Pear Butter

Approx. 4 lbs. ripe pears
6 cups sugar
1/2 cup orange juice, fresh or frozen concentrate, reconstituted
1 tsp grated orange peel (optional)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Wash, peel, core and smash pears. Measure 12 cups pulp into a large pan; stir in rest of ingredients.
Cook until thick. Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal.

Pomegranate Jelly

4 cups pomegranate juice
7 1/2 cups sugar
1 bottle commercial pectin (Certo)
(note: dissolving 2 0z. packaged pectin into 3/4 cup boiling water is equivalent to 1 bottle pectin.)

Mix sugar and juice in large saucepan and mix well. Bring to boil over hottest fire and add pectin, stirring constantly. Bring to full boil (one that cannot be stirred down.) Boil for 30 seconds. Remove from heat, skim, and pour quickly into glasses.

Add melted paraffin wax or

Pour into scalded bottles and seal with scalded lids. Secure lids and turn upside down.

(College of Ag., University of Arizona 1973)

Freezer Jam - Sure-Jell

3 cups fruit, puree
5 1/4 cup sugar
1 package (1.75 oz.) Sure-Jell Pectin
3/4 cup water

Combine fruit & sugar. Set aside.

Combine pectin and water in small sauce pan, bring to full boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Stir hot pectin into fruit & sugar and stir until sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes.

Pour into containers, cover with lids, and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours until set.

(adapted from Sure-Jell box 2008)

Freezer Jam - MCP

3 1/2 cups crushed fruit
1/2 cup lemon juice (optional for high acid fruits such as raspberry)
1 (2 oz.) package of MCP Pectin
1 cup light Corn Syrup
4 1/2 cups sugar

Place fruit and lemon juice in 4 quart kettle and stir well. Stir in pectin, stirring vigorously. Set aside for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add corn syrup, mix well.
Add sugar, gradually warming to 100 degrees F.
When sugar is dissolved, place jam into freezer containers.

(MCP box 1990)

Jello-O Jam

4 cups fruit, puree
4 cups sugar
1 package (3 oz) Jell-O (flavor to match the fruit)

Boil fruit and sugar for 10-12 minutes
Stir in Jell-O

Pour into scalded bottles and seal with scalded lids. Secure lids and turn upside down.

*(Original recipe didn't call for processing but I would for 10 minutes.)

Processed Peach Jam

4 cups ground peaches
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cups sugar
4 rounded tablespoons Clear Jel
1/2 teaspoon ascorbic acid

Wash, peel, and remove pits from peaches; grind fruit. Put fruit and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Mix sugar, Clear Jel, and ascorbic acid in a dry bowl. Slowly stir in dry ingredients, blend well. Pour into sterilized canning jars and process 10 minutes.

Processed Strawberry Jam

5 3/4 cup ground strawberries
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 1/2 cups sugar
6 rounded tablespoons Clear Jel
1 package unsweetened strawberry Kool-Aid

Wash, stem and grind ripe berries. Add lemon juice. Put in large saucepan and bring to a boil. In a dry bowl, Mix sugar, Clear Jel, and Kool-Aid. Slowly pour dry ingredients into fruit and blend thoroghly. Pour into sterilized canning jars and process for 10 minutes.

Processed Plum Jam

6 cups plums
1 cup lemon juice
2 1/2 cups sugar
6 rounded tablespoons Clear Jel
1 package unsweetened cherry Kool-Aid

Wash, pit and grind plums. In a large saucepan put fruit and lemon juice. Bring this mixture to a boil. In a dry bowl mix sugar, Clear Jel, and Kool-Aid. Slowly add dry ingredients to fruit, blend thoroughly. Pour into sterilized canning jars and process 10 minutes.

Freezer Strawberry Jam

2 cups sugar
3 rounded tablespoons Clear Jel
1 package unsweetened strawberry Kool-Aid
5 cups diced, uncrushed fresh strawberries

Mix sugar, Clear Jel, and Kool-Aid well. Add to washed and diced berries. Put into containers and freeze.