Here is the recipe I promised.

Peach Jam

10 cups chopped peaches. ( about 18 large)   Blanche whole peaches in a large pot of boiling water a couple of minutes to make removing skins easier. They will just slip off.

3-4 oranges chopped fine (skin and all). I scrub the oranges before cutting up. If oranges are large use 3, especially if cutting back on the sugar as I do. 

3-5 cups sugar *(I use the smaller amount)

Add finely chopped marichino cherries for colour. (optional)

Bring ingredients to a boil in a large, heavy pot. Stir  constantly to avoid sticking. Turn temperature down if splattering  occurrs. )  Cook about 25 minutes. Stir in a heaping tablespoon butter the last few minutes of cooking.

*Using a food processor makes the chopping in this recipe a breeze. I love my Cuisinart!!!

You’ll thank me for this recipe mid-winter. You may not be able to wait that long to enjoy.

Any left over peaches use to make peach muffins pg. 50 Muffins from the Heart

Recently we were at our local butcher shop in Heidelburg, a small village in southern Ontario. Along with unusual cheeses and meats of all kinds, Stemmlers are especially known for their  home made farmer’s sausage and rolled ribs . In addition, fresh local produce is also available from near-by Mennonite farms. It was here that I was first introduced to scapes, the graceful, swan-neck shoots from the hardneck variety of garlic. The shoots curl so much they actual form spiral circles . These need to be trimed as they otherwise use energy needed for the bulb to grow to its potential. Besides they are tasty to eat. Curious, I purchased a packaged, eager to try this new food. But how to prepare them?

Raw, they taste like green onions or scallions with a garlic bite but sweeten when cooked.

Using butter to taste, add 10-12 garlic scapes ( cut into 1 inch pieces),  cook 3 minutes, add 8 oz. sliced mushrooms  and cook another 5-6 min.

Scapes can also replace garlic in pesto, and can be used in a stir-fry.

If you see scapes at your local market, why not try them. It’s part of the fun of eating locally and you can impress your next dinner guests with something they have probably never heard of, let alone tasted.

Peaches are now available at our local market. Don’t forget to check out my healthy muffin book  at  www.edible-options.com  Peach muffin recipe pg.50 in Muffins from the Heart

I’ve always been a pickle freak but now that my husband and I are trying to limit our salt intake, our choices are a  little more restricted. Here is a recipe that I love and the salt is surprisingly low. These are also stored in the freezer which means easy preparation. The only drawback, if you could call it that is that you need to stir them every day for 5 days before  putting them away. c. Trust me on this one- it is worth it!  Hope you agree.

Freezer Bread and Butter Pickles

12 cups thinly sliced cucumbers

3 medium onions thinly sliced

4 c. vinegar

4 c. sugar

1  1/2 t. tumeric ( a yellowish powder that has all sorts of medicinal benefits )

1  1/2 t. mustard seed

1/2 t. celery seed

2  1/2 t. pickling salt

1 t. alum (keeps pickles from going soft)

Mix cucumbers and onions together in a large bowl.

In another bowl mix the remaining ingredients.  *Do Not heat.

Pour this mixture over onions and cucumbers. Store in a cool place. I keep mine in the refrigerator.

Stir well each day for 5 days. Put in containers, label and store in freezer.

 You will enjoy these in the middle of winter when your garden is under a blanket of snow.

3 cups flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

2 tsp. lemon peel

1/2 c. chopped walnuts or unsweetened coconut

1/2 c. washed and dried raisins or currents

2 c. fresh shredded zucchini

1/2 c. unsweetened pineapple juice

1/3- 1/2 c. canola oil or half applesauce and half oil

1/2- 2/3 c. liquid honey

4 eggs

1 tsp. lemon or almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first 6 ingredients. Stir in walnuts if using, raisins and zucchini.

Beat together remaining ingredients in a separate bowl.

Add this mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring only until blended, not smooth.

Fill muffin liners about 2/3 full. Bake about 20 mintes or until testercomes out clean. 

You can easily half this recipe if you wish.

Recipe from - Muffins From The Heart (see web page for more info.)