Canning Jam and Recipes

Canning Time

It's canning time and my kitchen is sweet

With the fragrance of cinnamon, mace and clove

As sweet, spiced syrup furiously boils

In a granite kettle on top the stove.

And the pears beneath the russet foam

Are clear as honey within the comb.

Packed in jars, on racks to cool,

Are the amber of peach and apricot's gold,

And wine-red plums, all ready to eat

When winter days are short and cold.

Tomorrow they will be stored away...

But my kitchen is fragrant with spices today.

by Luella Bender Carr

The peaches and apricots are ripe. I have been very busy picking fruit and making jam. We didn't have any pectin, so I canned without. I like my jam runny with chunks of fruit, so if it doesn't set thick I am fine with that.

Over the winter I made a list of things to can. One of those was Lavender Peach Jam. It sounded yummy to me, but my mom was a little worried about me using our wonderful peaches to try something that she thought was going to taste like perfume. Well she was in for quite the suprise. Not only did she like it, she loved it. When I was all done, she said "Are you going to make another batch now?" So I headed off to the kitchen to make more.

I dicided that if lavender tasted good with peaches, than Tazo Passion Tea must too. So I tried making a batch. It turned out delicious. Then I made a batch of Vanilla Apricot Jam and well.... It turned out wonderful.

I gathered fresh spikes of lavender from our yard to make the jam.

It smelled wonderful steeping on the stove top. In fact the whole house smelled lovely... And well, I think the neighbors might have gotten a whiff.

I love these little jars.

Lavender Peach Jam

makes 6 half pints

• 2 Tablespoons fresh lavender *
• 1/2 Cup boiling water
• 4 Cups peaches: peeled, pitted and diced
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 6 Cups granulated sugar

1. Steep lavender in boiling water. Prepare peaches and then strain lavender.

2. Combine lavender tea, peaches, lemon juice and sugar.

3. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Continue to boil for 2 minutes while stirring.

4. Ladle into jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. process half pint size jars for 10 minutes in a hot water bath.

*To make Passion Tea Peach Jam subtitute 1 Tazo Passion Tea bag for lavender.

Vanilla Apricot Jam

makes 6 pints

• 10 Cups apricots: pitted and diced
• 6 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 6 Cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons vanilla extract

1. Combine apricots, lemon juice and sugar.
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Continue to boil stirring till mixture thickens.
3. Stir in Vanilla extract.
4. Ladle hot jam into jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
5. Process pint size jars for 15 minutes in a hot water bath.

Enjoy

Kimberly

My Garden And A Recipe

"They miss so much who do not know

The Simple joys of long ago.

The quiet hour, the easy pace,

A path to walk, a day to face.

A small white flower, a bird that sings,

The happiness in little things.

The patience for a task well-done,

The gift of rest at set of sun.

The thankful heart, the lift of care,

A friend nearby, a time of prayer.

How much they miss who do not know

The simple joys found long ago."

By Amy Perrin

I have been wanting to learn how to embroider for quite a while. I just love embroidered pillow cases, hankies, and dainty feminine things of that sort. I picked up a few instructional books from our local library book sale, but I haven't gotten around to buying the supplies. What a lovely suprise when my Grandma called and asked if I would like a bunch of embroidery thread. Of course I said yes. So she mailed me a box loaded with thread and patterns. Thank you Grandma, I think I will be set for a very long time. I thought I would store it all in this pretty container, but that was wishful thinking.

The garden is so pretty in bloom, buzzing with bees. I just can't help sharing pictures.

Have a seat and enjoy the pictures.

These are Armenian Cucumbers, growing up a eucalyptus trellis.

Fennel blossom



 Lavender Mint

I try to make use of whatever I can find around the yard. The cement pile has dwindled since I made my garden.

Eucalyptus entrance.

Perennial sweet peas

The Kiss Me Over The Garden Gate is just starting to bloom.

Borage blossom

California Poppies



I picked the blackberries from the canes my mom planted along the fence. I managed to get enough from the small amount of plants to fill a large bowl. So I decided to make blackberry syrup.

The syrup turned out wonderful, and is good for a lot more than pancakes. Add a Tablespoon to a glass of water or tea for a refreshing drink. Drizzle a little on your ice cream for a tasty treat. The options are endless.

Blackberry Syrup

• 6 cups fresh berries
• 1/2 cup water
• sugar

1. In a saucepan, crush the berries with a potato masher. Add water. Bring to a boil over med-high heat, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer until the berries are very soft and juicy, about 5 minutes.
2. Set a sieve over a bowl. pour the berry pulp into the sieve and allow the juice to drip through. Press the pulp with a rubber spatula to extract as much juice as possible.
3. Clean the saucepan. Measure the juice and then pour it into the saucepan. Then add an equal amount of sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the syrup is viscous but still runny, about 1 minute. Skim the foam with a spoon and pour the syrup into the sterilized jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
4. Process in a hot-water bath for 10 minutes.

* My 6 cups of berries made 2 1/4 cups juice. This recipe made 1 1/2 pints syrup. 1 pint canned and 1/2 pint for the fridge. I will definitely make a larger batch the next time I make this syrup.

I hope you enjoy and try this recipe.

Kimberly