter immediately asked for a second try and declared, “I want that on toast in the morning!” So give it a try. You will be pleasantly surprised with how good it actually is. You may even begin to be like me, looking over fields of dandelions, seeing all sorts of potential 🙂

Your ingredients:

  • 4 cups yellow dandelion blossoms (see my notes about harvesting these)
  • 1 box of powder pectin
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 4.5 cups of sugar
  • two quarts of water
  • jelly canning jars, lids, and rings, prepped for canning. I got 6 jelly (half pint) jars worth of jelly.

Your steps to dANDELION JELLY:

First, harvesting the dandelion greens. I did this over a few days and I learned a lot. Begin by just taking the heads of the dandelions. Plan on trimming them soon after you take the heads from the plant. I found it easiest to hold the flower end in one hand and cut the green end off. Then I would peel the remaining green off. I would put the yellow/white part into my measuring cup and compost the green portion. Find a friend or two, it takes a little time to complete this, but it makes for great time for conversation.

Back to the recipe! Bring a few quarts of water to boil and pour it over the blossoms in a bowl that can be covered. Allow this to come to room temperature and then stick it in the fridge overnight. You are essentially creating a dandelion tea. (Mine is always this weird dingy greenish-yellow when I when I am done. Initially, I was worried about the color the jam would have, but it turned out just perfect!)

Jelly time!

The following day, start heating your water bath canner with enough water to cover your jelly jars with at least 2 inches of water. Measure 3 cups of the dandelion tea, straining out the blossoms and keeping only the liquid. Pour this into a larger kettle. Add powdered pectin and the 2 T of lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Once you have achieved a rolling boil, add sugar. Return to a rolling boil, stirring quite often, if not always. Once you have reached a rolling boil, time for 1 minute, stirring the whole time.

Ladle jelly into prepared jelly jars, wiping the edges, adding lids, and putting rings on to finger tip tight. Put into water bath canner and process for 10-15 minutes. I did 15 minutes because my altitude is greater than 1000 feet. Remove from canner and allow to cool for 12-24 hours before moving. My kids love this dandelion jelly. We eat it on toast, on PBJ, you name it! My daughter even requests it on her waffles from time to time!

  • The tedious process of getting the flower separated
  • Sunshine in a bowl.
  • Let that tea steep.
  • Let’s get our jelly on!
  • And you must stir like crazy!
  • Golden jars of sweet goodness!

Dandelion Jelly

Sweet and simple jelly created from the balls of sunshine found in any yard in the spring!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 25 minutes
Rest Time 1 day
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Canning
Servings 16

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups yellow dandelion blossoms see my notes about harvesting these
  • 1 box of powder pectin
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 4.5 cups of sugar
  • two quarts of water
  • jelly canning jars lids, and rings, prepped for canning. I got 6 jelly (half pint) jars worth of jelly.

Instructions
 

  • First, harvesting the dandelion greens. Begin by just taking the heads of the dandelions. Plan on trimming them soon after you take the heads from the plant. I find it easiest to hold the flower end in one hand and cut the green end off. Then peel the remaining green off. Measure 4 cups worth of blossoms.
  • Bring a few quarts of water to boil and pour it over the blossoms in a bowl that can be covered. Allow this to come to room temperature and then stick it in the fridge overnight.
  • The following day, start heating your water bath canner with enough water to cover your jelly jars with at least 2 inches of water.
  • Measure 3 cups of the dandelion tea, straining out the blossoms and keeping only the liquid. Pour this into a larger kettle. Add powdered pectin and the 2 T of lemon juice. Bring to a boil.
  • Once you have achieved a rolling boil, add sugar. Return to a rolling boil, stirring quite often, if not always. Once you have reached a rolling boil, time for 1 minute, stirring the whole time.
  • Ladle jelly into prepared jelly jars, wiping the edges, adding lids, and putting rings on to finger tip tight. Put into water bath canner and process for 10-15 minutes. I did 15 minutes because my altitude is greater than 1000 feet. Remove from canner and allow to cool for 12-24 hours before moving.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Jess1 Comment