Grape Jam Recipe

4 lb grapes
2  oranges; juiced & zested
5 cup sugar
1 cup raisins
1  pn salt

Wash grapes and remove stems. Peel off skins and reserve; place grape
pulp in a saucepan. Cook pulp over low heat 6 to 7 minutes, then
press through a coarse sieve to remove seeds. Discard seeds; return
pulp to saucepan. Add orange rind and juice, sugar, raisins and salt,
and continue to cook over low heat, stirring constantly. As the
mixture thickens, add grape skins and cook 6 to 8 minutes or until
quite thick.

Pour into sterile hot jars and seal while hot.

Makes about 3 1/2 pints. 

Greek Sour Cherry Preserves

1 lb black cherries
2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1  juice of half a lemon.

Pit cherries and place pits in a separate bowl. Layer cherries in
saucepan with sugar. add water to the pits. Stir and drain and use
this water to add to the cherries in saucepan. Let mixture stand for
1 hour. Then boil gently for 30 minutes, until syrup thickens. You
may stir gently while cooking and skim off any scum that rises to the
top. add the lemon juice at the end of the 30 minutes. Cool and
store covered refrigerated.

Banana Jam

5 each ripe bananas
3 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2/3 cup fresh orange juice or water
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2  vanilla bean split in half
1  lengthwise and cut into 1/3s
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon banana liqueur (optional)

Peel the bananas and thinly slice or mash with a fork. Place the
bananas in a heavy saucepan with the lime juice, orange juice, sugar,
vanilla bean and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and
gently simmer the banana jam until htick, about 30 minutes, stirring
often. Stir in the banana liqueur and remove the pan from the heat.
Leave the vanilla bean in the jam - it's pretty.

Spoon the jam into three 6-ounce canning jars that have been
sterilized. Fill the jars to with-in one-eighth inch of the top.
Screw on the lids. Invert the jars for 5 minutes, then reinvert. Let
the jam cool to room temperature.

Store the jam in a cool, dark place.  Refrigerate the jam once
opened; it will keep for several weeks.