REFRIGERATOR BLUEBERRY JAM RECIPES

Steps:

• Wash jars and bands in hot soapy water, rinse and set aside.
• Setup your stove for the hot water bath process.
• Place washed jars in canner filled with water and boiling slightly.
• Jars need to boil for 15 minutes to sterilize.
• Sort through the berries, removing stems and any bruised berries.
• Wash berries by swirling them in cool water.
• Place berries in a large sauce pot, mash with a potato masher.
• Measure crushed berries to determine proper propotion of sugar.
• Place the berries on your stove over medium heat.
• Add the sugar.
• Add the lemon juice.
• Stir until sugar is dissolved.
• Bring heat up and cook berries as quickly as possible.
• Continue to stir the berries as they boil, don’t let them boil over.
• Check for proper gel. When ready, remove from heat.
• Ladle jam into the jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
• Insert wooden skewer and run around inside edge to remove air bubbles.
• Wipe the top rim of the jar with a clean damp cloth.
• Center a new lid over the jar.
• Twist on a jar band and tighten finger tight. Do not force.
• Place the closed jars in your canner rack, lower the rack and make sure the jars are covered with about 2 inches of water.
• Cover and let process in this water bath for 15 minutes or as needed for your local Altitude.
• Lift rack and secure handles on lip of canner. Let sit for 5 minutes.
• Use a jar lifter and remove the jars. Set them on a folded towel in a draft free location.
• Do not move or disturb the jars for at least 24 hours.
• After 24 hours, check jars for proper seal.

Steps:

• French Toast Casserole: Spray 9 X 13-inch dish with Pam. Cut or tear bread into cubes and arrange in the bottom of dish.
• Cut up cream cheese into 1-inch cubes. Drop the cream cheese cubes over the top of the bread. Sprinkle 1 cup blueberries over the top.
• In mixing bowl, combine 12 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1/3 cup maple syrup. Pour this mixture, a little at a time until the bread soaks up the milk but not soggy. You don't want it to be soggy before you bake it. If it's soggy before you bake it, it will be soggy after you bake it. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
• Blueberry Sauce: You can make this ahead of time and refrigerate, then warm up before serving. Stir together 1 cup sugar and 2 Tbsp corn starch in a medium saucepan. Add 1 cup water and stir until smooth so corn starch won't be clumpy. Heat to boiling and stir 2-3 minutes until thickened.
• Add 1 cup blueberries. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until blueberries start to burst. Don't let them all burst. I like some of the blueberries whole.
• Turn heat off the blueberry sauce and stir in 1 Tbsp butter. Store in plastic or glass container and refrigerate until ready to use.
• The next morning preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take the casserole out of the refrigerator. Place covered casserole in the pre-heated oven and bake for 30 minutes.
• Then uncover and bake for another 25-30 minutes or until the top is a golden brown and the center is set.
• While the casserole is baking, you can heat up the blueberry sauce on top of the oven or microwave until warm. Serve over top of casserole.
• Prep time: 30 min to put everything together 8-24 hours - refrigerate several hours or overnight until bread is soaked through with egg, milk mixture. Cook time: 1 hour
• Alternate Sauce, I call it cheating. Take jam or preserves, whatever flavor of fruit you are using to make this. Put preserves in a small saucepan. Add 1 Tbsp corn starch. Mix until smooth. Add additional fruit if desired. Warm in a saucepan until smooth and thickened. Serve over the french toast, ice cream or anything else you can think of.