The Grateful Girl Cooks!

01
Aug
2026

Broccoli and Cheese Sauce

categories: Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes

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Need a new side dish? Try this simple recipe for Broccoli and Cheese Sauce! Steamed broccoli is topped with creamy cheddar sauce. It’s yummy!

Today I want to share a recipe for broccoli and cheese sauce, and I believe you might be as surprised as I was how simple it really is to cook this side dish.

Fresh cooked broccoli drizzled with creamy cheese sauce has long been a favorite of mine. I figured it was about time I shared how just how easy it is to make.

Typically, I steam fresh broccoli florets to enjoy with this sauce, but any way you choose to cook the broccoli will be okay when it’s topped with velvety cheese sauce!

YUM! Here’s how to make broccoli and cheese sauce.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prep The Broccoli

Rinse the broccoli, pat it dry with paper towels and then cut off most of the thick stalk (and discard).

Cut the broccoli into small florets, then place them in a steamer basket over about 2 inches of boiling water in a large saucepan.

Steam the broccoli florets (covered) for about 7-8 minutes or until they become tender. Remove and keep them hot.

TIP: Try to time the broccoli with the time the easy cheese sauce is done, so they are both ready (and hot) at the same time.

Make The Cheese Sauce

Now it’s time to make the simple cheddar cheese sauce which will be poured over the hot cooked broccoli.

Melt 1 Tablespoon of butter over medium heat in a medium sized saucepan.

Once the butter has melted, whisk in 1 Tablespoon of all-purpose flour. Whisk these ingredients together for about 1 minute.

This helps make a “roux”, or a thick paste out of the butter and flour. It also helps to cook the flour because it removes some of the flour “taste” from the roux.

Slowly pour 1 cup of whole milk into the roux, whisking constantly as you add it, to fully combine the milk with the butter and flour mixture.

Cook the mixture (uncovered) on medium-low heat, whisking constantly until it thickens. Once the sauce has thickened, immediately remove the saucepan from the heat.

Add The Cheese!

Now it’s time to turn the thickened milk mixture into cheese sauce off of the heat. Add 1 cup of grated SHARP cheddar cheese and ½ teaspoon of salt to the saucepan.

Stir often as the cheese begins to melt. Continue stirring until all the cheese is melted and has been fully incorporated into the sauce.

The cheese sauce will end up pale-yellow in color and should be a hot, slightly thick but smooth cheese sauce. Take a quick taste and add additional salt to suit your taste (if desired).

Drizzle or pour the hot cheese sauce over the hot, steamed broccoli and serve immediately (while it is still hot).

Serve and enjoy this simple “dressed up” vegetable side dish along with your favorite main dishes, etc. It is so easy make yet tastes quite yummy, too!

My hope is that you will have the chance to make this yummy vegetable dish for yourself and those you love. I trust you’ll enjoy it, too!

Thank you for stopping by today, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More Recipes For SAUCES (sweet/savory)?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have many sauce recipes available to choose from (sweet AND savory), including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

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Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Broccoli and Cheese Sauce

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

15 mins

Need a new side dish? Try this simple recipe for Broccoli and Cheese Sauce! Steamed broccoli is topped with creamy cheddar sauce. It's yummy!

Category: Side Dish, Vegetable

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: broccoli and cheese sauce

Servings: 4 servings

Calories Per Serving: 200 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For The Broccoli:

3 cups fresh broccoli florets

For The Cheese Sauce:

1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup 2% milk
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
½ teaspoon salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Rinse broccoli, pat it dry, then cut off the thick stalk (and discard). Cut broccoli into small florets. Cook them in a steamer basket over boiling water in a large saucepan (or use another cooking method you prefer). Steam them (covered) for 8 minutes or until broccoli is crisp- tender. Remove; keep broccoli hot.
TIP: Try to time the broccoli with when the cheese sauce is ready, so they're both ready at the same time.

Make Cheese Sauce:

Melt butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Once butter has melted, whisk in flour. Continue to whisk for about 1 minute. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly to fully combine milk with the butter and flour mixture. Cook (uncovered) on medium-low heat, whisking constantly until it thickens. Once sauce thickens, remove saucepan from the heat.
Immediately add grated cheese and salt to the saucepan (off the heat). Stir often as cheese melts. Continue stirring until all cheese is melted. Cheese sauce should be pale-yellow in color and a hot, slightly thick but smooth sauce. Take a quick taste; add additional salt to suit your taste, if desired.
Drizzle or pour hot cheese sauce over hot broccoli; serve immediately. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Broccoli and Cheese Sauce

Amount Per Serving (1 (¼ of total))

Calories 200 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Trans Fat 0.2g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 40mg13%

Sodium 548mg24%

Potassium 323mg9%

Carbohydrates 9g3%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 856IU17%

Vitamin C 61mg74%

Calcium 304mg30%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

25
Jul
2026

Refrigerator Dill Pickle Slices

categories: Canning And Preserving, Tip Of The Day, Vegetable Dishes

3 Shares

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Make Refrigerator Dill Pickle Slices without canning! This EASY recipe yields 1 quart of yummy pickle slices for burgers and sandwiches.

Do you enjoy pickles? We sure do! Most of the time I can our homemade pickles, but sometimes I simply only need or want one jar of pickles that doesn’t require canning equipment. That’s where this recipe comes in handy!

Today I am sharing this recipe for making delicious dill pickle slices that all you do is layer pickling cucumber slices with a few other ingredients (brine, peppercorns, garlic and dill) in a jar and then refrigerate. That’s it!

After a week or two of refrigeration you will have a one-quart jar full of delicious dill pickle slices (sometimes a bit more) ready to enjoy and use for burgers, sandwiches or a quick snack!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Pickling Cucumbers

For this recipe you will need to use “pickling cucumbers”. Unlike “regular” sized cucumbers you would buy in the store, a pickling cucumber is much shorter in size.

Pickling cucumbers also have a “drier” peel”, which allows them to absorb more of the brine when you pickle them!

I am fortunate to grow pickling cucumbers each year in our little raised bed garden, but when they are in season, they can be found at many grocery stores or farmer’s markets.

In the second photo below, you can see several pickling cucumbers (front left) I picked along with some other veggies and fruit from our backyard garden.

How Many Pickling Cucumbers Will I Need?

Today I will be sharing a recipe that will fill a one-quart jar with refrigerator dill pickle slices. To make a one quart jar of pickles you will need approximately 6 pickling cucumbers (about 5-6″ long).

NOTE: Depending on the size cucumbers you use, you might end up with enough slices to fill a small half-pint jar, as well. I always say the minimum yield will fill a one-quart jar but please know you may get more slices out of your pickling cucumbers and require a second small jar!

The number of cucumbers you use will ultimately depend on how many jars you want to make, so the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for that purpose (as needed).

These pickle slices are refrigerated but are NOT canned, so they are very simple (and safe) to make. Since it is only my husband and I at home these days, we only need a one-quart jar of pickles every couple of months.

A Little Prep First

Before you pack the jar full of cucumber slices, you will need to make the pickle brine and let it cool to room temperature before using it.

Fill a medium sized saucepan with 2 cups of water, 1 cup of white vinegar (5%), 1 Tablespoon of kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of granulated sugar.

Bring this liquid mixture quickly to a boil, stirring occasionally to make sure the salt and sugar fully dissolve. Once they are dissolved, take the pan off of the heat source and let the brine cool down until it reaches room temperature.

While the brine is cooling down, prepare the jar and the cucumber slices so they are ready to go once the brine reaches room temperature.

How To Make Refrigerator Dill Pickle Slices

Prepare a quart sized jar by washing and drying it well. Wash all of the cucumbers you will be using. Cut off and discard both ends of each cucumber. Slice each cucumber into rounds, about ¼ inch thick or so.

Fill the jar by layering the cucumber slices with fresh dill, peeled and smashed garlic cloves, and peppercorns. You will put in a few slices, add dill, garlic cloves and peppercorns, then add more, etc. until the jar is full.

IMPORTANT: Fill the jars full but make sure you don’t pack the ingredients in too tightly, because you need room for the pickling brine to get through, okay?

I typically top off the jar with a couple more cloves of garlic, a few peppercorns and more dill. You can see them in the photo below.

Add The Brine

Pour the room temperature brine into the jar (or jars) you are using. Cover the pickle slices and extra ingredients completely with the brine.

Gently push the pickles (and spices) down into the jar (if necessary) to ensure they are completely covered with the liquid.

IMPORTANT: Fully cover everything with brine! This is very important, so the pickles (below the surface of the brine) can soak up all the flavor they need.

Seal the jar of pickle slices with an airtight lid. Place the sealed jar in the refrigerator and let them “pickle” for AT LEAST 1-2 weeks before you ever open the jar and eat them (for best flavor).

NOTE: I usually let my refrigerator dill pickle slices sit in the fridge for about 2 weeks before we open the jar, because that’s when I personally think they’ve reached the peak of flavor!

Storing The Pickles

Refrigerator dill pickle slices will typically last for several months if they remain fully covered by the brine in the jar and kept refrigerated. They are not shelf stable because they are not “canned”, so they must be refrigerated!

NOTE: I feel that these yummy pickles have their best flavor if they’re eaten within 3 months of making them! After that they’re still good (and safe) to eat but may have slightly diminished flavor.

The refrigerator dill pickle slices (shown below) are the last ones I removed from the jar (and refrigerator) about 3 months AFTER I made them. They were still absolutely delicious AND we loved using them on grilled hamburgers for dinner!

The key takeaway is to keep those pickle slices covered with brine the whole time they are refrigerated! Hope you like them!

I hope you have the opportunity to make a jar of these delicious refrigerator dill pickle slices for yourself and those you love. They really are quite GOOD!

Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a great day.

Looking For More SIDE DISH Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of side dish recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
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Recipe adapted from and with thanks to: Krissy, at Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles – Self Proclaimed Foodie

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Refrigerator Dill Pickle Slices

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Total Time

15 mins

Make Refrigerator Dill Pickle Slices without canning! This EASY recipe yields 1 quart of yummy pickle slices for burgers and sandwiches.

Category: Condiment

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: refrigerator dill pickle slices

Servings: 1 quart jar + a ½ Pint jar

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For the Brine:

2 cups water
1 cup white vinegar (5% acidity)
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon granulated sugar

For The Pickles:

6 pickling cucumbers each approx. 5" long
½ bunch fresh dill torn into pieces (most of stem removed)
½ Tablespoon whole peppercorns (in spice section at most stores)
½ head garlic peeled/separated into cloves/smashed

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make Brine:

Fill medium saucepan with water, white vinegar (5%), kosher salt and granulated sugar. Bring this to a boil, stirring to make sure salt and sugar fully dissolve, then take the pan off the heat source. Let brine cool to room temperature.

To Make Pickles:

Wash and dry a quart sized jar. Next, wash the cucumbers. Cut off (discard) both ends of each cucumber. Slice cucumbers into rounds, approximately ¼ inch thick.
Fill the jar by layering cucumber slices with fresh dill, peeled and lightly smashed garlic cloves, and peppercorns. (Example: put in a few slices, add some dill, garlic cloves and peppercorns, then repeat this until the jar is full. IMPORTANT: Fill the jars full but don't pack ingredients in too tightly, because you need room for the pickling brine and spice to permeate the cucumbers.
Pour cooled brine into the jar (or jars). Cover ingredients with brine. Press slices (and spices) down into the jar to ensure they are fully covered. IMPORTANT: Fully cover everything with brine so the pickles (below the surface of the brine) can soak up all the flavor they need.
Seal the jar with an airtight lid. Place jar in the refrigerator; let them "pickle" AT LEAST 1-2 weeks before you open the jar and eat them (for best flavor).
NOTE: The pickles taste BEST if eaten within 3 months of making them! After that they're still good (and safe) to eat but may have slightly diminished flavor. Enjoy!

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

18
Jul
2026

Chicken Strawberry Delight Salad

categories: Chicken, Main Dish Salads

5 Shares

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Chicken Strawberry Delight Salad is absolutely delicious with mixed greens, candied pecans, feta, mandarin oranges and balsamic dressing!

One of my favorite salads is one I order at a local restaurant, and it is amazing! A few months ago, after having it there once again, I decided to make the salad at home so my husband and I could have it any time we want!

I did a quick check of the menu description from the restaurant, then set about to create this absolutely delicious salad on my own (without a recipe).

This delicious chicken strawberry delight salad is the result, and it is scrumptious (if I do say so myself). Today I want to share the “how-to’s” so you can make this great salad, too!

You can use either grilled chicken OR you can use a rotisserie chicken breast when you want to shave off a lot of prep time. The photos below show what it looks like using a rotisserie chicken breast.

Here’s how to make a chicken delight strawberry salad, which will yield enough for two large main dish servings.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make The Candied Pecans

For this salad I use a very quick skillet method to lightly “candy” the pecans. If you don’t have pecans, substitute walnuts!

Place butter, water, a pinch of salt and some granulated sugar in a large skillet on medium heat. Stir well to combine as the butter begins to melt.

Once the butter is almost melted and the sugar has dissolved, stir in the pecan halves. Cook the pecans for about 5 minutes, stirring often so they don’t stick and burn.

The pecans are done (and “candied”) when the liquid becomes syrupy, glossy and thickened. The pecans should be fully coated with the sweet buttery glaze.

Immediately remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the candied pecans to parchment paper. Spread them out in a single layer so they are not touching each other.

Let the pecans cool completely. The sweet glaze on them will harden in about 5-7 minutes. After they harden, separate them from the parchment paper and chop them into smaller pieces.

Set the candied chopped pecans aside until you are ready to make the salad later.

Build The Salad

Place cold mixed salad greens in a LARGE bowl. Top the salad greens with chopped red onions, roasted red peppers (from a jar) and fresh mandarin orange wedges.

Sprinkle the salad with the cooled, chopped candied pecan pieces. Now we’re ready to finish making this yummy salad!

Place strawberry slices all over the top of the salad. NOTE: Set aside 8-10 slices to use as garnish on the finished salads. Now doesn’t the salad look colorful and gorgeous?

Prepare Salad Dressing And Remaining Ingredients

Right before serving the salad, prepare a quick and easy balsamic dressing. Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, dried basil, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Whisk these dressing ingredients well using a small whisk or fork until they are fully combined. Set the dressing aside.

Cut pre-cooked chicken breast into small slices and crumble feta cheese (or bleu cheese) into small pieces. You will want them ready to go right after adding the salad dressing to the salad.

NOTE: Sometimes I pre-cook the chicken on a BBQ grill, but other times I simply use rotisserie chicken to make the prep much quicker! This time I am using rotisserie chicken.

Sprinkle the salad with about ½ of the feta (or bleu cheese) crumbles. NOTE: You will need to reserve the remaining half of the cheese crumbles to garnish each individual salad before serving!

Drizzle the salad with the balsamic dressing (use all of it). Gently toss the salad to coat everything with the dressing.

Serve The Chicken Strawberry Delight Salad

Divide the salad evenly between two serving bowls (shown below). Now it’s time to “garnish” each salad with the remaining cheese crumbles, sliced chicken breast and reserved sliced strawberries.

For a pretty presentation I place the chicken slices on one side of each salad and then place some of the sliced strawberries next to the chicken

Sprinkle the top of each Chicken Strawberry Delight Salad with the remaining feta (or bleu cheese) crumbles and then this delicious salad is ready to be enjoyed.

Doesn’t it look GOOD? I love this Chicken Strawberry Delight Salad because there are so many colors, flavor and textures! Every bite is amazing and I am confident you are going to love it, too!

I trust you will have an opportunity to make this salad for yourself and someone you love. Hopefully you will enjoy it as much as we do (I’m confident you will).

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More MAIN DISH SALAD Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of main dish salad recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Chicken Strawberry Delight Salad

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

0 mins

Total Time

20 mins

Chicken Strawberry Delight Salad is absolutely delicious with mixed greens, candied pecans, feta, mandarin oranges and balsamic dressing!

Category: Main Dish, Salad

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: chicken strawberry delight salad

Servings: 2 salads

Calories Per Serving: 750 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Candied Pecans:

2 teaspoons butter
⅓ cup pecan halves* *Can substitute walnuts
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons water
1 tiny pinch salt

For Salad (makes enough for two main dish salads):

5 cups mixed salad greens chilled
10 wedges mandarin oranges peeled, white pith removed
3 Tablespoons roasted red peppers (from jar) chopped
2 Tablespoons red onion (finely chopped)
10 large fresh strawberries* *DIVIDED USE, sliced thin
⅓ cup low-fat feta cheese (crumbled)* *DIVIDED USE
6 ounce pre-cooked chicken breast* * DIVIDED USE, thinly sliced

For Balsamic Salad Dressing:

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
1½ Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 pinch black pepper
1 pinch dried basil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make Candied Pecans:

Place butter, sugar, water, and salt in a large skillet on medium heat. Stir well to combine. Once butter is almost melted and sugar has dissolved, stir in pecans. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Pecans are "candied" when liquid is syrupy, glossy, thickened and pecans are coated with glaze. Immediately remove skillet from heat; transfer pecans to parchment paper. Spread in a single layer, not touching each other. Let pecans cool completely (glaze hardens in 5-7 minutes). Separate pecans from parchment paper; chop into smaller pieces. Set aside.

Build Salad:

Place cold salad greens in a LARGE bowl. Add mandarin orange slices, roasted red peppers and red onions. Sprinkle with chopped candied pecans, then add strawberry slices (reserve 4-5 slices to garnish each finished salad). Set aside.
Cut pre-cooked chicken breast into small slices; crumble feta cheese into small pieces. Sprinkle salad with ½ of the feta (or bleu cheese) crumbles. Reserve the chicken and remaining cheese crumbles to garnish each salad before serving!

Make Balsamic Dressing:

Whisk olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, dried basil, sugar, salt and pepper together until fully combined in a small bowl. Drizzle salad with dressing right before serving (use all of it). Gently toss salad to disperse the dressing.

To Serve Salad:

Divide salad between two bowls. Garnish each salad with remaining feta cheese crumbles, sliced chicken breast and remaining strawberries. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Strawberry Delight Salad

Amount Per Serving (1 salad)

Calories 750 Calories from Fat 522

% Daily Value*

Fat 58g89%

Saturated Fat 11g69%

Trans Fat 0.2g

Polyunsaturated Fat 8g

Monounsaturated Fat 35g

Cholesterol 79mg26%

Sodium 1174mg51%

Potassium 852mg24%

Carbohydrates 35g12%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 23g26%

Protein 28g56%

Vitamin A 1466IU29%

Vitamin C 118mg143%

Calcium 82mg8%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

11
Jul
2026

Thai Iced Coffee

categories: Beverages

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Make 7 servings of delicious, sweet Thai Iced Coffee using dark roast coffee grounds, water, condensed milk and vanilla! Great on hot days!

Our family enjoys Thai food and one item my husband always orders is a Thai Iced Coffee when we’re able to have dinner at a favorite Thai restaurant near our home.

This icy cold, sweet coffee is a favorite of his and I became determined to make them at home last summer when it was REALLY hot in our NW part of Oregon for days at a time.

It does take a bit of time to make the brewed coffee concentrate for the drinks, so it will require you to plan ahead. I usually make it the day before serving them and let it sit out on the counter to “brew” overnight.

The resulting cold-brewed Thai Iced Coffee is delicious served over ice, and the coffee is flavored with vanilla and sweetened condensed milk. Here’s how to make it.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Coffee Ahead Of Time

Place dark roasted ground coffee and water in a large pitcher or other container. Stir the mixture well until they are combined, then cover the pitcher.

Let the coffee grounds and water stand (at room temperature) for about 12 hours. I recommend making this mixture the afternoon before using it and let it sit on the kitchen counter overnight.

The water will absorb into the coffee grounds as it sits, and a thick, “sludge-like” mixture will remain.

The coffee grounds will look a lot like mud after sitting all night in the water (at least that’s what I think it looks like).

Strain Out The Coffee Grounds

Now you will need to get all the coffee grounds out of the liquid coffee concentrate. To do this, place a fine wire mesh strainer over a large container.

Pour the coffee mixture (sludge!) through the strainer and into the large container. the strainer should effectively separate the grounds from the liquid.

You may need to do this in small batches, discarding the grounds and rinsing the strainer between each batch.

TIP: You MAY want or need to do this step an additional time, if you find your strainer isn’t “catching” all the fine coffee grounds.

Once all the coffee concentrate has been strained, it’s time to do it one more time, directly into a pitcher.

Rinse out the fine mesh wire strainer and line it with a coffee filter. Place the filter-lined strainer directly over the top of a large pitcher.

Pour all the coffee concentrate into the pitcher using the strainer to filter out any remaining coffee grounds. You may also need to do this in batches, as well.

Once you have the coffee concentrate in a large pitcher (or other container), add vanilla extract and stir well until it has been fully incorporated.

Cover the pitcher (or container) and place the coffee concentrate in the refrigerator to chill. The coffee concentrate can be stored up to 2 weeks (covered) in the refrigerator, if desired.

Typically, the sweetener used to make Thai Iced coffees is a 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk!). A photo is shown below.

Keep any sweetened condensed milk you don’t use immediately covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make another Thai Iced coffee.

Serve Thai Iced Coffee Over Ice And Enjoy!

When you’re ready for an Iced Thai coffee, remove the pitcher from the refrigerator (the coffee should be very cold at this point).

Fill a glass about ¾ full of ice cubes or crushed ice. Pour in the coffee cold brew concentrate and then stir them together to combine.

Add some of the sweetened condensed milk, but only enough to sweeten the coffee to your liking. Stir well, because you will want to fully blend the coffee concentrate, ice and condensed milk together for best flavor.

If necessary, add a bit more coffee concentrate and/or sweetened condensed milk, in order to fill the glass.

Stir well until the Thai iced coffee is very cold because that’s when the iced coffee is at its very best. Serve immediately and enjoy sipping on classic Thai Iced Coffee!

I really hope you have the opportunity to make a batch of Thai Iced Coffee to enjoy with your family and friends and trust you will enjoy it, too!

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More BEVERAGE Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some delicious beverage recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Original recipe source: Southern Living magazine (special section (pages150-152) published in July 2006.

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Thai Iced Coffee

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

0 mins

Standing Time Overnight (room temp.)

12 hrs

Total Time

12 hrs 15 mins

Make 7 servings of delicious, sweet Thai Iced Coffee using dark roast coffee grounds, water, condensed milk and vanilla! Great on hot days!

Category: Beverage

Cuisine: Thai

Keyword: Thai iced coffee

Servings: 7 cups

Calories Per Serving: 183 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

½ pound dark roast ground coffee
8 cups cold water
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk (canned)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place ground coffee and water in a large pitcher or other container. Stir mixture well until combined; cover pitcher. Let the mixture stand (room temperature) for about 12 hours.
After 12 hours, place a fine wire mesh strainer over a large container. Pour coffee mixture through strainer and into the pitcher. You may need to do this in small batches, discarding grounds and rinsing strainer between batches. TIP: You MAY need to do this an additional time, if you find your strainer isn't "catching" all the fine coffee grounds.
Rinse out the strainer; line it with a coffee filter. Place the filter-lined strainer directly over the top of a large pitcher. Pour coffee concentrate into the pitcher using the strainer to filter out any remaining coffee grounds. You may also need to do this in batches, as well.
Add vanilla extract; stir well. Cover pitcher (or container); place concentrate in refrigerator (can be stored up to 2 weeks (covered) in refrigerator, if desired.

To Serve:

Fill a glass ¾ full of ice. Pour in coffee concentrate; stir to combine. Add sweetened condensed milk, (enough to sweeten coffee to your liking). Stir well, for best flavor. If necessary, add more coffee concentrate and/or sweetened condensed milk, in order to fill the glass. Stir well. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Thai Iced Coffee

Amount Per Serving (7 g)

Calories 183 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g8%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Cholesterol 19mg6%

Sodium 86mg4%

Potassium 211mg6%

Carbohydrates 31g10%

Sugar 31g34%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 151IU3%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 169mg17%

Iron 0.1mg1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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03
Jul
2026

Broccoli Slaw

categories: Salads, Side Dishes

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Broccoli Slaw is a chilled, delicious side dish with broccoli, carrot, cabbage, dried cranberries, and walnuts in a creamy salad dressing!

If you’re looking for a great tasting salad/side dish to serve along with a favorite main dish, I think you will love this cold and crunchy broccoli slaw!

It’s loaded with fresh veggies (broccoli, carrots, cabbage and green onions) and is seasoned and covered with a lovely creamy dressing!

Broccoli slaw is quite simple to make, and I am sure you are going to love this dish. Here’s how to make this slaw.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Broccoli

This recipe for broccoli slaw calls for using both the small broccoli florets AND the stalk of the broccoli. Yes, that’s right! You will also be using the stalk (or stem end) of the broccoli.

For many years I always cut off the stem of the broccoli and discarded it, until I discovered it actually is edible, too! Here’s how to prepare the broccoli for the slaw.

Cut off the stalk off right before the crown of the broccoli (the florets) begin. Use a vegetable peeler to peel off the outer skin on the stalk (shown below).

Slice the stalk in half crosswise (right in the middle) and then thinly slice each half of the stalk lengthwise (into rectangle-shaped slices).

Now cut the slices into matchstick-like slices and then put all of the slices into a mixing bowl. You will want to cut the broccoli florets into small, 1″ pieces and add them to the bowl, as well.

Making The Slaw

Now add two sliced green onions, shredded green cabbage, a medium-sized peeled and grated carrot and a small amount of chopped, fresh parsley leaves.

Toss all these ingredients together until the ingredients are all combined. Set the slaw aside while you “toast” some crunchy walnuts.

Toast The Walnuts

Now you will need to “toast” some walnuts for the broccoli slaw. It is easy! Chop ¼ cup of walnuts and place them in a skillet. Turn the heat to medium and begin to “toast” them.

Do not add anything else to the skillet! Stir the walnuts as they “toast” so they don’t burn. Cook them for about 3-4 minutes or until they produce a nutty aroma and have darkened slightly.

Remove them from the skillet and transfer them to paper towels or spread them out on a plate to cool for a few minutes.

Make And Add The Dressing For The Slaw

While the walnuts are cooling, make the creamy dressing for the broccoli slaw. It will only take a couple minutes!

Combine mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice, maple syrup, Dijon mustard and minced garlic in a small bowl. Whisk them until the dressing is smooth and creamy.

Pour this dressing (use all of it) over the broccoli slaw and gently toss the slaw very well to cover everything with the dressing.

Add The Last Ingredients

Once the broccoli slaw is covered with dressing, add dried cranberries and the cooled and toasted walnuts. Season the broccoli slaw to taste with salt.

Chill The Slaw

Toss all the ingredients together until combined. Now the slaw is done and can be eaten, BUT I recommend a minimum chilling time of one hour, to ensure the slaw is fully chilled.

The chilling time is important because it also gives the flavors time to mingle and develop! Cover the slaw tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate it until you are ready to serve this delicious dish!

Serve The Broccoli Slaw

Once the slaw is very cold, it is time to serve it alongside your main dish. The broccoli slaw is cold, crunchy, and the dressing brings it wonderful flavor!

We enjoyed it served alongside grilled chicken and a baked potato with sour cream and chives (chives from our garden!). YUMMY!

It was a delicious side dish (or salad) to have with this meal, and we even had leftover broccoli slaw which we enjoyed the next day with our lunch!

I am confident you and those you love are going to love this delicious side dish to accompany many of your favorite main dishes. It is refreshing, delicious, and any leftovers will keep in your fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a great day!

Looking For More COLESLAW Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have other delicious slaw recipes to choose from, including:

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Recipe adapted from Brooke Caison, via: delish.com

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Broccoli Slaw

Prep Time

15 mins

Total Time

15 mins

Broccoli Slaw is a chilled, delicious side dish with broccoli, carrot, cabbage, dried cranberries, and walnuts in a creamy salad dressing!

Category: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: broccoli slaw

Servings: 5 small servings

Calories Per Serving: 169 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For the Slaw:

1 head broccoli
1 cup green cabbage (shredded)
2 stalks green onions (sliced)
1 medium carrot peeled, shredded
⅛ cup fresh parsley chopped
¼ cup walnuts toasted
¼ cup dried cranberries
¾ teaspoon kosher salt or season to taste

For Dressing:

¼ cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons lemon juice use fresh!
⅛ cup pure maple syrup
¾ Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic (minced)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep The Broccoli: Cut off the stalk right before the crown (the florets) begin. Use a vegetable peeler to peel outer skin off the stalk. Slice stalk in half crosswise (across the middle); thinly slice each half of the stalk lengthwise (into rectangle slices). Cut slices into matchstick-style slices; put slices in a serving bowl. Slice broccoli florets in 1" pieces; add them to the bowl.
Add green onions, cabbage, carrot and parsley to the bowl. Toss until ingredients are combined. Set aside.

Toast Walnuts:

Toast Walnuts: Put chopped walnuts in a dry skillet (no other ingredients). Turn heat to medium. Stir occasionally as they "toast" so they don't burn. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until they produce a nutty aroma and have darkened slightly. Remove nuts from skillet; transfer to a paper towel or plate to cool.

Make Dressing:

Combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, maple syrup, Dijon and minced garlic in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth and creamy. Pour dressing (all of it) over the broccoli slaw; toss the slaw well to cover everything. Add cranberries and cooled walnuts. Toss and season to taste with salt.
Slaw is ready, BUT I recommend a minimum chilling time of one hour, to ensure slaw is cold. This is recommended because it gives flavors time to develop! Cover slaw with plastic wrap- refrigerate until you're ready to serve! Enjoy.

Nutrition Facts

Broccoli Slaw

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 169 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 0.02g

Polyunsaturated Fat 8g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Cholesterol 5mg2%

Sodium 459mg20%

Potassium 146mg4%

Carbohydrates 14g5%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 2238IU45%

Vitamin C 12mg15%

Calcium 34mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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27
Jun
2026

Air Fryer Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

categories: Air Fryer Recipes, Desserts

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It’s easy to make delicious Air Fryer Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp! Make this dessert in an air fryer when it’s too hot to turn on the oven!

Recently I harvested lots of fresh strawberries and some rhubarb from our backyard raised bed garden. We ate many of the strawberries, but I still needed to use more of them and didn’t want to make more jam or freeze them.

The problem? We were right in the middle of a heat wave here in NW Oregon with temperatures close to 100°F. outside. There was no way I wanted to heat up our kitchen by using our oven, so I decided to use my air fryer!

I’ve made other crisps and cobblers in our air fryer before, so I came up with this recipe using tips from many of them for the flavors and ingredients I wanted to use.

This recipe for air fryer strawberry rhubarb crisp is the result and guess what? Our kitchen stayed cool, I used my garden produce… and we got a tasty dessert out of the deal. That’s a winning combination in my mind!

So, in case you’re interested, here is how to make Air Fryer Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp (and don’t forget to serve it with ice cream on top-yum).

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

First… A Little Prep

IMPORTANT: Before beginning, make sure that the baking dish you will be using will fit inside the basket of your air fryer.

You won’t need a lid on the dish but will absolutely need to check your dish to make sure it fits inside! Spray the dish well on the bottom and sides with non-stick baking spray, then set it aside.

Prepare The Strawberry Rhubarb Filling

Combine sliced strawberries, rhubarb slices, granulated sugar, lemon juice and zest, a pinch of salt and vanilla extract in a medium sized bowl.

NOTE: The strawberries should have the cores removed and be cut into thirds lengthwise, and the rhubarb should be cut into about 1″ slices.

Stir the fruit filling until it is fully combined in the bowl. Set the bowl aside while you prepare the topping for the fruit crisp.

Make The Topping for the Fruit Crisp

In a separate bowl place old-fashioned rolled oats, all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon and COLD butter chunks.

Use a pastry blender to combine these ingredients until the butter is reduced to about the size of peas (shown in the first photo below).

If you don’t have access to a handheld pastry blender, no problem! Use your fingers to pinch the ingredients together and reduce the cold butter to the size of peas.

When finished, the topping should be crumbly with small pieces of butter throughout. Now it’s time to finish making the strawberry rhubarb crisp!

Create The Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Place the prepared strawberry-rhubarb filling into the greased baking dish, making sure to spread it out until the bottom of the dish is fully covered with the fruit.

Sprinkle the fruit filling with the crumb topping (2nd photo below). Be sure to cover the entire surface of the fruit filling with the crumb topping (use ALL of the topping).

Cook The Crisp In The Air Fryer

Preheat your air fryer to 370°F. for 5 minutes before placing the dish in the air fryer. Cook the air fryer strawberry rhubarb crisp for 15-17 minutes at 370°F.

Various air fryer models may have slight temperature variances, so I recommend checking on the crisp after 15 minutes and then, if necessary, cook it several minutes longer until the fruit is tender, and the strawberry rhubarb crisp is browned and bubbly.

When the strawberry rhubarb crisp is done, it should be golden brown all over the top surface. Some of the fruit juices should also be bubbling up around the edges of the dish, as well.

Carefully remove the hot dish out of the air fryer and transfer the dish to a wire rack to let the fruit crisp cool slightly before digging in.

Serve The Air Fryer Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Once the strawberry rhubarb crisp has cooled slightly (but is still warm), it is ready to be served and enjoyed. This recipe can yield 4 small servings or 3 slightly larger servings (your choice).

We feel this dessert tastes best when topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, so you may want to open up a carton of ice cream before serving, too.

Spoon portions of the Air Fryer strawberry rhubarb crisp into serving bowls while it is still warm and get ready to enjoy it.

Don’t forget the vanilla ice cream on top of the warm fruit crisp, to make this dessert absolutely perfect! Grab a fork or spoon and dig in!

I hope you have the opportunity to make this delicious fruit crisp and trust that you and those you love will enjoy it, too!

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More COBBLER AND CRISP Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a wonderful variety of cobbler and crisp recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
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↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Air Fryer Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

30 mins

It's easy to make delicious Air Fryer Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp! Make this dessert in an air fryer when it's too hot to turn on the oven!

Category: Desssert

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: air fryer strawberry rhubarb crisp

Servings: 4 small servings

Calories Per Serving: 332 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Fruit Filling:

1¼ cups fresh strawberries cored, sliced in thirds, lengthwise
1 cup fresh rhubarb sliced in 1" pieces
⅓ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon lemon zest (finely grated yellow lemon peel)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt a small pinch!

For The Topping:

¾ cup old fashioned rolled oats
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup COLD butter =4 Tablespoons, cut in chunks

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

First- make sure baking dish fits inside air fryer basket. Spray/grease bottom and sides of dish, then set aside.
Stir strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, lemon juice and zest, a tiny pinch of salt and vanilla in a medium bowl until combined. Set bowl aside.
In separate bowl place oats, flour, cinnamon and COLD butter chunks. Use a pastry blender or your fingers to combine the ingredients until butter is reduced to the size of peas. Topping should be crumbly with small pieces of butter throughout.
Place fruit mixture in prepared dish, covering the bottom. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit until the surface is fully covered (use ALL the topping).
Preheat air fryer to 370°F. for 5 minutes. Place dish in air fryer; cook the crisp for 15-17 minutes at 370°F. I recommend checking the crisp after 15 minutes. If needed, cook 2-3 more minutes until browned, bubbly and fruit is tender.
Carefully remove hot dish out of air fryer; transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Spoon warm servings into bowls. Top with vanilla ice cream (optional, but good) and serve. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Air Fryer Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Amount Per Serving (1 ¼ of total)

Calories 332 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Fat 13g20%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Trans Fat 0.5g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 31mg10%

Sodium 104mg5%

Potassium 243mg7%

Carbohydrates 50g17%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 19g21%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 392IU8%

Vitamin C 29mg35%

Calcium 51mg5%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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20
Jun
2026

Fajita Seasoning Mix

categories: Mixes (spices, etc.)

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Make your own flavorful Fajita Seasoning Mix in 5 minutes! This simple recipe will yield the equivalent of 2 packets of store-bought mix.

Today I want to share a very easy and QUICK way to add a great tasting seasoning mix to your spice rack! We love fajitas, whether we get them at a Mexican restaurant OR we make them at home.

Fajitas are basically pan-seared meat (my favorite is chicken), onions and peppers, BUT the spices used make all the difference in the great FLAVOR of those wonderful ingredients!

That’s where this recipe comes in handy. The recipe I am sharing with you today makes the equivalent of 2 packets of fajita seasoning mix. It’s EASY! Here’s how to make fajita seasoning mix.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

What Ingredients Will I Need?

To create the fajita seasoning mix you will use garlic powder, cornstarch, salt, onion powder, paprika, cumin, chili powder, sugar and cayenne red pepper.

The recipe (as written below) will yield the equivalent of two fajita seasoning packets found in local grocery stores. Of course, this amount can be doubled or tripled to suit your needs.

We don’t have homemade fajitas too often, so I find that having just enough of the mix around to make a couple meals of fajitas is the right amount for us.

Measure all of the spice mix ingredients into a small bowl.

Stir the spices very well to break up any clumps that may have formed. Cornstarch will be the primary ingredient with a few “clumps”.

Storing The Seasoning Mix

Pour the combined fajita seasoning mix into a spice jar or other airtight container. I use my old ones for this after cleaning them out and drying them.

TIP: Insert a funnel into the mouth of the jar because it makes it very easy to pour the spice mixture into the jar without spilling anything.

Label the jar and store it in your pantry for up to 6 months (for best flavor). Add more spice mix to the jar, as needed.

Using The Fajita Seasoning Mix

When you make your fajitas using your favorite recipe, this handy homemade fajita seasoning mix will really come in handy to provide lots of authentic flavor!

Basically, you will pan-sear about 1 pound of meat (beef, chicken, etc.) in a very hot, oiled skillet, then add the veggies you will be using.

Traditionally these include sliced onions and bell pepper slices (green or multi-colored bell peppers). We have also seen tomato chunks added as well.

After these have cooked through, sprinkle the fajitas with 3 Tablespoons of the seasoning mix and ¾ cup of water and continue cooking, stirring well to combine everything.

As the fajitas and sauce cook, the sauce will thicken slightly and coat the fajitas with a yummy sauce. Heat through and then serve. Shown below are two different servings of fajitas (from what we ate at restaurants we’ve visited)

No matter how you cook fajitas for those you love, I hope you enjoy the convenience of having this easy to make fajita seasoning mix around to add great taste to the dish!

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More SEASONING MIX Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a variety of homemade spice mix recipes to choose from, including:

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↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Fajita Seasoning Mix

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

0 mins

Total Time

5 mins

Category: Spices

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: fajita seasoning mix

Servings: 2 packets (6 TBSP. total)

Calories Per Serving: 58 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

4 teaspoons corn starch
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
1½ teaspoons onion powder
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Measure all ingredients into a small bowl. Stir until combined and lump-free.
Transfer fajita seasoning mix into a small spice jar or other airtight container. Label jar.
Store in pantry up to 6 months for best flavor. Enjoy! (See NOTE section below for how to use).

Recipe Notes

NOTE: This recipe will yield the amount of fajita seasoning mix found in 2 packets of mix (in the stores). To use with fajitas (equal to 1 seasoning packet): First, Cook meat, onions and peppers in hot oil in a large skillet until browned and tender. Add 3 TABLESPOONS FAJITA SEASONING MIX + ¾ CUP OF WATER TO THE FAJITAS. Continue to cook- the sauce will thicken slightly and coat the fajitas. Once thickened, heat through, then serve as desired.

Nutrition Facts

Fajita Seasoning Mix

Amount Per Serving (1 (packet))

Calories 58 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 0.2g1%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 0.4g

Sodium 1817mg79%

Potassium 212mg6%

Carbohydrates 12g4%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 2398IU48%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 42mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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13
Jun
2026

Bean and Kale Soup

categories: Main Dishes, Meatless Meals, Soups

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Bean and Kale Soup with carrots, celery, onion, kale and beans cooked in an Italian seasoned broth is a delicious, filling “meatless” meal!

Today I want to share a recipe I found online a while ago and adapted to suit our taste buds. It is a delicious meal that is not only delicious, but also filling and meatless.

It is so yummy that even if you are not a vegetarian, you will enjoy it! I know we sure do (and we are meat-lovers at heart!

The recipe is versatile because you can go the easy route and use store bought canned beans OR you can pre-cook another type of dried beans in an Instant Pot. I have included both in the instructions.

All in all, this is a delicious healthy recipe to make and enjoy any time of the year! Here’s how to make bean and kale soup.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Let’s Talk About The BEANS

For this recipe beans are one of the main stars! You can use either canned beans OR you can prepare dried beans, whichever you prefer or have available. Both are equally wonderful in this bean and kale soup!

TIP: Want the quickest and easiest way? Use two (15.5-oz.) cans of cannellini beans that have been rinsed and drained. EASY PEASY!

However, I LOVE using a 10-ounce bag of “15 bean soup mix” (see below), commonly found in grocery stores. It means a longer prep time, but I enjoy having different colors and varieties of beans in this soup (my photos below reflect this).

When I use this dried bean mix for the soup, I make the beans ahead of time in my Instant Pot, which make it convenient for me to add them later when needed.

To do this, add the dry, rinsed beans to the inner pot, then cover them with 4 Cups of water. Cook on HIGH pressure for 40 minutes, then let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes.

Once done, drain the colorful and flavorful mixture of beans and add them to the soup recipe later when they are called for. It’s pretty simple!

Make The Soup

In a large soup pot, heat extra virgin olive oil on medium heat until the oil is hot, but not smoking. Add chopped onion, sliced celery and carrot. Cook the veggies for 5-6 minutes or until they have softened slightly.

Add minced garlic, thyme, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Continue cooking for one more minute, stirring often so the garlic doesn’t burn. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Now add vegetable broth, tomato paste, water and the drained beans (whichever kind you’re using) to the pot. Stir well to combine.

Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Stir the soup every few minutes and smash some of the beans in the pot slightly, because this helps to thicken the bean and kale soup.

Finish Making The Soup

After 15 minutes, the soup should be a little bit thicker, and the veggies should be quite tender. Now it’s time for the final step for this soup.

Add the juice of one lemon and a bunch of kale (de-stemmed and torn into smaller pieces) to the soup. Cook the soup for 3-4 more minutes.

As it cooks, the kale will wilt from the heat and reduce greatly in volume. Once the kale has wilted and the soup is fully heated through, it is ready to be served.

Serve The Bean And Kale Soup

To serve, ladle the bean and kale soup into individual bowls while hot. Garnish each serving with finely grated Parmesan cheese (optional, but good) and serve immediately.

The grated Parmesan cheese will melt slightly from the heat of the soup and will add a great pop of additional flavor to the soup, so don’t skip the cheese, if possible!

I hope you and those you love will really enjoy this delicious bean and kale soup as much as we do. It’s a great recipe I am glad to have found and trust you will feel the same way.

Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a great day.

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of fantastic soup recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
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Recipe Adapted From: Lena Abraham, via delish.com on 12-21-2018

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Bean and Kale Soup

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Bean and Kale Soup with carrots, celery, onion, kale and beans cooked in an Italian seasoned broth is a delicious, filling "meatless" meal!

Category: Meatless Main Dish, Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: bean and kale soup

Servings: 6

Calories Per Serving: 220 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ medium yellow onion peeled/ finely chopped
2 stalks celery thinly sliced
1 medium carrot peeled, chopped small
3 cloves garlic peeled, minced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves chopped
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
salt and black pepper, to taste
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
31 ounces canned cannellini beans (two 15.5 oz. cans) rinsed/drained (SEE NOTE BELOW)
1 medium lemon (juice of)
1 bunch kale torn in small pieces (stems discarded)
Parmesan cheese (OPTIONAL) for garnish

Instructions

Prep For the Beans:

INSTANT POT: Rinse a bag of "15 bean soup mix" dried beans. Add beans to the inner pot. Cover beans with 4 cups of water. Cook on HIGH pressure for 40 minutes, then let pressure naturally release for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside until needed in soup.
CANNED BEANS: Drain and rinse canned beans; set aside until needed in soup.

Make The Soup:

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil on medium heat until oil is hot, but not smoking. Add onion, celery and carrot. Cook, stirring often for 5-6 minutes, or until they have softened slightly. Add minced garlic, thyme, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Continue cooking for 1 minute, stirring often so garlic doesn't burn. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Add vegetable broth, tomato paste, water and drained beans (whatever type you use) to the pot. Stir well to combine. Bring soup to a gentle simmer; cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Smash some of the beans with the back of a spoon (this helps thicken the soup).
Add lemon juice and kale to the soup. Cook 3-4 more minutes. As it cooks, kale will wilt and reduce in volume. Once soup is heated through, it's ready to serve.
Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese (optional, but good) and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: Prep time does not include the time necessary for pre-cooking dried beans in an Instant Pot (as that is optional). If you want to use the "15 bean soup mix", you will only need one, 10-ounce bag.

Caloric calculation was made using two cans of cannellini beans.

Nutrition Facts

Bean and Kale Soup

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 220 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Sodium 692mg30%

Potassium 871mg25%

Carbohydrates 38g13%

Fiber 9g38%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 4385IU88%

Vitamin C 26mg32%

Calcium 188mg19%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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06
Jun
2026

Air Fryer Banana Pecan Cake

categories: Air Fryer Recipes, Cakes, Desserts

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Make a delicious Air Fryer Banana Pecan Cake to serve as a dessert, coffeecake or an afternoon snack! Serve a slice with hot tea or coffee!

Today I want to share a delicious recipe that can serve a dual purpose! This yummy air fryer banana pecan cake can be enjoyed as a coffeecake OR as a dessert cake!

It is simple to make and tastes wonderful, with crunchy pecans and small pieces of banana distributed throughout each slice.

I really think you will enjoy this recipe, because it is perfect for hot summer days when you don’t want to heat up the kitchen by baking a cake for a long amount of time.

Here’s how to make this absolutely delicious air fryer banana pecan cake.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Bundt Pan

For this recipe you will need a 7″ bundt cake pan. This is a slightly smaller pan than a regular-sized bundt pan (I got it on Amazon), but it’s small enough to fit in my air fryer basket AND in my Instant Pot.

Spray the bottom, sides and center cylinder with non-stick baking spray. It’s important to spray the pan so the bundt cake won’t stick to the pan once done!

This will also make it easier for the bundt cake to separate from the pan when it’s turned upside down to remove the cake after it is finished cooking.

Prepare The Batter

Peel two very ripe bananas and place them in a medium bowl. It’s important to use ripe bananas with brown spots on them, because this means they will be sweeter!

Use a fork and mash the bananas up in the bowl. The mashed bananas do not have to be fully smooth! It’s perfectly okay to leave small little pieces of banana in there, but you really don’t want “big chunks” of bananas in the batter.

Add sour cream, vegetable oil and a large egg to the mashed banana mixture. Use a spoon or fork and stir to combine these ingredients.

NOTE: Use a spoon or fork- don’t use an electric mixer to combine the ingredients because you want small bits of banana to remain intact in the batter.

You can see in the photo below the small pieces of the banana in the batter. That is what you want! Set this mixture aside while you mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

Add Banana Mixture To The Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, stir all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda and salt together until they’ve been combined.

Pour the banana mixture into these dry ingredients and stir only until they have been combined (don’t over-mix).

Add the chopped pecans and stir gently until they are dispersed and incorporated into the batter. You can easily substitute walnuts for the pecans, if desired.

If you do not want any nuts in the cake, simply leave them out! No problem!

Pour the batter into the greased bundt cake pan, making sure it is evenly dispersed in the pan. Preheat your air fryer to 310° F.

Cook The Cake In the Air Fryer

Cook the air fryer banana pecan cake in the preheated air fryer at 310°F. for 25-28 minutes OR until a skewer inserted deep into the middle of the cake comes out free of batter. Oven temps can vary widely, so please keep an eye on the cake.

The cake should look fairly brown in color when it’s done, but the most important thing is to make sure it is fully cooked through. Be sure and read my true story below!

True Story

The first time I made this I cooked the cake according to the directions. When I thought it was done, I inserted a toothpick into the middle, and it came out clean.

I went to flip the cake out of the pan, and it still had some wet batter deep down inside (my little 2″ long toothpick didn’t reach far enough down into the cake to detect not-fully cooked batter!).

Now I highly recommend using a long skewer (if you have one) so you can avoid this. By the way, I flipped that cake right back over (batter still oozing slightly out the bottom, threw it back in my air fryer and cooked it a few more minutes and it survived (thank goodness).

All that said, don’t make the same mistake I did because it was NOT fun!

Let the cake cool for about 5-10 minutes (still in the pan), after removing it from the air fryer. It should pull away slightly from the inside edges of the pan. The next step is to remove it from the pan by “inverting” the cake.

To do this, place a large plate (top side down) on top of the bundt pan. Holding both the plate and the bundt cake securely, flip the pan over.

The cake should easily release from the pan onto the plate. Move the air fryer banana pecan cake to a wire rack and let it cool completely.

TIP: The top of the cake may be very light in color compared to the other parts of the cake (it was upside down, remember?). If desired, you can put the cake on a rack about 4″-5″ away from your oven’s broiler and let it “brown” more for 1-2 minutes (keep a close eye on it). That’s not really necessary, but if you want it to be more browned on top for presentation, it is an option!

Serve And Enjoy The Air Fryer Banana Pecan Cake

This banana pecan cake tastes best when served at room temperature! It is moist, delicious and filled with absolutely wonderful banana flavor!

Cut a slice and serve this delicious air fryer banana pecan cake with a cold glass of milk or a steaming hot cup of coffee or tea.

I’m confident you’ll love this yummy treat, whether you enjoy it for breakfast, a little snack or served as dessert!

I hope you have the opportunity to make this delicious Air Fryer Banana pecan Cake for yourself and those you love. I’m positive you’ll enjoy this delicious cake (or coffeecake)!

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day!

Looking For More Fun Air Fryer Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of air fryer recipes to choose from (sweet AND savory), including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

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Recipe source and with thanks to Justine, at: Easy Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Banana Bread Bundt Cake Recipe

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Air Fryer Banana Pecan Cake

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

28 mins

Total Time

43 mins

Make a delicious Air Fryer Banana Pecan Cake to serve as a dessert, coffeecake or an afternoon snack! Serve a slice with hot tea or coffee!

Category: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: air fryer banana pecan cake

Servings: 8

Calories Per Serving: 226 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

non-stick baking spray to grease bundt pan
2 large VERY RIPE bananas with brown spots on peel if possible
¼ cup light sour cream
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons chopped pecans

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Spray the bottom, sides and center cylinder of a 7" mini bundt pan with non-stick baking spray. It's important so the cake won't stick to the pan once done!
Peel bananas; put them in a medium bowl. TIP: use very ripe bananas with brown spots, because they're sweeter! Use a fork to mash bananas. NOTE: don't use an electric mixer; you want small bits of banana to remain intact in the batter. Add sour cream, vegetable oil and egg to banana mixture. Stir well, to combine.
In a separate bowl, stir flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together until combined. Pour banana mixture into these dry ingredients; stir only until they have been combined (don't over-mix). Add chopped pecans; stir gently until incorporated. Pour batter into greased bundt cake pan; evenly spread batter.
Preheat air fryer to 310° F.
Cook cake at 310°F. for 25-28 minutes OR until a skewer inserted deep into the middle of the cake comes out free of batter. Oven temps can vary widely, so keep an eye on the cake. The cake should look fairly brown in color when it's done, but the most important thing is to make sure it is fully cooked through.
Let cake cool for about 5 minutes (still in the pan), after removing it from the air fryer. It should pull away slightly from the edges of the pan. The next step is to remove it from the pan by "inverting" the cake. To do this, place a large plate (top side down) on top of the bundt pan. Holding both the plate and the bundt cake securely, flip the pan over. The cake should easily release from the pan onto the plate. Move the air fryer banana pecan cake to a wire rack and let it cool completely. *SEE NOTE BELOW*
Once cooled to room temperature, slice and serve this delicious cake! Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: *The top of the cake may be very light in color compared to the other parts of the cake (it was upside down, remember?). If desired, put the cake on a rack about 4"-5" away from your oven's broiler and let it "brown" more for 1-2 minutes (keep a close eye on it). That's not really necessary, but if you want it to be more browned on top for presentation, it is an option!*

Nutrition Facts

Air Fryer Banana Pecan Cake

Amount Per Serving (1 slice (1/8 of total))

Calories 226 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 0.05g

Polyunsaturated Fat 5g

Monounsaturated Fat 4g

Cholesterol 26mg9%

Sodium 122mg5%

Potassium 174mg5%

Carbohydrates 30g10%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 17g19%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 81IU2%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 20mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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30
May
2026

Greek Tzatziki Sauce

categories: Sauces and Dressings

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Make homemade Greek Tzatziki Sauce in under 10 minutes! Use this versatile sauce on sandwiches, meats, salads or as a dip. It is delicious!

Today I want to share a recipe for a delicious sauce that is typically found served with Greek or other Mediterranean-style food, however, it can actually be used to enhance the flavor in many other foods.

Tzatziki sauce is primarily yogurt-based and is thought to have a history dating back to the Ottoman Empire and then spread throughout the Mediterranean and other places over the years. In modern times it is typically thought of as a big part of Greek cuisine.

This is a super simple sauce to make, and I really think you will enjoy it’s wonderful flavor! It hardly takes any time at all to make and requires only a few ingredients! Here’s how to make Greek Tzatziki Sauce.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prep The Cucumber

I love to grow cucumbers in our small, raised bed garden (shown below). If you are making this recipe (as written), you will only need ½ cup of peeled and chopped cucumber for the tzatziki sauce.

You will probably only use about ½ of one medium-sized cucumber, unless you plan on doubling the recipe. Use a regular, common cucumber, NOT a pickling cucumber. Give it a rinse before peeling.

I usually cut the cucumber in half, then peel only one half because you can always cut and peel more if needed. Once peeled, chop the cucumber into small pieces.

You will also need ½ cup of crumbled feta cheese. You can buy a block of feta, then crumble it OR you can use pre-crumbled feta if that is more convenient for you.

Blend Ingredients Until Smooth

Place ALL of the tzatziki sauce ingredients into a blender (or a food processor). Process or blend the cucumber with crumbled feta, plain yogurt, dried dill weed (or fresh), garlic and salt.

Blend or process these ingredients until the cucumbers have broken down and you are left with a very smooth Greek tzatziki sauce.

The final quantity of sauce that will be produced is between ¾-1 cup of tzatziki sauce. If you require more sauce, this recipe can very EASILY be doubled.

Refrigerate The Sauce

Once the sauce is smooth, transfer every last drop of it out of the blender (or processor) and into a small serving bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

Put the Greek tzatziki sauce in the refrigerator until it becomes fully chilled. This will allow the sauce time for all the delicious flavors to come together, which results in a better tasting sauce, so don’t skip this step!

Serve The Greek Tzatziki Sauce

After the tzatziki sauce has been fully chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and serve it as desired. We love this sauce as a dip for Greek-Style Chicken Wings, as shown below.

This classic Greek sauce is often used as a topping for lamb and other meats, as well as gyros (YUM) and other sandwiches, and as a salad dressing. The possibilities are endless with this delicious sauce.

I hope you have the opportunity to make Greek Tzatziki Sauce for yourself and for those you love. You will be thrilled with how quickly it can be made and how good it tastes!

Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More SAUCE Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of homemade sauce recipes (sweet and savory) to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Original sauce recipe via “Taste of Home” magazine, April/May 2007 edition, page 23, published by Reiman Publications, Inc.

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Greek Tzatziki Sauce

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

0 mins

Total Time

10 mins

Make homemade Greek Tzatziki Sauce in under 10 minutes! Use this versatile sauce on sandwiches, meats, salads or as a dip. It is delicious!

Category: Sauce

Cuisine: Greek

Keyword: Greek Tzatziki Sauce

Servings: 6

Calories Per Serving: 48 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

½ cup plain yogurt (unsweetened)
½ cup feta cheese (crumbled)
½ cup cucumber (peeled/chopped)
2 teaspoons dried dill weed OR 2 Tablespoons fresh chopped dill
1 large clove garlic peeled, chopped
1 pinch salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place ALL of the ingredients into a blender or food processor.
Blend or process until cucumbers have broken down and the sauce is smooth. Total amount of sauce yield is between ¾-1 cup. If you need more sauce, recipe can EASILY be doubled.
Once the sauce is smooth, transfer it out of the blender (or processor) and into a small serving bowl. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until fully chilled. This allows time for all the flavors to come together, which results in a better tasting sauce, so don't skip this step!
Once fully chilled, serve (as desired) and enjoy! Cover and refrigerate any leftover sauce for 2-3 days.

Nutrition Facts

Greek Tzatziki Sauce

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/6 of total))

Calories 48 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Cholesterol 14mg5%

Sodium 159mg7%

Potassium 68mg2%

Carbohydrates 2g1%

Fiber 0.1g0%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 100IU2%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 95mg10%

Iron 0.3mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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