Spring means one thing to me: fresh berries and flowers! Recently, I sent M on a task to bring home as many berries as he could from his trip to the local H-E-B. He did not disappoint and brought home raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries.

However, that is a lot of berries! In attempt to not waste a single berry (and being out of vanilla coffee syrup), I decided to use the remaining blueberries to create Blueberry Simple Syrup for use in our coffee and at-home craft cocktails.

It was unbelievably easy to create this syrup and let me tell you firsthand, it was delicious.

WHAT YOU NEED:

• 1 (One) Cup of Water
• 1/2 (One-Half) Cup of Sugar
• 1 (One) Cup of Blueberries

HOW YOU DO IT:

1. Boil the sugar and water together and stir until the sugar dissolves. This should take about 3 minutes.
2. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the blueberries. 
3. Reduce the boil to a simmer and continue to cook until the blueberries begin to break down and shrivel. This takes about 5 minutes. 
4. Allow to completely cool before adding to a jar and placing in the fridge. I let mine cool about 30 minutes. 

ENJOY! I will be posting a craft cocktail soon. I am still perfecting it for you all. :)

If you follow my Instagram account, you are already aware of my love of cooking. I typically don't create recipes myself, but I will go on Pinterest and create a weekly board of "This Week's Menu." A few weeks ago, I tried my hand at Pasta Fagioli. This recipe might be one of the easiest and most flavorful dishes I have ever made!

WHAT YOU NEED:

(*for a full list and recipe, click here)

• Olive oil
• Onion
• Garlic
• Diced Tomatoes, canned & Italian style
• Chicken Broth
• Water
• Pasta shells
• Italian Seasonings
• Fresh Kale
• Small white beans
• Tomato Paste
• Salt
• Pepper
• Cheese

Follow the recipe, step-by-step, as she is very clear in her instructions. Your soup should look similar to this near the end:

I do have a few tips to think about when making this soup. I recommend a cast iron dutch oven or soup pot because the cast iron allows for even cooking and faster heat times for the liquid. If you are planning to have any leftovers, keep the noodles separately. This will keep the noodles from getting soggy. Last, but not least, sprinkle a little salt and pepper on your individual bowl of soup; the extra seasoning really brings out the savory flavors.