Grape-plum jelly with pectin

3-1/2 pounds ripe plums
3 pounds ripe Concord grapes
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon butter or margarine (optional ingredient to reduce foaming)
8-1/2 cups sugar
1 box (1-3/4 ounces) powdered pectin
Yield: About 10 half-pints

Procedure: Wash and pit plums; do not peel. Thoroughly crush plums and grapes, one layer at a time, in a large saucepan. Add water. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Strain juice through a jelly bag or double layer of cheesecloth. Measure sugar and set aside. Combine 6-1/2 cups of juice with pectin in a large saucepan. Add butter if desired. Bring to a hard boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Add the sugar and return to a full, rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, skim off foam and quickly pour into sterilized half-pint jars. Leave 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust lids, and process the jars as directed in Table 1.

Blueberry-spice jam with pectin

2-1/2 pints ripe blueberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg or cinnamon
5-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
1 box (1-3/4 ounces) powdered pectin
Yield: About 5 half-pints

Procedure: Wash and thoroughly crush blueberries, one layer at a time, in a large saucepan. Add lemon juice, spice and water. Stir in pectin, and bring to a full, rolling boil over high heat. Stir frequently. Add the sugar and return to a full, rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, quickly skim off foam and pour into sterilized half-pint jars. Leave 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process the jars as directed in Table 1.

Pear-apple jam with pectin

2 cups fully ripe pears — peeled, cored and finely chopped (about 2 pounds)
1 cup apples — peeled, cored and finely chopped (about 1 large)
6-1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup bottled lemon juice
6 ounces liquid pectin
Yield: About 7 half-pints to 8 half-pints

Procedure: Crush pears and apples in a large saucepan and stir in cinnamon. Thoroughly mix sugar and lemon juice into fruits, and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Immediately stir in pectin. Bring to a full, rolling boil and boil 1 minute. Stir constantly. Remove from heat; quickly skim off foam and pour into sterilized, half-pint jars. Leave 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process the jars as directed in Table 1.

Strawberry-rhubarb jelly with pectin

1-1/2 pounds red stalks of rhubarb
1-1/2 quarts ripe strawberries
1/2 teaspoon butter or margarine (optional ingredient to reduce foaming)
6 cups sugar
6 ounces liquid pectin
Yield: About 7 half-pints.

Procedure: Wash and cut rhubarb into 1-inch pieces and blend or grind. Wash and stem strawberries, then crush berries one layer at a time. Put both fruits in a jelly bag or double layer of cheesecloth and gently squeeze out juice. Measure 3-1/2 cups of juice into a large saucepan. Thoroughly mix sugar into juice and add butter if desired. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Immediately stir in pectin. Bring to a full, rolling boil and boil hard 1 minute. Stir constantly. Remove from heat, quickly skim off foam and pour into sterilized, half-pint jars. Leave 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process the jars as directed in Table 1.

Berry syrup

Juices from fresh or frozen blueberries, cherries, grapes, raspberries (black or red) and strawberries are easily made into toppings for use on ice cream and pastries.

Yield: About 9 half-pints

Procedure: Select 6-1/2 cups of fresh or frozen fruit of your choice. Wash, cap and stem fresh fruit and crush in a saucepan. Heat to boiling and simmer until soft (five to 10 minutes). Strain hot berries through a colander and let drain until cool enough to handle. Strain the collected juice through a double layer of cheesecloth or jelly bag. Discard the dry pulp. The yield of the pressed juice should be about 4-1/2 to 5 cups.

Combine the juice with 6-3/4 cups of sugar in a large saucepan, bring to boil and simmer 1 minute. To make a syrup with whole fruit pieces, save 1 or 2 cups of the whole fresh or frozen fruit, combine with the sugar and crushed fruit and simmer as in making regular syrup. Remove from heat, skim off foam and pour into clean, half-pint or pint jars. Leave 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process as directed in Table 1.

Apple butter

(Use Jonathan, Winesap, Stayman, Golden Delicious, MacIntosh, or other tasty apple varieties for good results.)

8 pounds apples
2 cups cider
2 cups vinegar
2-1/4 cups white sugar
2-1/4 cups packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground cloves
Yield: About 8 to 9 pints

Procedure: Wash, remove stems, quarter and core fruit. Cook slowly in cider and vinegar until soft. Press fruit through a colander, food mill or strainer. Cook fruit pulp with sugar and spices, stirring frequently. To test for doneness, remove a spoonful and hold it away from steam for two minutes. Apple butter is done if it remains mounded on the spoon. Or, test for doneness by spooning a small amount onto a plate. When a rim of liquid does not separate around the edge of the apple butter, it is ready for canning. Fill hot, sterilized, half-pint or pint jars. Leave 1/4-inch headspace. Quart jars need not be sterilized. Adjust lids and process as directed in Table 1.

TABLE 1: Recommended processing times for sweet spreads in a boiling-water canner.