Category: Fruits

Baked Berry Oatmeal

I’ve entered the stage in parenting where I get to get my big kiddo to the weight room by 6:30 am multiple times a week. I am proud of him for working hard to become a stronger athlete, but man, it messes with my morning routine. I need a breakfast with minimal prep, but is still nutrient dense. At first, I was doing protein oatmeal. However, I prefer a breakfast that isn’t pre-packaged. Enter Baked Berry Oatmeal with Greek yogurt. 

Initially, I had been cooking from my collab “one book, three recipes” with my Instagram friends and gave a baked oatmeal a try. Yum! However, I didn’t love the extra refined sugar and thought “I can do better.” This is my own take: a maple syrup sweetened baked oatmeal that can be prepped on a Sunday and you’ll have at least six servings for the rest of the week. 

I love how nicely this Baked Berry Oatmeal reheats. I pop my portion into the microwave with a few frozen berries sprinkled on top and let it go for about 40 seconds. Then I’ll top it with some Oikos Triple Zero Vanilla Greek Yogurt and add a side of breakfast sausage or ham with some fruit. It’s a full meal to be sure, but one I can feel really good about eating. 

Not a fan of eating the same thing every day like I am? This makes a great brunch or weekend breakfast. It mixes up quick and can leave you time to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and chat the morning away. Ready to start creating? Let’s go! 

Your Ingredients

  • 3 cups old fashioned oats
  • ⅓ cup real maple syrup 
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  • ¾ cup ground walnuts, divided 
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups + 2 tablespoons milk 
  • 2 large eggs 
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ tablespoon brown sugar
  • ½ cup fresh or frozen raspberries
  • ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Your Steps to Bake Berry Oatmeal 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 by 8 inch baking dish. In a large bowl, combine oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and ½ cup walnuts. 

Stir in maple syrup and melted coconut oil. In another bowl, combine milk, eggs, and vanilla. Stir the milk mixture into the oat mixture until well combined. Pour into the prepared pan. 

Top with raspberries and blueberries. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ¼ cup of walnuts with the brown sugar and sprinkle on top of the berries. Bake for 40 minutes. Serve with Greek yogurt and additional berries, if desired. 

Dry Ingredients combined
with the wet ingredients
Top with berries!
And a few nuts for crunch.
Bake it up!
Serve it up!

Baked Berry Oatmeal

This baked berry oatmeal is a delightful and tasty dish, perfect for meal prep or a special weekend breakfast!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups old fashioned oats
  • ⅓ cup real maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
  • ¾ cup ground walnuts divided
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups + 2 tablespoons milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ tablespoon brown sugar
  • ½ cup fresh or frozen raspberries
  • ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 by 8 inch baking dish. In a large bowl, combine oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and ½ cup walnuts.
  • Stir in maple syrup and melted coconut oil. In another bowl, combine milk, eggs, and vanilla. Stir the milk mixture into the oat mixture until well combined. Pour into the prepared pan.
  • Top with raspberries and blueberries. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ¼ cup of walnuts with the brown sugar and sprinkle on top of the berries. Bake for 40 minutes. Serve with Greek yogurt and additional berries, if desired.
Keyword baked oatmeal, blueberries, Breakfast, breakfast prep, meal prep, oatmeal, raspberries
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other delicious breakfast ideas?

I’d love it if you checked out my breakfast page for more inspiration, but if you want to see some of my favorites, check out the recipes below!

JessLeave a comment

Raspberry Salsa

Stop whatever you’re doing right now, and gather the ingredients for this Raspberry Salsa and get ready to prepare it! 

Okay, that was a bit demanding and strongly worded, but I am telling you, that’s what you’ll want to do once you see the recipe. 

Each year, I travel to Door County, Wisconsin, for a weeklong vacation with my dad’s side of the family. If you aren’t from Wisconsin, there’s a chance you’ve not heard of Door County. It’s been described as the Martha’s Vineyard of the Midwest. Just lovely, quaint, and full of so much to do. 

The county itself has five state parks within it and provides a perfect climate for orchards, most notably cherry trees. It is full of wineries, fun shops, and culinary delights. Once such delight is cherry and raspberry salsa that can be found at many wineries and roadside stands. And my goodness, I LOVE it. 

There’s something about slightly sweet, slightly spicy pairings that are just so dang good. And if you’ve been around Jess in the Kitchen much, you know that I have an abundance of raspberries; it seems I should try to make some salsa from them, right? 

The problem?

There really aren’t raspberry salsa recipes out there. If I did find one, it wasn’t written for canning. That is what I wanted to do. So research started, acidity levels of fruits checked, and a recipe was born using the ideas from a peach salsa recipe. And it’s just so good. I can’t wait for you to give it a try! And if you aren’t a canner, simply half the recipe (this will result in about three cups of salsa rather than six) and eat it fresh! 

My Canning Story 

I do want to share that I did not grow up in a canning household. I learned about ten years ago, as soon as we bought our home and started our first garden. And while I had some support from my mother in law (thank you so much!), I learned SO MUCH from reading. If you are a first generation canner like I was, let me share some of my favorite resources: 

Ball Complete Book of Home Canning: This book gives you a good idea of all the basics from the people who know canning forwards and backwards. I love that I can dig in and get just what I need. 

Not Your Mama’s Canning Book: Modern Canned Goods and What to Make with Them: This book is SO FUN. It has some out of the ordinary recipes. We especially love the tomato soup and seasoned black bean recipes. 

And finally, the National Center for Home Food Preservation has all the information you need for all sorts of food preservation, not just canning. I reference it often! 

But enough about resources, you want to make raspberry salsa, right? (But seriously, I am going to give you the basics. If you are a newbie (Yay!), head to any of those resources for more detailed information)

Your Ingredients for raspberry salsa

For approximately 6 half-pints, gather: 

  • 6 cups red raspberries 
  • 1 medium sweet pepper (green, red, orange, yellow, any will work), diced
  • 4-5 jalapeños, finely diced (remember to wear gloves!)
  • ½ cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped
  • 1 medium red onion, diced 
  • ½ cup vinegar, 5% acidity
  • ½ teaspoon salt 
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons sugar 

The Prep Work

Fill the canning kettle with enough water that the jars will be covered by at least 2 inches of water. More is better in this case so over estimate. Begin to heat over high heat. Place the canning rack so that it is hooked over the side of the canner and put clean jars on it to keep them warm. Note: You don’t have to keep the jars in the rack, although it is helpful to keep them warm. You want the jars warm to prevent breaking when they are being filled. 

Set the clean rings aside. I like to simmer my lids on low low heat in a small saucepan. Not necessary, but I like to think it helps them seal better. 

The raspberry Salsa Making

If you have not already done so, dice, measure out, and combine all the ingredients in a shallow, wide kettle. Smash the fruit with a potato masher or with a fermentation tamper. (I LOVE the tamper and honestly have never fermented anything. It works great for smashing berries). Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often. I like to smash the berries more as they are cooking down. Bring the salsa to a boil and then simmer for five minutes, to thicken just a bit. 

Once the salsa has thicken, remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch head space. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp, clean cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from canner, placing on the counter. Listen for the ping of the lids over the next 12 hours. Sealed jars are self stable. If any jar doesn’t seal, simply place it right in the refrigerator. 

Note: You can skip the processing step all together if you feel more comfortable. If you do so, the salsa will need to be stored in the refrigerator. The process of water bath canning creates a self-stable salsa. That is, a salsa that can be stored on the shelf. 

Color
And more color!
Look at it!
Prep for canning.
Canned up!
Served up!

Raspberry Salsa

This raspberry salsa has the sweet taste of summer in the berries and cilantro paired with the spicy kick from jalapeños. A taste sensation you’re sure to love!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Snacks
Cuisine Canning
Servings 6 1/2 pint jars

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 6 cups red raspberries
  • 1 medium sweet pepper green, red, orange, yellow, any will work, diced
  • 4-5 jalapeños finely diced (remember to wear gloves!)
  • ½ cup loosely packed cilantro chopped
  • 1 medium red onion diced
  • ½ cup vinegar 5% acidity
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons sugar

Instructions
 

  • Fill the canning kettle with enough water that the jars will be covered by at least 2 inches of water. More is better in this case so over estimate. Begin to heat over high heat. Place the canning rack so that it is hooked over the side of the canner and put clean jars on it to keep them warm. Note: You don’t have to keep the jars in the rack, although it is helpful to keep them warm. You want the jars warm to prevent breaking when they are being filled.
  • Set the clean rings aside. I like to simmer my lids on low low heat in a small saucepan. Not necessary, but I like to think it helps them seal better.
  • If you have not already done so, dice, measure out, and combine all the ingredients in a shallow, wide kettle. Smash the fruit with a potato masher or with a fermentation tamper.
  • Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often. I like to smash the berries more as they are cooking down. Bring the salsa to a boil and then simmer for five minutes, to thicken just a bit.
  • Once the salsa has thickened, remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch head space.
  • Wipe rims of the jars with a damp, clean cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight.
  • Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from the canner, placing them on the counter. Listen for the ping of the lids over the next 12 hours. Sealed jars are self stable. If any jar doesn’t seal, simply place it right in the refrigerator.

Notes

You can skip the processing step all together if you feel more comfortable. If you do so, the salsa will need to be stored in the refrigerator. The process of water bath canning creates a self-stable salsa. That is, a salsa that can be stored on the shelf.
Keyword black raspberry, Canning, raspberries, raspberry salsa, salsa, salsa recipe, Waterbath Canning
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other ways to use up those raspberries?

Be sure to check out my canning and preserving page for all sorts of inspiration. Or perhaps I can recommend a few of my favorites below?

JessLeave a comment

Cherry Raspberry Gooseberry Jam

Last year, I had a hodgepodge of berries left after making jams, sorbets, and the like. Specifically, I had some sour cherries, red raspberries, and gooseberries. Of course, there wasn’t enough of any of them to make a full batch of jam, but together, I did! I didn’t take any pictures and hardly wrote anything down because it was really an experiment of sorts. But then, I gave one lick of the kettle when I was finished and wow! That Cherry Raspberry Gooseberry Jam was out of this world! I declared it the best I had ever made. Of course, it was just a couple jars, but that’s okay!

Then, earlier this year, I asked the Mr to make me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch. He had to open a new jar of jam, but I never saw what he picked. I took one bite of the sandwich and immediately thought, “Whatever jam this is, it’s the best stuff I have ever made!” 

Once I got home and looked in the fridge and saw it was cherry raspberry gooseberry jam. I knew I HAD to redo that recipe and share it with you all because, dang it, it’s awesome. The flavor is top notch (The Mr says, “There’s a lot going on in that jam…”) and you just need a few simple ingredients: the fruit, sugar, and lemon juice. You see, gooseberries have natural pectin so you don’t need to add any commercial pectin, which I always love. 

My Canning Story 

I do want to share that I did not grow up in a canning household. I learned about ten years ago, as soon as we bought our home and started our first garden. And while I had some support from my mother in law (thank you so much!), I learned SO MUCH from reading. If you are a first generation canner like I was, let me share some of my favorite resources: 

Ball Complete Book of Home Canning: This book gives you a good idea of all the basics from the people who know canning forwards and backwards. I love that I can dig in and get just what I need. 

Not Your Mama’s Canning Book: Modern Canned Goods and What to Make with Them: This book is SO FUN. It has some out of the ordinary recipes. We especially love the tomato soup and seasoned black bean recipes. 

And finally, the National Center for Home Food Preservation has all the information you need for all sorts of food preservation, not just canning. I reference it often! 

But enough about resources, you want to can right? (But seriously, I am going to give you the basics. If you are a newbie (Yay!), head to any of those resources for more detailed information)

Your Ingredients

For approximately 6 half-pints, gather: 

  • 3 cups red raspberries
  • 3 cups gooseberries, cleaned
  • 3 cups sour cherries, pitted
  • 4 ½  cups sugar 
  • ¼ cup lemon juice 

(Yes, that’s it! No, you can’t change out the sugar for a different sweetener. Canning is finicky like that)

The Prep Work

Fill the canning kettle with enough water that the jars will be covered by at least 2 inches of water. More is better in this case so over estimate. Begin to heat over high heat. Place the canning rack so that it is hooked over the side of the canner and put clean jars on it to keep them warm. Note: You don’t have to keep the jars in the rack, although it is helpful to keep them warm. You want the jars warm to prevent breaking when they are being filled. 

Set the clean rings aside. I like to simmer my lids on low low heat in a small saucepan. Not necessary, but I like to think it helps them seal better. 

If you have not already done so, measure out the sugar and the berries. 

The Cherry Raspberry Gooseberry Jam Making

In a large, preferably shallow kettle, smash the fruit with a potato masher. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice. Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often. I like to smash the berries more as they are cooking down. 

Your end goal is to reach the gelling point. There are lots of tests for this, but I prefer the temperature test. If you are at sea level, the gelling point is at 220 degrees. For every 1000 feet of elevation, you subtract 2 degrees. For me, the gelling point is 218 degrees. Don’t have a decent food thermometer? Check out the National Center for Home Preservation website for other ways of testing for the gelling point. 

It takes longer to reach the gelling point than I think it should. It also goes from needing 3 degrees to reaching the gelling point fast. You can get complacent while you are waiting and suddenly hit the temperature, so I am trying to warn you 🙂 

You’ve hit the Gelling POint

Once the jam has reached the gelling point, remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch head space. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp, clean cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from canner, placing on the counter. Listen for the ping of the lids over the next 12 hours. Sealed jars are self stable. If any jar doesn’t seal, simply place it right in the refrigerator. You’ve got yourself delicious Cherry Raspberry Gooseberry Jam.

Note: You can skip the processing step all together if you feel more comfortable. If you do so, the jam will need to be stored in the refrigerator. The process of water bath canning creates a self-stable jam. That is, a jam that can be stored on the shelf.

Cherry Raspberry Gooseberry
Beautiful berries!
Smash them down.
Cook them up!
Ladle the Cherry Raspberry Gooseberry Jam in
Ladle it in.
Cherry Raspberry Gooseberry Jam
Sweet goodness!
Cherry Raspberry Gooseberry Jam on Toast
Yum! Let’s eat!

Tools of the Trade

There are some tools I love for canning! Of course, you need a canner. And the tools, while not necessary, are SUPER helpful as you prepare the jam. Finally, I always work on wooden cutting boards. The board I put the jars while I ladle it in becomes the resting spot for my jam after I have pulled it from the canner.

Cherry Raspberry Gooseberry Jam on Toast

Cherry Raspberry Gooseberry Jam

Summer in a jar! This cherry raspberry gooseberry jam pops with color and flavor that is sure to become a favorite!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Canning
Servings 6 1/2 pint jars

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups red raspberries
  • 3 cups sour cherries, pitted
  • 3 cups gooseberries, cleaned
  • 4 ½ cups sugar
  • ¼ cup lemon juice

Instructions
 

  • If you have not done so, measure out berries and sugar.
  • Wash and sanitize 6 ½ pint jars, rings, and lids. Keep warm. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 2 inches of water. Cover and heat on high. Watch the temperature, you want a simmer but not a boil when you place the jars in the water.
  • In a large, shallow kettle, smash berries with a potato masher. Stir in sugar and lemon juice. Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often. Smash more as they are cooking down.
  • Heat to 8 degrees above the boiling point of water. If you are at sea level, the gelling point is at 220 degrees. For every 1000 feet of elevation, you subtract 2 degrees.
  • Once the jam has reached the gelling point, remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch head space. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from canner and allow to rest for 12 hours before storing.

Notes

You can skip the processing step all together if you feel more comfortable. If you do so, the jam will need to be stored in the refrigerator. The process of water bath canning creates a self-stable jam. That is, a jam that can be stored on the shelf.
Keyword cherries, cherry jam, gooseberries, gooseberry jam, Jam, Jam Recipes, Jellies and Jams, raspberries, raspberry jam
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Cherry Raspberry Gooseberry jam not enough?

Check out some of the recipes below!

JessLeave a comment

Red Currant Muffins

Many moons ago (Like seriously, SO MANY. Where does the time go?!), I was at a farmer’s market and I tried a berry. I loved it and immediately wanted to grow it. Did I write down what I tried? Absolutely not. So I planted gooseberries. They grew fruit. Nope, that wasn’t it. Then I planted red currants. Nope. Also, not it, but man, they ARE tasty. So I promptly ordered three more plants. This year, I feel confident to say they have finally established themselves in our yard. Lucky for our household because it means I get to create these delicious red currant muffins!

I dig a sweet-tart fruit. Cranberries, gooseberries, blueberries, rhubarb. I always harvest them just before they are ready so I get that tart bite to them. Currants live in that same family. They are delightful and perfect pops of flavor, which is what I think makes them ideal for muffins and breads. As soon as my mini me bit into her first red currant muffin, she asked if I could bake more. If she could perhaps bring a batch to her grandparents for the weekend. So they win, right? 

What do we sweeten them with?

If you’ve been baking with me for any amount of time, you know I love to use maple syrup as a sweetener. We live in northern Wisconsin where we are able to easily make our own maple syrup each spring. (Learn about it here!) We have a very small operation and cook over an open fire to finish it on the stove, making about a little over a gallon a year. I use it throughout the year to sweeten all the things and it does a great job! If you’re hesitant, please give it a try! You would never know there is no granulated sugar in these muffins! 

But enough talk. Let’s get baking! 

Your Ingredients for red currant muffins 

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour 
  • 1 cup all purpose flour 
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder 
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ cup butter softened
  • ⅔ cup real maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (vanilla or sour cream will do fine too!)
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup chopped nuts
  • 1 cup fresh red currants

Your Steps to Red Currant Muffins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease 12 regular size muffin vessels. 

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; set aside. 

Beat the butter in a mixing bowl until creamy. Add maple syrup. Mix thoroughly. Beat in vanilla, Greek yogurt, and eggs. Stir in the dry ingredients. Fold in the nuts and 3/4 of the currants gently. 

Scoop prepared batter into prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle the tops of each muffin with some of the remaining currants. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a wood pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cream the butter first for optimal mixing!
Add the dry ingredients.
Red currants in batter
A burst of color!
Sprinkle some on top!
Completed red currant muffins
Perfection!
Serve them up!

Red Currant Muffins

These red currant muffins are FULL of little red bits of sweet-tart goodness in every bite that will have you coming back for more!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ cup butter softened
  • ⅔ cup real maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt vanilla or sour cream will do fine too!
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup chopped nuts
  • 1 cup fresh red currants

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease 12 regular size muffin vessels.
  • Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and slat in a large bowl; set aside.
  • Beat the butter in a mixing bowl until creamy. Add maple syrup. Mix thoroughly. Beat in vanilla, Greek yogurt, and eggs. Stir in the dry ingredients. Fold in the nuts and ¾ of the currants gently.
  • Scoop prepared batter into prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle the remaining currants on top of each muffin. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a wood pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Keyword Breakfast, breakfast muffins, muffin recipe, muffins, red currant muffins, red currants
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other tasty treats?

Check out my baking page or my canning page! Or maybe something below will tickle your fancy!

JessLeave a comment

Raspberry Peach Sauce

I know, I know. Making raspberry peach sauce sounds like baby food. That’s what people tell me, anyway. But I counter that with, “What do you call applesauce?” And then they shrug. But I win and I have them try it and they don’t care what you call it…it’s darn good. 

The idea of peach sauce was born out of my hatred of blanching and peeling tomatoes, peaches, and the like. Honestly, I don’t have an issue with blanching beans for freezing. But the extra step of peeling? NO THANK YOU. They stay on when I make tomato sauce and it turns out just fine. So why not give it a try with peaches? And let me tell you, it works! 

Most years, I simply wash, quarter, cook down, blend, can. This year, I added an extra layer of adding frozen raspberries from my garden to combine the flavors. Oh my. It was definitely an addition worthwhile and it was determined that I needed to share this raspberry peach sauce.

Enough talking, right? Let’s start creating peach sauce (and maybe raspberries? You get to decide!). Before you do though, you have to make a decision…are you going to can it or freeze it? (More on this later!)

Your Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups water
  • 20-25 peaches, washed well 
  • 1-3 cups frozen raspberries (optional) 
  • ½-1 cup sugar, if desired
  • Fruit fresh, if freezing

Prepping the Raspberry Peach Sauce

Wash your peaches well. Halve, pit, and quarter the peaches. Place in a large kettle with water. Begin to cook over medium heat, smashing periodically using a potato masher. As the peaches cook down, stir and mash. When the peaches have softened significantly, use an immersion blender or food mill to break down the peaches to a sauce. If you prefer to add raspberries, add 2-3 cups of frozen raspberries. Cook an additional 3-4 minutes and then blend again. Test the fruit at this point for sweetness. Add sugar by the ¼ cup, until desired sweetness is found. 

Peaches
Washed and ready!
Just starting to break down
Cooked down peaches
Getting soft!
Raspberries and Peaches
The color contrast though.
Blend it one more time!
Canned peach sauce
Into the canner they go!
Delicious!

Canning Your Raspberry Peach Sauce?

If you want to water bath can it, you have some prep.  When your sauce is almost ready begin to prepare your water bath canner and jars if you plan on processing them. 

Wash and sanitize jars, rings, and lids. Keep warm. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 2 inches of water. Cover and heat on high. Watch the temperature, you want a simmer but not a boil when you place the jars in the water. 

Bring peach sauce to a boil. Once you have reached a boil ladle into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch head space, maintaining the boil on the kettle as you go. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process pint jars 20 minutes and quart jars 25 minutes (adjusting for altitude). Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from canner, placing on the counter. Listen for the ping of the lids over the next 12 hours. Sealed jars are self stable. If any jar doesn’t seal, simply place it right in the refrigerator. 

Freezing it? 

Once your sauce has reached a boil, allow to cool for an hour, stirring periodically. Ladel into freezer safe containers, leaving ½ inch head space. Cover, label, and freeze. Additionally, you can treat with fruit fresh to keep from browning. Add ¾ teaspoon per cup of fruit. 

Looking for more information about canning? I highly recommend checking out the National Center for Home Preservation for information at your fingertips!

Raspberry Peach Sauce

Fresh ripe peaches and frozen raspberries create this delicious and unique raspberry peach sauce for summer flavors all year long!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Canning, Homesteading, Preserving
Servings 6 quarts

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cups water
  • 20-25 peaches washed well
  • 1-3 cups frozen raspberries optional
  • Fruit fresh if freezing
  • ½-1 cup sugar if desired

Instructions
 

  • Wash your peaches well. Halve, pit, and quarter the peaches. Place in a large kettle with the water.
  • Begin to cook over medium heat, smashing periodically using a potato masher. As the peaches cook down, stir and mash.
  • When the peaches have softened significantly, use an immersion blender or food mill to break down the peaches to a sauce.
  • If you prefer to add raspberries, add 2-3 cups of frozen raspberries.
  • Cook an additional 3-4 minutes and then blend again.
  • Test the fruit at this point for sweetness. Add sugar by the ¼ cup, until desired sweetness is found.
  • Wash and sanitize six quart jars, rings, and lids. Keep warm. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 2 inches of water. Cover and heat on high. Watch the temperature, you want a simmer but not a boil when you place the jars in the water.
  • Bring peach sauce to a boil. Once you have reached a boil ladle into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch head space, maintaining the boil on the kettle as you go.
  • Wipe rims of the jars with a damp cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight.
  • Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process pint jars 20 minutes and quart jars 25 minutes (adjusting for altitude).
  • Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from canner, placing on the counter. Listen for the ping of the lids over the next 12 hours.

Notes

Freezing it?
Once your sauce has reached a boil, allow to cool for an hour, stirring periodically. Ladel into freezer safe containers, leaving ½ inch head space. Cover, label, and freeze. Additionally, you can treat with fruit fresh to keep from browning. Add ¾ teaspoon per cup of fruit.
Keyword applesauce, canned peaches, peach sauce, peaches, raspberries, raspberry peach, Waterbath Canning
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for more delicious fruit recipes?

Check out my canning and preserving page! Or maybe you can find something you like below!

Jess1 Comment

Wild Plum Jam

This season, I have become obsessed with searching for wild plums. I don’t know if it has been a good season for them (Apparently they don’t like rain at all in June and July? Ha!) or if I just hadn’t noticed them before, but I have suddenly become aware of an abundance of wild plum trees throughout the area in Wisconsin. And if you know me, when I see wild edibles, I harvest (free food!) And if it is fruit, I will be making jam out of it. In this case, wild plum jam. 

I keep asking the Mr. why people don’t eat them, and he said that they likely don’t know to identify them. From afar, he thinks that many assume they are crab apples and think crab apples aren’t good (not true, by the way!). Boy, if that’s the case, they sure are wrong. They are sweet and delicious and plentiful! You can learn more about identifying wild plums (American Plums) here.

I had to start making jam quick. And I hope you do too, but I do want to share that I did not grow up in a canning household. I learned about ten years ago, as soon as we bought our home and started our first garden. And while I had some support of my mother in law (thank you so much!), I learned SO MUCH from reading. If you are a first generation canner like I was, let me share some of my favorite resources.

My Favorite Resources

Ball Complete Book of Home Canning: This book gives you a good idea of all the basics from the people who know canning forwards and backwards. I love that I can dig in and get just what I need. 

Not Your Mama’s Canning Book: Modern Canned Goods and What to Make with Them: This book is SO FUN. It has some out of the ordinary recipes. We especially love the tomato soup and seasoned black bean recipes. 

Can It and Ferment It: More Than 75 Small Batch Canning and Fermentation Recipes for the Whole Year: I dig the simplicity of this book. It is also by what I would consider to be a local author, which is doubly cool. Small batch is great for anyone just giving canning a try! 

And finally, the National Center for Home Food Preservation has all the information you need for all sorts of food preservation, not just canning. I reference it often! 

But enough about resources, you want to can right? (But seriously, I am going to give you the basics. If you are a newbie (Yay!), head to any of those resources for more detailed information)

Your Wild Plum Jam Ingredients

For approximately a half pint, you’ll need

  • 1 cup rinsed and pitted plums, halved or quartered
  • ½ cup sugar 
  • ½ tablespoon lemon juice 

I say approximately because let’s be honest, it isn’t perfect. You might get one 1/2 pint for every cup of fruit, but it might be a little less. I always prepare as many jars as I have cups of fruit and go from there.

Yes, that’s it! No, you can’t change out the sugar for a different sweetener using this recipe. Canning is finicky like that. I like to do at least 5 cups of plums but have done up to 8 cups.

The Prep Work

Fill the canning kettle with enough water that the jars will be covered by at least 2 inches of water. More is better in this case so overestimate. Begin to heat over high heat. Place the canning rack so that it is hooked over the side of the canner and put clean jars on it to keep them warm. 

Set the clean rings aside. I like to simmer my lids on low low heat in a small saucepan. Not necessary, but I like to think it helps them seal better. 

If you have not already done so, measure out the sugar and the plums. 

The Wild Plum Jam Making

In a large, preferably shallow kettle, smash the plums with a potato masher. I actually love to use my fermentation packer to crush fruit in jams. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice. Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often. I like to smash more as they are cooking down. After they haven’t softened (about 10 minutes), puree the plums using an immersion/stick blender. What’s cool about this step is you can decide how much or how little you want to break down the plums. Then keep cooking and stirring. 

Your end goal is to reach the gelling point. There are lots of tests for this, but I prefer the temperature test. If you are at sea level, the gelling point is 220 degrees. For every 1000 feet of elevation, you subtract 2 degrees. For me, the gelling point is 218 degrees. Don’t have a decent food thermometer? Check out the National Center for Home Preservation website for other ways of testing for the gelling point. 

It takes longer to reach the gelling point than I think it should. It also goes from needing 3 degrees to reaching the gelling point fast. You can get complacent while you are waiting and suddenly hit the temperature, so I am trying to warn you 🙂 

Halve and pit. Get a helper to make time fly by!
I love the color!
Once we’ve started cooking. Sugar and lemon juice added.

Time to Can it!

Once the wild plum jam has reached the gelling point, remove it from the heat. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch head space. Wipe the rims of the jars with a damp, clean cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from canner, placing on the counter. Listen for the ping of the lids over the next 12 hours. Sealed jars are self stable. If any jar doesn’t seal, simply place it right in the refrigerator. It is recommended that you store jars with the rings off or very loose. I very between the two.

Note: You can skip the processing step all together if you feel more comfortable. If you do so, the jam will need to be stored in the refrigerator. The process of water bath canning creates a self-stable jam. That is, a jam that can be stored on the shelf. 

Cooked down wild plums
Blended and beautiful!
Canning process
A wooden cutting board is a must when canning.
finished wild plum jam
Isn’t it beautiful?!
finished wild plum jam

Wild Plum Jam

American Plums are abundant and can be foraged to make this beautiful three ingredient plum jam!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Canning
Servings 12 per jar

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Per 1/2 pint jar (approximately), you will need:

  • 1 cup halved and pitted wild plums
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions
 

  • If you have not done so, clean and measure out the wild plums. For each cup of plums, measure out 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice. Set aside.
  • Wash and sanitize the same amount of pint jars as cups of cleaned plums. Wash and clean rings and lids. Keep warm. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 2 inches of water. Cover and heat on high. Watch the temperature, you want a simmer but not a boil when you place the jars in the water.
  • In a large, shallow kettle, smash plums with a potato masher. Stir in sugar. Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often. Smash more as they are cooking down.
  • After approximately 10 minutes, blend jam mixture with an immersion blend to desired texture.
  • Heat to 8 degrees above the boiling point of water. If you are at sea level, the gelling point is at 220 degrees. For every 1000 feet of elevation, you subtract 2 degrees.
  • Once the jam has reached the gelling point, remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch head space. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from canner and allow to rest for 12 hours before storing.

Notes

You can skip the processing step all together if you feel more comfortable. If you do so, the jam will need to be stored in the refrigerator. The process of water bath canning creates a self-stable jam. That is, a jam that can be stored on the shelf.
If you do not have a digital food thermometer, there are other ways to test the gelling point. Check out the National Center for Home Food Preservation for more information! 
Keyword Canning, Foraging, Jam, Jam Recipes, Jellies and Jams, plum jam, preserving, wild plums
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Looking for other canning recipes?

You can check out my canning and perserving page or see if any of these fun recipes speak to you!

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Blueberry Currant Muffins

For the last ten years, I have slowly (okay, not so slowly) become an avid gardener, preserver, and aspiring homesteader. I often joke the Mr. that I can’t wait for him to ‘make all the monies’ so I can stay home and grow and create good food. One of most favorite parts of gardening is the harvesting of the berries, which we grow by the pounds. It’s mediative for me. But with all those berries, must come preservation and I dig a good muffin! As the red currants and blueberries came in, I knew I had to combine them to get that beautiful pop of color. And so, I proudly present blueberry currant muffins. 

I generally like to keep things healthy around here, but have been straying from that a bit. It’s about balance, right? So I went back to my roots and did a little healthier take on a muffin, using maple syrup (If you’ve never made your own, I can’t recommend it enough. Check out my post on our adventure here!)

I hope you enjoy the bursts of flavor in these muffins as much as we did! Let’s get baking!

Your Ingredients

  • ½ cup almond milk 
  • 1 egg
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup 
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 cups flour (I do high quality whole wheat from Sunrise Flour Mill) 
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted 
  • ¾ cup fresh blueberries 
  • ¼ cup red currants 
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds 

Your Steps to Blueberry Currant Muffins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine milk, egg, syrup, and almond extract. Add flour, baking soda, and salt, mixing until just combined.

Gently fold in coconut oil, blueberries, and currants. Place in a well greased muffin tin, filling about ¾ of the way.

Top with sliced almonds. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until baked through. 

Pictures of steps of baking the muffins.
Measure it out!
Wet dough and berries
Mix it up!
Muffins in tin.
Portion it out!
Completed blueberry currant muffins
So dang good!
Completed blueberry currant muffins
Serve it up!

Blueberry Currant Muffins

Beautiful pops of color and flavor are abundant in these blueberry currant muffins perfect for breakfast, snacks, and anywhere in between!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 12 muffins

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup almond milk
  • 1 egg
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
  • ¾ cup fresh blueberries
  • ¼ cup red currants
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine milk, egg, syrup, and almond extract.
  • Add flour, baking soda, and salt, mixing until just combined.
  • Gently fold in coconut oil, blueberries, and currants.
  • Place in a well greased muffin tin, filling about ¾ of the way. Top with sliced almonds.
  • Bake for 18-22 minutes, until baked through.
Keyword blueberries, Breakfast, currant muffins, maple syrup, muffins
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Check out my baking page for all things muffins or maybe check out a recipe below!

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Black Raspberry Jam

It is black raspberry season and with that comes black raspberry jam creating! 

Growing up, I have fond memories of harvesting wild red raspberries while my dad set up deer stands, checked for hunting activity, and the like. My sister and I would keep containers with us and would harvest away, swatting bugs and getting scratched by the branches. It wasn’t until I met the Mr. that I even knew black raspberries were a thing. 

Around our home, the red raspberries are referred to as “mama’s raspberries” and the black are “daddy’s raspberries.” As I started to learn to can early in our marriage, the first thing my husband requested was black raspberry jam. Of course, I had to oblige. 

I do want to share that I did not grow up in a canning household. I learned about ten years ago, as soon as we bought our home and started our first garden. And while I had some support of my mother in law (thank you so much!), I learned SO MUCH from reading. If you are a first generation canner like I was, let me share some of my favorite resources: 

Ball Complete Book of Home Canning: This book gives you a good idea of all the basics from the people who know canning forwards and backwards. I love that I can dig in and get just what I need. 

Not Your Mama’s Canning Book: Modern Canned Goods and What to Make with Them: This book is SO FUN. It has some out of the ordinary recipes. We especially love the tomato soup and seasoned black bean recipes. 

And finally, the National Center for Home Food Preservation has all the information you need for all sorts of food preservation, not just canning. I reference it often! 

But enough about resources, you want to can right? (But seriously, I am going to give you the basics. If you are a newbie (Yay!), head to any of those resources for more detailed information)

Your Ingredients for Black Raspberry Jam

For approximately 4 half-pints, gather: 

  • 5 cups black raspberries
  • 3 cups sugar 

(Yes, that’s it! No, you can’t swap out the sugar for a different sweetener. Canning is finicky like that)

The Prep Work

Fill the canning kettle with enough water that the jars will be covered by at least 2 inches of water. More is better in this case so overestimate. Begin to heat over high heat. Place the canning rack so that it is hooked over the side of the canner and put clean jars on it to keep them warm. Note: You don’t have to keep the jars in the rack, although it is helpful to keep them warm. You want the jars warm to prevent breaking when they are being filled. 

Set the clean rings aside. I like to simmer my lids on low low heat in a small saucepan. Not necessary, but I like to think it helps them seal better. 

If you have not already done so, measure out the sugar and the berries. 

Measure the berries!
Smush, smush, smush
Add the sugar.
Mix and cook, cook, cook.
Almost there!
Oh yum!
And fresh bread? I am here for it!

The black raspberry Jam Making

In a large, preferably shallow kettle, smash the black raspberries with a potato masher. Stir in the sugar. Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often. I like to smash the berries more as they are cooking down. 

Your end goal is to reach the gelling point. There are lots of tests for this, but I prefer the temperature test. If you are at sea level, the gelling point is at 220 degrees. For every 1000 feet of elevation, you subtract 2 degrees. For me, the gelling point is 218 degrees. Don’t have a decent food thermometer? Check out the National Center for Home Preservation website for other ways of testing for the gelling point. 

It takes longer to reach the gelling point than I think it should. It also goes from needing 3 degrees to reaching the gelling point fast. You can get complacent while you are waiting and suddenly hit the temperature, so I am trying to warn you 🙂 

Once the jam has reached the gelling point, remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch head space. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp, clean cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from canner, placing on the counter. Listen for the ping of the lids over the next 12 hours. Sealed jars are self stable. If any jar doesn’t seal, simply place it right in the refrigerator. 

Note: You can skip the processing step all together if you feel more comfortable. If you do so, the black raspberry jam will need to be stored in the refrigerator. The process of water bath canning creates a self-stable jam. That is, a jam that can be stored on the shelf. 

Black Raspberry Jam

Two little ingredients (sugar and black raspberries) combine to make this wonderful taste of summer treat!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Canning
Servings 4 1/2 pint jars

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 5 cup black raspberries
  • 3 cups sugar

Instructions
 

  • If you have not done so, measure out raspberries and sugar.
  • Wash and sanitize 4 1/2 pint jars, rings, and lids. Keep warm. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 2 inches of water. Cover and heat on high. Watch the temperature, you want a simmer but not a boil when you place the jars in the water.
  • In a large, shallow kettle, smash raspberries with a potato masher. Stir in sugar. Begin to heat over medium-high heat, stirring often. Smash more as they are cooking down.
  • Heat to 8 degrees above the boiling point of water. If you are at sea level, the gelling point is at 220 degrees. For every 1000 feet of elevation, you subtract 2 degrees.
  • Once the jam has reached the gelling point, remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch head space. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp cloth, add lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight. Place in the canner, increasing the heat to high. Once the canner reaches a boil, process for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow jars to cool in the canner over 5 minutes. Remove from canner and allow to rest for 12 hours before storing.

Notes

You can skip the processing step all together if you feel more comfortable. If you do so, the jam will need to be stored in the refrigerator. The process of water bath canning creates a self-stable jam. That is, a jam that can be stored on the shelf.
Keyword black raspberry, Jam, Jam Recipes, Jellies and Jams, raspberries
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other canning inspiration?

Click here to head to my canning page or click any of the recipes below!

JessLeave a comment

Rhubarb Strawberry Jam

Some seasons, I totally forget about my rhubarb as it is coming up. I don’t know about you, but up until this year, I associated rhubarb season with spring. (Did you know you can harvest all summer long? I didn’t!) And spring is planting season so sometimes planting and prepping the garden gets in the way of the rhubarb. Not this year! I have had a blast giving different rhubarb recipes a try (check out these strawberry rhubarb bars!) and I am so excited to share this Rhubarb Strawberry Jam with you. 

I have given rhubarb strawberry jam a try a time or two before but hadn’t fallen in love with the results. Once I did a straight rhubarb jam that was green since that’s the color of our rhubarb. Not that appealing, if you ask me. But rhubarb is supposed to be a little tart, and too many strawberries counter that. 

I think I found the perfect blend here by having 67% more rhubarb than strawberries (I can’t stop my math teacher ways) and using low sugar pectin, cutting down on the sweetness a bit. And the color? Divine. It will seem like the rhubarb isn’t going to break down to a good jam consistency, but I promise, give it time and you will love the results. 

The Supplies 

This recipe will result in approximately eight 8 ounce jelly jars. You can use wide mouth or narrow mouth jars. Just be sure you have rings and lids for them and that they will all fit in your canner at once. It will likely be a little less, but with canning it’s always better to be over prepared in terms of jars. 

You will need a water bath canner or large stock pot with a lid. The jars need to be off the bottom of the pot. A water bath canner will have a rack to use. If you use a stock pot, I would invest in canning racks. You can also put a towel down in a pinch, but it is MESSY in terms of getting water everywhere.  

It is also helpful to have the tools in a canning kit like this, but it isn’t necessary. Canning would be crazy challenging without the jar funnel and jar tongs. The lid lifter is also very handy. 

While we are here, I will give you all the information you need to successfully can a batch of jam. However, if you are new to canning, you may likely want to gather additional information. My favorite places to learn more are The Ball’s Book of Canning or the National Center for Home Food Preservation. 

Your Ingredients

  • 3 cups diced strawberries
  • 5 cups diced rhubarb (I peeled mine to decrease on the fibrous material) 
  • ¼ cup lemon juice 
  • 4 cups sugar, divided
  • 1 package low sugar pectin 
  • ¼ teaspoon butter, optional

Your Steps to Rhubarb Strawberry Jam

Begin by measuring out your sugar in a large bowl and set aside. It’s important to have all your ingredients prepared before beginning the canning process so don’t skip this step. I also highly recommend reading through the steps more than once before beginning (I know that we are all guilty of flying by the seat of our pants when cooking). 

Fill the canning kettle with enough water that the jars will be covered by at least ½” water. More is better in this case so over estimate. Begin to heat over high heat. Place the canning rack so that it is hooked over the side of the canner and put clean jars on it to keep them warm. Note: You don’t have to keep the jars in the rack, although it is helpful to keep them warm. You want the jars warm to prevent breaking when they are being filled. 

Set the clean rings aside. I like to simmer my lids on low low heat in a small saucepan. Not necessary, but I like to think it helps them seal better. 

Now to Create the rhubarb Strawberry Jam 

In a large, preferably shallow kettle, combine the strawberries, rhubarb, and lemon juice. In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup of sugar and pectin. Sprinkle mixture over the fruit and stir. Add butter if desired. It will decrease foaming while the jam is cooking, but is not necessary. The foam isn’t bad. It just makes the jam a little less pretty. 

Heat fruit and pectin over medium high heat, stirring consistently. I like to use a potato masher to help crush the fruit as it begins to break down. Once it is close to a boil, stir constantly until you cannot stir down a rolling boil. On more than one occasion, I have thought I reached this point only to go a little longer and see what a “real rolling boil” looked like. 

Once a rolling boil has been reached, quickly stir in the remaining sugar. I find a strong whisk is helpful to make sure there are no clumps of sugar in the jam. Continue to heat over medium-high heat until a rolling boil is reached again, stirring constantly. Once the roiling boil is reached, time for EXACTLY one minute. Remove from heat. 

Canning Time!

Ladle hot jam into jars using the canning funnel, leaving ¼” head space. Wipe rims of the jars with a damp cloth as you go, top with a lid, and put on a ring so that it is finger tip tight. Fingertip tight means you know it’s tight but you aren’t sealing it so much so that it wouldn’t leak on its side, if that makes sense. (Any leftover rhubarb strawberry jam can go in a small container and get placed in the fridge to be enjoyed immediately)

Place jars in JUST about boiling water bath canner. Cover and raise the heat until a rolling boil is reached. Cook jam for 10 minutes (adjusting for your altitude…under 1000 feet, you’re good. Over? Add 5 minutes for every 1000 feet). Once the time is complete, remove canner from heat and remove the cover. Allow the jam to sit in the canner for an additional 5 minutes. Then remove and place on a towel on the counter. 

Afterward

Listen for the ping as the jars seal and just let them be for 24 hours. I know it will be hard to let them be because you’ll be so proud, but it’s recommended to make sure you get a good seal. Any jars that do not seal can be refrigerated and enjoyed right away. Note: It is recommended to store canned goods with their rings removed so that you can know if a false seal occurs. I generally just loosen them as loose as they can go. 

Greens and reds.
Sprinkle in the low sugar pectin and 1/4 cup sugar.
Break it down and cook it up.
Getting close!
Ladle it in.
Umm…perfection? I think so.

A FEW NOTES: 

  • Make sure you are using powdered pectin rather than liquid pectin. They do not set the same. Early in my canning career I didn’t know the difference and had a few batches of jelly never set. 
  • If you have never canned, you can reference the instructions within the pectin box for additional, more detailed directions. 
  • Sealed jars are shelf-stable, meaning they can be stored on a shelf unrefrigerated. If your jars don’t ping (a sign that they have sealed), they are still good. You will just need to store them in the refrigerator. 
  • Most sources recommend removing the rings from jars for storage so that you will know if they unseal for any reason. When I know they have sealed, I generally just loosen them as much as I can without removing them. 

Rhubarb Strawberry Jam

The classic springtime combination of rhubarb and strawberry make a delicious jam.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Canning
Servings 7 half pint jars

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups diced strawberries
  • 5 cups diced rhubarb
  • 4 cups sugar
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 package low sugar powdered pectin
  • ¼ teaspoon butter optional

Instructions
 

  • Prepare your water bath canner. Fill the canner with enough water so that once the jars are in the canner, they will be covered by at least one inch of water. Cover and begin to heat over a medium-high heat.
  • Measure out sugar. Set aside.
  • Place the rhubarb, strawberries, and lemon juice in a large, non reactive kettle. Add ¼ teaspoon of butter, if desired, to reduce foaming.
  • Combine pectin and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the fruit.
  • Cook over medium high heat until a rolling boil is reached, stirring consistently. I like to cursh with a potato masher as the fruit starts to break down.
  • Once a rolling boil is reached, slowly stir in sugar.
  • Continue to stir until you reach another rolling boil that can not be stirred down. Once a rolling boil is reached, cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  • Ladle jam into prepared jelly jars, wipe the rims with a damp cloth, add lids, and tighten rings to fingertip tight. Put into the water bath canner. When the canner has a steady boil going, time and process for 10 minutes.
  • Once the jam is done processing, remove the canner from heat and let jars rest in the water for an additional 5 minutes. Finally, remove jars from the canner and allow to cool for 12-24 hours before moving.

Notes

  • Make sure you are using powdered pectin rather than liquid pectin. They do not set the same. 
  • If you have never canned, you can reference the instructions within the pectin box for additional, more detailed directions. 
  • Sealed jars are shelf-stable, meaning they can be stored on a shelf unrefrigerated. If your jars don’t ping (a sign that they have sealed), they are still good. You will just need to store them in the refrigerator. 
  • Most sources recommend removing the rings from jars for storage so that you will know if they unseal for any reason. I generally just loosen them as much as I can without removing them.
Keyword Canning, Jam, Jam Recipes, Rhubarb, Strawberries, Strawberry Rhubarb
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Looking for other recipes beyond rhubarb Strawberry jam?

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Strawberry Rhubarb Oat Bars

Are you ready for some Strawberry Rhubarb Oat Bars? 

Springtime has finally arrived in Wisconsin, and I am here for it. Unfortunately, my rhubarb is JUST starting to be ready for harvesting. (Just started growing it? Get all the information at the University of Minnesota Extension). Luckily, I have an awesome neighbor just down the road that had an abundance of rhubarb and she invited me over to harvest some. 

Now I would normally bake a pie first for the Mr. but I wanted to try something new. I happened to have some strawberries in the fridge and Strawberry Rhubarb Oat Bars seemed to be the ticket. I tried to cut back a little on the sugar and butter and subbed in whole wheat flour and the results were perfect. The Mr. promptly ate two servings and said they were great! 

Ready to get baking? Let’s Go!

Your Ingredients 

  • 1 ½ cups chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb 
  • ½ cup chopped fresh strawberries 
  • ⅔ cup packed brown sugar, divided
  • 3 tablespoons water, divided
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice 
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch 
  • ¾ cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 ½ cups old fashioned oats
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 5 tablespoons butter, melted

Your Steps to Strawberry Rhubarb Oat Bars 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large saucepan, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, ⅓ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons water, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until rhubarb is soft. 

Combine cornstarch and the remaining tablespoon of water. Gradually stir into the rhubarb mixture over medium heat. Bring to a boil, cooking and stirring for 2-3 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside. 

In a large bowl, combine the butter, oats, flour, and salt. Mix until crumbly. Press ⅔ of the mixture into a greased 8 inch square baking dish. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and decrease the temperature to 350 degrees. Spread rhubarb mixture onto the crust and sprinkle the remaining oat mixture on top. Bake an additional 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool and then cut into 16 squares. 

Chop, chop, chop.
Get ready to cook it down.
Some texture.
Perfect.
Mix up the crust
Bake it up!
Done!
Served and delicious!

Strawberry Rhubarb Oat Bars

The flavors of spring combine in these strawberry rhubarb oat bars to create a delicious treat for any time of the day!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16 bars

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cups chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb
  • ½ cup chopped fresh strawberries
  • ⅔ cup packed brown sugar divided
  • 3 tablespoons water divided
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 ½ cups old fashioned oats
  • ¾ cup whole wheat flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 5 tablespoons butter melted

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  • In a large saucepan, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, ⅓ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons water, and lemon juice.
  • Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until rhubarb is soft.
  • Combine cornstarch and the remaining tablespoon of water. Gradually stir into the rhubarb mixture over medium heat. Bring to a boil, cooking and stirring for 2-3 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine the butter, oats, flour, and salt. Mix until crumbly.
  • Press ⅔ of the mixture into a greased 8 inch square baking dish. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and decrease the temperature to 350 degrees.
  • Spread rhubarb mixture onto the crust and sprinkle the remaining oat mixture on top.
  • Bake an additional 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool and then cut into 16 squares.
Keyword Oat Bars, oats, Rhubarb, Rhubarb Bars, Strawberries, Strawberry Rhubarb
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