Cream Cheese Raspberry Muffins

Cream Cheese Raspberry Muffins

Fresh raspberries and chopped walnuts dot these moist, cake-like muffins. The sweet drizzle of icing makes them pretty enough to serve to guests.

Phyllis Eismann Kansas City, Kansas

1 package (3oz) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
3 tablespoon buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon 2% milk

In a small bowl, cream the cream cheese, butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg and egg white; mix well. Beat in the buttermilk and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture just until moistened. Fold in raspberries and walnuts.

Fill paper lined muffin cups three fourths full. Bake at 350F for 25-28 minutes or until toothpick inserts near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan to wire rack to cool completely.

Combine confectioners' sugar and milk, drizzle over muffins.

YIELDS: 8 Muffins

Apple Pie Jam - Homemade Food Gift

Apple Pie Jam

My husband and I love this jam so much, it tastes just like apple pie without the crust.

Audrey Godell Stanton, Michigan

4 to 5 large golden delicious apples, peeled and sliced (about 2 pounds)
1 cup water
5 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon butter
1 pouch (3oz) liquid fruit pectin
1-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground mace, optional

In a dutch oven, combine apples and water. Cover and cook slowly until tender. Remove apply mixture from pan. Measure 4-1/2 cups apples; return to the pan (Save remaining apple mixture for another use or discard.)

Add sugar and butter to pan; bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Quickly stir in pectin; return to a full rolling boil. Boil 1 minute stirring constantly

Remove form the heat; skim off foam. Stir in spices. Carefully ladle hot mixture into hot half pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Remove air bubbles; wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water canner.

Editor Note: The processing time listed is for altitudes of 1,000 feet or lower. Add 1 minute to processing time for each 1,000 feet of additional altitude.

YIELDS: 7 half pints

Holiday Cranberry Jam - Homemade Food Gift

Holiday Cranberry Jam

I make this tangy treat at Christmas for family and friends. I especially like serving it for brunch along with some muffins or toast and fruit.

Sandee Berg Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 medium orange, peeled, and broken into sections
1 carton (16oz) frozen sliced strawberries, thawed
3 cups sugar
1 pouch (3oz) liquid fruit pectin

In a food grinder or food processor, coarsely grind cranberries and orange sections. Place in a Dutch oven with strawberries and sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and stir in the pectin. Skim off foam. Carefully ladle into hot half pint jars, leaving 1/4 in head space. Remove air bubbles; wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water canner.

Editor's Note: The processing time listed is for altitudes of 1,000 feet or less. Add 1 minute to the processing time for each 1,000 feet of additional altitude.

YIELDS: 5 half pints

Plum Apple Butter - Homemade food gift

Plum Apple Butter

Use sweet plums and tart apples to create your own spread for breads and crackers. This creamy, fruity butter is perfect for a little glow on a winter day!

Nancy Michel Lakeland, Florida

3 medium fresh plums, pitted and quartered

2 medium tart apples, peeled and quartered

1/4 cup water

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

dash ground allspice

Place plums, apples and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12 -15 minutes to until tender. Cool slightly.

Place in a blender, cover and process until pureed. Return all to the pan. Add sugar and spices, return to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently.

Cool to room temperature. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks

YIELDS: 1-1/4 cups

Pear-adise Butter - Homemade food gift

Pear-adise Butter

Vanilla and rosemary accent this smooth spread that positively shouts "pears" throughout. Spread some on ordinary bread and you'll have a fruity feast.

Kristina Pontier Hillsboro, Oregon

4 cups pear juice

4 pounds pears, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 vanilla bean (3 inch) split in half lengthwise

3 fresh rosemary sprigs (4 inchs)
1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar

In a large saucepan, bring pear juice to a boil; cook for 30 minutes or until reduced to 1 cup. Stir in pears and salt; return to boil, reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until pears are tender. Cool slightly

Transfer the pear mixture to a food processor, cover and process until smooth. Return to the pan; add vanilla bean. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered for 65-75 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally

Remove from heat. Discard vanilla bean. Stir in rosemary and vinegar; cover and let stand for 30 minutes.

Discard rosemary. Cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. 

YIELDS ; 2 cups

Blueberry Jam - Homemade Food Gift

Blueberry Jam

At the height of blueberry season, you'll find me making many batches of this scrumptious jam. It's both sugar-free and cholesterol-free, so it's perfect for everyone!

Fran Boise Marion, New York

1/3 cup thawed apple juice concentrate

1 envelope plain gelatin

5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pour the apple juice concentrate into saucepan; sprinkle with gelatin and allow to soften for several minutes

Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, finely chop blueberries, 1 cup at a time. Add lemon juice, spices and 2 cups of chopped berries to gelatin; heat over medium-low heat until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat; stir in remaining berries and mix well.

Pour into jars or plastic containers; store in the refrigerator up to three weeks.

Yield: 4 cups

Cherry Rhubarb Jam - Homemade Food Gift

Cherry Rhubarb Jam

This tangy, sweet spread is jam-packed with cherry flavor plus a hint of rhubarb. My brother gives jars of it to friends during the holidays. It's so tasty on toast and muffins.

Faye Sampson Radcliffe, Iowa

4 cups diced fresh or frozen rhubarb

1-1/2 cups sugar

1 package (3oz) cherry gelatin

1 can (21oz) cherry pie filling

1/8 teaspoon almond extract, optional

In a large saucepan, combine rhubarb and sugar; let stand for 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally

Bring to a boil; cook, uncovered, for ten minutes or until rhubarb is tender. Remove from heat; stir in gelatin until dissolved. Stir in pie filling and extract if desired. Transfer to jars; cool. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. 

Yields; 3 cups

Freezer Berry Jam - Homemade Food Gift

Freezer Berry Jam

We live on the farm where my husband was raised. Whenever we find wild berries nearby; I make this gorgeous ruby red jam. It's also wonderful as a breakfast sauce.

Rita Pischke Whitemouth, Manitoba

4 cups blueberries

2 cups raspberries

5 cups sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3/4 cup water

1 package (1-3/4oz) powdered fruit pectin

In a large bowl, mash the blueberries. Add raspberries and mash. Stir in sugar and lemon juice. Let stand for ten minutes. In small saucepan, bring water and pectin to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add to fruit mixture; stir for 3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved.

Pour into jars or freezer containers, cool to room temperature about 30 minutes. Cover and let stand overnight or until set, but not longer than 24 hours. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to a year

YIELD: 3-1/2 pints

Peach Raspberry Jam - Homemade Food Gifts

Peach Raspberry Jam

Back when my children were young, I put up about 100 jars of jams and jellies each summer, including this freezer version. Although I don't make that many now, I do stir up a batch to give to neighbors at Christmas time.

Donn White Wooster, Ohio

1-1/4 cups finely chopped peaches

2 cups fresh raspberries 

2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 cups sugar

3/4 cup water

1 package (1-3/4oz) powdered fruit pectin. 

Place peaches in a large bowl, in a small bowl, mash the raspberries; strain to remove seeds if desired. Add raspberries and lemon juice to peaches. Stir in sugar. Let stand for 10 minutes. In small saucepan, bring water and pectin to a full rolling boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add to fruit mixture, stir for 2 -3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved.

Pour into jars or freezer containers; cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Cover and let stand overnight or until set, but not longer than 24 hours. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to a year.

Yields: about 5 cups.

Orange Pear Jam - Homemade Food Gifts

Orange Pear Jam

Full of fruity flavor and incredibly simple to make, this delightful jam is a great toast topper. I came up with the recipe when a neighbor game me an armload of pears.

Delores Ward Decatur, Indiana

7 cups sugar

5 cups chopped peeled fresh pears

1 cup crushed pineapple, drained

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 packages (3oz each) orange gelatin

In a Dutch Oven or large kettle, combine the sugar, pears, pineapple and lemon juice. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in gelatin until dissolved.

Pour into jars or containers; cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Cover and let stand overnight or until set, but not longer than 23 hours. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. 

Yields: about 7 cups

Texas Jalapeno Jelly - Homemade Food Gift

Texas Jalapeno Jelly

A jar of this spicy jelly is always warmly received. I like to add a Southwestern accent by trimming the lid with a bandanna.

Lori McMullen Victoria, Texas

2 Jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped

3 Medium green peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces, divided

1-1/2 cups white vinegar, divided

6-1/2 cups sugar

1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 pouches (3oz each) liquid fruit pectin

About 6 drops green food coloring, optional

Cream cheese and crackers, optional

In a blender or food processor, place the jalapenos, half of the green peppers, and 1/2 cup vinegar; cover and process until pureed. Transfer to a large dutch oven. 

Repeat with the remaining green peppers and another 1/2 cup vinegar. Add the sugar, cayenne and remaining vinegar to pan. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Quickly stir in pectin. Return to rolling boil; boil for 1 minute. Stirring constantly. 

Remove from the heat; skim off foam. Add food coloring if desired. Carefully ladle the hot mixture into half pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Remove air bubbles; wipe rims and adjust lids.

Process for ten minutes in a boiling-water canner. Serve over cream cheese with crackers if desired. 

Editors Note: When cutting hot peppers, disposable gloves are recommended. Avoid touching your face. The processing time listed is for altitudes of 1,000 feet or less. Add 1 minute to the processing time for each 1,000 feet of additional altitude. 

Yields: 7 half-pints

Recipes

So I can not find a program to input all my recipes I wish to down size my magazines and clippings to just the laptop. But instead the search left me pulling my hair out. I thought for a moment before going bald, and realized why just keep them to myself why not blog them here individually, as well everyone that wishes to share in what I have collected in the short 8 years.

You will soon realize what my Husband and I know that I'm a recipe hoarder. I love recipes all recipes.

I know it will be a long and time consuming project to under take, while in the mist of being a new homeschooling parent, gardener, part time accountant, and all the other hats I wear as a Mother, Wife, sister, daughter, and friend. I'll be putting a few things on whole, or doing less of until I have downsized enough. Eventually, after my magazines are done, I hope to start on books, and possibly give those away on my facebook page. I know the ladies and guys would like them as much as I have. But that will be a while from now.

Ok well that is it for now I will start soon.