• Homemade Raspberry Jam

    Fresh raspberries + magical German sugar = the easiest homemade jam ever.
    If you can stir a pot, you can make this… and in under 20 minutes.

    My friend Sue’s brother has a farm, and he blessed us with an abundance of fresh raspberries — so of course, we’re making homemade raspberry jam! This recipe is incredibly simple, naturally delicious, and uses my favorite German low-sugar, high-pectin jam sugar. It lets the real raspberry flavor shine while keeping the sweetness perfectly balanced.

    In this video, I walk you step-by-step through how to turn fresh raspberries into beautiful, bright, chunky raspberry jam with almost no effort. If you’ve never made jam before, don’t worry — all you need is a pot, some fruit, and a bag of special sugar (It’s from this German store I love: https://onestopgermanshop.com).

    You just simmer everything together for about 20 minutes, blend it to your preferred texture, and spoon it into jars. That’s it. No fuss, no canning equipment — just pure, fresh raspberry flavor. This jam sets beautifully in the fridge and is perfect on toast, yogurt, pastries… or eaten straight from the spoon. (No judgment.)

    Watch the video

    WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RASPBERRY JAM:
    • 1,000 grams fresh raspberries
    • 1 package German low-sugar, high-pectin jam sugar (1:1 ratio)
    • Medium pot
    • Immersion blender
    • Clean jars with lids

    METHOD (Quick Recap):

    1. Add raspberries + sugar to a pot on medium.
    2. Cook 15–20 minutes until the berries break down and it gets frothy.
    3. Turn off heat and lightly blend to your preferred consistency.
    4. Spoon into clean jars.
    5. Let cool completely, then refrigerate until it firms into jam.

    This comes out perfectly every time — bright, fruity, not too sweet, and full of real raspberry flavor. Hope you love it as much as we do.

  • Beef Rouladen

    I’m making Beef Rouladen for my college roommates — the same dish my mom used to send back to school with me decades ago. And let me tell you… 40 years later, they’re still talking about it. So today, I’m showing you exactly how to make this classic German comfort-food favorite the way I grew up eating it: tender beef rolled with mustard, German barrel pickles, sautéed onions, and crispy bacon, then slowly braised until fall-apart perfection.

    Rouladen is a labor of love — but it freezes beautifully, reheats like a dream, and makes the entire house smell incredible. If you’re cooking for a crowd, stocking your freezer, or just want to try a dish that tastes like a hug from the past, this one’s for you.

    In this video, I’ll walk you through:
    • Prepping and pounding the beef thin
    • Building the perfect Rouladen filling
    • Rolling and tying so nothing escapes
    • Browning for maximum flavor
    • Making a rich, deep gravy with red wine, a roux, and strong beef stock
    • Braising low and slow for tender results
    • Thickening the gravy to that silky restaurant-style finish

    Serve this with mashed potatoes, pasta, or — if you want to go full German — homemade spaetzle.

    Beef Rouladen is truly worth the time. Make a bunch, freeze them, and future-you will be thrilled.

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  • Homemade Hot Chocolate + Marshmallows | A Cute Holiday Gift!

    ‘Tis the season for cozy treats and DIY gifts! Today I’m showing you how to make homemade marshmallows and hot chocolate cubes on a stick — the cutest, little holiday gift you can package up for friends, neighbors, teachers… or keep for yourself. 😉 You can pair with a festive mug, candy cane or perhaps a bottle of spirits to brighten it up.

    This recipe is broken into three digestible videos: making the marshmallow cubes; making the chocolate cubes; and then assembling them into fun, yummy treats.

    Watch the videos:
    Homemade Marshmallows Cubes (Part 1)
    Homemade Hot Chocolate Cubes (Part 2)
    Assembling Homemade Hot Chocolate & Marshmallow Sticks! (Part 3)

    To make these treats you will need:

    Marshmallow Recipe:
    • 3 packets Nox unflavored gelatin
    • ½ cup cold water (for blooming)
    • 1½ cups granulated sugar
    • 1 cup light corn syrup
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup water (for the syrup)
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla paste (or vanilla extract)
    • Powdered (confectioners’) sugar for dusting

    Chocolate Cubes Recipe:
    • ½ cup heavy cream
    • 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
    • 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate (chips or chopped bar)
    • ¾ cup unsweetened chocolate (about 1½ baking bars)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or peppermint/almond extract for variation)

    Assembly:
    • Lollipop sticks or mini candy canes
    • Small bags, tags, ribbon (optional for gifting)

  • Zwetschgendatschi or German Plum Cake

    My grandmother always made this recipe when I was growing up, and she never measured anything but it came out perfectly delicious every time. We found the zwetschgens – or Italian prune plums – at a farmer market this summer, which reminded me of how much I loved this cake. It’s sweet, tart, buttery, and full of family memories.

    Watch the video

    For this recipe you will need:

    • 2 cups flour (lightly scooped, not packed)
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1 egg
    • ½ cup sugar
    • 11 tbsp butter (because a little extra never hurts!)
    • Italian prune plums (Zwetschge), halved and pitted
    • Bread crumbs
    • Cinnamon & sugar for sprinkling

  • Pretzel Crusted Chicken

    Today, we’re making pretzel-crusted chicken tenders — a crispy, golden twist on a classic comfort food! Using honey wheat pretzels, mustard, and chicken tenders, to get that perfect balance of taste and crunchy in every bite. In this video, I’ll show you how to create chicken tenders that are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and packed with flavor. Perfect for a kid-friendly family dinner or game day snacks!

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    For this recipe you will need:

    • Honey wheat twisted pretzels
    • All-purpose flour
    • Eggs + Dijon mustard
    • Chicken tenders (I use Bell & Evans)
    • Olive oil, salt & pepper
  • Friday is Pizza Night!

    In our home, Friday is pizza night for a lot of reasons… it easy to make after a long week, it is fun and can be interactive, plus it is a creative way to use leftovers from the week’s meals and put a fresh spin on them. This week we made a meat (meatballs, pepperoni and bacon), scallions and cheese pizza… my daughter’s favorite. (Bonus in this episode is a cameo of our dog Koda hoping to share some of the cheese 😉

    Watch the video

    For this recipe you will need:

    • Store-bought or homemade pizza dough (I use Market Basket’s NY-style)
    • Olive oil
    • Tomato sauce (leftover spaghetti sauce works great!)
    • Shredded cheese (or grate your own for better melt)
    • Favorite toppings: meatballs, pepperoni, bacon, shallots — anything you like!
    • Parmesan & basil for finishing touches
  • Cranberry Chicken Salad

    It was a beautiful summer day down on the Cape (Cape Cod if you are not from these parts) – the kind of day where you want to sit outside and bask in the sun while having your lunch. We stopped at Cafe Riverview at the Riverview School to grab sandwiches and I discovered the BEST Cranberry Chicken Salad sandwich the world has ever tasted. Since I am not at the Cape that often, I knew I needed to recreate (and luckily I had purchased a loaf of their cranberry bread) the recipe to be able to experience this delightful creation anytime.

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    For this recipe you will need:

    • 2 chicken breasts (I love Bell & Evans — natural, no antibiotics!)
    • Mayonnaise (Mike’s Amazing Mayo is my favorite)
    • Dijon mustard
    • Dried cranberries
    • Chives, rosemary, thyme
    • Garlic powder, onion powder, seasoning salt, paprika, salt & pepper