#showyourwork Hot and Sweet Peach & Pepper Jam

I have become a big fan of Austin Kleon's work.  His book, Show Your Work, has motivated me to share a little bit of what I do with others.

Besides writing, I use my creativity to "Put up" small batch canning.  I work with my own organically grown fruits, vegetables and herbs or I buy locally-grown.  I concoct recipes, produce them, and then try to photograph them--another creative skill.  I mostly work with using the most advantageous lighting when I take pix. I don't have any fancy apps or photoshop programs for my Nikon Coolpix camera.  I always marvel that there are so many great photos out there that are taken with cell phones!

  My latest work:  Hot and Sweet Organic Peach & Pepper Jam.  I got the idea from a Peach & Pepper Preserves I saw for sale at a Lincoln Village kitchen shop, Best Wishes.  I looked online to get some recipe ideas, found one to use as a template.  I tweaked the original recipe quite a bit, as I like to change things up radically.  Of course, I used three times as many jalapeno peppers, exchanged the bell peppers the recipe called for with my own Anaheim chiles, and cut the sugar way back.

I used my own organically-grown Elberta peaches to make this jam.

These pretty jams are tasty on crackers with cream cheese, on biscuits, cornbread, and toast, or served as a condiment with fish, poultry, or any kind of meat.

Not to brag (well, yes I do have to toot my own horn!), but my daughter, Amber, and my youngest grandson, Anthony, tried my Hot & Sweet Peach and Pepper Jam on plain buttered toast this morning, and Amber told me, "This is so good you will be sold out right away!"

Some Fantastic Ideas of what to do with Fig Preserves

Some of my readers aren't quite sure what to do with fig preserves. Let me tell you: fig preserves are extremely on trend right now!

Romano's {Macaroni Grill} where my daughter Amber works as a server, features fig preserves with rustic bread, prosciutto, and fresh crumbled Parmesan cheese. Yum!

Here is an other idea that comes from The Pantry Project in Relish magazine. I have worked as a recipe tester for Relish, and I know that they have some very good ideas. And I'll tell you a secret that every amazing cook knows: Any recipe can be tweaked a little! Even ever so slightly -- substitute a bit of something else, or a teaspoon more of what is asked for--and it's your own! That's a (not so subtle) hint about my business: I substitute fresh organic fruit for the excessive amounts of sugar called for in most recipes for preserves.

But ... I digress. Here is the recipe for Pork with Fig Preserves:
Combine 1/2 cup Twice the Fruit/Half the Sugar Fig Preserves with 3 tablespoons soy sauce (or use a 1/4 cup-what the heck!), 2 crushed garlic cloves (um-I think I'll use five or six cloves), and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Roast 2 (1-pound) whole pork tenderloins 15 minutes at 375F. Brush with fig mixture during last 5 minutes of roasting. Serves 8.

Well, the Relish recipe says it serves 8. At my house that would be more like 6, with some leftovers. Also, in my KitchenAid convection oven, which cooks very hot, I'd cook it at 300-325F.

Don't forget fig preserves make a wonder filling for bar cookies. Or roll out your dough, spread on some fig preserves, seal and bake and you have your own Fig Newtons!

Artisan Created Canned and Specialty Food Items

• Order now and let me help you create your Christmas and holiday gift baskets. These handmade goodies also make wonderful hostess gifts for parties and open houses. Everything listed is California Registered Organic, with the exception of the Cherry Preserves. Everything is locally-grown.


• Please phone 209.887.3368 to place an order.
  
  Preserves
  Besides being scrumptious on toast, biscuits, and muffins, there are so many ways to serve these preserves. Try them on ice cream, pancakes, and waffles. Mix with yogurt. Use to make healthier, lower-fat quick breads and baked goods. Spread the fig preserves on rustic bread and pair with prosciutto and parmesan. Or make your own fig newton cookies. Experiment! There are no limits!
  

Featured

• Strawberry Preserves
• Royal Anne Cherry Preserves
• Cherry Preserves with a hint of almond
• White Peach Preserves
• Italian Style White Peach Preserves with a hint of almond
• Peach Preserves
• Peach and New Zealand Nectarine Preserves
• Fig Preserves
• Plum Preserves
• Quince and Honey Preserves
• Jalapeno Preserves
• Habanero Preserves: Top and smother a block of cream cheese with these pepper jellies... and put plenty of crackers nearby.
• Apple/Quince Butter
• Apple Spice Butter

Price for preserves: Half-pint: $6 USD; Pint: $8

Featured Pickles:

• Big Jim's Kosher Dill Pickles
• Bread and Butter Pickles
• GREEN OLIVES with Jalapeno peppers and garlic
• Price for above listed : One quart: $10 USD

Dried Herbs in sealed containers

• Sage: Can be used for ceremonial use as well as for cooking and in teas.
• Rosemary
• Greek Oregano
• Bay Leaf
• Olive Leaf: A tea made from these leaves is good for diabetes, hypertension, and is believed to have a calming effect.
• Crushed Peppers: Anaheim Chilies; Jalapeno Chilies
• Powdered Chilies: Anaheim Chilies; Jalapeno Chilies

Price for above listed: 4 oz.: $4 ; 10 oz.: $8 USD

Shelled Walnuts: 1 lb.: $6.00

Shelled Pecans: 1 lb.: $8