We are on baby watch around here. I’m 38 weeks along, so we’re waiting for Baby to make his appearance in the next few weeks. The nesting instinct hasn’t really set in.  I’m not motivated to hang curtains, organize drawers, or fold laundry or anything like that.   However,  I have noticed an upswing in my kitchen activities. Perhaps Baby will be a chef when he grows up.

Anyway, for some reason I had the urge to make some peach jam this weekend, so I used my trusty Food in Jars book AGAIN to make this recipe. With the addition of cinnamon and nutmeg, it tastes exactly like peach pie.  After making two less-than-stellar batches of jam, I was nervous about this one.  This recipe is definitely a keeper!  It still tastes like peaches instead of just a sugary jelly concoction.

We picked up ten Michigan peaches for the jam at the farmer’s market.

This time around I didn’t bother to get out my giant canning pot from the basement. Instead I used my biggest normal pot, which comfortably fit seven 4 ounce jars.  I don’t know why I haven’t done this before for small batches.  Canning was a lot less of a big production, and now I don’t have to take the canner back to the basement.   It made things very simple, and simple is so good these days.

Peach Jam

Adapted from Food in Jars cookbook, 2012, pg. 30.

• 5 cups peeled, pitted and chopped peaches (About 3 pounds whole peaches)
• 3 cups sugar
• Zest and juice of one lemon
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 (3 ounce) packet liquid pectin

Prepare canning equipment.

Combine the peaches and sugar in a large, nonreactive pot. Stir so that the peaches begin to release their juice and mingle with the sugar. Bring to a boil adn add the lemon zest and juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Let the jam continue to cook over high heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

If you like smoother jam, use an immersion blender to break down some of the chunks (I got overzealous and pureed the heck out of mine, so no peach chunks remained.) Add the pectin and bring to a rolling boil for a full five minutes. It should look thick and spreadable.

Remove the pot from the heat and ladle the jam into the prepared jars. Wipe rims and apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for ten minutes.

You can see another version of this recipe here on the Food in Jars blog, or you can buy the book Food in Jars for even more delicious canning recipes!

This recipe made seven four ounce jars, plus extra for the refrigerator.

This morning we had toast with homemade peanut butter (also from the Food in Jars cookbook) and the peach jam with bananas on the side.

Julia saw me getting out my camera to take a photo of our breakfast for the blog.  I took one photo, but then she said “Wait, Mommy!” and put her sippy cup in the shot and said, “Now Cheese.” It does add some more color, don’t you think?