Blueberry Jam!

Let me first say that if I could do this during naptime, you could too. I did have help, so a friend helps speed along the process, especially a friend who has made jam before. We used the blueberries we picked that morning and found a simple recipe in my classic Better Homes and Gardens cookbook for Blueberry-Orange Jam.

Before you start, I will tell you that this uses a few pots and pans at once. We had a pot going to sterilize the jars. We had a pot to actually make the jam. Erin was manning the stove, keeping water boiling, etc while I was doing the fun part of crushing berries and mixing it together.

Recipe:
3 pints blueberries, stems removed (1 pint = 2 cups)
1T orange zest
1/4c orange juice
1 package powdered fruit pectin (typically 1.75oz)
1/2t butter or margarine
4c sugar (I didn't have enough when we started and had to run to CVS in the middle of cooking. that's where you go when your town doesn't have a grocery store…)


1. Place 1c berries in an 8qt pot. Use a masher to crush berries. (I did all of my berry crushing in an aluminum pan because my stove and best pots were in use!) Add berries until you have 4c crushed. Stir in orange zest, orange juice, pectin and margarine.

2. Heat on high, stirring constantly until you have a full rolling boil. Add sugar all at once. Return to boiling; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and quickly skim off foam (I didn't have foam).

3. Immediately ladle into hot sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Process in boiling water canner for 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool until set. Makes 6 half pints.