Mmm, Mmm, Good!

If there is one food I cannot live without, it is my mom's raspberry peach jam. To me, it nestles nicely into a category I call "Mom's Recipes". These are the ones she makes so perfectly that no matter where she got them they will always be hers; and no matter how hard I try, they never taste exactly the same when I make them. That is why we make this one together every year, and it is seriously the ONLY jam I eat. It's kind of odd that I would be so enthusiastic about this jam because I don't really like jam--I've never been a fan of things that are filled with fruit spreads like NutriGrain bars or jelly-filled doughnuts. Yuck! However, I have had a few delicious jars of homemade jam, lovingly prepared by friends, which I did like. But when it comes to this stuff, I can't get enough of it! This jam is thinner, more syrupy than most, and makes everything it touches taste like complete bliss. I created the perfect birthday breakfast cake (because breakfast is a favorite meal at our house) this year when my wonderful hubby, who LOVES pancakes, turned 29. To honor him I made a 29-layer pancake tower, layered with butter and powdered sugar alternating with, of course, raspberry peach jam.

When you're planning your summer canning this year, don't leave this recipe out!

Jean's Raspberry Peach Jam

5 lbs. peaches (10 cups)
5 lbs. sugar (10 cups)
2 1/2 cups raspberries
2 Tbs. lemon juice

Boil.  Once it comes to a boil, boil 10 minutes.
Add 2 large packages of Raspberry Jell-o.
Boil 10 minutes more.
Put in hot, clean jars, Seal.

It's a pretty simple recipe--hard to go wrong with that. As my three-year-old loves to say "Easy peasy, lemon breezy!"

A more recent addition to the collection of my family's recipes is for these whole wheat waffles.
I have changed the original recipe by cutting the oil (it used to be one whole cup) and adding in flax (which change, by the way, entitles me to claim it as my own recipe, right?). Just one word of warning--this recipe makes A LOT, so use a big bowl and plan to freeze some for later or have friends over to share them! And they are just as good toasted-up out of the freezer, really, truly. Not to mention that my girls gobble them up, which I can't say about many foods. Our favorite toppings are (of course) Raspberry Peach jam, sliced peaches or fresh fruit, or sliced bananas and whipped cream. MMmmmmmmmm!

Teeples Wonderful Waffles

4 egg whites
1 3/4 cups whole-wheat flour (I grind my own wheat and use the pastry or fine setting on my mill for this flour--it makes it just that much better!)
1 3/4 cups white flour (I use bread flour)
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 egg yolks
3 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup oil
3/4 cup cold milled flaxseed

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Combine dry ingredients (including flax) in a large mixing bowl. Combine egg yolks, milk, and oil. Add all at once to dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Fold in beaten egg whites. Cook in waffle iron until brown. Serve with your favorite toppings. These freeze quite nicely for toaster waffles on busy mornings (as I mentioned before). If you do mill your own flour on a fine setting you can make this recipe with all whole-wheat flour (which I haven't tried yet).


Enjoy, please, do enjoy!