Peach-Strawberry Jam

This was my first time making jam and it turned out so well! This recipe doesn't call for any gelatin base products: just fruit and sugar!

You will need:
A small saucepan
2 large peaches
5-6 ripe strawberries
2/3 cup brown sugar
Juice from one lemon

To start:
1. Peel, pit, and cut the peaches into small chunks.
2. Cut the tops of the strawberries off. Cut the strawberries into smaller bits as well.
NOTE: The smaller you cut the fruit, the better. This will help you avoid overly chunky jam.
3. Put the cut up fruit and lemon juice in the sauce pan and stir so the juice is evenly distributed.
4. Turn the stove up to high heat and place the pan on the burner.
5. Add 1/3 cup of brown sugar to the pan and stir as it melts. Use your spoon to slightly mash the fruit. I used a potato masher to make the fruit a bit softer.
6. Add the remaining brown sugar and let it melt in the pan. Once it's melted and no longer grainy, let the mixture sit on the heat and simmer. Stir the pan occasionally to keep it from burning.
7. Once the jam has taken on a thick consistency, pour it into a jar and let it cool completely before adding the lid.  Refrigerate for 2-4 hours before serving.

This jam is simple to make and so delicious! It's great for gifts or to keep for yourself.  You can try it on toast, pancakes, crepes, or as cake filling. Not a strawberry or peach fan? This works with blueberries, plums, raspberries, or blackberries as well!  I hope you have fun with this recipe and enjoy the jam!

Happy cooking!

Baked Peaches and Plums

I love peaches, plums, and baking, so this recipe is just about my all time favorite! It's a healthy, yet delicious breakfast option!  The plums and peaches are so warm and gooey and just melt in your mouth.

This recipe calls for butter, but it can be omitted for an even healthier version.

You will need:
2 peaches
2 plums (red or black)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2-3 tbsp. melted butter
Cinnamon- OPTIONAL

To start:
1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 F.
2. Half your peaches and plums and scrape out the pits. Halving them can be tricky business.  Starting at the top of the fruit, make a cut that goes as deep as the pit and wraps all the way around the fruit.  Twist the two sides in opposite direction of one another. Be careful when doing this with the plums because their skins are more sensitive than the peaches'.
3. Place all the halves in a baking dish big enough to fit all the fruits. Lay them so the cut side is facing up.
4.  Sprinkle the brown sugar over all the fruit, paying special attention to the plums. They tend to be more tart than peaches. OPTIONAL- Sprinkle a little cinnamon over the entire dish.
5. Drizzle the melted butter over and in between the fruits.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

I loved this dish with some heart shaped egg on toast and good company! It's a simple, but tasty recipe that will impress your friends and family; not to mention beautiful! I love making baked peaches and plums and hope you find that you do as well! I hope you found this recipe helpful!

Happy cooking!