My Canning 101 :: Butterscotch Peach Jam

Happy Monday!
I’m excited to say that I’ve created my first jar (and a half) of jam. We scored a bag of peaches from our CSA last week and I’m not a big fan of eating them as is. Hubby and the boys have been enjoying them in their natural state, but I needed to zhuzh it up a little.

I saw a post on Facebook from Shae of Hitchhiking to Heaven about making Butterscotch Peach Jam and I was Sold! She was kind enough to share the recipe with me from a canning pen pal of hers and I went to work peeling, chopping, mashing and cooking. I had to do some math with the recipe, as I didn’t have the amount of peaches the recipe called for… I can say without embarrassment that I picked the right major in college (English). My yield should have been about 3 jars, but I ended up with a jar and a half. Another bonus of canning will be sharpening my sadly dull math skills.

Paper Nerd Alert:
I was just as excited to label my one full jar as I was to make it. I make so many tags and labels for other canners that I’m happy to use one set for myself. Pretty inside and out, if I do say so! (And I know how much of dork I am about something so simple, but it’s allowed on occasion.)

This weekend, I also asked my parents for the recipe of Pickled Cucumbers & Onions, that my Pennsylvania Dutch grandmother used to make. I sadly don’t remember her, but I do remember these fresh tasting slices from our refrigerator as a kid in the summer and fall. They have the lightest vinegar-y taste and a little sweetness that seems so fresh and clean as a side dish. Usually, the cucumbers are peeled. I left the peel on because there are some excellent vitamins in there. It’s your choice whether to peel or not to peel.
Enjoy!

Pickled Cucumbers & Onions (PD Style)
Ingredients:
4 cucumbers, sliced about 1/4″
2 sweet onions, sliced a bit thinner thatn 1/4″
3T sugar
3/4 cup vinegar
water
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Place sliced cucumbers and onions in medium/large bowl. Add sugar and vinegar, then add water to just cover the slices. Stand in refrigerator overnight.