Eat This: Fresh Blueberry Jam

Hello.  My name is Marc and I am a canning and preserving addict.  

I admit it.  Don't want to change it. Enjoy doing it and sharing with friends and neighbors.  Today I made fresh blueberry jam.  The blueberries came from a local farm here in North Texas and bought at the local Farmer's Market.  I water processed the results and it turned out great!  Next time I think I will do some spicy version, maybe a Jalapeño or other pepper infused variety.

Eat This: Oatmeal & Fruit Bars

Raspberry Preserve Bars

Ingredients

1/2 Cup (1 stick) butter softened (but not melted)
1 Cup packed brown sugar (I use light brown)
1 Cup All purpose flour (I use unbleached)
1 Cup Rolled Oats (I use Quaker Oats Quick Oats)
1 Tsp. Flavored Extract (I used Almond, but you can use Lemon or vanilla, etc.)
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
3/4 Cup Fruit - Jam, Marmalade, Preserves, Curd (Lemon or Lime Curd is AWESOME)
      (don't use jelly because it gets way too runny)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  The first time I did this I set the oven to 400 and, well, not so good. Lightly spray one 8 inch square pan (I use glass because it really seems to work well and it cleans up better) with no-stick cooking spray or use butter (even better);

I use a stand mixer, not required, but it really makes life easier.  So in the bowl of the mixer, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until it is light and fluffy and then quickly add in the extract;

Add the flour, baking powder and oatsl to the butter and sugar and mix until it is a "pea sized"  crumbly mixture.;

Reserve 1/2 Cup of the crumb mixture for the top; gently pat the remainder of the mixture into the prepared pan;

Spread the fruit (This time I used raspberry preserves)almost to the edge. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture over the top;

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven - check it at 30 minutes and if your oven is like mine, pu tit back for 5 (..or until lightly browned.) 

Allow to cool completely before cutting into bar or square shapes.  This recipe yielded 12 bars for me.  I like them cold, but easiest to cut at room temp.  Enjoy.

Eat Fresh: Peach and Raspberry Cobbler

This is my favorite time of year: peaches are abundant. So many types, sizes, colors.  But nothing beats a Georgia peach for sweetness an texture.  I like a little bit of a twist on classic peach cobbler - it's just sometimes called for!  Kick it up a bit, make it a little better, whatever works, just do it (with all due respect to Nike.)  This recipe I adapted from Paula Deen the Butter Queen. I reduced the amount of butter and sugar and added a little kick with Chipotle powder and cinnamon in the peaches as they cook and added cinnamon and ground ginger to the batter.  I also opted to put in a pint of fresh, beautiful raspberries.  Tart. Textural. Delicious.  The aroma as it cooks is unbelievable.

Ingredients

• 4 cups peeled, sliced peaches (I dice them into 3/4" dice)
• 1 pint fresh raspberries (or blueberries, or blackberries... see where I am going?)
• 1 cup light brown sugar, divided
• 1/3 cup water
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 Teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Chipotle powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the peaches, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, and water in a saucepan with 1 tablespoon cinnamon and the Chipotle. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt. I use a covered casserole because it makes it easier to store when finished.

Mix remaining sugar, flour, cinnamon and milk, whisking slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.  This is the result:

You can also opt to do the batter on top (as I did in a previous post).  Just do what makes you happy.  this crust is very "cakelike".  I like to turn all the fruit mixture and then serve. To serve, scoop into a bowl and serve with your choice of toppings, or go completely naked and enjoy it as is.

You can also add a pint of any type of fresh berries when you spoon the peaches into the batter and it really turns out equally well each time.  ENJOY!