We be Jammin

Ok. I have a new obsession... Making Jam! Actually, two years ago my friend Kelley started it by teaching me how to make "freezer jam". Then last year my friend Liz fueled it and we made more. My freezer still has Jam though and I wanted to make Jam like my Mother did! Yes I am proud to say I am becoming like my Mother :) I can still remember the day that we opened up her last jar of relish (grandma cried.)


But back to now... I decided this year I wanted to start canning for real... not have jars stored in my freezer but in my basement! I started scouring the internet for ideas and recipes. (Hello, my name is Heather and I am a Pinterest Addict)

So many of the recipes have a ridiculous amount of sugar! I found recipes to substitute sugar for fake sugar but I was still not satisfied! Ripe fruit does not NEED sugar! No wonder our country is full of obese people! I made one batch of Jam WITH sugar... there is ONE CUP of sugar PER JAR!  Needless to say I had a very hard time finding a recipe that would work. I was frustrated. Then at Walmart of all places, while scouring for small jam jars, I found this:
Ball make a low or no sugar pectin... new this year!!! OK! Now all I needed was fruit!


And this is where the tale begins... ;)
I recommend that when you wish to jam you get the right helpers...
First we started with Picking Blueberries!

Helpers are important!

But make sure they pick more than they eat!

Or Pick any at all! 

 We actually went home with almost 12 pounds of berries!

 Then we made NO sugar Blueberry Jam... here is a step by step:

1. Get your jars ready, cleaned and ready to fill.

2. Puree your fruit. I LOVE my food processer!

4. Constantly stirring add Pectin

3. Simmer on  Stove, add Lemon if called for.

6 .Ladle into jars without spilling on to pregnant belly.

5. Allow to thicken.

8. Place them in the fancy canning pot.

7. Tighten the lids.

9.  Allow to sit in boiling water for allotted time. 

10. Pull out and let cool on the counter for 24 hours. 

Kelley

So did I mention that help is awesome?? I actually had the help of my Son, my Greenman, my awesome roommate Jessimica, and Kelley (yes the one who started it all.) I am a firm believer in large projects need extra hands. We made 4 huge batches of NO SUGAR jam and one small batch of fully sugared jam. I am proud to say they ALL sealed properly and are now on a shelf with other jams I have made awaiting beautiful tags made with help by the lovely and talented Vickie Porter. http://inmyheadstudios.blogspot.com/

 I have already made Cherry Jam, Blueberry Jam, Strawberry Rhubarb Jam, and plan on making Peach Jam, Apple Butter and canning homemade Salsas from tomatoes and peppers we grew in OUR garden!!! I either picked or purchased the fruit from our Farmers Market too! Right now I am feeling very spoiled in life! :)

Be Blessed <3