Monday, July 17, 2006

Busy Week and Raspberry Jam....

I have been really busy this last week, so I didn't have much time to blog. I had a fun week doing activity days, going to my mom's house to scrapbook for 2 days, having lunch with Stephanie from For Better or For Worse, and making raspberry jam.
 
I love making jam. It was the first thing that I officially "canned" by myself. I tried all kinds of jam the first time around. Orange, pear, cherry, apricot. This week I made raspberrry. I love raspberry jam!!! I made about 24 bottles, and have tons more raspberries to make more. My poor husband has been picking all the berries the last couple of weeks. We have had a ton! It is a horrible job to pick raspberries....they are prickly and leave slivers in your hands, ours are really dense, so it takes my DH about 2 hours to pick them, and the thing I dislike the most about picking them...the bugs. Grasshoppers, spiders, earwigs...I would be a much better gardener if it wasn't for the insects! I thought I would share my recipe for raspberry jam. Most recipes call for far more sugar than fruit. Somehow that just seems wrong to me, so I never put more sugar in my jam than fruit. Here is my recipe:

Raspberry Jam
5 cups blended raspberries (if you want chunkier jam, just smash them with a potato smasher)
5 cups sugar
1 box pectin

Blend raspberries and put into large pan. Stir in pectin until dissolved. Bring mixture to a boil. Add sugar all at once. Bring to a full rolling boil and boil for 2 minutes. Remove "scum" (the bubbly foam that forms on top). Makes 4 pints of jam. Posted by Picasa
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14 comments:

  1. BlackeyedsueJuly 17, 2006 at 8:50 AM

    YUMMO!!! My Dh would love to have your culinary skills around here. Do you have to do the water bath or steamer thing (see how LITTLE I know about canning)?

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  2. Shhhhhhhh!July 17, 2006 at 10:42 AM

    yummy!!! I enjoyed visiting with you and look forward to the next time. :)

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  3. itybty frogJuly 17, 2006 at 11:42 AM

    Stephanie: You can use a water bath canner, or a steamer canner. I use a steam canner. I think it is easier. I have both, but have only used the water-bath once. I will come teach you how if you would like. It is pretty easy, just time consuming...but ohhh that jam tastes good in January!

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  4. GinaJuly 17, 2006 at 1:24 PM

    We need to get a few more chutes of rasberries... We have harvested a total of 10 rasberries... yep, that is it so far this year!

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  5. kateJuly 17, 2006 at 4:09 PM

    i've always wanted to make jam!!! thanks for the recipe and inspiration!

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  6. MissyJuly 17, 2006 at 7:08 PM

    I bet your house smells so wonderful! Ahhhh...I can almost smell the sweet raspberries! :)

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  7. utmommyJuly 17, 2006 at 7:36 PM

    YUMMY!! I love jam. I wish I had raspberries to pick. Have you ever tried freezer jam? It's so delicioso! I'm jealous about your lunch, hope you had fun. Where do you live?

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  8. NikkieJuly 17, 2006 at 8:31 PM

    Sounds delicious! I too would be a better gardener with out the bugs! When I dug up my first bed I almost quit the second I found a worm!

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  9. LanaJuly 18, 2006 at 11:45 AM

    yumm!!! I've never canned anything but it's on my list of things to learn.

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  10. ElisabethJuly 18, 2006 at 1:57 PM

    My friend just sent me the link to your blog- I loved reading it. Within 5 minutes I was crying about your RS lesson and laughing hysterically about your book club mishap. I'll be no one else even noticed! Things like that happen to me all the time! I am a real scatterbrain. I love your playroom, it is so cool. My boys would have a heyday in there (I have 4) They would probably wreck it though, that is way too nice for them! My name is Elisabeth and I live in MA, but have lived in UT and AZ most of my adult life until last fall. We just spent last weekend at the Hill Cumorah pageant and it was AWESOME!! We spent the weekend before that at Camp Joseph in Sharon VT, at the birthplace for our ward campout, so we are on a church history/spiritual high right now. Anyway, I have added you to my favorites so I will continue to check it. I feel like we have a lot in common, I love your taste. Last month I went to Haymarket in Boston and bought 30 lb of strawberries for 50 cents a pound and made about 19 quarts of jam! So I loved your jam entry. I don't have a blog but I think I might start one. I do have a flikr page though, I'll try to send the link.
    Have a nice day!
    Elisabeth

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  11. modernmamaJuly 18, 2006 at 11:49 PM

    I love making jam too! It was also the first thing I canned, and I am still very proud! Yummy!

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  12. ellenJuly 19, 2006 at 11:36 AM

    I happened across your blog yesterday and I really enjoyed reading about your life. I had my book club last night and thought of you! Keep writing! It's very enjoyable to read.

    Ellen in Boston

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  13. NettieJuly 19, 2006 at 2:12 PM

    Good job to both you and your berry picking like a mad man hubby! Ours are just starting to produce. Yeah, hows that for immpecable timing again!

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  14. The Lazy OrganizerJuly 22, 2006 at 10:59 PM

    Looks so good! Canning is definitely on my list of things to learn as soon as we are growing something besides weeds here.

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