We love you berry much

4/1/2020 (Permalink)

Berries are high in vitamin C and antioxidants so eating them daily can help continue to keep our immune systems boosted amidst virus season.

Since most of us are at home and cooking the majority of our meals who can’t use a fun recipe idea? One of our standard Costco shopping staples is their bags of frozen berries. They are ideal for adding to smoothies with a banana and a handful of spinach or for dessert, we thaw a bowl of berries to top or mix in ice cream, pound-cake or waffles. But another option is to use these frozen berries to create a homemade jam.

Here is a super simple recipe and the ideas for jam uses are seemingly endless…

Easy Berry Jam

INGREDIENTS

2 cups frozen or fresh berries (any kind)

¼ cup of sugar

½ lemon, squeezed juice (remove seeds)

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine all ingredients into a large glass mixing bowl. Microwave on high for intervals of five minutes with a total of about ten to fifteen minutes depending on rate of cooking, since temperatures of microwaves vary. The jam should be a shiny thickened mixture but it will continue to thicken as it cools. Cool and transfer to an airtight glass container. Refrigerate for up to a month to a month and a half.

As a jam, the berries can, of course, be topped as mentioned above but also in plain Greek yogurt with a handful of nuts for a healthy breakfast or as filling inside crepes, on top of oatmeal, biscuits, pancakes, English muffins or stuffed French toast. As an appetizer use homemade berry jam as a topping for baked brie or add to a charcuterie board, inside a grilled cheese or a Monte Christo sandwich. Shake into hot tea. a cocktail with whiskey, vodka or gin or stir into soda to flavor or a milkshake. Additional uses can be to add jam to a salad dressing vinaigrette, a pan sauce for chicken, ham, ribs or pork. Swirl in or top creamy desserts, baked goods, cheesecakes, shortcakes & trifles.

Normally, we may not take the time to make something from scratch but since we have the extra time now, why not? It is sooooo good, and really, who needs all the extra ingredients found in shelf versions? With summer just ahead, why not make it fresh regularly, playing with different fruit varieties?