North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Sarah Kehler Ewing <skkewing@yahoo.com>]

Some recipes for those with an overload of pears:

Cranberry Pear Jam: very pretty pink in colour and very tasty on toast

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped cranberries     5 cups chopped peeled pears
4 1/2 cups sugar, divided      2 Tablespoons of lemon juice
1 box of Certo Lite

Combine the pears and cranberries with the lemon juice in a large pot.
Combine the Certo Lite with 1/2 cup of the sugar and sprinkle over the fruit 
in the pot while stirring.
Cook over high heat stirring and mashing with a potato masher until the fruit 
mixture comes to a boil.
Pour in the last 4 cups of sugar and bring back to a full rolling boil and 
boil for one minute.
Remove from heat, stir for 5 minutes, pour into sterilized jars to 1/2 inch 
from jar rim, cover with warm lids and twist rings on finger tight.  
Water bath can for 10 minutes.
Enjoy!

I invented this recipe when my father-in-law brought me boxes of pears one 
January and since I had no cold room; they all ripened at once and I had to 
do something with them. I have to confess that I never actually stir for the 
extra five minutes with any kind of jam!

Ginger Pear Jam: very tasty 

Ingredients:

5 c. peeled chopped pears 
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
2 Tablespoon grated ginger root
3 1/2 cups sugar
1 box Certo Lite

Combine pears, lemon zest, ginger root, lemon juice in a large pot.
Stir together Certo and 1/4 cup sugar, then sprinkle over fruit while 
stirring.
Bring to a full boil, add remaining sugar and boil hard stirring constantly 
for 1 minute. 
Remove from heat and stir for 5 minutes.
Pour into hot jars within 1/2 inch of top rim.  
Wipe jar rim removing any stickiness. 
Cover with warm lids and twist rings on finger tight.  
Water bath can for 10 minutes.
Label and store in a cool, dark place.


Sugar Free Ginger Pear Jam 

Ingredients:

4 1/2 cups peeled, finely chopped ripe pears
1 Tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 Tablespoon grated ginger root 
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 3/4 cup apple juice, divided
1 box Bernardin No Sugar Needed Fruit Pectin
1 cup Splenda

Combine pears, lemon rind, ginger root, lemon juice and 1 1/2 cups apple 
juice in a large stainless steel saucepan.
Gradually stir Pectin into fruit. Don't add pectin all at once or it will 
lump! 
Bring to a full, rolling boil stirring constantly and boil hard 1 minute, 
stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
Dissolve Splenda into the remaining 1/4 cup apple juice and stir into fruit; 
stir for two more minutes.
Pour into hot jars within 1/2 inch of top rim.  
Wipe jar rim removing any stickiness. 
Cover with warm lids and twist rings on finger tight.  
Water bath can for 10 minutes.
Label and store in a cool, dark place.
Makes about 5 one cup jars.

This recipe may be stored in the freezer and if you plan to do that, don't 
bother canning it. Cool to room temperature and store in the freezer.