Several weeks ago, one of my friends and followers asked me about watermelon jelly. I really had never done that before but it got me to thinking. Since watermelons were, and are, in season I started buying one per week to figure it all out. It took me some time to get it right but…
Pectin
Peachy Piquant Jam
Yesterday I worked at the University editing two new videos for caregivers. Because I was in the town where I live, I was able to come home for lunch. During my tomato and lettuce sandwich, I watched Mario Batali on The Chew. He was making a dessert that consisted of peaches, balsamic vinegar, black pepper, cinnamon…
New! Recipe Index and More
First, I want to share this with you. My daughter thinks it’s funny. Since she has just made some updates to the blog I thought I would share it. Anyone a fan of Walking Dead? Our family is! Now, onto the updates! On the menu bar above you might notice some changes. I have a Recipe Index…
Dreamsicle Jelly
I remember my mom standing out by the side of the road, in her cat-eyes sunglasses waving down the Pinky-Dinky man. She would buy me anything I wanted as long as it didn’t cost more than a dime….yes, a dime! She always bought herself a push-up. Always. Mom loved those things, still does. As a…
Jammin’ in the Winter
If you are not lucky enough to live in a part of the country that has perpetual harvests of fresh fruits and vegetables, you need to read this! Where I live, our fruit and vegetable harvest begins in May and ends in October, for the most part. That leaves 6 full months without anything to…
Orange and Apricot Marmalade Recipe
Whew! The weekend is finally winding down. I’ve had a roast and potatoes in the slow cooker all day and I’m looking forward to eating and watching the next-to-the-last football game of the year. This weekend, I had 4 quart bags of frozen summer apricots, 7 oranges, and 2 lemons to make as much jam/jelly/marmalade as I…
My jam/jelly/marmalade did not set!!!
My jelly did not set up, what did I do wrong? Has this ever happened to you? You’ve followed a recipe exactly and then after the jelly cooled; it looks like pretty colored syrup. It could be any number things and here are a few reasons why. Some of the citrus or soft fruits take…
What is Pectin?
Pectin is the substance used to make jam and jelly gel. Oftentimes, people shy away from its use thinking it is not “natural”. Nothing could be further from the truth! Pectin is what is on the other side of the outside peel of many fruits like citrus fruits and apples. There is little pectin found in…