Easy Cranberry Jam

Ok readers, hold on to your aprons. Your gonna love this one. Its easy peasy and will make a great little quick gift for your neighbor, teacher, family, secret pal, mail carrier, ....well, you get the idea.

I have been looking for a recipe to use up the bags of cranberries I have stashed away in my refrigerator. I have never made anything good from cranberries unless they were from a can. I have been in search of a recipe to make with my fresh cranberries, I thought about muffins until I found a recipe for Cramberry jam that only called for three ingredients. 

Oh yea, I can do that!

So I made a trial run.

 WIN!

Cranberry Jam

1 cup of Cranberries

1 cup of Sugar

1/8 cup water

Tiny drop of vanilla (optional)

(I was worried this was not enough liquid but just wait.. It will be enough)

~Boil and stir all together until the cranberries start popping and soften. 

~Use an emerssion blender and blend until smooth and replace back on the stove. 

~cook on medium heat and stir until the jam makes a sticky coating on back of the spoon. 

~Pour into small mason jar. 

THATS IT! REALLY!

If you plan to store your jam or give as a gift, place the lids on them and leave on counter until sealed. 

The jam will thicken more as it cools. 

*Incase your wondering: No extra pectin is needed for the recipe as cranberries produce their own. 

We had to try out a small bit on a slice of buttered toast. My husband gave it a thumbs up and litterally scraped the jar clean. 

We liked it! It was really sweet with just the right amount of tart to make this a new breakfast favorite. 

The hardest part of making this is finding small Mason or Ball jars. Walmart has them in sets of 12. I only need about 6 so I didnt buy any. I’m in search of a smaller bulk of jars, but for now, we will enjoy ours from our own reused jars. I do not need to worry about sealing the jars because this yum yum will not last that long in my kitchen. 

The original recipe and many more can be found at Kleinworthco.com.

Gingham

My little Etsy shop has been busy here at Christmas time. During the summer I was beginning to think people were not finding my products as my sales were slow. The past few months I have been loaded with custom orders to complete. I had to turn the “Custom order” option off for a while so I could get caught up. I finally finished and shipped all the orders requested. I have decided not to take anymore custom orders until after Christmas. I need a break so I can get my Christmas goodies cooking.

This season I have been in love with Gingham Check. If I knew it would have been so popular this year, I would have done more decorating with it. 

I just love it.

While taking a break from crocheting for others, I decided to crochet myself something. 

I made myself a Gingham check cup cozy. I can carry it in my car or purse and when I’m not drinking coffee from my Yeti, I can slip this sleeve over a starbucks cup to keep my hands from buring off. 

Besides I thought it was just so darn cute and it matches a shirt and ear warmers I have. 

Gingham was originated in Europe in the 17th century. 

It was actually considered a striped fabric and was made mostly in blue and white. Later in the years it became distinguished as checks.

Gingham check became popular in the 60s.

Brigitte Bardot wore a pink gingham dress when she got married. At the time, she started a trend that caused a shortage in this fabric.

You will find Gingham check in the Wizard of Oz movie. Dorothy wore a blue and white Gingham dress.

Gilligans Island’s MaryAnn, wore a gingham crop top.

You can see this design in a lot of the old classic shows.  

I always associated Gingham check with Fall and Winter. I think of cozy cabins and bear skin rugs. 

I think of a flannel shirt worn by a wooly lumberjack. 

Summer Picnic napkins and table covers are usually in this pattern.

Today you can find it on everything from jewelry to baby blankets.  

I bet if you look around your house or in your closet you will see something with this pattern fabric. 

I bet your looking now, arent you? Ha.

I have had some request for this pattern.

Im not a pattern writer but I will share with you the basics instructions. If you crochet you might be able to figure it out.

Gingham Check Cup Cozy.

(I used a G hook.)

Chain 13

Single crochet across changing color at every 4th stitch. (You will have 3 color squares.) chain 1, turn.

Repeat for 4 rows carrying your color.

Change color combination for the next 4 rows. (You will drop one color and pick up another)

Continue this until you have 36 rows (9 block rows).

Single crochet around (This will hid the carried yarn) 

Stitch ends together. Tie off and weave ends. 

Now excuse me. My new cup cozy and I are going shopping. 

You can find more of my handmade crochet cozys in my Etsy shop.