This week’s recipe was rhubarb orange marmalade.  I’ve been trying to do one recipe a week in my new canning obsession.  This recipe had three ingredients and turned out awesome!  So so so so good.  If you like orange marmalade, you will love this.  If you still have rhubarb, make this today!  You will not be disappointed.  Enjoy!

Rhubarb Orange Marmalade Jam:

6 cups chopped rhubarb

6 cups sugar

2 medium oranges

Combine rhubarb and sugar in a large dutch oven.  Grind oranges in their entirety in a food processor, add to rhubarb and sugar.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring OFTEN until marmalade sheets from a spoon (when you dip a cool metal spoon in the mix and when pulled out, the jam runs off the spoon in a sheet, not in drips), about 1 hour.  Remove from heat, skim off foam.  Carefully ladle hot mix into hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4″ head space.  Remove air bubbles, wipe rims and adjust lids.  Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water canner.

About 10 years ago I tried my hand at canning, hot water bath canning.  I started with peaches and proceeded to make a huge mess, with only half of the jars sealing.  Epic fail.  So I decided I would stick with freezer jams and jellies and leave the canning to the professionals, like my Grandma.  This year I passed a magazine on a rack titled “Canning & Preserving.”  I decided this year is the year to conquer my fears and try again.  The front of the magazine has hot bath canning recipes, the back has freezer and refrigerator recipes.  Just because I had the ingredients in the house, I started with a refrigerator jam tonight.  Tomorrow morning, toast and jam, no question…SO GOOD.  And a beautiful red, could easily be used as Christmas gifts.  The only negative in my book is that it is not a freezer jam and needs to be eaten within three weeks.  After my first taste, that will not be a problem.  Enjoy!

Cherry Rhubarb Jam

4 cups rhubarb, chopped

1 1/2 cup white sugar

1 – 3 oz pkg cherry geletin

1 can cherry pie filling

1 t. almond extract

Place rhubarb and sugar in a large dutch oven or saucepan.  Let sit for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.  Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes, or until rhubarb is tender.  Remove from heat.  Stir in geletin until dissolved.  Stir in pie filling and extract.  Transfer to jars and allow to cool.  Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.  Enjoy!