Broccoli and Cotija Orzo

Do most people have a favorite pasta shape? Or is that a strange trait reserved for Italians and all the foodies of the world? I go back and forth between a few: I love that orecchiette means “little ears” and ziti makes me happy. But I truly love the rice-like feel of an orzo. It’s perfect in soups but makes a lovely side dish, whether you want it cold in the summer or comforting in the winter. This little Broccoli and Cotija Orzo falls somewhere in between by being warm but not heavy. 

So many great recipes are born from the “I am not shopping but what do we have in the fridge” life. Our family has a ton of favorite recipes that call for broccoli that we typically keep fresh on hand (check this Korean BBQ Inspired Beef and Broccoli out!). I had also been cooking some Mexican recipes and had cotija cheese. 

If you haven’t used cotija cheese before, it’s reminiscent of feta in its crumbly nature and with a saltier flavor similar to Parmesan. I am a lover of feta, but my kids, not so much. When I served this up, I had zero complaints on the flavor of the cheese, so I call it a win. 

I love the simplicity of this Broccoli and Cotija Orzo. It’s easily something you can just keep the ingredients on hand for. And I know it seems odd to combine pasta with a Mexican cheese, but let me tell you, it works! 

Ready to start cooking? Let’s go! 

Your Ingredients 

  • 2 cups of chopped broccoli, keeping it small
  • 1 ¼ cup dry orzo
  • ¾ cup crumbled cotija cheese, divided
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced 
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • ¼-½ cup reserved pasta water (I always forget when I need to do this, so maybe putting it in the ingredients will help!) 

Your Steps to Broccoli and Cotija Orzo 

In a large kettle, bring salted water to a boil. Add orzo and minced garlic, cooking until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. 

Meanwhile, chop the broccoli and crumble the cotija cheese. If you have the ability, steam the broccoli (I love to use Ziploc Zip’N Steam Cooking Bags). If you can’t steam it, toss it in with the pasta for the last 2 minutes of the pasta cook time, but remove some pasta water prior. 

Drain pasta and return it to the kettle. Add ½ cup of cotija cheese and broccoli if you have not already. Stir to combine, adding pepper and reserved pasta water as needed to make it creamy. (Salt should be minimally needed between the salted water and the salty cotija cheese so taste prior to adding). 

Top with reserved cotija cheese and additional black pepper before serving.

Completed broccoli and cotija orzo

Broccoli and Cotija Orzo

This Broccoli and Cotija Orzo is the perfect simple side dish you've been searching for. It only has six ingredients, but it's packed with flavor!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups of chopped broccoli keeping it small
  • 1 ¼ cup dry orzo
  • ¾ cup crumbled cotija cheese divided
  • 1 clove of garlic minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • ¼-½ cup reserved pasta water

Instructions
 

  • In a large kettle, bring salted water to a boil. Add orzo and minced garlic, cooking until al dente, about 8-10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, chop the broccoli and crumble the cotija cheese. If you have the ability, steam the broccoli. If you can’t steam it, toss it in with the pasta for the last 2 minutes of the pasta cook time, but remove some pasta water prior.
  • Drain pasta and return it to the kettle. Add ½ cup of cotija cheese and broccoli if you have not already. Stir to combine, adding pepper. (Salt should be minimally needed between the salted water and the salty cotija cheese so taste prior to adding).
  • Top with reserved cotija cheese and additional black pepper before serving.
Keyword broccoli, broccoli pasta, cotija, cotija pasta, orzo, orzo salad, pasta dish, pasta side, side dishes
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Kale and White Bean Sausage Soup

Kale and White Bean Sausage Soup

Gosh my friends, I love me some soup season. I do believe that I could eat soup every week without complaint, even in the heat of the summer. But this time of year? When fall is sneaking up on us and it’s sweatshirt season but the sun is still warm in the afternoon? That’s just about the perfect time of year. Around our house, it’s all the time we start thinking about clearing out our freezer because hunting season is just around the corner. Right now, our freezer is full of our Italian sausage inspired venison and we are using it in so many ways, including this awesome kale and white bean sausage soup. 

This soup was also inspired by one of my oldest friends. We don’t talk too often, but when we do, it often begins with a text about the food one of us is cooking. About a month ago, he texted me to say he loves cooking in cast iron for soup; that he often makes the soup in the morning, puts the cover on it, and lets the flavors meld together for a few hours. This time, it was a bean, roasted tomato, and artichoke soup. Well, needless to say, the pictures looked amazing!

Of course I needed it in my life

I switched it up a bit, adding the sausage and extra beans. When I described a kale and white bean sausage soup to my kiddos, they were immediately sold. I’ll be honest, I was a bit surprised they were ready for the kale as they don’t love cooked greens, but excited kids means mom has to make the soup pronto. 

When it was done, my babies ate multiple servings and I had to say that I was planning on leftovers for lunch the next day so they would stop. I hope your family loves it as much as mine did. It will definitely be a dinner one repeat at our house, I’ll tell you that! Let’s start cooking!

Your Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage (We use ground Italian venison. It’s great!)
  • 3 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 5 cups chicken stock 
  • 1 cup diced onion, about two small onions
  • 1 cup diced celery, about two ribs
  • 1 cup diced carrot
  • 1 ½ cups diced potatoes (I prefer Yukon gold) 
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups kale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Shaved Parmesan cheese, optional 

Your Steps to Kale and White Bean Sausage Soup

Begin to heat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add Italian sausage and brown. (Option to add a bit of oil to the pan before you add the sausage. I find that it helps keep the sausage from sticking.) 

Meanwhile, dice the onion, celery, carrots, and potatoes. Additionally, drain and rinse the cannellini beans. Combine 1 ½ cans of beans and about 1 cup of chicken stock. Blend with a stick (immersion) blender. I like to do this in a wide mouth mason jar. 

Once cooked through, remove browned sausage and drain. Add the olive oil to the Dutch oven and heat over medium. Once hot, add the diced onions, celery, and carrot. Cook until soft, about 7-10 minutes, stirring periodically. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Add the diced potatoes, beans, pureed beans, and remaining chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are soft. Add the kale and perhaps some shaved Parmesan as well as salt and pepper to taste. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, 

Serve with crusty bread, a salad, and additional shaved Parmesan.

Tools of the Trade

I love all things from the The Lodge Cast Iron, but most of all, I love my Dutch Oven; so much so that I actually own three of them! They are great for soups and stews as well as bread baking. They can go straight in the oven from the stove top and hold heat so well. A stick blender is awesome in this recipe as well!

Kale and White Bean Sausage Soup

This Kale and White Bean Sausage Soup is a nutritious and hearty dish that is perfect for the fall season. It is sure to warm you up on a cold day.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage
  • 3 cans cannellini beans rinsed
  • 5 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup diced onion about two small onions
  • 1 cup diced celery about two ribs
  • 1 cup diced carrot
  • 1 ½ cups diced potatoes I prefer Yukon gold
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups kale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Shaved Parmesan cheese optional

Instructions
 

  • Begin to heat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add Italian sausage and brown. (Option to add a bit of oil to the pan before you add the sausage. I find that it helps keep the sausage from sticking.)
  • Meanwhile, dice the onion, celery, carrots, and potatoes. Additionally, drain and rinse the cannellini beans.
  • Combine 1 ½ cans of beans and about 1 cup of chicken stock. Blend with a stick (hand) blender.
  • Once cooked through, remove browned sausage and drain. Add the olive oil to the Dutch oven and heat over medium. Once hot, add the diced onions, celery, and carrot. Cook until soft, about 7-10 minutes, stirring periodically.
  • Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Add the diced potatoes, beans, pureed beans, and remaining chicken stock.
  • Bring to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are soft. Add the kale and shaved Parmesan (optional) as well as salt and pepper to taste. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, until the kale is soft.
  • Serve with a salad and crusty bread.
Keyword cannellini beans, cast iron, cast iron cooking, comfort food, dairy free, fall eats, Italian sausage, Italian venison, kale, Potatoes, soup, white bean
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Stuffed Pepper Skillet

If the Mr is cooking at our house, there are likely three distinct quantities of food: protein (usually venison chops), roasted potatoes, and some form of steamed vegetable. Is it delicious? Absolutely. It just isn’t the way I cook. I love a good skillet or bake. Bring on the mixtures of flavors and more importantly, the leftovers so I don’t have to worry about making a lunch the next day. Because bakes and skillets are my jam, this simple stuffed pepper skillet was born. 

I don’t love raw peppers. I have grown to enjoy them cooked, and I know they are good for me so I try to infuse them into my dinners when I can. If you’ve been around for some time, you may have noticed that I don’t like super tedious recipes. I don’t want to make stuffed peppers in their truest form. That’s work (Ha!).  Let me make something good, filling, and full of nutrient dense ingredients that fits in a pan and I am the happiest of women. 

This stuffed pepper skillet seems to fit all the bills

It has protein from the Italian sausage (I use my Italian sausage inspired venison), starches in the rice, and it’s full of vegetables in the tomatoes, peppers, and onions. Even better? It has minimal hands-on time and once it’s time to cook the rice, you cover it and let it be. No stirring. No checking it constantly. Just get the veg cooked up and you’re almost done. 

And your family will love it (at least I hope they do!). The first time I made it, I was just using up sad ingredients from the fridge: halves of peppers and sad onions. I was trying to clear out some of the freezer before the Mr starts hunting again and we had a ton of Italian venison. As soon as my kids dug in, they said, “Of course you didn’t measure…it’s so good!” We quickly ate it three weeks in a row! On that third week, I measured so that I could share with all of you!

Ready to start creating this great, family friendly meal for the people you love too? Let’s go!

Your ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups chopped sweet pepper, any color
  • 1 ½ cups diced onion 
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage 
  • 1 can of diced tomatoes, unsalted 
  • 8 ounces tomato sauce 
  • 2 ⅔ cup low sodium chicken stock
  • 1 ½ cups brown rice 
  • 1 cup shredded cheese, your favorite kind
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional) 
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Your Steps to Stuffed Pepper Skillet

If available, cook this in an oven safe Dutch oven with a cover so that the cheese can go under the broiler. If that’s not available, any large brazier or saute pan with a cover will do. 

Over medium-high heat, add the olive oil to the pan. Once hot, add green peppers and onion. Saute for 5-10 minutes, until just softening. Then add the Italian sausage and minced garlic, cooking until the sausage is browned. From here, drain if necessary (I use a half venison/pork mixture, so I don’t need to drain any extra fat).

Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken stock, and salt and pepper (including the pepper flakes). Bring to a boil. Add the rice, stirring to combine. Return to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Allow your wonderful meal to cook for 40 minutes, covered. After 40 minutes, check the texture of the rice, cooking for an additional 5-10 minutes if necessary. 

Once the rice is fully cooked, top with shredded cheese. If you are able to put your pan in the oven, cook under the broiler at 475 for 3-5 minutes, until the cheese is perfect and bubbly. 

If you are not able to put your pan in the oven, add the cheese and immediately put the cover back on. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes (and up to 20 minutes, if you are busy), to let the cheese melt. 

That’s it. It really is such a simple meal that has you doing just a few things at the beginning and then setting and forgetting it. If you are busy at night, you could totally precook the sausage, onion, and peppers and just add everything together when you get home. 

Stuffed Pepper Skillet

This Stuffed Pepper Skillet is packed with flavor and simple to prepare, even on a weeknight, thanks to its minimal hands-on time.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cups chopped sweet pepper any color
  • 1 ½ cups diced onion
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage
  • 1 can of diced tomatoes unsalted
  • 8 ounces tomato sauce
  • 2 ⅔ cup low sodium chicken stock
  • 1 ½ cups brown rice
  • 1 cup shredded cheese your favorite kind
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes optional
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • If available, cook this in an oven safe Dutch oven with a cover so that the cheese can go under the broiler. If that’s not available, any large brazier or saute pan with a cover will do.
  • Over medium-high heat, add the olive oil to the pan. Once hot, add green peppers and onion. Saute for 5-10 minutes, until just softening. Then add the Italian sausage and minced garlic, cooking until the sausage is browned. From here, drain if necessary.
  • Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken stock, and salt and pepper (including the pepper flakes). Bring to a boil. Add the rice, stirring to combine. Return to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Allow your wonderful meal to cook for 40 minutes, covered. After 40 minutes, check the texture of the rice, cooking for an additional 5-10 minutes if necessary.
  • Once the rice is fully cooked, top with shredded cheese. If you are able to put your pan in the oven, cook under the broiler at 475 for 3-5 minutes, until the cheese is perfect and bubbly.
  • If you are not able to put your pan in the oven, add the cheese and immediately put the cover back on. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes (and up to 20 minutes, if you are busy), to let the cheese melt.
Keyword cherry tomatoes, green peppers, Italian sausage, Italian venison, one pot meals, peppers, stuffed peppers
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Ramen and Cabbage Salad

Do you have those recipes that just feel a bit like home? Ones that you have to call your mom, your grandma, your uncle, (insert random relative here) to get the recipe because for some reason, you never really write the whole thing down? A recipe that maybe brings you such joy that it becomes a hyperfixation for a bit until you forget again? For me, that’s my mom’s ramen and cabbage salad. 

Let me tell you, this isn’t about to be a fancy recipe. It has very few ingredients and most of which you can almost always have on hand. It isn’t a recipe I have doctored up to have all the flavors. I am keeping this just as my mom made it for years and years, and my goodness, it’s good just the way it is. 

Why is this recipe coming out now? 

Well, my kiddos both decided they loved cabbage over the past year and subsequently, we grew a TON of it. We don’t really eat sauerkraut so we needed a way to use the cabbage that everyone would love. My babies are also busy kids (okay, they aren’t babies, but they will always be my babies, right?) so we need things we can do on the fly without much thought when life gets busy. 

That’s this recipe. It’s great since cabbage keeps so well in the fridge. And everything else is a pantry ingredient. When I have panicked with the, “WHAT’S GOING TO BE OUR VEGETABLE FOR DINNER?” this ramen and cabbage salad has been my go to solution. 

Ready to give it a try? Let’s go! 

Your Ingredients 

  • 1 head of shredded cabbage (any combination of color) or 1-2 bags of coleslaw mix
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 packages of dry ramen noodles, seasoning package removed 
  • ¾ cup slivered almonds 
  • 1 cup olive oil 
  • ⅔ cup white sugar (up to 1 cup, depending on your sweetness preference) 
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce 

Your Steps to Ramen and Cabbage Salad 

If you have not already, finely chop/shred your cabbage. A combination of red and green are definitely the prettiest, but any combination will do. I use what I have on hand. 

In a large saucepan, begin to melt the butter over medium high heat. While the butter is melting, crunch the dry ramen noodles into pieces. I find it easiest to do this when the package is still sealed and then I pull out the seasoning package. Once the butter is hot, add the broken noodles and almonds on the stove top. Toast them until golden brown, but watch it as they go from toasted to burned quickly. Remove from heat and set aside. 

In a glass measuring cup or mason jar (my preferred method), combine olive oil, sugar, red wine vinegar, and soy sauce. Whisk or seal tightly and shake well. 

Serve the cabbage with the toasted noodles and almonds on top (I call this combination crunchies). Top with the dressing. I much prefer to serve this salad as a single serve, allowing people to put in their cabbage, then their crunchies, and finally their dressing. I love the texture of the crunchies and if you make it a make ahead salad, they will get soggy. 

What I especially love about this ramen and cabbage slaw salad is that it keeps so well. I keep a bowl of chopped cabbage in the fridge and a container of the crunchies in an airtight container on the counter. The dressing is in a mason jar and it’s such an easy and filling side dish. When one of the three components runs out, it’s so simple to make more, even if it is just making a half batch of dressing. 

Ramen and Cabbage Salad

This ramen and cabbage salad is packed with textures, from the crunchy noodles and almonds to the fresh cabbage. And the quick and easy dressing ties it all together!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 head of shredded cabbage any combination of color or 1-2 bags of coleslaw mix
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 packages of dry ramen noodles seasoning package removed
  • ¾ cup slivered almonds
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • cup white sugar up to 1 cup, depending on your sweetness preference
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

Instructions
 

  • If you have not already, finely chop/shred your cabbage. A combination of red and green are definitely the prettiest, but any combination will do. I use what I have on hand.
  • In a large saucepan, begin to melt the butter over medium high heat. While the butter is melting, crunch the dry ramen noodles into pieces. I find it easiest to do this when the package is still sealed. Remove the seasoning package.
  • Once the butter is hot, add the broken noodles and almonds on the stove top. Toast them until golden brown.
  • In a glass measuring cup or mason jar, combine olive oil, sugar, red wine vinegar, and soy sauce. Whisk or seal tightly and shake well.
  • Serve the cabbage with the toasted noodles and almonds on top. Top with the dressing.

Notes

I much prefer to serve this salad as a single serve, allowing people to put in their cabbage, then their noodles, and finally their dressing. I love the texture of the crunchies and if you make it a make ahead salad, they will get soggy.
Keyword almonds, cabbage, cabbage salad, cabbage slaw, cold sides, easy sides, ramen noodles, ramen salad, salads, side dishes, summer side dish
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Preserving and Freezing Green Beans

Each and every year, I plant at least two rows of beans. Always green, both bush and pole. Sometimes yellow wax beans (like this year!). Sometimes purple. We eat plenty of them fresh, right off of the bush, but I also have plenty that I need to preserve in some shape or form. I have a big kid who LOVES dilly beans, but I only do so many jars because let’s be honest, it’s kind of tedious. We also like to pressure can beans, but that takes a substantial amount of beans. When I only have a few pounds sitting in my refrigerator, I love preserving and freezing green beans. 

Freezing green beans is such a simple way to save the flavors of summer for the cooler winter months. I love that everyone in our house can help out with the task, from nipping the ends of the beans, to trimming them to size, to blanching. It truly doesn’t take too much time and is easy as can be! (Want to learn more about preserving? Check out the National Center for Home Preservation for tons of information! 

tools of the Trade 

There are a few tools I would recommend, although not totally necessary (for most things, you can make do, but these tools will make it much easier!): 

When preparing to process beans, I collect over a few days of harvesting. Maybe you don’t have a garden, but you love the farmer’s market. Totally fine (I supplement from time to time, for sure!). My family has found that one pound of beans is a perfect amount for our family of four good eaters. We are a veggie loving family, so you can gauge from that. 

Time to Process!

Beginning with washed beans, nip both ends of the beans. From here, cut each bean into 2-3 inch pieces. Using a food scale, measure batches of beans in the size you think would best suit your household for a meal (our family does 16 ounce packages). Set each batch aside in a bowl or other container. I have prepared as many as 4 batches of beans at a time. 

Find a large kettle that your metal colander will fit inside of. Fill the kettle with water and bring to a boil. Place your first batch of beans in the colander and place into the boiling water for 3 minutes. 

While the beans are in the boiling water, prepare a cold water or ice bath for the beans. I do this by filling a large bowl with cold, cold water and placing another colander in it. Immediately after the beans are done boiling, remove from the kettle and pour them from the metal colander to colander in the cold water bath. Cool for an additional 3 minutes. Repeat this process with additional batches of beans. 

Freezing Green Beans

Once the beans have cooled, remove the colander from the water bath and allow it to drain well. You can even dry them a bit with a clean towel. From here, spread blanched beans on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. You can freeze an additional batch on top of the first by placing another sheet of parchment on top of the first batch. 

From here, place the beans in the freezer, preferably a chest or stand up freezer, if available. Allow to freeze until solid, generally a few hours, but I have left them overnight. Once frozen, transfer from your baking sheet to freezer safe containers or bags. I prefer to use my Food Saver Vacuum Sealer, but have also used simple quart freezer bags as well. 

When you are ready to use your green beans, cook them the way you would cook any frozen vegetable. We especially like to steam them in our microwave! 

Preserving and Freezing Green Beans

Freezing Green Beans: An abundance of beans in the garden or from the farmer’s market can be frozen easily to enjoy all year long!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Freeze Time 3 hours
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Homesteading, Preserving
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • green, snap, or wax beans

Instructions
 

  • Beginning with washed beans, nip the ends of each end. From here, cut each bean into 1-2 inch pieces. Using a food scale, measure batches of beans in the size you think would best suit your household for a meal. Set each batch aside in a bowl or other container.
  • Find a large kettle that your metal colander will fit inside of. Fill the kettle with water and bring to a boil. Place your first batch of beans in the colander and place into the boiling water for 3 minutes.
  • While the beans are in the boiling water, prepare a cold water or ice bath for the beans. I do this by filling a large bowl with cold, cold water and placing another colander in it. Immediately after the beans are done boiling, remove from the kettle and pour them from the metal colander to colander in the cold water bath. Cool for an additional 3 minutes. Repeat this process with additional batches of beans.
  • Once the beans have cooled, remove the colander from the water bath and allow it to drain well. You can dry them a bit with a clean towel. Spread blanched beans on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. You can freeze an additional batch on top of the first by placing another sheet of parchment on top of the first batch.
  • Place the beans in the freezer, preferably a chest or stand up freezer, if available. Allow to freeze until solid, generally a few hours. Once frozen, transfer from your baking sheet to freezer safe containers or bags.
  • When you are ready to use your green beans, cook them the way you would cook any frozen vegetable. We especially like to steam them in our microwave!
Keyword beans, food preservation, freezing, freezing beans, green beans, meal prep, preserving, wax beans
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Raspberry Salsa

Stop whatever you’re doing right now, and gather the ingredients for this Raspberry Salsa and get ready to prepare it! 

Okay, that was a bit demanding and strongly worded, but I am telling you, that’s what you’ll want to do once you see the recipe. 

Each year, I travel to Door County, Wisconsin, for a weeklong vacation with my dad’s side of the family. If you aren’t from Wisconsin, there’s a chance you’ve not heard of Door County. It’s been described as the Martha’s Vineyard of the Midwest. Just lovely, quaint, and full of so much to do. 

The county itself has five state parks within it and provides a perfect climate for orchards, most notably cherry trees. It is full of wineries, fun shops, and culinary delights. Once such delight is cherry and raspberry salsa that can be found at many wineries and roadside stands. And my goodness, I LOVE it. 

There’s something about slightly sweet, slightly spicy pairings that are just so dang good. And if you’ve been around Jess in the Kitchen much, you know that I have an abundance of raspberries; it seems I should try to make some salsa from them, right? 

The problem?

There really aren’t raspberry salsa recipes out there. If I did find one, it wasn’t written for canning. That is what I wanted to do. So research started, acidity levels of fruits checked, and a recipe was born using the ideas from a peach salsa recipe. And it’s just so good. I can’t wait for you to give it a try! And if you aren’t a canner, simply half the recipe (this will result in about three cups of salsa rather than six) and eat it fresh! 

My Canning Story 

I do want to share that I did not grow up in a canning household. I learned about ten years ago, as soon as we bought our home and started our first garden. And while I had some support from my mother in law (thank you so much!), I learned SO MUCH from reading. If you are a first generation canner like I was, let me share some of my favorite resources: 

Ball Complete Book of Home Canning: This book gives you a good idea of all the basics from the people who know canning forwards and backwards. I love that I can dig in and get just what I need. 

Not Your Mama’s Canning Book: Modern Canned Goods and What to Make with Them: This book is SO FUN. It has some out of the ordinary recipes. We especially love the tomato soup and seasoned black bean recipes. 

And finally, the National Center for Home Food Preservation has all the information you need for all sorts of food preservation, not just canning. I reference it often! 

But enough about resources, you want to make raspberry salsa, right? (But seriously, I am going to give you the basics. If you are a newbie (Yay!), head to any of those resources for more detailed information)

Your Ingredients for raspberry salsa

For approximately 6 half-pints, gather: 

  • 6 cups red raspberries 
  • 1 medium sweet pepper (green, red, orange, yellow, any will work), diced
  • 4-5 jalapeños, finely diced (remember to wear gloves!)
  • ½ cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped
  • 1 medium red onion, diced 
  • ½ cup vinegar, 5% acidity
  • ½ teaspoon salt 
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons sugar 

The Prep Work

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

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

The raspberry Salsa Making

If you have not already done so, dice, measure out, and combine all the ingredients in a shallow, wide kettle. Smash the fruit with a potato masher or with a fermentation tamper. (I LOVE the tamper and honestly have never fermented anything. It works great for smashing berries). Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often. I like to smash the berries more as they are cooking down. Bring the salsa to a boil and then simmer for five minutes, to thicken just a bit. 

Once the salsa has thicken, remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch head space. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp, clean cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from canner, placing on the counter. Listen for the ping of the lids over the next 12 hours. Sealed jars are self stable. If any jar doesn’t seal, simply place it right in the refrigerator. 

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

Raspberry Salsa

This raspberry salsa has the sweet taste of summer in the berries and cilantro paired with the spicy kick from jalapeños. A taste sensation you’re sure to love!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Snacks
Cuisine Canning
Servings 6 1/2 pint jars

Ingredients
  

  • 6 cups red raspberries
  • 1 medium sweet pepper green, red, orange, yellow, any will work, diced
  • 4-5 jalapeños finely diced (remember to wear gloves!)
  • ½ cup loosely packed cilantro chopped
  • 1 medium red onion diced
  • ½ cup vinegar 5% acidity
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons sugar

Instructions
 

  • Fill the canning kettle with enough water that the jars will be covered by at least 2 inches of water. More is better in this case so over estimate. Begin to heat over high heat. Place the canning rack so that it is hooked over the side of the canner and put clean jars on it to keep them warm. Note: You don’t have to keep the jars in the rack, although it is helpful to keep them warm. You want the jars warm to prevent breaking when they are being filled.
  • Set the clean rings aside. I like to simmer my lids on low low heat in a small saucepan. Not necessary, but I like to think it helps them seal better.
  • If you have not already done so, dice, measure out, and combine all the ingredients in a shallow, wide kettle. Smash the fruit with a potato masher or with a fermentation tamper.
  • Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often. I like to smash the berries more as they are cooking down. Bring the salsa to a boil and then simmer for five minutes, to thicken just a bit.
  • Once the salsa has thickened, remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch head space.
  • Wipe rims of the jars with a damp, clean cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight.
  • Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from the canner, placing them on the counter. Listen for the ping of the lids over the next 12 hours. Sealed jars are self stable. If any jar doesn’t seal, simply place it right in the refrigerator.

Notes

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

Looking for other ways to use up those raspberries?

Be sure to check out my canning and preserving page for all sorts of inspiration. Or perhaps I can recommend a few of my favorites below?

Simple Greek Salad

Not too terribly long ago, we had friends gift us some ground lamb after we checked in on their lambs while they were away. I’ll be honest, my only experience with lamb was in a gyro, and I am a HUGE fan. (although I am starting to think it’s just for the tzatziki sauce…am I right?!) However, I had never had an experience with ground lamb and quickly asked the friend how to use it. Burgers, of course! Well, you need a side if you’re having lamb burgers and this beautiful and delicious Simple Greek Salad was created. 

It quickly became a go to salad for me, with little to no measurements. I simply needed to make sure that I had cucumbers, feta, and kalamata olives on hand (every other ingredient is a pantry item for our household. And truly, feta is getting added to the list because “everything is betta with feta!”). No kalamata olives? No problem. Swap them out for black olives. 

I did recently take the time to measure out all of the ingredients should I could share it out with my friends. If a Greek Salad ISN’T on your summer salad list, let’s get it on there! 

Your Ingredients 

  • 2 cups chopped Roma tomatoes
  • 2 cups chopped cucumbers (preferably English or snacking) 
  • ⅔ cup diced red onions 
  • ½ cup sliced kalamata olives (or black olives)
  • 3 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil 
  • ½ teaspoon minced garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon dijon mustard 
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried) 
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Your Steps to Simple Greek Salad 

In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onions. Add olives and feta cheese and stir once more. 

In a glass mason jar with a lid or liquid measuring cup, combine vinegar, oil, garlic, mustard, oregano, salt, and pepper. If using a mason jar, cover and shake well. If using the measuring cup, whisk well. 

Pour the dressing over the vegetables and allow to mellow over a few hours, if you are able. If you prefer a saucier salad, add 1 part red wine vinegar to 1 part olive oil, mixed together first. 

Enjoy!

Tools of the trade

I have a few tools I love and to when I am making any salad. First and foremost, I can’t live without my flexible cutting boards. I think they are a must in the kitchen. Closely behind that, I did my small whisk and glass measuring cups for making my dressing.

Simple Greek Salad

This simple Greek salad is full of tomatoes, red onions, and cucumbers combined with feta, oregano and a delicious dressing. A great side dish for any meal!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Greek
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups chopped Roma tomatoes
  • 2 cups chopped cucumbers preferably English or snacking
  • cup diced red onions
  • ½ cup sliced kalamata olives or black olives
  • 3 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon minced garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onions. Add olives and feta cheese and stir once more.
  • In a glass mason jar with a lid or liquid measuring cup, combine vinegar, oil, garlic, mustard, oregano, salt, and pepper. If using a mason jar, cover and shake well. If using the measuring cup, whisk well.
  • Pour the dressing over the vegetables and allow to mellow over a few hours, if you are able. If you prefer a saucier salad, add 1 part red wine vinegar to 1 part olive oil, mixed together first.
  • Enjoy!
Keyword cucumbers, feta salad, Greek salad, Salad, summer salad, tomatoes, vegetables, vegetarian
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Looking for other great sides?

Check out my cooking page or see if any of the recipes below are a perfect fit for you!

Banana Nut Muffins

I know you are out there. The banana keepers. You know, the ones that buy way too many bananas because some days the people in your house eat them like they are going out of style…until they don’t. And then you have those bananas that are just past their prime. The banana keepers throw them in the freezer with plans of banana bread. I usually just leave them on the counter until the Mr says, “Are you going to bake with these or….” Well, sometimes they make the best gluten free banana bread. But this time, they made some delightful banana nut muffins. 

I went the healthier route on these banana nut muffins: maple syrup for the sweetener and whole wheat flour swapped for all purpose. Even with the healthier swaps, I think these are some delicious muffins your family can all enjoy! 

Ready to start baking? Let’s go! 

Your Ingredients 

  • ⅓ cup maple syrup 
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup oil 
  • ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt 
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla 
  • 2 bananas, mashed
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour 
  • ½ teaspoon salt 
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder 
  • ½ cup walnuts 
  • ½ cup chocolate chips (optional)

Your Steps to Banana Nut Muffins

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the syrup, egg, oil, yogurt, vanilla, and bananas. Mix well, making sure the bananas are mashed. 

In an additional bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix into the wet ingredients along with the walnuts and chocolate chips, if adding. 

Line 12 vessels in a muffin tin with liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Evenly divide the batter among the 12 vessels, filling about ⅔ of the way full. Bake for 20-23 minutes, until a toothpick can be inserted and comes out clean. 

Banana Nut Muffins

Whole wheat flour, maple syrup, and sweet bananas combine to make these delicious and simple banana nut muffins!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Breakfast, Snacks
Cuisine American
Servings 12 muffins

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • cup maple syrup
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup oil
  • cup plain Greek yogurt
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 bananas mashed
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup walnuts
  • ½ cup chocolate chips optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • In a large bowl, combine the syrup, egg, oil, yogurt, vanilla, and bananas. Mix well, making sure the bananas are mashed.
  • In an additional bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • Mix into the wet ingredients along with the walnuts and chocolate chips, if adding.
  • Line 12 vessels in a muffin tin with liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Evenly divide the batter among the 12 vessels, filling about ⅔ of the way full.
  • Bake for 20-23 minutes, until a toothpick can be inserted and comes out clean.
Keyword banana nut, banana recipe, bananas, Breakfast, breakfast breads, breakfast muffins, muffins
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other tasty breakfast treats?

You can find muffins and more on my baking page and there are other sweet and savory ideas on my breakfast page. Otherwise, perhaps one of these recipes below will intrigue you!

Breakfast Burritos

When I first joined Pinterest YEARS ago, I distinctly remember stumbling on a breakfast burritos recipe that I made one or two times. It was a meal prep recipe that had you freezing them and then reheating as needed. After the initial making of them, I never looked back at the recipe, and if we wanted something similar, I’ll be honest, the Mr made them. 

Fast forward to earlier this year. Our ladies (and by ladies, I mean hens) are laying like crazy and we have more eggs than we can keep up with. We have company coming with a busy morning that required us to leave the house quickly with five kids in tow. I feel like more than one of you can relate to that scene, right? 

As such, we needed a quick meal that would be full of protein to keep the kids full. But it had to be kid friendly too. Bonus points if it’s healthy! I remembered those delicious breakfast burritos we had years ago and set out to make my own. 

We had eggs, bulk sausage, onions and peppers on hand; but no hash browns. Dang. What we did have was tater tots, so I gave them a try. I was so pleasantly surprised with the results! I can’t wait for you to give them a try too! 

In the end, all kiddos (even the pickiest of them!) asked for seconds, loving breakfast. A few weeks later, my mom pulled a sheet of paper out and said, “I need the breakfast burritos recipe from you!” “Well heck mom, I threw that together and I don’t have a recipe.”

I rattled off what I could remember and made a mental note to make breakfast burritos again, taking measurements as I went. And I’ll tell you, it is very much family approved! We also tested freezing them so if you are a meal prep kind of person, I have you set! You can make the filling, fill some fajita shells and freeze them for those busy, busy mornings! 

Let’s get cooking!

Your Ingredients 

  • ½ cup diced onions
  • ½ cup diced sweet pepper, any color 
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound bulk breakfast sausage 
  • 10 eggs
  • ¼ cup milk 
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt 
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper 
  • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 8-10 ounces of hash brown patties or tater tots, thawed
  • 16 tortilla shells 
  • Shredded cheese and salsa (optional) 

Your Steps to Breakfast Burritos

In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once warm, add onions and sweet pepper. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring often. Add additional oil if needed and breakfast sausage. (I really like adding just a bit of oil to help ground protein from sticking) Break apart and cook until browned, about 8 minutes. I LOVE my meat chopper for this! Meanwhile, whisk the egg, milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together.

When browned, remove the onion, pepper, and sausage mixture from the pan and place in a paper towel lined bowl, but leave the drippings to cook the hash browns. Add the hash browns to the pan, breaking apart and cooking until just hot. Again, the meat chopper is great here!

Add the eggs and the sausage mixture back to the hash browns and cook until eggs are cooked through, turning from the bottom periodically. 

Serve immediately with fajita shells and other fixings like shredded cheese and salsa. Or allow it to cool, refrigerate, and reheat single burritos in the microwave in the morning for about 30 seconds (this is how we roll!).

If meal prep is your jam…

These breakfast burritos freeze great! Scoop about ⅓ of a cup of mixture onto each fajita shell. Roll them up and then wrap in a piece of wax paper. Rolled burritos can then be stored in a freezer bag and pulled out in the morning. We recommend heating them for about 1 min, 15 seconds, in 30 second intervals. 

Add cheese after they have been heated or if you’re like the Mr, you can just sprinkle it on top, heat it, and then eat them with a fork. 

Breakfast Burritos

Serving a crowd or have busy mornings but still want a good breakfast? Give these easy to prep breakfast burritos a try!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 16 burritos

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup diced onions
  • ½ cup diced sweet pepper any color
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound bulk breakfast sausage
  • 10 eggs
  • ¼ cup milk
  • teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • teaspoon garlic powder
  • 8-10 ounces of hash brown patties or tater tots thawed
  • 16 tortilla shells
  • Shredded cheese and salsa optional

Instructions
 

  • In a large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once warm, add onions and sweet pepper. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring often.
  • Add additional oil if needed and breakfast sausage. Break apart and cook until browned, about 8 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, whisk the egg, milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together.
  • When browned, remove the onion, pepper, and sausage mixture from the pan and place in a paper towel lined bowl, but leave the drippings to cook the hash browns.
  • Add the hash browns, breaking apart and cooking until just hot.
  • Add eggs and sausage mixture back to the hash browns and cook until eggs are cooked through, turning from the bottom periodically.
  • Serve immediately with fajita shells and other fixings like shredded cheese and salsa. Or allow it to cool, refrigerate, and reheat in the microwave in the morning.

Notes

These breakfast burritos freeze great! Scoop about ⅓ of a cup of mixture onto each fajita shell. Roll them up and then wrap in a piece of wax paper. Rolled burritos can then be stored in a freezer bag and pulled out in the morning. We recommend heating them for about 1 min, 15 seconds, in 30 second intervals.
Keyword Breakfast, breakfast burritos, breakfast sausage, burritos, egg dishes, Eggs, feeding a crowd, hash browns, kid friendly, tortillas
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other breakfast inspiration?

I have a whole page dedicated to delicious breakfast dishes, sweet and savory! Click here to see that! Or maybe I can inspire you with some of my favorites below!

Rhubarb Streusel Muffins

Well, spring has finally arrived in Northern Wisconsin. The trees are blossoming, the bees are buzzing, and the rhubarb and asparagus are pushing up through the ground. I’ll tell you, that makes for one happy food blogger over here. And with the rhubarb coming up, it’s time to bake all the goodies. This year, we started with these delicious and simple Rhubarb Streusel Muffins. 

I know the natural combination is sweet strawberry to counter the tartness of the rhubarb. However, the Mr loves rhubarb in all forms, and particularly likes to keep it without the strawberries. What that means is that I worked hard to counter the tartness with just the right amount of sugar without going too heavy as to cover the tartness all together. 

These rhubarb streusel muffins fit the bill. They are light and fluffy and the streusel topping gives you the bit of sweetness on the tongue that is just about perfect. You’ll bake up a dozen breakfast treats in no time and everyone will be asking for more!

Let’s get baking!

Your Ingredients 

  • ¾ cup whole milk 
  • ¼ cup oil 
  • 1 large egg 
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla 
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 6 tablespoons sugar (or ⅜ cup)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder 
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cardamom 
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen rhubarb 

Streusel Topping

  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons firm butter

Your Steps to Rhubarb Streusel Muffins

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray 12 medium muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper baking cups. 

In a large bowl, whisk together milk, oil, egg, and vanilla. In a smaller bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cardamom. Stir into the wet ingredients until flour is moistened and just combined. Fold in the rhubarb. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. 

In a small bowl, combine flour and brown sugar for the streusel topping. Cut the butter into small pieces. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour and sugar until crumbly. In a pinch, forks or knives can be used. Top each muffin with streusel topping. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with a cup of coffee or tea. 

Rhubarb Streusel Muffins

These rhubarb streusel muffins are delicious baked treat that combine the tartness of rhubarb and the sweetness of that streusel topping! Give them a try!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 12 muffins

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • ¼ cup oil
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 6 tablespoons sugar or ⅜ cup
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cardamom
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen rhubarb

Streusel Topping

  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons firm butter

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray 12 medium muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper baking cups.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together milk, oil, egg, and vanilla. In a smaller bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cardamom.
  • Stir into the wet ingredients until flour is moistened and just combined. Fold in the rhubarb.
  • Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.
  • In a small bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut the butter into small pieces.
  • Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour and sugar until crumbly.
  • In a pinch, forks or knives can be used. Top each muffin with streusel topping.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with a cup of coffee or tea.
Keyword Breakfast, breakfast breads, breakfast muffins, Rhubarb, rhubarb muffins, rhubarb recipes
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for some other sweet treats?

Please check out my Baking page for some delicious treats! Or maybe one of the muffins or breads below will tickle your fancy!