Summer Jam Series~ Vanilla Bean Pear Jam

This is a delectable jam which I will be entering in the County Fair this next month!!! So excited! Here's the recipe for ya'll....

Ingredients

• 8 cups chopped Bartlett pears (or any smooth, thin-skinned pear. There’s no need to peel.)
• 2 vanilla beans, split and scraped
• 4 cups sugar
• 1 packet liquid pectin

Instructions

1. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, combine chopped pears, sugar and vanilla beans (and all that bean-y goodness you scraped out). Cook over medium heat until the fruit can easily be smashed with the back of a wooden spoon. Use a potato masher or immersion blender to break the fruit down into a mostly-smooth sauce (remove the vanilla bean solids before blending).
2. Add the pectin and bring to a rolling boil. Let boil for a full five minutes in order to active the pectin, so that the finished product will have a nice jammy consistency.
3. Fill jars, wipe rims to remove any residual jam, apply lids (heat canning lids in a small pot over very low heat while you’re preparing the jam to ensure a good seal) and screw on the rims.
4. Process the filled jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes (start the timer when the pot has returned to a boil). When the time has elapsed, remove jars from pot and place the jars on a towel-lined countertop. Let them cool undisturbed for at least two hours. During this time, the lids should seal. Check to ensure the jars have sealed by pushing down on the center of the lid. If it feels solid and doesn’t move, it is sealed.

Country Girl Dilly Dill Pickles & Yo Yo Show Ribbon Craft

This Summer I have been spending some of my days making jams.... I decided to take a jam break for an evening of canning some dill pickles. So easy, so good and fun! I bought a bunch of little cucumbers and cut slices and chips from my bushel.

Country Girl Dilly Pickles

Bring to a boil: 3 Cups sugar, 2 Tablespoons salt, 2 Cups pure apple cider vinegar, 2 Cups water.

Place in each pint jar (about 4 pint jars): sliced cucumbers

1 whole garlic clove, 1 fresh dill sprig

Pour liquid into sterile jars. Seal. Process in boiling water about 15 minutes in canner.

Allow the pickles to cure for a month before eating! 

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After canning, cooling and allowing time for them to cure. You can eat or give away as gifts. A nice touch to gift giving is decorating your jar of goodness. I used vintage sugar sack linen fabric for the tops tied with twine and added a homemade vintage fabric yo yo ribbon for a bit of whimsy. A nice little country girl look I might add.

To make these easy yo yo show ribbons. You need two different sized yo yo's in coordinating fabrics, fabric button kit, lace or ribbon in a coordinating color. I used some old vintage yo yo's that I had in my stash. You can make fabric yo yo's yourself by using a yo yo maker found in craft/sewing stores, I found a package of aluminum button/fasteners in a packaged kit to make the center button...So easy just follow directions on package and use your favorite fabric...You will be addicted to these! I cut some fabric lace then sandwiched the fabric lace folded in half on the bottom then big yo yo on top, the smaller yo yo on top of the big yo yo, poking the fastener right through the middle,

 then closing the fastener closed. See pictures below.

So cute it looks like a show ribbon award. 

You can also wear it if you want...Just add a pin backing!

Have fun!!!! Enjoy!!!

Summertime Jam Series~ Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Strawberry~Rhubarb Jam

Ingredients 

(makes about 6 half pints)

2 cups crushed strawberries

2 cups chopped rhubarb

1 package powder pectin

¼ cup lemon juice

5 ½ cups sugar

Directions

1. Put strawberries, rhubarb, pectin, and lemon juice in a heavy bottomed sauce pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat. 

2. Slowly add the sugar while stirring constantly.

3. Once the sugar is dissolved, bring the solution back to a boil. Boil hard for 1 minute.

4. Remove the jam from the heat and quickly ladle into hot, sterile jars leaving ¼ inch head space. 

5. Place the lids on the jars and adjust the two piece cap until finger tip tight.

6. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water canner.

7. Remove the jam from the canner and allow to cool completely. The jam may take several days to set completely. Mine took 48 to completely set and have an actual jam texture. 

Definitely one of my favorite jams to make. I first discovered rhubarb for myself about 14 years ago while living in Washington. My neighbors had wild growing rhubarb near their house and allowed me to glean from their lot. I made many pies and jam and rhubarb sauces over the years and never tire of it. It is just so delectably yummy to the tummy.

In the Winter months this is sure to be a delightful treat, 

that will remind you of the Summer's past. Enjoy!!!

Summertime Jam Series~ Farmer Boy Tomato Jam

~Farmer Boy Tomato Jam~

Adapted from Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls & Little House Cookbook

SERVES: 2 PINTS

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds ripe tomatoes
• 1½ cups light brown sugar
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger 
• 2 half-pint jars

Preparation

1. Add the tomatoes to a blender or food processor. Pulse several times to crush the tomatoes.
2. Transfer the tomato puree to a medium skillet set over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, lemon zest and juice, and ground ginger. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thick and jammy – this will take about an hour. 
3. Ladle the jam into the jars and seal. Process in water bath canner with boiling water for 10 minutes. The jam is delicious right away, but tastes even better after a few weeks. Shelf life is good for up to one year. Once opened use within 2 months.

Oh my this one is delish! 

A perfect jam for crackers and cheese, 

on BBQ Chicken or spread out on toast. 

ENJOY!!!!

Summertime Jam Series: Blueberry Basil Jam~

It's that time of year again for us. Our Summertime jamming sessions. Oh how I love fresh fruit jams throughout the year. I don't buy commercial jams anymore unless my cupboard is bare. I started canning 15 years ago and will continue to can for however long I can. I love it. The art of canning has made quite the comeback in the last decade...Especially with those who are health conscious or living off their land. I don't have a garden or fruit trees anymore, so all my fruit comes from local farms as much as possible. Oh the joy of...Making your own jams, and canned goods. This Summer I thought it would be fun to do a jam series and share with my readers. Every week this Summer I will share a recipe for some delicious jams. If you have never tried your hand at canning or making jam before, I want to encourage you that it is easy, inexpensive, fun and rewarding for your whole family. Oh the joy of opening up a lovely jar of  Summer fruit jam during the Winter months...The taste of Summer at your fingertips and made by you!

~Blueberry Basil Jam~

Ingredients:

10 cups whole blueberries (about 3 1/2 pounds)

4 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided

1 package no/low sugar powdered pectin

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely torn

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup filtered water

Directions:

Prepare your canner and wash/sterilize 8 half-pint mason jars. Keep jars in hot (not boiling) water until ready to use.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of sugar and pectin. In a separate bowl, measure out remaining 4 1/4 cups of sugar and set aside.

Wash blueberries and discard stems. Place in a blender or food processor. Cover and pulse to evenly chop. Do not liquefy. Transfer into an 8-quart saucepan.

Add basil, lemon juice and water in food processor. Pulse until well blended and no large chunks of berries or basil remain. Add to saucepan.

Stir pectin mixture into blueberries, and cook over medium-high heat until mixture reaches a full boil that cannot be stirred down. Quickly stir in remaining sugar. Return to a boil, and boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam.

Ladle hot jam into jars, leaving 1/8-inch of head space. Wipe jar rims and threads. Screw on lids and rings. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove from water and let cool completely, 12 to 24 hours. Unopened sealed jam in jars are good for one year on the shelf. Opened jars of jam should be used with one month.

This jam is so good with a delightful hint of basil....MMMMM!!! 

To die for! (not literally) I hope you will enjoy making this...So so delish! 

You won't be disappointed!

Happy Summertime Jamming Y'all!

Jammin' Party 2015

What a treat making some jam this weekend. We hosted a Jammin' Party for some friends for an early Mothers Day celebration. My girl and her gal friends and their mommas came over for some fun, fellowship, feasting, crafting and jammin'. It was a blast!!!! These gals have never made jam before, so it was the perfect opportunity to share the art of canning with these young ladies. And they had so much fun doing it!!!!

On Friday I went to our local Strawberry farm where they also have a stand for locals to buy. I love supporting local farmers! These strawberries were soooooo good! So fresh, so sweet and not sprayed with poison chemicals. For $20 bucks...I got a great bargain...Grocery stores charge so much more...and they usually are not that good, 

plus they travel quite a distance before they even hit the stores! 

I got all my supplies ready and pulled out the aprons...Set a nice table for lunch.....MMMM!

 I made these yummy grilled Brie cheese sliders with fresh basil and balsamic vinegarette soaked strawberries for lunch!!! MMMMM!!! I  served them with Tomato soup, and a lovely spinach salad dressed in walnuts and dried cherries with a raspberry vinaigrette! And a home made Southern Strawberry lemonade tea. Oh yum!

The ladies started cutting up and prepping their fruit to be cooked down. 

They were ladled into their jars and processed in the water canner. 

I pulled out some crafty goodness and a bin full of fabrics for the gals to embellish their jars of jam for fun or gift giving if they decided. They had loads of fun creating their jars.

We had a wonderful day celebrating these mommas and their daughters 

just in time for Mothers Day. 

It was a delightful time...And we have already planned to 

do some more canning and get together over Summer break!

This group of ladies have really been a blessing to us this year! 

We are so blessed!!!