Pretty as a Peach Preserves

I love the different seasons!  As much as I enjoy traveling to places like Cali or the beautiful coastal beaches,  I don't think I'd ever want to live there, because I would miss the change of the seasons too much.  I enjoy watching the trees go from bare to beautifully green, from the winter wonderlands to the lightening bug - glowing fields, the cozy hot chocolates and fireplace to the iced sweet tea and patio.  I enjoy it all!!!  I like to change my decor with the seasons and holidays and I'm the same way with my food.  As you all probably have picked up on already, I'm a very seasonal cook.  I love to prepare meals and desserts with ingredients that are fresh and in season right now!  Sure...I will do an occasional stew in the summer or indoor grilling in the winter, but for the most part I stay true to the season!  (Oh, and chocolate is always in season if you didn't already know!! ;)

Peaches...  

They just sing summertime!!!  Soft, ripe peaches that are so juicy they drip down your chin!  Yes....those are the best.  I'll never forget whenever I was growing up, one summer we lived in Florida.  There were fruit and vegetable stands almost everyday where we lived. So after leaving the pool or beach, Mom would stop and buy a few peaches for us to eat on the way home in the van. She would lay out beach towels on us to act as like a bib/napkin, and we'd eat those Georgia peaches like little piggies!  Mmm!!!  Those were the days...

This is was my first time to make peach preserves. Last year I made Strawberry Jam and everybody LOVED it!  (Apparently I didn't make nearly enough.) So I though I'd try out to my hand at peach this time.

Uh, yum!!!

This is a basic recipe that's simply delicious.  It will take you back to a farmhouse breakfast, like the kind like when you were a child.   

The color of the preserves is vibrant and  pretty, and it has just enough bits of fresh peaches.  I have eaten it with toast and biscuits already, but I can't wait to warm it up and pour it over some French toast or pound cake with whipped cream!

I encourage you to try making some jam or preserves this year with your favorite fruits.  If peaches are one of them, this is an easy recipe that I'm sure you'll love!

Pretty as a Peach Preserves

3 lb. peaches; mine were Georgia, (4 c. diced)

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

5 1/2 c. sugar

1 box Sure-gell

First off, you must prepare your jars and lids by sanitizing them.  I put them in the dishwasher in the "sanitize" setting. Or you can just wash them in hot water and dry them.

Bring a boiling water canner half full of water to simmer.

Pour boiling water over flat lids in a saucepan off the heat.  Let them stand in hot water until ready to use. 

Rinse off the peaches.  Place a few at a time in a in a large pot of boiling water for only 45 seconds.

Quickly take from the boiling water and place in a large bowl filled with ice water.

This allows the skin to peal off very easily.

Repeat with the rest of the peaches.

Using a small paring knife or your fingers, peel off the loosened skin.

Dice the 4 cups of peaches into a fine dice.  

I think I may have even diced them a bit smaller after taking this picture.

(Look at the pretty orange rainbow of colors!)

In a large dutch oven, dump in the peaches and stir in the lemon juice.  

Stir in box of pectin into fruit.  Add 1/4 tsp. butter, if desired, to reduce foam.  (I did this.)

Bring to a full rolling boil on high heat, while stirring constantly.

Stir in sugar quickly, and return to a full rolling boil and boil for 1 minute exactly, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and skim off foam.

Ladle quickly into jars, filling up to 1/8 in. from the top.

 

Wipe jars lids and threads.  Cover with two piece lids and screw bands.  Carefully place jars in canner.  Water must cover jars 1 to 2 inches.  Add boiling water if needed.  Bring water to a gentle boil.  Process for 10 minutes.  Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely.

Wait for the lids to "pop!" signifying that your preserves have been properly sealed!!  I get so excited to here them pop, because I know I've done everything right!

If one doesn't though, you can refrigerate it for up to 3 wks.

Makes 7 cups.

(It made 5- 1 pints and 5- 1/2 pints for me.)

I love the sweet, country fabric I found to dress them up in!  The ribbon polishes them up for gifts!

I'm linking up with:

Perfect Morning for Heartwarming Raspberry & Hazelnut Oatmeal

     I love waking up to a beautiful morning, like this one, especially when I'm off work!  Yes, I usually blog on my days off.  It's just a fun hobby that I look forward to doing whenever I have the time!  It's a brisk 55 degrees outside and everything is thoroughly saturated from the drenching downpour of rain we got yesterday and all night. (I have to remember that April showers bring pretty May flowers!) I can't wait to see how big my iris sprouts have gotten after all that rain!

     This morning, I was craving something comforting and satisfying for breakfast.  What better than a creamy bowl of old fashioned oatmeal to slowly wake up!  There is just something about a hot breakfast that stays with you all day.  Besides the fact, the toppings for it are so fun to add!

I cooked -my favorite- old fashioned oats in skim milk instead of water for an extra creamy consistency.  That way I don't feel the need to put in any butter.  (Although it would be very yummy, it's an easy way for me to cut back for bathing suit season!)  I added in some of my new Trader Joe's Less-Sugar Raspberry Jam, chopped hazelnuts, a couple swirls of honey and some ground cinnamon to round off my oatmeal breakfast.

I stirred it all together in the pan I cooked it in, and serve it in a dainty lotus cup with some extra jam on top! Oatmeal for one :)

So pretty and delicious!

Here's a bite for you!

See the sweet, little bunny with carrots in background?  They are my new salt and pepper shakers!

My parents surprised me with that little gift just a couple of days ago, when they came for a visit!  I love the vintage looking colors and glaze of the bunny and carrots!

He's just the cutest thing....Peter Rabbit...as we call him!  Mom used to read that story to me as a child. Since then, I have always loved bunnies!

Hope you all have a blessed morning and also cherish even the small things that have been given to you! 

I'm linking to:

Savvy Southern Style's Wow Us Wednesday!

&

Peak of Perfection Strawberry Jam

"With jam and bread, with jam and bread!"  Maria sings out with the children during the climax of "Do Re Mi" in one of my favorite movies of all time, "The Sound of Music".  Yes, I'm a bit obsessed with musicals and at times burst into song--a lot, actually.  What better to sing about then homemade sweet strawberry jam that has been freshly preserved in your own kitchen?  What's not to love about the beautiful jewel toned color of the ripest crushed strawberries that are cooked down with sugar until it becomes the lovliest jam to have ever been spread on a hot biscuit or flakey croissant?!  No wonder it's such a favorite not only in my home, but in about every Southern kitchen alike!  This strawberry jam recipe is simple but  perfectly sweet and one anybody would love to receive as a gift with some freshly baked bread...just as Maria sings about!

This was actually the first time I attempted to make jam, and I was fully prepared to fail on the first try. This summer I've been blessed to be able to take a break from work, so I decided set aside the time to do this old fashioned tradition of (made from scratch) canning; and I was very pleasantly surprised.   This recipe comes from my good 'ole faithful Better Homes and Gardens cookbook that my mom gave me when I got married, and if you follow the direction I think it's no-fail.  So, if you find the time to make this deliciously summer jam I hope that you try this recipe and share with others.  Get ready to make a lot, because it will be best loved!  Strawberry jam will surely be a new tradition in my home every summer!

A few tips:
* First, I did a rough chop on the (peak of perfection-ripe) strawberries.  The recipe doesn't say to do this, but it made the mashing easier for me. Unless, of course you have tiny ripe strawberries.Then you can take a potato masher or pastry blender and crush the strawberries.
*I really timed the cooking as it says so that it would not be too thick.  Don't worry if it seems too runny while pouring into the jars, because the jam will thicken as it cools.
*I made sure that my jars were very thoroughly sterlized in the boiling water and completely immersed.  Lids, as well.  I was so happy to quickly hear each one of the "pops" that come from the jar's lids sealing into place.  It was so rewarding that I think I actually jumped up and down!  Like I said I didn't think my first batch would turn out, but I think
the Lord helped me out.

Strawberry Jam
2 Quarts fresh strawberries, hulled
1- 1 3/4 oz. package of regular powdered fruit pectin
1/2 tsp.butter (this just helps minimize the foam--can't taste it)
7 c. sugar

Place 1 cup of berries in an 8 quart heavy kettle.  Crush berries (see picture).  Continue adding berries and crushing until you have 5 cups of crushed berries.  Stir in pectin and butter.  Heat on high, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full rolling boil (see picture). Add sugar all at once.  Return to boiling; boil one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; quickly skim off foam with a metal spoon.  Ladle into hot, sterilized half pint canning jars, leaving a 1/4 in. headspace.  Wipe jar rims; adjust lids.  Process in a boiling water canner for 5 minutes (start timing when water returns to boil).  Remove jars; and wait to hear the seal "pop" into place. Tighten the lids all the way, and cool on racks.

Christmas Linzer Cookies

Christmas is a time for baking, giving, sharing good food and company along side the twinkling Christmas tree and a cozy fire. Welcoming friends and family into our home around the holidays especially means alot to my husband and I, so last year we decided to start a new tradition.  (Traditions are very important in my family, so I am excited to start one to include friends, as well.) A couple of weeks ago Heath and I hosted our 2nd Annual Cookies and Cocoa with the Cates' party! Christmas is my favorite time of the year, and always has been as a child, and so it only makes sense to throw a Christmas party with some of my favorite Christmas treats!  These Linzer cookies are a new addition to my holiday cookie collection, and I was surprised at how wonderfully delicious and beautiful these small confections were.  You can make these cut out hazelnut-spiced cookies in any shape, but I chose Christmas trees.  I thought the dusting of the powdered sugar would make them look like little snow capped evergreens, almost too cute to eat.  (Not quite!)

You may find other yummy recipes for these cookies that call for other nuts such as almonds, but I was drawn to the hazelnuts.  I have never baked with hazelnuts before and was drawn to their Dickens-esque quality and fragrance when roasted that makes you  wish you were in the snowy streets of 19th century London.  I am sure that I made the right decision, because these cookies couldn't be better!  As with any roll-out and cut cookies they are time consuming with the chilling the dough and after baking spreading the jam and dusting with sugar....but honestly I completely enjoying every step.  It's almost relaxing to me to get in the routine of something as simple as spreading delicious, sweet jam and then later letting the powdered sugar "snow" down on the finished cookie.  The  fact that each batch of cookies only take 4-5 minutes to bake was great, so the baking itself wasn't long at all!
These jewel toned, buttery, Christmas Linzer Cookies lit up the table and everyone just loved them!

*Tip- Though the original recipe calls for seedless raspberry jam, I used one with seeds and just loved the look of the tiny black seeds in the red jam.  They will not get in your teeth, and it tastes just the same.
       - About the baking sheets, I like to use a shiny metal or non stick cookie sheet the best, but when using a dark baking sheet, put parchment paper on the sheet first so the cookies with bake more evenly and not brown the bottoms too much in the oven.


3/4 c. hazelnuts
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 sp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 c. butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
powdered sugar
1/2 cup raspberry jam

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread hazelnuts in ungreased shallow baking pan.  Bake uncovered about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Rub nuts in a kitchen towel to remove loose skins (some may not some off); cool 5-10 minutes. Turn off oven.

2.In a food processor bowl with metal blade, place nuts and 1/4 c.of the brown sugar.  Cover; process with about 10 on and off pulses, until nuts are finely ground but not oily.  I used a blender, and it worked well.

3. In a small bowl, mix flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside.

4.In a large bowl,beat butter and remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar with mixer on medium speed about 3 minutes 'til smooth.  Add nut mixture; beat about 1 minute or until mixed. Beat egg and vanilla.  With spoon, stir in flour mixture about 1 minute just until blended.  Shape dough into 2 balls and flatten each ball into a disk. Wrap separately in plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 2 hours or until firm.

5.Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Take out one of the dough disk and on a well floured surface roll the dough with a floured rolling pin until about 1/8 inch thick.  Cute with about a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter.  On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts about 1 inch apart.

6.Roll and cut other half of dough.  Using a 1 inch square or round cutter, cut out the center of half the cookies.  Reroll dough centers and cut out more cookies.

7.Bake 4-5 minutes or until the edges are light golden brown.  Remove the cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool about 10 minutes.

8. Dust powdered sugar over cookies with center cutouts.  Spread about 1 tsp. of the jam over bottom side of each cookies. Top with a cut-out cookie.  Cool completely, about 1 hour.