Okay....so I am not one who is big on sweets...or sugar for that matter...but I LOVE me some berries, like a moth to a flame... It's getting to that point of the summer that berries are nearing their pickin' time, and I need more room in the freezer for this years' bounty...along comes this month's issue of Mother Earth News ( yes, I am a hippie wanna-be, if you have not yet figured out that one!) and lo and behold theperfect solution to make room for the new...FREEZER JAM!.. who knew?..I tried it out yesterday, and it was so unbelievably easy peasy, I have not a clue as to why more folks don't make their own jam this way?....come on over!...I've got my jam, some honey, great bread, iced tea and good talk!Black and Blue freezer jam1/2 t cinnamon1 1/2 cups sugar1.59 ounce package instant fruit pectin ( NOTE: this recipe ONLY works w/ this kind of PECTIN!)2 cups crushed black or blueberries ( fresh or defrosted frozen)2 cups raspberriesCombine cinnamon, sugar , pectin in a large bowl...mix well, add all berries and stir for about 3 minutes. Ladle into clean jars, leaving 1/2 inch 'headspace' at the top of the jar. Let stand for 30 min.You can put jam you are planning to enjoy immediately in the fridge, and the rest can go into the freezer!( this yields about five 8 oz. jars)Blushing Peach Variation:substitute 3 1/2 cups crushed peeled peaches and 1/ 2 cup raspberries for the above recipe and 3 T lemon juice for the cinnamon. ** I can't wait to experiment w/ other flavors...it works w/ any kind of fresh or frozen fruit..just mash away!
Okay....so I am not one who is big on sweets...or sugar for that matter...but I LOVE me some berries, like a moth to a flame... It's getting to that point of the summer that berries are nearing their pickin' time, and I need more room in the freezer for this years' bounty...along comes this month's issue of Mother Earth News ( yes, I am a hippie wanna-be, if you have not yet figured out that one!) and lo and behold the perfect solution to make room for the new...FREEZER JAM!.. who knew?..I tried it out yesterday, and it was so unbelievably easy peasy, I have not a clue as to why more folks don't make their own jam this way?....come on over!...I've got my jam, some honey, great bread, iced tea and good talk!
Black and Blue freezer jam
1/2 t cinnamon
1 1/2 cups sugar
1.59 ounce package instant fruit pectin ( NOTE: this recipe ONLY works w/ this kind of PECTIN!)
2 cups crushed black or blueberries ( fresh or defrosted frozen)
2 cups raspberries
Combine cinnamon, sugar , pectin in a large bowl...mix well, add all berries and stir for about 3 minutes. Ladle into clean jars, leaving 1/2 inch 'headspace' at the top of the jar. Let stand for 30 min.
You can put jam you are planning to enjoy immediately in the fridge, and the rest can go into the freezer!
( this yields about five 8 oz. jars)
Blushing Peach Variation:
substitute 3 1/2 cups crushed peeled peaches and 1/ 2 cup raspberries for the above recipe and 3 T lemon juice for the cinnamon.
** I can't wait to experiment w/ other flavors...it works w/ any kind of fresh or frozen fruit..just mash away!