Things to do with preserves

See that last post below, over a year and a half ago? I still have some of that strawberry jam. We made Strawberry Lemon, Strawberry Honey, Strawberry Balsamic and, well, Strawberry. I made other kinds of jam last year, too, like obscene amounts of Peach Ginger. And this season we hiked to Shining Rock, NC and picked 4 gallons of blueberries, some of which turned into jam. Otherwise, I don't need to, and probably shouldn't, make any more jam until I make it through the silly amount I have now. I love having 3 kinds of fruit preserves open at once, for toast and biscuits at any moment, but it is clear I will have to work harder. Here are some of my plans for this winter:

1. Yogurt. This is esp. great when a jam doesn't set, but a good dollop of strawberry or blueberry jam with some plain yogurt is delicious.

2. Thumbprint cookies.

3. Stack cake. While traditionally stack cake is made with dried apples turned into apple butter, I have full confidence that my apple or pear butter will work just fine.

4. Emergency pot luck dish. This has already come in handy. Just grab a good cheese and some sort of bread product and you are good. Goat cheese & blueberry rosemary jam. Cream cheese & hot pepper jelly. Anything with cream cheese is pretty right on.

5. Grilled cheese/cheese toast. I fully believe that a grilled cheese with apple butter will be lovely. Maybe even bacon.

6. Jam filled muffins. My mom made these when we were little. Fill a muffin tin about halfway with a plain muffin batter, insert spoonful of jam, cover with batter.

7. Swirl in batters of all sorts. Cakes, coffee cake, brownies. Yes.

8. Doughnuts. I really want to make doughnuts and fill them with jam, but the reality is, I won't. I just won't. Such is life.

9. Use on waffles & pancakes instead of maple syrup.

10. Jam tarts/bars. There are loads of recipes for these kinds of things on the internet and in cookbooks.

I must do some of these things. Hoarding is a problem, and my friends and family would probably like to receive something as a gift that hasn't just been hanging around in my house for 2 years.