Raspberry Jam: Easier than Pie

You can make delicious Raspberry Jam in less than an hour - it's no fail. Simplicity itself: 4 cups of raspberries, 3 cups of sugar and a minimum of tools and effort. Re the tools, on the right in the picture is a jam funnel; you can live without it but unless you have dead-eye aim and a steady hand you need one. Mine is ancient; new ones are wider, much better.


1. Wash 5 jelly jars and lids and put them in a large pot with  a ladle and the jam funnel. Cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. An alternative to this: the dishwasher, using the high-heat dry setting. While the jelly is boiling, take the sterilized jars and lids and place them on a clean linen-type dish towel.

2. Put 4 cups of raspberries in a heavy pot (not a lightweight saucepan) and bring to a boil. Immediately add 1 cup of sugar, return to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. THREE MINUTES only. Add the 2nd cup of sugar, return to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Add the 3d cup of sugar, return to a boil and boil for 3 minutes.* Remove the pot from the heat; place the jam funnel on a jar and ladle the jam in. Move the funnel to the next jar. Using a clean linen-type dish towel dipped in the hot sterilizing water, wipe the rim of the first jar, place a jelly lid on top and carefully screw on the ring (just turn it easily, no need to make it super tight). Repeat. You'll probably have 4 jars plus some extra. Cool on a rack. You will hear some random pops as the lids seal.

*During the boiling periods some foamy looking stuff will appear on top; you can ignore it or use the skimmer to take it off

3.  Now you can satisfy your inner Martha Stewart and get a few jars ready for gift-giving. Buy basic labels at STAPLES (the white ones with a red border are nice), craftier ones at MICHAEL'S, or do this: cut circles  or rectangles out of brown paper (wrapping-type or paper bags - thinnest bags work best), place them over the jar tops and secure with rubber bands. Make bows with kitchen twine. Draw labels (or use stamps) on computer paper, cut them out and affix them to the jars with two tiny dots of the same sticky stuff you use to secure those notes-to-self you have all over the house. Voila!

NOTE: You can double or triple this, using the same method. If you have 8 cups of berries, use 6 cups of sugar. Heat the raspberries to a boil, add 2 cups of sugar, boil 3 minutes, etc.