Easy Raspberry Jam

Occasionally, the craving for raspberry strikes in the dead of winter. In the dead of endless winter snowstorms even. Thank goodness for frozen raspberries is all I have to say. 

Add jam to the list of items I won't be purchasing anymore, along with salsa, applesauce, chicken broth, pizza dough, etc. It's so easy. I'm serious! Raspberries (and blackberries) lend their own pectin to the jam by form of their seeds, meaning there are only 3 ingredients in this jam. It took me 10 minutes to make, and it stays good for up to a month in the fridge. You could even take this to the next level, and can it. This recipe provided 2 small mason jars worth of jam. One jar will be consumed, uh, probably immediately, but I froze the second jar.  

Let me tell you how crazy my raspberry addiction is. It's pretty bad. I usually test to see if the jam is ready by putting a dab on a small dish, and then place the dish in the freezer. If the mixture gels after 1-2 minutes, the jam is ready. When I pulled my dish from the freezer to check it, it was indeed done. The jam also looked pretty good on the plate. So I licked it up. That's right, plate to face. I lapped it up. It's too good to waste even one drop. I might need help.

Tomorrow will be all about Valentines Day cookies! I made M&M Valentines Cookies yesterday, and they turned out amaze-balls. I'm glad I took pics of them right after they came out of the oven, because the hubby consumed quite a few upon returning home from work. He's a cookie monster :) As for today-

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for all!

Ingredients:

24 oz frozen raspberries, defrosted

3 cups sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring mixture to a rolling boil. Place a candy thermometer in the mixture. Cook until jam is 221º. Place a spoonful on a small plate, place in the freezer for 1-2 minutes. If mixture gels, the jam is ready. If not, cook 2-3 more minutes. 

2. Allow jam to cool completely before storage. Jam can be canned or frozen. Stays good in the fridge for up to 1 month in an airtight container. 

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

Linked to: Weekend Potluck