I got carried away with a basic recipe this a.m. and came up with something close to a raspberry pepper jam that I really like.
3 cups blueberries, mashed
2 cups sugar
juice from 1/2 a lemon
1 tsp powdered cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp butter extract
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients and simmer, uncovered, until jam "sheets" on the back of a spoon (about 30 minutes). Stir often so that blueberries don't burn and stick to bottom of saucepan.
Pour into clean glass jar(s) and when cool, cover with lid(s) and refrigerate until use.
Not for your basic peanut butter and jelly sandwhich!! This jam warms the bottom of your stomach, and I think would go great as an appetizer, poured over a block of cream cheese with crackers, or as a topping on a savory cheesecake. I know there was one at Gail's, possibly posted by Dawn_MO/SD, but I can't find it. I think it had a crust. But this one is pretty close:
Recipe By: Sunset Magazine
1 cup cream cheese -- at room temperature
1 cup unsalted butter -- at room temperature
1 cup parmesan cheese -- freshly grated
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, oil-packed, drained (reserve oil)
2 tablespoons oil -- from dried tomatoes
2 cups fresh basil leaves -- lightly packed
With an electric mixer or food processor, beat cream cheese, butter and parmesan cheese until very smoothly blended. Cut 4 tomatoes into thin strips; set aside.
Whirl remaining tomatoes, oil and about 1/2 cup of the cheese mixture until tomatoes are very smoothly pureed; scrape puree back into bowl with cheese mixture and beat to blend. Cover bowl and chill for about 20 minutes, or until firm enough to shape.
Mound cheese on a platter. If made ahead, cover with and inverted bowl (don't let it touch the cheese) and chill up to 3 days; serve at room temperature. Arrange reserved tomato strips and basil leaves around torta. Sunset suggests spreading cheese on toast (they recommend toasted pita bread triangles) and topping with a basil leaf and a tomato strip. Makes 8 to 10 appetizer servings.
3 cups blueberries, mashed
2 cups sugar
juice from 1/2 a lemon
1 tsp powdered cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp butter extract
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients and simmer, uncovered, until jam "sheets" on the back of a spoon (about 30 minutes). Stir often so that blueberries don't burn and stick to bottom of saucepan.
Pour into clean glass jar(s) and when cool, cover with lid(s) and refrigerate until use.
Not for your basic peanut butter and jelly sandwhich!! This jam warms the bottom of your stomach, and I think would go great as an appetizer, poured over a block of cream cheese with crackers, or as a topping on a savory cheesecake. I know there was one at Gail's, possibly posted by Dawn_MO/SD, but I can't find it. I think it had a crust. But this one is pretty close:
Recipe By: Sunset Magazine
1 cup cream cheese -- at room temperature
1 cup unsalted butter -- at room temperature
1 cup parmesan cheese -- freshly grated
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, oil-packed, drained (reserve oil)
2 tablespoons oil -- from dried tomatoes
2 cups fresh basil leaves -- lightly packed
With an electric mixer or food processor, beat cream cheese, butter and parmesan cheese until very smoothly blended. Cut 4 tomatoes into thin strips; set aside.
Whirl remaining tomatoes, oil and about 1/2 cup of the cheese mixture until tomatoes are very smoothly pureed; scrape puree back into bowl with cheese mixture and beat to blend. Cover bowl and chill for about 20 minutes, or until firm enough to shape.
Mound cheese on a platter. If made ahead, cover with and inverted bowl (don't let it touch the cheese) and chill up to 3 days; serve at room temperature. Arrange reserved tomato strips and basil leaves around torta. Sunset suggests spreading cheese on toast (they recommend toasted pita bread triangles) and topping with a basil leaf and a tomato strip. Makes 8 to 10 appetizer servings.