Cranberries and Peppers, Oh My!

One of the best side dishes on the holiday table is the cranberry sauce, whether it's the whole cranberries or the jellied cranberries (canned or fresh).  I love cranberries.  This year I decided to kick it up a notch and make a cranberry jam that consists of jalapeno and serrano peppers.  Say what?  Yes, you read that right.  My Cranpepper Jam is the perfect blend of sweet and tart then bam!, the heat of the peppers kick in.

Isn't that pretty?

 Not only is it good on the dressing (or stuffing, however you call it) and slices of turkey and ham, it's also great with cheese and crackers, because everything is Gouda on a Ritz cracker. 

And don't stop there!  The possibilities are endless.  I have had it with a garlic & herb goat cheese blend...on a Ritz cracker.  See, everything goes with a Ritz!

Until next time, keep on jammin!

Terri
#onejamminmama

Dessert Jam

Who says jam is only for toast and biscuits?  I used to think so but now that I have tried so many types of jams I know differently.  There are the usual jams and jellies wonderful on toast, biscuits and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  There are the savory flavors that are great as a spread or a dipping sauce for meats and as a topping for cheeses and crackers.  There are also jams that go great with fruit, frozen yogurt and ice cream...a dessert jam if you will.  And now to introduce you to my latest dessert jam...Caramel Apple Jam. 

Caramel Apple Jam

This jam is wonderful warmed up and used as a topping over vanilla frozen yogurt or ice cream.  Or just by the spoonful. 

Wonderful Dessert

Until next time, keep on jammin!

Terri
OneJamminMana

Kiwi, mate?

Kiwifruit...refreshing and good for you, too.  It is a delicious way to cardiovascular health and offers premier antioxidant protection.  Packed with more vitamin C than an equivalent amount of orange, the bright green flesh of the kiwifruit speckled with tiny black seeds adds a dramatic tropical flair to any fruit salad...and jam.  So crisp, so fruity, so delicious.  

This jam is so good, fruity and a little sweet.  Spread on pancakes, a biscuit or stir a spoonful in your plain oatmeal or yogurt for added flavor.  

Until next time, keep on jammin'!

Terri

Once in a Blue Moon





Once in a blue moon you come across something that is different, that is so good, that you want to share it with everybody.  A few weeks ago someone asked me if I had ever made beer jelly.  At that time, I had not but I would like to try it.  So I did.  And I came up with Once in a Blue Moon Beer Jelly.  The main ingredient is Blue Moon White Ale, which is a wheat beer.  It is a citrus - wheat beer jelly, with orange juice, and has a very subtle beer taste and tastes almost like honey.  It - is - good!  I will be making more. 

 





 

Then I decided to add some heat to my peach jam - jalapenos to be exact.  It is a nice blend of spicy and sweet.  While I do like it, as do my taste testers, I do believe that I will add some more heat as requested by some of my taste testers.  As for me, I'll stick with a mild heat.  I'm a wimp that way.  

 

Until next time, keep on jammin...

 

Terri  

 

 



 



Time to Get Back on Track

It is time to get started on my Fall jams and jellies for the Fall Farmer's Market.  Due to kitchen issues I haven't been able to make any but hopefully soon.  LSJJ will begin gift baskets this season.  What do you look for in a gift basket?  Assortment of jams/jellies?  With cookies, crackers, sausage or pepperoni log?  With wine?  Drop me a comment and let me know what you like, whether it's for you, a relative, friend or co-worker, or just for a party. 

Now something else to get back on track...healthy eating.  Yes, I got off of that track recently.  I know, hard to believe.  😉  So this morning I decided that a Green Breakfast Smoothie was a good start. 



Doesn't this look good?

Green Breakfast Smoothie  (via www.thebakerupstairs.com)

1 cup almond milk or soy milk (I like vanilla flavor)
1 1/2 cups fresh spinach
1 banana
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 teaspoon honey (more or less to taste)
5-6 ice cubes

Add the almond milk, spinach, banana, peanut butter, and honey to a blender and blend until smooth. Add the ice cubes and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

 

 

 This is the first time I had a smoothie with peanut butter but it's something I have wanted to try and it was good.  I tasted a subtle hint of peanut butter but all my daughter could taste is the banana.  This is something I will make again. 

 

Until next time, keep on jammin. 

 

Terri

 

 



 

Post - Harvey

Hurricane Harvey slammed into Texas on August 25, 2017 with a vengeance leaving behind a lot of devastation and loss.  While my home was one of the lucky few not to sustain damage worse than two leaky bedroom windows, thousands of others were not so fortunate.  Some lost everything as the flood waters covered homes to the roof, where residents were waiting for rescue, tornadoes flew in and out, and at least one house fire that I know of.  Our cities came together as one to rescue people and animals stranded in the rising water, whether their home or their car.  Hundreds more from other states volunteered to help in the rescue process.  They came in with their fishing boats, air boats, john boats.  The National Guard, the Cajun Army and the Cajun Navy.  First Responders, Military and civilians all worked together as one.  It was, and is still is, a beautiful sight.  Below is a video made by Charlie Diggs and shared on facebook.  If you haven't seen it, take a look:  Proud to be a Texan 

Clean up is still ongoing and will be for a very long time.  We are Houston Strong, Texas Strong and will recover and if need be, will do it all again.

Until next time,

Terri

Hello Harvey...Now Go Away

You may want to come ashore but you're really not wanted here, Hurricane Harvey.  Right now we're just waiting for you to blow in and wreak havoc on the great State of Texas.  Yes, we might need the rain but not what you're bringing.  And we're really not happy you brought along more unwanted friends.  Tornadoes don't need to follow you around like you're their leader.  They are just using you, they are nothing more than tag-a-longs.  But you don't want to hear that, you're addicted to the power.  But guess what, you won't last long.  You'll be gone and the great State of Texas will still be here. 

Until next time, keep on jammin.

Saturday Morning Blueberry Pancakes

I really wanted pancakes this fine Saturday morning but didn't have a mix so I made my own batter from scratch.  I also have some blueberries that need to be eaten but not enough for jam.  So Blueberry Pancakes it is.  Here is the recipe I used:

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted                                   

Directions
                    
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.

1. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

 

Makes 8 servings @ 158 calories each.

 

Pour 1/4 cup batter in pan

If you want blueberry pancakes, now is the time to add them



Light, fluffy, delicious!

 

I think next time instead of butter and syrup I'll top them with some jam. 

 

Until next time, keep on jamming!

 

 

 

The Perfect Bread For Jelly

Who doesn't like a good pb&j sandwich?  I found the most perfect bread for that...Peanut Butter Bread!  Yes, you read that right.  It's made with creamy peanut butter and it is so good.  I don't know about you but peanut butter can satisfy my sweet tooth and this bread can almost do that.  I slathered my homemade Grape Jelly on a slice and oh my...best pb&j I've had. 

Doesn't this look tasty?

If you want to make your own loaf, I'll gladly share the recipe.

Sweet Peanut Butter Bread

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Yield: 1 loaf

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup salted butter, room temperature
½ cup sugar
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a standard-sized loaf pan and set it aside.

1. In a small bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
2. In a separate large mixing bowl beat butter and sugars on low speed 2 minutes, Beat in peanut butter then egg and vanilla, scraping down sides of bowl.
3. Add flour mixture and beat on low until combined, the batter will be very thick and crumbly. Pour in milk and beat on low until batter is smooth.
4. Add batter to loaf pan and evenly spread it out. Bake for 50 minutes or until the center springs back when pressed with a fingertip.
5. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes, remove from pan and cool completely.

Notes:

Adapted from Tate's Bake Shop

http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/peanut-butter-bread/

 

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Until next time, keep on jamming!

 

Salsa Time!

I love making jams and jellies.  I really do but lately I felt like there has been something else out there for me.  I did up some dill pickles the beginning of June but something still felt missing.  And now I think I know what it was - salsa!  So I made some today.  It was really very simple because I used the Ball® & McCormick® Recipe Cards Salsa Mix. 

Doesn't that look good?

I normally like a chunky salsa so next time I'll chop my own vegetables and make a chunky salsa.  Now how many jalapeno peppers should I add?  Hmmm...

Until next time, keep on jamming!

Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum...

...and four pineapples.

From this... 

 

...to this

I recently had a Ball® Canning House Party, all supplies courtesy of Ball® Canning, including the new jar design pictured above.  For every package of Ball® Sharing Jars purchased, Newell Brands will donate 4 meals!   Every purchase will benefit Feeding America - the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization.

With the help of some friends and family, we made Pina Colada Jam, only 1 cup of dark rum to 4 cups of crushed pineapple.  I provided some tutorial during the process and everybody took part in preparations and finishing.  Afterwards, everybody got their own jar of Pina Colada Jam.  A fun time was had by all.  I think I would like to do this again.





 

 

 

 







 Until next time, keep on jamming!

 

Pickle Success!

Three weeks ago, June 9, 2017, I tried my hand at making dill pickles.  Today was the day to try them and if I do say so myself, and I do, they are very good.  I have Dill Pickle Success!  I was afraid they would taste flat or maybe even sour, as I have read in a group that it happened to someone - half dill and half sour.  Can you imagine that taste? 



Been sitting in the dark pantry
for three weeks now...

Smells like dill pickles...



Looks like a dill pickle...

 

But most of all...it taste like a dill pickle!  I'm proud of my first pickle success.  Now maybe I'll get a little brave and add a little heat to the next batch.  Maybe.  We shall see. 

 

Until next time, keep on jamming.





 

Oh Bring Me Some Figgy...

...Jam!  It was a long time coming but I was finally able to make some fig jam.  It was a small batch but that's okay for my first time.   

2.5 Cups of Mission Figs




Mix with a cup of sugar and let sit for 1 hour
 





Doesn't this look yummy?

Don't these look good?

 

Ta Da! 

My small batch recipe yielded 1 half-pint jar and two 1 ounce jars (aren't they cute?).  I will be making this again and also adding some different flavors, such as strawberry, orange and possibly adding some Grand Marnier. 

Until next time, keep on jamming!



Oh The Anticipation...

It's been two weeks now since I made my first batch of dill pickles. I still have 1 - 2 weeks left before I can try them. Oh the agony of the wait! I have them on the top shelf in my pantry trying the "out of sight out of mind" thing but it's not working very well. I know they are there. 

Until next time, keep on jammin!

What's the Dill, Pickle?

Well I'll tell you...I decided to try my hand at canning dill pickles.  First I went to Pavlock Farms to get some pickling cucumbers.  Farm grown and harvested right outside The Barn and they have fresh dill, too!

Don't they look yummy?  Now it's time to fill the jars with fresh dill, garlic and cucumbers. 

 After all the jars were filled, it was time to fill them with the brine and give them a water bath for 15 minutes. 

Now to just (im)patiently wait for 3-4 weeks before we can try them. 
 

I will report back next month after finally getting to taste my first dill pickles! 

Until next time, keep on jammin!

Figs, figs, figs

It's about that time...fig season!  I am itching to try my hand at fig jam and preserves.  I have been waiting for June to get here since January as fig-picking season is June, July and August.  I remember every year my grandmother would make fig preserves and I would just eat them up.  I hope mine will be as good as hers, or at least as good as I remember.  It's been a (very long) while. 

I have recipes for Strawberry Fig Jam, Fig Grand Marnier (what's a little orange liqueur in fig jam?) and of course, good old fashioned Fig Preserves.  Do you have a favorite?  

Until next time, jam on!

New Flavors

Well Happy New Year 5 months late.  Better late than never, right?  I haven't made much in the way of jams or jellies as I have had a stove malfunction (one big burner hasn't wanted to work since Christmas).  But I did try a new flavor before it went out completely - Strawberry Champagne.  I must say, it's a winner.  My children, who are all adults, love it.  It's very pretty in color and very flavorful. 

Another flavor I have been wanting to try is T.O.E. Jam (yes, it's as delicious as it sounds) but the recipe has been very elusive but I finally got one.  It's made with Tangerines or Tangelos (I used Tangelos), Oranges and Elderberry Juice.  It's one of those jams that is perfect with cheese and crackers, as a spread on pork chops and of course, on biscuits. 

As summer is heading in, I have plans to be making more jams and jellies and heading to the Farmer's Market.  Unless it's too hot for me, which it might be but that's the plan.

Until next time...