Tag Archives: Jam

Jalapeño Cornbread & Strawberry Jalapeño Lime Chia Jam

Posted by Lindsey @ Baking Bytes in Baking, Bread, Quickbread, Sauces and Frostings, Side dishes and tagged with , , , , , , , ,

Week three, commence! This week brings a super fun cornbread and jam combination that’s been in my head since Olivelle released their Jalapeño Lime Balsamic Vinegar this summer. Strawberry and jalapeño are a really fun combination and cornbread is one of my favorite side dishes. I tweaked my go-to recipe to be lactose-free, included some extra flavors, and behold: a new happiness was born.

Jalapeño Cornbread and Jam {{Baking Bytes}}

Moist and with just the right amount of crumble, this cornbread is excellent on its own or smothered in your favorite condiment. It goes wonderfully with chili or barbecue and is perfect all year round. The jalapeño adds a lovely flavor with as much (or in my case, as little) heat as you like depending on how many seeds you remove. The hint of lime is a fun surprise and ties it into the chia jam with perfection.

Jalapeño Cornbread and Jam {{Baking Bytes}}

Chia jam is something that has intrigued me for awhile but I somehow never got around to making until just now. I realized one of my hesitations was the texture, but using a berry bypasses this since fruits like strawberry and blackberry already result in a more seedy texture than stone fruits.

Strawberry Jalapeño Lime Chia Jam {{Baking Bytes}}

Frozen strawberries from Oregon (mostly to appease M) are readily available and have tons of flavor. A splash of the balsamic and a spoonful of chia seeds and in less than ten minutes you have a truly excellent jam. The fun part about this one is you could easily substitute a different balsamic for a completely different flavor. The Barrel Aged for a more standard pairing, or perhaps Sweet Basil for a fun spring edition. The world is your oyster jam!

Jalapeño Cornbread and Jam {{Baking Bytes}}

Whip up a batch of cornbread and jam and they are sure to brighten any chilly day. Individually both excellent, together these recipes create that perfect sweet and spicy combination without a ton of extra sugar.

Jalapeño Cornbread and Jam {{Baking Bytes}}

But if you want to drizzle honey on top of the whole thing, you won’t be wrong.

Strawberry Jalapeño Lime Chia Jam

Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients

1 cup frozen strawberries1
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1 Tbsp Jalapeño Lime Balsamic Vinegar

Directions

  1. In a small saucepan, simmer strawberries over medium until softened.
  2. Mash or puree berries to desired texture (I like mine chunky), then stir in chia and balsamic.
  3. Let cool briefly before serving; store leftovers in the fridge.

Notes

1 Why frozen? Unless you live in the Willamette Valley, the flavor is going to be better than fresh berries. Feel free to use fresh if you prefer though!

Jalapeño Honey Cornbread

Makes an 8×8″ baking dish

Ingredients

1 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup white flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp Lime Fresco Sea Salt, optional

2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk (cow, almond, coconut)
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup vegetable oil1
2 Tbsp honey, melted
2 Tbsp Jalapeño Lime White Balsamic Vinegar

1 jalapeño, diced (remove seeds for a milder flavor)2

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly coat an 8×8″ baking pan with nonstick spray or oil. Set aside.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients until well combined.
  3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together wet ingredients until well combined.
  4. Fold wet ingredients into dry until just combined, then stir in jalapeño.
  5. Pour into prepared pan and bake 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown along the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
  6. Let cool briefly, then serve with jam.

Notes

1 For an extra limey flavor, substitute some or all Tahitian Lime Olive Oil.

2 For a legitimately spicy experience, don’t remove the seeds. I removed most of mine to keep the heat down and the flavor light.

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Raspberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam

Posted by Lindsey @ Baking Bytes in Sauces and Frostings, Side dishes and tagged with , ,

Welcome to September! We’ve had a couple of cool mornings here in Montana and it gives me hope that fall is on the way. I love sunny days but I could do without the sweltering heat and smoky skies, so some days in the 60s would be fantastic.

August flew by with a trip to Alaska for the Skinny Raven half marathon in Anchorage and to visit my parents in Juneau. I ran the race with a high school friend and it was easily one of my most fun (and nearly my fastest) race ever. Although it was a fairly rainy 10 days, I had a great time seeing my friends and family and making jam.

Skinny Raven Half

Luckily for you my mom doesn’t believe in secret recipes so I can share it here. This is my family’s favorite jam and an annual tradition. We typically use any leftover packages of last year’s rhubarb which is a great way to make space in the freezer. As rhubarb is one of the few foods that actually thrives in Juneau, it is usually quite plentiful. I love rhubarb in almost any form, but raspberry is one of its most complementary flavors.

Raspberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam {{Baking Bytes}}

Sour rhubarb and tart raspberries are tamed with an admittedly copious amount of sugar. Jam is rarely healthy and this one is no exception, but a small amount goes a long way and it’s much too delicious to bother counting calories. Never made jam before? A little intimidated? Never fear! A Jell-O base makes it an easy recipe for newbies and since it’s a freezer jam there’s no stress about proper canning practices. Just boil, pour, and freeze – easy peasy.

Raspberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam {{Baking Bytes}}

I always tend towards the more tart jams, I’ll take blackberry or huckleberry over strawberry or grape any day, but this is my absolute favorite. Excellent as a solo condiment or contrasting with peanut butter, it is sure to fill all your jam needs. Besides the normal uses of toast and PB&J, it’s also great with yogurt or ice cream (especially if your batch turns out a little runny for some reason). Honestly, you can’t go wrong with this jam and I highly  suggest you clear some space in your freezer and get to it.

Raspberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam {{Baking Bytes}}

A perfect balance of sweet and sour, a beautiful rich color, and an easy recipe are sure to add a go-to recipe to your repertoire.

Raspberry Rhubarb Freezer jam
Makes about 4 pints

Ingredients

5 cups chopped rhubarb1 
4 cups sugar

12 oz frozen raspberries2

3 or 6 oz package raspberry Jell-O3

Directions

  1. Combine sugar and rhubarb in a large pot, stirring until rhubarb is well coated. Let sit on the counter for about 2 hours.
  2. Afterward, clean and boil your canning jars, lids, and rings to clean and prepare them for the jam.
  3. Boil rhubarb and sugar for at least 10 minutes (rhubarb should be soft).
  4. Stir in the raspberries and return to a boil.
  5. Add the Jell-O and stir until completely dissolved.
  6. Pour hot jam immediately into canning jars, then put the lid on each one. Leave the rings off.
  7. Let cool on the counter until they are comfortable to touch. If the lids don’t all pop, it’s okay. Screw the rings on the jars and store in the freezer until ready to use. Refrigerate after opening; it lasts a long time in the fridge.
  8. Enjoy on toast, muffins, cornbread, ice cream, yogurt, in a sandwich or with a spoon. Makes a great gift also!

Notes

1 Fresh or frozen. Great way to use up last year’s crop!

2 A little more or less is fine if you don’t see packages of exactly 12 oz, although it will vary your total yield slightly.

3 Use the small size for fresh rhubarb, and the large size for frozen. It doesn’t super matter which one, but it could be a little runny with a small package and frozen rhubarb. If you *need* thicker jam, definitely use the larger box size.