Finding myself home alone on a smoky Sunday with lots of really ripe fruit laying around, I couldn't decide what to do.  So I started with pear-apple butter cooking in the crockpot.  That got the house smelling really wonderful.  Next I figured I'd better deal with the last of the peaches from the orchard, they were way beyond ripe.  So I made peach-cayenne jam.  Since I had the hot-water canner all heated up, didn't want to waste all that boiling water!  I made black plum-serrano jam too!!!

RECIPES

Black plum-serrano jam

3 pounds black plums, peeled and cut into eighths, seeds discarded

2 - 4 serrano peppers, seeded and finely chopped

1/2 cup water

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

7-1/2 cups sugar

1 envelope liquid pectin

 

I like to throw the plums and the peppers into the food processor to speed up the cooking process.  Combine all the ingredients except the pectin in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.  Add the pectin and boil for 1 minute.  Ladle into sterilized 1/2 pint jars and place into hot water bath canner (water should be boiling) for 10 minutes.  Makes about ten jars of beautiful dark purple jam with a little bite.

 

 

Peach-cayenne jam

• 8 large peaches, skinned and pitted
• 2 large cayenne peppers, stemmed and seeded
• 5 cups sugar
• 1 cup honey
• juice of one lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 envelopes liquid pectin

Chop peaches and cayenne peppers into small pieces.  Combine all the ingredients except the pectin in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil and cook until the peach chunks are the size you want them.  Add the pectin and boil for 1 minute.  Ladle into sterilized 1/2 pint jars and place into hot water bath canner for 10 minutes.  Makes about 10 jars of delicious hot-sweet jam.  This is great for using in marinades - taste amazing on swordfish!

 

Pear-apple butter

• 6 pears
• 6 apples
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 tsp ginger
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• juice from 1 lemon (about 1 Tbsp)

Cut the fruit into large chunks, core or seed them.  You do not have to peel the fruit.  Throw everything into the crock pot and cook until it is the consistency you want (8 hours).  You may want to add additional sweetner like honey to taste.  I don't like mine too sweet.  Scoop the peels out and ladle into jars.  Place into the hot water bath canner for 15 minutes.  If you are having trouble getting it to thicken up, just take the top off the crock pot and cook for awhile that way.