Easy Summer Fruit Jam Recipes

I love getting all the in season produce at my local stores, farm markets and road side stands. How about you? We eat the produce and at times will turn it into jam to enjoy all year long. Have you ever made your own jam?  We have always found that it taste so much better than big store brands AND it is cheaper! 

The August issue of Woman’s Day, now on newsstands across the nation, features two covers and plenty of ways to cut down on costs while allowing you to live and eat the way you want to. With tips on how reduce your grocery bill and eliminate unnecessary costs from simple household chores, you’ll find you have added time and money to relish in the summer sun. Featuring light dinners like pasta with tomatoes, zucchini and pesto for less than $2 per serving and a handful of fresh, easy jam recipes…it’s time to enjoy your summer by spending less!

Here are two of their featured Jam recipes!

Blueberry, Orange and Lime Jam
Makes 6 Jars

Ingredients

·         2 tsp orange zest

·         2 navel oranges, cut into segments; segments chopped

·         2 lbs. fresh blueberries

·         2 tsp lime zest

·         2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

Directions

Omit the lemon zest and juice and decrease the total sugar to 1 cup. In a bowl, toss together the orange zest, oranges, blueberries, lime zest and juice and ¼ cup sugar. Using a potato masher, lightly crush the fruit mixture and let sit for 15 minutes. Prepare the jam according to recipe instructions, mixing only ¾ cup sugar with the pectin.

Vanilla, Nectarine and Raspberry Jam
Makes 7 Jars

Ingredients

·         1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

·         2 lbs. nectarines, cut into ½-in. pieces

·         1 lb. raspberries

Directions

Scrape out the vanilla seeds into a large bowl. Add the nectarines, and toss with the lemon zest and juice and ¼ cup of sugar; let sit for 15 minutes, then toss with the raspberries. Prepare the jam according to recipe instructions, mixing only 1¾ cups sugar with the pectin and stirring constantly for 3 minutes (do not mash).

Here are the two covers for the August issue of Women's Day. Have you seen them? Have you picked one up? Want to chime in? Tell us which cover is your favorite at www.facebook.com/womansdaymagazine. Thanks to Women's Day for giving me permission to repost these recipes. ENJOY!

More Easy Summer Recipes

Strawberry Margarita Jam Recipe- freezer jam
Best Ever Brownies - everyone loves these!
Mango Salsa
Avocado Feta Salad 
Chunky Guacamole
Blueberry Vinaigrette for easy salad dressing
Easy Chicken Tostadas 
Corn on the Cob with Lime-Chive Butter
Easy Pork Tacos
Aunt Salad
Honolulu Burgers
Spinach Strawberry Salad
Kid Approved Summer Meals
8 Salsa Recipes

Reconnect with Family Meal Time #MC #Disconnect2Reconnect #sponsored

When my girls were younger, we always ate together for almost every meal. This of course didn't last long with girls scouts, sports, church events as well as other commitments. Even though we were super busy most dinners were eaten together and especially Sunday dinner. Almost 10 years ago Hurricane Katrina kicked us out of New Orleans. Since then our lives got really crazy and so did meal time. Just recently I've been working hard to have Sunday meal time after church. Does any of this sound familiar to you? Can you relate to having regular meals dwindle down to just 1-2 a week? I participated in a Blogger Activation on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for the J.M. Smucker Company. I received product samples to facilitate my review as well as a to thank me for my participation.

Over the past 10 years the biggest change that came into play which most Americans can relate to is the cell phone! Not only did we not have to get up from the table to answer the phone because we had a portable one in our pocket we could also text people, play games, etc. while at the table. The down side to this is that we no longer pay attention to those right in front of us. When you have 30 minutes of time to sit, talk and interact that time looses its value when we disconnect with them to connect with our phone. 

I love having dinner together with my family, at home. So as it works out we won't head out to Sunday lunch with friends but come home and eat together. The fun thing about connecting or reconnecting is that the family works together to get the food on the table quickly because they are all hungry. Then clean up is a breeze because everyone wants to get done and go onto the next big thing. Bringing the family together allows us to connect, talk, laugh, make faces and just be who we are no matter what our moods are. 

Banana Bread Recipe coming tomorrow!

One of our favorite meals has always been breakfast. We can eat breakfast at anytime. When the girls were little breakfast for dinner was always fun. We just celebrated a huge meal together and had breakfast for dinner. Everyone helped in someway with the meal. As a mom of 3 teens this is a blessing. One teen is headed off to get married in 3 months and this meal made me realize that our time is fleeting and slipping away. Do you ever feel that way when you look at your kids? 

We enjoyed a meal together and took the family pledge to "Disconnect to Reconnect" at meals. Why is this important? Family meal time is about so much more than just food. It is really more about connecting with each person at the table. Power of Family Meals is encouraging families to gather together for meals without screens - phones, Tv's, iPads - at one meal, once a week, more often than not! 

As I mentioned earlier, time is fleeting and family meals are a tradition worth maintaining. Disconnecting and reconnecting with family will continue to become even more important and having boundaries to digitally detox together is worth the effort. Technology is every where! Our busy lives will continue to force us into different directions so let's make meal time precious time for our families to stay connect or to reconnect!

Pumpkin Cranberry Mini Breakfast Muffins

Happy National Pumpkin Day! Celebrate by making these tasty mini muffins! This pumpkin recipe is a breakfast muffins but don't let that stop you from enjoying them at any time! These muffins are a healthy version created by guest chef Franci Cohen. Franci is a Personal Trainer, Certified Nutritionist and an Exercise Physiologist. 

(Image credit: Franci Cohen)

Pumpkin Cranberry Mini Breakfast Muffins

Ingredients:

-      1 cup all-purpose flour

-      1 cup oat flour (or fresh oats finely ground into a flour)

-      3/4 cup sugar

-      1 tsp baking soda

-      1/4 tsp salt

-      1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

-      1/4 tsp nutmeg

-      1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin puree

-      1 large egg, lightly beaten

-      1/4 cup canola oil

-      1 cup nonfat milk
-      1 cup fresh cranberries

Directions:

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.     Spray a mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. 

3.     In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. 

4.     Combine pumpkin, beaten egg, oil and milk in a separate bowl. 

5.     Make a well in dry ingredients and ddd pumpkin mixture and stir until combined. Lastly, fold in cranberries. 
6.     Fill muffin cups and bake for 17-22 minutes.

More Pumpkin Recipes 

20+ Ways to Cook your Pumpkin Seeds
Dinner in a Pumpkin
Green Pumpkin Pie
Perfect Pumpkin for Cooking and Carving
Pumpkin Cheeseball
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pumpkin Cookies
Pumpkin Dip
Pumpkin Fiesta Rice - in a mini pumpkin
Pumpkin Soup in a Pumpkin
Pumpkin Spice Amish Friendship Bread
Sour Cream Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Sweet Pumpkin Dump

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{Healthy Recipe} Easy Egg and Veggie Breakfast Sandwich

Every morning I eat breakfast. If I don't then I feel as though my day starts off unfocused and then I snack all day long. Over the past year on my healthier lifestyle journey I have created a lot of easy breakfast recipes which must have protein and vegetables. Most always that protein is eggs and whatever else I toss into the pan which is always some sort of herbs, spices and vegetables. How about you? Do you eat breakfast every day? Do you think it is important?

I'm sharing with you one of my go to breakfast recipes. This recipe is flexible because the veggies can be changed depending on my mood or whatever I have on hand. For ease, taste and cost, I love using Green Giant vegetables. The veggies are always perfect and easy to toss into the pan. I keep them frozen and just break off 1-2 serving size to cook with my eggs. Adding veggies into my breakfast meal helps me get in my daily vegetable servings. Do you add veggies to breakfast?

Easy Egg and Veggie Breakfast Sandwich

Ingredients

2 eggs
1/2-1 cup veggies (the photo is Green Giant Spinach and grape tomatoes)
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1 English Muffin or Bagel
Optional -dash of salt, parmesan cheese, pepper, hot sauce, basil, cilantro, lemon pepper, etc

Directions

1-Add butter to pan on medium heat until melted.
2-Toast muffin or bagel.
3-Add veggies to pan and cook until warm.
4-Add eggs to the pan and scramble with veggies and optional seasonings.
5-Add eggs on top of bread and make the sandwich. It can also be eaten open face.

Disclosure: The information and prize pack have been provided by Green Giant® through MyBlogSpark. 

I'm thrilled to share with you my breakfast recipe, information about Green Giant and a tasty giveaway today. Before this post I had never visited their website. If you are on a healthier lifestyle journey or thinking of starting one, then check out their website. You'll find information on Lose It! which is a veggie challenge, a printable 2 week meal plan and also a link to SparkPeople where you can get a plethora of healthy information. 

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{Healthy Recipes} Sweet Potato Egg Breakfast Bites #sponsored #BrownRiceTriscuit

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Triscuit. I received products to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.
I eat a healthy breakfast just about every morning. I do get in a rut and look for wholesome alternatives to jazz up my meal. I'm thrilled to report that the new line of Brown Rice Triscuits gave me the needed change of pace to my breakfast meal and I created two new healthy recipes.

Triscuits added brown rice to their wheat crackers along with real food ingredients such as sweet potatoes and red beans. These crackers are baked with 100% whole grain brown rice and wheat, no high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oil, cholesterol or artificial flavors. Ok but I know you are wondering do they taste good. I have to say 100% yes they taste even better than just "good." These crackers are perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack time! My family tried them and love them no matter the time of the day.

We tried the Brown Rice Triscuits baked with Sweet Potato seasoned with Roasted Sweet Onion, Brown Rice Triscuit seasoned with Sea Salt & Black Pepper and Brown Rice Triscuit baked with Red Bean seasoned with Roasted Red Pepper. At first I was hesitant to try the whole wheat healthy cracker with breakfast but the Sweet Potato totally rocked my eggs. 

Brown Rice Triscuit Sweet Potato Spinach & Egg Breakfast Bites

Ingredients

1 egg
1/4-1/2 teaspoon butter
1 handful of fresh spinach
pinch of black pepper
3-6 Brown Rice Triscuits baked with Sweet Potato seasoned with Roasted Sweet Onion or any of their other Brown Rice varieties

Directions

1-Add butter to hot pan and toss in spinach. Cook for 1 minute.
2-Add in egg and give it a quick scramble.
3-Add eggs to Triscuits and top with black pepper

Brown Rice Triscuits Sweet Potato Spinach, Egg & Tomato Bites

Ingredients

1 egg
1/4-1/2 teaspoon butter
1 handful of fresh spinach
1/2 of cherry or grape tomato for each bite
Parmesan cheese
3-6 Brown Rice Triscuits baked with Sweet Potato seasoned with Roasted Sweet Onion or any of their other Brown Rice varieties

Directions

1-Add butter to hot pan and toss in spinach. Cook for 1 minute.
2-Add in egg and give it a quick scramble.
3-Add eggs to Triscuits and sprinkle on Parmesan cheese.
4-Top with 1/2 of tomato

Besides breakfast, we used our new Triscuits to eat plain as a healthy snack and served with tuna fish salad. Tuna fish salad is eaten around here for lunch or dinner. Everyone loves it and the Triscuits added a perfect healthy crunchy bite to the tuna fish which would normally be eaten with carrots, plain round crackers or on sandwich bread.

You'll have to check out all the tasty recipe toppers over on their Pinterest board specifically created for these yummy Brown Rice Triscuit crackers. I'm looking forward in trying the Grilled Tomato & Asparagus Topper and Shrimp, Guacamole & Cilantro Topper at my next party! 

(Photo Credit: Grilled Tomato & Asparagus Topper from the Triscuit Pinterest Page)

Need more inspiration? Check out the Triscuit website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest Boards and Youtube channel. 

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Papa's Dinosaur Pancakes #Sharewhatsgood with your family giveaway #sponsored

What are some of your favorite family memories? Do you have a yearly traditional activity that you do together as a family or are you trying something different every year? I'm going to share with you a special family memory as I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Welch's. I received product samples to facilitate my review, a gift code to giveaway, and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

For most of our 20 year marriage, my family of 5 have really never lived close to our family. The furthest away was 12 hours and the closest driving distance has been the past 7 years and that is 4 hours away. Because of this we would spend our vacation time primarily with my hubby's family. Yearly we would visit at least once a year, sometimes twice. In turn they would come visit us at least once a year, too. 

During our time together we always have family breakfast at least once. This breakfast is the Papa making his famous pancakes into hand shaped dinosaur shapes for the kids. The younger generations make silly request like Mickey or Minnie Mouse! Papa also makes blueberry and raspberry pancakes for the more mature kids in the house. While Papa makes the pancakes, the Nana is usually tossing together a huge fruit salad or cooking up 10 pounds of bacon! This yearly tradition is one of most cherish kitchen table moments.

Do you have any magical kitchen table moments that has created memories to last a lifetime? Welch's believes in the magic of these "kitchen table" moments which has been going on for many generations. I'm so excited to share with you their newest campaign to "Share what's good" with your family. They want to know the special moments that occur daily with your family and friends at home or as you have traveled. You can check out family fun content on the Share What's Good website as well as share your photos and see what other families are doing. 

Follow Welch's Facebook page, on Twitter and Instagram to follow the hashtag #sharewhatsgood to check out all the family kitchen table moments from every day life. Memories are created all the time even when making a sandwich or drinking juice together after school or taking family vacations. 

Papa's Handmade Dinosaur Pancakes

Ingredients

2 cups Original Bisquick mix
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla or 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1-Heat electric griddle to 375ºF and lightly grease with cooking spray.
2-In a bowl, stir ingredients until blended. 

3-Use a tablespoon to carefully and quickly shape your dinosaur. Other shapes can be made, too.
3-Cook until edges are dry, flip and cook until golden brown. 

How do you #sharewhatsgood with your family? Share your special moments for a chance to win a $50 gift card for an online photo service so you can upload and purchase photo gifts of your special family moments!

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{Breakfast Recipes} Seafood Frenzy Eggs Benedict

We love seafood and eggs Benedict but have never put the two together. Have you? Here is a recipe passed on to me to try. It is on my to do list and once I do I'll add in a photo. I often forget that seafood would be great for breakfast recipes at home but we have enjoyed seafood recipes during brunch at restaurants many times!

I don't think we could go wrong with this recipe! Eggs, Hollandaise Sauce and Seafood (salmon, shrimp and lump crab meat)! Yum!

Seafood Frenzy Eggs Benedict

Ingredients:

12 eggs

1 to 2 tablespoons white vinegar

6 English Muffins

Unsalted butter, for spreading

6 tablespoons Philadelphia Cream Cheese

12 spears of asparagus, cut in half and steamed

1 package of Knorr Hollandaise Sauce (or make your own)

1/2 lemon, zested and juiced

1 can lump crabmeat, divided into 12 portions

12 large slices of smoked salmon

12 cooked and completely peeled large shrimp

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

12 dill sprigs, about 2 inches long


Directions: 

1. In a small bowl, prepare the hollandaise according to the package instructions. Add the fresh lemon juice. Reserve. 

 
2. In a large pot of boiling water add the vinegar. Turn the heat down to a low simmer. Crack the eggs one at a time, into a small bowl and add them one at a time very gently into the simmering water. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the egg is completely coagulated and the yolk looks slightly opaque. Remove from the water. 

 
3. Meanwhile, toast the English Muffins and butter when warm. Top the butter with a smear of cream cheese. Top each with two pieces of asparagus. Top the asparagus with a scoop of crabmeat and a piece of smoked salmon. Place the poached egg on top. 

 
4. Top each with a shrimp and drizzle with the hollandaise. Season with the salt and pepper. Garnish with the dill and the lemon zest. (Serves 6)

More Breakfast Recipes

Crazy Breakfast- family favorite
Crustless Spinach Quiche
Eggs Benedict
Guild Free Eggs BenedictFrench Toast Casserole
Healthier, Crunchy Granola
Herb Frittata
Nutella Chocolate Amish Friendship Bread
Scrambled Egg Margarita Pizza
Speedy Sausage Muffins

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{Breakfast Recipes} Greek Yogurt Pops for Kids

Would you let your kids eat yogurt popsicles for breakfast? I would especially these VOSKOS frozen Greek Yogurt pops because they are packed full of protein. This is a yummy, summer healthy breakfast recipe that your kids will to make and to eat!

This recipe is a video! I hope you enjoy it and give the recipe a try! This would be a great summer activity for your kids, too!


Here is a chart from VOSKOS comparing their homemade yogurt pops with store purchased pops. They want you to see that their is lower in calories and packs in the protein. Greek Yogurt is my favorite yogurt and I'm slowing trying to convert my teens to this thinking, too.

Chart

VOSKOS Banana Flavor Frozen pop: Calories:  27.7 Total Fat:  0.1 g Saturated Fat:  0.0 g           Total Carbohydrates:  5.8 g Sugar:  3.5g Protein:  1.5 g		Yosicle Swirlz: Calories: 45   Total Fat: 1g Saturated Fat: .5g Total Carbohydrates: 7g     Sugars: 6g  Protein: 1g
VOSKOS Strawberry Flavor Frozen Pop: Calories:  13.8 Total Fat:  0.0 g Saturated Fat:  0.0 g Total Carbohydrates:  2.1 g Sugar:  2.1 g  Protein:  1.3 g		Popsicle-Orange, Cherry, Grape: Calories: 45 Total Fat: 0g Total Carbohydrates: 11g Sugars: 8g Protein: 0g
VOSKOS Blueberry Flavor Frozen Pop: Calories:  16.9          Total Fat:  0.0 g Saturated Fat:  0.0 g Total Carbohydrates:  3.0 g Sugar:  2.4 g Protein:  1.3 g		Blue Bunny Bomb Pop Junior: Calories: 40  Total Fat: 0g Saturated Fat: 0g Total Carbohydrates: 10g Sugars: 8g    Protein: 0g

For more recipe ideas, you can follow VOSKOS Greek Yogurt on:  Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

More Kid Friendly Breakfast Recipes

Crazy Breakfast- family favorite
Crustless Spinach Quiche
Eggs Benedict
French Toast Casserole
Healthier, Crunchy Granola
Nutella Chocolate Amish Friendship Bread
Scrambled Egg Margarita Pizza
Speedy Sausage Muffins  

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{Breakfast Recipes} Guilt-Free Eggs Benny

Do you LOVE Eggs Benedict but not the guilt of eating such a rich breakfast? Here is a guilt free breakfast recipe for Eggs Benedict that has the same taste with less fat! 

Guilt-Free Eggs Benny

Ingredients:
2 eggs

1 light whole wheat English Muffin

2 slices Canadian bacon

1/4 cup fat-free plain yogurt

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

Kosher salt and cayenne pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon lemon zest, for garnish

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Non-fat cooking spray


Directions: 

 
1. In a large pan coated with non- stick cooking spray, brown the Canadian bacon over medium heat. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
2. In a small saucepan, over very low heat, combine yogurt, dry mustard, and season with the salt and cayenne pepper, whisking continually until warm. Be careful: if you overheat, your yogurt will curdle.
3. In a pot of boiling water, add the vinegar and reduce heat to a low simmer. Crack one egg into a small bowl and very gently add it to the simmering water. Repeat this for the second egg. Simmer for 3-5 minutes until the egg is completely coagulated and the yolk looks slightly opaque.
4. In the meantime, toast the whole wheat English muffin. Assemble by placing the toasted muffin on a plate. Top with a piece of the Canadian bacon, a poached egg, and then top with the yogurt sauce. Sprinkle lemon zest and chopped parsley over each egg. Enjoy.

More Breakfast Recipes

Crazy Breakfast- family favorite
Crustless Spinach Quiche
Eggs Benedict
French Toast Casserole
Healthier, Crunchy Granola
Herb Frittata
Nutella Chocolate Amish Friendship Bread
Scrambled Egg Margarita Pizza
Speedy Sausage Muffins

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