Well, tonight I had a pleasant evening putting up fig preserves. I use two different recipes because my kids don't really like traditional fig preserves. One of the recipes is a fake strawberry preserve and is oh so easy! Here are the two recipes that I use and they work out really well. I have gotten lots of nice comments from both when I gift someone a jar.
Imitation Strawberry Preserves
1 quart figs cut up and mashed
3 cups sugar
6 oz. pkg. strawberry jello
1/4 c. lemon juice
3 oz. pkg. lemon jello
Combine all ingredients in a boiler and bring to a boil slowly to dissolve sugar. Then boil for 5 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer for about another 5 minutes. Pour in jars and seal. Process in boiling water bath according to USDA instructions for jams and preserves.
Fig Preserves
1 lb. figs to 3/4 lb. sugar
2 lemons
1/2 c. water
3 slices ginger chopped fine or 3 tbls. ground ginger
Cook figs in sugar and water syrup until figs get glassy (about 45 minutes). Drain small amount of liquid and cook sliced lemons and ginger for about 10 minutes. Fill jars, seal and process in a boiling water bath.
I believe the USDA recommendations are 25 minutes for pints and 30 for quarts, but please double check. I always look it up just to make sure and never remember the exact times.
So where does the elderberry wine come in? Well, while I was cutting and cooking figs I decided to have some elderberry wine that friend gave me. This bottle had aged for 11 years and let me tell you it was divine. I definitely will be making some elderberry wine this year. It was lovely and a perfect compliment to the figs which I ate while I cut!
Now I have 7 lovely quarts of fig preserves cooling on the counter, a lovely glass of wine has relaxed me ( maybe it will help me sleep), and the boston butt in thawing out for tomorrow. What a nice evening to have had. Blessings, Kat
2 comments:
Hi Kat,
Thanks for your blog. I've been enjoying it for about a year now, though I've never left a comment before.
I was wondering if you have any good plum recipes. I made plum sauce last year (our plum trees come ripe next month in the northwest) which started out as plum jam. I borrow my bachelor neighbor's plum tree since he doesn't use any of the fruit! But boy are there a TON of plums. I'm thinking of what I can do with them that I'll really use (read: jars and jars of plum sauce sitting in the basement right now)
By the way, we had a similar problem with a neighbor (have) with planting deciduous trees right next to our property which shed leaves...all over our yard, under the deck, in every nook and cranny, and are overgrown on our roof. They do nothing to take care of them but we spend hours. Also, our dog did his business on their side lawn once and before we had a chance to pick it up, it was delivered to our front door! So, I think that some of us forget that we make mistakes too, and that there's a reason for grace. And court.
Sarah
What a great blessing to have, Anonymous. The best plum jelly recipe I have used is the one in the packet of Sure-jell. It works really well. Then you could just can the plums in halves or slices in a light syrup. www.pickyourown.org has tons of great canning recipes and I highly recommend it. About the only thing we do with plums at our house is make jelly. What others we get are eaten fresh. Blessings from the farm, Kat
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