‘Tis the season for homemade Christmas gifts.  Combine tart cranberries, sweet strawberries and a splash of orange juice… voila!  Holiday Jam.

Holiday Jam

INGREDIENTS

• 32 oz frozen whole strawberries
• 24 oz fresh cranberries
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 5 lb white sugar
• 6 oz liquid pectin

DIRECTIONS

• In a large sauce pot, cook cranberries, strawberries and orange juice on medium heat, until strawberries soften and cranberries start to soften and split.
• Puree small batches of mixture in blender.  Do not overfill blender or you may be cleaning jam from the ceiling.  Once all the mixture is pureed, add back to pot.
• Heat on medium-low heat and slowly add sugar, stirring constantly until well incorporated.
• Bring mixture to a rolling boil and boil for 1 minute, again, stirring constantly.  At this stage, please use caution as the jam mixture will start to bubble like an angry volcano.  You may have to slightly adjust the heat so the mixture does not boil over.
• Remove from heat and slowly add the pectin to the mixture and mix well.
• Let sit for 5 minutes (skim off foam if needed) and then ladle into sterile 1/2 pint jars.
• Process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath (click here for canning directions)
• Makes 12 half-pint jars.