CRAN-RASPBERRY JAM (FOOL PROOF !!)

I LOVE this (super easy) jam recipe. Not only is the ruby red color gorgeous enough for gift giving, but this jam makes the ultimate peanut butter and jelly sandwich and it is going to be perfect for thumb print cookies this Christmas!!

You can't goof this recipe up!!!

THIS RECIPE MAKES 8 CUPS OF JAM

(2) 10 ounce bags of frozen sweetened raspberries (thawed and drained)

4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (I used a 12 ounce bag)
5 cups granulated sugar
(1) 1¾ ounce box powdered pectin

Thaw and drain the raspberries, saving the juice (after thawing the berries, I ended up with about ¾ cup of juice). Add enough water to the juice to make 1½ cups of liquid.

Put the juice+water in a large heavy bottomed pot and add the raspberries and cranberries and the box of pectin, stir well. Bring to a full rolling boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

After boiling one minute, add all of the sugar and bring back to a full rolling boil. Boil for one more minute, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and skim off the pink foam with a spoon (throw foam away).  Pour the jam into clean  hot jars, leaving ¼" head space. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean-wet towel and put on the lids.  Process the jars for 15 minutes in boiling water bath .

NOTE: If you are lucky enough to have fresh raspberries, by all means, use them!!

NOTE: The recipe does not suggest it, but I chopped the cranberries up in the food processor (while they were still frozen) because we don't care for big chunks in our jam...but that is up to you. No need to thaw.

NOTE: Have the 5 cups of sugar already measured and waiting before you start the jam so it will be ready to dump in at the right time.

NOTE: A "full rolling boil" is a boil that continues to boil while you stir.

NOTE:  If you have never done a hot water bath, check out this link: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/waterbath-canning-highacid-foods.html

NOTE: Before I start my jams, I run my jars through the dishwasher and just leave them in there so they stay hot until it is time to put the hot jam in them.

ORANGE JELLY - A LITTLE BIT OF SUNSHINE FOR A WINTERS DAY

We woke up to 9 inches of fresh snow this morning and my hopes for an early spring flew out the window. This is the time of year that I get into a real cooking rut, so much so, that even my stock of homemade jam seems boring.
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To combat that, every year about this time, I make a quick batch of this orange jelly for our morning toast. All it takes is 4 oranges, 2 lemons and some sugar, to make this delicious taste of summer...it is not a marmalade.

I still remember the first time I bought marmalade for my family...they hated it. Well, they hated the "chunks" (and so did I), although the jam in between the chunks was tasty (does that make sense?). That is when I decided to create an orange jam that had no chunks...this is it.

4 medium oranges
2 medium lemons
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1½ cups water
5 cups granulated sugar
1 pouch Sure Jell liquid fruit pectin

Wash and dry the oranges and lemons. Using a very fine zester, remove the colored part of the fruit. Make sure you don't go deep into the fruit or you will get the white pith, which can be bitter. Set the zest aside.
Peel and cut up the oranges and lemons, then pulse them in the food processor until they look like this, then set them aside.

Put the orange and lemon zest into a heavy bottomed sauce pan and add 1½ cups of water and the baking soda. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn it down to a simmer, cover and simmer (stirring occasionally) for 20 minutes.

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After 20 minutes, add the chopped oranges and lemons and simmer for another 10 minutes.

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Put the cooked fruit-zest mixture through a fine mesh strainer and measure off 3 cups of juice.

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Place exactly 3 cups of strained juice into a large heavy bottomed saucepan and add the sugar. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in liquid pectin and return to a full rolling boil for exactly one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off any foam with a metal spoon.

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Immediately pour into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8" of the top. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with 2-piece lids and screw bands on tightly. Process jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

This jam is not only great for your morning toast, but it works excellently for glazing chicken.

NOTE: Because this is a citrus jam, it can take up to a week to full set, but it is SO worth the wait.

CRUSHED PINEAPPLE JAM

There are a thousand uses for a good pineapple jam: toast, muffins, ham glaze, roast chicken glaze, pork roast glaze, cookie fillings and many more. My first attempt at making fresh pineapple jam was not totally successful since it never really "set" and I ended up using it as ice cream topping. I think the acidity or sugar level in any given pineapple varies greatly, so it was hard to get the right pectin ratio, but that's just a guess.
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Now I use this excellent, super quick and super tasty recipe for pineapple jam that calls for canned crushed pineapple. I'd like to say that I, normally, would never consider making jam from a canned fruit (I make jam from berries that grow around the house); but, pineapple jam is the exception and this one gets five stars from Hubby.

(1) 20 ounce can of crushed pineapple (sweetened)
unsweetened pineapple juice (see note)
3 cups white sugar
(1) 1.75 ounce box Sure Jell pectin powder
(or the equivalent of liquid pectin)

GET READY

1. Wash your jam jars and rinse well (dishwasher works well) keep jars hot.
2. Place your 2 piece jar lids in boiling water, then turn the heat to low and let
them sit in the hot water till you need them.
3. Measure 3 cups of sugar and set it aside.

4. Add enough pineapple juice to the crushed pineapple, to equal 3¼ cups. One 20 ounce can of un-drained crushed pineapple and one six ounce can of unsweetened pineapple juice equals 3¼ cups.

TIME TO MAKE JAM

Place the fruit + juice + pectin in a six quart, heavy bottomed saucepan and bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the sugar, all at once, and bring back to a full rolling boil (one that can not be stirred down) stirring constantly. Boil for one minute. Remove from heat and skim off (and discard) any foam that is on the surface of the hot jam. Ladle hot jam into jars, filling to within ¼" of the top.

With a clean, warm, damp cloth, quickly wipe off the rims of the full jars and put the two piece lids on. Process the jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Remove and cool on the counter.

NOTE: If you have concerns about the hot water bath step, check out the simple step-by-step instructions at: PICKYOUROWN.ORG
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NOTE: Recipe makes five cups of jam.
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NOTE: I keep individual (6 ounce) cans of unsweetened pineapple juice in the pantry for cooking, rather than a big jug that spoils before it gets used up.
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NOTE: We don't care for jam that has big (unspreadable) chunks of fruit in it, so I pulsed the pineapple in the food processor a few times before I started cooking the jam. The final product still had a pineapple texture, but no hard chunks. I think next time I make this, I will put in a few chopped maraschino cherries for fun & color.

APPLE PIE JAM

Every year jelly & jam season starts with a race between me and the birds for the berries (in the woods) next to our house. It seems like one day they are green and the next day the birds have been feasting on them. I’ll be making jam over the next week or so.

Todays post is one I call apple pie jam; a recipe that is easy and inexpensive to make . It is also a great addition to those holiday gift baskets. It really does taste like apple pie and is wonderful on your breakfast toast or English muffins.

6 cups peeled and diced Granny Smith apples
½ cup water
½ teaspoon of butter
3 cups white sugar
2 cups brown sugar (packed)
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 small box powdered fruit pectin

Cook apples, water and butter over low heat, stirring until apples are soft but not mushy. Stir in pectin and bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Add sugars and cinnamon and bring back to a boil, stirring constantly, for one minute. Remove from heat and skim off foam (if there is any). Pour into hot jars, leaving ¼” headspace. Process jars in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. makes (7) ½ pints.
NOTE: 6 cups of diced apples = 6 to 7 medium size apples.
NOTE: If anyone has any good jam recipes to share, I'd love to hear about them.