Raspberry Jam

This jam is so easy.  All you have to do is do equal parts mashed raspberries and sugar.

But I have to be different.  Only cause I made a mistake.  You see you bring the raspberries to a boil for two minutes.  Then you add the sugar and bring to a boil for another two minutes.  But, eh, I was in a hurry and didn't read the directions again.

You see my daughter had to get to the ice cream place for an ice cream cone and nothing was going to get in her way.  Mom we goin'?  Mom, when are we going?  Mom, is it time to go?  Mom, Mom, Mom.  You can only take that so many times before you are like, lets go!!!!!!  I have also said , we are not going because you bugged me one too many times.  But not tonight because I wanted Oregon Blackberry Ice Cream.  And it is all about me, right?  Cough, cough.  Hardly, when you are a Mom, you take this oath that from this day forward, it is always about your children.  Basically, until you die.  And really, I wouldn't have it any other way.  But they do also have to realize that I have needs... But I digress.  This about food, right?  Right?  It's not about the joys of parenting.  Right?

So, anyway.  I changed the recipe. Because I have some Dutch Gel.  Because I can. I get Dutch Gel from the Mennonite store that I go to.  I wanted to remember what I did for next year.

Raspberry Jam

3 cups mashed raspberries (this was about 24 ounces)
3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup (generous) Dutch Gel

Mash the raspberries.  Measure equal parts sugar and raspberries.  Heat in a pot.  Bring to a boil.  When it is a rolling boil that you can't stir down, start the timer and time for 2 minutes.  Add in Dutch Gel.  Again.  Bring to a boil that you can't stir down for 2 minutes.  Pour into jars, leaving a 1/4 inch head space.  I use pints because we tend to use a lot of this kind of jelly and no sense wasting lids.

Place lids and rings on jars and turn upside down for ten minutes.  Place back in upright position.  They should seal at this point.  If they don't you can invert them again or give up and place in the refrigerator. If you don't feel comfortable with the upside down method, then process the jars for ten minutes.
 

Canning The Harvest, Part II Jams and Jellies

JAMS AND JELLIES

Apricot Jalapeno Jam


Apricot Jam


Blueberry Vanilla Jam



Currant Jam



Orange Marmalade


Peach Amaretto Jam



Pineapple Preserves



Strawberry Freezer Jam
 

Strawberry Margarita Preserves
Peach Amaretto Jam
My personal favorite.  Since I make it as gifts for a few people that have tried it- I'd have to say it is a real winner.

So there you have it- my canning collection in two parts.  This has made me realize how many of my canned goods I haven't posted.  Stay tuned I am sure they will be forth coming with a new round of the harvest this year.

Pineapple Preserves

I am making pineapple preserves again today.  I have made them before and you can see that post here.  I wanted to let you know a few things should you decide to make this slammin' jam.  One if it doesn't set (as mine previously did not), dont worry, you can still make all kinds of things with it.  Check out my black bean salad. Or you can try Asian Style Noodles with Pineapple Dressing.


Two, if you do not have a scale- a pound is about 2 cups heaping of chopped pineapple.  Though I do recommend a scale in the kitchen.  It is very useful.


Three, you want this to simmer about 20 minutes.  I added the juice of half of a lemon as well.  It still never really thickened.  I added 1/3 of a Dutch Jell (I get that at the Mennonite store but you could use Ball pectin- I am hoping for a better set this time.  But like I said if it doesnt happen I am okay with that as I really love those dressing mentioned above.

Finally, this recipe will make 11 pints.  Since I have to have tastes periodically and I usually spill a little, I end up with 1101 1/2.  The 1/2 goes into my fridge and disappears fairly frequently. 

Pineapple Preserves
Makes about 11 pints.

4 pounds pineapple, skinned, cored, and chopped
6 cups sugar
juice of 1/2 of a lemon
1/3 of a cup of Dutch Jell (or the pectin of your choice)

Combine the sugar and pineapple in a large stock pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until it thickens. This will take quite some time. See below for how to test it. Once completed pour into sterilized jars, seal and cold pack for about fifteen minutes.

You can use canned pineapple for this recipe as well. Use the juice as well.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

Strawberry picking just opened on Friday at our local farm.  My children were especially jazzed about strawberries this year.  I did not buy a single pack of strawberries from Florida or California this year.  I had heard that those two states still use a pesticide that is banned in NY state.  My youngest daughter would come home from class talking about how so and so got to eat strawberries and how come his Mom bought him the strawberries.  I replied that I am sure she did not know otherwise she would not have bought them.  Doesn't that suck!  I am sure there is lots of stuff I don't know that I am inadvertently giving to my kids. There are just so many ways to screw up as a parent- how can you avoid it?

The day we picked these I froze some, made some jam and left some for chowing on.  Talk about fresh!

If you use lite pectin you dont have to add as much sugar and of course you can add Splenda if you want to go that route- I don't.  I also like to do freezer jams when it comes to strawberries.  Although this Margarita Strawberry Preserves is an exception to the rule.

Lite Strawberry Freezer Jam

2 cups water
1 – 1.75 oz. box of No or Low Sugar pectin
Sugar or non-sugar sweetener (to your taste preference)


Clean strawberries. Crush strawberries. Measure out 2 cups strawberries, 1 cup water and add up to 1 to 3 cups of sugar or a non-sugar sweetener (to your taste), if desired. Mix thoroughly and let stand 10 minutes. In a saucepan gradually stir in 1 package of No or Low Sugar pectin into 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Boil 1 minute, at a full rolling boil, over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.  Pour the hot pectin mixture into the strawberries. Stir for 3 minutes. Ladle jam into jelly jars or some type of freezeable container, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Screw or place lids on tightly. Let jam stand in refrigerator until set, about 24 hours. Store in freezer.

If you use regular pectin you need to do something like this. 

Strawberry Freezer Jam

2 cups crushed strawberries
1 – 1.75 oz. box of No or Low Sugar pectin
2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
4 cups sugar

Clean strawberries. Crush strawberries. Measure out 2 cups strawberries and add sugar and lemon juice.  Mix thoroughly and let stand 10 minutes. In a saucepan gradually stir in 1 package of  dry pectin into 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Boil 1 minute, at a full rolling boil, over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.  Pour the hot pectin mixture into the strawberries. Stir for 3 minutes. Ladle jam into jelly jars or some type of freezeable container, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Screw or place lids on tightly. Let jam stand in refrigerator until set, about 24 hours. Store in freezer.

If you go no pectin than you will have to use a ton more sugar and have to cook it for long periods of time. 

Anyway you decide, you will be rewarded with some summer goodness in the middle of winter.

Apricot Jalapeno Jam

This apricot jalapeno jam recipe is all over the internet and for good reason.  It is really delicious.  Really the best tasting hot pepper jam I have ever had. It is akin to sweet chili sauce with less spice.  You can easily turn it into sweet chili sauce by adding garlic, ginger...  And as a bonus it is a really quick jam to make.

Apricot and Jalapeno Jam

6 cups sugar
1/4 cup red jalapeno
1 red bell pepper
1 1/2 cups dried apricots, chopped
2 cups cider vinegar
3 ounces liquid pectin

In a blender combine vinegar, jalapenos and red bell pepper.  Blend until peppers are chopped up.  Hand chop the apricots (if you put them into a blender they would just turn into paste.)  Combine all the ingredients, except the pectin in a large pot.  Bring to a boil.  Stir the mixture.  It should be at a boil that can not be stirred down for five minutes.  Remove from heat, let sit two minutes.  Add pectin and stir.  Pour into sterilized canning jars and seal.  Process in a hot water bath for 10 to 15 minutes depending on your altitude.

*Have your pot that you will process the jars in ready with hot water.  Your jars will be hot so you want your canner to be hot too.

**Also, people have suggested putting in a couple drops of food coloring.  I wouldn't- its just beautiful without it.

Cheddar Crackers with Tomato Jam

I recently participated in a jam exchange at Steph Chows. She stopped by my site and asked me to join in the fun. I never realized that she lives here in Rochester. Whoa- that is totally cool. Now, I think I should organize Rochester, Syracuse and Buffalo bloggers for a get together.
My package arrived with two little jars of jelly inside. Two tastey morsels of amazing, melt in your mouth, delicious, perfectly flavored tomato jam. I had to think of something special to do with the jam. The jam is from Natalie of Natalie's Killer Cuisine. (go check out her jam, it is AMAZING).

After returning from our trip and quick look at the fridge's contents told me I needed to do something real fast with the sharp cheddar that I had in there. I had two packs from a recent trip to an Amish store in Penn Yan. The one had an end that was starting to mold. I shaved off that end and shredded all of it up to make some amazing cheddar crackers. The crackers are amazing but paired with this jam, it is a combination that takes taste over the top. After I had the jam with it, the plain crackers just did not taste as good.

In the words of Andy Griffith, "Good cracker."

Aged Cheddar Crackers
inspired from this recipe at Epicurious
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 lb sharp Cheddar, coarsely grated (preferably in a food processor)
1 large egg yolk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon dried mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon nigella seeds

Blend together butter, cheese, and yolk in food processor until smooth. Add flour, dried mustard, and salt and pulse until just combined. Add pepper and nigella seeds, and pulse until combined well, then transfer to a sheet of wax paper. Shape into a log (1 1/2 - 2 inches thick), using paper as an aid, then roll up log in paper and twist ends of paper to close. Chill log until firm, about 2 hours.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Unwrap log and cut enough thin slices (about 1/8 inch thick) from it to fill baking sheet, arranging slices 1 inch apart. Return log to fridge. Bake until edges of crackers are golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer on parchment to a rack and cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Make more crackers in batches with remaining dough.

Serve crackers warm or at room temperature.

Cooks' notes: Dough can be chilled, wrapped additionally in foil or in a sealed plastic bag, 1 week or frozen 2 months. Crackers can be baked 1 week ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then kept in an airtight container at room temperature. If desired, reheat on 2 baking sheets in a preheated 350°F oven about 5 minutes.

Blueberry Fields Forever

Annual Blueberry Day is a favorite in our household. Every year for about four years we have picked blueberries at an eight acre blueberry farm. We have added activities on as we go. Each year our event gets a little better. It's a family thing. My husband takes the day off from work and my parents go as well. We have had friends join us some years as well.

The day starts out pretty early before the sun gets too hot. This year we picked around twenty pounds of blueberries. My parents picked the same (ah, yeah, we helped them quite a bit). Yup, its a lot but I freeze them and can them and of course we eat a bunch of them as well.


It had rained the day before so by the time I was done picking my whole right side was completely wet. Kept me nice and cool.
Down the road from the blueberry farm is this great park by Lake Ontario. The kids have a blast! There's a playground and this water playground. We have our little picnic and enjoy it all.

After that there is a place right nearby where they have kiddie rides for 25 cents a piece. How can a kid and a parent go wrong at those prices!

After all that we end the day with an ice cream cone. Now tell me, does it get any better when you are a kid. And for me, it was a magical day because I could watch my kids totally enjoying themselves and I was surrounded by people I love.

After we get home, I freeze blueberries. The next day I make jam. What a jam it was. Since some of the blueberries were slightly underripe there was quite a bit of pectin in them. The jam set up right while I was cooking. The recipe said it would yield 64 ounces, I got 78, yup, you read that correctly. It didn't have to boil down as much.
Vanilla Blueberry Preserves

1 vanilla pod, split and scraped
9 cups blueberries, mashed
6 cups sugar

Combine all in a large pot and cook until it thickens. Watch carefully and stir often when it thickens up. It will burn real easy. When it thickens, remove the vanilla pod and discard (it should be pretty used up at this point).

Pack into sterilized jars (boiled) and wipe rims clean. Process for ten minutes.

Great Expectations

So I picked some raspberries the other day. Due to all the rain a lot of them had fungus or mold on them. Ew, gross. So, I carefully picked the nice ones, six quarts worth. I amde cherry raspberry jam from the "Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving". Man, was I stoked. The flavor was amazing but it didn't set. Really I should have went with my gut and cooked it for a longer period of time. And I should have had my trusty dish in the freezer to test the set.

So, here's what I did with my unset jam... so far, as I have about 4 more 1/2 pints to use.

I made Raspberry Cherry Fool. A light version of it. (Stir in about a tablespoon of the unset jam to the yogurt and add some fresh fruit.)

Then I made Raspberry Fudge Brownies. I know I probably got your attention there.

Melt in your mouth, delicious. I mixed some of my unset jam with fresh raspberries to make a quick "jam".

The jam. Take my advice and cook it down a little longer and make sure you test the gel.

Cherry Berry Jam
adapted from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving

3 cups (750ml) raspberry pulp (raspberries put through a sieve or a food mill)
4 cups ( 1 liter) sugar
3 cups (750ml) pitted sweet cherries, including juice

Prepare canner, jars and lids.

In a glass, stainless steele or plastic bowl combine raspberry pulp and sugar, set aside.

Bring cherries and their juice to a boil in a stainless steel deep pot. Cook about five minutes, until they are tender. Stir in raspberries and cook seven minutes more. Test gel. Cook longer if you need to.

Ladles mixture into hot jars and process in canner for ten minutes. Remove lid, wait five minutes. Remove jars.

Raspberry Fudge Brownie Bars
This recipe from Recipezaar

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk chocolate chips
2 cups fresh raspberries combined with cherry berry jam or (3/4 cup raspberry preserves)
1/4 cup fresh raspberry (for garnish)

In a double boiler, melt together butter and chocolate. In a seperate bowl with a wire whisk, beat sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix this mixture into the chocolate mixture. Let cool slightly; Gradually stir in flour and baking powder just to combine; Fold in almonds and chocolate chips.

Spread about 3/4 of the batter evenly in a 13" x 9" x 2" pan that has been coated with a non stick spray; Carefully spread raspberry preserves on top of the batter; Drizzle remaining batter evenly over preserves swirling top lightly with a spoon; Gently smooth top.

Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes at 350° or until the top is slightly puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely if you can stand it.

Currant Jam

Just this past year I ventured into the land of non commercial pectin, jellies, jams and preserves. So far I have been pleasantly surprised. I used to think that the only way to get my fruits to gel was to use Sure Jel or Certo. They do work great but I learned that a lot of fruit has its own pectin and adding apples (tart ones) can make your fruit set as well. It is sometimes a softer set but sometimes that is better. Did you ever have a jam that was too hard to spread? This particular currant jam and the apricot one were a firmer set all by themselves. Though as Ferber points out in her book, each fruit, each year, has its own unique character and no two batches are ever the same.

Currants are a pain in the patoot to work with but you will reap tasty rewards with this one. It doesn't make a lot so start off with a huge amount of berries. Take the time to take off all the branches and stems because they can give off a bitter taste. So I can not wait to make some scones or biscuits to spread this all over.

Have you ever wondered what is the difference between jelly, jam and preserves. I found this quick summary from How It Works.

"Jelly, jam and preserves are all made from fruit mixed with sugar and pectin. The difference between them comes in the form that the fruit takes.

• In jelly, the fruit comes in the form of fruit juice.
• In jam, the fruit comes in the form of fruit pulp or crushed fruit (and is less stiff than jelly as a result).
• In preserves, the fruit comes in the form of chunks in a syrup or a jam.

Pectin is an indigestible carbohydrate (fiber). It is found in the cell walls of most fruit. When heated with sugar in water, it gels, giving jam, jelly and preserves their thickness."

Currant Jam
recipe adapted from Mes Confitures by Christine Ferber
published by Michigan State University Press

2 3/4 pounds red currants
3 3/4 cups sugar
juice of one lemon (about a 1/4 of a cup)

Clean currants in cold water, drain and stem. In a non reactive pot combine berries, lemon and sugar and bring to a simmer. Remove mixture from the heat and pour into a glass or ceramic bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, puree the currants in a blender. Pour through a fine sieve and with a rubber spatula mash the currants on the sides to push liquid through. Discard stems and seeds. Yield: 5 or 6 - 1/2 pints.

Place mixture back in a pan and bring to a boil, stirring gently. Continue the simmer for about five minutes. Check the set with a cold dish. Put jam into jars and seal. *Turn the jars upside down for ten minutes. Turn right side up and check to see if they have sealed in an hour or so.

*Just a reminder that not all people prefer to can jam with this method. The FDA does not recommend it. I am okay with taking the risk. This is how I was taught to can from my Mother and I continue to use this method.

Apricot Jam and livin' on the edge

A few days ago I saw Tartelettes post about cherry pits, I was intrigued. I checked out Egg beaters post about stone fruits and their pits. I read that almond extract is made from apricot pits. I think I knew this at one time but I had forgot. I was totally stoked about buying some apricots and making some jam but now was I going to include the kernels or not? Supposedly the heating process denatures the toxicity of the kernel. I read many pros and cons on the internet and some jam books I have about including the kernels. Some people include the kernel but then take it out right before they jar it. I decided I would go for the kernel in the jam. Luckily, I found some fresh, local apricots at the market.

If nothing else my house smelled so good while making this jam. It is delicious. I ate a kernel. I am still alive.

When I was 19 I decided I wanted to take some English riding lessons. I paid for them myself and took a class. They told us we could feed the horses apples but we would have to core them before we did so. What? Well, their explanation was that the pits have cyanide and it was cumalitive in the horses body. So while the pits may not kill them from one apple, after 100 apples it may just be the bit that did. I have no idea if this is true or if this is even true for humans. I wonder, does anyone know if it is stored in the fat cells of our body? As you can see I am still intrigued and will investigate this further.

*Certainly leave the kernels out if you do not want to live on the edge. And just in case you are wondering I won't let the kids eat the kernels.  You know, just in case I am wrong.

Apricot Jam with the Kernel
Yield: a little over 5 half pints.

1 kg (roughly five or six cups) apricots, chopped into small pieces
1 kg sugar*
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1. Sterilize jars in boiling water. Let them dry.

2. Wash and clean the apricots, reserving the pits.

3. Crack the pits with a nut cracker, discard shell. Blanch the kernels and place in cold water. Remove the skins.

4. In a non reactive pot, combine apricots, sugar and lemon juice. Cook until it begins to boil. It will foam up pretty high. Keep the mixture at a simmer until the liquid reaches gel stage. Test for gel stage (use a small dish that you have placed in the freezer prior to starting this process).

5. Place two kernels in each jar before ladling in the jam.

6. Once you have filled the jars (leaving a 1/4 inch head space, clean rim of jar, place lids on and screw the bands on. Turn them upside down for ten minutes and then right side up. Making sure that the tops have depressed into the jar. Wait a while if one or two have not depressed you can turn the jars upside down and try again for ten minutes. This should do the trick.

*If you do not have a scale you can measure the apricots out and use equal sugar amount. 

Jammin' to the break of day!

I recently discovered a new jam. I love playing with new flavors every season. I found this recipe for Strawberry Margarita Preserves. Since I am the Margarita Queen, I saw it as only fitting that I should whip some of this up! Its boozey flavors on top of strawberries make it so intricate and amazing. My Mom suggested some biscuits for a backdrop. I am thinking this is a good idea!

Strawberry Margarita Preserves
adapted from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving

6 cups strawberries cut in half, if they are large quartered
2 cups tart apple like a Granny Smith, chopped
4 cups sugar
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup Tequila
1/2 cup Grand Marnier or Curacao
7 - 8 oz. jars with bands and lids

Combine strawberries, apples, lemon jice and sugar in a large pot. Start to heat on low until sugar and fruits begin to melt. Once there is enough liquid in the pot, turn up the heat and begin to simmer. Cook for 30 to an hour, depending on how high your heat is. Since you are not adding pectin, you really want it to cook down so it sets well. (The apples and the lemon help the process along). Once it is to a gel stage, add the liquor. Simmer for five more minutes. Remove from heat and ladle into jars. Place lids on and screw the bands down fairly tight. Process in boiling water for ten minutes. Turn off heat, let sit for five minutes. Remove from heat.

When lids are sucked down, they are sealed. If for some reason one does not go down after about an hour, invert the jar and wait ten minutes and place upright again. This should do the trick. If it doesn't. Place in refrigerator to use instead of storing it.

It's nice to have some gifts ready to go when you need one!

Peach Amaretto Jam

I know, you want to lick that spoon... I know you do. Who would blame you? It's a very tasty combination Peach and Ameretto.

So this is from last year when peaches were in season. I had to post this because time will hurry by and I want you to have the recipe so that when stone fruits are in season you will have it. I had just recently got some up from the cellar to give to my neighbor as a thank you. I realized I did not have it on my blog. So I did not have the recipe. I turned my papers upside down looking for the recipe. Then I remembered it was from the internet. I had to put it on my blog so I can find the recipe for myself as well. A bit selfish I know.

Warning:
This is the Feast Within's recipe. It's a very good one. But I do not do the cold packing thing with jams and jellies. If you are afraid of the canning process you should probably do it her way. If you have canned jams and jellies and feel that cold packing is not needed here, then do what I did. Your choice. Generally, sugar acts as a natural preservative and jam has a distinct way of letting you know it is bad- MOLD. In the old days they use to use just wax. Other countries are quite a bit more loose for processes. But again I defer you to your own comfort level.

Peach Amaretto Jam
based on this recipe from The Feast Within

4 cups fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped small
8 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon butter
1 packet of liquid pectin
1/3 cup Amaretto liqueur

equipment needed:

funnel
7+ - eight ounce glass canning jars, screw bands and inner lids
large pot
Sterilize your equipment

In a large non-reactive pot mix the peaches, lemon juice and sugar. Once the sugar is dissolved add the butter which will reduce foaming. Heat over med-high to high heat stirring constantly until it reaches a boil that doesn’t stop when you stir. Stir in the pectin and boil one minute. Add the Amaretto and stir in. Remove from the heat and skim any foam off with a metal spoon.

Spoon jam into jars, making sure to wipe the lids clean. Any jam on the rim of the jar will prevent a good seal. Once filled and lids with screw bands are tightened on, flip jar over for ten minutes. Flip back over. Leave for 12-24 hours for the jam to gel and the lids to seal. You should hear a soft “plonk” when each seals. Label (cause you always think you will remember cause you're so excited, but you will forget) and store. Refrigerate and use immediately any that do not seal.