Blossom & Brine™ - Pull Up A Chair , Amish Recipes & CookingBlossom & Brine™ - Pull Up A Chair , Amish Recipes & Cookinghttps://www.blossomandbrine.com/pull-up-a-chair/amish-recipes-cookingThu, 09 Jul 2026 04:40:54 -0700http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[Homemade Nacho Cheese Sauce]]>https://www.blossomandbrine.com/pull-up-a-chair/post/homemade-nacho-cheese-sauceSkip the plastic-tasting processed blocks and yellow canned sauces. Making a rich, creamy homemade nacho cheese sauce from scratch is incredibly simple, taking just a few minutes on the stove using real sharp cheddar cheese and simple pantry staples.]]>

A rich, creamy cheese queso made from scratch with real cheddar.

Homemade nacho cheese sauce served warm in a cast-iron skillet with tortilla chips and pickled jalapeños. Authentic from-scratch queso dip recipe by Blossom & Brine.

Skip the plastic-tasting processed blocks and yellow canned sauces from the grocery store aisle. Making a rich, creamy homemade nacho cheese sauce from scratch is incredibly simple, taking just a few minutes on the stove. This easy nacho cheese recipe relies on real sharp cheddar cheese, standard pantry staples, and simple seasonings to create a smooth, velvety sauce perfect for pouring over tortilla chips, dipping soft pretzels, or topping baked potatoes and tacos. Unlike store-bought queso, you control exactly what goes into it—no artificial thickeners or fillers, just honest, real food your family will love.

Makes: About 4 cups - Wide mouth 1/2 pints work best.

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream (or use more milk)
  • 4 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup freshly shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1–2 teaspoons pickled jalapeño juice (optional)
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
  3. Slowly whisk in the milk and cream until smooth.
  4. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce begins to thicken.
  5. Reduce the heat to low.
  6. Add the cheeses a handful at a time, stirring until completely melted before adding more.
  7. Stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, and jalapeño juice if using.
  8. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
  9. Serve immediately while warm.

To Keep Warm

Transfer to a small slow cooker on the Warm setting. Stir occasionally and add a splash of milk if it becomes too thick.

Optional Add-Ins

  • ½ pound browned ground beef - WB 3 hours - PC 75 min pints | 90 mins quarts
  • ½ pound cooked breakfast sausage - WB 3 hours - PC 75 min pints | 90 mins quarts
  • ½ cup diced green chilies
  • ¼ cup diced pickled jalapeños
  • 1 cup Rotel-style tomatoes with green chilies (drained)
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder

Canning

This is a rebel canning recipe. It does not follow USDA guidelines. Use at your own risk. 
Pressure Can - 15 min
Amish Water Bath Canning - 1 hour

Looking for More Canning Times?My Canning Times & Altitude Guide is a handy kitchen reference that includes hundreds of water bath, steam bath, and pressure canning processing times, plus easy altitude adjustment charts and step-by-step instructions for determining the correct processing time based on your elevation. It's the same guide I keep in my own kitchen when preserving food throughout the year.

Have questions or want to share how your batch turned out? Join our community, where we discuss recipes, food preservation, and homestead cooking every day. Come pull up a chair and swap stories with us over in our Facebook group, [Rebel Canning With Amish Woman].

]]>Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:15:40 -0600<![CDATA[Amish Corn Flour Jam Basics]]>https://www.blossomandbrine.com/pull-up-a-chair/post/amish-corn-flour-jam-basicsLearn how to make traditional Amish corn flour jam using fruit, low sugar, and corn flour (cornstarch) instead of pectin. This old-fashioned homestead recipe creates a soft, spreadable jam with rich fruit flavor and old-time homemade zang — perfect for peaches, berries, apples, and more.]]>

Let the Fruit Shine!

Corn flour jam is an old-fashioned Amish jam recipe that creates a smooth, soft fruit spread without relying on commercial pectin. Unlike traditional homemade jams that depend on large amounts of sugar to gel, this recipe thickens with corn flour (cornstarch for our "English" readers), allowing the natural flavor of the fruit to shine. It spreads easily, even when cold, and works with almost any fresh or frozen fruit.

On our farm, we grow waxy maize and grind it into corn flour for making jams and other recipes. Most readers won't have access to waxy maize, so the closest commercial product is Clear Jel®, a modified waxy cornstarch commonly sold for home canning. It provides the same smooth, glossy texture we've relied on in Amish kitchens for generations.

If you're looking for a no-pectin jam recipe, a lower-sugar homemade fruit spread, or a traditional Amish way to preserve fruit, this family recipe lets the fruit—not the sugar—be the star.


Ingredients

  • 7 quarts/28 cups of Fruit (chopped or mashed; use food processor if you have one)
  • 2 - 3 cups Sugar (sweeten to your taste)
  • 1 cup Lemon/Lime Juice (depends on the fruit, makes most taste better)
  • 1 ⅓ cup Corn Flour (This cornstarch not corn meal) The best cornstarch for this is wax base cornstarch called Clear Jel. You can get it off Amazon or from Amish stores.
  • 1 ⅓ cup Cold Water
  • 7 quarts/14 pints/28 half pints/56 quarter pints.


Instructions

Put the fruit, sugar, and lemon juice in a pot over medium-high heat. Bring it to a boil and let it cook for about 10–15 minutes until the fruit is soft and has released its juices. You may need to add some water. Lower the heat to a simmer and reduce the mix until it coats your spoon without running.

In a small cup, mix the corn flour and cold water until it looks like smooth milk.

Bring the mix back up to a boil and slowly pour in the corn flour mixture. Let the jam boil for one full minute while stirring. Lower temp and simmer for up to 5 minutes. You will see the jam turn glossy and thick. Remove from heat. Pour into clean jars, wipe rim, add flats with rings.

This old-fashioned recipe has been passed through my family’s Amish heritage. — Blossom Frey

Canning

Water bath (WB) or Steam bath (SB) 25 min + plus altitude adjustment

📌 Modern water bath recommendations for jams are often 5–10 minutes depending on altitude, acidity, and recipe style. Many modern recipes rely on higher acid levels and large amounts of sugar or commercial pectin for preservation. Traditional Amish and homestead kitchens commonly processed jams longer — often around 25 minutes — using older preservation methods and less pectin, lemon juice and sugar.

Looking for More Canning Times?

My Canning Times & Altitude Guide is a handy kitchen reference that includes hundreds of water bath, steam bath, and pressure canning processing times, plus easy altitude adjustment charts and step-by-step instructions for determining the correct processing time based on your elevation. It's the same guide I keep in my own kitchen when preserving food throughout the year.
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