Homemade Taco Seasoning

The amount of sodium, additives and preservatives in prepackaged food drives me crazy and I prefer to make my own seasoning if I can.  I came across this recipe online and I was very excited to try it.  It really is just a guideline on how to start but you can always play with the portions of each ingredient until you are happy with the taste.
It works great on meats and if you want to spice up your grated cheese in dishes.  We toss grated cheese in it to make a tex-mex cheese for nachos.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

1 tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp paprika

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

Use a mortar and pestle to blend the ingredients together.  If you have any extra, store in an air tight container.

Red Current Compote

I love currents and at the farm we have about 15 red current bushes.  This year we have collected quite the harvest.  This year we decided to pick the sprays off the bushed and because of the heat we would remove the individual currents in the cool of our home.  We had 12 litres of sprays to process so we enlisted the help of my in-laws to help us with the task.  They were awesome and we had a lovely couple of hours talking while working.  Before we started I thought it would be nice to bribe them with some baked brie cheese and a red current compote.  It was such a hit some individuals (not mentioning any names) mopped up their plates and the serving bowl in order to make sure there was not any wasted.
This recipe is simple and very enjoyable.  Depending on how many people you are planning to feed with it, you may want to double the recipe.  It goes well with meats as well as cheese and can be used as a spread for bread.

Red Current Compote

1 1/2 cups red currents

6 tbsp red wine

4 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp butter

2 tsp corn starch

1. Combine the ingredients into a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir it while it comes to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat and continue stirring until it reaches the desired consistancy. 

Green Tomato Chutney

I hate to waste good produce that I have been working hard to grow all year.  This year we had a late start with our tomatoes because of lack of sun and with fall coming I new that the rains would be coming soon.  The other day it looked as if it was going to start to rain soon so I called on my husband to help me pick the many unripened tomatoes in our back yard.  The whole process took about two hours and now anywhere there is a window that gets sun in our house there are a bunch of tomatoes laying in front of it, just waiting for the chance to ripen.

The past couple of years I have had more green tomatoes than window space and so I have started to make green tomato chutney with the extras.  I usually do this with the cherry and smaller tomatoes because they require less chopping.

Green Tomato Chutney

1 3/4 lb tomatoes, cut into chunks

2 granny smith apples, cored and cut into chunks

1 cup sliced shallots

2 dried chillies, seeded and finely chopped

1 inch grated ginger

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup raisins

1 1/2 brown sugar

1 tbsp mustard seed

1 tsp ground cardamon

1/2 tsp all spice

1 orange zested

1. Mix together all the ingredients in a non-reactive pot.
2. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a low boil, stirring frequently for 45 minutes.
3. Pour into sterilized jars and process according to the size of your jar.

* this recipe makes about a 1 litre of chutney

Blueberry Basil Vinegar

I am always looking for new and inventive ways to use the different produce we grow at the farm.  Blueberries are one thing we have a lot of, especially since this year we added another 16 bushes to our collection as well as five more of the pink lemonade blueberries.  I already had a knew a lot of different ways to use them but I wanted to try something a little different.  I was very excited when I found a blog called Creating Nirvana because it has a lot of really great recipes that I look forward to trying.  This is one that I decided to start with.
It takes time because you have to allow it to sit for four weeks before canning it but I canned mine last night and it was definitely worth the wait!  I am looking forward to using it in salads all winter when I don't have fresh blueberries available to sprinkle on my salad.

Blueberry Basil Vinegar

4 cups blueberries

4 cups white wine vinegar

1 cup loosely packed basil

1 lemon, zested

1. In a large glass bowl, crush the blueberries.
2. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and stir to combine.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
4. Keep the bowl in a cool, dark place for 4 weeks.
5. Stir the contents every 2 or 3 days.
6. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the vinegar into a pot.
7. Heat the vinegar to 180 F.
8. Ladle into sterilized jars and leave 1/4 inch of head space.
9. Apply the lids and process in a hot water canner for 10 minutes.

***If you like you can add some fresh blueberries before you boil the vinegar.

***Makes about 2 pints.

Christmas Relish

Well right now I almost have more zucchinis than I care to deal with but I have lots of recipes I would like to try and only a limited amount of time when I have an ample supply of them from the garden.  When I found this recipe in my zucchini cook book I knew it was a perfect on for me to try because at Christmas I like to give my family home made gifts.  I am very happy with how it turned out and I am sure once I gift it I will get requests for more!  This is another great recipe of

Christmas Relish

12 cups grated zucchini

2 grated green peppers

2 chopped red peppers

4 cups coarsely chopped onion

1/3 cup pickling salt

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp celery seed

1 tbsp corn starch

1/2 tsp pepper

3 cups vinegar

4 1/2 cups sugar

Day 1

1. In a large bowl or pan mix together the prepared vegetables and pickling salt.  Let stand overnight.

Day 2

1. Drain the vegetables and rinse with cold water.
2. Mix together the rest of the ingredients into a large pot.
3. Add the vegetables and boil for 20 minutes.
4. Pour into sterilized jars and seal.

Zucchini Relish

Zucchinis are great and easy to grow as long as you don't have too many slugs around.  A problem some people face if finding enough different recipes to use them in, especially the monster baseball bat ones.  Last year I started making Zucchini Relish and I was not able to make enough of it to keep my family satisfied throughout the year.  Personally I am not a huge fan of relish in general unless it is on a hotdog or hamburger but my family will eat it will bread, crackers or cheese.  I hope you enjoy it as much as they do.

Zucchini Relish

4 stalks celery, chopped

10 cups grated zucchini

4 large onions, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1/2 cup pickling salt

3 cups vinegar

3 1/4 cups sugar

2 1/2 tbsp celery seed

2 1/2 tbsp mustard seed

2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tbsp corn starch

1/2 vinegar

Day 1

Combine the vegetables and pickling salt in a large stainless steel bowl or pan.  Let them sit overnight.

Day 2

1. Drain the vegetables and rinse them well.
2. In a large pot bring the vinegar (3 cups), sugar and seasonings to a boil.
3. Remove from heat and add the vegetables.  Let it stand for two hours.
4. Return to the stove and bring to a boil.  
5. Dissolve the cornstarch in vinegar (1/2 cup) and add it to the boiling mixture.  Allow everything to simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Spoon into sterilized jars and seal.
7. Process in a water bather for 20 minutes.

*** Makes about 15 half pints/500 mL jars

Strawberry Balsamic Black Pepper Jam

I love strawberry jam and when I came across this recipe last year I was very excited to try it.  I have use balsamic vinegar and black pepper to enhance the flavour on store bought strawberries before so I could only imagine what it would do for jam!  Last year I had a small strawberry harvest so I only made one batch.  Once it matured the jam went really fast.  I am happy that this year I have plenty of strawberries so I am making my second batch of the year tomorrow.
This jam goes great with fine cheeses, meats or on a nice pice of artisan bread.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Strawberry Balsamic Black Pepper Jam

4 heaping cups strawberries, washed, hulled and halved

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

 1/4-1 tsp black pepper corns, cracked

1. Place the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a non-reactive bowl.  Cover the bowl and allow the strawberries to macerate for about 24 horus.
2. Sterilize the jars and warm the lids.
3. In a wide, heavy bottomed pot bring the berry mixture to a full rolling boil that can not be stirred down.
4. Remove the strawberries with a slotted spoon and continue to boil until the liquid begins to thicken.  
5. Return the strawberries to the pot, and bring it back up to a boil.  Continue to boil, stirring frequently and skimming off any foam, until it reaches the setting point.
6. Add the vinegar and pepper to taste; a full teaspoon will make quite a hot flavour - even 1/4 tsp will give a good hint of pepper.
7. let the jam rest on low heat briefly and test to be certain it has reached the setting point, but be careful not to burn the jam.
8. Ladle into the sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch of head space, seal with warm lids and process for 10 minutes at a rolling boil.
9. Remove the lid and turn off the heat.  Allow the jars to sit in the hot water for another 5 minutes to cool down.

*** Let this jam age for at least a month before trying it to allow the flavours to really mature. 

Vanilla Blueberry Jam

I love the taste of vanilla and when I saw this recipe I thought I should try it.  You can always save the vanilla bean used in this recipe again if you rinse it and dry it.  It is always nice to put one in with white sugar to infuse the sugar with a bit of a vanilla flavour.
This jam turns out having a nice subtle hint of vanilla that is not too overpowering.

Vanilla Blueberry Jam

6 cups blueberries

3/4 cup water

3 tbsp lemon juice

1 vanilla bean

1 box powder pectin

6 cups sugar

1. Sterilize jars and warm lids.
2. In a thick bottomed wide pot crush the blueberries.  Add the water, lemon juice and vanilla bean. Bring to a boil.
3. Remove from heat, then add the pectin and stir in until completely dissolved in the fruit mixture.
4. Return to stove on low hear and simmer for five minutes.  Remove from hear, cover and let stand for 30 - 120 minutes (the longer the standing time the stronger the vanilla flavour).
5. Return to the stove and bring up to a boil.  Remove it from the heat and add the sugar.  Stir unit the sugar dissolves completely.
6. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring frequently until it reaches the setting point.  Skim off any foam.
7. Remove the vanilla bean and ladle into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace.  Seal with warm lids and process for appropriate amount of time depending on your jar size.

Lavender Apricot Jam

After all the success and requests I had for my Blueberry Lemon Lavender Jam I thought I would give this recipe a try.

Lavender Apricot Jam

4 cups finely chopped and pitted apricots

4 cups sugar

1/4 cup lavender flowers (dried or fresh)

1. In a bowl, alternate layering the apricots sugar and lavender.  Leave it to macerate over night.
2. Sterilize jars and warm the lids.
3. In a heavy bottomed pot, add the apricot, lavender and sugar mixture and bring to a boil.  Stir frequently.
4. Continue to boil, but keep the heat as low as possible, continually stirring until it reaches the setting point.
5. Ladle into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace.  Seal with war lids and process according to jar size.

*** It is best to wait a month for the flavours to really develop.

Blueberry Thyme Compote

This recipe is one of my mother-in-laws summer specialties!  It is one she had adapted from a recipe she found in a magazine years ago and she now wings it so each time it may be a little different but it tastes great.  She usually serves it with brie cheese that has been heated on the barbecue on top of a cedar plank.  The paring goes so well and is a wonderful appetizer on a hot summers day.
This is the basic recipe but feel free to experiment by adding different herbs and spices to the mix.

Blueberry Thyme Compote

4 cups blueberries
1 cup sugar

1 orange, zested and juiced

3 sprigs thyme

1. Combine the ingredients in a pot and boil together until it reachers the desired consistency.
2. Serve warm with your choice of cheeses and a bagette.

***You can always add extra blueberries in while you warm it up to serve.

Blueberry Lemon Lavender Jam

I first made this jam last year and it was a huge hit amongst everyone who tried it.  If you don't like lemons, lavender or blueberries this may not a jam for you but if you do, this is one you will love!  A couple of my friends have even asked if I can make them a whole batch for them to keep themselves.  They want/need to have more than just the jar they get a Christmas to last them the whole year.

This jam is one that takes two days to make but it is worth it.
On a side note, the first batch I made of this jam this year turned in to a bit of a disaster.  I made a mistake in not selecting a pot that would be big enough during the rolling boils stage for all the jam to fit.  The jam started boiling over the edge of the pot so I had to quickly remove it from the heat.  I didn't have a good grip and manage to spill some of the jam onto my arm and on the kitchen floor.  It got everywhere in the kitchen and burned half of my forearm.    I wasn't sure the best way to deal with the burn so I called my in-laws for advice (my mother-in-law is a retired nurse).  They were great because arrived at my house not too long after ready to help.  My mother-in-law went to work on examining and treating my arm and my father-in-law went straight to work on cleaning the mess I had made in the kitchen.  The kitchen was put back together in no time and I must thank my in-laws for a job well done!

Blueberry Lemon Lavender Jam

3 lemons

2 tbsp dried lavender

2 cups water

6 cups blueberries

6 cups sugar

Day 1:

1. Scrub the lemons in warm, soapy water to remove the wax, pesticides and or dirt from the peel.  Slice them as thinly as possible and then chop them into pieces.
2. Tie the lavender into a jelly bag or a piece of cheesecloth.
3. In a large, deep pot with a thick bottom, cover the lemons with the water and then add the lavender.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.  
4. Turn off the heat and let the  pan cool.  Cover and let stand overnight.

Day 2:

1. Sterilize jars and warm lids.
2. Add the blueberries to the lemon mixture and crush them with a potato masher or slotted spoon.
3. Add the sugar to the mixture, stirring until it completely dissolves.
4. Bring the mixture to a full, rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, and continue to boil until it reaches the setting point.  Remember lemons have lots of pectin and the gel stage may arrive rather suddenly.
5. Remove the lavender bag from the pot.
6. Ladle the jam into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 in of headspace.  Seal with warm lids and process for 10 minutes at a rolling boil.
7. Remove the canner lid, turn off the heat, and allow the jars to sit in the hot water for another 5 minutes to cool down.

Apricot Jam

I love the farmers market close to my family's farm the have great deals with wonderful local product.  I found a great deal on a case of apricots and I have been working my way through them.  With the maceration it is a two day process but the results are amazing!  I hope you enjoy this simple recipe.

Apricot Jam

Equal parts sugar and finely chopped apricots.

1. Layer the apricots and sugar and leave them to macerate overnight.
2. Sterilize jars and warm lids.
3. In a non-reactive pot, add the apricots and sugar.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
4. After about 15 minutes of boiling, continue to boil at a lower temperature on a lower heat.  Stir continuously until it reaches the setting point.
5. Ladle into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace.  Seal with warm lids and process for time appropriate based on the jar size.

Blueberry and Cherry Jam

Not only did I have a bunch of blueberries to use up this weekend but I also picked up a 20 lb box of cherries for an less than 50 cents a pounds so I had plenty to use up.  I was very excited to fined this recipe in one of my cook books because it meant I could use both cherries and blueberries in one recipe!
It was an easy enough recipe and the only real time consuming part was pitting all the cherries.  But the effort was worth it because the jam turned out beautifully.  It is one that you could use as a syrup if you heat it up and add a little water to it.

Blueberry and Cherry Jam

1 1/2 lbs sweet cherries 

3 cups blueberries

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 package powdered pectin

4 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1. Stem and pit the cherries.  Finely chop the cherries.  You may use a food processor or an hand blender to do this but be careful not to puree the fruit.  Place the chopped cherries in a large heavy bottomed pot.
2. Finely chop the blueberries in a food processor or with a hand blender.  Again be careful not to puree the berries.  Add to the cherry pot.
3. Stir in the lemon juice and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for 3 minutes, stir constantly.
4. Stir in pectin until it dissolves.  Bring it to a full boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
5. Add the sugar and stir the mixture to help the sugar dissolve.  Return to a full boil, stirring constantly and boil hard for 1 minute.
6. Remove from heat and skim off any foam.  Stir for 5 to 8 minutes to prevent floating fruit.
7. Ladle into sterilized jars to within 1/4 inch of the rim.  Wipe the rims before applying prepared lids and rings.
8. Process the jars in a boiling water canner for the appropriate time depending on the size of the jar.

Blueberry Syrup

There were an abundance of blueberries that needed to be used up at our house over the weekend and I did not mind in the slightest because I love blueberries and I have many recipes that I enjoy making with blueberries.  I ended up making four different types of blueberry preserves: Blueberry Thyme Compote, Blueberry Cherry Jam, Blueberry Lemon Lavender Jam and Blueberry Syrup.  Plus a couple of other recipes to help use up all the other produce I had.
On weekends my husband and I try to have a nice breakfast of pancakes or waffles as a special treat for working hard all week and to give us enough energy for while we are out at the farm.  It is always nice to have a berry syrup to put on top of them instead of regular old syrup.  This is a simple recipe that
does not take much time and makes a delicious syrup that you can use in many ways.

Blueberry Syrup

4 cups blueberries

2 tbsp vanilla

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tbsp cinnamon (optional)

2 cups water

1. Simmer 3 cups of the blueberries with the other ingredients until they reach the desired consistency.
2. Add the remaining blueberries into the pot and warm them briefly.
3. Can what you want and enjoy the rest on some fresh pancakes.

Thimbleberry Rosemary Syrup

Now as the salmon berry comes to an end, the thimbleberry season begins.  I must admit this year is the first year I have tried a thimble berry and I am sorry it took me so long to work up the courage to try them.  I actually prefer them to salmon berries and I am looking forward to experimenting with more recipes this summer while they are in season.
I tried this recipe first simply because it is just the beginning of the season and we do not have many bushes at the farm so I couldn't collect very many.  If you are going to be picking these berries to use in a recipe for the first time you should be aware that they do not keep very well so it is best to pick them the day you plan on using them.  As a heads up I should let you know that they will temporarily stain your fingers a bit too.
This syrup tastes wonderful and I look forward to using it in salad dressings and in marinades.

Thimbleberry Rosemary Syrup

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup water

1 cup thimble berries

1 lime, juiced

3 sprigs rosemary

1. In a small sauce pan bring the honey and water to a boil. Once it boils, add the berries and remove from the heat.
2. Add the lime juice and rosemary and let step for three to four hours (the longer you steep, the richer the flavour).
3. Strain.  If necessary push the berry mash against the strainer to release the liquid
4. Chill and serve.

***If you plan on canning this syrup, please follow safe canning guidelines.

*** I made this again last night but I didn't have enough thimble berries so I combined it with raspberries.  It tasted great!  I am sure it would be great with just raspberries as well.

Josta Berry Jam

A couple years ago I was looking through a local nursery at the end of a season and noticed a group of berry plants that were on clearance.   At the time I had never even heard of a josta berry before but the tag said that they were a cross between a goose berry and a black current.  I always love a good deal and I knew I wanted to put a bunch of different berries varieties in at the farm so I thought I might as well give them a try.  I am glad I did because I really enjoy the taste.  A unique thing about these berries is that you can start to eat them once they are a reddish colour and they taste more like a goose berry and by the time they are black they taste like a black current.  Last summer we ate them all before they even got to their full ripeness but this year we are trying to restrain ourselves a bit with a least a couple of the bushes.
Unfortunately, these wonderful berries are not commercially available because they are not suitable for machine picking.  If you want to try these berries you will have to get your own bush, find someone who has one, or if you are lucky you may be able to find them at a farmers market.
Josta berries make a great jam and jelly.  Like the current they have a high pectin content so it is just equal parts sugar and berries.  If you prefer a spread without skins and seeds I suggest you run it through a jelly bag.
If you would like more information about the josta berry click here.

Josta Berry Jam

equal parts josta berries and sugar

    (if you have 4 cups josta berries uses 4 cups of sugar)

1. Gently was the berries.
2. In a heavy bottomed pot heat the berries until they reach the boiling point.
3. Remove the pot from the heat and add the sugar,  gently stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
4. Return the mixture to the heat, bring it up to a rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.  Stir frequently as it continues to boil until it reaches the setting point.
5. Skim off any foam and ladle into serialized jars.  Leave 1/4 inch of headspace.  Seal with warm liquids and process for 10 minutes at a rolling boil for 250 mL jars and 15 minutes for 500 mL jars.

Raspberry Jam

Out of all the fancy jams that I have made and tried, I still think a simple raspberry jam is one of my favourites.  Raspberries always make me think of my childhood backyard in the summer.  We always had a raspberry patch and were to we could go outside and have some raspberries for dessert.

I enjoy making raspberry jam because it is so simple to make because of the high pectin that naturally occurs in raspberries.  When making raspberry jam I use a simple one to one ratio of raspberries and sugar.  This means I can adjust the size of the batch to the amount of raspberries I have available to me. I find this handy because I try to avoid buying berries to make jam so I only have to use what I pick out at the farm.

Raspberry Jam

equal parts raspberries and sugar

    (if you have 4 cups raspberries uses 4 cups of sugar)

1. Gently was the berries.
2. In a heavy bottomed pot heat the berries until they reach the boiling point.
3. Remove the pot from the heat and add the sugar,  gently stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
4. Return the mixture to the heat, bring it up to a rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.  Stir frequently as it continues to boil until it reaches the setting point.
5. Skim off any foam and ladle into serialized jars.  Leave 1/4 inch of headspace.  Seal with warm liquids and process for 10 minutes at a rolling boil for 250 mL jars and 15 minutes for 500 mL jars.

Strawberry Kiwi Jam

I love strawberries, the are one of my favourite fruits and I try to think of many ways to enjoy this fruit throughout the year.  Unfortunately we only have one deep freezer to store a years worth of berries in and we like most berries so I have to find other ways to preserve this fruit to enjoy throughout the year. One way I like to do this is by making different jams and I feel that variety is the spice of life so I like to try different recipes.  I have used a few recipes that combine with other fruit because I have not had a big harvest of strawberries yet this year so I haven't had enough to make a batch of plain strawberry jam.  I was happy to find this recipe because I love the strawberry and kiwi combination.

Strawberry Kiwi Jam

2 cups crushed strawberries

2 cups finely chopped kiwifruit (about 6)

1 package powdered pectin

3 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1. In a large, deep, heavy bottomed pot, combine the strawberries and kiwis.  Stir in the pectin until it has dissolved.  Bring to a full boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
2. Add the sugar and return to a full boil while stirring constantly to help dissolve the sugar.  Boil hard for on minute.
3. Remove from the heat and skim off any foam.  Stir for five to eight minutes to prevent floating fruit.
4. Ladle into sterilized jars to within 1/4 inch of rim; wipe rims.  Apply prepared lids an rings tighten to the rings until just fingertip-tight.
5. Process the jars in a boiling water canner for ten minutes.  Transfer the jars to a towel lined surface and let rest at room temperature until they have set.  Check the seals and refrigerate any unsealed jars for up to three weeks.

Strawberry Onion Jam with Balsamic Vinegar and Rosemary

I have only been jamming for about a year now but I am really enjoying it.  Last year I tried making a Balsamic Strawberry and Black Pepper Jam and it turned out wonderfully (I've lent the recipe book to a friend but I will post it once I get it back).  I saw this recipe and thought it was definitely worth a try.  One thing to remember with this type of jam is that the flavour really enhances in a couple of months, it is good fresh but if you are able to wait a bit you will taste a completely different wonderful jam.

Strawberry Onion Jam with Balsamic Vinegar and Rosemary

5 cups thinly sliced sweet onions (about 2 large onions)

1/3 cup water

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried)

2 1/2 cups finely chopped or mashed strawberries

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 package powder pectin

4 cups granulated sugar

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. In a Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot, combine the onions and water.  On medium to low heat simmer covered for about 10 minutes or until very soft.
2. Stir in garlic and rosemary; cook covered for 5 minutes, stirring often.  Stir in strawberries and vinegar.
3. Stir in pectin until dissolved.  Bring to full boil over high heat, stirring often.
4. Stir in sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Return to a full boil, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar.  Boil hard for 1 minute.
5. Remove from heat and skim off any foam.  Stir for 5 to 8 minutes to prevent floating fruit.
6. Ladle into sterilized jars to within 1/2 inch of rim; wipe rims.  Apply prepared lids and rings; tighten rings just until fingertip-tight.
7. Process jars in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes.  Transfer jars to a towel lined surface and let rest at room temperature until set.  Check seals; refrigerate any unsealed jars for up to 3 weeks.

*** Makes about five 8-ounce jars

Salmon Berry Jam

My dad has a farm that I go to regularly and my husband and I have taken over some land to have a vegetable garden.  This year has been slow and wet and so far we haven't had much of a chance to harvest much besides strawberries.  However, at the farm there is an abundant supply of salmonberries. These berries are nice and refreshing but you can only eat so many at a time.  I hate seeing perfectly good food go to waste so yesterday I decided to pick a bucket full to take home and try to find some way to make use of them.  Last year I started to make my own jams and I love how wonderful the flavour is and I prefer it to store bought jams.  I decided I might as well try to make some jam out of the berries and it turned out very well.  The ratio for this jam is 3 parts berries to 2 parts sugar.  I am hoping there will still be some berries next time I go out because I would like to make more of this one!