A few recipes...

A few people had asked for the blackberry jam recipe so here it is (and for my own memory)...This particular recipe isn't the kind you preserve for months or anything, just a simple recipe to be refridgerated and eaten within a few weeks (if it lasts that long!)

First you need a lot of these:

 

• 3-3 1/2 cups of blackberries
• 1 1/2 cups of sugar
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 package of pectin (of course pectin comes in various size packages...I just did 2 tablespoons but you can add more to make it thicker as you go)

-Stir the blackberries and 1/2 the sugar in a pot on the stove top on medium high
-When the mixture starts to bubble, add the butter
-When that is boiling, add the pectin and rest of the sugar
-Boil for 1 full minute, smooshing down the blackberries as you go (unless you want it really chunky)
-Ladle it into a mason jar, seal and let it set for 24 hours (at room temperature)
-Refrigerate and enjoy!

A second recipe that is great if you have basil growing in your garden is pesto. I put it on pasta, pizza, sandwiches, bread, etc. Plus, it's easy to freeze and just use throughout the year:

 When you cut your basil leaves, you won't need the stems...also, the bigger leaves are better flavored (so I've found out)

Homemade Pesto

• 2 cups loosely packed basil leaves (you can also throw in a  handful of spinach leaves for a milder flavor)
• 1 Tbsp of diced garlic ( or 2 cloves, diced)
• 2 Tbsp of pine nuts, lightly toasted (walnuts work well too)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (I always add more--no such thing as too much cheese, right?)
• 2 Tbsp softened butter or margarine
• dash of salt

-Blend in the mixer, scraping down the sides until fully blended. The result will look like this:

Okay, so I will admit, pesto just looks gross! But it tastes SO good and a little bit goes a long way. Enjoy!