Chocolate Cherry Jam

I bought some cherries when they were on sale last week. Ive been nibbling them on and off. But somehow I never finish a bag and I hated to waste them. My bf doesn't like cherries. I finally got around to pitting them tho and wasn't sure what to do with them. I was going to just freeze them and maybe use them for jam later on. But then I remembered seeing a chocolate/cherry type jam somewhere online. I couldn't find it so I decided to make my own with what I had. I was completely out of pectin tho  and wasn't going to the store just for that. Jam doesn't need pectin of course but I like to use low/no sugar pectin because I try to reduce the amt. of sugar I eat. I often have it with my yogurt in the mornings.

But jam can just have sugar and be cooked down till thickened, that's the old fashioned way. Cherries are low acid fruit too so I knew I needed to add lemon juice. And I had cocoa powder here so I figured I had all I needed to make this. I got 3 half pts from this amt. I decided to can small jars since I'm the only one that would eat it. And I thought this would be heavenly on ice cream. I was right. I left the cherries whole which I love but next time I make this I think Ill chop them up just a bit. This way they would be spread more evenly thru the rest of it. But I really liked this and may make more just to keep on hand throughout the yr.

Chocolate Cherry Jam  Made 3 half pts.

2 1/2 c. pitted cherries
2 tb. lemon juice
1 3/4c. sugar
1/4c. Ghiardelli cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla

 I first pitted the cherries. I have a cherry pitter but it squirts juice and makes a mess so I tried a new way that I saw online. It works great. You get a narrow necked bottle like a beer bottle, one small enough that the cherry wont fall in and a chopstick. Put the cherry on top of the open empty bottle and stick the chopstick thru it. It should push the pit right out and into the bottle. (how cool is that, all the pits contained so you can just toss it out). It goes pretty fast and makes minimal mess.

 Put the cherries and lemon juice into a pot and bring to a boil. Add the sugar and cook for about 20min. It should start to be getting thick. 

 Once it starts to get thick, add the cocoa powder and stir well to dissolve in the mix. Let cook another 10-15min. till as thick as you would like. Remember it will get thicker as it cools. Stir in the vanilla. 

Pour into jars and water bath, 10min. 

Blackberry Brown Sugar Jam

 

I'm trying to use up the things I stored in the freezer last yr. I ran out of time to make all the jams. Before the holidays hit. And so I found two huge bags of blackberries in there plus some smaller ones with the wild berries from my yard. I decided to make some jam. As you can see I stirred some into my morning yogurt and it was delish.

I decided to use a bit of brown sugar. I read you don't use it unless your canning dessert sauces. I thought that was nonsense  since I use organic sugar. Organic isn't as white because it has some of the molasses still attached, just not as much as brown sugar. And I know that it will make a richer flavor. So I only used 1c. to add flavor but not overwhelm the blackberries. Its excellent.  So this is my version of blackberry jam, low sugar version of course. 

 Blackberry Brown Sugar Jam Makes 8pts.

3 qts. blackberries
1c. brown sugar
1 c. water

Mix these together in a lg. shallow pot and cook till soft. The berries I had, I bought last yr and they had no seeds. I did however mix in some from my yard which had a few seeds. But since it was mostly seedless, I canned it like it is. You can however, strain out the seeds using a food mill. So base your fruit measurement on that. I would add a cup or two more of berries if they are seedy since you will lose some of the bulk.

Juice of 1 lemon
6 tb. of low sugar pectin

Add the strained pulp back to the pan if you did that. Add the juice of one lemon and bring it to a boil. Stir in the pectin quickly with a whisk and bring it to a hard boil for 2 min. A hard boil is one you cannot stir down. 

2 c.organic sugar

Add the sugar. Stir well and bring back to the boil. Let it do a hard boil for 3min.  Pour into prepared pt. jars and water bath can for 10 min. Shut off heat and let sit in water for 5 more min.  Remove to a towel on the counter and let cool. Check seals once cool.

Berry Potpourri Preserves

I had some strawberries left from making the other jam. I decided since I have other frozen berries I needed to use up, to make a mixed berry combo this time. I added frozen raspberries, blueberries and blackberries that I picked last summer from my woods here. It turned out heavenly.

 Berry Potpourri Preserves Makes 5 pt. jars

2 qts. mixed berries (strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, blueberry or whatever you have on hand) frozen can be used too
Juice of 1 lemon if you use blueberries
1/2c. of Marion berry balsamic vinegar or plain balsamic*
6 Tb. low sugar pectin
2c. organic sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla

You can use any mix of berries you like. My mix for this recipe was about half strawberries (washed and hulled) to use up the flat I bought and the rest was from blackberries, raspberries and blueberries I had frozen in my freezer. If you use blueberries tho they are low acid so I added the lemon juice just to be sure. I do not cut these up. Strawberries are hulled but otherwise fruit is whole.

Put fruit in a lg. pot and turn heat on high. Add lemon juice and balsamic vinegar and stir. Add cinnamon and stir.  Add pectin and blend well. Bring to hard boil. A hard boil is one that cannot be stirred down. Watch carefully and keep stirring so berries don't burn. If some berries are still very lg. after the first boil you can break them apart with the spoon if you like.

 Add sugar and stir in well. Bring to a hard boil and let boil for 1min. Add vanilla and cook 1 min. more. Remove from heat, fill jars and can in water bath canner for 10min.

I wash all my jars and put the lids in a pot of boiling water. To keep jars warm while making jam, I heat my oven to 200 degrees. Jars get put on sheet pans and put in oven. You want warm jars with hot food or the jars may break. When all is ready fill jars to within a half in. of rim. Wipe edges well to get a good seal and top with lids. Put in water bath canner.

Water should be boiling, start timing from point of boil, 10 min. Shut heat off and let jars sit in canner 5min. This helps create a good seal. Remove and let cool.

*I have found at a local farmers market, someone who makes fruit flavored balsamic vinegars. I am madly in love with Marion berries since I moved here. This vendor has a Marion berry balsamic that Ive been dying to use somewhere. I thought it would add one more berry flavor to the mix. But I could see a fig balsamic or any other kind you may like adding another flavor to this too. But even a plain balsamic would be nice.

Strawberry Balsamic Jam w/Lemon Thyme

The other day I was able to get a flat of fresh local strawberries. My boyfriends dad told me they are there several times a week. When I got there they were just loading up the tables. They had two kinds of berries.....Puget sound and Hood river. Since I was making jam I asked about which would be better. Apparently the Hood river makes a too sweet jam, who would think that? They are best for eating fresh. So  I bought the other. That photo is the berries hulled and ready for jam.

Strawberry Balsamic Jam w/Lemon Thyme Makes 12 half pts.

8c. of ripe strawberries
1/4c. balsamic vinegar
1/3c. water
6 tb. of low sugar pectin
2c. organic sugar
1 tb. of fresh chopped lemon thyme leaves only

Wash and hull strawberries. Roughly chop in food processor 7c. of berries and put in a lg. pot. Leave last cup of berries whole and toss in pot too. This is so there is a variety of texture. I like pieces of berries in mine. If you don't, then chop it all. 

Add balsamic vinegar and water. Turn heat to high. Stir in pectin and bring to a hard boil. A hard boil is one you cannot stir down. Watch carefully and keep stirring so berries don't burn. 

When you have reached the hard boil stage, add the sugar and bring to a boil once again. Let boil for 1min.

 Add lemon thyme and remove from heat. Water bath can for 10 min.

I wash all my jars and put the lids in a pot of boiling water. To keep jars warm while making jam, I heat my oven to 200 degrees. Jars get put on sheet pans and put in oven. You want warm jars with hot food or the jars may break. When all is ready fill jars to within a half in. of rim. Wipe edges well to get a good seal and top with lids. Put in water bath canner.

Water should be boiling, start timing from point of boil, 10 min. Shut heat off and let jars sit in canner 5min. This helps create a good seal. Remove and let cool.

*I often use my jams to add to my morning yogurt. I did it this morning with this jam and its awesome. It tastes like I put fresh berries in it. I purposely keep my jams low sugar when I can, to use like this.

Also I only added 1tb. of fresh lemon thyme leaves. I didn't want to overwhelm it with too much. However next time I think I will double it because lemon thyme is more mellow and I can barely detect it in this jam.

Honey Pear Conserve & the evolution of a recipe

Ive been canning like crazy. I don't know why. I haven't done it in yrs. But I know there's lots of berries and stuff up here and I planned with the move here to take advantage of it all. And so I'm doing all sorts of things. I canned peaches the other day in a light syrup. The recipe I found it at tho had another for peach honey. You save the peels for that. Well I had to make pickles too and just didn't have time to make the peach honey. I almost tossed the peels then I thought....freeze them till I need it. Duh!

And then I had 5lbs of pears to process. Ive waited the last few days for them to get really ripe, they were like rocks when I bought them. And so I thought......well I could make pear honey! Then I thought maybe I should use honey instead of sugar. And so in my search to see if it could be done and if it was good... I found this recipe...

http://www.foodnetwork.co.uk/recipes/honey-pear-preserves-with-ginger-ru298348.html

But I post all this to show you the evolution of a recipe. I just cant leave things alone. Guess that's why I'm a chef. And so now Ill post my version of that recipe.

So it went from peach honey to pear honey to honey pear preserves with ginger to finally Honey Pear Conserve.

Honey Pear Conserve Makes 16 half pts.

5lbs of pears
2 1/2c honey
1 lemon, finely chopped (whole lemon) (seeds removed)
2 in. piece of peeled ginger root
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 box Ball No Sugar Pectin
1/2c. lightly toasted pine nuts

Peel and core pears and chop into chunks. Sprinkle with Fruit Fresh or Vit. C and toss to keep from turning brown.  

Add honey to pears and mix. 

Chop nubby ends off lemon and toss. Chop whole lemon, finely and make sure all seeds are removed. Put in pear/honey mixture. Let sit overnight.

Next day put mixture in lg. pot and put in ginger. Cook 15-20min. I taste tested this as it went along. At the beginning it reminded me too much of Honey lemon cough drops. While I like that flavor .....not for my jam. yuck. I decided instead of adding the ginger to the jars to steep, I would cook it with the jam. This way I could control just how much ginger flavor I wanted. I suggest you do the same.

I found the flavors do blend and taste better and when it hits the level of ginger you like, remove the piece. Then add 1/4 tsp. vanilla or a bit more if you like. I found it took some of the bite out of the ginger.

Get water bath canner ready and wash jars. Put lids in a pan to boil and stay hot. I like to heat my oven to 200 degrees once the jars are hot and clean so they stay hot. Once the canner is ready, put pot of jam back on stove. Whisk in one box of the pectin and cook and stir till its beginning to thicken......then for 3min. more.  

 I can never leave things alone,,,this flavor reminded me of something Italian I had long ago so I thought why not pine nuts?  So I took some out raw and tasted it and they weren't bad but I thought toasted might be richer. So I put them in a fry pan and toasted lightly. Be careful not to do too much to them. I did taste a couple of nuts that got browner than I wanted and it over powered the delicate flavors. Toss them into the jam and stir. 

Fill jars and leave a half in. space. Wipe jar edges and put on lids and seal. Process in water bath for 10min. Remove and let cool, check seals. 

Apples, apples, apples.....

I picked apples last week at my in-laws and came home with 10gal. of them. With 1/4 I made this apple sauce. These apples were either not ripe enough or a different kind of apple. They don't do well on heat, they fall apart and.......they get really thick. So I have to assume they are loaded with pectin. That's ok. But I really wanted to put some up as pie filling. I wont with these tho. But they made a great tasting applesauce. I kept adding unfiltered organic apple juice but they just kept absorbing it. I finally came out with what you see up there. And its nice and thick. I just added a bit of sugar and some cinnamon. I think Ill either make more of this or some apple butter with whats still in the garage. 

Sunday I went to the farmers market and bought a half flat of blackberries. The ones in my yard are still lil green things and most likely the critters will get to those before I can. They ate everything else out there already. So the other day I made Plum/Blackberry/Ginger Jam and today I made Blackberry Apple Jam. Here's that recipe. 

 Blackberry Apple Jam Makes 7pts.

3lb. apples
4pts blackberries
2c. organic sugar
3c. organic unfiltered apple juice
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Juice of one lemon
1 box Ball No sugar pectin
1c. organic sugar

Check apples for soft spots and cut out, then quarter. Toss with about 2 tsp. Fruit Fresh or ascorbic acid and apple juice.Toss all fruit in a lg. pot with the 2c. sugar and mix well to coat. Let stand overnight to macerate.

Next day cook till fruit is hot and apples are breaking down. 20min or so. Take off heat and let cool enough to handle. Run mixture thru a food mill to remove all seeds, skins etc. Measure fruit puree. I got about 12c.

 Place in lg. pot and add vanilla, cinnamon and juice of one lemon. Bring to a boil. Stir in pectin mixed with 1c of sugar. Whisk till dissolved. Boil for 3 min. Mixture should start to thicken a bit. I start the water bath canner while I'm doing all this and bring it to a boil, then lower at a simmer till ready to use it. Then can and water bath for 10min. I start counting once the water bath canner is boiling after the jars are in.

This mixture was very thick to start with. I only added a box of pectin to thicken it more for jam. I do believe it may be the apples I used. They were from my in-laws tree and I think many were not very ripe yet. Or perhaps its just the kind of apple they are. My applesauce thickened easily without much cooking, so perhaps its the apples I used. If you find that its very watery when you do yours, either cook down a bit more and add the one box ...........or add two boxes to be sure.

I always end up with a little bit more than will fit in the jars no matter how many I make. I think I have about a cup left so Ill just refrigerate that.

Plum/Blackberry/Ginger Jam

I got a half flat of blackberries the other day at the farmers market. I was going to make a big batch of Blackberry Apple Jam. I also bought a bunch of plums on sale the day before. I decided to try something different.

I thought plums and blackberries might be a nice combo and they were but they were a bit tart too. So I added some spice to mellow it. And even tho I added apple juice, I thought a touch of orange would help also. And then I used fresh grated ginger root. 

It turned out delicious. My bf tasted it and says its good, very good! I still have blackberries left tho so tomorrow it will be Blackberry Apple jam.

Plum Blackberry Ginger jam Makes 5 pts.

2qts mix of cut up plums, pitted and quartered and blackberries, about  half and half
1c. organic sugar
1c. organic unfiltered apple juice
1c. orange juice
2tb. fresh grated ginger root
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg, freshly grated
Juice of one lemon
1/2 tsp. butter
2 boxes of Ball No Sugar Pectin
1 c.organic sugar

Put all fruit in lg. pot. Add next 6 ingredients. Cook for 10-15 min. till plums are tender and beginning to fall apart.  

Cool a bit then put the mixture thru a food mill to get all seeds and skins out. You will get a lot more pits and such than you think you should but its ok.

You should have 8c. of fruit mixture. Put back in pot and add lemon juice and butter. Bring to a simmer. The butter is to keep the foam down when boiling.

Mix the pectin mix with the extra 1c. sugar. This is very tart so you do need some sugar. But I like using this because I can use a lot less and still get a nice product.

Once the fruit is simmering, whisk in the pectin/sugar mixture. Bring to a boil. Then boil for 3min. It will begin to thicken some when boiling but will finish once it cools. 

Fill hot jars with hot jam. Wipe rims and seal. Water bath can for 10 min. 

Let cool and make sure seals are popped. If not sealed refrigerate to use that one first.

Gooseberry Ginger Freezer Jam

 I turned these.......a bag of gooseberries I got at the farmers market Sunday.....

Into this........several freeze containers of delicious Gooseberry Ginger Jam. The berries I got are not the usual green gooseberries, these were red. This jam was an experiment that's why I made it as a freezer jam first. Its delicious tho, tangy, and sweet, thickens quickly when cooling.  

Gooseberry Ginger Freezer Jam

4 1/2c. gooseberries, stems and blossom ends removed
1c. honey
1 1/2c. organic sugar
1 chunk peeled fresh ginger, about 1-2 in. long
2tb. lemon juice
1c. organic unfiltered apple juice
1tsp. butter
1 pkg. Ball no sugar needed fruit pectin

Put gooseberries, ginger, honey, 1c. of the sugar, lemon juice and apple juice in lg. pan. Bring to a boil, then simmer till berries are soft, add butter if starting to foam.

Mix remaining 1/2c. sugar with the pkg. of pectin. Stir well.  When fruit is at the texture and taste that you want, whisk in sugar/pectin mixture. Cook 3min. more. Jam will thicken a bit and get clearer.  Remove ginger chunk before putting in containers.

Pour into freezer jam plastic containers and seal. Let cool, label then put in freezer. This made 5 (80z.) freezer containers full plus  tiny bit which I promptly ate! 

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Ive been wandering all over and seeing so many recipes combining both strawberry and rhubarb. Now I love them both and thought, gosh I haven't made jam in a long time. So I went shopping this week and the store had a good sale on organic strawberries. I bought those and decided to get some rhubarb too since it looked pretty good. I bought some canning stuff last yr. and never got around to canning so I dragged all the stuff out. I wandered online to my recipe files. I thought I had a recipe for it. .........the one I see says pectin is needed. Sigh.

I don't know if I have that and it was 106 outside and I wasn't going to the store in that. I checked my supplies and hey I bought some pectin last yr! It was liquid pectin tho. The recipes are calling for powdered pectin. Since I never used the liquid before I checked online. Sigh.

Now I find out they are not interchangeable. So I stroll online more looking for recipes that use it. Why do they make this stuff if there are no recipes using it? Sigh.

So now I start looking for equivalents thinking there must be a way I can still use this. I found some weird thing about jam that didn't gel and how much to use per cup of cooked jam mixture. So I used that. I ended up using the whole pkg. just in case. The measurement was 1 1/2tsp. per 1c. jam mix. I had a bit more than I needed in that pouch and I knew Id never save it so I just dumped it all in. According to my measurements it needed 15tsp. and there were 18 in the pouch. What the heck a few more couldn't matter right? I want it to gel, right? So here's my recipe and what I did and lots of pictures. Hopefully it will inspire you to try.

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB JAM Makes 8 pts.

3c. sliced strawberries
2c. rhubarb, diced
5-7c. sugar (I thought this excessive so I only used 5c., recipe says you can do that)
1pkg. liquid fruit pectin
1 tsp. butter (helps keep the foam down)
1 lemon, juiced and about 1tsp. grated rind

Let jars, rims and lids stand in hot water until they are needed. Then drain and fill with the following.

Chop rhubarb and put in 8qt. pot with 1c. of the sugar. (Rhubarb is alot like celery and has strings. You must destring it first, then chop) Let stand for about an hr. till it has lots of juice in the pan. In the meantime cut up the strawberries and put in a bowl. Add lemon juice and about a tsp. of the grated rind. Add 1c. of the above sugar to it also and let stand till juicy.

Cook rhubarb for a few min. till tender, then add strawberries. Add the remaining 3c. sugar. Add butter and continue cooking till strawberries are tender. Mash if needed while cooking.

Add fruit pectin and stir well. Bring to a full boil and if some foam appears try to remove as much as you can. There should be less because of the added butter. After a min. of boiling remove from heat.

Fill jars by ladling hot jam into the hot jars, leaving a space of about 1/2in. from top. Wipe edges and top with rims and seals. Tighten as much as possible. Invert jars for 5min. then turn upright. Let sit for 24hrs before serving.
These can be canned in a water bath canner if you prefer. Put in canner and when it comes to a boil, boil for 5min. and let cool.

I didn't can these, as long as the seals pop down they should be ok. I also read that using liquid pectin, it can take up to two wks to gel. I didn't warm enough jars so I filled another plain one and put it in my refrigerator as a test. Today it has thickened some and should be fine. I suspect over the next few days it will get even thicker. The recipe only called for 1tb. lemon juice. I changed this. I did half a lemon. As it cooked I tasted it and decided it was too sweet for me so I added the other half of lemon. It was perfect so I thought why not add some rind too. I absolutely love it. I tasted it this morning and the fruit flavor comes thru not the sugar. I will do this again with other jams I think.

Wild Violets

I have had a love affair with violets for as long as I can remember. They grew wild in the woods near me in NJ when I lived there. My gramma had them too. When I went to the Jr. Prom yrs later I even asked the boy who was taking me to get me violets as my flowers....I was wearing a lavender and lace gown. Violets are tiny lil things that you might even miss unless you look close. The smell is heavenly but fleeting, that is because one of the components in them actually numbs your nose once you smell them. So today I thought Id blog on another of my favorites and also a few recipes. Yes you can use them in food as long as they are organic, not sprayed, and not ones from the side of the road. If you read all the way down to the bottom theres some yummy surprises to top this all off hehee. Violets --Viola ordorata, also known as sweet violets, so delicate with their velvety purple petals. For me, they always conjure up images of lace gloved matrons sipping sherry from cut crystal glasses. The air, of course, is thick with the intoxicatingly clean, sweet perfume that could only belong to violets. Many cultures, primarily the Celts and the Germans, celebrate the arrival of springtime at the first sighting of violets. The German's further celebrate this event with dancing and drinking of May wine, a concoction made of wine, herbs and of course violets. Combining wine and violets dates back to the days of the ancient Greeks, who would not only put the petals in the wine, but also scatter them all about the banquet hall. They also wore garlands decorated with violets in the belief that this would help to prevent dizziness and headaches from overindulging in drink. (There must be some basis for this since today in France violets are used in the treatment of hangovers). Napoleon was also very fond of violets, even going so far as to adopt the violet as the symbol of his party. Josephine is reputed to have worn violets in her locket, and covered Napleon's grave with violet petals. Throughout the years people have used violets for medicinal purpose, usually in the form of a tea taken internally. In Pakistan, it is drunk to increase sweating and thus reduce fever. It is also reputed to relieve anxiety, insomnia and reduce high blood pressure. In the 17th century throat lozenges, made with violet conserve, were used to treat bronchitis, as well as to combat sinus congestion. Violet sugar was a popular staple in apothecaries of the time. This was used to treat consumption. These treatments worked because of the antibacterial properties of the blossoms. In addition, they contain vitamin C and A, and an aspirin like compound. For external treatments, violets were mixed with vinegar to make liniments. These were used to relieve gout, and to ease liver and spleen problems. The Celts were known to steep violets petals in goat's milk to make a facial treatment aimed at improving one's complexion. One of violet's most notable trait's is its delicate fragrance. It is ironic that this aroma is rarely used today to make perfume because the scent dissipates quickly. It is often replaced by synthetics. When violets are used in the kitchen, it is their candied form that most of us are familiar with. In the Victorian times these were so popular that they were often served as a confection for high tea. They were also used to garnish cakes, pastries, flans and puddings. These days people tend to use the fresh petals more than the candied ones. I love to add them to chilled soups (they are especially striking on creamy spring pea soup). Try adding them just before serving to a salad of fresh spring greens. Not only do they add rich color, but a delicious floral taste as well. I will often use Johnny-Jump-ups in addition to the violets. They, along with pansies, are part of the violet family. Their flavor and perfume is not as strong as those of the violet's, but their vivid colors, and contrasting face-like patterns transform a plan salad into a delightful treat. Violets are also used to add deep color and perfumed taste to jellies, jams, and liqueurs. Commercially available violet water can be used to add that floral quality to cakes, tea breads, ices, and poached fruit. The garden is where violets truly shine. Being a perennial, you can enjoy them year after year, in rock gardens, pots, borders and formal gardens, almost anywhere there is rich, moist soil, full sun (partial shade in very hot regions) and good drainage. Native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, violets have now naturalized in most temperate zones. They propagate by seed, or by root division. Plant them in fall in mild winter areas, and fertilize well to insure a showy burst of flowers come spring. Violet and Orange Whipped Cream and Strawberries serves 4 2 tsp. candied violets* 2 tsp. candied orange peel 2 cups unsweetened whipped cream 2 baskets strawberries, stemmed and quarted 4 fresh violet blossoms, or Johnny-jump-ups With a very sharp knife, chop the violets and the orange peel separately. Place the whipped cream in a bowl. Gently fold in the violets and the peel without deflating the cream. Divide the berries into four decorative dessert cups. Top with the flavored whipped cream, and serve, garnished with a fresh violet blossom on each dessert. *available in specialty markets. Or make them yourself when you have violets blooming, its ez and I store them in an air tight container. Candied Violets Makes 100 If the eggs in your area are questionable as far as the risk of salmonella, feel free to substitute an equivalent amount of meringue powder, available at many baking supply stores. 1 large egg white 1/3 cup water 1 16-oz. box superfine sugar 100 freshly picked violets on the stem -- In a small, deep bowl, lightly beat together the egg white and water. Set aside. -- Pour the sugar into something smallish and deep, like a loaf pan. Working with 1 violet at a time (I warned you, this is tedious!), dip the violet into the egg white mixture, then hold it over the sugar and snip the blossom from its stem. Gently scoop more sugar on top of the violet so that it's completely covered. Discard the stem. Your scissors will get really gummed up after a few dozen violets, so you may have to stop and rinse them from time to time. -- Remove the violet from the sugar with a fork and lay it carefully on a wire rack to dry completely. Repeat until remaining violets are gone, or you are ready to scream, whichever comes first. Allow violets to completely dry at room temperature for several days before storing in airtight containers. Storage Candied violets keep for several months in a cool, dark place, and look gorgeous scattered over cakes, ice cream, and custards. Violet Muffins 1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix (makes 6 to 10 muffins) or use your own muffin recipe 1/2 cup fresh violet leaves and blooms Add 1/2 cup fresh violets to each box of corn muffin mix. Sprinkle tops of muffins with violet leaves. Bake as directed. To get extra vitamins from the violets, mix some fresh violet blooms and leaves into some margarine (whipped would be best), and have it ready when the muffins come out of the oven. Violet Jelly 2 cups violet blooms (the darker blooms make a richer color) Juice of 1 lemon 1 package commercial pectin 4 cups sugar Put violet blooms in a jar or other glass container. Cover blooms with boiling water. Let it steep for 24 hours. This is called "infusion". After 24 hours, strain the liquid from the blooms. Put 2 cups of violet liquid in a saucepan. Add lemon juice and pectin. Bring to a boil and then add sugar. Return to a boil and boil hard for one full minute. Pour into sterilized jars and seal. Violet Jam 1 cup violet blossoms, tightly packed 1 1/2 cups water Juice of 1 lemon 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1 package powdered pectin Place violets in food processor. Add 3/4 cup of water and lemon juice. Blend to coarse paste, add sugar, blend until dissolved. In a pan, heat 3/4 cup of water, then stir in pectin. Boil hard for 1 minute. Add to blender; blend for about 1 minute. Pour jam into small jars and seal. Store in freezer Violet Vinegar - pick enough violet flowers to fill a pint jar - pour unseasoned white wine vinegar over flowers - put lid on - sit container in windowsill for 4 days - strain into another pint jar, put lid on and refrigerate. Salad Dressing - 1/2 Cup Mayonnaise - 1 tsp. sugar - 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. Violet Vinegar - Mix well Sweet Violet Herb Salad 1 head of endive 1 tbsp finely chopped celery 1 tbsp finely chopped, tender fennel stalks (peeled if necessary) 1 tbsp chopped parsley 1 tbsp chopped chervil 2 olives, finely chopped salad dressing to taste petals of 30 sweet violets Separate the endive leaves and place in a salad bowl. Add the remaining salad ingredients, including the herbs, and gently mix well. Add the dressing and toss the salad. Sprinkle on the sweet violet petals. Serves 4. And two more recipes which have nothing to do with violets except the name and sounded like a great way to top this off!!! Blue Violet Martini * 1 ounce Hpnotiq * 1/2 ounce Chambord * 1 ounce Absolut Raspberri * splash of pineapple juice * 3 blackberries PREPARATION: In an ice-filled mixing glass, combine Hypnotiq, Chambord, Absolut and juice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with skewered blackberries. April's Violet 1 1/2 oz. Bombay Sapphire gin 2tsp. Blue Curacao liqueur 3 drops grenadine syrup Pour into a mixing glass half filled with ice. Add ingredients, stir. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and serve.

Herb-ROSEMARY

I have some rosemary growing in my yard and love how it looks and smells but somehow I just don't use it enough. Found some great recipes for things to make and meals to cook. Out here in CA. it grows like a weed. We have upright and trailing rosemary. The trailing looks good over a wall or in a raised bed and the upright can practically become a small tree but both can be used the same. What I like about the upright tho is once you strip the leaves from it the hard woody stems can be used like kabob skewers, adding more flavor to your meal.


ROSEMARY
Rosmarinus officinalis
Lamiaceae (Mint family, formerly Labiatae)
Rosemary is a perennial evergreen with an ash-colored scaly bark and ½- to 1½-inch long green needlelike leaves growing in an opposite pattern. Most varieties have leaves that are deep glossy green on top and light grayish green underneath. The leaves have a wonderful piney fragrance. It has tiny blue, white or pink hooded flowers that grow in clusters of two to three per branch. The upright varieties grow as a shrub to be up to 5-feet tall and 2- to 3-feet across. The prostrate varieties grow to 2-feet tall and 2- to 3-feet across, and can be used as ground cover.

They are fairly slow growing plants that can be propagated from seed, cuttings or ground layering; the latter two methods being much preferable to the first. Rosemaries prefer full sun or mottled shade. They like a well-drained, slightly alkaline soil. While they do like good drainage, they are fairly sensitive to a lack of water. They prefer to be watered lightly, but often. They have fine, shallow root systems that will rot if kept too wet. They are fairly tolerant of winter weather. They’ll withstand most freezes, particularly if they’ve been heavily mulched and covered. The safest location is at the base of a south-facing wall in a spot protected from cold northern winds. In general, upright varieties are more cold-tolerant than the prostrate varieties.

Harvesting and Uses Harvesting can be done year round. As with most herbs, rosemary thrives from frequent "haircuts," but be careful not to remove more than about 20% of the plant in any one clipping session. The leaves can be dried by hanging in bunches or by layering on paper towels in a shady well-ventilated area. However, because rosemary is an evergreen perennial, there’s little motivation for preserving the leaves for later use.

Rosemary can be used in the bath to refresh and stimulate a weary body. A volatile oil in rosemary gets the blood flowing under the skin. Make a strong tea from the leaves and add it to the bath water. Rosemary can also be used as a hair rinse for brunettes. A rosemary rinse will brighten your hair. A rinse is made by steeping a sprig of rosemary in 1 cup of boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes. Use the rinse after shampooing.

A few of rosemary’s medicinal properties have been confirmed. The flowers and leaves contain a volatile oil responsible for the plant’s pharmacological properties. The oil is an ingredient in rubefacient liniments (to stimulate blow flow beneath the skin) and has been used in combination with other drugs as a carminative. It is officially listed in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia.

Rosemary is an excellent culinary herb in sweet or savory applications. It’s a fine complement to meats or vegetables, and is wonderful in lemon-y beverages and desserts. Varieties popular in the kitchen are those with lower levels of the component oils pinene and camphor. Its flavor harmonizes well with tomatoes, spinach, peas, mushrooms, squash, cheese, eggs, lentils, and complements the herbs chives, thyme, chervil, thyme, chervil, parsley, and bay in recipes.

History and Folklore
Rosemary is shrouded in history and folklore. Probably the most well-known of the herb’s legends is that while fleeing Herod’s troops, the Virgin Mary draped her cloak over a bush of white-blooming rosemary. When she removed her cloak from the bush, the blooms had taken on the blue color from her garment.
In the Middle Ages, rosemary was thought to possess the power to protect against evil spirits. Sprigs were placed under the pillow to ward off demons and prevent bad dreams.

Rosemary is known as the herb of remembrance, friendship and love. Shakespeare’s Ophelia says, "There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray you, love, remember." St. Thomas More said of rosemary, "I let it run all over my garden wall, not only because my bees love it, but because ‘tis the herb sacred to remembrance, and therefore to friendship..." At one time rosemary was almost always woven into brides’ bouquets. At funerals, fresh sprigs were tossed into the grave as a sign that the departed would not be forgotten. Even today, rosemary is offered as a symbol of love, friendship and remembrance.


Slow Cooker Rosemary or Basil Infused Oil
1 C mild olive or vegetable oil
1/4 C packed chopped fresh rosemary leaves OR 1/3 to 1/2 C packed roughly chopped fresh basil leaves

Yield: 1 Cup Cooking Time: 1 1/2 to 2 hours Slow Cooker Size: 4 Quart

Place the oil and the rosemary (or basil) in the insert of the slow cooker. Cook on high, uncovered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, then turn the cooker off.
Allow the oil to cool for about 20 minutes, and then pour it through a sieve lined with a clean paper towel or paper coffee filter into a metal bowl. When the oil is completely cool, transfer it to a clean glass jar, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 month; after that the flavor may fade. The oil may cloud under refrigeration, but it will become clear again at room temperature.

Rosemary-infused oil can be used for stirring into soup, for drizzling on pasta and vegetables, and for dipping with good Italian bread. It can be made on the stovetop, but its hard to keep the oil in a small saucepan from getting too hot too fast. The finished infusion is a lovely pale green, and your kitchen will smell like Provence.


Nutty Rosemary Bread
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees to 115 degrees F), divided
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons cornmeal
1 tablespoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
5 cups bread flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1 egg, beaten

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Add the whole wheat flour, oil, honey, cornmeal, rosemary, salt, 1 cup bread flour and remaining water. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining bread flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; add pecans. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a bowl coated with nonstick cooking spray, turning once to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Divide in half; shape into two loaves. Place in two 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pans coated with nonstick cooking spray. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Brush egg over loaves. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pans to wire racks.



Red Onion-Rosemary Jam
Spread this on your next bagel or biscuit. This also makes a good marinade for chicken or beef.

7 cups red onions, sliced thin
¾ cup red wine vinegar
1 tbls. olive oil
3 ½ cups sugar
1 package Sure-Jell Light
¼ tsp. dried thyme
¼ tsp. ground white pepper
½ tsp. dried rosemary, crumbled

Sauté onions in olive oil and vinegar for 10-15 minutes, or until tender. Place onions in food processor or blender. Add rosemary, thyme and white pepper. Blend 1 minute. Place onion mixture in saucepan or Dutch oven. Add Sure-Jell and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add sugar and boil 1 minute more. Remove from heat, stir well and pour into sterile jars (about 6 pints) and seal.



Goat Cheese Marinated in Rosemary, Fennel, and Hot Red Pepper

a (1/2-pound) log of mild goat cheese, such as Montrachet, cut crosswise into 4 pieces, or four 2-ounce crottins
1 tbl fennel seeds crushed
1 tsp crushed dried hot red pepper flakes
6 rosemary sprigs up to 8
the zest of 1 lemon removed with a vegetable peeler
1/2 cups olive oil up to 1c. if needed

In a 1-pint jar with a tight-fitting lid combine the cheese with the fennel seeds, the red pepper flakes, the rosemary, and the lemon zest, pour enough of the oil over the mixture to cover the cheese completely, and let the cheese marinate, covered, and chilled, for at least 1 week and up to 4 weeks. Let the mixture come to room temperature before serving.