What's nice about this is that you control the syrup wanted and the fruit you want!! I chose a light syrup and used honey in place of some of the sugar (you can substitute up to half the sugar with a light honey or bland corn syrup.) I also added a large dollop of vanilla bean paste which was whisked into syrup. This gives an ever so slight vanilla flavor that compliments the honey and fruit and doesn't overpower like sugar alone can... A similar recipe from Ball and says to use your own mix of over 3 fruits for best results - I used: sweet cherries sent to me by Northwest Cherries, white peaches, anjou pears, pineapple, and green grapes ~Enjoy! Diane
Homemade Fruit Cocktail 3 lbs peaches 2 lbs pears 1 lbs slightly under-ripe seedless green grapes 1 lbs pineapple 1 to 2 cups of sweet cherries Syrup: large dollop of vanilla bean paste 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/2 cup honey 5 cups water Yield: About 7 pints Procedure: Cut, core and slice pineapple into 1-inch cubes, set aside. Stem and wash grapes, and keep in ascorbic acid solution. Dip ripe but firm peaches, a few at a time, in boiling water for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes to loosen skins. Dip in cold water and slip off skins. Cut in half, remove pits, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and keep in solution with grapes. Peel, halve, and core pears. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes, and keep in solution with grapes and peaches. Cherries (stemmed & pitted) will be added directly to the bottom of each jar (do not heat) Combine sugar, honey and water in a saucepan and bring to low boil to dissolve the sugars. Drain the mixed fruit and add all fruit to the syrup until the fruit is heated through (approx 10 mins). Add 1/2 cup of hot syrup to each jar - then add a few cherries to each jar and gently fill the jar with mixed fruit, de-bubble jars and more hot syrup, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Process pints and half-pints: 20 minutes in a boiling waterbath or according to your altitude. Recipe adapted from: Ball and NCHFP Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home Cherries by: Northwest Cherries/Washington State
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Sweet Cherry Jam with Pineapple
Ingredients: 4 cups prepared fruit (buy about 3 lbs. fully ripe sweet cherries) 1 small can crushed pineapple, with juices 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 1 box SURE-JELL Fruit Pectin 5 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl 1/4 tsp. almond extract Yield: approx 7 half-pints Directions: STEM and pit cherries. Finely chop cherries. Measure exactly 4 cups of the prepared chopped cherries into 6- or 8-qt. sauce-pot. Add in the pineapple and its juices. Stir in lemon juice. ADD pectin into fruit mixture in sauce-pot. Stir and bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar and extract. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat; skim off any foam with metal spoon. To reduce foaming, add 1/2 tsp. butter to the sauce pot along with the pectin & lemon juice. LADLE immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Waterbath Process 10 min. (*or according to your altitude). *ALTITUDE CHART: At altitudes above 1,000 feet, increase processing time as indicated: 1,001 to 3,000 feet-increase processing time by 5 min.; 3,001 to 6,000 feet-increase processing time by 10 min.; 6,001 to 8,000 feet-increase processing time by 15 min.; 8,001 to 10,000 feet-increase processing time by 20 min. NOTE: My Jar shown - is for fridge use only, I save commercial jars to place 'overflow' of jams into for the fridge, This recipe made 7 half pints that were water-bath canned and one fridge jar - as shown. Recipe Adapted from: Kraft Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home Cherry & Pineapple Cobbler Cobbler Filling: 4 Cups Fresh Fruit (cherries and pineapple mixed), diced 1 Tbs Tapioca Flour or Cornstarch 2-4 Tbs of sugar *depending on sweetness of fruit mix Cobbler Topping: In a large bowl combine: 1 cup flour 1/4 cup white sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 6 Tbs butter, diced & cold 1/4 boiling water *as needed Directions: Clean and slice fruit (stem & pit cherries) slice and prepare pineapple (core & skin) Place diced fruit into 9" pie pan (greased lightly). Sprinkle sugar and Tapioca Flour over berries and mix until blended. Set aside. In a large bowl, blend topping mixture with a fork, or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal. *Stir in water until just combined. Sprinkle cobbler topping mixture over mixed berries in pie plate, sprinkle with extra baking sugar over top if you want a slightly crispier cobbler topping. Bake in oven at 350 for 40-45 mins. until top is golden brown. Serve Warm. ********** Want to make a classic Peach Cobbler instead; Peach Cobbler Filling: Use 4 Cups Peaches, sliced 2 tsp tapioca flour *or cornstarch 2-4 Tbs of sugar *depending on sweetness of peaches ( add 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg to filling if preferred) Use Cobbler Topping from above but, you can also sprinkle top with a pinch of cinnamon sugar before baking ********** Recipe & Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home I love grilled pineapple! This recipe from Jen over at Carlsbad Cravings takes it one step beyond! I remember my Mom making a similar dish for my 'Sweet 16' party which was a Hawaiian Luau theme. Everyone raved about that party, and the food and this recipe made me feel nostalgic by taking me back all those years... over 30 years?! I love the addition of a marinade that turns into a peanut sauce/dip (I think that is some of the Thai inspiration in this recipe) It all works together and makes one fantastic dinner! The best part- you can cut up all your chicken and let that marinade and have your pineapple cut and read to go - all the night before, so it will be ready to grill the next day according to your schedule. ~Enjoy! Diane and a huge thank you to Jen for such a great recipe!! Thai Pineapple Peanut Chicken Satay
Ingredients: 2 pounds chicken breast meat - cut into bite size pieces 1 fresh pineapple, cut into 1” pieces 3 tablespoons olive oil 1/3 cup coconut milk (can substitute evaporated milk with 1/4 tsp coconut extract) 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch or tapioca flour 1/3 cup peanut butter, crunchy preferred for this recipe Thai Peanut Pineapple Marinade/Sauce: 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed 1 tablespoons fish sauce 1 tablespoon lime juice 1-2 teaspoons sriracha red chili sauce 1 teaspoon dry basil 1 teaspoon ground garlic 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Garnish (optional) crushed peanuts green onions toasted sesame Directions for Grilling or Broiling: The Marinade: the chicken. In a medium bowl, whisk Thai Peanut Pineapple Chicken Marinade/Sauce ingredients together. Take a 1/4 cup of this Marinade (refrigerate the rest for making the peanut sauce) plus 3 tablespoons olive oil and add with chicken to to a large Ziploc bag. Place the bag of the chicken in your refrigerator for at least 1 hour: or longer (the longer the better, can go overnight). Grill: When ready to cook, generously grease grill and heat to medium-high heat. Drain marinade from chicken and thread chicken and pineapple onto skewers. Grill on one side for about 5 minutes or until slightly charred. Carefully flip and grill the other side until chicken is cooked through and slightly charred. Broil: Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add the skewers in a single layer and broil, turning every 5 minutes until cooked through, about 10- 15 minutes depending on thickness of chicken. The Sauce: Take the remaining reserved Thai Peanut Pineapple Marinade, add to a small saucepan. Whisk in cornstarch and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. Sauce should be thick, but spreadable. If sauce is too thick, whisk in some coconut milk or water to reach desired consistency. If too thin, return to a simmer until thickened. Taste and add more sriracha, lime, or brown sugar, if needed. Use Sauce as a Dip or Brush grilled kebabs before serving. Note: if using wooden skewers - soak in water at least 30 minutes in water before grilling to prevent burning skewers. Serve this dish with cooked rice. Recipe adapted from: Jen at Carlsbad Cravings "Thai Pineapple Peanut Chicken Satay" Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home What do you do with a bag of Summers frozen pineapple and sweet cherries in the middle of Winter? You create a sauce! Simple. Why a sauce and not go for a jam? Mostly, because I want to be able to use this in many recipes from baked goods, desserts, main dishes...drizzle on oatmeal, stir into yogurt, spread onto sandwiches, and always can be used as a humbly sweet BBQ sauce. Enjoy! ~ Diane Cherry & Pineapple with Rum Sauce Ingredients: 2 Cups Sweet Cherries, whole and pitted 3 Cups Pineapple, sliced 3/4 Cups Brown Sugar 1 Tablespoon Clear Jel, Cook Type 1 teaspoon water 3 Tablespoons Spice Rum* optional Directions: Place fruit in a large stock pot and let simmer on low for 20 mins, use an immersion blender to break up large fruit pieces into a smoother sauce (I left mine semi-chunky) add in sugar and stir until bubbly (you could substitute honey instead - to your taste) and cooked down, about 10-15 minutes. In a separate cup, add the clear jel and water and stir together until smooth, add clear jel mix to fruit sauce mixture, stirring constantly and bring to a medium boil - until sauce thickens. Stir in Rum, cook additional 2-3 minutes. I like the sauce to stay on the spoon as I tip the spoon, it shouldn't just run off...its almost 'jam-like' but, not as set/thick. Jar sauce and refrigerate. Use within one week or freeze for future use *defrost in refrigerator to maintain the same consistency before freezing, do not defrost in microwave. Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/530510031080439249/ Recipe & Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home |