Best Four Berry Spread Recipes

FOUR BERRY JAM

Steps:

• Prepare your jars in advance--sterilize them and keep the jars, lids, and rings warm while preparing the jam. Have all tools ready and handy (ladle, towel, wet cloth, canning jar funnel, etc).
• Crush berries in a large, non-reactive (such as stainless steel) saucepot. Stir in pectin until dissolved.
• Bring to a full, rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly to avoid scorching (reduce heat to medium-high if needed).
• Stir in sugar. Return to a full, rolling boil and boil for exactly 1 minute (starting from when you can no longer stir the bubbles down).
• Remove from heat and quickly skim off any foam. You must move quickly at this point to prevent the jam from cooling off too much.
• Quickly ladle hot jam into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
• Wipe rims with a clean, warm, damp cloth to ensure a good seal. Place lids on jars and screw rings on snugly but not too tight. Flip jars upside down. Let stand upside down for 5 minutes, then turn right-side up again. Let sit for one hour.
• After one hour, check seals. If any lids are still popped up (there is a bump in the center of the lid that should be down if the jar is sealed, and up if not), then refrigerate and use immediately, or process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
• Store jars in a cool, dark place until ready to use; use within 1 year.

FOUR-BERRY SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk the first 10 ingredients until blended. In a small bowl, combine spinach and berries. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with walnuts; toss to coat.

FOUR BERRY SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk vinegar and sugar together in a medium bowl.
• Add all berries and mint. Toss to combine.
• Transfer to serving bowls and sprinkle with nuts if desired.
• (Note: I only add the vinegar and sugar to the berries right before serving as I don't think the salad tastes as good when the berries have been in the vinegar for a second day.).

4-BERRY CHIMICHANGAS

Steps:

• Put the cream cheese and preserves in a small bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.
• Lay out the tortillas and place a quarter of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each, spreading the mixture out so there is a 3/4-inch border around the edge. Fold in 2 of the opposite sides of each tortilla and roll to form a small burrito. Set aside.
• Combine the sugar and lime zest on a small plate.
• Heat 1 inch of the vegetable oil in a large skillet to 325 degrees F. Carefully fry the chimichangas until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove from the oil and toss in the lime sugar.
• Serve immediately, topped with the berries and whipped cream. Accompany with some extra preserves on the side.

EASIEST MIXED BERRY JAM

Steps:

• Chop the frozen fruit from each bag into pea-sized chunks (you can mash the thawed fruit with a potato masher if you prefer larger fruit chunks in your jam - I don't, I like jam that has a chunky texture, but spreads easily).
• In a large pot, combine fruit and sugar.
• Bring mixture quickly over high heat to the gelling point (it actually takes quite a while, in excess of ten minutes - and stir constantly, or fruit will stick to the bottom and burn).
• After fruit has reached the gelling point (thick enough to slide, as one 'flake', from a cold spoon), remove from heat.
• Ladle into sterilized jars, apply seals and rings, and process for 15 minutes, with whole jars submerged at least 1-2 inches under boiling water.
• That's it! Six bags, six cups. Chop, mix, boil to the gelling point, fill jars, process, DONE, all in less than an hour.
• NOTE: the Ball Blue Book calls for 9 cups of "berries" (i.e., blackberries, young berries, dew berries, etc.,) - six 12 oz. bags of mixed berries yields slightly less, but approximately that much.