Raspberries

Graham keeps asking me when I am going to start my food blog and I so badly want my answer to be "Right this minute!" The little hands that grab at my ankles and the voices that vie for my time make me skeptical it will ever happen but if I don't start now, when will I? Soooo, with that, I gladly present to you my very first food post in a long, long time! Hopefully there will be more to follow.

It's raspberry season and so what better time to share some of my favorite recipes that put these red beauties to good use? We went picking a few weeks ago and came home with 19 pounds to play with. My very favorite recipe for fresh raspberries is homemade freezer jam. I have my mom to thank for this annual tradition. We've been picking berries ever since I can remember and I used to enter jars of my jam in the local county fair to earn some spending money (thank you 4-H!) The recipe is not healthy by any means but since when has jam been considered a health food? Though he often tries to deny it, this jam was one of the reasons my husband married me. He got his first taste of this homemade stuff some 7 years ago on a Valentine's Day breakfast picnic and he's been hooked ever since.

I've made this recipe enough times to know not to mess with the ingredient measurements. The amounts should be exact (yes, I realize that's a LOT of sugar!!) or the jam won't thicken properly and you'll end up with jars of raspberry soup. Been there done that. If you've been itching for a delicious spread, make this. We love it on both toast and scones. Enjoy!

Quick & Easy Raspberry Freezer Jam

3 1/4 cups crushed fresh raspberries (don't puree-- it should still have bits of fruit in it)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

4 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1) Combine crushed berries and lemon juice in a large bowl.

2) Gradually stir 1 box of fruit pectin into fruit and mix thoroughly. Set aside for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minues to dissolve pectin.

3) Pour corn syrup into fruit mixture and mix well (this prevents sugar crystallization during freezer storage).

4) Stir in sugar gradually. Stir constantly until sugar is completely dissolved and no longer grainy.

5) Pour into 1-2 cup size jam jars, leaving 1/2-inch space at the top for expansion during freezing; cover.

6) Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours or until set. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks or store in freezer for up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator before serving.

Makes 7 cups.