OLD FASHION STRAWBERRY JAM

This recipe gives certain results every time!

8 cups fresh strawberries
1 box (1 3/4-oz) Sure-Jell powdered pectin
7 cups sugar

Wash and hull the berries, crush.  This should leave you with about 5 cups of crushed berries. 

Place the berries in at least an 8-quart size pan and add the pectin.  Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.  As soon as the mixture reaches a full boil, stir in the sugar a little at a time and let come back to a full boil that you cannot stir down.  Boil for 1 minute stirring constantly.

Remove pan from the heat and immediately ladle into hot sterilized jelly jars.  Screw on hot sterilized 2-piece lids and process jars in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes. 

Note:  If you plan to use the jelly soon, you can skip the hot water bath and just refrigerate.

Yield: Approximately 6 cups of jam.

file photo for reference

EASY FREEZER STRAWBERRY JAM

2 cups fully ripe, completely crushed fresh strawberries

1 box Sure-Jell
3/4 cup water
4 cups sugar

Mix the sugar into the crushed strawberries; let stand 10 minutes. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Mix the Sure-Jell and water together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Stir the Sure-Jell into the strawberry mixture. Stir for 3 minutes. Ladle the mixture into freezer containers, cover with lids and let set at room temperature for 24 hours. Store in freezer. This is good as a jam and also as a topping for ice cream.

 

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RASPBERRY-RHUBARB JAM

2 cups fresh raspberries (or 1 16-oz pkg frozen)

4 cups chopped rhubarb
1 cup water
1 pkg (1 3/4-oz) pectin
5 cups sugar

Combine the raspberries and rhubarb with the water in a heavy saucepan.  Cook over medium heat for an hour or until the rhubarb is tender.  Dump in the pectin, stirring constantly.  Bring mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly.  Boil for 4 minutes, skimming the foam.

Ladle the hot mixture into hot sterilized jars leaving a half inch headspace.  Seal with not 2-piece lids.  Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Yield: 3 to 4 pints

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PEAR HONEY

I found this recipe in one of my late mother's boxes of recipe clippings. This one is from my Great-Aunt Truly. I'm sure this recipe is as old as I am, maybe older, and I am 75!

1 cup fresh pears
1 cup apples
1 cup crushed pineapple
pineapple juice
1/2 cup oranges slices, cut up
1 cup sugar

Peel, and core, both pears and apples and then measure, put through food chopper and measure amount needed for 1 cup of each. Dice the orange slices in small pieces. Mix all ingredients together, using juice from the pineapple, and boil for 20 minutes. Seal in hot jelly jars.

(I love the instructions. That is why I don't change these old recipe instructions. They are too funny the way they are.)

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BEET RASPBERRY JELLY

This is another old Southern Indiana recipe from a Nazarene minister's wife.

5 med beets
1 - 1 1/2 cups water
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 pkg (3/4-oz) powdered pectin
3 1/2 cups sugar
1 box (3-oz) raspberry gelatin

Wash the beets thoroughly and cut off roots and tops.  Place in a large kettle with the water.  Boil until you have 3 cups of beet juice.  Strain the beets through a strainer, retain juice and discard beet mush.

In large kettle, combine the 3 cups of beet juice, lemon juice, powdered pectin, sugar, and gelatin.  Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for 2 minutes.  Remove mixture from the heat.  Pour into hot sterilized jars and add hot 2-piece lids.  Listen for jars to seal.  When jars seal they make a popping sound and indent slightly in the center.  Refrigerate any jars that do not seal!

This is a file photo for reference only.

GREEN TOMATO JAM

2 1/2 cups pureed green tomatoes (this takes about 3 medium tomatoes)

2 cups sugar
1 pkg (3 oz) raspberry gelatin

In a large saucepan, bring tomatoes and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in gelatin until dissolved. Skim off any foam. Pour into jars or freezer containers, leaving 1/2-inch head space. Cool before covering with lids. Refrigerate or freeze.

Yield: approximately 3 cups

Note: File Photo

LIME JELLY

This is an old Betty Crocker recipe I have had for about 30 years.  It is an easy way to make jelly not only for your family but also for gifting.