RIP jam

Several years ago at church we had a canning class. Two ladies taught it - one focused on vegetables, salsa, that sort of thing. The other lady talked about fruits and jam. Then she gave us samples and the recipes for her mother-in-law's Raspberry/Peach Jam. I fell in love with it. It's the only jam I've ever made. Now, granted, she served it with soft butter and fresh Great Harvest bread, but it was divine!!! At first Ted was skeptical because of the peaches; he just wanted plain raspberry, but he changed his mind very quickly after trying it!. My mom called me several days ago asking what the recipe calls for (because she'd misplaced her copy of it) and Ted kept hovering around me telling me to tell my mom that he said it was wonderful, the best jam ever, and so on. LOL

Anyway, I gave some to my friend Heather and her husband Chas a few years ago as a thank you for Chas for doing something for me. When I label the jam, I don't want to write out the whole title of Raspberry/Peach Jam on the jar lid with my Sharpie, so I just abbreviate it R/P Jam. When I gave it to Heather, she thought the slash was an I and wondered why I called it "RIP jam!!" So it's now affectionately known as RIP jam.

My mom and grandma still have some peaches on their trees, but they're dwindling, especially with the storm we had here the other night. It was horribly windy and it just knocked those peaches all around. Anyway, I still need to run up and pick some, but Conner's been sick, so it's been kinda hard to do. We're running quite low on jam so I definitely need to make more. I have enough stuff to make 2-3 batches (if only there are peaches left by the time I can get around to it!!). Anyway, if you have access to fresh peaches (and fresh raspberries at that), here's my yummy jam recipe!!

Raspberry/Peach Jam
(Makes approximately 7 pints.)

8 cups mashed peaches (I use the blender for a smoother jam, but my mom just mashes 'em by hand with the masher and it's still wonderful)
2 cups frozen (or fresh) raspberries
10 cups sugar
two 6-ounce (or four 3-ounce) packages of Raspberry Jell-O

Combine peaches, raspberries, and sugar. Boil slowly, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 15 minutes (I wait until it gets hot and boiling, then time it so it's thicker). No need to mash the raspberries; they split up during the cooking process. Remove from heat and add Jell-O. (I've found that you need to let it cool off away from the heat for a few minutes (like 5) before adding the Jell-O. If you add it too soon after taking it off the heat, while it's still boiling, it clumps up and you get big Jell-O clumps in the jam) Stir and pour into hot, sterile jelly jars. If jars are hot and you fill them quickly, the heat alone can seal the lids without needing to process. I usually process them anyway, just to be safe, usually 5-7 minutes or so. Jam will thicken upon standing and also after you refrigerate it.

Enjoy!!! If you make it, please let me know what you think!