Young Wifey Raspberry Jam

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jam, jam making, raspberries, raspberry, raspberry jam

This July, I picked many fresh raspberries. I used some in my pavlova, topped pancakes/waffles with them, put them on cereal, tossed them into salad, and ate others by the handful. I wanted to make some into jam, but knew I wouldn’t have the chance while they were fresh (or before they were devoured). I thought of freezing them for later jam and smoothie making. I love berries in the off season, however the frozen ones usually become mushy once thawed. To overcome this, I froze the berries on a baking sheet in a single layer. Once they were frozen I moved them to a bowl and sealed well. It worked like magic, they didn’t clump together or turn mushy when defrosting them. Now I was ready for my berry adventure… So last night, I made Jam!

The Process:
I had to first prep the jars, I’m new to jarring and canning and found this as the trickiest step. I used my tea kettle to warm water, which I then used to heat the jars and lids in my sink. I kept the bands at room temperature so they were easy to handle.

Then it was time to make the jam… I measured about 4 c. raspberries and cooked them with 1 c. apple cider (the recipe called for apple juice, but this is all I had on hand, it’ll make for an interesting dynamic in flavor), mashing berries as I boiled the mixture. I gradually stirred in the pectin, bringing to a steady boil. I then stirred in 4 c. sugar and boiled for 3 minutes. Then it was time to pour the mixture into the jars.

Prepping the Jars

I filled the first two jars, leaving a little more headroom then suggested. The remaining 6 jars, I filled leaving only  1/4″ before placing the lid on the jar and sealing with the band. Then I placed the upside down jars into the sink and filled it with more hot water (enough to cover the jars completely).

Upside Down Steam Bath

Young Wifey Jam

After 1/2 hour in their steam bath, I removed them from the water to test their seals. As I pushed on the center of the lids, they didn’t move, telling me that the seal was set. Then I was supposed to let them sit for 24 hours before opening or refrigerating.

The result: A little too sugary for my liking, but it will make a nice dessert topping… I was thinking about spreading some on Nilla Wafers. Yum!

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Brunch Dishes

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biscotti, breakfast, breakfast recipes, brunch, brunch eggs, brunch recipes, brunch salad, chicken broccoli crepes, eggs benedict, eggs lorraine, fruit cup, gourmet, gourmet breakfast, gourmet brunch, jam, monte cristo sandwich, pumpkin waffles, quiche, recipes, turkey sausage

Hubster and I tried to go out for breakfast at 10am. All three places we tried to stop, were not open for Sunday breakfast (one thing I miss about living somewhere less rural).  So after dreaming of yummy breakfast I came home and made myself Eggs Lorraine… then I decided to blog about brunch.

I love making brunch, Hubster used to be confused when I’d serve him “eggs and salad” (as he says) at the same time. The first time I had made him brunch, he was hesitant, but then loved it!! Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, however I don’t have time to make gourmet things in the morning before work. I sometimes daydream of running a B&B.  I complied several of my favorite brunch recipes together to share the list/recipes with my readers.

Brunch Salad – Mixed greens topped with walnuts, pear slices, mandarin oranges and a raspberry vinaigrette.  I change it up seasonally. Spring: asparagus spears, violets. Summer: cherry tomatoes, fresh cherries, blue berries, raspberries. Autumn: pomegranate seeds, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes. Winter: roasted butternut squash seeds, dried cranberries, tangerines.

Fruit Cup – Mix together fresh raspberries, sliced star fruit, cubed cantaloupe, cubed pineapple, slice strawberries, crumbled blue cheese. Mix together chopped fresh basil, 2 Tbs. honey, 2 Tbs. olive oil and a splash of orange juice. Toss fruit with dressing and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Brunch Eggs – Coat four small Pyrex ramekins with olive oil. Mix fresh basil with diced tomatoes and divide mixture into each ramekin. Make a small well in the tomato mixture and then crack an egg into each well. Bake the ramekins until eggs are done to your preference (350°F for about 25 minutes). Turn off the oven, top each ramekin with a slice of provolone cheese, and place back in the oven for two minutes. Right before serving, flip ramekin over a toasted english muffin. Garnish with a fresh basil leaf and a sprinkle of grated provolone.

Eggs Benedict – This classic is made with asparagus instead of Canadian bacon in my household (sometimes I use turkey ham). I layer a toasted english muffin with a poached egg, the asparagus and then top it off with the Hollandaise sauce (find my recipe Hollandaise sauce recipe here).

Pumpkin Waffles – Autumn Brunch Favorite! Serve warm with fresh churned cinnamon or vanilla ice cream, fresh whipped cream or fresh whipped butter.  *Serve with fresh apple cider & brunch salad.

Eggs Lorraine – Coat a 8″x8″ baking dish with EVOO. Line with turkey ham or turkey bacon, then with Swiss cheese. Break nine eggs over the cheese (in a 3 by 3 array). In a small bowl mix 5 Tbs. sour cream (or plain yogurt), fresh cracked black pepper and fresh ground sea salt, then dollop over the eggs. Bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes. Garnish with fresh chives.

Monte Cristo Sandwich – Mix together your favorite french toast batter (I use 2 eggs, 1 c. of milk, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and a splash of vanilla). Slice a loaf of fresh french bread and make a sandwich, adding a slice of Swiss cheese and smoked turkey. Dip the sandwich into the french toast mixture and cook of a hot griddle until golden brown on each side. For Hubster I load up the sandwich with, turkey, ham, Swiss and Provolone. My son likes turkey with Swiss and Provolone. Some people like to serve with jam, mustard,or powdered sugar. I like to use maple syrup for brunch (gourmet champagne dill mustard for lunch).

Pecan Caramel Apple Pancakes – Caramel and almond extract in the batter, hot pancakes topped with Golden Delicious apples, caramel sauce, and pecans? Mmm… Ge the how to here.

Quiché – Always a brunch favorite, can be made with any combination of veggies, cheese and meats you choose. Try my crustless Quiché.

Chicken Broccoli Crepes – First, I make savory crepes. Then, I sauté the chicken and broccoli and make a white cheddar sauce to top it off with.

Turkey Sausage – Remember to add the fennel when your use this turkey sausage recipe.

Serve biscotti with coffee, tea and hot cocoa. Prepare Jam with fresh scones.