His & Her Jams

            Here we are, less than 2 weeks till Christmas, are you still needing some gift ideas? I've come up with his and her jams. The perfect gift for those really hard to buy for people on your list. My annual Christmas jam is sweet and festive and easy to make and can be dressed up for the occasion.

Christmas Jam

2 c. cranberries
1 orange, peeled & quartered
16 oz. frozen strawberries, thawed
3 c. sugar
3 oz. liquid pectin
5 half pint jars (ready to fill)
Coarsely grind cranberries and orange sections in a food processor. Spoon into a heavy saucepan, add strawberries and sugar. Bring mixture to a full boil, stirring for one min. Remove from heat and stir in pectin, skim off foam. Pour into prepared jars and process for 10 min. Makes 5- 1/2 pints

       And for the man who LOVES bacon, this bacon jam will make him squeal with delight! I must admit, when I seen this on Pinterest my first thought was "not another bacon recipe", I love bacon but this whole bacon craze is getting out of control ( bacon toothpaste, really!) but I may even try this, might be good hamburgers!

Bacon Jam

From Tide and Thyme

Yields 1 pint

1 pound smoked bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon  hot sauce
1 cup coffee
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup maple syrup
Black pepper to taste
extra water

In a dutch oven, fry the bacon in batches until lightly browned and beginning to crisp. Remove to paper towel lined plate and set aside. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease out of the pan.

Fry the onion and garlic in the rendered bacon fat on medium heat until translucent.

Add the bacon to the onions and garlic, and add the rest of the ingredients except for the water. Simmer for 2 hours adding 1/4 of a cup of water every 25-30 minutes or so, and stir regularly.

Jam is done when you can’t tell the onions from the bacon. Cool for about 15-20 minutes and then place in a food processor. Pulse for 2-3 seconds so that you leave some texture to the “jam”. Refrigerate up to two weeks.

         There you have it, the perfect gifts for when you run out of ideas or money! I'm curious and will be trying this recipe, may even surprise the boys with a jar! Have fun in the kitchen, baking up some love this afternoon too!