Category: Sides

Fresh Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Gardens and farmer’s markets alike are full of fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. Often, I think preserve for pasta or create pickles, but if you have 10 minutes to spare, you can have a fresh tomato and cucumber salad prepped and ready to marinate for your next picnic or cook out. 

Truly, I am a preserver at heart. I want to save all our produce that we grow for the future. I love filling our shelves and freezer with our garden delights. It’s almost an addiction. What can I say? It’s quite the rewarding process and full shelves are beautiful. Plus, we will be prepared in the case of a zombie apocalypse or…shall I say it, world pandemic. Too soon? Anywho..

This year, I am trying to slow down and really appreciate the harvest as it is brought into our home. Recently, we had a set of pork chops to grill and I realized this light and simple tomato and cucumber salad would be the perfect side. It truly takes moments to prepare in the afternoon and by dinner time, the vinegar had created a sort of quick pickle our whole family can enjoy. 

Your Ingredients 

  • 2 cups sliced Roma tomatoes
  • 2 cups sliced cucumber
  • ½ cup diced red onion 
  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil 
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 
  • ¼ teaspoon salt 
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper 

Your Steps

Combine sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion in a large bowl. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk the remaining ingredients together. I recommend taste testing the dressing here. Everyone has their own preference in terms of the bite of vinegar, salt, and pepper. Add more as needed. Whisk once more and immediately pour over vegetables. Stir. Cover and allow to chill for at least an hour prior to serving for best flavor. 

  • Can’t get enough of all the colors
  • Whisk up the dressing. Easy peasy!
  • Pour..
  • ..Mix..
  • ..And Serve!

Notes 

  • The Roma tomato isn’t required, but nice because of firmness. Two cups of halved cherry or grape tomatoes would work great as well. 
  • If you are purchasing cucumbers from the store, English cucumbers work great since they have a lower seed count. However, any smaller cucumber will do. 

Looking for other fun and fresh side dishes? Or maybe you want to preserve the bounty from your garden or farmer’s market? Check out the links below!

Cooking
Canning and Preserving

Fresh Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Fresh, crisp flavors of the garden combine with vinegar and oil to make this light tomato and cucumber salad perfect for any cookout or barbecue.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups sliced Roma tomatoes
  • 2 cups sliced cucumber
  • ½ cup diced red onion
  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions
 

  • Combine sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion in a large bowl.
  • In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk the remaining ingredients together.
  • Taste test dressing here, adding more salt, pepper, or vinegar as needed.
  • Whisk once more and immediately pour over vegetables.
  • Stir.
  • Cover and allow to chill for at least an hour prior to serving for best flavor.

Notes

The Roma tomato isn’t required, but nice because of their firmness. Two cups of halved cherry or grape tomatoes would work great as well.
If you are purchasing cucumbers from the store, English cucumbers work great since they have a lower seed count. However, any smaller cucumber will do.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Zucchini Margherita Pizza Bites

It’s Summer Time…

I love summer. I know, everyone loves summer, right? Sure, I dig the sunshine, time at the beach, and the longer days. But summer means it’s gardening season, and this girl loves some dirt under her nails and having fresh, homegrown produce straight from the garden. It brings me such immense joy to fill my family’s bellies with good for you food that is full of flavor. 

Right now, it is hitting zucchini harvest time. If you’ve ever had a garden or know someone with a garden, you know that zucchinis typically grow like crazy. You think you need 4 plants, and then you are trying to give zucchinis to every stranger because you can’t keep up! Sure you can bake bread, cake, you name it. Zoodling is popular too. But I wanted something simple as a side that would take 10-15 minutes to put together. Zucchini Margherita Pizza Bites were born. From the first bite, I was in love. 

From the Garden

It’s my absolute favorite when all the ingredients in a recipe come from things we have grown, harvested, or hunted. This comes darn close (If only I had a cow to make cheese! That sounds like a joke, and it mostly is….but seriously, how cool would that be?). 

What I love in these Zucchini Margherita Pizza Bites is the limited ingredients while still being full of flavor. I dig a recipe that everything is on hand, and if you grow herbs and you’re like me, this will be right up your alley. Ready to go? Head out to the garden (or store or farmer’s market), pick up a few tomatoes, a zucchini, and some fresh basil and let’s create!

Note: You’ll want to have a pan that can go from stove top to oven. I ADORE my cast iron pan by Lodge. It gets used multiple times a week for anything from corn bread to chicken breasts and venison to seared vegetables. If you have never cooked with cast iron, I can not recommend it enough. 

Your Ingredients (3-4 servings)

  • 1 medium sized zucchini 
  • ¾ cup diced roma tomatoes (you want a meatier tomato) 
  • 6-10 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade (thinly sliced) 
  • ⅓-½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • garlic salt and pepper, to taste
  • ½ tablespoon olive oil 

Your Steps

Preheat oven broiler to 500 degrees. (In addition to adoring cast iron, I really dig the broiler. It allows you to heat-crispy vegetables and give them that little char. It’s highly underrated, in my opinion). 

Begin preheating oven safe sauce pan or cast iron pan with olive oil over medium-high to high heat. 

Meanwhile, slice zucchini in thicker slices, ½ inch or so. Sprinkle both sides of zucchini with garlic salt and pepper, to taste. Once cast iron pan and oil is hot, place zucchini in pan. You want it to sizzle as you place them. If it doesn’t, the oil isn’t hot enough. Sear zucchini for 90 seconds. Flip and top with diced tomatoes, sliced basil, and mozzarella, in that order. Once topped, place pan under the broiler for 1-3 minutes, until cheese is melty and slightly browned. Watch it closely. The broiler is amazing, but food can go from just under cooked to burned in what seems like seconds. 

Serve these zucchini margherita pizza bites as a side or as a snack. We eat ours with some grilled chicken, a salad (I love ALL the vegetables), and some slices of homemade sourdough bread. Yum! 

  • Three simple ingredients.
  • Season it up.
  • Top with tomatoes…
  • ..and basil.
  • Finally, the cheese!
  • Get on that plate and in my belly!

Looking for other recipes? Check out the pages below!

Cooking
Preserving from the Garden
Clean Eating

Tool of the Trade

My husband and I both love love love our cast iron pan. In fact, it is used so often in our home that we just leave it on the stove top. It’s great for searing all sorts of meat. However, it has so many other uses. Completing a quick Pinterest search will result in all sorts of cast iron desserts, homemade breads, etc. Holy yum. I can’t recommend it enough. If you have never invested, make the jump. It’s worth every penny. This is guy we use multiple times a week.

Zucchini Margherita Pizza Bites

Garden fresh zucchini, basil, and tomatoes combine to make a quick pizza bite side dish for couple or light meal for one.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 3

Equipment

  • Cast Iron Pan or other stove to oven safe pan

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium sized zucchini
  • ¾ cup diced roma tomatoes you want a meatier tomato
  • 6-10 fresh basil leaves chiffonade (thinly sliced)
  • ⅓-½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • garlic salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ tablespoon olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven broiler to 500 degrees.
  • Begin preheating oven safe sauce pan or cast iron pan with olive oil over medium-high to high heat.
  • Meanwhile, slice zucchini in thicker slices, ½ inch or so.
  • Sprinkle both sides of zucchini with garlic salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Once cast iron pan and oil is hot, place zucchini in pan. You want it to sizzle as you place them. If it doesn’t, the oil isn’t hot enough.
  • Sear zucchini for 90 seconds.
  • Flip and top with diced tomatoes, sliced basil, and mozzarella, in that order.
  • Once topped, place pan under the broiler for 1-3 minutes, until cheese is melty and slightly browned, watching closely.
Keyword basil, Margherita Pizza, summer side dish, tomatoes, zucchini
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Dilly Beans

It’s pickling season! Okay, really, it’s gardening season which means it’s canning season around our house. But if it is canning season, you can bet some pickling is going to go down. One of my favorite things to pickle are dilly beans. 

We always plant two to three rows of beans. This results in enough to eat plenty raw, put some in the freezer, pressure can some for meals, and then when I am feeling ambitious, some for dilly beans. Never had a dilly bean? They are similar to a dill pickle, but have a little more kick (if you want it), and stay crisp longer. 

In our home, we eat them when we grill out or simply for a snack. The bonus treat is the pickled garlic clove at the bottom of the jar. My kids fight over it every time. I don’t love a Bloody Mary, but they are a great addition to a killer Bloody. 

Originally, this recipe came from the Ball Canning and Perserving Book, but like any good recipe, has been modified to suit our needs in our home. I hope you enjoy them as much as my family does!

New to canning? Check out the Ball’s Book of Canning or The National Center for Home Food Preservation for more detailed information. I will give you the low down, but it will be short and sweet. You will want to read up more, I promise 🙂 

Your Ingredients (per six pint jars) 

  • 2 ½ pounds green beans and/or yellow wax beans, washed and trimmed 
  • 4 cups vinegar
  • 4 cups water 
  • 6 tablespoons pickling salt 
  • ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, PER jar (to taste) 
  • 6 heads of dill 
  • 6-12 cloves of garlic (1-2 cloves per jar) 

The Utensils 

  • Water bath canner with rack and lid
  • Six pint jars with lids and rings (wide or narrow mouth)
  • Large, non reactive kettle for pickling liquid 

Your Preparation 

The prep: the most time consuming portion of this recipe. When you make regular pickles, you just slice and fill jars. However, dilly beans need to be cut to length. After a number of years of canning, the following method has worked the best for me. Trim one bean to length so that it will fit just under the rim of the jar, approximately 4 inches. Now you have two options: 

-Use this bean as your fondly called “measuring bean.” Measure the rest of the beans to that length, double checking from time to time because it’s easy to cut too long. 

-If you have a non-opaque cutting board (think thin, flexible boards), make a mark with a permanent marker on the bottom of the board. Use this line to cut your beans to length. This is my preferred method. 

Ultimately, you need to trim your beans so they will fit in your jar. Get there how you get there 🙂 

Additionally, peel the garlic cloves and have them prepared. 

Time to Can

Prepare jars, lids, and rings by washing and keeping warm. I generally set the jars in the rack of canner and have it rest above the water.  Begin heating the water bath canner (make sure water will be at least one inch above jars once submerged). It is better to have too much water than too little. 

Fill each jar with one to two cloves of garlic, one head of dill, and 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Stuff jars with trimmed beans, keeping the beans below the top ring portion. This generally takes longer than I think it should, but not too terribly long. 

Meanwhile, bring salt, vinegar, and water to a boil reduce to a simmer until the jars are prepped.  Pour the pickling liquid over beans, wipe the top of the jar with a damp piece of paper towel. Put lids and rings on, tightening to finger tip tight. Lower into canner, raising heat and bringing to a rolling boil. Process for 10 min, adjusting for altitude (if over 1000 feet). Remove the canner from heat, and allow jars to rest 5 min. Remove from canner and allow to cool at least 12 hours before storing jars. 

There is no need to tighten rings. In fact, it is recommended they are removed entirely while storing. Enjoy! My kids say the best part is the garlic but those beans don’t last long either 😉 

Trimming: the longest part of the process.
Dill and garlic: a must!
All stuffed.
I dig the double garlic. My kids will too!
Don’t forget the extra kick!
Ladle the pickling brine. Mmmm…vinegar.
Let’s get a waterbath!
Complete!

Dilly Beans with Garlic

Whether you are simply a pickle lover or you really dig a good Bloody Mary, these dilly beans are for you! A little garlic and cayenne pepper add zip!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Canning
Servings 6 pint jars

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ½ pounds green beans and/or yellow wax beans washed and trimmed
  • 4 cups vinegar
  • 4 cups water
  • 6 tablespoons pickling salt
  • ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper PER jar (to taste)
  • 6 heads of dill
  • 6-12 cloves of garlic 1-2 cloves per jar

Instructions
 

  • To prepare, trim beans so that they will just fit under the rim of pint jars, approximately 4 inches long. Additionally, peel the garlic cloves and have them prepared for canning.
  • Prepare jars, lids, and rings by washing and keeping warm. Begin heating the water bath canner (make sure water will be at least one inch above jars once submerged).
  • Fill each jar with one to two cloves of garlic, one head of dill, and 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Stuff jars with trimmed beans, keeping the beans below the top ring portion.
  • Meanwhile, bring salt, vinegar, and water to a boil reduce to a simmer until the jars are prepped. Pour the pickling liquid over beans. Remove air bubbles.
  • Wipe the top of the jar with a damp piece of paper towel. Put lids and rings on, tightening to finger tip tight.
  • Lower into canner, raising heat and bringing to a rolling boil. Process for 10 min, adjusting for altitude (if over 1000 feet).
  • Remove the canner from heat, and allow jars to rest 5 min. Remove from canner and allow to cool at least 12 hours before storing jars.

Notes

  • Sealed jars are shelf-stable, meaning they can be stored on a shelf unrefrigerated. If your jars don’t ping (a sign that they have sealed), they are still good. Simply store them in the refrigerator.
  • Most sources recommend removing the rings from jars for storage so that you will know if they unseal for any reason. I generally just loosen them as much as I can without removing them.
Keyword Canning, Dilly Beans, Pickled Beans, Pickling, Waterbath Canning
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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

Canning and Preserving
Tools of the Trade

There are a handful of canning tools I can not live without. I love my water bath canner but also use my pressure canner as a water bath canner when I don’t want to use two different ones! You also need a set of canning tools to make the process so much easier!

Jess1 Comment

Roasted Corn Tomato Basil Salad

Corn on the cob. For me, it’s the quintessential Fourth of July side dish. Maybe it’s because the volunteer fire department always had TONS of it at the huge Fourth of July celebration in my small hometown. Man, I looked forward to that corn all year, even when I had braces. Maybe it’s because I am from Wisconsin. If you’re from Wisconsin, you know the corn has to be “knee high by the Fourth of July.” What I know is that I don’t ever get enough sweet corn in my life during the summer. I don’t think there’s a limit.

Recently, my taste buds grew up a little bit and craved this combination of roasted corn, tomato, and basil. I love salads that mix up quick and have all the color, and this one delivers on both accounts! So here it is, a delightful roasted corn tomato basil salad. I hope it makes its way to your summer time get togethers 😉 

Your ingredients

  • ½ cup diced red onion 
  • 1 cup halved grape tomatoes 
  • 5 cobs of corn, shucked
  • ¼ cup basil, roughly chopped 

Dressing

  • ¼ cup white wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup olive oil 
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • Juice from half of a lime (about 1 tablespoon) 

Your steps

Begin by preheating the grill. Lightly spray corn with olive oil cooking spray and grill over medium heat until just charred, about 7 minutes total. Rotate as needed. 

Allow the corn to cool slightly. Once cooled, cut the corn from the cob and toss with diced onion and grape tomatoes. Meanwhile, whisk dressing ingredients in a one cup liquid measuring cup. Pour over salad, feeling free to reserve some dressing if you are a “light dresser” for salads. Toss again. Finally, sprinkle the basil on top and give it one more stir.

As with most summer salads, the flavor will be best if you allow it to rest a few hours prior to serving.  Enjoy! 


  • All the colors make for a perfect summer salad.
  • Check out the charred goodness. Yum.
  • Whisk and pour!
  • Worth it if you wait, but I usually dive in right away!

Looking for other side dishes? Check out my cooking page!

Roasted Corn Tomato Basil Salad

A light salad for your warm weather get togethers that combine all the flavors of the summer and garden.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Summer
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup diced red onion
  • 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
  • 5 cobs of corn shucked
  • ¼ cup basil roughly chopped
  • ¼ cup white wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • Juice from half of a lime about 1 tablespoon

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the grill to medium heat.
  • Lightly spray corn with olive oil cooking spray and grill over medium heat until just charred, about 7 minutes total, rotating as needed.
  • Allow the corn to cool slightly.
  • Cut the corn from the cob and toss with diced onion and grape tomatoes.
  • Meanwhile, whisk dressing ingredients in a one cup liquid measuring cup.
  • Pour over salad, feeling free to reserve some dressing if you are a “light dresser” for salads.
  • Toss again, sprinkle the basil on top and give it one more stir.

Notes

As with most summer salads, the flavor will be best if you allow it to rest a few hours prior to serving. Enjoy!
Keyword roasted corn, side dish, summer salad, summer side dish
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Jess2 Comments

French Dressing From Scratch

Salads are life. I decide on a restaurant by the quality of the side salad I can get on a regular basis. They don’t have to be anything special: I am always down for some leafy greens, onion, tomato, carrot, and cucumber salad. Add a few black olives, croutons and french dressing and I am happy as a clam. I often get made fun of for this. Our best couple friends quote the Simpsons, “You don’t make friends with salad.” Maybe not , but I’ll be your friend if you have a strong salad game. 

French dressing has been my go to for as long as I can remember. After I made my health a major priority a few years ago, I tried to change over to a vinaigrette. Every change makes a difference, right? Ugh, it was so hard though. Don’t get me wrong, I do love some good vinaigrettes, but in the end my loyalty lies with French dressing. 

The search for a homemade recipe begins

I set out to find a recipe that I could make from scratch to cut out some of the “yuck” that comes with the dressings found in the inner isles of the grocery store. Namely, I wanted to cut the added, refined sugars and maybe the oil. It just feels good to know what is in the food you are eating. At first, I called this recipe “a work in progress” on Instagram. And while all recipes will always be work in process (Isn’t everything? That’s my growth mindset and fitness lover talking), I have been digging on this one more and more. It’s simple to put together with many “on hand” ingredients, which is a constant focus of mine. So here’s my work in progress, delicious, cut the sugar French Dressing. I hope you love it as much as I do!

YOur Ingredients

  • ¼ cup ketchup 
  • ¼ cup olive oil 
  • ¼ cup honey 
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder 
  • ½ teaspoon minced garlic/garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Your steps

Using a 1 cup liquid measuring cup, measure out the ketchup, olive oil, and honey. (I am all about the least amount of dishes possible, so I like to do ketchup to the ¼ cup, olive oil to the ½ cup line, and then the honey to the ¾ cup line). Add onion powder, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and vinegar. Whisk together until well blended. It might take a little longer than you think it should because of the honey and ketchup. Once well mixed, pour into a container with a lid to be stored in the refrigerator. For best results, remove from the refrigerator 5-10 minutes prior to using and shake well just before pouring.

Measure in the measuring cup.
Less mess!
Add the spices and whisk.
Love these bottles for storing my dressing.
It just doesn’t last long. Salads all day, every day.

A few notes…

The flavors get better the longer you let them mingle, so if you have enough forethought, mix this up the night before. But if you’re anything like me, you’ll be mixing this 5 minutes before you put your salad together. Oh well, live and learn 😉 


Also, you may have noticed that I have a sweet mixer bottle for my dressings. I actually have two and they are almost always full of my own homemade dressings. They are the Kolder Salad Dressing Mixing Bottles and you can get them for yourself by clicking here or the picture below.

They clean up easily and are great for an even pour of your dressings. Notice, they also have recipes on them. Some I love, some I don’t. As a person who loves to experiment in the kitchen, I usually use them more for storage, but maybe the recipes will speak to you. Only way to know is to try them out!

Looking for some made dishes to go with your sides? Check out the links below or the cooking page for some inspiration!

French Dressing

French Dressing

A classic French Dressing sweetened with honey
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon minced garlic/garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Instructions
 

  • Using a 1 cup liquid measuring cup, measure out the ketchup, olive oil, and honey.
  • Add onion powder, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and vinegar.
  • Whisk together until well blended.
  • Once well mixed, pour into a container with a lid to be stored in the refrigerator. Shake well before pouring.

Notes

This recipe gets better with age, so mix a few hours before you plan on using it. It will pour easier if you take it out of the refrigerator 5-10 minutes prior to using. 
Keyword Dressings, French Dressing, Salad
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

JessLeave a comment

Homemade Peanut Butter

Do you ever think to yourself, “I know I could easily buy this for much cheaper, BUT can I make it from scratch? I mean, just because I can?” I function in that world quite often; It has rubbed off on my children. Case in point, last night. I rarely eat the Oreos my husband buys, but last night, I thought, “Oooo…a crumbled Oreo on ice cream sounds so good.”

I went to grab an Oreo, and of course my husband and children had JUST finished them hours ago. When I pointed out to my family that of course I decided I wanted one right after they finished them, my 5-year-old daughter quickly responded, “Maybe you can find a recipe to make them homemade?!” I have apparently created monsters (Or not, because how cool is it that both of my children get excited about making things from scratch?! #momwin)

The “what can I make from scratch” itch has been stronger since we started being “safer at home.” My kids’ go to lunch is peanut butter and jelly on a tortilla shell. I like it on sourdough. Because we have a substantial garden and I love canning, we also have enough homemade jelly and jam to feed a small army.

So let’s see, I have a fresh loaf of sourdough bread. I have homegrown and canned black raspberry jam open in the fridge. Wouldn’t it be awesome if I made homemade peanut butter so the whole sandwich was produced by me? (This is another passion of mine…having the whole meal be from scratch and the protein harvested by my husband through hunting. So fun!). I gave it a try and the results were delicious. When my 10-year-old son (the go-to taste tester) gave it a try, he just closed his eyes and smiled. He makes it special.

This process was so much easier than I expected and your kids will be tickled pink to know they took peanuts from the pantry and made peanut butter from them! Give it a try!

Your ingredients

  • 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts
  • 1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil (or other oil, I went olive)
  • 1/2 – 1 teaspoon honey (to taste)

(Feel free to double or triple this recipe. I wanted to start small in case we didn’t love it. It was such an easy process that making it in small, fresh batches is a great idea too!)

Your Steps to Homemade Peanut Butter

Place the peanuts in a small food processor and pulse on high. This will take a few minutes. Be patient. As I watched the peanut go from whole to chopped to a large sand texture, I thought there was no way they were going to turn to butter. Keep going.

Once you have obtained a very fine sand texture, drizzle oil into the mixture, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, blending it in as you go. Again, be patient and suddenly you’ll think, “Holy cow! I made peanut butter!” The initial plan was not to put honey in mine, but I gave it a try and thought it would be good to have it be a touch sweeter. I added 1/2 teaspoon, blended it in, and then gave it to my son. He gave it two thumbs up so I stopped there. If you have a sweeter tooth than we do, you may want to add a little more.

What I love about this peanut butter is that you can control the consistency. I like a little texture so I opt for crunchy on my PB and Js. While I didn’t get crunchy per say, I did have texture which was good. I haven’t tried it yet, but you could totally mix in some additional chopped peanuts for true crunchy peanut butter. I hope you enjoy it as much we did at our house. Although I have a hard time sharing…I mean, they get all the Oreos right?

Let me know what you think! —Jess

PS…Ready for a game changer? Put a thin layer of homemade peanut butter on BOTH sides of the bread then put the jelly/jam on one side. My PB and J game has been forever changed because of this small hint!

Get ready for magic, right before your eyes.
After a few minutes of blending.
My mealtime goals: Everything from scratch.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

I do love my little food processor for creating small batches. Sometimes bigger isn’t always better, right?

Looking for homemade jam or jelly to pair with your peanut butter? Check out my canning and preserving page to get a recipe! Click the button below! Or click any of the pictures below for the direct link!

Canning

Homemade Peanut Butter

From scratch food is almost always better, but sometimes it isn't easy. Not the case with this homemade peanut butter! You are truly five minutes away!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts
  • 1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil or other oil, I went olive
  • 1/2 – 1 teaspoon honey to taste
  • dash of salt optional

Instructions
 

  • Place the peanuts in a small food processor and pulse on high. This will take a few minutes. Be patient.
  • Once you have obtained a very fine sand texture, drizzle oil into the mixture, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, blending it in as you go.
  • Drizzle in honey and sprinkle in salt. Blend once more.
Keyword peanut butter, peanuts, sandwiches
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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

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!
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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

Wild Rice and Vegetable Pilaf

When my husband cooks, our plates look like this: protein, carb/starch, veggie. Separate piles. I am totally okay with that. He cooks some mean wild game and I dig a roasted potato. But when I cook, I’m a girl who loves all things that can go in a casserole dish. Case in point: Wild Rice and Vegetable Pilaf.

I cook for leftovers so that we can enjoy my favorite meals a few times a week or at least I can meal prep my lunches so they are thought out and healthy. (Who am I joking…as these kiddos of mine get older, I hardly get a second meal sometimes!) Enter rice pilaf. It’s flexible. It goes GREAT with chicken or a pork chop. I love that I can have it as a side and then toss my left over protein with it and it becomes a sort of rice bowl. I don’t know why, but it feels like a different meal to me when the protein is mixed in. And that’s okay 🙂

Here’s what we put together tonight to go with some chicken breasts that I did up super simple (searing hot cast iron with some rosemary olive oil, salt and pepper. Seared them on both sides and into the oven at 450 for 20 minutes.) I love a cast iron, but that’s a different blog post. Back to my simple rice pilaf…

Your ingredients:

  • 1 cup brown rice, uncooked
  • 1/2 cup wild rice, uncooked
  • 3 1/2 cup chicken stock (regular or low sodium to suit your taste)–I actually use 3 1/2 cups water and use 1 tablespoon Orrington Farms Broth Base. It’s my go to!
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
  • 1 teaspoon pepper, divided
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (I like coarse kosher salt)
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups chopped broccoli, smaller, bite size pieces
  • 1 cup diced carrots (about 1 large)
  • 3/4-1 cup diced onion (about 1/2 large onion)
  • 1 cup diced celery (about 2 stalks)

Your Steps to Wild Rice and Vegetable Pilaf

In a medium saucepan, bring chicken stock to a boil. Add sage, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 tablespoon garlic and both rices. Cover, lower to a simmer, and cook for 40-50 minutes, stirring periodically to check that you still have water. You want your rice to just be tender. Test it at 40 minutes. If it gets over cooked, it will be mush once you bake it.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Add onion, carrots, celery, salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 tablespoon garlic. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add broccoli and cook an additional 5 minutes, until vegetables have just become tender. Stir in cooked rice. I would test it here and see if you are happy with your salt and pepper levels (and heck, check the garlic while you’re at it). Pour rice/vegetable mixture into a greased casserole dish and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the rice just begins to crisp up on the top (That’s my favorite…I also like the corner brownie, it seems to be a trend).

Serve it up!

At our house, we serve rice pilaf most often with grilled or pan “fried” chicken breasts or boneless pork chops with a salad. I like to “sneak” extra veggies in wherever we can, so this pilaf does the trick! It reheats well and has all the colors, which is also a theme I go for. Let me know what you think! (PS…Sage not your thing? I also love to mix this up with rosemary and/or thyme. Like mushrooms, throw a 1/2 cup of those in too! That’s the beauty of this recipe, you can pick a seasoning mixture that you love.) I hope this recipe finds you cooking for those you love–Jess

Cook up those veggies, crisp tender.
We can’t wait for you to join us perfectly cooked rice!
Let me get in that oven!
All baked and ready to serve

Wild Rice and Vegetable Pilaf

Wild rice, brown rice, and your choice of vegetables combine in this wild rice and vegetable pilaf that fit for a side for any protein: chicken, pork, or wild game!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup brown rice uncooked
  • 1/2 cup wild rice uncooked
  • 3 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
  • 1 teaspoon pepper divided
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups chopped broccoli smaller, bite size pieces
  • 1 cup diced carrots about 1 large
  • 3/4-1 cup diced onion about 1/2 large onion
  • 1 cup diced celery about 2 stalks

Instructions
 

  • In a medium saucepan, bring chicken stock to a boil. Add sage, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 tablespoon garlic and both rices. Cover, lower to a simmer, and cook for 40-50 minutes, stirring periodically to check that you still have water.
  • You want your rice to just be tender. Test it at 40 minutes. If it gets over cooked, it will be mush once you bake it.
  • Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
  • Add onion, carrots, celery, salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 tablespoon garlic. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.
  • Add broccoli and cook an additional 5 minutes, until vegetables have just become tender.
  • Stir in cooked rice. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed.
  • Pour rice/vegetable mixture into a greased casserole dish and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the rice just begins to crisp up on the top. Serve.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other dinner inspiration?

Check out some of the recipes below!

Jess1 Comment