In a jam... (Blueberry Jam)

Interesting factoid of the day: The self-proclaimed "Blueberry Capital of the World" is in Hammonton, NJ, about 25 minutes or so from here. One of the members at hubby's golf course owns a blueberry farm in Hammonton, and every year sends home a ginormous box with 12 pints of blueberries. This is generally a highlight of the summer- I love blueberries. I eat them with yogurt, on toast, frozen, fresh, in smoothies, muffins, pancakes, you name it.

However, there are only so many things you can do with 12 pints of blueberries before they go bad. I usually freeze about half of them, so that we can enjoy muffins, smoothies, pancakes, etc in November and February and other non-blueberry friendly times of the year. This year, I decided to expand my blueberry repertoire to include jam. What a good decision on my part. :-)


Blueberry Jam
(adapted from Martha Stewart)

2 pints blueberries
3 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup water

Freeze a plate to use later for testing.

Warm sugar in 200 degree oven for 5 minutes (spread out on a baking sheet).

(mash mash mash mash)

Mash 1 cup blueberries in the bottom of a deep medium sized saucepan. Over medium heat, add remaining berries and water. Simmer, 5-7 minutes, until berries are tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir in sugar and reduce heat to medium-low. Allow to come to a slow boil and cook until thickened, about 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes. To test, drop a fingerful onto the frozen plate and press down. When the jam wrinkles around your finger, it's ready.

Pour into glass jars (makes about 3 cups) and allow to cool. Keep refrigerated. Enjoy on anything you want.

(Are my pictures getting better?)