How is it that Valentine’s Day has turned into such a big commercial racket?
Store shelves are lined with every type of pink and red nick-knack known to man, from heart shaped Peeps to stuffed puppies holding pillows that say, “I ruff you.” Seriously!?
Or maybe even worse are all the jewelry catalogues that try to convince you the best way to show your love for someone is to spend your next mortgage payment buying a heart shaped pendant. Because as we all know, “Every Kiss Begins with Kay…”
Those won’t win my heart.
You want to know the real key to my heart? Breakfast in bed.
That’s it. I’m SO not a morning person, like at all. Add to that I have the most comfortable mattress on the planet, and I find myself struggling to get out of bed on these chilly mornings. I can think of no better way to wake up than to a nice warm, leisurely breakfast in bed.
A girl can dream right?
This jam has all the flavors of your favorite apple pie, and when it’s still warm it’s like a little piece of breakfast heaven! It’s good on pancakes or waffles, or even just straight off the spoon. Not that I’ve ever eaten it that way…
Apple Pie Jam
4 c. apples, diced
¾ c. water
2 tbs. lemon juice
2 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. salt
1 1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar
½ of a 1.75 oz. box pectin
Combine apples, water, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, sugar, and brown sugar in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes until apples are soft.
Add pectin and return the mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute.
Spoon hot jam into sterilized*, hot (definitely not cold or they will crack) 8-oz. jam jars; screw lids on firmly. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks or in freezer up to 3 months.
To vacuum seal them, don’t tighten the lids quite all the way. Almost, but not quite – you want that little bit of air to escape but no water to get in. Place hot jars into boiling water and heat for 6-7 minutes. You should hear them pop, but if not, they often pop as you remove them from the water and start to cool off. The lids should have a little indent in them. At this point, label them with the date, and they will last on the shelf up to 6 months.
*To sterilize your jars you can simply run them through a dishwasher or you can boil them in the water you plan to seal the jars in. Just be sure that once they are sterile, you don’t touch the inside of the jar or lid with your hand. This will add small amounts of bacteria which will grow inside the jar and ruin your jam.
What wins you over on Valentine’s Day?