preserving has never been easier

This post is brought to you by Ball, but all opinions are 100% mine. You know I’d have it no other way!

When I was a little girl I used to help my grandmother preserve. I use the word “help” loosely. She did all the work while I chatted her ear off about anything and everything going on in my life. {grin}

She was harvesting a garden and a number of apple and peach trees so it was a large process. She passed away a few years ago and I have a jar of her jelly in my pantry. Her jar of jelly in my pantry is likely ruined by now… but I can’t bare to open it or throw it away.She made jelly out of a wild berry that grows down South, a muscadine. Maybe because I grew up on it, but I’ve never tasted a better jelly.

For the first time ever this weekend, I made jam. All by myself. And guess what… it is amazing!

I used the new first-of-its-kind appliance from Ball brand canning products, the Fresh TECH Automatic Jam and Jelly Maker. I made fresh jam (it makes jelly too!) in under 30 minutes with the push of a button… what typically takes an hour on the stovetop)!

And since it’s the height of peach season around here, I decided to make peach jam.

And I chose to use the low sugar pectin. It’s just as good, if not better than the original.

For this peach jam recipe (yields 12 oz. jar):

• 2 cups fresh chopped peaches, mashed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/2 tsp butter (use Smart Balance Light for dairy-free)
• 3 tsp. lemon juice

In the new  Fresh TECH Automatic Jam and Jelly Maker, sprinkle in the pectin, top with fruit, water, lemon juice and soft butter (to help reduce foaming). Press jam button. It will start a 21 minute process. 4 minutes in you’ll hear a beep and this is when you sprinkle in the sugar while the machine is still churning. Top with lid and allow the machine to do the rest.

LOVE making jam this way! So much easier than the way my Grandmother made it. 

Find out all about the Fresh TECH Automatic Jam and Jelly Maker from Ball, including recipes. Preserving the amazing flavors of summer has never been easier!

As always, I hope you’re inspired to craft, bake, create and celebrate!

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This post is brought to you by Ball, but all opinions are 100% mine. You know I’d have it no other way!

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