Yummy Blueberry Freezer Jam

Doing their "thing" for the 24 hour time period.

Homemade Jam! Yum!  It's mid July & earlier this week it was Blueberry Freezer Jam time!  You might say I'm big on tradition.  Definitely that's true in the summer when I buckle down to make the Freezer Jams.  There's a time & place for everything and it's jam time.  Homemade jams taste so much better than the commercial brands. 

Sunday afternoon brought the yearly drive to Calabrese Farms in Southwick, MA to purchase the fresh local Blueberries. 

No longer do I pick them.  It's so much easier to drive out to Southwick & purchase them directly.  Most of the pints did fit inside the large box- to make it easier to carry.  But the last container needed "special treatment", so the blueberries wouldn't spill out all over the trunk of our car.  :) 

After arriving home, it was time for Blueberries, Part II.  Most of the sweet, delicious, blue, juicy berries were washed, drained, packaged in freezer bags & labelled to place in our large freezer.  My year's supply will be enjoyed, especially during the cold winter months.

Not all of these sweet pieces of fruit were frozen.  There's the Blueberries saved for cereal at breakfast this week, the Blueberries for a batch of muffins & also a torte.  And... da da the Blueberries for my Blueberry Freezer Jam.

Freezer Jam is the much easier method to make jam on a hot humid summer day.  It's prepared & then sits undisturbed for 24 hours before placing in the freezer.     

On Monday the CERTO (liquid fruit pectin), Lemon Juice, Sugar & Blueberries in the fridge were collected to begin. The directions for Freezer Jams are found inside the CERTO box along with 2 pouches of the liquid fruit pectin.  My circular 1 cup Ziploc containers had been purchased on amazon a couple months ago- after learning that they are not manufactured any longer.   

Preparing 1 batch at a time, I followed the directions, exactly.  The 1 cup containers & lids had been washed & dried.  I also looked at My Hints before I started.  Click here to view My Hints.  

Preparing Blueberry Freezer Jam
(File Photo)

Now, there are 19 containers of yummy Blueberry Freezer Jam stored in our freezer, along with the Strawberry Freezer Jam.   

Have you made Freezer Jam yet?  It's so good!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Blueberry Freezer Jam

Waiting for Certo/ Lemon Juice to be added.

Was just jammin today.  Well more like listening to Rod Stewart, Billy Joel & Bruce Springsteen while making Blueberry Freezer Jam.  It's Blueberry season here!  The time to purchase the fresh local blueberries from Calabrese Farms in Southwick, MA.  It's just a short drive away.

Calabrese Farms

It's a tradition for me to prep & freeze the sweet yummy local berries & also make the year's supply of Blueberry Jam!  3 batches each made separately was accomplished this afternoon.  Now the freezer containers are sitting on our dining room table for the 24 hour period - basically making itself!

Suddenly this past spring, there no longer were containers of my homemade jam on the top shelf of our large freezer.  The good news was that we enjoyed it.  The bad news was that a commercial brand needed to be purchased.  Well, it doesn't have a consistency nor a flavor that we are fond of... at all.  I've been waiting for the fresh local fruit to ripen!  The Certo liquid fruit pectin was purchased weeks ago along with containers & Sugar.  ***The directions are found in the Certo box!  I was almost good to go!  Yesterday, the fresh local Blueberries needed to be purchased from Calabrese Farms.

After arriving, I headed to the blueberries:

Pints & Pints & More Pints of Blueberries!

2 trays (24 pints) were purchased.  Enough to enjoy now, prep for the freezer & make Freezer Jam.  A discounted price was available with the larger quantity. :)  

Yesterday was Day 1 - freeze the year's supply of Blueberries.  Today was Freezer Jam Day.  Tomorrow afternoon at the designated times, the 3 batches of Blueberry Freezer Jam will be placed on the top shelf of our freezer - next to the Strawberry Freezer Jam. 

This is a great time of year with all of the local veggies & fruit!  It's great to enjoy them now & also prep/ freeze them to enjoy later!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

 

~Blueberry Freezer Jam~

The 24 Hour Time Period

Seeing blue!  Oh, the local blueberries, that is!  Yesterday afternoon, we took the annual drive out to Calabrese Farms in Southwick, MA to purchase the ripe, yummy, dark blue fruit at their farm stand.  Every year I purchase the year's supply from them and prep the the fresh berries for our large freezer.  As with strawberries gone are the days when "pick your own" is my preferred method of getting my supply to freeze for pancakes and other tasty faves.  Also, to make make jam.  Definitely Freezer Jam!  With our 90° + weather, it's the only jam to make.

Later yesterday afternoon the Ziploc Freezer Bags each containing 2 cups of the sweet fruit found their place in our freezer.  There is a quart of these delicious berries remaining in our fridge - for cereal, for fruit salads and for snacking!  Yum!
 

Packaged Blueberries!

This afternoon my agenda was 2 batches of Blueberry Freezer Jam.  The directions are found inside the CERTO box.  CERTO (Liquid Fruit Pectin), Lemon Juice, Sugar and Blueberries are needed along with the freezer containers.  My containers of choice are Ziploc 1 cup Freezer Containers. 

***I always have 1 extra container ready to use when pouring the liquid mixture into the cups.       

Follow the directions exactly when making this easy and yummy jam!   Only 1 batch is prepared at a time.  Today, I made 2 batches - each separately.  The containers are labelled and sitting on our Dining Room table - basically taking care of themselves.  After the 24 hour period, the containers will be placed in our freezer.  Yes, the time is also labelled.  :) 

Freezer Jam is very easy to prepare and tastes totally great!  Do you prepare this in the summer when the fruit is available? 

Enjoy!
Yummy!

         

Peachy Craisin Crisp

The trip to Calabrese Farms in Southwick, MA on Friday afternoon resulted in purchasing local, fresh, juicy, fragrant Peaches!  If you enjoy making Freezer Jam, as I do, it is time to get moving when the fruit is ripe!  Yesterday a batch of Peach Freezer Jam was prepared.  In a couple of hours it will be stored in our large freezer downstairs.  The afternoon began with preparing Freezer Jam and ended with one very tasty dessert - Peachy Craisin Crisp.  Yummy!  

It has become a tradition for me to bake this scrumptious dessert after making the jam.  I'm sure it's due to the fact that not only are the juicy 6 - 7 Peaches in my fridge, but my kitchen counters and stove contain all of the necessary utensils.  My rose colored Pyrex container can be located quickly.  It's 8" x 8" size is perfect to use.  The combination of Peaches and of dried Cranberries is scrumptious in this dessert with an oat topping. 

***After washing the Peaches in cold water, the skins of the fruit need to be removed.  To remove the skin easily, carefully place each Peach in simmering water for about 35 seconds.  Using a slotted spoon, remove each Peach and place on a plate to cool.  When the fruit can be comfortably handled, peel and cut fruit into slices.  :)
 
Peachy Craisin Crisp

Oven Temperature:  375° F    
Baking Time:  About 45 Minutes

Ingredients:
6 - 7 sliced Peaches
2/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
3/4 tsp. Cinnamon
3/4 tsp. Nutmeg
1/3 Cup softened Butter or Margarine
1/4 Cup Craisins (dried cranberries)

Method:

1. Preheat oven.
2. Spray PAM in glass baking dish.
3. Place sliced Peaches in baking dish.  Sprinkle on Craisins and mix.
4. In small bowl combine remaining ingredients thoroughly.  Sprinkle over Peaches.
5. Bake 45 minutes or until Peaches are tender.  
6. Serve warm or cold topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
7. After cool, cover and refrigerate any leftovers. 

This is a great dessert filled with slices of fresh fruit!  An added plus is that there is no pie crust to roll out on a warm summer day if this delicious fresh dessert is prepared.  Sweet!  Do you bake using fresh peaches?  

Yummy!
Enjoy! 

   

     

Blueberry Season is here!!!

The local blueberries are available at roadside stands!  On Friday afternoon it was time to stop working on my sewing project.  My blue shorts were put on hold.  My DH & I drove out to Calabrese Farms in Southwick to purchase our year's supply of blueberries.  For me it is a tradition started in  my childhood to prepare & freeze the sweet, juicy, blue fruits of the summer.  Years ago (we'll forget about the number), my family would spend a day in August picking these tasty small pieces of fruit and pay for them by the pound.  There was a procedure involved - first the buckets were weighed after arriving at the blueberry fields.  I prefer my new method - purchase a large quantity of quarts already picked.  :)  

Later on Friday afternoon a large amount of the scrumptious berries were prepared to be frozen.  After going through them, they were double washed, drained, packed in Ziploc Freezer bags, labeled and dated.  

Now, Blueberries are also in our fridge!  Who can resist reaching into a container and getting a handful, especially when so many are available?  Rinse and a tasty, healthy snack awaits!  Oh, there has been snacking.  One batch of Blueberry Freezer Jam was made yesterday and another today.  

I also see a batch of Yummy Blueberry Muffins on the horizon.  If you'd like my recipe, click and print a  recipe card.  I use an Egg and also Egg Whites when baking these light, yummy muffins.  Cinnamon is also added.  One batch yields 22 muffins and they also freeze very well!  So good!       

Are local blueberries available to you?  Do you add them to cold cereal?  Have you made Blueberry Freezer Jam?  It's easy to make and tastes delicious!  Does you family like Blueberry Muffins?

Yummy!
Enjoy!