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A long, long time ago, back in early April of 2011, I received an e-mail from the folks at Xylitol USA asking me if I’d like to try baking with Xylitol. I had heard of it vaguely, but I didn’t know much about it. It intrigued me, so I said yes, I was very interested. I had forgotten all about it, and ironically, the day my uncle Pat was buried, I came home to find a box on my front steps. That box was the Xylitol delivery..The odd thing about that is that my uncle had diabetes for 40 years, and had lost his eyesight and was on dialysis for 12 years because of it. So to receive a diabetic-safe sugar substitute on the day I had to say goodbye to him was a strange little sign to me. So, Uncle Pat, you aren’t able to take part in this little experiment with me, but I know you probably got a kick out of the coincidence of all of it and you’re somewhere eating ALL the sugar-packed desserts & carbs you want without a care.

(Side note: this is why people talking shit about Paula Deen & her diabetes piss me off. Stop saying people deserve a disease- no matter what the reasoning, no matter what the disease- it’s hurtful, ignorant & insulting. And if you say it in front of me, I’ll knock your teeth out. Especially as someone whose lost an uncle & grandfather no thanks to diabetes & has a mother who is a breast cancer survivor. If you have an issue with her pushing a drug, that’s a different debate. But nobody deserves a disease this debilitating & potentially life-threatening, no matter what they do. And yes, it is indeed a life-threatening disease. It can be managed, but ultimately diabetes most likely will take your life. And honestly, if you don’t like her or her recipes, fine… then don’t watch her show & mind your own goddamn business.)

Okay now that I got that off my chest: back to Xylitol. Xylitol is actually really interesting.

Xylitol (from Greek ξύλον – xyl[on], “wood” + suffix -itol, used to denote sugar alcohols; pronounced /ˈzaɪlɪtɒl/) is a sugar alcohol sweetener used as a naturally occurring sugar substitute. It is found in the fibers of many fruits and vegetables, including various berries, corn husks, oats, and mushrooms.^[2] It can be extracted from corn fiber,^[3] birch, raspberries, plums, and corn. Xylitol is roughly as sweet as sucrose with only two-thirds the food energy.

Xylitol was discovered almost simultaneously by German and French chemists in the late 19th century, and was first popularized in Europe as a safe sweetener for people with diabetes that would not impact insulin levels.^[6] Its dental significance was researched in Finland in the early 1970s, when scientists at Turku University showed it had significant dental benefits.^[6] Today, using hardwood or maize sources, the largest manufacturer globally is the Danish company Danisco, with several other suppliers from China.^[7] Xylitol is produced by hydrogenation of xylose, which converts the sugar (an aldehyde) into a primary alcohol.

And for my purposes today, Xylitol is used as a sugar substitute for diabetics…

Diabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes—is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced. This high blood sugar produces the classical symptoms of polyuria (frequent urination), polydipsia (increased thirst) and polyphagia (increased hunger).

There are three main types of diabetes:

• Type 1 diabetes: results from the body’s failure to produce insulin, and presently requires the person to inject insulin. (Also referred to as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, IDDM for short, and juvenile diabetes.)
• Type 2 diabetes: results from insulin resistance, a condition in which cells fail to use insulin properly, sometimes combined with an absolute insulin deficiency. (Formerly referred to as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, NIDDM for short, and adult-onset diabetes.)
• Gestational diabetes: is when pregnant women, who have never had diabetes before, have a high blood glucose level during pregnancy. It may precede development of type 2 DM.

Other forms of diabetes mellitus include congenital diabetes, which is due to genetic defects of insulin secretion, cystic fibrosis-related diabetes, steroid diabetes induced by high doses of glucocorticoids, and several forms of monogenic diabetes.

All forms of diabetes have been treatable since insulin became available in 1921, and type 2 diabetes may be controlled with medications. Both type 1 and 2 are chronic conditions that usually cannot be cured. Pancreas transplants have been tried with limited success in type 1 DM; gastric bypass surgery has been successful in many with morbid obesity and type 2 DM. Gestational diabetes usually resolves after delivery. Diabetes without proper treatments can cause many complications. Acute complications include hypoglycemia, diabetic ketoacidosis, or nonketotic hyperosmolar coma. Serious long-term complications include cardiovascular disease, chronic renal failure, retinal damage. Adequate treatment of diabetes is thus important, as well as blood pressure control and lifestyle factors such as smoking cessation and maintaining a healthy body weight.

As of 2000 at least 171 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes, or 2.8% of the population.^[2] Type 2 diabetes is by far the most common, affecting 90 to 95% of the U.S. diabetes population.^[3]

The box, in addition to having a 1lb bag of Xylitol, also included a cookbook filled with recipes for cheesecakes & buttercreams and muffins and cookies! Xylitol is perfect for using in making baked goods or even jams & jellies for diabetics:

Possessing approximately 40% less food energy,^[23] xylitol is a low-calorie alternative to table sugar. Absorbed more slowly than sugar, it does not contribute to high blood sugar levels or the resulting hyperglycemia caused by insufficient insulin response. This characteristic has also proven beneficial for people suffering from metabolic syndrome, a common disorder that includes insulin resistance, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and an increased risk for blood clots.

So pretty much, as excited as I was to try it, after my uncle died my spring/summer was a landslide of drama & the Xylitol got pushed to the back of the pantry. Besides- he was the person I was curious about the Xylitol because of, and he wasn’t here to try any of my experiments with it anymore. Then my grandma passed away, and it was further forgotten. Until recently. Recently, Jay asked me to make some jam for his grandma, who’s diabetic. I said sure, but I didn’t want to make her a full-sugar jam (obviously) so I needed to get a low-sugar or sugar-free pectin. I’d heard really good things about Pomona’s Universal Pectin (which requires no sugar at all to jell but instead is activated by calcium), but I couldn’t find it for the life of me! And I had a hard time finding most of the other low/no-sugar pectin options, if you can believe it. I did have my heart set on Pomona’s, though. And then… ta-da! The natural market by my house had a display of it.

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It’s a little different from regular ol’ Certo or Sure-Jell. But not that hard. The calcium water thing seems intimidating at first, but in all honesty it’s really pretty easy to get the hang of. Just an extra step. In my jam I used 50% sugar & 50% Xylitol (for a total of 1 cup; mainly I used real sugar to help keep the color nice & keep it shelf stable & fresh for longer). If you’re going to make a smaller batch, or eat it quicker, you don’t even have to worry about that. However I was concerned that she wouldn’t get around to eating 2 pints of jam within a reasonable amount of time; not to mention I didn’t want the jam to look faded or be too blah. Better safe than sorry. Anyway Jay’s grandma likes strawberry jam, so that’s what she got (remember when I mentioned strawberries & a little experiment I was doing?). I got 2 pounds of gorgeous strawberries for $2.50 at the fruit stand by my house. They were so beautiful, which is rare this time of year. Usually the pickin’s are slim when it comes to nice fresh fruit that isn’t in season. Although Florida is right in it’s strawberry growing season now, & that’s where these are from. I’m just not used to seeing such a nice selection of them here.

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The recipe is from Pomona’s; it comes in the box of pectin. Super easy, very quick, and you can use any sugar substitute that measures like sugar (Splenda, Xylitol, etc) to make it sugar-free or you can use honey! You can change the amount anywhere from ¾ cup sugar to 2 cups and ½ cup to 1 cup honey or any variation thereof, including artificial sweeteners. Go nuts. The recipe can also be doubled or tripled according to Pomona’s.

LOW-SUGAR STRAWBERRY JAM (adapted from Pomona’s recipe)

Makes about 4 half-pint jars

Ingredients:

• 4 cups mashed strawberries (obviously washed & hulls removed)
• ½ cup Xylitol or Splenda or honey
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons calcium water (instructions & ingredient included in Pomona’s box)
• 2 teaspoons Pomona’s Universal pectin

Directions:

1. Sterilize jars & lids, keeping both hot. Prepare water bath.
2. Place strawberries in a large pot. Add calcium water and stir, then bring to a boil. Meanwhile, add pectin to sugar or honey (room temperature) and mix thoroughly. Set aside.
3. Once strawberries have boiled, add pectin/sugar mixture; stir vigorously for 1-2 minutes until completely dissolved. Return to a boil.
4. Remove from heat. Fill hot jars to ¼”-inch from the top, and wipe rims clean. Place lids & bands on and process for 10 minutes in a water bath. Remove from water and allow to cool. Check seals- lids should be all sucked down. The pectin completes it’s jell once it’s completely cooled. Lasts about 6-8 months on the shelf (depending how much real sugar is used), 3 weeks once opened. Change in color is usually harmless & normal.

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The weird thing is no matter how much I skimmed the foam, it seemed to never fully go away. As soon as I poured it into the jars, it was foamy again, so I skimmed them as best as I could with a small spoon… but it didn’t 100% work. Maybe that’s a low-sugar thing? Or a Xylitol thing? No clue. This was my first time using such a low amount of real sugar & a sugar substitute in jam. Although as the jam cooled & settled, a lot of it did “go away”; not sure what the deal is with that.

Anyway, I was pretty proud of myself for making my first low-sugar jam, but I was a bit worried about the flavor. I read online a lot of people saying they made low-sugar jam & it was bland or runny, that got me a bit nervous. However as it cooled it set really nicely, so my worries in that department were for naught. But I was still paranoid about the taste. So I called in the cavalry- my mother was my guinea pig taste tester for the batch, & in her words: “It’s delicious, it tastes just like regular strawberry jam.”

My job here is done. And now I take a bow & make my exit.

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Yup- those are cupcake liners. I used cupcake liners to dress the jars up ’cause they were perfect for it. And just as an aside: Jay’s grandma has gone through about 3 jars & it’s only been not quite 2 months. I think she likes ‘em.

And that brings an end to a sweet post about low-sugar, but-just-as-sweet, jam.

In honor of the month of love, I decided to share with you one of my latest creations: a tasty little jar of hearts.

Right now you may be thinking, “The song by Christina Perri?” or maybe you’re thinking “A jar of artichoke hearts? Hearts of Romaine? Celery hearts?” and the answer to all of those would be a resounding no. It’s a different kind of heart. And nope- it’s not an animal heart either. Okay, so it’s not really a jar of hearts at all. It’s a jar of preserved whole strawberries in a light syrup. The reason I decided to call them a jar of hearts is because when I picked up the jar to label it, I noticed the strawberries looked like little hearts. Perfect for this time of year.

See? That’s totally a little heart!

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It really looks like hearts! That shit right there is so Snow White. I felt like the evil Queen Grimhilde surveying the heart of my enemy in a jar. Creepy, I know. Sorry. Too many fairy tales thanks to Grimm & Once Upon A Time. But it can also have a romantic spin. Hearts, love, etc. Remember back in the day there was a dude on The Real World (this was when it was still cool, so it must have been the first 5 minutes it was on) who’s girlfriend sent him a pig heart for Valentine’s Day? No? Whatever. This is far from a pig’s heart.

I had a few strawberries left over from a little experiment I had to do (more on that in a week or two) so I decided to do this. I couldn’t let them go to waste; they were perfect, huge, beautifully colored fresh strawberries. And I had already used them in the more obvious capacity (like I said, more on that at another time), so this was the only unique thing I could come up with to do. It was really easy too. They make a perfect ice cream, oatmeal or cheesecake topping & they’d be smashing served with some soufflés, not to mention the syrup is great for putting in ginger ale/seltzer/7-Up as a flavoring, or for making cocktails. It’s like an alcohol-free shrub (though it certainly could be made into one with alcohol, if you’re so inclined, there are tons of great ideas here). Or you could just add a little alcohol to it, & it’s an instant party. These are the things I think about. I’m a sicko, right?

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Alright so now you’re probably wanting your own jar of hearts, possibly to give your significant other? Perhaps even just because the thought of telling nosy people who ask you what you got/gave, “Oh, I just gave ‘em a jar of hearts” amuses you? Well, all you have to do is this: take your strawberries (fresh, not frozen) & wash them. Then remove the hulls. Put them in a large saucepan & coat them in granulated sugar, just enough so that each berry has a nice coating & there’s enough sugar so that you don’t see the bottom of the pot. Let it sit, covered, for 3-5 hours. Then turn the heat up to medium high & with a wooden spoon, continuously stir to avoid scorching. The sugar & the liquid that had seeped out of the berries should combine to create a thick syrup. Take care while stirring to not break any of the berries, you want them whole (but if little pieces here & there separate or break off, that’s okay). Cook long enough so that the berries are cooked through or else they’ll float in the jar (this happened to me, even though I was sure they were cooked through). Once it’s ready, using a slotted spoon, scoop out the berries & put them in a hot, sanitized jar. Then pour in enough syrup to cover, leaving about ½”-inch headspace. Seal & process for 10 minutes in a water bath, and allow to cool in the water. If you have any syrup left over & no berries… that’s where the strawberry syrup comes in!

If you’d like to add some liqueur to it, maybe some vodka or maybe some vanilla bean, then do so. If you don’t add any liquid, add a little water if needed to fill whatever size jar you want to use for your syrup. Bring to a boil & then pour into a hot jar & process it, again for 10 minutes. Allow both jars to cool & check the seals. If they didn’t seal, use immediately & refrigerate. I did both of these at once & processed them together, then let them cool in the water bath overnight. I removed them, checked the seals, dried them & labeled them appropriately. Yes, I design & print my labels myself.

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This is not a USDA approved recipe, but the incredibly high sugar content & the fact that I only made a half-pint of berries & 4oz. of syrup -both of which will be used fairly quickly- didn’t make that an issue for me. If you’re concerned, take appropriate measures, but I don’t really see any reason to be concerned. Once the berries themselves are done, the remaining syrup in that jar will be used just as the separate syrup. On ice cream, yogurt, cheesecake, pound cake, as a cocktail mixer or in seltzer or soda water. Waste not, want not. Although I doubt any of this will go to waste. As a matter of fact… it is so incredibly delightful as an ice cream topping, you wouldn’t believe it. Yes, I said delightful. Especially over a homemade French vanilla bean ice cream.

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Mmm. Ice cream with fresh hearts.

The only warning I can give here is to avoid white clothing. I did, but I have white dish towels & somehow, I guess from spatter & the drips from the spoon, it ended up looking like Dexter Morgan was playing around in my kitchen. I wish. Well, not necessarily that he was killing people in my kitchen, but it’d be pretty awesome if Dexter was hanging out in my kitchen. He’s the bee’s knees; I can’t believe it took me so long to watch that show! I’m officially obsessed now. So yeah, anyway, keep an eye out for that, ’cause white can be bleached- yes- and that’s why it’s perfect for lab coats & chef’s coats & dish towels. But if you’re wearing that really nice light colored apron or your favorite white t-shirt while you make this and then bam- you’ve got a strawberry blood splatter problem, you might not feel as flippant about it. Remember, extra strength Hefty bags, gloves & tape. No… wait… I meant dark-colored aprons or clothing. That other stuff is for making a different kind of “hearts in a jar.” Which you could also do, really, depending on your level of childhood trauma or who you’re planning on gifting.

So now you too can have a jar of hearts in your pantry without being a creepy Disney-villain type. Even though I sort of am a creepy Disney-villain type, myself. I kinda like the witch who lives in the house made of candy, don’t you? Although I don’t want to lure any kids there to do terrible things. I just wanna sit on a marshmallow couch with a buttercream pillow & watch TV.

Your kids are safe with me.

What an interesting song to come on randomly as I was typing this post. Because I do. I like food. I like making it, I like eating it, I like talking about it. Me & Jay have long conversations about food sometimes. Planning meals; either making them or eating them out someplace. I just enjoy it. We both do; I was lucky enough to find someone who gets as excited over it as I do. And furthermore… I like creating it. I like making something from something else- that’s probably the artist in me talking, but making a totally different “thing” out of a lot of random things is amazing. Like how using a mess of powders & liquids to make a cake is insane, when you think about it. Or using lemon juice, sugar & pectin to make jelly. The chemistry & artistry of cooking/baking is what gets me, I think. Oh, and eating. Eating too.

Remember back a few weeks ago, when I got all those Meyer lemons? They looked a little something like this:

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If not, I suggest you refresh your memory. For the rest of you… well, back when I was going ‘Meyer lemon looney’ I also made some other things not included in that post. Specifically something pink. Pink jelly. Pink-colored Meyer lemon-cranberry jelly, actually. I can’t help it. I like pink… and I had to use up all those lemons, not to mention a half-bag of cranberries in my fridge!

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It’s actually just a Meyer lemon jelly, but it turns a pinkish-red when you add cranberries. Also, the cranberries kind of get suspended in it. So it’s very cute. And perfect for the upcoming month of pink & red. Ah, but we aren’t up to that yet, are we? Nope. But… there is a special giveaway happening in this post that pertains to pink & Valentine’s Day. What kind of giveaway? Well it just so happens to be for a handmade table runner! Yes, me & Yoyo from topstitch.org are doing a giveaway for a 100% homemade, handmade Valentine’s Day table-runner! If you remember the one she made me for Christmas, then you know it was super adorable & made a perfect showcase for my table decorations. Well this one is just as cute, if not cuter! Look:

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Even if you don’t like Valentine’s Day, how can you not like that? It’s pink! And red! And it has hearts! So… what do you have to do to win? Stay tuned, keep reading. The details are at the end of this post. Jelly first, people! Jelly first!

Funny thing is, long after after I made this but before I wrote up this post, the Hip Girl’s Guide to Homemaking blog posted a recipe for the same jelly! Except hers doesn’t have whole berries. Great minds think alike; or maybe the cliche I should use is that there is nothing new in the world? Either way, that’s another idea of executing the same basic concept. People ask me why I bother canning, well this is a perfect example. Have you ever seen Meyer lemon-cranberry jelly for sale in stores? No? Yeah me neither. Have you ever seen green coriander pickles for sale? Nope. How about candy apple jelly, have you ever seen that at Stop & Shop? Or gingerbread spice jelly? Nah, me neither. I rest my case. Although really, it goes beyond all that. There are tons of factors. The least of which being that it’s fun & enjoyable, and also much less wasteful. I mean, I got a ton of lemons from Molly & instead of letting them go bad by just letting them sit in a bowl looking pretty, I gave each lemon a new life: lemon curd, candied lemon peel, lemon cookies, and this jelly.

MEYER LEMON-CRANBERRY JELLY

Makes about 5 half-pints

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Meyer lemon juice (it took me about 9-10 lemons, they were on the small side)
• 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice (for an acid boost)
• 3 ½ cups white sugar
• 1 ½ cups whole fresh cranberries
• 1.25 ounces Certo liquid pectin (about ¾ of a pouch)

Directions:

1. Juice the lemons and combine in a pan with bottled lemon juice and sugar. Bring to a boil for 1 minute.
2. Remove the foam on the top of the mixture and add cranberries. Cook until the cranberries “pop”, being careful not to get burned by any liquid sugar, then add the pectin. Bring back to a boil. Remove from heat.
3. Pour it into sterilized jars placed on a clean tea towel, wipe rims and place lids. The berries will probably all settle at the top, but that’s okay- don’t worry. Screw on the covers and turn upside down for 5 minutes. Turn the jars back over right side-up and allow to cool completely. After 12-24 hours make sure that the lids are sealed. Any jars not sealed, refrigerate & use immediately.

Because of all the acid, you don’t need to do a water bath for this recipe. Just be sure your jars & lids are fully sanitized. You will get some bubbles in there, just because of the addition of the floating berries & the flipping of the jars, but don’t worry. As long as your seals are good, you’re okay. If you feel as though you need to process it, then go right ahead. Just be sure to not over process it, because over-processing of jellies can cause them to darken and can make it soften so it won’t hold it’s shape and, well, it essentially can cease to be “jelly.” One thing to note: Meyer lemons are less tart than regular lemons. If you don’t have access to Meyer’s you can use regular lemons, but you will have to up the sugar amount slightly, maybe a half cup.

Oh- also, don’t overcook this jelly! Well, I mean, don’t overcook any jelly, but especially this one. You might be tempted to, but don’t. Between the lemon juice, packaged pectin & the pectin in the cranberries you’ll end up with a rock in a jar if you do. Seriously. You’ll end up with something similar to candy.

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I say it makes 5 half-pints, but I didn’t use all half-pints. I actually used a mish-mosh of jars I had around: one 8oz. quilted jar, two 4oz. quilted jelly jars (regular mouth), one 8oz. Collection Elite jar & two 8oz. Kerr wide mouth jars. I just love those Kerr wide mouth 8oz. jars. I can only find them at one Ace Hardware store near me, why are they so rare? Anyway, this would probably be excellent on scones- especially a cranberry orange scone. Although I bet it’d compliment honey oat scones well, too. We had it with roast chicken & it was pretty spectacular, so keep in mind the savory option, particularly with poultry. But hey, anything is good on regular ol’ toast too, right?

And as per usual, I had to come up with a cute way to label them.

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So in case you’re wondering, this wasn’t even the last of the Meyer lemons! I still had some left. There was much lemon pound cake, lemon cupcakes, lemonade, lemon water, dehydrated lemon slices & preserved lemons in my life. At least we know I won’t be getting scurvy anytime soon.

Okay… so now you’re wondering, how do I get your hands on that table runner? Easy. Go comment on this post at Topstitch.org. Yoyo will pick a winner via random.org on January 31st. So you have until then to enter… so go enter! Me & Yoyo will be doing this A LOT more this year, we’re gonna try to do 13 giveaways in 2012. So don’t hesitate to follow me & Yoyo on Twitter or become a Facebook fan of Cupcake Rehab to find out when the next giveaway will be.

Photo: Mission Pie, San Francisco; credit: Dave Cook, Flickr

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So back before Thanksgiving, when I found out what the plans were/whose house it would be at & I was figuring out what to make & bring, I had a plan. My plan was that I was going to make two pies, hence the title of the post. Why was I going to make two pies, you ask? Well, a few reasons. One- I had recently acquired two new pie plates; one gorgeous Lola-pink 9″ pie plate from my wonderful friend Brianne (who sells Longaberger, the makers of the aforementioned pie plate which is no longer available in pink) and another beautiful eggplant-colored pie plate from Michael’s that I got for an obscenely low price. So low I won’t even tell you because you’ll hate me. But you see, the pink pie plate was important. It was especially important that I show it off properly. I ordered this cute little basketweave pink pie plate back in like, May or June, and I waited for it until October 30th… patiently. It was limited edition, immediately retired, the shipment was delayed & it was back-ordered & whatever else. And then it finally came & Brianne ever-so-kindly delivered it to me during a time when she was a bit otherwise preoccupied (her new house in Connecticut that her, her husband, her 3-year-old & her almost 2 month old newborn baby had literally just moved into was slammed by the freak October snowstorm & lost power for days). So this plate was a major thing for me. The other pie plate is lovely, and is a gorgeous color with a fluted ruffly edge, but it doesn’t match Lola or my website, so it doesn’t have as much significance. Anything that matches Lola is a must with me. My kitchen is not a masculine place, hah. Plus, being it was part of their breast cancer initiative, Horizon of Hope, & my mom is a survivor, the pink color has double significance.

Reason two for the pie dramatics: I like pie- not really fruit pies, but chocolate, Shoo-fly or creamy ones; like coconut cream, chocolate cream, etc. Those are the kinda pies I can get diggity down with. Just me, a pie, a fork & some whipped cream. And reason three? Because I have a ton of pie recipes that I’ve never made. For example, Nigella Lawson’s Girdlebuster Pie. Tell me you aren’t intrigued by the title alone! And there are tons more, some of which are very traditional, some not so much, and others slightly too complicated for an everyday pie. But nonetheless, I had these two pretty little pie plates & I so desperately wanted to use them. That said, I had all intentions of making two pies for Thanksgiving. But alas I did not. And why not? Because this one pie that I tested out in the few days before turkey day was so simple yet so amazing I couldn’t bear to make another. What was it? Maple syrup pie. MAPLE. SYRUP. PIE. Read it again: maple syrup pie. Thanks to that book by Patty Pinner that it came from, my pie-making life was changed. Seriously. This pie made me rethink my non-pie-making self. It took no time at all and yet there it was, smelling all fantastic &… maple-y. Like a Shoo-fly pie but maple. I’ve made some things from the book before (namely a lemon ice cream that was so creamy & delicious it was like frozen lemony perfection) but this is just… so crazily simple & yet so delicious. I just don’t even know. But… *sigh* …unfortunately, the pie didn’t photograph well, and didn’t last very long either, admittedly. It did taste like sticky, sweet, gooey heaven on a plate.

However… it just didn’t look very good in pictures. Actually it looked downright awful; kinda poo-ish. And I used the eggplant colored pie plate, so it was all kind of dark. If you’re a blogger who takes pictures of food you know things like shoo-fly pie, pecan pie, chocolate frosting & chocolate cookies are the hardest things to photograph well. Especially in bad lighting, and my kitchen sadly has horrid lighting. And on top of that, like I said, it definitely didn’t last long enough for me to attempt another photo shoot in better light. So I was on to my next (& newer) plan: another pie. I didn’t know what kind, yet, but I just knew I’d have to use these pie plates for something photogenic & post-able!

And so Halloween came & went. Then I made the maple syrup pie, then Thanksgiving passed, & no more pie. Two batches of cupcakes instead. Then it started to inch closer to Christmas, and still no pie. Cupcakes, gingerbread cookies, brownies, etc… but I still hadn’t found the perfect pie. I kinda stopped looking for one in all the holiday hubbub. The pie plates looked more & more lonely every day. And then… crustless cranberry pie came into my life.

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They say you find it when you’re not looking. Whatever “it” is.

See back before Christmas, Rosella, a friend of mine who I’ve known since freshman year of high school (which is far longer ago than I’d like to admit) had me & my mother over for coffee with her & her mom (& Rosella’s one year old baby, Giovanna). I know Rosella so long I remember when her niece was Giovanna’s age. I know her from back when we wore spike bracelets to school, when she dyed her hair green in her mom’s white bathroom sink & we “borrowed” her parents’ Infiniti to go joyriding a few too many times. I could mortify us both by posting a picture of us way back then but I won’t. And anyway, we’re talking about pie. So we all got together & Rosella served this crustless cranberry pie. Wow. SOLD. And I don’t even like cranberry. Forreals. Cranberry, almond, streusel… it was like a berry crumble-type thing. Like a coffee cake. Made in a pie plate. And it was so good. So that night I asked her for the recipe & she told me it was from AllRecipes.com! So I downloaded the app immediately. My faith in recipe websites has been restored.

CRUSTLESS CRANBERRY PIE (courtesy of Jean at All Recipes, with alterations)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons set aside for topping
• 1 cup white sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole fresh cranberries (or whole frozen)
• ½ cup sliced almonds, divided, half set aside for topping
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup butter, melted, plus 2 tablespoons butter just softened, set aside for topping
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° degrees F. Grease one 9″-inch pie pan (or 8″ x 8″ glass baking dish).
2. Combine the 1 cup flour, white sugar, cinnamon and salt. Stir in the cranberries and half the almonds, and toss to coat. Stir in the ½ cup melted butter, beaten eggs, vanilla and almond extracts. If you are using frozen cranberries, the mixture will be very thick. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
3. In a small bowl, mix the 2 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons softened butter, brown sugar & ¼ cup almonds together to make a streusel-like topping. Sprinkle mixture on top of pie.
4. Bake at 350° degrees F for 40 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean.

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This would be great with fresh blueberries in the summer, too. Or raspberries, or blackberries, or even chopped strawberries… with a bit of lemon zest. Totally adaptable. The original recipe calls for walnuts, but I took the advice of the commenters & went with almonds since that’s what Rosella did with her version, so if you prefer walnuts then that’s okay too. It’d probably be great in any capacity. I can even see it with a spoonful of fresh berry jam on it, or vanilla ice cream. Served warm or room temperature, with coffee, tea or cranberry ginger ale, it’s fantastic any way you like it. I scaled back the amount of cranberries from two cups to one, because I felt like one cup was just fine. Feel free to add the full two cups. But even if you don’t, and you end up with a practically full bag of cranberries, you can make tons of other neat cranberry stuff- amaretto cranberry sauce, pomegranate cranberry sauce, cranberry muffins (this recipe would work excellently in muffin form), cranberry bliss bars, etc. Or even make a second pie. I mean, this is a pie you can have for breakfast.

Photo: Lauretta Jean’s + Café Vélo, Portland; credit: Leela Cyd Ross

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It’s true- I had it for breakfast, around 10 a.m., that day at Rosella’s mom’s house. It’s a dessert, it’s a breakfast, it’s a pie, it’s a cake. It’s everything. So really, where have you been all my life, crustless cranberry pie? The dish that made me like cranberries. Sorta. I’m still not big on them, but this pie definitely made me rethink my almost 30-year long cranberry strike. I made it for my “second Christmas” yesterday & it was a massive hit. And in my beautiful pink pie plate! Squee. Best of all? This one was extremely photogenic. And I’m no master pie-maker, I’m totally more a cake-girl than anything else, but because this is more like a coffee cake you don’t have to be a master pie-maker! No pesky crust, no bothersome filling. Easy as 1-2-3. You don’t even have to make it in a pie plate. But when you have such a pretty one like I do, why not?

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Clearly the mathematical reference in the title is purely for satirical reasons. I failed math one semester in high school, it shames me to say. I got a whopping 35 on one of my math regents. I’m not bragging, and I am certainly not proud of it. I can’t help it though, I use the other side of my brain. I got a 90 on my History Regents, an 88 on Chemistry and a 92 on English. But you give me a math equation involving numbers & my mind shuts off. This doesn’t make baking difficult at all, though, because of a bevy of apps that provide me with the exact measurements & equivalents that I need, if I should need them (most of them I have memorized by now). I never thought I’d say it but my iPhone has made my life considerably easier, thank you Jay. So yes, I know the term 2πr, and that it means that the radius squared multiplied by pi (π) or 3.14 or ²²⁄₇, equals the circumference of a circle. However that’s where my knowledge ends. Don’t even ask about my problems with the Pythagorean Theorem. I was pretty decent at truth tables but linear pairs? Forget it. Yes, I pity my future children too; they will be seeking math homework help from the internet. Or iPad apps. But that’s okay, because they will be so insanely excellent in History & English they’ll really frighten you. As well as correct your grammar.

So really, I did make two pies. Just not at the same time, and nowhere near the same type. Pie(s) are squared.

From Bilder ur Nordens Flora, 1905

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And that brings me to cranberry sauce. It’s practically against the law not to have it on hand this time of year. But why go the boring old regular cranberry sauce route, or worse yet, the canned sauce route? Especially if you can make your own in less than an hour?

Not to mention it has Amaretto in it.

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Yes. Homemade, boozy & delicious. And I’m totally not kidding when I say it took less than an hour to make, from start to finish. And it’s gorgeous looking (& smelling). And if you don’t ‘can’ or preserve foods, you don’t even have to do it with this recipe. Just alter the amounts to fit in whatever jar you’re using, make it, then refrigerate it & use it immediately (well, not like, within an hour… but you know what I mean). I got the recipe from Smedette via Punk Domestics. And it is fan-friggin’-tastical.

Like my mismatched jars? Heh.

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I made these back before Thanksgiving, so that I could use them on turkey day (along with my pomegranate-based Chinese Apple-sauce), but cranberry sauce is so Christmas-appropriate too that I felt I could post it now & it would still be relevant. Besides, cranberry fans eat cranberry all the time, right, not just during the holidays! And if you like cranberry, and you like Amaretto, and you like lemon zest… you’ll like this. If you don’t, well, stop reading & click here.

So I bet the rest of ya wanna know how it’s done, huh?

I’m telling you, it’s super easy. You’ll see.

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AMARETTO CRANBERRY SAUCE (recipe from Smedette, word for word)

Makes about 4 12-oz. jars, or less depending how long you let it cook

Ingredients:

• 3 12-oz bags of fresh whole unsweetened cranberries
• 2 cups sugar
• Finely grated zest from one lemon
• 2 cups Amaretto

Directions:

1. Put everything in a large pot over medium heat. Stir to coat.
2. Once sugar dissolves into the Amaretto and becomes thick and syrup-like, reduce heat and simmer; cranberries will start to burst as they simmer. Cook until desired consistency is reached; 30-60 minutes. Sauce will thicken as it rests/refrigerates!
3. You have made cranberry sauce; it will amaze your family and friends. Your in-laws may even start to like you.
4. Store in the fridge for a few days or can using the directions below.

To can the sauce:

Ladle hot cranberry sauce into hot, clean jars leaving ½″ headspace. Wipe rims, place lids and affix screw bands. Process using the water bath method for 15 minutes. Let cool on towel-lined counter/table top for 12 hours before checking the seal; label and store. If any jars failed to seal correctly, refrigerate and consume within a week.

The author of the original recipe says you can use brandy instead of Amaretto as well, just increase the sugar a bit.

Also, I altered it to fit into the jars I had on hand (which happened to be three 8-oz. jars, yet I ended up only using two because I cooked the berries down a bit more), but yet I kept the lemon zest amount the same. This made it nice & tart & lemon-y bright, but balanced well with the sweetness of the liquor. The Amaretto is not in-your-face, but nice & subtle. It’s just perfection. And best of all- it’s not the same ol’, same ol’ cranberry sauce from a can. And apparently, it’s excellent on ice cream, too, and even on salad (like a berry vinaigrette I suppose?).

Look! It’s wearing a little sweater!

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Which brings me to my suggestion of gifting jars of homemade preserves or sauces for Christmas (or Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa). Its an easy way to save money on gifts as well… and it’s not only impressive looking but extremely personalized. Especially when dressed up in a fancy way, like these beautiful examples. For instance, Jay loves pickles (specifically my green coriander pickles), my mother loves peperoncini sott’olio, anything fig or cherry, or marmalade, my aunt loves strawberry jam, etc. I can make them big jars of what they love, tie pretty bows on them with lovely labels, and they know it’s a gift from the heart (although Tiffany’s is nice, too, haha). The jar above is just really simply decorated with the top of a wool sock (clean, mind you, & one that had gotten too many holes in it to fix, so was no longer of use in it’s original form), some twine, a little cupcake topper & a pink jingle bell. Old sweater sleeves, t-shirt sleeves & leg warmers are perfect to use too. Basically anything can dress up a jar or become a “jar cozy” & at the same time make it look more special for gifting. Thrift store finds like baby sweaters or baby hats can work too, as can old beaded necklaces twisted around the lid or a fancy pin or brooch pinned to the twine or ribbon. It’s fun, cheap, easy & quick to make a small jar of homemade preserves stand out. I entered the above photo in Well Preserved‘s ‘Pimp That Preserve’ contest, here’s hoping I win! Though I’m sure there’s some stiff competition out there. However… I did enter another stunning (well if I do say so myself) photo of some very interesting jelly all decked out in sparkly things… but that recipe won’t be posted for awhile… anyway we’ll see. You can find out exactly how it works/how to enter by going to the Well Preserved blog post about it. Pretty much, you can cast a vote for mine (or for others, or both!) on the Well Preserved Facebook page; just by going to the photo album for Pimp That Preserve 2011 & clicking like on the photo. Voting should begin around December 12th. For more ideas on dressing up your canned goods for holiday gifting or for entering your own preserves in the contest, Canning Across America has a bunch of swell ideas too, including plenty that should inspire you in your preserve pimpin’!

So anyway as difficult as this first year without Uncle Pat & my Nana will be, we all plod on & drown our sorrows in a variety of alcohol-laced fruit sauces, jams & marmalades. Merry Christmas to all indeed.

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I named this jam Van Gogh’s “la fraise & la liqueur de chocolat”  jam, which means roughly “strawberry & chocolate liqueur jam” after one of my favorite artist’s, Vincent Van Gogh, not because of any particular thing in common with him. He didn’t really paint strawberries, although in the 1880′s, he did write in several letters to his brother Theo about his efforts to “eat strawberries in the spring” ; a reference not only to his actually eating strawberries, but also a reference to learning to enjoy things in the moment. And to me, that’s a nice thought- enjoy things in the moment. Life is short, and we might as well enjoy the little things as we can. Too often we get caught up in the bullshit of every day life & we forget to stop & “eat strawberries in the spring.” I’ve been thinking of that ever since I read it, and especially with recent events I think it’s really important. My grandma lived every day to the fullest, and enjoyed every single day. She definitely ate her strawberries in the spring. And that’s a lesson we should all learn.

Sadly, Van Gogh was very troubled and cut off his own ear, so I’m guessing he wasn’t eating a lot of strawberries or enjoying a whole lot of things at the time.

Mirror image self-portrait, 1889

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So all of that sounds nice (except the ear-cutting part). However there was another factor in my naming this jam.

That other factor: Van Gogh’s Amsterdam Chocolate liqueur, which, obviously, is a key ingredient in the jam. Say what?! Oh yes. Behold:

My liquor shelf be poppin’, yo!

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Yep. That’s right. There’s no actual chocolate in this jam. Just chocolate liqueur. It’s so good. This one happens to have a great chocolate flavor, not bitter & not fake-tasting, with no cream (unlike the Mozart or Godiva liqueurs which are divine but being cream based, I can only imagine they would not bode well for jam making). Perfect in a martini or even straight up. It looks as though it’s a bit difficult to find now, I bought it a while ago but I’m fairly sure my liquor store still sells it. Anyway, you could just as easily use a chocolate vodka, vanilla vodka, regular vodka, any liqueur not cream based… and even Chambord or Cointreau. Whatever flavor you like. I just happen to think strawberries & chocolate are a great flavor combination, so that’s why this struck me as a good idea. But why not use blackberries & Chambord? Or raspberries & pomegranate vodka? It all sounds pretty awesome. And if you’re gonna make a jam, why not make one with liquor!? Isn’t there an Ogden Nash quote, “Candy is dandy but liquor is quicker”?

Yes, those are fake strawberries.

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Here’s the deal: I made this on a whim after a “buy one get one free” sale on strawberries. I was partially inspired by a jam recipe that Tania made & sent me from Poet in the Pantry, but I wanted to do a different spin on the chocolate/strawberry thing. So I kind of made it up as I went along. I can’t come close to telling you the exact process I went through, and I’d feel terrible if I wrote something up that was awful, & you wasted 2 pounds of berries. So I won’t lead you down a terrible path by giving you one of my mangy, sad, made-up jam recipes that might not work for you. But I will say this: find a good strawberry jam recipe that makes about 3-4 pints (with the use of pectin, unless you’re confident about your strawberries gelling naturally, which I am not), and add  ⅓-½ cup liqueur of your choice to it. I actually only used ¼ cup and it was too subtle for my liking. You could taste it, but not quite enough for me. My base recipe was this small batch one from Food in Jars (except I altered it to use 2 lbs of berries, I added pectin & took out the vanilla).

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My jam also took a few days to firm up properly, even with the pectin. It was sorta gelling before I jarred it, but after I stirred in the alcohol it watered down a bit. However, it definitely got more firm as it settled. Possibly it took longer because of the alcohol addition? I’m not sure. If you don’t like to play with fire that way, do the cold plate test until you’re 100% positive it’s ready, then add the liqueur once it definitely is. I knew based on my sugar/acid/pectin that I’d be good, eventually, so I didn’t worry about it setting up. And even if it didn’t, I probably wouldn’t have cared. It was only a small batch, and let’s be honest: strawberry chocolate liqueur ice cream syrup sounds pretty awesome. I am no expert by any means, though, so don’t take my word for it. There are plenty of other people who know what they’re doing far better than I. I’m just a lowly canning neophyte.

Clearly backlit from heaven!

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This recipe makes roughly 3 pints. I filled up two & a half-pint jars for the waterbath/canning process, and then had a bit left over that might have been a bit under 6-8 oz. I just put that right in the fridge in an old marmalade jar for immediate use. That little part of the batch firmed up right away, probably from the cold. I had some right away and it was a bit sweet, but I know a lot of jams “mellow” in the jar after processing & sitting, which the small jar did not get a chance to do. Plus, the colder the jam is, the less sweet it will taste, so if you refrigerate it after a few days, even before it’s opened, it’ll dull the sweetness. Same principle as when making ice cream- it may seem too sweet, but when it’s frozen it’s really not. Or something.

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What a beautiful jewel-toned ruby colored jam this is. I could just stare at it in the jar all day. But that would be weird, right?

This would be a great cupcake filling, by the way. I’m thinking of a chocolate cupcake with this jam as a filling, and then an Italian meringue buttercream frosting made with some of the jam as well. Unf. That would be phenomenal. And how about a homemade pop-tart made with this? INSANE. Although… on two pieces of soft wheat toast it wasn’t exactly disgusting, let me tell you. Far from it.

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But… you can also make it into a bunch of mini cobblers. Strawberry chocolate liqueur mini-cobblers made in little ramekins! Adorable. Totes adorbs. And everything tastes better when it’s homemade start to finish, amirite?

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Yep. Take it all in.  Homemade mini-cobblers made with homemade strawberry chocolate liqueur jam. Are you loving this yet?

MINI-STRAWBERRY JAM COBBLERS WITH A KICK

Makes about 8 average sized ramekins

Ingredients:

• 1 16-ounce jar strawberry chocolate liqueur jam
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold & cut into pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400º F. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil (because the jam will overflow & things will get very messy) and place ramekins on it. Spray ramekins with cooking spray, lightly & evenly, to make clean-up easier later.
2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder & salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Spoon jam into ramekins, filling almost up to the top, maybe ¾”  away from it.
3. Top each jam-filled ramekin with a heaping pile of the flour mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until it starts to turn golden-brown. Remove, and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Best eaten when still fairly warm, but I know some people who wouldn’t turn it down room temperature either.

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And there you have it. I finally got around to baking something! How exciting. Although it was my first time baking since my grandma passed, and it was pretty hard. I’d normally bring some of whatever I made to her, and she’d eat it and rave about it and tell everyone how amazing it was. But, life goes on, and I know the last thing she’d want is to hear me complain or stop baking or be weepy & sad. At least I keep telling myself that.

Either way, this is some excellent cobbler, and I bet my Nana is pretty pissed that she missed it.

Awhile back, in early July, I had some overripe peaches I bought and forgot about, as well as some blackberries & raspberries left over from previous baking exploits & I decided to just make a quick little one-jar jam with them, a preserved one, so that in a few months when these beautiful fruits aren’t in season or aren’t looking as nice in the produce department as they do now, at least we’d have something to hang on to. Summer seems to by flying by so fast, I thought it might be before I know it that we might need this. Something to remind us that summer was indeed here, despite the falling leaves or snow or whatever. But then I realized it probably wouldn’t even last that long! While I was at it, I made some sliced peaches. But we’ll talk about that later.

My labels rock, I know this.

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Me: “Hi, I’m Marilla, and I’m addicted to canning.”

Canner’s Anonymous Group: “Hi Marilla…”

In all seriousness, the fruit would’ve just gone bad anyway. And then it would’ve been thrown away. So not only am I extending the tastes of summer (sort of), I’m being responsible about not  letting fruit just sit & rot when it’s been forgotten about. And that tends to happen here; berries get pushed to the back of the fridge, etc, etc. The squirrels love me, though, because most of it gets tossed into the yard & they happily munch on it. Hence, a half-eaten apple perched on a branch in my Dogwood tree last week. However, it really is not my main job to make sure the squirrels here have a balanced diet with lots of fresh fruits. So I will jar as much as possible before it has a chance to go bad! And you should too. It’s fun, and easy, and once you start you won’t be able to stop. So go get started.

Okay so… I lied. It really isn’t ONE jar jam. It’s more like, a pint jar and a half jam.  So if you’ve got pint and half-pint jars, you’re in luck. If not, then I don’t know what to tell you. I’m not quite at the stage where I feel comfortable mucking around with canning recipes, especially jam, because when you double/triple them I’ve heard trouble starts. So that’s on you. I’m usually a rebel (“I’m a loner, Dottie, a rebel…”) but being that I’m a total n00b to the world of canning, I’ll wait until I’m a bit more experienced before messing with shit. But you could always put the extra half-pint in an empty jar, not process it and refrigerate it once it cools, using it immediately. Basically I had two extra pint jars sanitized from my pickles, so I wanted to use them. The half-pint ones were just bonuses (that were promptly given away to random lucky recipients). I made them the same night as my pickles, proving they are indeed super fast & easy because I’d already made 5 jars of pickles, plus a full dinner (pasta with pesto sauce… yum) by the time I made these. And I’m pretty freakin’ bionic, but even I have my limits. So trust me- it’s easy.

I’m assuming in writing this that you already know the very basics of canning. If not, please check out The National Center for Food Preservation‘s website & get some background first. You most definitely can can anything, but you have to know how to do it & have the right equipment for it. Besides, I ain’t no master-canner! But this recipe doesn’t require a whole lot of experience, anyone with the proper equipment can do it.

PEACH-BLACKBERRY-RASPBERRY JAM

Ingredients:

• 1 ⅓ cups fruit, combination of blackberries, peaches & raspberries (crush the berries, finely chop the peaches)
• 0.4 ounces of Ball® RealFruit™ Classic Pectin (or whatever pectin you prefer, just remember some require different processing!!)
• 1 ⅔ cups granulated sugar (or 1 cup, for reduced-sugar jam)
• 3 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions:

1. Sanitize jars and lids, and keep them hot, either in a pot of simmering water or dishwasher. Combine fruit with lemon juice in 8-quart saucepan. Gradually add pectin, and bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, over high heat, stirring constantly.
2. Add sugar, stirring to dissolve. Return mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat & skim foam if necessary.
3. Ladle the hot jam into hot jars, one at a time, leaving ¼” headspace. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars, apply bands, and adjust to “fingertip tight.”
4. Place filled jars in canning rack, and then in large pot ensuring that jars are covered by 1-2″ of water. Bring water to a gentle, steady boil.
5. Process jars for 10 minutes, adjusting for your altitude. Turn off heat and let jars stand for 5 minutes.
6. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours, if center of lid is pressed it should not move up and down. If it does, you can refrigerate immediately and still enjoy it, but you can’t keep it for long as it isn’t properly sealed.
7. Clean and store jars accordingly, preferably in a cool, dark place.

Okay so, I got my pectin free with my canning kit. Like I said, this is a little recipe of my own invention using the guidelines on the pectin package, and it was my first time canning a jam. If you use another type of pectin, please be sure to check the processing requirements first as they may be different. I did not “seed” the berries, because I felt like it didn’t matter. Plus, the seeds add an interesting texture, I think. And they look pretty in the jar- look at the picture above; it’s like little jam fireflies. Adorable. Of course, if you’re anti-seeds, feel free to strain ‘em out. It’s totally up to you. So is the amount of each fruit. Use any variation thereof, or eliminate one altogether. Although I happen to think that triad is pretty spiffy myself; you could try putting in strawberries or blueberries too.

Just to alleviate any stress, the peaches will rise to the top if they’re in chunks & not completely crushed, this is normal for peaches. Something about the pectin level of the peaches is lower than the “jammier” part, plus there’s air in the fruit, so they float. Blah, blah. It all tastes the same so why care!? When you open the jam to use it, give it a stir to incorporate the peaches & it’ll be fine. It’s a really pretty looking jam, and it’s pretty nice on the taste buds too. The half-pint jar of this jam was given to/eaten by my grandmother, and in her words “I didn’t know whether to eat it or stare at it.”

Needless to say, she definitely ate it. On a piece of bread with a cup of hot tea. And she loved it. And I am so glad she did, because it gives me happiness & comfort to know I made her happy. Gawd, I miss her. Terribly.

See? Look at the bottom. Sneaky goddamn floating peaches!

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The other jar went to my aunt Marilyn, who eats it everyday, sometimes twice a day on bagels, bread, toast, etc. She totally raved about it, and made my father jealous because he didn’t end up with any. Oops.

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And like I said, I also made some sliced canned peaches in a light syrup. I got the recipe from here, and the best thing for me to tell you is to go there and find out yourself, instead of me re-writing it here. They say it better, plus, only you know how much you want to make or can make. I had three peaches left after the above jam (I used one) and it made another pint and a half of sliced peaches. I also did not use the Fruit-Fresh, just lemon juice, and my peaches were beautiful with no signs of browning. I packed the jars super tight, so my syrup had a hard time getting into some of the air pockets, but as the peaches sit they’ll seep out moisture & the syrup will thicken anyway, so those air pockets probably won’t even be there when I open the jar, whenever that is. And again, keep in mind what I said above about the floating, also; the bubbles are totally cool. As long as the seal is good, you’re golden. I’m no expert, but I looked into it & while there are some alarmists, there seems to be no reason at all why a little bit of air is a problem. Besides, as the jar seals some will escape, you’ll see the bubbles moving up, and everything will settle as well. When people try & avoid them, it’s mainly just an aesthetic thing. And nobody’s perfect, so really, what’s a few air bubbles among friends? But really, these photos above were taken not long after they were processed, so the bubbles are really apparent. A few days later, you couldn’t see many air bubbles, as I assume they all rose to the top. See below.

About 4-5 days later, everything settled. Peaches still be floatin’ though!

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Yeah, the air pockets in the peaches were still there, obviously. But much less noticeable. A little tip from pickyourown.org that I will share here is peeling peaches. So easy, I wish I’d thought of it! Simply cut a shallow X in the bottom of the peaches, then dip them in a pot of boiling water for 25-45 seconds each, and remove them with a slotted spoon and plunge them into a bowl of ice water for a few minutes. When you take them out, the skin should just literally slide right off with no trouble. If not, then your peaches aren’t ripe enough. Let them sit a few days & try it again, or peel them with a vegetable peeler if you really want to can them immediately. Like I said, my peaches were on the overripe side, so I had no problem with the skin coming off. And also, you don’t need to peel them, you can can them with the fuzz on too. It’s just some people prefer not to taste the ‘preserved’ fuzz. Preserved fuzz actually sounds gross.

And don’t forget- August 13 is National Can-It-Forward Day! And P.S. if you’re a family member or close friend of mine… guess what you’re getting for Christmas. Especially now that since it’s so hot, all I can do is can/jar to take my mind off things & keep busy. Plus, my 30th birthday is in three days and I’m basically miserable with a kitchen full of canned items, which my friend Chrisie says I should use as the title for a book on coping with grief & canning/preserving my way through it. And I just might write that book.

But life goes on. C’est la Vie, right?

My parents are big blueberry people. Not blueberry people like Violet Beauregarde, blueberry people as in they like blueberries. My parents aren’t blue or round or anything. They look normal. They are normal, I mean. Well as normal as they can be, they did create me. My dad is actually the bigger blueberry person, remember when he requested blueberry cupcakes in January when they aren’t in season? I do. I had to buy frozen or pay 6 million dollars for a pint. But both of them do enjoy those little blue orbs that stain everything including your teeth. I did make those blueberry muffins for my mother, after all. So I figured why the hell not make some of this for 4th of July weekend/my mom’s birthday since the blueberries in my fruit market were humongous & absolutely gorgeous (and the raspberries & blackberries were buy one get one free- but that was already talked about!).

That is not a muffin. That is jam.

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Speaking of blueberries, I recently, on a bit of a whim, bought a blueberry bush. Vaccinium Corymbosum, or Northern highbush blueberry to be exact, also known as blue huckleberry, tall huckleberry, swamp huckleberry, high blueberry, and swamp blueberry. It was on sale for 50% off and there were only 2 left, so I grabbed one. Of course I’m not expecting a harvest this year, but certainly next year I ought to end up with a few. I bought it more as a novelty than anything else; I think it’s a cool thing to have. If I get some fruit, then awesome, if not… oh well. For $4.50 it’s worth a shot, though it needs a little TLC (some browning leaves, etc). I’m also looking forward to seeing the leaves change to “a brilliant red” in the fall. It’s in a medium sized pot for now, I’m debating whether or not to plant it in a bigger pot or in the ground. I’m leaning towards a larger pot. Let’s see how it fares after this winter.

Just call me “Tall Huckleberry Finn”, a.k.a. the girl who adopts lonely plants…

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Alright so basically, this jam was just as easy as the rhubarb-ginger jam, and just as tasty. Super quick & simple… and it lasts up to a month in the fridge! Save your jars, people. Every jar you buy, make sure it’s rinsed & cleaned out thoroughly so it’s odor-free & sparkly and then save ‘em. You can make loads of stuff like this to fill them, but they’re also great just for storage; nails, screws, paper clips, beads, nuts & bolts, etc. But you can also use regular Ball jars that you’d use for canning, or buy jars like the one above in a place like Williams-Sonoma (glass, like mine in the picture) or Bed Bath & Beyond (plastic, like this one). My great-grandmother never, ever used a plastic anything. She saved every glass jar and stored her leftover food in them, and even used them as drinking glasses, which is an idea I love. Maybe she was on to something?

I’m pretty sure that with the lemon juice this is safely acidic for canning, but don’t quote me on that. I’m a newbie. Either way, I’m sure it can be made into a canned blueberry jam quite easily, and not with much more hullabaloo. But did you ever have a day where you just didn’t want to make any effort further than the very basic one? Yeah. That was me the (sweltering, blistering, scorchingly hot) day I made this. Like I said, lazy. And very hot & sweaty.

EASY BLUEBERRY JAM

Ingredients:

• 5 cups blueberries (about 2 ½ pints)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients in a medium saucepan and using a potato masher or wooden spoon, mash blueberries until they release their juices.
2. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 18-25 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, transfer to containers, and refrigerate for up to 1 month or freeze up to 1 year.

This recipe can also be made with frozen blueberries instead of fresh; just buy two 10-ounce bags and cook them for 2-3 minutes before mashing, then reduce the total cooking time to 15-17 minutes.  I will say this about the cooking though… be ye ever so careful of the splatters. Don’t wear a white apron or a white t-shirt while making it. But other than that, it’s so easy, really a trained monkey could do it. So do it.

Here’s a dollop of it on some of that French vanilla ice cream I made. You could even mix it into vanilla ice cream while it’s in the ice cream maker to make a blueberry-vanilla ice cream.

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Seriously, go try it. I’ve heard it’s insanely good for a 5 minute recipe. You can have it on ice cream, an English muffin, spread it on a delicious scone or piece of bread and sing this song with Fats Domino…

...No, they’ve got nothing to do with Prince. I’m just batshit crazy & I name my cupcakes.

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I know, it’s been a long time since I made cupcakes! I’ve missed them, haven’t you?

Chocolate & raspberry is a combination that is so typical & popular, it’s everywhere. It’s like peanut butter & jelly or ham & cheese. Most people might think to make these for Valentine’s Day, which is obviously appropriate, but I chose to make it now because of all the fresh raspberries around. I won’t pretend that cupcakes are good for you. I will say, however, dark chocolate has a lot of benefits health-wise, as do raspberries.

The consumption of high-cacao-content of chocolate has been correlated with positive health benefits from flavonol antioxidants derived from the ground and fermented seeds of Theobroma cacao.^[15]

Dark chocolate may transiently improve DNA resistance to oxidative stress, probably for flavonoid kinetics.^[16]

Raspberries contain significant amounts of polyphenol antioxidants such as anthocyanin pigments linked to potential health protection against several human diseases.^[6] The aggregate fruit structure contributes to its nutritional value, as it increases the proportion of dietary fibre, placing it among plant foods with the highest fibre contents known, up to 20% fibre per total weight. Raspberries are a rich source of vitamin C, with 30 mg per serving of 1 cup (about 50% daily value), manganese (about 60% daily value) and dietary fibre (30% daily value). Contents of B vitamins 1-3, folic acid, magnesium, copper and iron are considerable in raspberries.^[7]

Raspberries rank near the top of all fruits for antioxidant strength, particularly due to their dense contents of ellagic acid (from ellagotannins, see for instance raspberry ellagitannin), quercetin, gallic acid, anthocyanins, cyanidins, pelargonidins, catechins, kaempferol and salicylic acid. Yellow raspberries and others with pale-coloured fruits are lower in anthocyanins.

Due to their rich contents of antioxidant vitamin C and the polyphenols mentioned above, raspberries have an ORAC value (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) of about 4900 per 100 grams, including them among the top-ranked ORAC fruits. Cranberries and wild blueberries have around 9000 ORAC units and apples average 2800.^[8]

Although there are no clinical studies to date proving these effects in humans, antioxidant and antiproliferative (chemopreventive) effects against cancer have been linked to the amount of phenolics and flavonoids in various foods including raspberries.^[9][10][11]

Mucho thanks to the almighty Wikipedia for that info. See? Now you have an excuse to make them. They’re good for your health.

RASPBERRY BERET CUPCAKES

Get these ingredients:

• ¼ cup Hershey’s® Special Dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup whole milk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 container (6 ounces) fresh raspberries, chilled

Then you should:

1. Preheat oven to 350º degrees F. Line a 12-count cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Remove 12 of the best looking and firmest raspberries from the container & set aside in a small bowl, these are your toppers, or “raspberry berets.”
2. Sift together cocoa powder, flour and baking powder. In another bowl whisk together sugar, eggs, vanilla, milk and vegetable oil. Gradually whisk flour mixture into sugar mixture. Stir in raspberries- it’s okay if they stay whole and it’s also okay if they break (as a matter of fact, because I did in fact use a hand mixer, mine broke into a gazillion little berry pieces & everyone loved them, said it tasted like raspberry jam mixed in there). Mix until thoroughly incorporated.
3. Fill cupcake liners ⅔  full. Bake in preheated oven for 12 – 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
4. Allow to cool for several minutes in the cupcake pan, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Frost only when completely cooled, then top with a raspberry.

VANILLA CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Ingredients:

• 8 oz cream cheese, room temp
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Whip the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl until smooth.
2. Add vanilla until combined, and beat in powdered sugar a little at a time until frosting is as thick as you’d like.

In case you’re totally confused about this raspberry beret/Prince thing:

“Raspberry Beret” is a song by Prince and The Revolution. It was the first U.S. (and second UK) single from their 1985 album, Around the World in a Day. The sound was different from any previous Prince track, incorporating Middle Eastern finger cymbals, stringed instruments, and even a harmonica on the extended version. The song was also more in the pop vein than ever before, though the 12-inch single and video of the song feature a funky intro. Although the song was originally recorded in 1982, Prince drastically reworked it with The Revolution to give it more of an international sound. The string section was: Novi Novog on violin, Suzi Katayama and David Coleman on cello. Wendy & Lisa provided backing vocals, and the rest of the song was performed by Prince.

The song tells of a teenage romance and first sexual experience with a girl who wears the titular hat. The video for the song was Prince’s first since his short-lived “ban” on music videos. The song quickly became a fan favorite, and a staple in nearly every Prince tour. The extended version was included on Ultimate in 2006. While this song reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, it only reached #25 on the UK Singles Chart.

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Ya get it now? Personally I’m more of a ‘Controversy’ fan than ‘Raspberry Beret’, myself. But actually, after I thought of that name for these, it reminded me of a school trip I took in grammar school where this kid Robbie was singing “She wore a razz-belly belay!” all day long, and he had me & my friend Jessica in hysterics. So we started singing it too really loud on the bus & it turned into chaos. So I guess these are also for Robbie & his “razz-belly belay”, wherever he is now. Another time, Robbie went home on his bike and brought back with him a bee repellent/bee-sting care package (“just in case”) to the bleachers at the local high school where I was hanging out, because there was a huge beehive there. I always had a way with the dudes.

So a few things about these cupcakes: One, they were easily the easiest I ever made. You don’t even need a mixer, I used one (my vintage hand mixer) on low just to speed things up (no pun intended) but it isn’t necessary. Two, they rose perfectly. Three, the texture is amazing. That’s basically it. The flavors go so well together, but that’s a freakin’ no brainer. It’s just perfect, the perfect cupcake. I also got exactly 12, which was a first for me, usually if I think it’ll make 12, I get 15. Or 20. I definitely live in a parallel universe when it comes to my baking pans. If you prefer another kind of cocoa powder, by all means, use it. I just recommend a dark one, and the Hershey’s Special Dark is one of the best (& darkest) I ever had.

I used a Wilton 2A tip to frost, then an offset spatula to smooth ‘em down. Oh, and the brown liners are from sweet estelle’s baking supply at Etsy. I love the way a brown liner looks on a chocolate cupcake, don’t you?

Saint Valentine’s Day (commonly shortened to Valentine’s Day)^[1][2][3] is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affectionintimate companions.^[1][3] The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Valentine and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 500 AD. It was deleted from the Roman calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI, but its religious observance is still permitted. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as “ between valentines”). The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.

Modern Valentine’s Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards.^[4]

The Early Medieval acta of either Saint Valentine were expounded briefly in Legenda Aurea.^[14] According to that version, St Valentine was persecuted as a Christian and interrogated by Roman Emperor Claudius II in person. Claudius was impressed by Valentine and had a discussion with him, attempting to get him to convert to Roman paganism in order to save his life. Valentine refused and tried to convert Claudius to Christianity instead. Because of this, he was executed. Before his execution, he is reported to have performed a miracle by healing the blind daughter of his jailer.

Since Legenda Aurea still provided no connections whatsoever with sentimental love, appropriate lore has been embroidered in modern times to portray Valentine as a priest who refused an unattested law attributed to Roman Emperor Claudius II, allegedly ordering that young men remain single. The Emperor supposedly did this to grow his army, believing that married men did not make for good soldiers. The priest Valentine, however, secretly performed marriage ceremonies for young men. When Claudius found out about this, he had Valentine arrested and thrown in jail.

There is an additional modern embellishment to The Golden Legend, provided by American Greetings to History.com, and widely repeated despite having no historical basis whatsoever. On the evening before Valentine was to be executed, he would have written the first “valentine” card himself, addressed to a young girl variously identified as his beloved,^[15] as the jailer’s daughter whom he had befriended and healed,^[16] or both. It was a note that read “From your Valentine.”^[15]

For the past few holidays; Halloween, Thanksgiving & Christmas, I’ve done these “Best Of” posts. So seeing as how it’s cold out and I have nothing better to do, I decided to do one for Valentine’s Day too.

It’s just three of my Valentine’s cupcake ideas, put altogether in one place for easy finding. Enjoy!

These are by far my absolute favorite. White cupcakes that I colored pink (with Wilton gel food coloring in rose pink) & topped with spirals of thick vanilla buttercream made with clear vanilla extract so it’s extra white. Topped with pink & white heart sprinkles, these were a big hit with everyone who tasted them. PICTURES DO THEM NO JUSTICE. You can find the recipe here at this post: “It’s a nice day, for a, white cupcake” – Billy Idol

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Another big hit; these cupcakes were so textbook it was almost embarrassing. Amy Sedaris’ vanilla cupcake recipe topped with a strawberry Swiss meringue made from strawberry preserves, and of course, a sliced strawberry half that coincidentally is shaped like a heart. Aww. Want the entire 411? Here’s the deets: Valentine’s Day strawberry heartcakes, plus a ton of other stuff.

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These were just a last minute, thrown together cupcake that came from a cake recipe I got from Ruth Reichl’s book, Garlic & Sapphires. Made with Grand Marnier (or a bit of orange extract), they were an indulgent & decadent treat for V-Day. For these, you’ll have to take a trek over to Cooking The Books for the recipe: Chocolate for Valentine’s Day… how groundbreaking!

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There are literally a gazillion other recipes that can be used for Valentine’s Day. Red velvet is a big one, so cute when piled up high with white frosting and heart sprinkles. Chocolate cupcakes topped with chocolate buttercream and red & white striped peppermint meringues (like these, for example) can also be used for Valentine’s Day. Coconut cupcakes work too, either with coconut buttercream or cream cheese frosting, try red liners to make ‘em more Valentine-y. Heart-shaped shortbread cookies dipped in chocolate and then drizzled with melted red & white candy melts would be adorable. Maybe try a vanilla pudding with some delicious raspberries suspended in it?

I, myself, am planning on trying some of Bakerella‘s cake pops for Valentine’s Day this year, but I also have some special cupcakes & other treats planned, some maybe even this week. So stay tuned. I won’t fail you!

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To be fair, we all got hit with a wicked stomach virus, it had been going around & passed around between friends & family & co-workers everywhere around here. My mother got it, then I got it, then my dad got it once we were better. Jay escaped unscathed, however. So anyway, I know when I was sick with it I hadn’t been eating much, so when he requested these I had to oblige. If all you can eat are cupcakes- I totally endorse it! Blueberries are really good for you, actually.

Researchers have shown that blueberry anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, resveratrol, flavonols, and tannins inhibit mechanisms of cancer cell development and inflammation in vitro.^{[25][26][27][28]} Similar to red grape, some blueberry species contain in their skins significant levels of resveratrol,^[29] a phytochemical.

Although most studies below were conducted using the highbush cultivar of blueberries (V. corymbosum), content of polyphenol antioxidants and anthocyanins in lowbush (wild) blueberries (V. angustifolium) exceeds values found in highbush species.^[30]

At a 2007 symposium on berry health benefits were reports showing consumption of blueberries (and similar berry fruits including cranberries) may alleviate the cognitive decline occurring in Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions of aging.^[21]

A chemical isolated from blueberry leaves can block replication of the hepatitis C virus and might help to delay disease spread in infected individuals.^[31]

Feeding blueberries to animals lowers brain damage in experimental stroke.^[32][33] Research at Rutgers^[34] has also shown that blueberries may help prevent urinary tract infections.

Other animal studies found that blueberry consumption lowered cholesterol and total blood lipid levels, possibly affecting symptoms of heart disease.^[35]glycosaminoglycans which are vascular cell components affecting control of blood pressure.^[36]

A study soon to be published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that supplementation with wild blueberry juice enhanced memory and learning in older adults, while reducing blood sugar and symptoms of depression.^[37]

However, I am not a blueberry fan. So I quartered all of these recipes to make 8 cupcakes,  6 just for dad. The other two? Just for mom.

Blue cupcake liners from Bake It Pretty

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You can’t tell from the photo, but yes, the cake has whole blueberries in it!

BLUEBERRY CUPCAKES (from Bon Appétit)

Ingredients:

For those of you in other countries, or who really could care less about what us asshole Americans do, here’s a little bit on the holiday to get you acquainted:

Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day, currently celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, has been an annual tradition in the United States since 1863. Thanksgiving was historically a religious observation to give thanks to God.^[1]

It is thought that the first Thanksgiving was celebrated to give thanks to God for helping the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony survive their first brutal winter in New England.^[2] The first Thanksgiving feast lasted three days providing enough food for 53 pilgrims and 90 Native Americans.^[3] The feast consisted of fowl, venison, fish, lobster, clams, berries, fruit, pumpkin, and squash. William Bradford’s note that, “besides waterfowl, there was great store of wild turkeys, of which they took many,”^[4] probably gave rise to the American tradition of eating turkey at Thanksgiving.

Of course there’s more to the story, and it ain’t pretty, but hey, whatever. I can’t lie- I like to eat. So I can’t hate on the tradition too much.

Anyway I did this for Halloween, and I thought I’d do it for Thanksgiving too since it’s convenient to have all my holiday (in this case, Thanksgiving-y) themed recipes in one spot. Here they are in no particular order; my top picks for Thanksgiving cupcakes!

These were amazing. Of course, purists may dislike it because the recipe asks that you use a box cake mix, but it’s worth it. They were dense, chocolate-y, had amazing spicyness and had a fantastic texture thanks to the addition of a can of pumpkin. They were excellent with the chocolate frosting, but would be equally excellent with a whipped cream topping, a seven-minute frosting or even a marshmallow Fluff frosting. The recipe can be found here: Mexican Hot Chocolate cupcakes

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These cupcakes were a surprise, because I wasn’t anticipating them turning out as well as they did. The frosting was perfect too. The cinnamon in the cupcake makes it a great choice for Thanksgiving, but it’s not too heavy, so it’s a good idea for an after-dinner cupcake; after everyone has gorged on turkey & sweet potatoes. If you wanna read more about them, here they are: Snickerdoodle cupcakes with seven-minute frosting

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Now these were amazing! I’m a big fan of brown butter, so I knew that these would make me really happy. Add to that cream soda and toffee? Forget it. Just fantastic. I ended up with none left after leaving Thanksgiving dinner last year- everyone insisted on taking some home with them. Take a peek at the recipe: Cream soda toffee cupcakes with brown butter frosting

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Apple is a no-brainer for fall. And these just so happen to be the best apple cupcakes there ever were, EVER. Add to that the brown sugar buttercream and you have yourself a delectable treat. And I like to think it’s healthier because of all the apple. *ahem* Anyway, here’s the recipe: Apple cupcakes with brown sugar buttercream

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Now you may not be looking for a cupcake recipe. Maybe you’re looking for a fall cookie, breakfast treat, muffin or a donut recipe? Well, you’ve come to the right place! The following just so happens to be Jay’s favorite cookie, and I’m sure you’ll love it too. And the rest? They ain’t bad either. You can’t go wrong with donuts, cookies, cinnamon rolls or scones in my opinion.

Delicious sugar cookies cut into leaf-shapes and topped with maple icing. How good does that sound? The recipe can be found here.

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A tried and true fall favorite: apple cider donuts. And they’re really easy to make at home- trust me! A great baking project to do with kids. Go here for the full recipe.

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The best cinnamon roll recipe, ever. Hands down. I love these on Thanksgiving morning while watching the parade. Just make the first steps the night before, allow the dough to rest overnight, then finish it and pop it in the oven that morning. Then the icing goes on while they’re warm. Seriously, they’re amazing. Get the recipe & more here.

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Ahh, Ina. You never fail me. And these scones were yet another example of that. These were a HUGE hit with my family when I made them for Thanksgiving a few years back. The texture was perfect, the flavor was awesome and everyone loved the glaze. This is another really simple yet impressive recipe. Find out how to make them here.

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There are tons more fall-themed and fall-flavored ideas on this blog. You just have to search for ‘em a bit. Although, many of the cupcakes I’ve made for Halloween could work for Thanksgiving too, specifically the pumpkin, apple, cinnamon vanilla or mocha ones, and even the french toast cupcakes (which I myself are planning to recreate for Thanksgiving). Apple dumplings are also an excellent choice, and really quick and easy. And pumpkin muffins are another great idea for breakfast, but so is pumpkin bread; a nice slice of that, all warm from the oven… Mmmm. Pumpkin muffins made with rum are a nice adult alternative. And olive oil cake? Amazing, with it’s orange-y flavor and rich texture. Although anything is really good for Thanksgiving, though, because everyone just really wants to be fat & greedy & shove food into their face. Most of the time, people don’t even notice the fancy decorations on the pies or cakes because all they want to do is stick their face in it. It’s true. Have you ever noticed how much food is put on the plates at Thanksgiving dinner? It’s ridiculous.

Which leads me to my next thought: how about, this year, for every 3 items you plan on making for your Thanksgiving spread, you donate one food item to a food bank? Whether it’s a canned vegetable or a box of au gratin potatoes or whatever. It’s time we stopped being so damn selfish in this country. And in this economy, when so many people have lost their jobs and have to rely on Food Stamps & food banks for their meals, I think all of us can afford to donate two or three cans or boxes of something to those who need it. And if you’re really feeling generous, in some supermarkets you can buy an entire meal for a family that needs it; from the soup to the turkey to the side dishes. Consider it, really. It’s the least we can do. If you’d like to contribute, there are places like Food For Others that can lead you in the right direction. Also, a quick Google search can help you find other places in your area.

The 4th of July is a big deal to me, I’m a history buff and me & Jay recently (finally) finished watching the John Adams HBO miniseries, so the history of America is really fresh in my mind. I like to remind people that patriotism is not nationalism. Pride in my country does not mean I believe it can do no wrong or agree with all of it’s policies, nor do I believe it is beyond improvement. I love America and I’m a proud American, I’m just not always proud of my government. I often wonder if John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin & the other founding fathers would be proud of what we’ve become or horrified. Regardless, I love my country and I’m the first one to fly a flag… even if it’s on a cupcake!

I went really low-key with the cupcakes; simple vanilla with a vanilla buttercream and some fresh whole blueberries & sliced strawberries on top. No big gimmicks or anything this year. I was thinking about making three-layer cupcakes with red, white & blue layers but nixed it. Then I debated making frosting that looked like fireworks, then I nixed that too. So I ended up making these and honestly I was pretty pleased with them. Shamefully, these are my first “patriotic” cupcakes. I’ve made ones that were incidentally red, white & blue like these, but I haven’t made any on purpose. Usually, for Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day it’s always just too damn hot & I have too many other things to make, but this year I found these adorable liners and just knew I had to make some red, white & blue cupcakes. Since they’re also for my mom’s birthday… I had to do the candle thing. I was going to use them for my Military Monday tomorrow, but I found a better image to use. So these will probably pop up on another Military Monday.

I also made some panna cotta with balsamic strawberries, which is a great warm-weather dish & a favorite around here. I was going to make some more stuff, but the weather is so brutal- 95° and with the heat index it feels like over 100°- that it just didn’t happen.

Cutest patriotic liners ever? Perhaps.

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Happy (one day late) birthday Sami, aka the new Mrs. Lanza, Happy (one day early) birthday, mom… and Happy 4th of July, America. And especially this week/weekend, for Military Monday let’s really try and remember those soldiers (and cops & firemen) who can’t have a barbecue with their families, for any & every reason.

Now while 7-Layer Magic Cookie Bars may remind me of winter, cookie-bars made made with lemon or lime, or fresh fruit, are a distinctly summery treat. They’re really easy to make and, like cookies, are portable enough to put in a Tupperware or even a Ziplock and bring to the park or beach or a picnic, or a birthday party in a classroom. They’re less messy to bring than cupcakes and cake for an on-the-go type of day, and slightly more exciting and different than regular brownies.

Now… combine cheesecake and cookie-bars and you’ve got me sold.

LEMON CHEESECAKE SQUARES WITH FRESH BERRIES*

Get the following ingredients:

Crust:

• 9 whole graham crackers
• 5 tablespoons butter

Filling:

• 1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Fresh berries of your choice* (blueberry, blackberry, strawberry or raspberry will suffice, but are also optional… I used blueberries as you can see)

Then do the following with them:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Fold 16-inch long piece of foil to 8×16-inch strip; place in 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan, leaving overhang on 2 sides. Repeat with another sheet of foil in opposite direction, lining pan completely. Butter foil.
2. Place graham crackers in a heavy-duty plastic bag. Using rolling pin or mallet, crush crackers finely. Melt butter in medium skillet over low heat. Remove from heat; add crumbs and toss to coat.
3. Press crumbs evenly in bottom of prepared pan. Bake crust until deep golden, about 12 minutes. Cool crust while preparing filling.
4. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in egg and sour cream, then lemon juice, lemon peel and vanilla. Spread batter over crust.
5. Bake cheesecake until slightly puffed and set in center, about 30 minutes; cool completely in pan on rack. Chill cheesecake until cold, about 2 hours. (can be made one day ahead, cover & keep chilled)
6. Using foil overhang as aid, lift cheesecake from pan. Cut into 16 squares; arrange on platter. Top each square with fresh berries. Chill until ready to serve, up to 3 hours. Serve chilled.

*Like I said, totally optional.

I gave them a sprinkle of confectioner’s sugar as well, just to add a little more sweetness as they’re sorta tart due to the lemon juice and zest.

These are really refreshing and make an excellent summer dessert. A+!

This recipe is for individual chocolate lava cakes, but I didn’t fill them with the chocolate, I topped them with it instead. Basically because I felt like it. So instead of chilling it and letting it harden, I just left it on top of the stove, off heat, and stirred it occasionally while the cakes were cooking to keep it warm and soft. Then when the cakes were out of the oven, I let them sit 5 minutes, put them on plates and spooned some chocolate on top of them. But I’m writing up the recipe as it was originally written, so you can decide what you’d like to do with yours. I also topped them with strawberries and whipped cream, but that’s up to you too. Any kind of berry you want would suffice.

This is an extremely delicious, really easy recipe that you can make in no time at all and that looks very impressive when plated. If you don’t have ramekins or custard cups, muffin tins work too. They’ll be a bit smaller, but otherwise fine. Just make sure you really grease the tins up good, then when you take them out just flip ‘em upside down. And if you use muffin tins and your cakes rise too high, you can slice off the “tops” (really the bottoms) and make them even, then use those pieces crumbled up on top of vanilla ice cream later on. It’s a win-win situation.

INDIVIDUAL CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKES

Ingredients:

Chocolate centers:

• 2 ounces 60% cocoa bittersweet chocolate baking bar
• ¼ cup heavy cream

Chocolate cake:

• 4 ounces 60% cocoa bittersweet chocolate baking bar*
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup cake flour
• Berries, whipped cream & confectioners sugar for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. To make the chocolate centers, melt 2 ounces chocolate baking bar and heavy cream in a double boiler. Whisk gently to blend. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm. Roll into 6 equal balls, refrigerate until needed.
2. To make cake, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously spray 6 ramekins or custard cups with cooking spray. Melt 4 ounces chocolate in double boiler with ½ cup butter, whisk gently to blend.
3. Place egg yolks, eggs, sugar and vanilla in mixer bowl. Attach bowl and wire whip attachment to mixer. Mix about 5 minutes or until thick and light.
4. Fold melted chocolate and flour into egg mixture by hand until just combined. Divide among prepared ramekins. Place one chocolate ball in the center of each. Bake about 15 minutes or until cake is firm to the touch. Let sit out of the oven for 5 minutes.
5. Run a small, sharp knife around inside of each ramekin, place a plate on top, invert and remove ramekin.Garnish with berries, confectioners sugar and whipped cream, if desired.

*You can substitute cocoa powder if necessary- in the cake ONLY, just use 3 tablespoons per ounce needed.

Happy birthday to my mom- without whom there would be no Cupcake Rehab, because there would be no me! Love you, mom! Technically, her birthday is tomorrow, July 5th, but when you’re presenting someone with many little chocolate cakes you can say happy birthday whenever you want.

Me & my mom, 27 years or so ago… wonder where I got my latest hair inspiration from?

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…And also a happy (belated) birthday to my girl Sami who turned 25 yesterday!

Finally, to all you who are also in the U.S., I wish you all a safe and Happy 4th of July.