I love fresh cranberry sauce. I do not know why anyone would buy it when it is so easy to make.

1 cup water or orange juice
1 cup sugar
1 12 ounce package fresh cranberries
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1 tsp grated orange rind (optional)

You want to use a fresh bag of fresh cranberries

Aren’t they pretty? Add them to a medium saucepan

Add 1 cup of water or juice. Adding juice will give it more calories and make it sweeter. You can use orange, pineapple or any juice you normally drink. I am using water hee so I can clearly taste the cinnamon

Add 1 cup of sugar

Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional) and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and cook or 10 minutes or until the berries have broken open stirring on occasion. I really like the flavor that it gives so I use it most of the time.

Pour into a bowl and refrigerate until serving

Merry Christmas! Mincemeat began as a way to preserve food and always contained meat. Over time it became synonymous with Christmas. My recipe has no meat/suet in it making it healthier!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 cup raisins
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup golden raisins
1 (16 ounce) can sour cherries
5 apples
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 lemon (zest and juice)
1 orange (zest and juice)
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup rum

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Measure out and add the raisins to a mixing bowl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Next add the cranberries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Add the golden raisins

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Add the cherries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
You will need the apples next

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Core and peel the apples

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Grate the apples

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Add the apples to the bowl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
You need a lemon and an orange next

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Zest the lemon, juice it and add them both to the mixture

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Zest the orange, juice it and add them to the pot

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Add the cloves

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Add the nutmeg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add the cinnamon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Add the allspice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Add the sugar and simmer for 30 minutes. You need to stir occasionally then remove it from the heat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Add the brandy and rum

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Use right away or use a can in a water bath covered by 2 inches of water. Cover the pot and process for 30 minutes. It is best to let this age for a few months before you use it.

This is an unusual combination that is out of this world!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1  1/2 cups water
4 cups pears
4 cups apples
1/4 tsp baking soda
4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons crystallized ginger

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pick out some apples you will need 3 or 4 depending on the size

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You need 3-4  pears

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peel, core and chop the apples

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peel, core and chop the pears

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Place the fruit into a large saucepan along with the ginger and add the sugar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add the baking soda

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add the water and place over high heat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stir frequently

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the sugar dissolves the fruit will start to soften

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When it comes to a boil mash the fruit into smaller pieces

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boil until a gel forms. See strawberry jam recipe to understand the jellying point

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can cook it a little longer to make the fruit a little darker if you like

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is a good idea to use a thermometer to make sure it is 220 at sea level.  For each 1000 feet of altitude above sea level you will need to subtract 2 degrees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ladle into sterilized jars to within 1/8 inch of the top and process in a water bath for canning. You can also use it now for a cake filling…yay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really like the consistency of this jam!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is my serving suggestion when not using it between cake layers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This has really a nice flavor! Hope you enjoy!

My great-grandmother Bessie used to say whenever we were going to make jam that we needed to remember that cup for cup was the recipe for any jam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 cups strawberries
5 cups sugar
Lemon juice (optional)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pick through the berries and discard any bad berries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wash and drain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you know what this is for?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did you guess strawberry huller? Use a knife if you don’t have this gadget

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chop up the berries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add sugar to the strawberries in a heavy saucepan. If the berries are very ripe also add 5 tablespoons lemon juice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cook and stir constantly until the sugar dissolves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bring to a rapid boil. Skim off the foam that forms off the top and discard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cook until the jellying point by testing on a spoon or until you reach 220. I like to use the spoon test even when I use a candy thermometer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When you have reached the jellying point  the syrup will run off in two drops and sheet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You need to use a metal spoon for the test like I used above. I am using a white spoon to make it easy for you to see double dripping and sheeting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ladle into sterilized jars to within 1/8″ and process in boiling water bath 5 minutes if canning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is yummy! I use this recipe for my strawberry cake filling. Making the filling myself rather than buying from the store makes the cake more special

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is my favorite jam for toast.  Hungry yet? I am!

 

 

 

I love lemon curd! You can use it on bread or scones in place of jam, filling for cakes and for lemon meringue pie. I needed this particular batch for Taylor’s birthday cake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 1/4 cup white sugar
4 eggs
1 cup fresh lemon juice
3 Tablespoons lemon zest
1/2 cup unsalted butter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You need about 6 lemons

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zest the lemons. You only want the bright yellow part of the rind. That is where all the good flavor is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cut them in half

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Juice the lemons with a reamer or juicer. You will need 1 cup of juice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and butter. Microwave 2 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Temper the eggs by pouring some of the lemon mixture into the eggs and mix (to bring the eggs to the cooked temp) then pour back into original mixture

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Microwave at one minute intervals and stir after each minute

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keep running microwave for 1 minute at a time and stirring until it thickens

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The mixture is done when it is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remove from the microwave and pass the mixture through a fine sieve to remove the little bits of cooked egg that may be in the mixture

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pour into small sterile jars and store in the refrigerator for a week

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can use it between cake layers for a yummy filling