The Prayer Porch

Category: Recipes and Traditions

  • Classic Dill Pickles Recipe: Garden to Jar

    Classic Dill Pickles Recipe: Garden to Jar

    There’s something extra special about cooking with farm-fresh vegetables, especially when they’re gifted by a kind neighbor. Every summer, a brown paper bag appears on our porch, brimming with cucumbers fresh from the field. It’s a small act of kindness that carries big meaning. This simple canning recipe helps you savor those gifts a little longer. As always, you can share a jar in return!

    Ingredients:
    • 6 lbs of 3- to 5-inch pickling cucumbers
    • ½ cup canning or pickling salt
    • 4 quarts water, divided
    • 1½ quarts 5% acidity white vinegar
    • ¼ cup cane sugar
    • 3 tablespoons whole pickling spice (wrapped in tied cheesecloth)
    • 2 teaspoons mustard seeds (per jar)
    • 2 heads fresh dill (per jar)
    • 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves per jar
    • 5 sterilized quart jars

    Instructions:
    Wash cucumbers and slice into chips, around ¼-inch thick. Dissolve the salt in 2 quarts of water and pour over the cucumbers. Let stand for 6 hours, then drain.

    In a large pot, combine the vinegar, sugar, and remaining 2 quarts of water. Add the tied pickling spices and bring to a boil.

    While the brine is boiling, fill each sterilized jar with sliced cucumbers. Add 2 teaspoons of mustard seed, 2 heads of dill, and 2 cloves of sliced garlic to each jar.

    Carefully pour the hot pickling solution into each jar, leaving ½-inch head space. This recipe should yield about 4–5 quarts, depending on cucumber thickness.

    Seal with lids and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes for shelf-stable storage. Alternatively, you can simply seal and refrigerate for enjoying right away.

    “Preserving food is like preserving memories — both are done with love, patience, and a good amount of dill.” 🌿💛

    “He fills your life with good things…”
    Psalm 103:5 (NLT)

  • Blueberry Lemon Sourdough Discard Loaf

    Blueberry Lemon Sourdough Discard Loaf


    A bright and tender loaf perfect for summer mornings or afternoon tea 🍋🫐

    Ingredients:
    • ½ cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 3 eggs
    • 2 tablespoon lemon zest
    • 3 tablespoons lemon juice (from fresh lemons)
    • ½ cup sourdough discard (unfed sourdough starter)
    • ½ cup whole-milk vanilla Greek yogurt
    • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (tossed with a little flour to prevent sinking)

    Instructions:
    Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and lightly flour a standard loaf pan.

    In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar until smooth.
    Add eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix until smooth.
    Stir in the sourdough discard.
    In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
    Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until combined.
    Gently fold in the blueberries.

    Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
    Bake for 10 minutes at 350°. Reduce the temperature to 325°. Bake for another 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
    Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

    When cool, drizzle with a lemon glaze for extra sweetness or lightly dust with confectioner’s sugar.

    To make a light lemon glaze, whisk together:

    1 cup confectioner’s sugar
    1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
    ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

    “Just as the Lord fills our hearts with joy, He also fills our days with simple gifts. These gifts include the blessing of fresh blueberries and the warmth of home-baked bread.”

  • Cheddar Sourdough Biscuits

    Cheddar Sourdough Biscuits

    There’s something comforting about a warm biscuit straight from the oven. It’s especially delightful when made with a little sourdough love 🖤 These biscuits are tender, cheesy, and perfectly satisfying. They’re quick to make and even better shared.

    Ingredients:
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • ½ tsp salt
    • 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (or your favorite cheese)
    • 1 cup sourdough discard (unfed sourdough starter)
    • ½ cup heavy cream

    Directions:
    Preheat your oven to 375°F.
    In a mixing bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and cheddar cheese.
    Add the sourdough discard and heavy cream, stirring until combined.
    Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead a few times.
    Shape into a circle about 1 inch thick.
    Cut into 8 wedges and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet or baking stone.
    Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the tops are just golden.
    Serve warm, with a pat of butter if you’d like.

    Optional: Add finely chopped jalapeños, fresh or pickled, for a little zing.

  • Comforting Zucchini Quiche: A Taste of Home

    Comforting Zucchini Quiche: A Taste of Home

    This comforting recipe comes from a neighbor we all cherished. Julie was someone whose kitchen always smelled of something warm and welcoming. Her door was always open, and no visit was complete without a slice of her delicious zucchini quiche. It was her gentle way of saying, “I am so happy you are here.” Life moved a little slower back then, and love was often served on a plate.

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups grated zucchini
    • 4 eggs
    • 2 cups Bisquick®
    • ¼ cup heavy cream
    • ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
    • Dried or fresh oregano, salt, and pepper to taste

    Directions:

    Preheat oven to 350°F.
    In a large bowl, combine the grated zucchini, eggs, Bisquick®, heavy cream, and cheddar cheese. Season with oregano, salt, and pepper.
    Top with a little more cheddar cheese.
    Mix by hand until fully mixed.
    Pour into a greased pie dish.
    Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden and set in the center.
    Let cool slightly before slicing. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

    ( I love this quiche with some fresh tomatoes, olives and feta cheese!)

  • Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake

    Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake

    There’s something tender about baking a birthday cake for one of your children – even when they’re all grown up. Somehow, it feels like just yesterday I was lighting candles on dinosaur cupcakes and wiping frosting off tiny fingers.

    Birthdays have a way of marking time. They remind us how quickly the seasons pass. They also invite us to pause. We think about the beauty of growth, the gift of life, and the One who renews us daily.

    As we celebrate another year of life, I’m reminded of an even deeper truth. In Christ, we are made new not just once a year, but every day. When we surrender our hearts, our plans, and our worries to Him, He meets us with grace. He begins again. What a beautiful reason to celebrate.

    As the rich scent of chocolate fills the house, so do the memories. I find myself giving thanks for all of my children, now grown, yet always close to my heart. I’m grateful for the years that have shaped their lives. I am ever thankful for God, who faithfully makes all things new.

    “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
    —2 Corinthians 5:17

    Ingredients:

    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter

    • 1/4 cup cocoa powder, and a little more to dust the pan

    • 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar

    • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    • 1/4 cup olive oil

    • 2 large eggs, at room temperature

    • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

    • 1 teaspoon baking soda

    • 1/2 teaspoon salt

    • 1/2 cup vanilla full-fat yogurt

    • 2 cups grated zucchini

    Directions:

    Preheat your oven to 325°F.
    Generously butter a Bundt pan. Dust it with cocoa powder to help the cake release beautifully.

    Cream the butter in a large mixing bowl until it’s smooth. Then, mix in both sugars. Add the vanilla. Drizzle in the oil and mix until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. It should look airy and inviting.

    Crack in the eggs one at a time, stirring just enough to mix them in gently.

    In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. If you’re like me and doing this all by hand, use a fine-mesh strainer. It works just fine to get rid of any lumps.

    Add the dry mixture to your wet ingredients, stir, then add some of the yogurt. Keep alternating flour and yogurt until everything is nicely mixed. Don’t worry about perfection. This is a rustic, heartfelt cake.

    Fold in the grated zucchini. Make sure it’s evenly spread throughout the batter.

    Pour the thick batter into your prepared pan. Give it a few gentle taps on the counter so it settles into every nook and cranny.

    Bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until a tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Let the cake rest in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a serving plate. Dust the top with cocoa or confectioner’s sugar for a beautiful finish ♥

  • Grandma’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Grandma’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

    There’s something about these cookies that takes us right back to the heart of home. They’re a family favorite and over the years, they’ve become more than just a sweet treat. They’re a warm memory, a shared joy, and a small act of love passed from one generation to the next.

    Ingredients:

    1 ¾ cups (11.5-ounce package) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Milk Chocolate Morsels

    2 cups all-purpose flour

    1 teaspoon baking soda

    1 teaspoon salt

    1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

    1 cup granulated sugar

    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    1 large egg

    Directions:

    Preheat oven to 350°F

    In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

    In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

    Add the egg and vanilla; beat until well blended.

    Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir.

    Fold in the chocolate morsels.

    Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an parchment paper lined baking sheet.

    Bake for 18 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

    Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

    “A recipe passed down is a legacy of love.” 🍪

  • Easy Small Batch Blueberry Muffins Recipe

    Easy Small Batch Blueberry Muffins Recipe

    There’s something about the smell of blueberry muffins baking that slows down the morning. It brings to mind small, sacred routines. Sipping coffee while sunlight filters in. Listening to songs of the morning birds.

    Sometimes the simplest offerings are enough.

    Let these be a little reminder of how beautiful the ordinary can be.

    Ingredients:
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • ½ tsp baking powder
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • ¼ cup sugar
    • ¼ cup Greek vanilla yogurt
    • 1 tsp lemon zest
    • 1 egg
    • ½ tsp vanilla extract
    • ¼ cup whole milk
    • 1 cup fresh blueberries

    Directions:
    Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a muffin tin with 6 liners or lightly grease.

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

    In a separate bowl, mix the yogurt, lemon zest, egg, vanilla, and milk until well blended.

    Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry mixture

    Fold in the blueberries.

    Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin.

    Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

    Let cool slightly before serving with a warm cup of something cozy.

  • 🍓 Strawberry Shortcake

    🍓 Strawberry Shortcake

    Shakespeare reminds us that beauty is found in ordinary places. Sweetness often blossoms there too. 🌿
    “The strawberry grows underneath the nettle,
    And wholesome berries thrive and ripen best.”

    There’s something about the arrival of strawberry season that stirs up the sweetest memories. This small-batch air fryer version is just right for a summer afternoon treat and will make 4 servings.

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

    • 1 tbsp + 2 tsp granulated sugar

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour

    • 1 tsp baking powder

    • 1/4 tsp baking soda

    • 1/4 tsp salt

    • 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, grated

    • 1/2 cup milk

    Whipped cream for serving and a light dusting of cocoa to finish

    Directions:

    In a bowl, combine strawberries and 1 tablespoon sugar. Mix well and set aside.

    Preheat your air fryer to 300°F and lightly grease a small round baking pan.

    In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, remaining 2 teaspoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

    Add the grated cold butter and gently blend with fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

    Slowly pour in the milk and stir just until a soft dough forms. Do not over mix.

    Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan.

    Air fry for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown on top and cooked through.

    Let the shortcake cool slightly before slicing. Serve it with the sugared strawberries (and blueberries). Add a spoonful of whipped cream and dust with cocoa.

  • Savory Chicken Broccoli Braid

    Savory Chicken Broccoli Braid

    Every bridal shower, potluck, or picnic once had something in common. They featured that beautiful golden braid. It was fresh from the oven and filled with something savory. This Pampered Chef® classic wasn’t just a recipe, it was a staple.

    It reminds me of weekends with friends and family. We would pass plates on porches or wrap slices in foil for car rides and church luncheons. Hot or cold, it always hit the spot. Easy to make, even easier to share and somehow it just made any gathering feel a little more special.

    This recipe was our go-to lunch. Life was busy, but we still wanted to serve something that felt made with love. Maybe that’s why it stuck around all these years. Because sometimes, the simple things really are the best.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup chopped broccoli florets
    • 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
    • ½ cup diced red bell pepper (optional)
    • ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese
    • ¼ cup mayonnaise
    • 2 teaspoons dried dill weed
    • 1 garlic clove, pressed
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 package refrigerated crescent dough
    • 1 egg white, lightly beaten

    Directions:

    Preheat your oven to 375°F and prepare a large baking sheet (or pizza stone).

    In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, chicken, bell pepper, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, dill, garlic, and salt. Mix well.

    Unroll the crescent roll dough but do not separate the triangles. Arrange the dough so the long sides run along the length of your baking sheet or stone.

    Spoon the chicken mixture evenly down the middle. On each long side, cut 1½-inch wide strips into the dough about 3 inches long up to the filling.
    To braid, take one strip from each side, twist once, and fold across the filling, gently pressing the ends together. Continue alternating strips to create a braid. Tuck the ends under to seal.

    Brush the top of the braid with the beaten egg white.

    Bake for 20 minutes or until the braid is golden brown and cooked through. Let cool slightly before slicing.

  • Sweet Blueberry Pancakes

    Sweet Blueberry Pancakes

    This simple recipe makes just four pancakes. Perfect for two on a slow morning. It’s the breakfast that invites you to linger a little longer. You can pour that second cup of coffee. Savor the stillness.

    It reminds me of summer mornings with berry-stained hands. Picking blueberries in the backyard felt like a treasure hunt. Filling a little bowl felt sacred. You added one plunk at a time. Bees hummed nearby and the sun warmed your shoulders.

    As the old saying goes, “The blueberries are ripest when the morning is quiet and the picking is slow.”

    Here’s a recipe that celebrates the quiet. It highlights the small batch and the sweet moments. It captures the joy of sharing something simple and made with love.

    Ingredients:

    • ¾ cup milk (or sourdough discard)
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • 3 tablespoons sugar
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • Pinch of salt
    • 1 egg
    • 2 tablespoons melted butter
    • 1 cup fresh blueberries

    Directions:

    In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and blueberries.
    In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, milk (or discard), and melted butter.
    Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until mixed. Do not over mix.

    Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and melt a small amount of butter to coat the pan.
    Pour about ¼ cup of batter per pancake into the skillet.
    Cook until bubbles form on the surface and the edges start to set. Flip and cook for another 1–2 minutes until golden and fluffy.
    Serve warm with butter and real maple syrup 🫐