Christmas Dried Fruit Jam Food

CHRISTMAS JAM

Steps:

• Grind strawberries and cranberries in a food processor or grinder; place in a Dutch oven. Add sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil; boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat; stir in pectin and return to a full rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. , Cool for 5 minutes; skim off foam. Carefully ladle hot mixture into hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles; wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

CHRISTMAS JAM

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse the strawberries and cranberries - you can process them to a finely chopped texture for a completely smooth jam, or leave some fruit partially chopped for a chunkier jam.
• Pour the processed fruit into a large heavy-bottomed pot. Add sugar and over medium high heat, bring the fruit and sugar mixture to a full rolling boil.
• Boil for 1 minute.
• Remove the pot from the heat and add the pectin, stirring to mix completely.
• Allow the jam to cool for 5 minutes, then skim off the foam on the top.
• Ladle the hot jam mixture into sterile half-pint jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims clean, cover with hot lids and screw on the jar bands.
• Process the jars for 10 minutes in a water bath. (Read more how to's here).
• Makes about 14 half-pint jars. Recipe may be halved.

CHRISTMAS JAM

Steps:

• Wash jars, lids, and rings. Fill jars 2/3rds full of water and place in water-bath canner. Fill with water. Put canner on stove over medium-high heat to sterilize jars while you make the jam.
• Place lids in a small saucepan covered with water. Boil over medium-high heat while you make the jam. Set rings to the side, they don't need sterilized.
• Place cranberries and sectioned orange into a blender. You just want them coarsely chopped. My blender has a food chop option, and I use that.
• Add in the strawberries, orange zest and spices. Stir a bit in the blender to make sure they get mixed a little. Blend until everything is chopped fine. You don't want it pureed.
• Stir fruit mixture and water together in a 5 qt stock pot.
• Stir in fruit pectin and add your 1/2 teaspoon of butter (this reduces foaming).
• Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat, stir constantly.
• Add sugar to the mixture. Return to full rolling boil. Boil exactly 1 minute.
• Remove from heat. Using a metal spoon, skim off any foam.
• Immediately ladle hot jam into prepared jars. Leaving 1/4" headspace.
• Wipe rims and threads. Center lid. Place ring on just finger tight. Place jars back in canner.
• When all the jars are filled, fill canner with water until jars are covered with 2".
• Cover canner. Bring to a boil. Process for 10 minutes.
• Turn off heat. Uncover canner. Allow jars to sit for 5 minutes.
• Remove jars to a towel-lined counter and leave undisturbed for 24 hours before checking seal.
• Check for proper seal. If any didn't seal, place in the refrigerator and use within 2 weeks.

HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS JAM

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, combine cherries, pineapple and raspberries. Stir in the sugar, juices, cinnamon, cloves and butter. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin. Continue to boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. , Remove from heat; skim off foam. Ladle hot mixture into 12 hot sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight. , Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

CHRISTMAS DRIED-FRUIT JAM

Steps:

• Place apples in large pot with water, simmer until soft.
• In a large bowl, add all the chopped & pitted fruit.
• Press soft apples with a potato masher, then spoon into a square of cheesecloth (clipped to a footed colander), suspended over the bowl of fruit.
• Let apples drip over fruit WITHOUT squeezing or forcing--overnight.
• Next morning: add remaining ingredients EXCEPT for nuts to a large sauce-pot, adding soaked fruit.
• Stir, then simmer gently until sugar dissolves; bring to a boil; boiling for five minutes.
• Skim survace, add nuts, boil another five minutes until 200*F (sea level).
• Remove pan from heat; spoon jam into hot jars, add two-part lids; process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes (sea level).
• Label and store in cool, dark cupboard.
• GIFT GIVING: Use pretty jars and add a decorative label -- include in a basket with other home-made kitchen gifts. "How nice of you!".
• USES: As described above OR as a replacement for traditional (with suet) mincemeat.