Blueberry Jam

I wanted to get this posted before you all run out of blueberries! This is a great way to use blueberries and it is super easy. Homemade jam on a toasted english muffin makes for a yummy breakfast!

Enjoy!

Blueberry Jam
Recipe from Fine Dining Lovers

2 pounds fresh blueberries
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
Pinch salt
5 Tablespoons honey

Wash and rinse blueberries. Place them in a stock pot with a cup of water. Bring to a boil. Cover and lower the heat. Let the mixture simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the spices, salt, and honey.

Simmer, uncovered, on low heat, until the fruit has cooked through, about 20 minutes. Stir periodically and taste towards the end of cooking. Add more honey if desired.

Cool and store in refrigerator.

Apple Butter

I woke up to two beautiful things this morning (well, besides my beautiful children!). A gorgeous, quiet German Sunday morning and delicious homemade apple butter!

I love the early morning here. It is so quiet and peaceful. This morning I opened my windows and just listened to the birds singing their sweet songs. It is mornings like this that will make me miss this wonderful place that I have called home for the last 6 years. Yes, I know that birds still sing in the states, but there is something about this place that has imprinted on my being and I am trying to soak up every last bit of Germany I can before we leave next year.

I had the perfect pairing for this beautiful morning with homemade apple butter. I know that there are many ways to make apple butter, but this is so easy and easy is good! I cut up the apples after dinner, throw them in the crock-pot, and wake up in the morning to the wonderful smell of apple butter. Mmmmm....

You go to bed with this...

And wake up to this!

Hope you are all having a wonderful Sunday morning, too!

Apple Butter

5 1/2 lbs apples (I use Gala), peeled and finely chopped

2-4 cups sugar (depends on how sweet you want it; I use about 3)

2-3 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp salt

Combine sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Mix apples in and toss well. Place in greased crockpot.

Cook on high for 1 hour, then reduce heat to low and continue cooking for 9-11 hours or until thickened and dark brown. Uncover and cook 1 hour more.

(Note: When I wake up in the morning, I whisk the apple butter for a few minutes to break up the big chunks and help it along a bit!)

Day 6 - Recipe 9

Joey: Oh, Jam? I love jam! Hey, how come we never have jam at our place?

Chandler: Because the kids need new shoes!

Ah... F*R*I*E*N*D*S! If I was thinking clearly (read: if I had more sleep!), I would've put on TOW All the Jam episode. But, It was 2pm, the kids were sleeping, and I needed to make something! So, no time for TV. Maybe tomorrow while I am enjoying my jam!

I threw together this strawberry freezer jam in less than 30 minutes. It is awfully tasty, but it won't set up for 24 hours, so I can't officially taste it until tomorrow. I promise to post tomorrow how it turned out. For now, you can look at it in jars! Note: If you plan on keeping the jam in the freezer, glass probably isn't the way to go! But, I am giving these tiny jars to friends and they will keep for 3 weeks in the fridge. I'm not too sure it will last that long, though! Jam is GOOD!

Berry Freezer Jam

4 cups strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries
4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon peel
1 (1.75 oz) package regular powdered fruit pectin
3/4 cup water

In a bowl use a potato masher to crush the berries until you have 2 cups. Mix berries, sugar, and lemon peel. Let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a small saucepan combine pectin and water. Bring to a boil over high heat; boil for 1 minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour into berry mixture.Stir for 3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and mixture is no longer grainy.

Ladle into half pint freezer containers leaving a 1/2" headspace. Seal and label. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours or until set. Store up to 3 weeks in refrigerator or up to 1 year in the freezer.