No-Cook Strawberry Butter

1 quart fully ripe strawberries
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
4 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 pouch Certo® Fruit Pectin

Stem strawberries and place 1 cup at a time in container of food processor with cutting blade. Cover container, and turn on and off 2 or 3 times until fruit is chopped. Do not purée. Measure 2 cups into large bowl. Add lemon rind and nutmeg. Thoroughly mix sugar into fruit; let stand 10 minutes.

Add lemon juice to pectin in a small bowl; stir into fruit. Continue stirring 3 minutes. (A few sugar crystals will remain.) Quickly ladle into scalded containers, filling to within 1/2 inch of top. Cover at once with tight lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours, then store in freezer. Small amounts may be covered and store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks.

                            2 1/2 lbs. plums, washed and pitted (about 15 medium)
                            1/2 c lemon juice
                            1 c water
                            2 1/2 lbs. apples, peeled, cored and sliced
                            5 1/2 c sugar
                            1 tsp ground cinnamon
                            1/4 tsp ground cloves
                            1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
                            1/2 tsp salt

                            1) Cook plums in 1/4 c lemon juice and 1/2 c water in a covered 3 qt. saucepan over medium-high heat
                            until plums are soft, about 20 mins.

                            2) Meanwhile, cook apples with 1/4 c lemon juice and 1/2 c water in a covered 3 qt. saucepan over
                            medium-high heat until apples are soft, about 10 mins.

                            3) Let both mixtures cool slightly, combine in blender or food processor and puree.

                            4) Pour into heavy 8 qt. flameproof roasting pan along with the sugar, spices and salt.

                            5) Preheat oven to 300 F.

                            6) Cook on top of the stove over medium heat until all sugar dissolves.

                            7) Transfer roasting pan to preheated oven.

                            8 ) Bake uncovered, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens. This will take 1-3 hours.

                            9) Test by spooning some onto a plate. If no liquid appears on the edges, it is ready.

                            10) Ladle into sterile jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Cap and seal.

                            11) Process 10 mins. in BWB canner.

                            Makes 6 half-pints.

PEAR BUTTER - A FRUIT SPREAD

4 lbs. fully ripe, but no spotted or mushy pears, preferably Bartlett.

1 C. water

6 T. fresh lemonjuice (juice of 2 lemons)

2 t. finely grated or mince lemon zest, outer peel only, no white pith(or substitute 1/4 t. lemon oil-*not* lemon extract!)

1/4 t. salt, optional (but it rounds the flavor)

1/2 vanilla bean, split, or 1/8 t. ground vanilla from a specialist supplier)

1 C. sugar, or more to taste

1 to 2 T. pear eau-de-vie (pear brandy) or pear schnapps, optional.

1. Peel, core, and chop the pears roughly to make 8 cups fruit.

2. Combine the pears in a large stainless-steel or other nonreactive pot with the water, lemonjuice, zest, salt, and vanilla. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring, then regulate the heat to maintain a gently boil and cook, uncovered, stirring often toprevent sticking, until the pears are very soft.

3. Remove the vanilla bean, if used, and press the pears throught the fine disk of a food mill or a medium-fine sieve and return the pulp to the pan. Add 1 C. of sugar and cook, stirring almost constantly, until the butter is dense enought to mound in a spoon when a sample is lifted. (Or test byspooning a sample onto a saucer and setting it aside for a few mins.-very little liquid should seep out.) Taste for sweetness and a desirable small touch of tartness. If necessary, add more sugar and/or drops of lemon juice. Stir in the pear eau de vie (if used).

4. FOR REFRIGERATOR OR FREEZER STORAGE: Spoon the spread into jars that have been sterilized, leaving 1/2" headspace (1" if you're going to freeze the butter). Cover with sterilized lids and cool. Refrigerate for several weeks'storage, or freeze almost indefinitely.

5. FOR PANTRY STORAGE: Ladle the spread into hot, clean half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4" of headspace. Cover with two-piece canning lids according to the manufacturer's directions and process for 10 mins. in a boiling-water bath. Cool, label, and store in a cupboard for up to a year.

CARAMEL SPICE PEAR BUTTER

Makes 9 half pints

15 Bartlett or other large, firm, ripe pears

2 C water

6 C sugar

1 tsp. ground cloves

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

2 T lemon juice

Wash and core, but do no peel pears. Slice and place in a 5-quart pot. Add water, cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes or until tender.

Let cool slightly, then force through a Foley mill, sieve or whirl in a food processor until finely chopped; return to kettle.

In a wide frying pan over medium heat, melt 1 1/2 Cups of the sugar, stirring often, until it caramelizes to a medium brown syrup. Pour immediately into pear pulp (syrup will sizzle and harden, but dissolve again as the preserves cook). Stir in remaining 4 1/2 cups sugar, cloves, cinnamon and ginger until well blended.

Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and cook, uncovered for about 45 minutes or until thickened. To prevent sticking, stir frequently as mixture begins to thicken. Stir in lemon juice just before removing from heat. (This step can be done in a crockpot: low setting for 5 to 7 hours.)

Ladle into hot, sterilized jars leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Seal and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Measure 1 quart cantaloupe to 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and boil till thick.

Pour into jars. Process in hot water bath for 20 minutes.

1 gallon apple cider
10 cups peeled, chopped apples
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp each ground nutmeg, ground cloves & ground allspice
1/4 tsp salt
Sugar to taste

Put apple cider and apples in large kettle and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Stir often.

When apples are soft, add the rest of the ingredients. Pour mixture into baking dishes and cover with foil.

Bake at 300 degrees for 1-1/2 hours. If necessary, uncover for apple butter to reach desired consistency.

Cool and refrigerate.

• 3 cups cooked, mashed, or canned pumpkin
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 t ground cinnamon
• 1/4 t ground cloves
• 1/2 t lemon juice

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan; stir well.
2. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes until mixture is smooth and thickened.
3. Quickly pour pumpkin butter mixture into hot jars, filling to 1/4 inch from top.
4. Wipe jar rims clean.
5. Place lids with bands on and process in a boiling water bath 15 minutes.

   Yield:4 half pints.