Grandma's Kitchen

I received a letter this week from a reader asking about a Blueberry Jelly recipe I printed.

PINEAPPLE JAM

20-ounce can crushed pineapple, and its juice (drain)

1 box Sure Jell Fruit Pectin

1/2 teaspoon butter (optional)

3 cups sugar

Add enough water to the drained pineapple juice to make 3-1/4 cups.

Place juice in water in a Dutch Oven and add the Sure Jell. Add butter to reduce the foaming.

Cook to a full rolling boil (a boil that won't stop bubbling when stirred) over high heat.

Add sugar; stir. Return to a full rolling boil, stirring, and boil for exactly 1 minute. Stir constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with a metal spoon.

Ladle quickly into five 1/2 pint jars, that have been scalded. Fill to 1/8-inch of tops with jam. Put on hot lids and rims.

Process 5 minutes in a Hot Water Bath. Remove jars, with canning jar holder, to a towel on your countertop. Cool completely.

After jars are completely cooled, check seals by pushing the middle of lids with your finger; they should not move. If one pops up, it is not sealed. Refrigerate for immediate use.

Remove the rims from jars that are sealed. (You can reuse the rims, again, just clean and heat with boiling water each time.) Label and store in canning cupboard or other cool dry place.

Makes five 1/2 pint jars.

Linda's note: you will want to make several of these batches. I do 3 at one time, but it is up to you.

ORANGE MARMALADE

4 medium oranges

1 medium lemon

1-1/2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

6 cups sugar

1/2 of a 6-ounce pouch of Cert-O liquid pectin

Remove peel from oranges and lemon, scrape off excess white membrane. Put half of the peel and half of the water in blender container. Blend until peel is finely chopped. Pour into a saucepan. Repeat process with remaining peel and water. Add baking soda to mixture in saucepan. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, quarter fruit and remove seeds. Put fruit in blender container; blend till pureed. Add to orange peel mixture in saucepan; cover and cook slowly for 20 minutes.

Measure mixture (should be about 3 cups) into large kettle or Dutch Oven. Add sugar. Bring to full rolling boil; boil hard for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; add pectin. Skim; stir 5 minutes. Pour in hot, scalded jars; seal. (Use scalded rims and lids, and seal tightly.) Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Makes six 1/2-pint jars.

GREEN TOMATO JAM

6 cups ground green tomatoes

4 cups sugar

6-ounce package raspberry gelatin

Add sugar to tomatoes in heavy pan. Boil for 20 minutes. Stir in gelatin and mix well. Pour into sterilized jars and seal. Use hot rims and lids, seal tightly. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath canner.

Looks and tastes like raspberry jam.

CINNAMON BLUEBERRY JAM

1 pound fresh or frozen blueberries (about 1 quart)

3-1/2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1 pouch Certo

Crush blueberries; measure 2 1/2 cups and place in a large kettle. Add the sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and cloves; bring to a full rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; stir in Certo.

Skim off foam. Pour hot into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust caps. Process 15 minutes in boiling water bath.

Yield: 4 half-pints

SPAGHETTI DIP

1 large green pepper

1 cup dairy sour cream

2 tablespoons dry spaghetti sauce mix

Make a dip from the sour cream and spaghetti sauce mix. Cover and chill.

Remove top and seeds from green pepper. Remove stem from green pepper top; discard. Place green pepper top and all the remaining ingredients in blender container; blend till green pepper is coarsely chopped. Chill well. Fill green pepper with dip.

Makes about 1 cup.

FROSTY PUMPKIN PIE

1 can pumpkin without the spice

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 box, regular size, instant vanilla pudding

1/2 carton Cool Whip (no substitutes)

In mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, the spice, and dry pudding mix. Beat well. Add the Cool Whip.

Pour into a graham cracker, or baked pie shell, (or a Vanilla Wafer shell), and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Linda's note: My friend, Jeanette buys the big can of pumpkin, and uses double the spice, 2 boxes of pudding and all of the Cool Whip. She makes 1 pie, and puts the rest into a bowl, and uses it as a tasty, snack.

I use No-Sugar Instant Pudding also. I switch the puddings too, I use White Chocolate, and any kind that strikes my fancy. This is wonderful these hot summer days, when one does not want to start up the oven.