Holiday Jam Food

SPARKLING HOLIDAY JAM

Steps:

• Sterilize jars and lids in boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Let simmer while making jam.
• In a large saucepan, combine strawberries, cranberries, pectin, and margarine. Bring to a boil. Stir in sugar, and return to a boil. Cook for 1 minute; remove from heat.
• Quickly fill jars to within 1/2 inch from top. Wipe rims clean, and put on lids. Process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes.

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.

HOLIDAY JAM

Steps:

• Grind strawberries and cranberries in a food processor or grinder; place in a large kettle. Add sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil; boil for 1 minute. Stir in pectin; reutrn to a full rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Cool for 5 minutes, skim of foam. Immediately pour into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust caps. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.

HOLIDAY JAM CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease and flour a 10-inch-by-4-inch tube pan. In a large bowl, stir together 3 cups flour, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and salt. Pour buttermilk into 2-cup glass measure or bowl. Stir in baking soda and set aside; it will foam slightly.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter until creamy. Gradually beat in sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
• With mixer at low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, until just blended. Beat in preserves and pecans until just mixed, then finish mixing by hand with a spatula.
• Scrape batter into pan and smooth top. Bake until cake is springy to the touch and shrinks from sides, and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 65 to 70 minutes. (If baking as holiday gifts, pour into three smaller pans and begin checking for doneness after 30 minutes.).
• Transfer to wire rack and cool completely in pan. To remove from pan, run a knife or thin spatula around the edges and center tube. Turn cake onto plate and lift off pan. If desired, dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

HOLIDAY JAM COOKIES

Steps:

• Wash your hands and put on an apron. Take the sifter, and put these ingredients into it: the flour, the sugar, the baking powder and the salt.
• Sift the ingredients into the mixing bowl.
• Break the 2 eggs into the small bowl, trying not to get any pieces of eggshell in the cup. Now, in the same bowl, add the vegetable oil and the vanilla extract.
• With a fork, mix everything in the bowl together. Pour this mixture over the ingredients in the mixing bowl. Use your hands to mush everything together and make a nice yellow ball of dough.
• Have an adult help you turn on the oven and set it to 350 degrees.
• Wrap the cookie sheet with aluminum foil, keeping it nice and smooth. Break off pieces of dough that are about the size of a cherry. Roll them into balls between the palms of your hands, and put them on the cookie sheet. Leave 2 inches of space between the dough balls. Don't worry if you don't use all the dough because you can make another batch.
• Use your fingers to press the cookies and make them flat. Try to make them all about the same size. With the teaspoon put some jam in the center of each one.
• Have an adult help you put the cookie sheet into the oven. Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes - until they are golden brown.
• Have an adult help you take the cookies out of the oven; then let the hot cookies cool for a few minutes. Next, have an adult help you slide them off the cookie sheet with the spatula, and put them on a wire rack. Let them cool some more while you make another batch with the rest of the dough.

SURE.JELL® HOLIDAY FRUIT AND NUT JAM

Steps:

• Bring boiling-water canner, half-full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot, soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.
• Mix apricots, water, dates, pineapple, cherries, pecans, raisins and spices in 6- or 8-quart saucepot.
• Stir pectin into prepared fruit in saucepot. Add butter to reduce foaming, if desired. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly.
• Stir in all sugar quickly. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
• Ladle quickly into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches; add boiling water if needed. Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 minutes. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)