Piquant Pear Chutney

Drain and dice one 29-ounce can of Bartlett pears and reserve 1/2 cup of the syrup.

Then combine the diced pears, the reserved Syrup, 1 cup of golden raisins, 3/4 cup of honey, 1/2 cup of vinegar, the grated peel of 1 orange, 1 tablespoon of chopped crystallized ginger, 1 minced clove of garlic, 1 tablespoon of grated onion, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of cloves, and 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.

Cook slowly until thick (about 20 to 30 minutes) while you stir the mixture frequently to prevent it from sticking.

Pour the hot chutney into heated jars (leave 1/4-inch head space), tighten caps, and process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.

The three 1/2-pint containers that this recipe yields are delicious with chicken or lamb.

Plum Ketchup

4 pounds ripe red plums, pitted
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
11/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered mustard
3/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 3/4 cups cider vinegar

Place the plums and onions in a nonreactive pot. Cover with a half inch of water. Bring the water to a boil, lower the heat and simmer 20 minutes, or until the ingredients are tender. Drain.

Return the cooked plums and onions to the pan. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook 1 1/2-2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is very thick. Pour the ketchup into sterilized jars and keep refrigerated or seal in jars prepared according to manufacturer's instructions.

Yield: About 1 quart.

Quick Holiday Jelly

Combine 2 cups of port wine

1 cup of bottled grape juice

1/4 cup of strained lemon juice

one package (3 ounces) of powdered pectin

in a deep and large saucepan.

Heat to boiling, stir in 2-3/8 cups of honey, let the mixture come to a full rolling boil, and boil it hard for two minutes.

Remove the jelly from the heat and allow it to stop boiling ... then skim and ladle the jelly into sterilized glasses (or decorative mugs, glasses, or jars if you're preparing holiday gifts). Sea] with paraffin.

Yield: 5 glasses.

Rosemary Garlic Mustard

1 cup yellow mustard seed (whole)
1 1/2 cup yellow mustard seed powder (ground)
1 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon rosemary, stemmed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon honey

Blend mustard seed and powder with 1 cup boiling water. Stir in vinegar and 2 teaspoons rosemary and let soak several hours (or overnight).

Put mixture into a food processor or blender with garlic, salt and honey. Blend until smooth and thick.

Cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes, until mixture is hot through. Remove from heat and stir in remaining rosemary, then spoon into jars.

Makes 3 cups

Rhubarb Cherry Chutney

4 c. chopped rhubarb
2 c. honey, or to taste
1 c. dried pitted cherries
1/2 c. molasses
2 large navel oranges, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 c. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground allspice

In heavy 2-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, combine rhubarb, honey, cherries, molasses, chopped orange, vinegar, cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Bring to boil over medium heat. Cook, uncovered, 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add more vinegar or honey, if desired. Cool and refrigerate overnight before serving.

Makes 3 to 4 cups

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories200 Carbohydrates53 g Protein1 g Fat0 g including sat. fat0 g Cholesterol0 mg Sodium6 mg Calcium99 mg Dietary fiber2 g Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1/2 fruit exch., and 3 other carb.

Spiced Apricot, Peach or Nectarine Chutney

2 pounds fresh apricots, peaches or nectarines
1 small orange
1 piece fresh ginger, 2 inches long, peeled and minced
10 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Peel and pit fruit. Coarsely chop in food processor. Put in large
saucepot.

With a zester, remove zest from orange and add to pot. Discard the white pith and chop the orange, removing seeds. Add to pot. Ginger and garlic may be minced together in food processor. Add to pot along with all other ingredients.

Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer and partially cover. Simmer until liquid evaporates and chutney has thickened, about 45 to 50 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.

Pack into sterilized jars and process in hot-water bath for 10 minutes. This also will keep refrigerated for up to four weeks.

Makes 4 half-pint jars.

Per 1/4 cup: 91 cal.; 1 g pro.; 23 g carb.; 0 g fat; 0 mg chol.; 81 mg sod.;2 g fiber; 19 g sugar.

Spicy Mustard Sauce
Makes 1 1/4 cups

1 (2 oz.) can dry mustard
1/4 cup medium dry sherry
1/3 cup Dijon-style mustard
1/2 cup pommery cracked
seed mustard

Place dry mustard in food processor bowl. Pulse machine on and off while pouring sherry through feeder. Continue processing to a smooth, thick paste; add more sherry if necessary. Add Dijon-style and pommery mustards. Turn machine on and off a few times; adjust consistency with more sherry, if needed, for thick, saucy quality. Store in covered glass jar in refrigerator up to two months. Label and decorate container.

Per serving (1 tablespoon):
Calories: 29 Carb.: 1 gm Chol.: 0 mg Protein: 1 gm Sod.: 112 mg Fat: 1 gm
Fiber: 0 gm

Strawberry Mustard

1/2 cup mustard of your choice
2 T water
2 cups pureed strawberries
1 cup vinegar (white wine or cider)
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. turmeric
2 T minced pineapple sage (optional)

Sift mustard, combine with water, let sit.

Combine remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.

Lower heat and cook for two minutes.

Whisk (do not stir) 1/4 cup hot mixture into mustard until smooth.

Repeat, using 1/4 cup hot mixture each time until all is blended.

Cool and refrigerate. Will keep for several weeks

Serve with boiled shrimp, grilled sausages, baked ham, etc.

Sweet and Spicy Mustard

1/2 cup dry mustard
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 Tbsp fancy molasses
1/2 tsp allspice
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp cloves

2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp cold water

In a saucepan combine mustard and sugar. Stir in next seven ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Combine cornstarch and water; stir into mustard mixture.

Reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.

Pour into small jars. Cool slightly and cover with lids.

Mustard will keep refrigerated for up to 1 month.

Makes 1-1/2 cups

Taffy Apple Conserve

9 cups red apples, peeled, cored and chopped (about 6 pounds)
1 cup apple juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 cup golden yellow raisins
4 cups granulated sugar
3 cups dark brown sugar
1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
2 teaspoons rum extract
2 packages powdered pectin

Select tart apples. Wash apples. Remove stem and blossom ends and core. Chop apples finely. Combine apples, water, lemon juice, and raisins in a stockpot. Add pectin and stir well. Place on high heat and, stirring constantly, bring quickly to a full boil. Add sugar, continue stirring, and heat again to a full bubbling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in nuts and rum extract. Ladle into sterilized jars leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe rims. Cap and seal.

Process 10 minutes in a water bath canner. Yields: 6 to 7 pints.

Tarragon Mustard

1/4 cup dry mustard
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon crushed tarragon leaves
1 teaspoon allspice

In small bowl, combine mustard and water; set aside 10 minutes to develop flavor.

In small saucepan, combine wine, vinegar, flour, tarragon, allspice, and mustard mixture.

Bring to boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes.

Pour into small bowl; cover and refrigerate overnight. Beat vigorously with wire whisk until smooth.

Spoon into container with tight-fitting lid; refrigerate. Label and decorate container. Use as salad dressing, vegetable dip, or seasoning for chicken or fish.

Makes 16 servings

Per serving (1 tablespoon):

Calories: 14 Carbohydrate: 1 gm Cholesterol: 0 mg Protein: 1 gm Sodium: 0 mg Fat: 1 gm Fiber: 0 gm

Walla Walla Sweet Onion Marmalade

About 2 1/2 pounds Walla Walla onions (or other sweet onion, such as Vidalia)
1 1/2 cups apple juice
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh garlic
2 teaspoons rubbed sage (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 1.75-ounce box Sure Jell For Lower Sugar Recipes (see note)
1 teaspoon butter, margarine or vegetable oil

Wash 7 half-pint canning jars and keep hot until needed. Prepare 2-piece canning lids as manufacturer directs.

Peel the onions. To create strips that are about 1/4 inch thick and about 11/2 inches long, cut each onion into quarters lengthwise, from stem through the root end. Then cut crosswise down through each quarter chunk about every 1/4 inch. Cut enough onion to measure 7 cups. Place the prepared onions in a 6- to 8-quart heavy-bottomed pot. Stir in the apple juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, sage, salt, white pepper, mustard seeds and red pepper flakes, and mix thoroughly.

Measure the granulated sugar into a bowl, then remove 1/4 cup and set aside in a small bowl. To the larger amount of granulated sugar, add the brown sugar and mix. To the 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, stir in the pectin. Stir the pectin-sugar mixture into the onion mixture in the pot. Add the butter (the fat reduces foaming). Place the pot over high heat; bring the mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Immediately stir in the remaining sugar mixture. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil and then boil for exactly 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; skim off foam if necessary.

Ladle the hot marmalade into 1 hot jar at a time, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Wipe jar rim with a clean, damp cloth. Attach lids. Fill and close remaining jars. Process in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes (15 minutes at 1,000 to 6,000 feet; 20 minutes above 6,000 feet). Remove and let cool overnight on the counter without disturbing the jars.

Alternatively, omit the boiling-water processing and simply store the jars in the refrigerator.

Note: This commercially prepared pectin used to be called "Sure-Jell Light" fruit pectin. It's designed to be used with recipes that contain at least 25 percent less sugar than is required with other fruit pectin products.