Rhubarb Berry Jam

Two things prompted this event- rhubarb in the garden and a canning class coming up. I had never made jam before I tried this and I am now a believer! I found this recipe online at another blogger's site: David Lebovitz.
You can get his original recipe there- I have modified this one already.

Rhubarb-Berry Jam

9 one cup (250ml) jars

Berries like raspberries, black and red currants, blueberries, blackberries, and diced strawberries and frozen berries work.

Because rhubarb doesn’t have much pectin, and I don’t use commercial pectin, I added apple juice to help the jam to set nicely.

3 pounds (1.25kg) rhubarb, trimmed and sliced into 1/2-inch (2cm) pieces
2 cups (250g) packed mixed berries, fresh or frozen
1 cup (250ml) apple juice
5 1/2 cups (1kg, plus 100g) sugar
juice of one lemon
pinch of salt
optional: 1 tablespoon kirsch

1. In a large pot, mix the rhubarb, berries, and the apple juice. Cook, covered, stirring frequently over moderate heat, until the rhubarb is cooked through and thoroughly tender. It should take about 15 minutes.

Put a small plate in the freezer.

2. Add the sugar, lemon juice, and salt, and cook, uncovered, skimming off and discarding any foam that rises to the surface, until the jam is thick and passes the wrinkle test.

To do so, place a small spoonful of the jam on the frozen plate. Return it to the freezer and check it a few minutes later; if the jam wrinkles when nudged, it’s done. You can also use a candy thermometer; jam jells at approximately 220F (104C). 

3. Stir in the kirsch, if using, then ladle the jam into clean jars, cover, and store in the refrigerator OR water bath can them.

Rhubarb and berries cooking (I used half blueberries and half raspberries)

Jam trying to reach 104. Barely reached 100 when I gave up and decided I could settle for runny jam.

Filling the jars.

Getting ready for their 10 minute water bath.

Finished product. I ended up water bath canning 8 jars. I had half a jar left that I put in the fridge. It was perfectly jelled and absolutely delicious!

Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins

As we used to live on an organic blueberry farm, I have lots of blueberry recipes I've tried over the years. During the snow days a few weeks ago, I made these muffins. One got taken to my husband's office to a friend who proclaimed they were the "best blueberry muffins" he'd ever tried. Not sweet, just delicious. He asked me to post the recipe on the blog- so here it is. This comes from a cookbook called, Maritime Flavours: Blueberries by Elaine Elliot and Virginia Lee. I couldn't find the recipe online.

1 C low-fat buttermilk
1 egg
1/4 C vegetable oil
2 C all-purpose flour
1/4 C sugar
2 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 C wild blueberries

Preheat oven to 400.

Whisk together buttermilk, egg and oil. Mix flour, sugar baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl; stir in the buttermilk mixture until just blended. Carefully fold in blueberries and pour into prepared muffin tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Doubled, this makes 10 jumbo muffins. Tripled, this makes 12 jumbo muffins and 24 mini- muffins. All with tops that spill over.

* I use safflower oil and half white and half wholemeal spelt flour. I have used both frozen and fresh berries. Either work. If you use frozen, put them into the flour mixture before adding the liquid in order to keep the mixture from turning blue.