Peach ~ Raspberry Jam

Don’t be afraid to make jam, people! It’s so easy and so yummy! I’m a raspberry lover from way back and use them often is desserts. You’ve got to sweeten them up quite a bit for me though so using them in jam is the way to go. I added peaches to this jam because I’m wild like that. I used frozen peaches but you can certainly use fresh....just peel them first. I went the easy route with frozen because ain’t nobody got time to peel peaches!!!! This is extra good jam, folks....just sayin’.

Peach ~ Raspberry Jam

 

1 12-ounce container raspberries (1 cup mashed berries)

1 16-ounce bag frozen peaches ~ thawed

1 box pectin (I used Sure Jell)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

7 1/2 cups of sugar

1 tablespoon of butter

 

Place raspberries into your food processor (or mash them by hand) and pulse for a few seconds, leaving some chunks. Pour into a measuring cup. You want 1 cup of mashed raspberries.

 

Now do the same with the peaches. One 16 ounce bag will yield 3 cups of mashed fruit.

 

Add the mashed fruit to a large pot, along with the sugar and lemon juice.

 

Add the butter then cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a rolling boil.

 

Add the pectin and cook and stir 5 - 7 minutes until mixture thickens.

 

Remove from heat and ladle into 8 8-ounce jars.

 

Wipe rims and sides of the jars of any jam. Place seals and lids on then immediately turn upside down on your counter-top to cool. This is will help seal the tops down to maintain freshness.

 

When completely cooled, place in the fridge.

It's jam makin' time!!!

Add the mashed fruit to a large pot, 

along with the sugar and lemon juice.

Stir together and start cooking!

Once the mixture comes to a rolling 

boil (a boil that can't be stirred down), add the pectin and cook and stir 

5 - 7 minutes until mixture thickens.

Remove the heat and fill your jars.

Wipe the rims, add the seals and 

rims then immediately turn the 

jars upside down to seal. Cool 

then put in the fridge.

Break out the biscuits and bread.....

....you're gonna love it!

Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade

Summer is around the bend so all kinds of good drinks should be too! This lemonade is so easy and so good. I love raspberry anything and this is delicious and refreshing. Break out a pitcher at your next party...maybe two pitchers....you’re gonna need it!

Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade

12 ounces raspberries

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 cup sugar

1 liter bottle sparkling water (I used Perrier)

Place raspberries and the 1/2 cup water into a food processor and pulse until mixture is smooth. There will be seeds to strain, though.

Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing down to extract all the berry mixture. Pour lemon juice over the seeds in the strainer over the bowl and continue pressing any raspberry mixture left into the bowl.

In a large pitcher, add the sugar and strained berry mixture. Stir to combine.

Add the bottle of sparkling water and stir gently to combine.

Serve over ice.

Who's thirsty?

Combine the raspberries and 

the water in a food processor.

Then run the mixture through a 

fine mesh strainer, pressing the 

raspberry mixture down.

After you have most of the raspberry mixture pressed through, pour the 

lemon juice over the seeds in the 

strainer and press down some more.

Add the smooth, seedless 

raspberry mixture into a pitcher 

with the sugar and stir.

Then add the sparkling water and stir.

Serve it up! So refreshing!

Raspberry Almond Shortbread Cookies

What a fun cookie! I love shortbread cookies but the addition of almond then following that up with raspberry jam makes for a great little bite-sized treat! These didn’t last very long in my kitchen. Every time I’d walk by the plate of cookies I’d snitch one. I finally had to put them out of sight. Holy cow but these are yummy. And SO simple! IT Guy loved them as much as I did! I think you should try them to see if we’re right!

Raspberry Almond 

Shortbread Cookies

 

1 cup butter ~ room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups flour

1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

1 cup powdered sugar

4 - 5 teaspoons water

1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

3 - 4 tablespoons sugar ~ for sprinkling

 

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the butter, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and 2/3 cup sugar on medium speed for two minutes.

 

Gradually add the flour and combine.

 

Cover and chill for 1 hour.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Scoop dough into 1” balls and place 2” apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

 

Press an indentation into each cookie with your thumb then fill the hole with about 1 teaspoon of the jam.

 

Sprinkle each cookie with a little sugar.

 

Bake for 15 minutes until the edges are light golden brown.

 

Cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes then move to a cooling rack. Cool completely.

 

In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of almond extract and the water.

 

Stir until smooth then drizzle the cooled cookies with the glaze.

 

Allow glaze to harden.

Here's all you need to make 

these yummy cookies!

Mix together the sugar, butter 

and almond extract.

Then add the flour.

Chill the dough for an hour.

Scoop then make a little 

well in each cookie.

Sprinkle with sugar then bake.

Mix together the powdered sugar, 

water and almond extract.

Drizzle the cooled cookies with the glaze.

Enjoy!

Raspberry Chipotle Honey Wings

I love chicken wings for a couple of reason. One is that they’re just yummy and there are so many ways to cook them and the other way is because they’re pretty cheap. So when I bought a 4 pound pack of wings a while back, I decided right then and there I was going to cook the whole ding-dang pack in one sitting. And I did. There are so many bbq sauces out there to try that I picked one I’d never had before to use as a base for the sauce that goes over these wings. Ummm...so yeah....GOOD doesn’t begin to describe these. IT Guy and I polished off a 4 pound pack of wings in TWO days. I could’ve eaten more but wanted to save some for lunch the next day. I fried my wings before tossing them in the sauce, but baking them would work too. Just baste the wings every 15 minutes or so until the wings are done. I prefer the frying method, but that’s just me. It’s a little more work but worth it, in my opinion. I like the crunch! So so so so so so GOOD!!

Raspberry Chipotle Honey Wings

1 4-pound pack of wings ~ tips removed then remaining wing split

1 cup Sweet Baby Ray’s Raspberry Chipotle BBQ sauce

1 cup honey

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper ~ depending on how spicy you like it

2 cups flour

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

Heat 2 - 3 cups of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Place flour in a gallon sized zip-top bag.

Crack eggs into another gallon sized zip-top bag then add the milk. 

Squish the eggs and milk together in the bag until well mixed then add all the chicken wings and toss to coat all wings.

Add half of the wings to the flour and toss until wings are coated. (I like to do “like” pieces together so they all cook the same...I’m OCD like that.)

Drop the wings into the hot oil and fry on both sides until golden brown and done.

Drain on paper towels.

In a small sauce pan, combine the BBQ sauce, honey, soy sauce and ground mustard. Simmer mixture for about 10 minutes.

Place cooked chicken in a large bowl then pour the warm sauce over the chicken and toss gently to coat.

Remove to a plate and dig in!

Let's cook some wings!!

Combine the eggs and 

milk in a zip-top bag.

Add the chicken and coat, making 

sure to get all the chicken covered.

Then drop the chicken into the bag with the flour and toss to coat. I did this step in two batches.

Next fry the chicken in oil over 

medium heat.

Make the sauce! combine the bbq sauce, honey, ground mustard, soy sauce and cayenne pepper in a saucepan and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Place the cooked chicken in a large bowl then pour the sauce over the chicken and toss to coat.

Oh yeah!!

Creamy No-Bake Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

If you love cheesecake but are too intimidated by it to bake one, then this recipe is for YOU! No baking in sight! There's a little stove top cooking but you can eliminate that too, by using canned pie filling for the topping, if you want! This is SO easy and SO yummy! I made it and IT Guy had two pieces right outta the gate...and he's not even that much of a cheesecake fan. So yay! Yep...you gotta try this...and soon!



Creamy No-Bake 
Raspberry Cheesecake Bars





Graham Cracker Crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
7 tablespoons of butter ~ melted

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Press into a 8x8 or a 9x9 inch pan. Chill.
Filling:

2 8-ounce blocks cream cheese ~ room temp
1 cup powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.

Add powdered sugar and mix well.

Add the heavy cream and vanilla and beat until thick, about 3-5 minutes.

Gently spread filling over the chilled crust.


Topping: (or use a can of pie filling instead)

2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries ~ reserve 1/2 cup for the finished topping as raspberries will break down in the cooking process.
2/3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium/high heat for 5 - 10 minutes until sauce becomes thick. 

Strain raspberries through a fine mesh strainer to eliminate the seeds. 

Gently stir in reserved raspberries.

Allow to cool then gently spread over cheesecake.

Chill for 3-4 hours until set.

Slice into bars.


 
The cast of characters.

 
Mix up the crust ingredients.

 
Then press into an 8x8 or a 9x9 inch pan. Chill.

 
Now for the topping. Combine 
everything in a saucepan and 
cook until thickened.

 
Strain the seeds. Now at this point 
you don't want to be like me and 
forget to throw in a few reserved 
berries. I'm a ditz. You don't want 
to be a ditz.

 
Now for the filling. Beat the cream 
cheese until smooth then add the powdered sugar.

 
Add the cream and vanilla 
then beat until thick and creamy.

 
Like this!

 
Spread the filling on top of the chilled crust.

 
Then the topping...WITH SOME 
BERRIES IN IT!!!

 
Still yummy anyway you serve it!

Lemon Raspberry Muffins

I love a good muffin. There's something about them that just makes me happy. I also love the combination of raspberry and lemon so this little muffin made me VERY happy. These are so easy to throw together and are great for breakfast or a snack and freeze beautifully! I throw them in IT Guy's lunch instead of cookies...just to mix things up because I like to walk on the wild side. You should give them a try!

 Lemon Raspberry Muffins



½ cup shortening
1 ¼ cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk
1 8-ounce container raspberries
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Line muffin cups with cupcake liners. Spray cups lightly with cooking spray.

Cream shortening and sugar together until creamy.

Add eggs, one at a time until combined.

Add lemon juice and lemon zest.

Stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Add to the sugar mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.

Stir in frozen blackberries.

Spoon mixture into prepared muffin tins and sprinkle with a bit of coarse sugar.

Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until lightly golden brown and done in the center.

Makes about 18 muffins.

The cast of characters. You will need a lemon...

not just lemon juice if you want a more intense 

flavor. You need the zest for that!

Combine the shortening and 

the sugar then add the eggs, one at a time.

Then add the lemon juice and lemon zest.

Then alternate the flour mixture and 

the milk, beginning and ending with the flour.

Gently mix in the raspberries.

Fill your muffin cups. At this point I 

sprinkled some coarse sugar on the 

tops because I like sparkly food!

Bake!

Mmmm....enjoy!