I Wanna Jam it Wid You

It is that time of year again already.  I love it.  This year so far I have made:

Three Jars of Apricot Jam.  This is my first time making Apricot Jam.  I no longer weigh or measure anything when I make preserves.  I had a lovely large punnet of fresh apricots and realised in this weather we were never going to eat them before the humid weather got to them.  I chopped and de-stoned the apricots.  I covered the bottom of the pan with water and stewed the fruit until it was soft.  Then I added the same amount of sugar as there was fruit and boiled it all up 'until' it looked right!  I do a spoon test, where I twizzle the spoon and let the jam drip off.  If the jam forms a globule before it drops then I think the set will be good.   This Apricot Jam is delicious and has a good set.  With some freshly made bread it is deliciously naughty!

Then I made two jars of Strawberry Jam for the same reason, fruit does not like to keep in this humid weather and it is sad to see it go in the compost bin.  I used the same method and made some delicious 'Strawberry Sauce'!  Doh it did not quite set, I think I may have over boiled it.  I always use up Jammy mistakes somehow.
                I have had my 8yr old assistant in the kitchen this afternoon helping me to prepare a 'Roast Chicken Dinner'.  He has chopped carrots, potatoes, swede and cabbage.  He still has all of his fingers.  He also made 'stuffing balls'.  It is hard to leave them to it and not but in and get critical, we all have to learn somewhere.  We had a bit of a disagreement over the size of golf balls!  Stuffing balls the size of tennis balls are a bit hefty!  He had great fun and was very well behaved and on task.  He really enjoys cooking and food prep and thinks we should go in to business and sell our wares on the front garden to hungry passers by.  I said 'we could go into business when you are a man and you can employ me'.  He wants to start now!  Euan thinks the 'Strawberry Jam/ sauce is delicious.  He said it would be great on ice-cream.  He seemed to be enjoying it by the spoonful.  We mixed it with fresh, quartered strawberries and have topped it with a crumble topping.  It is rather experimental.  It is all cooking in the oven at the moment and it does smell rather good.  I wish my assistant was this enthusiastic more often.  My partner is a good cook, but he doesn't cook very often and Henry reaches his limit with a toasted sandwich or a Pot Noodle.
                 I could be sabotaging the Weight Watchers regime with all this Summer Jammin!  I better get a grip and cycle it off!  xxx

Just had to share today's Teatime Treat - Turnovers

These were really easy.

I used ready made 'Flakey Pastry'.  I did make it a couple of times at school but it is really quite labour intensive.  I rolled out a large thin rectangle and cut it into 12 squares.  I filled them with a teaspoon of homemade preserves.  6 with a 'Spiced Apple Butter' filling and 6 with 'Blackcurrant and Raspberry Jelly'.  I brushed the edges with a mixture of beaten egg and milk to glue them in to triangles.  Then brushed the top with egg and milk and sprinkled them with granulated sugar.  They baked in a hot oven with the Sunday roast chicken.  They took around 15-20 minutes.  WARNING!  The filling is ridiculously hot if you sneak one, as my partner found out today!  Of course delicious with a cup of tea. :)