Jessica's Joyful Kitchen

Prepare fruit when home from the store. For grapes, leave the stems on and cut into little bundles. Place the fruit into a bowl and filled with water. Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar or for a very large bowl 1/4 cup. Allow the fruit to soak for about two minutes, being careful not to over-soak delicate fruits such as berries, as they can absorb excess vinegar flavor.  After soaking, drain the solution and rinse the fruit thoroughly under cool running water to remove any remaining vinegar taste. Spread the fruit out in a single layer on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels, pat them dry, and allow them to air-dry fully before storing. Once dry, store the fruit according to type. Berries should be kept in the refrigerator in a breathable or vented container lined with paper towel to absorb excess moisture.

Bulk Mix Recipe (about 12 servings) • 1 cup all-purpose flour • 1 cup white whole wheat flour • 1 ¼ tsp cornstarch • 2 ½ tsp ground cinnamon • ½ tsp baking soda • ¼ tsp salt • 1 ¼ cups chocolate chips Directions for Mix: – Whisk all dry ingredients together. – Store in a large airtight jar or container for up to 2 months. Mug Cake Instructions (1 serving) – In a microwave-safe mug, melt 1 Tbsp butter. – Stir in 1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 Tbsp pumpkin puree, and 1 Tbsp milk. – Add 3 Tbsp of the prepared jarred mix. Mix well. – Microwave on high for 60 seconds. – Let sit in the microwave for 1 minute to cool before eating.

16   oz   frozen Meatballs (approx 24) 20   oz   pineapple chunks, drained,   juice reserved 1   bell pepper   cut into 1" squares Homemade Teriyaki Sauce 3 TBSP   cornstarch 1/2 cup  soy sauce 100g  brown sugar 3 cloves minced garlic 1 teaspoon  minced ginger (2 frozen cubes) 3/4 cup   pineapple juice   from can of pineapple Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Start the rice , if using.  Place the frozen meatballs into a 9x13 baking dish. Add the bell peppers and pineapple chunks. Stir to combine.  Teriyaki Sauce:  In a 4 cup glass measuring cup, whisk together the soy sauce and the cornstarch. Add in brown sugar, minced garlic, ground ginger and the pineapple juice. Whisk to combine, then microwave the mixture for 2 minutes. W hisk again until smooth and return to microwave for another 1-2 minutes, until the sauce starts bubbling and beginning to thicken. Pout the sauce over the meatball mixture and stir to...

  Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 35–37 minutes Total Time: 45–50 minutes (plus cooling time) Servings: About 8 (approximately 4 cups) Category: Breakfast, Snack ⸻ Notes After Making Add ⸻ Ingredients 225 g rolled oats 75 g sourdough discard (less than 6 days old) ¼ cup (60 g) pure maple syrup or honey ¼ cup (50 g) avocado oil ¼ cup (50 g) packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 1 tablespoon chia seeds ½ teaspoon fine salt 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon 75 g raw pecans, walnuts, or almonds, chopped 75 g raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds) ¼ cup (43 g) dried fruit, optional (raisins, dried cranberries, cherries, or chopped apricots) ⸻ Instructions Preheat the oven to 350°F . Spread the rolled oats on a large baking sheet and toast for 5–7 minutes , until lightly fragrant. Remove the oats from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 300°F . In a large bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard, maple syrup (or honey), avocado oil, brown suga...

• 2 cups water • 1–2 teaspoons liquid dish soap • 15–20 drops peppermint essential oil (100% pure) • Optional: 10 drops tea tree or eucalyptus oil 1. Add water to a clean spray bottle. 2. Mix in the dish soap. 3. Add peppermint oil (and other oils if using). 4. Shake well before each use — oils separate from water over time. How to use: • Spray directly along door frames, baseboards, windowsills, cracks, and basement corners where millipedes might enter. • Reapply every 2–3 days or after cleaning the area. • Avoid saturating wood finishes or delicate surfaces — test a small spot first. Tip: If you treat both inside and outside entry points (especially along the foundation near damp mulch or leaf litter), you’ll get much better results.

 Serves 6 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (left whole) 2 (1 ounce) packages taco seasoning mix or 2–3 tablespoons taco seasoning Salt and pepper, to taste 16 ounces salsa 1/2 cup orange marmalade  Substitution options: 1/2 cup apricot or peach preserves 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained well 6 Tablespoons honey or brown sugar mixed with 2 Tablespoons orange juice Serve with rice, this stovetop rice amount makes 3 small servings or 2 large  Place whole chicken breasts or thighs directly in the slow cooker.  Sprinkle with taco seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add salsa and orange marmalade on top; spread evenly. Cover and cook on low for 4–5 hours or high for 2–3 hours, until chicken is tender.  Serve whole, or shred the chicken and mix it with the sauce before serving. Glaze option: For a thicker sauce, transfer cooking liquid to a small saucepan after removing the chicken. Simmer over medium heat for 5–8 minutes until slightly redu...

  2   cups   ( 250   g )  all purpose flour  ½  cup   (100  g )   granulated sugar 1 Tablespoon   baking powder ½  teaspoon  salt ¼  cup   (57  g )   cold unsalted butter ½   cup   ( 110   g )   sourdough discard ¼   cup   ( 60   ml )   heavy cream ½  teaspoon vanilla  1 egg 1 cup natural peanut butted ½ cup chocolate chips, optional Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in the basin of a food processor and pulse to combine. Cut cold butter into pieces and scatter over the dry ingredients. Pulse in 1 second intervals until butter is well-distributed (pea-sized pieces should remain). In a separate small bowl or measuring cup stir together the sourdough discard, heavy cream, vanilla extract, egg, and peanut butter.   Pour this evenly over the dry ingredients and pulse...