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Tangy Greek yogurt, fresh cucumber, savory garlic, and fresh herbs make this Homemade Tzatziki Sauce absolutely delicious. The best part is it can be ready in less than 10 minutes! Jump to recipe As I mentioned in my post, The Best Homemade Greek Burgers, I studied Greek during my final years of undergrad school. My professor would sometimes bring in the most delicious Greek food and we'd enjoy a meal while I learned the language. Inspired by this, I decided to make my own homemade version. This sauce is so easy to make and requires just a few budget-friendly ingredients. Traditional Tzatziki is often made with yogurt from sheep or goat milk, however, the use of store-bought Greek yogurt makes this available to just about anyone. Greek yogurt offers the same thick and creamy consistency found in traditional Tzatziki sauce at a fraction of the cost. We love this sauce as a dip for garden fresh veggies, pita bread, and my Homemade Fried Potato Chips. It's perfect for potlucks and special occasions because it can be prepared ahead of time and the extra waiting helps to enhance the flavors. It’s a cool and refreshing treat during the hot summer evenings when cooking inside is the last thing I want to do! To make this Homemade Tzatziki Sauce you will need: Greek Yogurt You want to use plain, full-fat Greek yogurt. If you use a regular yogurt, it will be too runny and won’t hold up to the cucumber that you add to it. We really like the Fage brand. Cucumber I like to use an English cucumber because the peel is thin and easy to digest. It's also seedless and tends to have less water content than regular cucumbers. Once you shred the cucumber you'll need to drain it to remove any water. Simply add the shredded cucumber to a cheesecloth or a clean, lint-free dish towel and twist to apply pressure to the cucumber. You may need to twist a couple of times to really ensure that the water has been removed. Garlic If you're a huge garlic fan, you could use up to four cloves of garlic for this recipe without it being over the top. I opted to stay in the middle of the road and use two large cloves. Lemon The fresh zing of lemon zest can help brighten any dish as well as enhance the overall flavor. If your sauce is a little too thick, add a little fresh lemon juice until it is the consistency you prefer. Fresh Dill Nothing says summertime like fresh herbs straight from the garden. With its slightly tangy, citrus-like flavor and subtle notes of anise, a little goes a long way. Store-bought dill will also work just fine here. Dried herbs can sometimes have a slightly stronger flavor, so I recommend starting with half a teaspoon at a time and tasting continuously until you reach your desired preference. I love using fresh herbs that I have dehydrated in my favorite dehydrator. Spices We love the savoriness of fresh ground pepper. I find it balances the freshness of the cucumber and pairs perfectly with the garlic. Onion powder adds a subtle flavor of umami and works well with ground pepper. Salt will help to draw out any additional moisture from the cucumber as well as adding flavor. Ingredients 1½ cup plain, full-fat Greek yogurt ¾ cup English cucumber, shredded 2 large cloves garlic, grated 1 ½ teaspoon fresh dill, chopped ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ½ teaspoon onion powder ¼ teaspoon salt Lemon zest Directions Carefully grate cucumber into shreds. Drain the cucumber by wrapping shreds into a dish towel or cheesecloth. Twist tightly until all liquid has been drained. In a medium bowl, combine shredded cucumber with yogurt. Add remaining ingredients and mix well to combine. Serve immediately or store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you enjoyed this Homemade Tzatziki Sauce let us know in the comments below. Did you know that we have a newsletter? It features some of our favorite recipes and free printables that are only available to our subscribers! And don’t worry, we hate spam mail and value your time. You’ll receive an initial thank you email, and our newsletter is delivered monthly. You can help our small family business by sharing us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Click here to sign up for our newsletter today!

This homemade marinara sauce is full of robust flavor with fresh tomatoes and Italian herbs! Yield: Approximately 2 cups Jump to recipe If you love pizza and pasta as much as we do, then a delicious marinara sauce is always needed. Making a homemade marinara sauce is easy and pretty straightforward, making it perfect for busy weeknight dinners! I like to double or triple the recipe and store it in the freezer for extra busy weeknights. This Homemade Marinara Sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. How do we enjoy this Homemade Marinara Sauce? Meatball Sub Sandwiches and Spicy Stuffed Bell Peppers are two of our quick-dinner favorites. Both recipes freeze beautifully which make them perfect for freezer meal prep! We also use this sauce on homemade pizza dough for a fun and easy lunch. For this Homemade Marinara Sauce recipe, you will need: Tomatoes Fresh, paste tomatoes are best for this sauce. It can seem a little daunting because there are a couple of extra steps, but it's so worth the effort! If you just really need to cut down on the time, you can substitute 28 ounces of crushed tomatoes. Red Cooking Wine A good quality red wine will help give the sauce a slight sweetness that counteracts the acidity from the tomatoes. I typically have a Cabernet Sauvignon on hand for cooking. If you prefer to not use wine or just don’t have any, you can substitute with beef or chicken broth. You can also substitute red wine with a mixture of red wine vinegar and water. You’ll need about ½ cup each. Onions and Garlic I love cooking with fresh onions and garlic. They give such a fantastic umami flavor and a sweetness that pairs beautifully with the acidity of the tomatoes. Basil and Oregano I love growing Oregano in our backyard garden. It's so easy and is very low maintenance. Oregano offers a warm, pungent flavor and basil offers a sweet and fragrant aroma. Both of which enhance the overall flavor of the tomato sauce. Salt and Pepper Two simple, budget-friendly ingredients that offer so much to whatever you put them in. We have added a couple of sweet components to this sauce and now we need to add some saltiness and savoriness to help balance everything out. How to Make Homemade Marinara Sauce You'll need to start by preparing the tomatoes for cooking. Prepare a large bowl with cold water and a couple of cups of ice. Set aside. Fill a large saucepan about halfway full of water. Bring the water to a hard boil. Carefully, add the tomatoes to the boiling water and process for about 20 to 30 seconds. The skins of the tomatoes should begin to wrinkle and peel away from the flesh. Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and quickly place into the prepared ice water. When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, remove any remaining skins. Then, remove the core with a knife. To remove the seeds, you can use a food strainer or by using a spoon to scrape the seeds out. When the tomatoes are ready, add them to a stainless-steel stockpot and simmer over low heat for approximately 3 minutes. Next, add in the red cooking wine, herbs, and spices. Continue to simmer over low heat for approximately 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender, carefully pulse the sauce to desired consistency. A countertop blender will also work for this process. Serve immediately or store sauce in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Ingredients 8-10 large Roma tomatoes, peeled, cored, and seeded ¼ cup red cooking wine ½ cup onion, finely chopped 4 cloves garlic, finely minced 2 teaspoons basil 1 teaspoon Italian oregano ½ teaspoon sea salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper Directions Add prepared tomatoes to a stainless-steel stockpot and simmer over low heat for approximately 3 minutes. Carefully add in red cooking wine, herbs, and spices. Cover and continue to simmer over low heat for approximately 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender, carefully pulse the sauce to desired consistency. Serve over noodles, meatballs, or as a dip for mozzarella sticks! If you made this Homemade Marinara Recipe let us know how it turned out by leaving a comment below! Did you know that we have a newsletter? It features some of our favorite recipes and free printables that are only available to our subscribers! And don’t worry, we hate spam mail and value your time. You’ll receive an initial thank you email, and our newsletter is delivered monthly. You can help our small family business by sharing us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Click here to sign up for our newsletter today!

This homemade extract is the perfect addition to your favorite apple baking recipes! Try it my Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts! Want to save this recipe for later? Pin it! Ingredients 6 large apples Six 3” cinnamon sticks 16 ounces Vodka (80 proof) Jar with tight lid Directions Carefully peel washed apples. Add apple peels and cinnamon sticks to jar. Pour vodka over apple peels and cinnamon sticks ensuring that all are covered and there are no small bits floating on the top. A glass weight may be needed if you have several small bits. Tightly secure lid and give a vigorous shake. Shake jar several times per week for six weeks. Using a fine mesh strainer, remove apple peels and cinnamon sticks from jar. Store extract in a cool, dark cabinet. Click here to sign up for our newsletter today!

Bold flavors. Sweet heat. This delicious side dish comes together in about 10 minutes. It pairs perfectly with my Baked BBQ Bacon Chicken and Roasted Ranch Broccoli. Serves 6 Ingredients 1 10-ounce package original-flavor Couscous 2 ears fresh corn off the cob or 1 15-ounce can, drained 1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped 1 medium red onion, finely chopped 1 cup chicken stock ½ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt 1 lime (zest and juice) ½ cup fresh cilantro ½ cup freshly grated Pepperjack Cheese 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon cumin powder ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon salt Directions In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring chicken stock to a boil. Add couscous and cover with lid. Remove from heat and allow to sit for approximately 5-7 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except for lime zest, and gently stir to combine. Carefully remove lid from saucepan and fluff couscous with a fork, gently breaking up any clumps. Add lime zest and fluff couscous with a fork to combine. Fold sour cream mixture into couscous. Serve warm.

The tangy Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette is the star of this recipe! This simple salad comes together fast, is full of flavor, and happens to be a crowd favorite at family potlucks. Want to save this recipe for later? Pin it! Ingredients (Serves 4) Dressing Ingredients 1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar ¼ cup infused oil 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard Juice of one lemon 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1 teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon sweet Italian basil ½ teaspoon Italian oregano ½ teaspoon lemon thyme ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper Salad Ingredients 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped 1 red onion, thinly sliced 1 English cucumber, sliced ½ cup Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette In a large bowl, add tomatoes, onions, and cucumber. Stir to combine. Cover and store in refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When ready to serve, add vinaigrette and stir. Directions Combine all ingredients in a resealable jar, such as a mason jar. Seal the jar and shake vigorously until all ingredients are incorporated. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference. Store in refrigerator for up to 1 week. When ready to use, allow jar to sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes or until oil is no longer solidified. Shake vigorously and serve. Makes about ½ cup. Click here to sign up for our newsletter today!

Roasted vegetables are one of my favorite side dishes. As you probably know by now, I am a huge fan of “fix it and forget it” type recipes. This broccoli recipe comes together in about 1 minute of prep time and 15 minutes of cook time. Try it with my Baked BBQ Bacon Chicken and Santa Fe Couscous! Serves 4 Ingredients 2 pounds fresh broccoli, washed and separated 2 Tablespoon oil 2 Tablespoons dry Ranch Seasoning ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon onion powder ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper ¼ teaspoon salt Directions Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine broccoli with the remaining ingredients. Using your hands, work the seasonings and oil into broccoli pieces. Place coated broccoli onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until broccoli is lightly browned and crisp-tender.

My kids love ranch dressing on just about everything! This homemade version keeps out the questionable ingredients found in most store-bought brands, while keeping the flavor profile that we're accustomed to! Want to save this recipe for later? Pin it! Ingredients Yield: Approximately 2 cups 1 cup buttermilk ¾ cup sour cream ¼ cup mayonnaise 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley 2 teaspoons garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon fresh dill 1 teaspoon lime juice ½ teaspoon ground black pepper Directions In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients until well incorporated. Adjust seasonings as desired. Cover and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.

This homemade mixed berry extract is the perfect addition to baking recipes with berries! Want to save this recipe for later? Pin it! Ingredients 10 ounces mixed berries (blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, and strawberry) 16 ounces Vodka (80 proof) Jar with tight lid Directions: Place washed berries in jar and cover with vodka. Tightly secure lid and give a vigorous shake. Shake jar several times per week for six weeks. Using a fine mesh strainer, remove berries from jar. Store extract in a cool, dark cabinet.

The perfect addition to any backyard BBQ meal! Yield: 10 quarts Ingredients 7 pounds green cabbage, cored and shredded 6 pounds purple cabbage, cored and shredded 3 pounds carrots, julienne 4 red bell peppers, julienne 2 large white onions, julienne 13 cups sugar 5 cups water 8 cups white vinegar ½ cup salt, kosher 6 ½ Tablespoons celery seed 6 ½ Tablespoons mustard seed ½ teaspoon pickle crisp Directions Sanitize jars on a dishtowel. In a large 30-quart bowl, gently toss cabbage with salt. Cover with a flour sack or other breathable dish towel for at least 2 hours. Remove covering and thoroughly rinse the cabbage to remove as much salt as possible. Add in remaining vegetables and toss gently to combine. In a large pot over medium-high heat, simmer water, vinegar, and sugar for approximately 2 minutes. Add vegetable mixture to brine and warm through for approximately 2-3 minutes. Return the vegetable mixture back to a large bowl. Carefully ladle the vegetable mixture into jars. Ladle hot brine over vegetable mixture and fill to ½” headspace. Remove any air bubbles and add additional brine if needed to reach proper headspace. Using vinegar and a paper towel or clean dishtowel, wipe down jars, paying special attention to the rims of the jars. Place lids and rings onto jars and seal to “fingertip tight”. Add warm/hot jars to warm/hot water in a water bath canner. Ensure water covers jars 1-2 inches, add additional warm/hot water if necessary. Cover pot with lid and bring to a hard boil, and process for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and remove the lid from the pot. Allow jars to remain in uncovered pot for approximately 10 minutes. Carefully remove jars and place them on a dishtowel. Allow jars to cool and seal for at least 24 hours before moving. Once jars are cooled and sealed, remove rings and store jars in a dry, cool, and dark area.

Want to save this recipe for later? Pin it! Spaghetti and garlic bread are a tried and true favorite in our house. It's on our dinner table at least once a month. I feel like everyone has a recipe they love and use as their go-to but if you don’t have a favorite yet, or if you're looking to try something a little different, this one just may be what you are looking for. The base of my sauce is from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving which you can purchase here, but before I started canning my own sauce, I used an affordable store-bought one like Prego or even the store brand. My rule is, if I made it at home then it is homemade! No shame in convenience foods in my kitchen! My kids prefer the vegetables to be “hidden” in the sauce so I chop them up pretty fine. If you prefer a chunkier sauce, feel free to chop them to your preference. If you'd like the recipe for my Garlic & Cayenne Olive Oil I use on the garlic bread, you can find that here. Ingredients: ½ pound ground beef, cooked and browned ½ pound ground, mild Italian sausage, cooked and browned 24 ounces jarred sauce 1 medium onion, finely chopped ½ large green bell pepper, finely chopped 1 stalk celery, finely chopped 4 cloves garlic, finely minced 1 medium carrot, finely shredded 1 teaspoon olive oil ¼ cup white cooking wine 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning 1 tablespoon dried parsley 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ½ teaspoon ground chili powder Directions: In a 6-quart stockpot, cook ground beef and Italian sausage until completely cooked and browned. Drain and set aside. In the same stockpot, saute onion, pepper, and celery in olive oil for approximately 3-5 minutes over medium heat. Add in carrot and garlic and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour in white wine and deglaze the bottom of the pot. Allow the white to evaporate for approximately 5 minutes. Return cooked meat to stockpot. Add in seasonings and stir gently to combine. Simmer on medium-high heat for 20 minutes. If the sauce is thicker than you prefer, add ¼ to ½ cup of starchy pasta water. Serve over your favorite noodles.

A classic, summertime favorite full of cheesy goodness! Serves 6 Ingredients 2 medium yellow squash, thinly sliced 2 medium green zucchini squash, thinly sliced 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced 6 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons oil ¼ cup sour cream ¼ cup mayonnaise ¼ cup half & half 1 large egg, lightly beaten ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon fine sea salt ½ teaspoon chili powder 2 teaspoons dried parsley 2 cup shredded cheddar cheese Directions Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté onion in oil for approximately 5 minutes or until it becomes fragrant and translucent. Add in minced garlic and sauté for approximately 1-2 minutes. Carefully add sliced squash to pan and cook for approximately 10 minutes or until slices become tender. It may be necessary to work in batches. Turn off heat. Remove squash to a paper towel lined plate and allow to drain. Gently use an additional paper towel to remove any excess moisture from the top. In a medium bowl, combine egg, sour cream, mayonnaise, half & half, one cup shredded cheese, and seasonings. Lightly coat a 9x9 baking dish with non-stick spray. Place one layer of squash on the bottom, followed by a layer of cheese mixture. Continue this process until it is complete. Top with the remaining one cup of shredded cheese. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Have you ever been invited to a potluck and had no idea what dish you were going to bring? Do you wait until the night before (or the day of, eek!) to try to throw something tasty together quickly? Friends, that has happened to me more times than I can count and I usually resorted to stopping by a deli or bakery on the way to the event. Sometimes it's hard to think of something that will be different enough from what everyone else is bringing, but not so different that no one eats it. This recipe is one of my favorite go-to’s for potlucks because it is usually the only dish like it and people devour it quickly. I especially like that it takes little effort and planning, which really suits my procrastinating personality. Ingredients: 16 ounces of cheese tortellini 7 ounces sliced pepperoni 6 ounces of smoked Canadian bacon slices 6 ounces of sliced Italian salami 8 ounces Mozzarella cheese, cubed ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese 12 ounces artichoke hearts 6 ounces whole, pitted black olives 16 ounces peperoncini peppers, drained 10 ounces grape tomatoes 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 1 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced 1 cup Italian dressing, more if desired (I prefer Ken’s Northern Italian) Directions: Boil pasta according to package directions. Allow to cool slightly. If your pepperoni, salami, and Canadian bacon are the larger slices, quarter them into bite-sized pieces. In a large serving dish, combine all ingredients. Gently stir to combine. If you refrigerate the pasta over night, give it a good stir. If it appears or tastes dry, add additional Italian dressing to taste. Serve at room temperature or cold.