breakfast

Easy Blueberry Jam {2 ingredients}

June 11, 2013 By Jo-Anna 17 Comments

Hello friends!
I hope this day finds you well! And enjoying summer. I’m still waiting for ours…but never mind the weather! We’re officially on the countdown to summer holidays! We are SO looking forward to lazy mornings, no schedules and fun. Just fun. Because right now we’re tired, busy to insanity, and just done. Done with school. You? I know some of you have kids out on holidays already! We’re almost there…two more weeks then it’s time for us to tackle our Summer Fun List!

For now, I’m enjoying some relative quiet time in my kitchen, while it’s just the little guy and I at home. It’s my happy place. ;) And lately I’m really enjoying making homemade jams! Even more, we’re loving eating them. There’s something so homey about a fresh, homemade jam made with love. On toast. On ice cream. From a spoon. Whatever.

My last jam, Strawberry Rhubarb Jam, was a big hit in our home. We finished the jar today! So it was time for a new one. And since blueberries seem to be in season, they’re relatively inexpensive which makes them perfect for jam!

With this recipe, you are 2 ingredients away from homemade blueberry jam! No really, you are.
Just 2 ingredients: fresh blueberries and sugar. No pectin, no fillers, no starches. SO easy.
And it’ll only take you about an hour!
Plus, there’s no need for fussing with having to seal the jars on this jam…it’s a small batch so you can keep it in your fridge for up to 4 weeks, if it lasts that long!

Easy Blueberry Jam {Small Batch Recipe}

This is a small batch of jam, making about 2½ cups.

Ingredients

Supplies:

wide saucepan or skillet (I like to use a skillet)
potato masher
spatula or spoon
hand blender

Ingredients:

2 lbs blueberries, about 6 heaping cups
1½ cups sugar

Instructions

Prepare your jars by boiling the lids, rings and jars in boiling water for 5 minutes.
In a wide saucepan or skillet on low-medium heat, add the blueberries and sugar.
Stir to combine.
Then use your potato masher to smash up the blueberries and release their juices.
Turn up the heat to medium, then cook the blueberry mixture until it is gently boiling.
Keep cooking, and stirring until the mixture thickens. You must, must stir constantly or your jam will burn. As well the constant stirring will help to prevent the jam from splattering out of the pan. You will likely need to cook the jam for 30 or more minutes.
You will know that the jam is ready when the mixture is thick enough to leave an open trail behind the spoon.
Remove from heat, and let cool completely before serving.
If this jam is too chunky for you, you can use your hand blender to puree it.
Enjoy!

Notes

Because the batch of this jam is so small (2½ to 3 cups), and because this jam can be refrigerated for up to 4 weeks you don’t really need to seal the jars. It’s really just more of a hassle because 4 weeks is plenty of time to finish every last drop of this sweet goodness!

Enjoy this jam on toast, scones or even ice cream! Yum.

Have a delicious day!

Here are other homemade jams you might enjoy:
Easy Peach Jam
Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Sharing with Yellowbliss Road, Savvy Southern Style, Craftberry Bush, Five Days 5 Ways, Tatertots & Jello, Funky Junk Interiors, I Heart Naptime, Under the Table and Dreaming, A Bowl Full of Lemons

Filed Under: breakfast, In The Kitchen, recipe Tagged With: 2 ingredient jam, blueberry jam, easy blueberry jam, no pectin jam, small batch jam

Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

May 31, 2013 By Jo-Anna 13 Comments

Hi everyone! Thank you for taking time out of your day to come visit! I think you’ll love what I made for you today! Jam. Yummy jam. And not just any jam…Strawberry Rhubarb Jam.

I’m noticing lately that I’ve got a love affair with the strawberry-rhubarb combination! I think it’s because rhubarb seems to be more readily available this year…I remember last spring there was none to be found anywhere. But this year the grocery stores are full of it, and I’m loving it!

This season I’ve already made a Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp and some Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins. And then I had a major hankering for Strawberry Rhubarb Jam so I made some. And you can too.

Don’t be afraid of making jam. The kind of jams that I make are small batch jams (I also made an Easy Peach Jam) that require no pectin and you don’t even have to seal the jars. Because the batches are so small (2 1/2 to 3 cups), and because this jam can be refrigerated for up to 4 weeks, it’s really just more of a hassle to seal the jars. 4 weeks is plenty of time to finish every last drop of this sweet goodness!

So go for it! Whip up some jam!

And just a word of caution…don’t forget to watch your jam while it’s cooking, because you don’t want it to burn and turn black near the bottom of the pan. Don’t go and get all distracted by various social media outlets. You might then have to run out in sweat pants and a dirty shirt in the pouring rain to the grocery store to get more ingredients and start all over again. You know, if that were to happen. Just sayin.

Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

This is a small batch of jam, making about 2½ cups.

Ingredients

1 lb strawberries, about 3 heaping cups chopped
1 lb rhubarb, about 3 heaping cups chopped
1½ cups sugar

Instructions

Prepare your jars by boiling the lids, rings and jars in boiling water for 5 minutes.
Cut up the strawberries into small chunks.
Cut up the rhubarb into small chunks (about ½ inch pieces).
In a glass bowl combine the chopped strawberries, rhubarb and sugar. Mix well, and let sit for 30-45 minutes, to allow all the juices to come out.
After this time, transfer the fruit mix to a wide saucepan or skillet, and stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until it is gently boiling. You will notice a foam will develop, but don’t worry this will go away.
Keep cooking, and stirring until the mixture thickens. You must, must stir constantly or your jam will burn. As well the constant stirring will help to prevent the jam from splattering out of the pan. You will likely need to cook the jam for 20 or more minutes.
You will know that the jam is ready when the mixture is thick enough to leave an open trail behind the spoon. See the photo below.
Remove from heat, and let cool completely before serving.
Enjoy!

Notes

This is how the jam should look when it’s done. When you run a spoon through the mixture it should leave an open trail behind.

Now go on…make some jam and brighten up your breakfast table!
Yum.

Have a delicious day!

For more strawberry rhubarb deliciousness, check out more of my recipes:
Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins
Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Sharing with Whipperberry, Tatertots & Jello, Funky Junk, A Bowl Full of Lemons, Craft-O-Maniac, Under the Table and Dreaming, Chef-in-Training, The Winthrop Chronicles, I Heart Naptime

Filed Under: breakfast, In The Kitchen, recipe Tagged With: jam recipe, jam with no pectin, no pectin, small batch jam, strawberry rhubarb jam, strawberry rhubarb jam with no pectin

Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal

April 30, 2013 By Jo-Anna 14 Comments

Hi there! How are you? Hungry? I’m always hungry. Seriously. Always.
And do I have the best hungry busting breakfast for you today!
Just picture this: Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal…mmmmm
It’s peanut buttery, soft and so delicious.
This dish would be fantastic for Mother’s Day brunch…

We absolutely love baked oatmeals in our house. They are a warm and hearty breakfast that everyone gobbles up. And I also love the fact that I can get breakfast ready the night before. This makes my mornings sooooo easy. Gotta love that!

You can serve this Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal plain, or with a little jam, or some cream.
The. Best.

Seriously, anything with peanut butter is Heaven on Earth for me.
An open jar of peanut butter with a spoon…that’s just pure evil temptation.
Peanut butter for breakfast = yum.

So are you ready for breakfast? Here’s a menu idea for you:

Brunch Menu Idea:
Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal, with jam or cream
Halved Grapefruits
Slices of strawberries
Coffee, tea, juice

Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
3 cups quick cooking oats

Instructions

In a bowl, combine the milk, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, peanut butter and brown sugar. I like to use a small hand blender to make sure the mixture is smooth and creamy. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine the baking soda, salt and oats.
Add the oat mixture to the milk mixture and mix well.
Pour the batter into an 8×8 glass dish.
To bake it right away, preheat your oven to 350 degrees, then bake the oatmeal for 25-30 minutes.
For overnight oatmeal, just cover the dish and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, take it out of the fridge, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bake it for 30-40 minutes.

Recipe from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures

This breakfast is a major hit in our house. Everyone loves it…it’s definitely a keeper!