Peach Tips

Cut an “X” in the rounded end of each peach.  Bring a saucepan full of water to a boil over high heat.  Have ready a bowl of ice water.  Add peaches a few at a time to the boiling water and blanch 30 seconds, then transfer to the ice water to stop the cooking.  When cool, lift out and peel.  The skin should peel back easily from the “X”.

Easy Peach Preserves

4 cups fresh peaches, apricots or plums, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup pure cane sugar
2 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon gelatin

Boil fruit, sugar, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan for 3 minutes; stir constantly.  In a separate bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 2 cup cold water and let set 1 minute.  Add to fruit mixture and heat, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Then skim off foam with a spoon, cover, cool, and refrigerate.  1 Tablespoon is 10 calories.

Peach Jelly

5 cups peeled and sliced fresh peaches
7 cups white sugar
2-16 ounce cans crushed pineapple (DO NOT DRAIN)
2-3 ounce boxes Peach Jell-O

In a large saucepan, add all ingredients EXCEPT the Jell-O.  Stir and cook on medium heat for 25 minutes, stir occasionally while cooking.  Remove from the stove and stir in the dry Jelly mix.  Let it cool slightly, then scoop into freezer containers-don’t put lids on until completely cooled.  Place lids on the containers and let them sit at room temperature for 24 hours.  Label the lids and store in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to use, take out one container at a time and place in refrigerator overnight to thaw.