Kiwi Strawberry Daiquiri Jam

So by now you must be wondering what kind of crazy drunk lady I must be...

Well the truth is I don't drink, well not very often and never very much.

I just thought that cocktail inspired jams would make a great gift basket to donate to events I go to.

And now on with the show...

I began (as always) with the work of some one else, I mean really, why reinvent the wheel.

So I started with this recipe...

http://www.food.com/recipe/kiwi-strawberry-daiquiri-jam-227481

And here's what I ended up with as my recipe:

1 Cup kiwi peeled and crushed (I used about 6 large kiwi and put them in my food processor)

1 lb frozen strawberries crushed (thawed and put in food processor)

1 Cup pineapple juice

1/3 Cup lime juice

1/2 Cup rum ( I used the last of my Dragonberry Bacardi and the rest with pineapple rum)

throw it all in your jam pot, bring to boil

add one box pectin

boil

add 3 cups sugar

bring to that very special boil that will not go away (even when you stir it)

stir this for at least 1 minute

when it reaches your favorite jamming consistency (you can just the plate method or if you know what the bubbles should look like, or you just want to go for the 1 minute timer) then you remove from heat and fill your jars, and do your canning thing!

I hope you all enjoy this installment of jamming my butt off :)

Pina Colada Jam

As always I start with some one else's brilliant idea, but this time I don't have the link back to where it all began. :(

So here's my notes on my finished product.

3 Cups crushed pineapple - I used can to be easy about it, Dole 20 oz can (needed a little more than one can)

1 Cup crushed orange - I had one giant orange, disected it and put it in the food processor, I might used canned orange next time to see if it makes things easier (and cleaner)

the rind of one orange chopped - again my friend the food processor saved the day

1/2 cup coconut - the original recipe did not specify - liquid, flaked, ? I found this cool coconut product at the BevMo, try your local alcohol warehouse store in the mixers section

1 cup rum - I used pineapple, ( I must note this is MUCH more than the original recipe called for, but since the above mentioned coconut stuff was pretty thick, I figured more liquid couldn't hurt)

bring these ingredients to a boil,

add 1 box pectin

bring to a boil that will not stir down,

add 4 1/2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup honey

bring back to that pesky boil that will not stir down

keep stirring as it boils about 1 minute

remove from heat and process as usual with the jarring of the jam, etc.

Since this is now my 4th jam/jelly recipe in a month, I think I should take a minute to note this special tip:

after you are done with kitchen pots, pans, utensils etc that have jam all over them, soak them immediately. you really don't want to find these dirty dishes a day later with jam caked and dried on !!!

Appletini in Thyme Jam

Inspired by this drink

http://www.oprah.com/food/Apple-and-Thyme-Martini-Recipe

and my experience making this jam

http://seraphinasspread.blogspot.com/2012/03/mojito-jelly.html

I embarked on an adventure for yet another cocktail jam/jelly.

1 Cup water

1/2 Cup Vodka (green apple smirnoff is nice)

bunch of Thyme

put the first three ingredients in a pot, bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover and let cool 15-20 minutes

1 Cup Apple Juice

1 Cup diced apples

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 Cup apple liquer?

add the next ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil

1 box pectin

3 cups sugar

add the pectin, bring to a boil you can not stir down

add the sugar, bring back up to a boil, when you can't stir down the boil, stir for another 1 minute

remove from heat and process as you would any other jam/jelly

Mojito Jelly

I began with this recipe as my inspiration...

http://robbingpeter.wordpress.com/2010/04/22/mojito-mojo/

My version:

1 Cup water

1/2 Cup Pineapple Rum (it is what I had around)

bunch of mint (remove stems, tear leaves up a bit)

First three ingredients in a pot, bring to a boil, remove from heat and let cool 15+ minutes

1 Cup fresh squeezed lime juice (10-12 limes)

2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 Tablepoon additional rum (or more)

a few drops green food coloring

add next three ingredients bring to a boil that you can not stir down

1 box pectin

3 Cups sugar

add the pectin and bring back to a boil you can not stir down

add the sugar and bring back to a boil you can not stir down

continue stirring at this boil for 1 minute

remove from heat and follow your regular canning procedures

Bacon Jam

I've been in love with making jam and jelly since about October of 2011. (GWW to be exact)

I've loved onion jam, and savory blueberry jam as much as, if not more than strawberry margarita and dutch apple.

So my next jam adventure: BACON JAM

I began searching through recipe after recipe until I found one that I thought would agree with me.

http://www.food.com/recipe/bacon-jam-463068#ixzz1q4042wNN

I followed it almost entirely....

1 lb bacon, (cooked in the oven for about 20 minutes at 375) then chopped into pieces

4 garlic cloves minced

1/2 large yellow onion sliced

4 tablespoons brown sugar

a few dashes of chipotle Tabasco sauce (although many other recipes called for Siracha)

1 cup brewed coffee

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup maple syrup

and the extra water

I followed directions from the original recipe:

cooked the bacon

sauteed the onions and garlic

added back the cut up bacon - with the rest of the ingredients (minus the water)

simmered for the 2 hours, adding water along the way

I cooled the mixture and then added it to my food processor in two batches

...

but here is where I was perplexed....

1) this was a lot of effort and only a few tiny jars of "jam" would result

and

2) this was nothing like jam... no pectin... no sugar... no jamming process at all.

So I took this spread and added into to my favorite jam pot.

added in a splash more apple cider vinegar

a splash more balsamic vinegar

and 3 cups apple cider or apple juice

bring to boil

add pectin, stir, bring to boil

add sugar, stirring constantly until boils, continue 1 minute more

then do your jamming process as usual.

the taste testers in the house at the time of completion liked it, but mentioned it could stand to have a stronger bacon flavor...

things to consider....

a) I got rid of as much bacon grease as I could in the interest of healthy arteries... you could leave some in, or cook the onions in it as suggested in the recipe I started from.

b) use less apple cider (apple juice) and sugar in the final jamming cooking.

overall a nice first attempt and all 11 mini jars will be donated to the St Jude's tournament at Allied Gardens on 3/25/2012... but if it rains and the event is cancelled, they may find their way to another good cause near you!