Need Christmas ideas for jams/jellies

[Mamaw]

I would like to make an assortment of pickles, jams and jellys to give as Christmas gifts. Does anyone have any good recipes or websites for this? Also, if you have done this how did you "present" the gift? Did you decorate the jar, put them in baskets or what??? Any hints are welcome! I am not very crafty!!

[YankeeMom]

One year I did homemade apple walnut bread and homemade apple butter and put them in a basket from the dollar store. The apple butter jar, I just hot glued a scrap piece of fabric & ribbon around the top of the jar.
I thought about doing lables, but instead made a little tag to go on the ribbon that said what it was in the jar. It was a huge hit. My FIL loves apple butter

[mom22grls]

The package of pectin has tons of recipes for jams & jellys. A couple from frozen juices, even. I'd get a box or hit their web site to get an idea.

I think frozen strawberries are fairly in expensive. Once I received jalepeno jelly for christmas. Maybe find a fruit wholesaler & get cases of peaches or apples. Last year, I got peaches for $.40 a pound & apples for like $.25.

Also, after I used to apples to make apple sauce, I used all the cores & peels to make a juice for jelly....it turned out really good!

One year, I made cocoa & coffee mixes in jars & I just put cheap, shiney ribbon around the top. I pkg'd it in baskets I got from Goodwill & spray painted. Oh, I also got clearance mugs from like Walmart or something.

Salsa would be a good, too.

[forestdale]

I'm not very crafty either, but I always use a nice small canning jar or a recycled French jam jar with a wide mouth. I top them with a pretty fabric circle tied with rafia - over the jar top.

TOMATO RELISH - this is my tried and true recipe that everyone compliments me on.

Either 6x850 gram cans of tomatoes or about 3 kilos (7 lbs) of fresh tomatoes. Drain off the juice if you use the canned tomatoes. This makes 6 - 8 jars.

Into a big pot place:
chopped and skinned tomatoes
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon pepper
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 cup good vinegar - I use apple cider or balsamic
1 cup sugar

Bring to the boil and allow to simmer with the lid off for about 90 minutes. You'll need to stir it every 15 minutes or so.

When it's reduced down, taste it for seasoning, you might like to add more salt. It will thicken up a lot when it's cold.

Can the relish using your normal method.

[sunshine]

Watermelon Jam
A rosy pink, sweet spread with a bit of crunch. Try it with peanut
butter on an English muffin...yummy!


3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups finely chopped seeded watermelon (do not puree)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 package (1.75 ounces) powered fruit pectin
3/4 cup water

In large bowl, stir together sugar, watermelon and lemon juice. Set
aside for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. In small saucepan, blend
fruit pectin and water. Bring mixture to boil over high heat; boil,
stirring, for 1 minute. Stir pectin mixture into watermelon mixture.
Stir constantly until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Quickly pour
into jars and cover. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours to set.
Store jam in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Makes about 4 cups.

[sunshine]

Mountain Dew Jelly

3 1/4 cups Mountain Dew
2 Tbs. Lemon Juice
4 1/2 cups sugar
1 pkg. Sure Jell pectin

Pour the Mt Dew and lemon juice into a large (6-8 qt) pot. Bring to a
boil,
and allow to boil 3 min. (at this point, I let it cool slightly, then
followed the Sure Jell directions).

[sunshine]

Preserving the Herbal Harvest with Herb Jellies

by Kathleen Gips, Pine Creek Herbs, OH

Herb jellies capture the essence of fresh herbs in a delicate base of
fruit juice or an herbal infusion. The glittering, colorful jars of
sweet herb condiments appeal to the sight as well as to the taste,
and can be enjoyed for long after the herb garden is dormant.

The endless combinations of herbs and spices with fruit juices are a
challenge to the herbalist's imagination. Traditional uses for tangy
tarragon with poultry or fish, rich rosemary with roast meats, and
green mint with lamb are commonly known and used. But those who enjoy
the herbal flavors will seek new taste experiences such as rich basil
on hamburger, rosy rose geranium with peanut butter sandwiches,
delicate orange rosemary on muffins, fennel jelly with grilled fish,
sherry rosemary with cream cheese and crackers, or even lemon verbena
jelly on a sundae!

General Directions

Fruit juice jelly when made with apple juice will have enough natural
pectin from the apples to gel without the addition of commercial
pectin. When water or other fruit juices are used as a base for the
infusion, however, commercial pectin (either powdered or liquid) must
be added to obtain proper consistency. Liquid and powdered pectin are
not interchangeable in recipes, however.

Although fresh are preferable, dried herbs or seeds may be used. A
general rule is 1 cup fresh, 1/2 cup dried, or 1/4 cup seeds. More or
less may be used according to taste. The herbs should be gathered in
the early morning after the dew has dried from the leaves, but before
the hot sun has evaporated the essential oils from the foliage. Wash
the herbs by swishing in a basin of cool water, being careful not to
bruise the leaves. The herbs for the infusion may be chopped and put
in a cheesecloth bag, or the stems tied in a bunch, or, as I prefer,
chopped and put into the liquid, then strained before using. Bruise
the leaves with a wooden spoon or a potato masher when the herbs are
infusing into the juice or water. This, along with the heat, will
increase the release of the essential oils into the liquid. If
desired, 1/4 cup of fresh chopped herbs-not those used for the
infusion-can be added to the jelly batch before it is poured into the
jars. To prevent floating herbs, stir the jelly for 5 minutes before
ladling into jars.

A fresh sprig of herbs should be added to each hot jar before the
jelly is poured into it, to add flavor and eye appeal. Jelly jars and
lids should be sterilized in either boiling water or in the hot cycle
of the dishwasher. Screw-top canning jars are preferable to paraffin
seals, since new information indicates that the mold which sometimes
forms when paraffin is used can be harmful. The jars and lids should
be boiling hot when filled and capped. To do this, run the jars
through the hot cycle of the dishwasher and leave closed until the
jelly is ready. Or keep the jars hot, after boiling, by placing
upright on a cookie sheet in a 250° oven. Boil the lids for at least
5 minutes, and leave them in the hot water while making the jelly.
Fill the jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace to allow room for a vacuum
and, therefore, a proper seal. Turn the lidded jars over, after
filling with jelly, to coat the lids. place them upright on a folded
towel for about 8 hours, until set. Jelly will thicken as it cools.

Measurements must be accurate when using jelly recipes. Too little
sugar will cause the jelly to be thick and rubbery; too much sugar
will cause it to be thin and watery without a proper "set." It is
important to remember not to exchange the liquid and powdered pectins
called for in the recipes; for success you must use the form listed.
A large enamel or stainless steel pot should be used when making
jelly for correct heating of the sugar mixture and to allow room for
the rolling boil. A few drops of vegetable food coloring can be added
to the mixture before boiling, if desired, to enhance the color of
the jelly. Choose from the colors red, yellow, or green, but use
sparingly - just a few drops are needed. Vinegar can be substituted
for all or part of the lemon juice when it is desirable for the jelly
to have a tangy, sweet flavor. Use this variation for meat
accompaniments with herbs, such as tarragon or fennel. One half
teaspoon butter or margarine in the boiling jelly will prevent or
decrease foaming, thus eliminating or lessening the skimming process.


Basic Herb Jelly Recipes

First select the recipe you will follow, choosing either apple juice,
powdered pectin, or liquid pectin. Assemble the ingredients including
the herb and fruit juice or herbal infusion combination that you have
chosen from the chart that follows, or from your own imagination.
Have on hand sterilized tongs and very clean oven mitts or hot-dish-
pads for handling the very hot jars and lids. Make your herbal
infusion following the directions below, and then proceed with jelly
recipe instructions.


To make an herbal infusion:

In a covered saucepan, combine fruit juice or water with the herbs.
Heat to the boiling point, but do not boil. Remove from heat and let
steep, covered, for 20 minutes. Strain the liquid through a coffee
filter paper or jelly bag, squeezing the herbs left in the paper or
bag to include all the flavor. Discard herbs. This is the herb jelly
liquid base.


Herb and Fruit Juice Combinations

BASIL (opal)/basil infusion (this will be a lovely rose color without
food coloring)

BASIL (sweet)/basil infusion (add 2 T. cloves to infusion for spicy
flavor; strain)

CINNAMON/cherry juice (make infusion with 1/4 cup crushed cinnamon; strain)

CLOVE/tangerine juice (make infusion with 1/4 cup crushed cloves; strain)

FENNEL/fennel infusion (add vinegar for all or part of the lemon juice,
if desired)

LEMON BALM/red grape juice

LEMON THYME/white grape juice

LEMON VERBENA/lemonade

MARJORAM/grapefruit juice

MINT/mint infusion or apple juice

PARSLEY/parsley infusion or dry white wine (add fresh chopped herbs to
the finished jelly)

ROSEMARY/orange juice or sherry

SAGE/cider or apple juice

SAVORY/cranberry juice

SCENTED GERANIUM/apple juice or scented geranium infusion

TARRAGON/white wine or tarragon infusion (use vinegar instead of lemon juice)

THYME/purple grape juice


Recipe Using Powdered Pectin

3 cups fruit juice or water
1 cup fresh herb
1 T. fresh or frozen lemon juice or vinegar
1 package powdered pectin (1 3/4 oz.)
4 cups sugar
1/2 t. butter or margarine
1 fresh herb sprig for each jar
3 or 4 drops food coloring (optional)


Mix the prepared herb infusion with the lemon juice or vinegar, food
coloring, pectin and butter. Mix well. Put over highest heat,
stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Mix
in sugar. Continue stirring, return to full boil and boil hard for
exactly 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir and skim off foam with metal
spoon. Immediately pour into hot, sterilized jars with herb sprigs in
the bottom. Seal. Yields approximately 40 oz.



Recipe Using Liquid Pectin

2 cups juice (bottled or canned), white wine or water infused with
1 cup herb (or proportion of spices suggested above)
3 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 pouch liquid pectin
1/4 teaspoon butter or margarine (optional)
1 fresh herb sprig per jar
food coloring (optional)


To the prepared herb infusion add the lemon juice, food coloring,
sugar and butter. Mix well. Over highest heat, stirring constantly,
bring mixture to a full rolling boil. Mix in pectin all at once, and
return to full rolling boil. Stir constantly and boil hard exactly 1
minute. Remove from heat. Stir and skim off foam with metal spoon.
Add herb sprigs to hot sterile jars. Pour and seal immediately with
hot caps. Yields approximately 48 0z.



Recipe Using Apple Juice

4 cups apple juice
1 cup herb leaves
3 cups sugar
1/2 t. butter or margarine
1 herb sprig for each jar used
Few drops food coloring


Stirring constantly, bring infusion of apple juice and herbs to a
rapid rolling boil; boil hard for 5 minutes. Add sugar, butter, and
food coloring. Stirring constantly, boil about 10 minutes until
reaching 222° on a candy thermometer, or until jelly stage is
reached. Test by placing a spoonful on a dish that has been chilled
in the freezer. It should harden to jelly in a few minutes. Remove
from heat, skim, and fill jars with herb sprigs in the bottom. Cap
and seal. Yields approximately 28 oz.


This piece was developed and written by Kathleen Gips and appears in
The Pleasure of Herbs: A Month-by-Month Guide to Growing, Using, and
Enjoying Herbs by Phyllis Shaudys (©1986 by Storey Communications,
Inc.; published by Garden Way Publishing).




Herbal Jelly Flavor Combinations

Being a cooler month, October is an excellent time to make herb
jellies-especially since apple season is upon us. For treats for you
family and friends all winter long, spend a day or two making a
variety of herb jellies. Here are some ideas for jelly flavors and
colors, and what to use them with:

Mint Jelly. Spearmint; dark green. Nice in pear or peach halves to
accompany ham, lamb, or pork.

Thyme Jelly. Light green. Use a sprig-wonderful with beef or fish meals.

Rose Geranium Jelly. Slightly pink. Lovely with cream cheese on hot
biscuits; divine on angel food or pound cake with whipped cream frosting!

Orange Mint Jelly. Yellow and red. Orange mint leaves and fresh or
dried orange peel; marvelous with Chinese foods or baked chicken.

Lemon Balm Jelly. Yellow. Exquisite with fish and poultry.

Sage Jelly. Slightly yellow. Delicious with Turkey, chicken, or pork.

Basil Jelly. Dark orange. Excellent on hot rolls with any meal.

Rosemary Jelly. Leave natural amber color. Use a sprig. Perfect with beef.

First, make apple jelly according to the directions. Then, add food
coloring (as suggested for each combination) after skimming off the
foam from the boiling jelly. Finally, pour into the hot, sterile jars
which contain 2 or 3 leaves of the suggested herbs, according to your
taste.

If you try several different flavors and hues, it will be difficult
to hide the results away in a cupboard! The rainbow of your garden
creations will be mouth-watering just to look at.

Adapted from The Pleasure of Herbs by Phyllis V. Shaudys (©1986 by
Storey Communications, Inc.; published by Garden Way Publishing).

[sunshine]

Apple Pie Jelly

4 cups apple juice

4 TBSP maple syrup

5 cups granulated sugar (or Splenda)

3 tsp. apple pie spice**

1 box powdered pectin

Place apple juice, maple syrup and apple pie spice in a large stockpot. Add the pectin and bring to a hard boil over high heat until it dissolves into the juice. Slowly stir in the sugar and bring back to a rolling boil over high heat. Boil for one full minute. Remove from heat and skim off foam with a metal spoon. Ladle into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rims. Cap and seal. Process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes.

YIELD: 8 half pints.

** I couldn't find apple pie spice, so here is a recipe for it:

Apple Pie Spice:

1/4 cup cinnamon

2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. ground ginger

Mix all spices together and put into an airtight container (or spice jar).

[sunshine]

Elegant Wine Jelly

3 cups sugar
2 cups any flavor or brand wine (the variety is endless here)
1-3 oz foil pouch liquid fruit pectin (or 1/2 of a six oz pouch.)
Measure sugar and wine in the top of a double boiler. Mix well . Place over, but do not touch, rapidly boiling water. Stir 3-4 minutes until sugar is disolved. Remove from heat. Add fruit pectin and mix well. Skim off foam. Place a metal spoon in a hot, sterilized wine glass. This keeps wine glass from breaking. Quickly pour in hot jelly mixture into glass within 1/4 inch from top. Remove spoon,completely cover with melted parafin to seal. Repeat with 4-5 more glasses.

[sunshine]

Pineapple Jelly


Preparation Time 0:20

Makes about 2 pints

4 cups sugar
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
2 cans crushed pineapple -- 8 oz cans
1 pouch (3oz) Certo Liquid Fruit Pectin -- do not use powder

Add the sugar, pineapple, and lime juice to a sauce pan. Bring to a full rolling boil. Add the liquid pectin and bring back to a full rolling boil. Let cool slighlty and pour into clean containers. Store in freezer for up to 6 months and in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

[sunshine]

Dandelion Jelly

4 cups dandelion blossoms
1 quart water
1 teaspoon lemon or orange extract
1 package powdered pectin
4 1/2 cups granulated sugar
Yellow food coloring (optional)

Pick dandelion blossoms early in the morning (this helps avoid insects). Remove the stems. Make sure there are no green parts left as they are bitter. Boil blossoms in water for 3 minutes. Drain and save liquid. Using 3 cups dandelion liquid, lemon or orange extract, powdered pectin and sugar, cook jelly according to the directions on powdered pectin box.

[sunshine]

Rose Hip Jelly
8 cups of rose hips
6 cups of water
1 box of certo
1/2 cup lemon juice
5 cups of sugar

Boil the rose hips for 10 - 15 min. until soft enough to crush. Crush them and squeeze through cloth, to make juice. For every 4 cups of juice add one box of certo and bring to a boil. Add the 1/2 cup of lemon juice and 5 cups of sugar (1/2 tsp. of marg to prevent foam). Buing to a boil and boil hard for 2 min. Remove from heat and pour into sterilized jars and seal with caps and rings. The jelly has a wonderful flavor and is the consistency of liguid honey.

[sunshine]

Corn Cob Jelly

This is a Cherokee recipe which is light in texture and has a flavor similar to apple jelly.

12 ears fresh corn
4 cups water
4 cups granulated sugar
1 (3 fl. ounce) package liquid fruit pectin

Cut corn from the cobs and reserve for another use. Place cobs in water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove cobs and strain liquid through cheesecloth or another filter. If necessary, add enough water to make 3 cups. Place liquid in a saucepan and stir in sugar. Bring to a boil and cook until sugar is dissolved. Stir in pectin and cook 1 minutes longer. Remove from heat, skim, and spoon into sterilized jars. Seal and store.

Makes 3 cups.

[kaykwilts]

Go to the library and get the Spirit of Christmas books by Leisure Arts. They have some wonderful ideas in those books on how to make these type gifts very attractive.

[sunshine]

Peach-Cantaloupe Conserve

4 c. cantaloupe, chopped
4 c. peaches (about 3 lbs.), chopped coarsely
6 c. sugar
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. grated lemon rind (orange also works)
3/4 c. blanched slivered almonds or chopped hazelnuts

Put 8 cups combined fruit into a large pot. Add lemon juice. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Add sugar, stirring until it dissolves and mixture boils again. Then boil for 20 minutes, or until fruit becomes transparent, stirring occasionally.

When fruit is transparent, add nutmeg, grated lemon rind, and blanched slivered almonds. Boil 3 minutes longer, stirring as needed. Fill hot 8 oz. jars to within 1/4 inch of rims. Cover tightly. Cool, label and store.

The recipe says that it makes 8 8oz. jars, but I would sterilize a few extra just in case... I think when I made it, it was more like 10 jars.



Peach-Pineapple-Cantaloupe marmalade

1 14oz can (1 3/4 c.) crushed pineapple
2 c. peaches, finely chopped
3 c. cantaloupe, finely chopped
6 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. lemon juice

Put fruit in a large pot and bring to a boil. Stir frequently. Boil gently until juice begins to thicken and fruit becomes transparent (10-15 min.). Slowly add sugar one cup at a time, boiling the mixture gently and stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil five minutes longer and then add lemon juice. Continue boiling and stirring until mixture begins to jell (30-45 minutes). Fill hot sterile jars with marmalade to within 1/4 inch of rim, seal and store.