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12 Days of Edible Gifts: Pomegranate Jelly

YumSugar — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:30:56 -0800

Our 12 Days of Edible Gifts continues with a juicy homemade jelly. I used to think that jams and jellies took hours to can, but I'm glad I realized was wrong. This recipe for pomegranate jelly takes only 15 minutes of active time, and costs under $10 to make. Most importantly, it's a heartfelt gift. Turn the jelly into a pretty package by using a festive ribbon to tie the container together with a few baguettes and a cloth napkin. To make your own pomegranate jelly this holiday, read more.

Pomegranate Jelly
Adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

4 cups store-bought pomegranate juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 cups sugar
1 1/2 pouches liquid pectin (3 ounces each; 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon)

Directions

Put pomegranate juice, lemon juice, and sugar into a large stockpot. Bring to a rolling boil.
Add liquid pectin; return to a rolling boil, and cook 1 minute.
Immediately transfer jelly to jars.
Set jars over an ice-water bath to cool, then transfer to refrigerator.

Makes 7 cups. Jelly will keep refrigerated for up to a month.

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'Wich of the Week: Peanut Butter and Jelly Waffle 'Wich

YumSugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:00:51 -0700

Last weekend I was struck by a very intense craving for one of my nostalgic childhood foods, so I hightailed it to the grocery store to buy some frozen waffles. I've said before that some of the best sandwiches evoke memories, and this recipe goes back when I was maybe 7 or 8, and my mom fixed me some waffles before realizing we were out of syrup. She improvised to make this sandwich, and "peanut butter and jelly waffles" soon became one of my favorite meals.Like the nonwaffly version, this PB&J is very easy to make and can inspire countless variations: almond instead of peanut butter, different flavors of waffles or even waffles from scratch, honey in place of jelly, Elvis-style with bananas, and on and on. To see what I did, read more.

This time I used Eggo cinnamon waffles, which I highly recommend. The only requirement for this breakfast or lunch sandwich - and what sets it apart from a traditional PB&J - is using hot, toasted waffles, which melt the peanut butter in just the right warm and comfy way.

How would you make your peanut butter and jelly waffles?

Peanut Butter and Jelly Waffle 'Wich
Original Recipe

Ingredients

2 frozen waffles, plain or flavored
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons jelly of your choice

Directions

Toast waffles in toaster on high, until they are medium brown.
On one waffle, spread the peanut butter, making sure to fill in the square indentations. On the other waffle, spread the jelly.
Place the peanut butter and jelly sides together, cut in half, and serve immediately.

Makes 1 sandwich.

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What Do You Know About PB&Js?

partysugar — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 03:01:51 -0700

Yesterday was April Fool's Day, and today is National Peanut Butter and Jelly day! To celebrate, I've put together a little quiz that tests your knowledge of the classic children's sandwich. If you love fun foodie facts, take the quiz now!

Source

Take the quiz

Yummy Link: Yebisu Beer Jelly

YumSugar — Fri, 04 May 2007 14:01:54 -0700

If you've ever been to a typical American college party, then you've probably had a Jello shot or two (or ten). Well the folks at Yebisu (a great Japanese beer) have created a beer based version. I wonder if it contains any alcohol or is just beer flavored... - Liquor Snob

Blueberry Jam Session

YumSugar — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 07:57:21 -0700

A couple of months ago, I got together with my pals April and Jessie for what I hope is to become a new tradition of ours: hanging out drinking champagne while doing random bits of domestic diva-ry. This time we were doing one of Jessie's specialties: jam - blueberry jam to be exact.

It all came about when I had my housewarming party back in August. When Jessie arrived she presented me with a jar of homemade jam which caused me to totally pull an Elaine (from Seinfeld). I yelled "SHUT UP," nearly knocked her down and then rudely demanded that we get together to make some in the future. Lucky for me Jessie is a great gal and knows my rudeness was just because I was excited to make my own jam. To check out how ours came out (which I'll cheat and tell you it was great, if not too sweet), and see step-by-step pictures so you can make some yourself, read more

We decided on blueberry since Jessie was craving it, however in the future I think I'd like to try some in season fresh fruits instead. This is a huge batch, we made twelve jars, but you can easily cut the recipe in half. Also, both April and I thought it was too sweet, I'd easily omit a cup or two of the sugar (to taste).

Blueberry Jam
Makes 1 Dozen 8oz Jars

8 cups of frozen blueberries
4 tbsp lemon juice
2 packets of 100% fruit pectin
10 1/2 cups of sugar

First of all, you will need to sterilize the jars.
Wash the jars & lids in hot, soapy water, rinse and then sterilize by putting them in boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Since it's best to fill the jars when they are hot (to prevent breakage) you may want to leave them in the hot water until you are almost ready to pour the jam in. Remove them with tongs, they're going to be very hot.

Now on to the jam...

Thaw and drain blueberries. We forgot to thaw our berries, so we ran cold water over them instead.
Place one "layer" (enough to cover the bottom of the pan) of berries into the pot and crush. If you have to crush/mash the berries outside of the pan, you can, however you may end up losing a lot of juices.
Add another "layer" and crush. Repeat until all berries are crushed.
Add lemon juice and stir.
Stir in Fruit Jell pectin and bring to boil. Stir constantly.
Add sugar, stirring to dissolve - again, I thought this was too much sugar...
Return mixture to a rolling boil. You really want this to get going, you're looking for deep bubbles emerging from the bottom. Boil at rolling boil for one minute. Stir constantly.
Remove from heat and skim off any foam (if necessary).
Ladle hot jam into hot jars leaving 1/4" below the rim. You lose some of the jam this way, but we found it easier to ladle it into a cup measure with a spout and pour from that instead.
Wipe rim clean, place inner lid on jar, and tighten band (just until there is a bit of resistance).
Process jars in boiling water bath. Keep the jars covered with 1" of water and keep the water boiling. Boil for 10 minutes. Remove from water and cool for 12-24 hours. Lids should be concave in the center. Note: For whatever reason we actually didn't do this step. We made sure all of our lids were concave though. Only one did not stick and we just decided to eat it first. The processing step is to help hinder spoilage.
Decorate with cute cloth if desired!
Label the stickers that come with jars and stick them on your lovely creations!
Once it's cooled, pop-it open and serve with bread, crackers, scones, or even vanilla ice cream!

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Jelly Belly's Newest Flavor: Acai Berry

partysugar — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:00:30 -0700

America's favorite jelly bean company, Jelly Belly, announced its newest flavor this morning. Fans voted the acai berry, a trendy energy fruit, as the latest addition to the 50 official, ever-changing flavors. The public was invited to submit ideas for new flavors in the Dream Bean Contest and five finalists - honey, sublime chili lime, Thai iced tea, mojito, and acai - were chosen. According to Rob Swaigen, marking director for the company, the decision was an easy one:

We received thousands of submissions for acai berry flavor - it's
clearly on many people's radar. The voting for the finalist flavors was
overwhelming in favor of acai. Honey came in a strong second place.

I'm curious to try the new jelly bean and wonder how close it will taste to the actual berry. Have you tried acai? Are you interested in tasting the new jelly bean?

Source

'Wich of the Week: Cream Cheese and Pepper Jelly

YumSugar — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:00:51 -0800

Don't knock it 'til you've tried it: Cream cheese smothered in pepper jelly and served with crackers is an easy and irresistible party appetizer. (Seriously, try it for Super Bowl.) Left with a deliciously sweet and spicy jar of Tabasco jelly from a recent gathering, I assembled an adult rendition of the old-school kiddie combo of cream cheese and jam.As a nod to childhood bagged lunches, I cut the crusts off the bread for a sandwich as pretty as it is simple. Decadent and gooey, the pepper jelly has just the right amount of spice, which is gracefully cut by the creamy spread. I also threw in some baby romaine leaves to create a festive color palette of orange, white, and green and to add a bit of extra texture. The only danger of this sandwich is that I could easily eat five in one sitting. To get the recipe and step-by-step photos, read more.

Cream Cheese and Pepper Jelly Sandwich
Original recipe

Ingredients

2 slices of wheat or multigrain bread
2 tablespoons whipped cream cheese, lowfat or regular
2 tablespoons spicy pepper jelly, such as Tabasco
6 leaves baby romaine lettuce

Directions

With a sharp bread knife, cut the crusts off the bread.
On each slice, spread one tablespoon cream cheese, followed by one tablespoon pepper jelly.
On top of one jelly-coated slice, carefully lay the romaine leaves.
Press other slice over the lettuce, cut diagonally in half, and serve.

Makes 1 sandwich.

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Do You Eat Peanut Butter And Jelly Sandwiches?

partysugar — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 07:51:19 -0700

Today is National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day. Although I ate them frequently when I was still in school, now I have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich maybe once a year. I don't know what it is about this classic all American sandwich combination but it optimizes the school lunch. My mom is a preschool teacher and everyday she makes herself a peanut butter and jelly (grape) sandwich. She eats this lunch at school but when she is at home, she makes her other lunchtime staples (turkey and crackers, grilled cheeses, cream cheese and pretzels). Which makes me wonder, do people only eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in school? What about you reader, do you eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?

Yummy Link: George Clooney Is a Yummy Man

YumSugar — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 14:15:51 -0800

George Clooney's always seemed like a sweetie to me. Maybe that's why it doesn't surprise me that the folks at Jelly Belly have created his likeness using over 10,000 jelly beans. - People

Canned Cranberry: Love It or Hate It?

partysugar — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:00:41 -0800

When I was growing up, canned cranberry jelly was a part of our menu every Thanksgiving. With it's rich color, cylindrical shape, and smooth coolness, it was one of my favorite parts of the meal. I have since learned to love a more sophisticated homemade fresh cranberry sauce, but the canned cranberry holds a special place in my heart. It's ideal for making leftover sandwiches. How do you feel about it?

Source: Flickr User busbeytheelder