Blackberry-Strawberry Balsamic Jam

The debate as to whether title this post Blackberry-Strawberry Balsamic Jam or Christmas in July raged on in my mind for hours I assure you.  "I've been having a year", or polite speak for I'm completely over "everything" and can we please move on already.  I'm hoping it's a case of riding out the bad in order to truly appreciate the good.  The weather here goes from tolerable to "welcome to the eternal inferno" in a matter of seconds it seems and I've been struggling to find my get up and go (because it got up and went ages ago).  The fruit orchards that surround the area I live have little tolerance for my journey to "find" myself.  Don't worry though, that fruit got a heated surprise: a bubbling cauldron of sugar and aged balsamic vinegar, bwuahaha.  (Wow, I really need to get a life or a therapist, not sure which?)

Probably the therapist, since I picked a 106-degree day to spend perched in front of the stove stirring pots of jam.  I always start out thinking, oh a couple jars should do me and before I know it I have three cases of jam staring at me and a few days missing.  I added some jars of Peach, Nectarine, Satsuma Plum, Blackberry-White Pepper, and Strawberry to the line-up for good measure.  Then I got to thinking about it, I made way more than I need for the year so I guess it's time to pawn some of this bounty off on kindly folks.  Then I got to thinking well the weather did drop down to a pleasant 102; might as well fire up the oven and bake cookies to send to the kindly jam recipients.  Poof, I think we now have Christmas in July.  (Poof, internal memo to sign up for that brain transplant when they become available straight away because mine is on the fritz these days!)

Strawberry-Blackberry Balsamic Jam
1 pound strawberries, hulled and cut in half
1 pound blackberries
16 ounces sugar
3 ounces balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sugar powdered pectin (optional)

Add the strawberries, blackberries, sugar, and vinegar to a 4-quart saucepan; bring to a boil on medium-high heat.  Add the pectin at this point if using.  Turn the heat down a little if it is boiling over or scorching.  Boil and stir the jam for 15 minutes if using pectin, for 20-25 if not using pectin.  I usually prefer a looser setting jam so I forgo it, but it's up to you.  Skim the top of the jam for any "jam scum" as I like to affectionately call it (whitish foam also works) before placing in jars if you want a cleaner finished product.

Sterilize (3) 8-ounce glass jars and bands.  Also have on hand (3) jar lid seals.  Place the hot jam into the clean jars; wipe rims with a clean towel, place lids and bands on and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.  The unopened jars will last for up to one year if stored in a cool dark place.  For more detailed processing instructions you may find this post helpful Apricot and Garam Masala Jam. It you plan on eating all the jam within a few weeks, you can skip hot water processing and store it in the fridge.

There is something quite therapeutic about rolling out cookie dough, I find it hard to even explain.  Recipe for the chocolate crinkles if you so desire, these never fail to bring smiles.

There is something even more therapeutic about scarfing down a Peanut Butter and Blackberry-Strawberry Balsamic Jam, Oatmeal Shortbread Sandwich that is even harder to explain.  Actually I don't think I can ever eat a PB&J on bread again and ever look at it the same way again.   Funny how life changes us, for the better I hope. 

Enjoy,

Gina

Jam overload and is it possible to relax too much?

Is it possible to have too much jam? Probable, but not possible or is that problematic? These are questions of epic proportion indeed.

I've spent the last week traversing the local cherry orchards looking for the best specimens to cart home and turn into jam. I always find myself in a quandary when each branch has better looking specimens than the last. As if one could make a bad decision in such a situation.

I find myself losing track of time once I venture deep into the fields. There is row after row of trees, just begging for a little of my attention. I also find myself losing all track of time once I get deep into jam making. Perhaps that is what happened to the last week of my life. Who knows? You guys should get lost with me out there sometime, it really is amazing.

A few hours later and a sore hand from cutting, the first jars were ready for delivery to Canciamilla Ranch for sale this weekend.

Getting the work part of my week out of the way was a good thing. It left me some free time to engage in a leisurely weekend. I got to enjoy a bbq lunch with my parents and Aunt, complete with a driving tour of a nearby town and drive by our childhood home. It made me wistful for the carefree days of my childhood (scratch that, I worked even as a kid). Well at least sucking on a homemade cherry popsicle that evening made me feel like a kid again.

I think I got a little too relaxed from the weekend. When Hot Dog Dude stuck a pile of invoices in my face this morning; it ruined my completely relaxed vibe. For some reason I just couldn't get back into work mode this morning and found myself working on a little invoice of my own for him.

You know what; I've decided there will be no more long leisurely weekends this year. Besides there is fruit as far as the eye can see around here and I have jam to make. 

Speaking of decisions to make, I was telling Hot Dog Dude at lunch that I needed to decide on a name for my little jam venture. I think it is the too many choices thing mucking it up for me. Do any of you having any name suggestions that you think might apply. Let me know.

Thanks,

Gina

Speculoos Cookies - A'la Patty

This last month was a complete blur, beginning with packing up our house and moving.  On moving day I slipped out to attend a Jam Party hosted by the lovely Azmina, attended by Lisa, Stephanie, Jean, and Liren.  We had such a great time and made so many tasty jams, and it was probably a great thing I was there and not at my house with the movers because they brought too small of a truck and ended up leaving part of my belongings behind.  We have decided that the bad luck that is following us around is Rusty and I will have to elaborate more on what I plan on doing about that later.

In the midst of the chaos, I was asked by a friend who owns a local orchard to start supplying them with jams for sale.  I made 40 jars for him and they were gone in no time, so in the spring I will start again, and I'm thinking that is going to keep me pretty busy.

This month ended on a good note though, I dropped my daughter off this morning for her first day of high school.  It's been a much harder road with her than my older daughter, keeping her on the right path and steering her towards choices that will make her successful later in life.  But then again, I'm pretty sure it said nowhere in the parenting handbook that this was going to be an easy job.

One of the people who couldn't make it to the party was Patty, she has become a dear friend to me and while I was missing her I recalled the Speculoo Cookies with Nutella she gave me at Christmas time.  Spicy, crunchy and just try and stop yourself at one.  I was thinking of her when I wrote this recipe.

Speculoos Cookies - A'la Patty

1/2 cup Speculoos Cookie Butter

6 tablespoons vegetable shortening

1 egg

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon powdered ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Flake sea salt

6 ounces dark chocolate

Combine the cookie butter and shortening in the bowl of a mixer, mix for a few seconds until combined.  Add the egg, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves and mix until combined.

Make balls with the dough using a rounded teaspoon full of dough.  Place the 1/4 cup of granulated sugar into a small bowl and roll the balls into the sugar and place the balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a silpat. I like to put one dozen per cookie sheet.

Bake the cookies at 350 degrees F for 9 minutes.  Cut a large bar of dark chocolate into small chunks, enough for each cookie.  Add a chunk of dark chocolate to the top of each cookie and press down a bit.  Return to the oven and cook for 3 more minutes.

When you remove the cookies from the oven sprinkle each one with a scant amount of sea salt.  5 or 6 pieces per cookie.  Let cookies cool on a rack.  You can omit the salt, but for me my favorite part of a chocolate chip cookie is when I get a hit of salt in a bite.

Makes 24-30 cookies, depending on the size of them.

Enjoy,

Gina

Blood Orange Jam - Just One Jar

Everyone has been parading around blood oranges lately with reckless abandon.  The more I saw them, the more I wanted them.  Usually I've already found blood oranges at the market by now, scratch that; stalked the produce isle relentlessly till I've found the crimson beauties.  I peppered the produce guy with questions as to the where abouts of my favorite winter obsession.  I kinda got this strange feeling I was starting to bug him. Nah.

I even threw out a few names thinking it might ring a bell in his memory.  Surely you know Buttercream Blondi or Nami; they have both been spotted using blood oranges.  That's when I lost it; I knew he was holding out on me.  "Look Dude I don't want to have to get all up in your grill but quit hiding all the freaking blood oranges for yourself before I have to get ugly up in here." The next few moments were a complete blur and I have no idea why I was swiftly escorted out of the store at that point.

The fact I was shouting, "Don't you know who I am, I'm SPCookieQueen" or "Don't think I won't blog about this", probably wasn't helping the matter.  So I threw on some dark sunglasses, an over sized hat and slunk into another grocery store unnoticed.

Blood Orange Jam

5 blood oranges, medium sized (1 1/2 pounds)

Juice from 2 Meyer lemons

Zest from 2 of the blood oranges

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 teaspoons low-sugar pectin

Clean, empty one pint jar with a tight fitting lid

Wash and dry all of the oranges.  Zest two of the oranges and put the zest into a small saucepan.

Cut the top and bottom off of an orange, stand the orange up on the cut off end and cut away all the rind from the orange, don't leave any of the white pith behind.  Cut out the segments of flesh with a paring knife.  Squeeze the orange for the remaining juice and discard the membrane. Repeat.  Add the orange segments and lemon juice to the sauce pan.  Add sugar and pectin, stir.

Cook on medium low heat for 16-20 minutes until the jam is starting to thicken.  Stirring every few minutes, and turn down the heat if it is boiling too rapidly.

This recipe makes 1 pint of jam.  Put a seal and lid on the jar and store it in the fridge.

The jam never made it two days in this house due to the fact I made Becky's - Meyer Lemon Bread. Talk about a crazy good combination.

Note:  This jam sets up firm, if you want a little looser jam decrease the pectin to 2 teaspoons.  I just prefer mine a little thicker.

Meyer Lemon Bread - adapted slightly from Becky's recipe

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

Zest of 2 Meyer lemons

Juice of 2 Meyer lemons

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, or 325 degrees F for a glass pan.

In the bowl of a mixer cream the butter and sugar, till light and fluffy.  Add the 2 eggs, lemon zest and juice.  Beat well.  Add the flour, baking powder and milk, mix until combined.

Pour the batter into an 8"x4" pan sprayed with no-stick spray and dusted with flour.  Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

I used a metal pan and Becky used a glass pan and hers took much longer, so don't worry if you use glass and it seems like it isn't cooking as fast.

The bread ends up being super lemony and has a nice moist cake like texture.

I'm hoping that if I drop in and bring the produce guy and store manager one of these cakes and a jar of jam that all will be forgiven and they let me start shopping there again.  Gosh I hope it works, I miss that store already.

Enjoy,

Gina

Peach and Jalapeno Jam Thumbprint Cookies - Three Ways

I was standing there at the farm stand staring aimlessly at the choices in front of me, when out of nowhere these peaches and jalapenos gleamed my way.  I had to throw my stunner shades on; the intense radiation coming off of them was starting to pierce my skin.

These were not your ordinary peaches and jalapenos; I'm pretty sure these were cast members from Glee or something.  They sure as heck weren't your "Real" Housewives.  I know I've seen these guys before somewhere; maybe it was on that short stint of "Jesus Christ Superstar" I was in.  

Rico Suave in the front there with his jalapeno chapeau on was killing me with his Hola Sexy Señorita, quiero ir tubbing caliente pick-up line.  Oh, I'll give you the hot tubbing time of your life all right.  Hop into my jam pot and I'll crank up the heat for you.

Peach and Jalapeno Jam

2 lbs. yellow peaches

2 jalapenos, seeded and minced

1 cup granulated sugar

Juice of one lemon

1 oz. tequila

1 tbsp. low-sugar powdered pectin 

Peel the peaches with a sharp paring knife, remove pits and cut into 1/2" sized pieces.

In a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom, combine peaches, jalapenos, sugar, lemon juice, tequila, and pectin, stir to combine.

Cook and stir constantly over medium heat for 15 minutes, break the fruit up a bit with your spoon if the chunks are still large. Turn the heat down a little and cook 5 minutes more. Set aside.

Cookie Dough

3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ tsp. kosher salt

For rolling dough in:

½ cup roasted and salted pepitas, finely chopped

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. chili powder

In the bowl of a mixer add butter and sugar and beat until combined. Add egg, flour and salt. Mix until combined.

Use a large cookie scoop or about a rounded tablespoon of dough, roll it into a ball and then roll into the crushed pepitas. For the second flavor, roll them in plain sugar and for a third, combine the 1 teaspoon of chili powder with the leftover sugar and roll remaining dough in it.

Place the balls onto a cookie sheet that is lined with parchment or a silpat mat; press your thumb (or a 1/4-inch round teaspoon works well) in the middle to make an indent.  Place the cookies rather close together and cover the entire sheet with a piece of plastic wrap and place in the fridge until firm, at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place 12 cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment or with a silicone mat a few inches apart and add ½ tsp. or so of the jam to each indent.

Bake for 16-20 minutes. When the cookies are fresh out of the oven feel free to add another ½ tsp. of jam. Let cool and store in an airtight container.

Store any leftover jam in the fridge.

Makes 48 cookies.

You will have to let me know which of the three ways was your favorite flavor, I happened to like the pepitas best I thought the salt and crunch added a nice kick. 

If you like peaches and jalapenos you might also like:

Peach and Jalapeno BBQ Sauce

Enjoy,

Gina

Apricot and Garam Masala Jam

I've been wearing out the tread on my tires running back and forth across town to hit the orchards the last couple of weeks.  The fruit is ripe and ready to be picked on all the trees around here. Not one to let a good thing get away, I've been trying to use as much of it as I can before it's gone.

I was at one of my favorite stands when they told me there would only be another week or so to pick apricots.  After I composed myself from my complete panic, I grabbed 3 more pounds for a quick batch of jam.  I have been experimenting with different flavors and combos this year and one of these experiments apricot with garam masala turned out to be one of my favorites.

I must have a jam making aura about me or something, I was in the checkout line of my local market when the checker said, "You are buying lids, you must be making jam".  He then peppered me with jam making questions.  I gave him a quick run through of how to make jam and thought to myself, maybe others don't know how or maybe they think it's harder than it really is.

Apricot and Garam Masala Jam

3 pounds fresh apricots

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar 

1 tsp. garam masala

2 tablespoons powdered low-sugar pectin

You will need a few other items also.  I used 4 - 8 oz. size jelly jars and 2 - 4 oz. minis, make sure you have lids and bands.  Last year I bought a kit that included this handy basket that you place in the hot water and jar lifting tongs.  I know I whined about having too much cooking equipment in the last post, but I'm sticking by this purchase.

Peel the apricots and cut them into smaller pieces, place them in a large saucepan, add the sugar, lemon juice, and garam masala.  Turn heat on to medium-high and bring to a boil then turn heat down to medium-low, now add the pectin.  You want it bubbling but not a hard boil or your sugar could scorch. Continue to cook for 20-25 minutes until the fruit is broken down and the mixture is really thick. It should slowly drip off your spoon, not run off.

While the jam is cooking fill a large stockpot 3/4 of the way with water and bring the water to a boil.

Once the water is boiling place the clean jars and bands in (but not the lids) for 5-10 minutes. Rinse the lids off with hot water. Remove the jars and bands and set aside to cool a bit.

Skim any foam off the top of the jam that forms.  Once the jam is nice and thickened place it into warm jars leaving 1/4" of space on the top.  Wipe rims of jars and place lids and bands on top of each jar and place in the boiling water for 10 minutes.  If you don't have a handy basket like this, place a metal rack at the bottom of your pot to suspend the jars.

Make sure the jars are covered with boiling water by an inch or so.  If not add some boiling water from a tea kettle.

Remove the jars from the hot water and let sit on the counter, as they cool you will hear the lids go pop, pop, pop; this means they are sealed properly.  If the lids don't pop (or depress) that means the jars aren't sealed, you can try putting them in the hot water for another five minutes.  

The garam masala adds a nice lingering finish to the jam and I used less sugar because my fruit was ripe and had a lot of natural sugar already.

Lisa the Authentic Suburban Gourmet, who loves making jam too has a great recipe here you might want to try.

Lisa wanted to know where to find the green basket.  I bought mine at a local Target, but I did find an online source so you can order one for yourself.  I have the Ball Canning Discovery Kit and the Utensil Set here is the link for you. 

Happy Canning,

Gina