Easy Lemon Blueberry Jam + An Itchy Berry-Picking Experience

Blueberry season.  

Those two words make me incredibly happy.  

I literally wait all year until glorious summertime, when I can get my hands on heaping gallon-sized buckets of the little spheres of blueberry goodness.

This year, Brad and I got adventurous and took a short drive to a nearby blueberry farm, where I excitedly picked berries to my heart's content.  After almost 2 hours of hand-picking the finest berries, we had TWO gallons to lug home with us.  Visions of blueberry jam and countless blueberry desserts were swimming through my head.  I was thrilled...

Until.the.bites.started.itching.

Have any of you ever had the unfortunate experience of practically being eaten alive by little demon bugs called chiggers/red bugs?  Oh my dear...Over 40 of those little buggers got a hold of me and had quite the snack.  At first, I thought they were simply mosquito bites, but OH NO.  Brad and I were both itchy, scratchy messes.  The thing that's so bad about chiggers is that you have no clue they've bitten you until it's too late.  Once you start itching, they are long gone.

Was it worth it?  That's a hard question to answer because the berries are so incredibly delicious, but those little demon bugs sure made their presence known.   After 2 weeks, the bites still haven't gone away completely.  However, we will be enjoying these two mountains of blueberries for a LONG time, so I'm a happy camper.  Next time, I'll just be sure to cover myself with about 10 layers of bug spray before we venture out into the blueberry bushes!

This mouth-watering blueberry jam is one way I put those berries to good use.  The rest are either snuggled away in the freezer, or have been turned into other desserts.  This recipe is easy, yet is packed with the sweet flavors of summer.  The tart lemon juice is the perfect addition to the sweetness of the fruit.  Y.U.M.M.Y.

Bon Appetit, my friends (and don't forget the bug spray)!

Easy Lemon Blueberry Jam

Ingredients:
6 cups fresh blueberries
3 cups sugar
Juice of 1 large lemon

Directions:
Place blueberries in a large bowl and crush them with a potato masher or fork, to release their juices.

Next, pour the crushed blueberries into a large saucepan, over medium heat.  Add the sugar and lemon juice.  Stir until all ingredients are mixed well, and continue to cook over medium heat for 25-35 minutes, stirring often.  Be careful not to let the mixture bubble over, and lower heat as needed.

Once the desired consistency has been reached, carefully pour the jam into mason jars or other heat-proof, covered containers.  Place in the refrigerator (jam will continue to thicken as it cools).

Enjoy!

Addictive Cinnamon-Fig Jam

 

***Fig season is a glorious thing, my friends!  For months now, I have been looking forward to getting my hands on some fresh figs.  Here in the South, figs are just starting to come into season, and I'm pretty excited about it.  Can't you tell?   :)


As it turns out, figs can be hard to find in grocery stores right now.  I had to call several stores around town before I found one that had some still in stock.  I bought 3 lbs. of the yummy fruit and headed home to make fig jam.


The recipe below is incredibly addictive.  It's great on a cracker or straight out of the jar!  One of my favorite snacks is a whole wheat cracker with a slice of good quality French Brie cheese and a dollop of fig preserves.  Mmm, Mmm!!

I tweaked amounts in the original recipe a little to suit my tastes.  I was so pleased with the way this jam turned out.  So much so, that I will only use this recipe in the future.  It's wonderfully figgy, without being overly sweet.  The cinnamon stick adds a scrumptious flavor and depth, and will make your entire home smell heavenly while it bubbles on the stove.

While reading about figs online, I discovered that there is actually a variety called the "Celeste Fig."  I knew there was a reason I loved figs so much! :)


Bon Appetit!***

Addictive Cinnamon-Fig Jam

Adapted from Eating Out Loud

1  1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water

2 lb. fresh figs (about 20-24 figs)
zest of 1 lemon
1 or 2 cinnamon sticks (I used 1)
1/2 lemon juiced

Directions:

Sort figs, using ripe figs but not cracked ones. Wash and peel if desired with a sharp knife. (Wear rubber gloves to protect hands from irritation when peeling figs.) If you do not peel figs, clean the skins by covering the washed figs with hot water. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand 3 to 4 minutes, then drain. You will get a brighter color and prettier preserves. 

Once figs are clean, add water and sugar to a pan and place on a medium heat to dissolve. 

Remove the stems from the figs and cut into quarters. Add to the sugar mixture along with lemon zest, cinnamon stick, and lemon juice. Bring the mix to a light simmer and leave the pan uncovered. Cook for about 1 hour or until the mix thickens.  

You can use a potato-masher towards the end of cooking to help mash up the figs.  This will give you more of a spreadable consistency.  

Remove from heat and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars - Ina Garten

***Sure...fancy, gourmet sandwiches might be tasty, but it's still hard to beat a yummy peanut butter & jelly sandwich.  There's just something about them that takes me back to my childhood and puts a smile on my face.  I still love them!

So, when I saw this recipe in Ina's cookbook, Barefoot Contessa at Home, I was thrilled.  I knew that I HAD to make them...like, yesterday!  I couldn't wait.

The results were just what I expected from an Ina recipe...Scrumptious!  Ina has definitely done it again with these bars.  Of course, the flavor combo is pretty unbeatable.  They'd be perfect to make for a party...Everyone is sure to ask you for the recipe!

The only change that I made was a decrease in the butter.  Instead of 2 full sticks, I only added about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 sticks.  I'm sure my hips will thank me later.  ;-)

Bon Appetit!***

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

Source:  Barefoot Contessa at Home, by Ina Garten

Ingredients:

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

2 cups (18 ounces) creamy peanut butter (recommended: Skippy)
3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 1/2 cups (18 ounces) raspberry jam or other jam
2/3 cups salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch cake pan. Line it with parchment paper, then grease and flour the pan.


In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light yellow, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter and mix until all ingredients are combined.


In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Mix just until combined.


Spread 2/3 of the dough into the prepared cake pan and spread over the bottom with a knife or offset spatula. Spread the jam evenly over the dough. Drop small globs of the remaining dough evenly over the jam. Don't worry if all the jam isn't covered; it will spread in the oven. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and cut into squares.

Ad Hoc's Fig and Balsamic Jam

***Alright, here's the recipe for the Fig and Balsamic Jam that I promised in my last post. This jam is used in the delicious Fig-Stuffed Roast Pork Loin from Ad Hoc at Home. I'm so happy that it makes 2 1/2 cups of jam. I used 1 cup in the pork loin, and had plenty left over for later use. It's sitting pretty in the fridge right now.

This jam is wonderful...seriously.

I had to make a few modifications, since fresh figs are not available right now. I had to use dried figs, but they worked fine. I simmered them in the saucepan in a little water for about 5 - 10 minutes to help soften them. I used a potato masher to help mash and smooth out the figs. I also don't have a candy thermometer, so I had to guess at the correct temperature. I simply stopped when the jam seemed to be the correct consistency.

The results were fantastic...I'll definitely be making this again. If you're like me, you love fig jam! In my opinion, it's always good to have a stash in the fridge for when a craving strikes.

Bon Appetit!***

Ingredients:
2 lbs. figs, preferably Black Mission or Kadota, stems removed and coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, tied into a sachet
Fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Combine the figs, sugar, balsamic vinegar, and a sachet in a large saucepan and attach a candy thermometer to the pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring to break up the large pieces of fig, keeping a chunky consistency, until the jam reaches 215 to 220 degrees F. Remove from the heat.

Remove the sachet and stir in the lemon juice to taste. Spoon the jam into a canning jar or other storage container, cover, and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for up to 1 month.

Makes 2 1/2 cups.

Source: Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller