Blueberry Jam with Cinnamon and Nutmeg

Blueberries are everywhere right now in Washington and my local fruit stand has amazing local blueberries. I bought two large baskets and got my pot of canning water boiling. I love adding this jam in my morning oatmeal with a handful of walnuts. Having a large selection of jams, makes eating oatmeal everyday different and fun. I got this recipe from "Food in Jars," from Marisa McClellan. 

Makes about 3 (1 Pint) jars

Ingredients:

6 cups smashed blueberries

4 cups organic sugar

Zest and juice from 1 lemon

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

3 teaspoons Pomona's Pectin

3 teaspoons calcium water

1. Prepare water bath, by bring a large pot to a boil. Place jars in pot and once boiling, set timer for 15 minutes to sterilize. 

2. Combine the pectin and sugar in a bowl and mix well. Place blueberries in a large pot and add the calcium water and mix well. Then add sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat and add the lemon zest and juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg and cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the jam is shiny and thick looking. 

3. Place lids and rings in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. 

4. Remove the jam from the heat and ladle into hot jars. Wipe the rims clean and place a lid and ring on each jar and tighten to finger tight. Place jars back in water pot in a canning rack and process for 10 minutes. 

Wash those blueberries and mash them with a potato masher.

Add pectin to sugar and mix well.

Looking good!

Place blueberries, sugar and calcium water in a large pot. Once boiling add lemon juice, lemon zest, cinnamon and nutmeg. 

Boil for about 15-20 minutes till nice and thick. Stir often.

Ladle into hot jars, wipe rims and add lids and rings.

Place jars into the boiling water and process for 10 minutes. Make sure that 1-2 inches of water cover the jars.

Blueberry Vanilla Applesauce

My coworker has an apple tree thats exploding right now and she gave me about 14 pounds of apples. These apples aren't the best for eating, but are great for applesauce.

I found some great applesauce recipes from www.theyummylife.com . They had some super easy recipes and the best part was I didn't have to peel a million apples. I used my Vitamix to puree the applesauce after it was cooked, so it was nice and smooth.

The best part is you don't have to can it either! It will keep in the fridge for about a week or freeze it for up to a year.

Makes about 4 pint jars of applesauce

Ingredients:

4 pounds of mixed, naturally sweet apples, cored and sliced, with the peels on
2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup of apple cider or juice (unsweetened if possible)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise down center; or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

1. Sterilize jars in boiling water for 15 minutes. Keep hot in canning pot.

2. Add apple slices, blueberries, apple cider (or juice), lemon juice, vanilla bean to a large pan. Use a spoon to push vanilla bean to bottom of pan so it will cook in the liquid. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium high heat, then cover and lower heat to low and simmer for about 45-60 minutes. Make sure you stir every 10 minutes or so, to watch for burning on the bottom. Use a potato masher to speed this up. Once all the apples are cooked and falling out of their peels, remove the vanilla bean and in batches, puree the applesauce. Return the applesauce to the pan and keep hot.

3. Remove jars from canning pot and slowly pour boiling water back into canning pot. Pour some boiling water in a small dish with the lids and rings. Add hot applesauce to the hot sterilized jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe rims clean with damp towel and place lid and ring on each jar. Tighten the rings finger right. Water process in canning pot for 15 minutes. Remove from canning pot and let rest on a folded towel for 12-24 hours.

I used some of my friend's applesauces and some other apples I had in my fridge.

I used organic apple juice in my applesauce.

Poured apple juice, lemon juice, blueberries and apples in a large pot. Start cooking on medium high heat.

Cut vanilla bean lengthways and had to pot.

Once boiling lower the heat to medium-low to low heat. Keep stirring every 10-15 minutes.

Once the apples are fully cooked. Remove from heat. Remove vanilla bean before pureeing.

Puree in batches.

Return hot applesauce to pot.

Ladle into sterilized jars.

Place lid and ring on each jar.

Place in canning basket and place in boiling water bath. Process for 15 minutes.

Super easy and healthy!

Apricot-Vanilla Bean Jam

My husband and I have planted an apricot tree this summer and I can't wait for it to produce all kinds of yummy apricots for me to can and make pies out of in the years to come. In the mean time, my favorite produce stand sells apricots for about $0.99 a pound, so I've been making all kinds of yummy things out of them.

I've made this jam multiple times this season so far and it's super simple to make. This is another goodie from "Canning for a New Generation." I buy my vanilla beans in the bulk spice section and there are half the price as the ones in the jars. You can also buy them online, but I like to look at my beans before I purchase them.


Makes about 4-5 1/2 pint jars

Ingredients:

3 pounds of ripe apricots, washed, pitted and cut into slices
1 cup organic sugar
2 vanilla beans sliced lengthways to open pod
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about half a lemon)

1. Wash and clean mason jars. Start to boil water in a canning pot. Place the jars in the pot using a canning rack. Make sure that the water covers the jars about 1-2 inches. Once the water is boiling, boil the jars for 15 minutes to sterilize. You don't want to skip this step or else you might get some fuzzy-icky jam.

2. In a large pot, add the apricots, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat till the juices from the apricots covers the fruit. Strain the apricots into a colander and carefully stir the apricots to release the juice. Return the juice to the pot and stir till the syrup is reduced by about half. Keep your eye on it or else it might burn!

3. Return the apricots and vanilla beans to the pot and cook for about 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Remove the vanilla beans and cut into small 2 inch pieces.

4. Remove the jars and carefully empty the boiling water back into the canning pot. Place the jars on a folded towel. Take the lids and place in a small bowl and pour some of the boiling canning water into the bowl. Place a small piece of the vanilla bean in each jar. Using a funnel, ladle the hot jam into the jars. Leave 1/4 headspace from the top. Wipe the rims clean with a damp paper towel. Place a lid from the hot water on to the top of the jars. Screw on a ring till finger tight. Repeat with remaining jars.

5. Place the filled jars into the canning rack and return to the boiling water. Process for 5 minutes and then remove jars to a folded towel. In an hour, check to see that the lids have pushed down. If any jars haven't (meaning they make a clicking sound) place in fridge and use immediately. Store the jars in a cool, dark place.

Wash them yummy apricots!

Pit and slice

Slice open two vanilla beans

Place apricots, vanilla, sugar and lemon juice into a large pot.

Cook over medium heat till the juices just cover the fruit.

Strain out the juices. 

Return the juice to the pot and cook till reduced by half.

Meanwhile, make sure those jars are boiling for 15 minutes.

Syrup has reduced by half.

Return the apricots and vanilla beans to the syrup and cook for about another 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Ladle the jam into each jar with the vanilla beans.

Make sure there is 1/4 inch headspace and wipe the rims clean.

Using a magnetic wand, place the hot lid on top of each jar.

Screw the rings on finger tight.

Place the jars in the canning rack.

Place in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Make sure that the water covers the jars about 1-2 inches.

Place the jars on a folded towel and let sit for 12-18 hours. Then store in a cool, dark place.

I may have a canning problem....

 Soooooo, I've been doing my fair share of canning lately, to say the least. From earlier posts you can see that I even tried pickling a few things. I haven't tried them yet, but I'm excited to tell you about it, when I do.

Today I canned some blackberry syrup and an apricot-lavender jam. I'll write those posts up soon and share them with you. The blackberry syrup was made with wild blackberries from my neighborhood and was fantastic on ice cream! I can't wait to try it in some fancy cocktails or iced tea.

If you follow me on instagram, you would know I've been homebrewing a lot as well. I'm ramping up on my entries for the Evergreen Fair and Washington State Fair. Fingers-crossed I'll win a ribbon! I've made a extra pale ale, a cherry ale (with 10 pounds of fresh bing cherries) and a pumpkin porter. I'm also planning on entering some jams and jellies, so I'm trying some new flavor combinations for that as well. Hope you all are having a great day!

Pickled Beets

This summer has been abnormally hot here in Washington. My garden has been struggling, but my beets seem to be doing very well. I used some beets from my garden and some organic beets I got at the farmers market.

Pickling beets takes a little more time than pickles, so make sure you give yourself the time or at least cook the beets the night before and pickle them in the morning.

I halved the original recipe from the book: "Canning for a New Generation."


Makes 2 pint jars

Ingredients:

1 - 1 1/2 pounds beets, tops removed, scrubbed
2 cups cider vinegar (5% acidity)
4 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon pure kosher salt
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1. Cook the beets in boiling water to cover until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool. Rub the skins off, trim, quarter, and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices. Set aside.

2. Wash the jars and keep them hot in the canning pot, and put the lids in a heatproof bowl.

3. In a wide preserving pan, combine the vinegar, 3/4 cups water, the honey, salt cinnamon, allspice and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately add the beets; bring just to a simmer.

4. Ladle boiling water from the canning pot into the bowl with the lids. Using a jar lifter, remove the hot jars from the canning pot, carefully pouring the water from each one back into the pot, and place them upright on a folded towel. Drain the water from the lids.

5. Working quickly, using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the hot beets (and some of the spices) to the hot jars. Ladle in the hot vinegar mixture , leaving 1/2 inch head space from the top. Lightly tap the jar on the counter to remove air bubbles. Use a chopstick to remove air bubbles. Wipe the rim with a clean paper towel and place a lid and ring on each jar.

6. Return the jars to the canning pot, using a jar holder. You don't want the jars to be touching the bottom or sides of the pot. Make sure there is at least an inch of water over the jars. Bring to a boil, and boil for 30 minutes to process. Remove the jars and place on a folded towel and do not disturb for 12 hours. If after an hour the lid doesn't stay pushed down, immediately place in the fridge. Label the jars and store.

Boil the beets for 20 to 30 minutes.

Remove the beets and place them in an ice bath.

Let them cool down.

Start the vinegar, honey, water and spice mixture. Bring to a boil. 

Remove the skins from the beets and cut. Add to the vinegar mixture.

Ladle the beets into the jars.

Add the vinegar mixture to cover the beets. Leave a 1/2 inch headspace.

Add lids and rings.

Place back in canning pot and process for 30 minutes.

Remove from canning pot and let rest for 12 hours on a folded towel.