Yesterday I tried my hand at making "real" (cooked) jam with the rest of our blackberries. Here are the 11 pretty pints I ended up with. It really wasn't that hard, but I found it required good planning, getting everything ready ahead of time, and making sure I tackled it while the kids were napping so I could give it my full concentration. Jam-making sure does make a mess, though, and takes a lot of different pans and bowls!! Well, I'm happy that we were able to make good use of our berries and that we will be able to enjoy plenty of homemade jam through the fall and winter.
I also baked bread yesterday, and made my weekly batch of granola. I don't usually try to do ALL my cooking and baking on the same day, but I was out of both bread and granola, and the berries needed to be used before they spoiled, so that's how it ended up. I've been making my own bread for about 4 weeks now, I believe. I'll try and post the recipe soon--I started out going by the book, but then I got my sister-in-law's variations to the recipe and I've been doing it that way since, with much better results. We are enjoying it, and it really doesn't take too much time to make it! I've also been making the homemade granola rather than buying cereal for a few weeks. Here's how I make it--I've found it's not an exact science, and you can add or subtract things according to your own tastes.
Carrie's Granola
9 c. old-fashioned oats
3 c. coconut
2 c. sliced almonds
1 c. sunflower seeds
1/3-1/2 c. wheat germ (optional--I don't always add this)
cinnamon
nutmeg
Combine all of the above ingredients in a large bowl. Sprinkle with generous dashes of cinnamon and nutmeg and stir well.
Syrup:
3/4 c. oil
1/4 c. water
1 c. brown sugar
Combine oil, water and sugar in a liquid measuring cup. Pour over granola mixture and stir well. (You can also use 1-1 1/2 c. of maple syrup, or honey, but I usually use the oil mixture as it is cheaper.)
Pour the granola mixture into a large, lightly oiled roasting pan, or two 13"x9" pans. Bake at 300ยบ for an hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. You can bake it for more or less time, depending on how crunchy you like it. Let it cool for a while in the pan, then stir in a couple handfuls of craisins or other dried fruit, or whatever you like. Store in airtight container (Rubbermaid makes a nice big one.) Enjoy! This amount of granola usually lasts Jim & me about one week, and we both have it every day.
4 comments:
Carrie,
Thanks for sharing the granola recipe! I will definitely try it. I make my own bread occassionally; please pass on your recipe!
Alicia, hope you will enjoy the granola! We think it's really yummy. :) It's an adaptation of my mom's, grandmother's and sister's recipes. I'll try to get that bread recipe posted soon!!
The granola sure sounds yummy! And I'm glad you tried the cooked jam! I got started on that 2 summers ago and I am totally addicted to jam making!! (we have waaaay more than we'll ever eat but it makes great gifts!)
Jenny, it's nice to hear of a fellow jam-maker! :) I think I will have to make some more kinds next year. Loved seeing the new pics of your little guy on your blog, BTW!!
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