Spicy Blackberry Infusion bottled!

I finally got the blackberry and spiced rum infusion bottled this morning....look how pretty it is! Remember, the rum was originally a light amber color. Smells like spiced rum with a hint of blackberry - and probably fab with a little mixer of choice!

Kahlua - Let's make some!

Like many others, my mother and I have made Kahula several times over the years past. After being able to buy good quality madagascar vanilla beans, I decided I would start to make it again.

Here is the standard recipe that you can find on the www and in books and my comments beside it:
1 oz instant coffee (I use 2)
3 cups of sugar
1 1/2 cups of boiling water (I use tap water and then boil with above)
1 vanilla bean (1? - you are kidding right?)
3 cups inexpensive brandy or vodka (I use vodka)

Mix instant coffee and sugar together. Pour water over, stir and bring to a slight boil on stove, stirring constantly to dissolve coffee/sugar.
Remove from heat.
Split a vanilla bean (ok 2) and put in dissolved coffee/sugar mixture. Stir.
After cooling a bit, pour liquor of choice in mixture. Stir.
Bottle/jar in glass and store in a dark place for 30 days.
(be sure to have a gallon jar or a few quart canning containers available. I make 2 batches at a time due to the amount of time it "stews".)

Pour into decorative bottles and gift for the holidays! Be as creative as you want to be on labeling and decorating!

Blackberry Jam - Yummy!

Picked 5 cups of wild blackberries.

Does picking from a open field make them organic?

Crush blackberries with potato masher.


Put in stockpot and sprinkle pectin over berries.
Bring to boil and stir constantly.


Begin adding sugar and continue to stir.

Boiling and stirring.

Remove from heat and ladle in prepared jars.

Follow directions for water bath below.

Finished.

Homemade Blackberry Jam

Makes approx 7 - 8oz/ half pints or 12 - 4 oz jelly jars.

Ingredients
5 cups crushed blackberries (do not puree, crush with a potato masher)
7 cups sugar
1 (1 3/4 ounce) package fruit jell pectin (I use Ball but Sure Jell will work too)
Directions
1Carefully measure out the berries, put them into a very large pot (8qt).
2Carefully measure sugar in a lg bowl.
3Add the pectin to the berries a little at a time, stirring constantly.
4Heat on hi, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a FULL boil.
5Add sugar ALL at once, stirring.
6Bring mixture back to a full hard boil, stirring constantly.
7Boil for 1 minute.
8Remove from heat and ladle into clean, hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch space at the top.
9Wipe the rim of the jar and put canning lids and rings on firmly tight.
10Place in canner with very hot water, make sure water is 1 inch above jars.
11Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
12Remove and set them upright on a towel to set for 12 hours.
Recipe from Recipezaar.

Did I tell ya I love to MUD!?

It is one of my favorite things to do and I really must plan a trip to the Dead Sea!

Hot Pepper Jelly - Let's make it!

Jalapeno Pepper plant...most important ingredient!
Ingredients

Clean, remove seeds and chop. (Suggestion: wear rubber gloves when cutting hot peppers)

Put both types of peppers and cider vinegar in blender. Blend well.

Prepare 6 - 1/2 pint glass jars - I put them in hot water in the sink.

After you pour this mixture over sugar, add 1 cup of cider vinegar to blender to clean out remaining mixture and pour over sugar.

Blender mixture plus 1 cup additional vinegar that cleaned out the blender plus sugar.

Bring to roaring boil!

Put on simmer and remove residue that settles on top. Discard.

Add pectin and food coloring (optional) and STIR!

If you use certo or liquid pectin, stir.

If you use powdered (my preferred), mix and stir until you incorporate all the powder.

Pour into warm/hot jars and cap.

Finished.

Today, I made 2 batches of hot pepper jelly or jalapeno jelly. I love this over a block of cream cheese served with triscuits. It is nice to take this as an appetizer to a party and gift the host a jar also.

What you need to put in blender first:

1/2 cup jalapenos - seeded, chopped and packed

3/4 cup bell pepper - seeded, chopped and packed

1/4 cup cider vinegar

On the stove in a stock pot:

6 cups of sugar

Pour blender mixture over sugar.

Add 1 cup of cider vinegar to blender to rinse out remaining mixture and pour over sugar.

Bring to roaring. Set to simmer and skim off residue.

Add:

food coloring (optional)

pectin (either 6 oz Certo or one package powder like Sure-Jell)

Mix well. Pour or use scoop to put in prepared warm/hot jars. Cap

Makes 6 - 1/2 pint jars.

Enjoy!

AJ builds a house at techno camp!

Grampie, AJ and Grammie on last day of techno camp.
Name board for project.

Overview of project including the trusses.

AJ with two camp counselors.

House from the front.

Inside - AJ holding large screen TV mounted.

House view from the rear/back.

AJ sitting at work table with project.

AJ has spent the last two weeks at a local middle school in technology camp...and he built a house! They had a blue print and made everything using anything! The kids could choose a house, toy (like a ferris wheel) or theatre. All the families attended a closing yesterday complete with a slide show of the last two weeks and admiring all the projects. He will do this again next year!

Final infusing of blackberries...

The blackberries have been infusing in spiced rum for a few weeks and have almost lost all of their color so almost ready to strain and bottle.