Lisa, if your fruit was hard like that and not juicy and really ripe it will be more firm jam or jelly. The greener the fruit the more natural pectin it has and will be a more firm product. This is why we teach people to use a mix of really ripe and some a bit more green in a batch of jam. This seems to be important with strawberry jam more so than some other types, in my experience. I just want to encourage you to not give up !!! You will be able to do this. It sounds as though the peaches were not ripe and juicy enough to get the liquid you needed. You do add the sugar all at once when using the powd. pectin. Normally it will dissolve and mix in with the liquid part in the pan, but since you didn't have the right amount of juice it just started burning. It does depend upon how ripe the fruit is how thick or thin the jam will be. Using fresh, tree picked fruit is ideal, but I do agree, that frozen may be better than what you used. Well, you are way to far away for me to help in person, or I would try to do more to help. Can you find a friend or someone who could help you through this in person ? If you try to cut down on sugar in a recipe with pectin it will not gel. You need to use the recipe for each type and brand of pectin. I prefer the powd. pectin. If you want a low or no sugar jam, learn to use Pomona's Universal pectin. It will gel water. Really it takes no sugar at all to gel. It is different to work with and may take a time or so to get comfortable with it. I am diabetic and use it for my jams for myself. My husband likes it when I make his with SureJel and use the sugar. So, I make both kinds here. You have learned to not double recipes, however, with Pomonas you can double and triple. You normally have to mail order the pectin from them. They sell in bulk, too. Not just boxes, but they have boxes, too. They even have a helpline you can call. The nicest folks there !! You can even create your own recipes with the stuff. They include recipes and instructions. Check out the link below to help you. You can click and see the recipes, too. http://www.pomonapectin.com/ You will not get crystal clear jelly with it, but you want jam, anyway. Doesn't matter to me if it is clear or not, even with jelly. I am not entering it in the fair, it is to eat. Each type of homemade jellied product have a different description. I am also sending you the link to all kinds of good info. Types of Jellied Products Jelly, jam, preserves, conserves and marmalades are fruit products that are jellied or thickened. Most are preserved by sugar. Their individual characteristics depend on the kind of fruit used and the way it is prepared, the proportions of different ingredients in the mixture and the method of cooking. Jellies are usually made by cooking fruit juice with sugar. (Some are made without cooking using special uncooked jelly recipes.) A good product is clear and firm enough to hold its shape when turned out of the container, but quivers when the container is moved. When cut, it should be tender yet retain the angle of the cut. Jelly should have a flavorful, fresh, fruity taste. Jams are thick, sweet spreads made by cooking crushed or chopped fruits with sugar. Jams tend to hold their shape but are generally less firm than jelly. (Recipes are also available for uncooked jams.) Preserves are small, whole fruit or uniform size pieces in a clear, slightly gelled syrup. The fruit should be tender and plump. Conserves are jam-like products that may be made with a combination of fruits. They also contain nuts, raisins or coconut. Marmalades are soft fruit jellies containing small pieces of fruit or peel evenly suspended in the transparent jelly. They often contain citrus fruit. Other fruit products that are preserved by sugar but not jellied include butters, honeys and syrups. Fruit butters are sweet spreads made by cooking fruit pulp with sugar to a thick consistency. Spices are often added. Honeys and syrups are made by cooking fruit juice or pulp with sugar to the consistency of honey or syrup. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This document was adapted from "So Easy to Preserve", 5th ed. 2006. Here is a link that might be useful: Univ. of Georgia on jams, jellies, etc.

Yes, it's fine to use your homemade applesauce and dried apples.

Thanks for the response, newbeginning. I don't think lemon juice and vinegar are 1 T. I read "1 � Tablespoons lemon juice" and "1 � Tablespoons cider vinegar". Not sure if other browsers will see the ? between the 1 and the Tablespoon, as I do. The measure for fresh grated onion IS 1 T. Note that "Tablespoon" is singular here. Not a serious problem. I agree that I can guestimate 1 1/2 for lemon juice and vinegar and 1/2 for garlic. Edited to add this: With suggestions from others, I changed settings in the View menu, as I explained in a later text. I can read the original, but this one turned into upside down ? marks. Weird. Oh, well. They mean 1/2. This post was edited by Bellsmom on Tue, Mar 11, 14 at 16:09

First of all, if you wrap it really well...in saran and in foil you can freeze it...I would freeze it in about 4 oz pieces... What kind of blue cheese did you buy? And here ya go with the recipes! This is good with cocktails, or accompanying a salad. Savory Blue Cheese Tart 1 10 inch unbaked pie shell ½ cup chopped pecans 6 Oz. cream cheese 2 eggs 4 Oz. Maytag Blue Cheese ½ cup milk 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp corn starch Ripe olives and chives to garnish Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle nuts in the bottom of pie shell. Mix the next 6 ingredients in a blender or food processor and pour slowly into the crust. Garnish with sliced ripe olives and chopped chives. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until set. Cool and refrigerate 2 hours, cut into 12 wedges and arrange on a platter reputation. Warm Blue Cheese, Bacon and Garlic Dip from Stop and Smell the Rosemary... Recipes and Traditions to Remember ___________________________________ INGREDIENTS: 7 slices bacon, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup half and half 4 ounces Maytag Blue Cheese, crumbled (1 cup) 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives 3 tablespoons chopped smoked almonds (1 ounce) TO PREPARE: Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until almost crisp, about 7 minutes. Drain excess fat from skillet. Add garlic and cook until bacon is crisp, about 3 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add half and half and mix until combined. Stir in bacon mixture, blue cheese, and chives. Transfer to a 2-cup ovenproof serving dish and cover with foil. Bake until thoroughly heated, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped almonds. Serve with sliced apples, toasted pita crisps or French bread. NOTE: May be prepared 1 day in advance. Refrigerate or freeze. Bring to room temperature before baking. YIELDS 2 CUPS ___________________________________ Copyright 1996 The Junior League of Houston, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit The Junior League of Houston web site For a special party, make them in 1 inch rolls. Labor intensive, but your guests will rave. Blue Cheese Cocktail Wafers 2 ¼ cups flour ½ cup sifted confectioners sugar ½ tsp salt ½ tsp ground white pepper ½ pound butter ( 2 sticks) 1 cup crumbled Maytag Blue ( about 6 Ounces) ¼ cup milk 1 ¼ finely chopped pecans or walnuts, divided Sift the dry ingredients Cut in the butter and cheese Sprinkle with the milk Sprinkle with the milk Mix to create stiff dough Mix in ¾ cups of the nuts Shape dough into two rolls 2 inches by 10 inches Coat the rolls with the rest of the chopped nuts Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 4 hours Pre heat oven to 400 degrees With a sharp knife, slice into ¼ inch slices and place on ungreased cookie sheet Bake about 8 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks Makes about 100 Blue Cheese Popovers Yields 12 popovers Vegetable oil, shortening, or lard for the pans 1-1/2 cups whole milk 6 oz. Maytag Blue Cheese , crumbled 1 tsp. salt Freshly ground black pepper 9 oz. (2 cups) all-purpose flour 6 large eggs Set the oven rack to its lowest position . Heat the oven to 400°F. Generously grease 12 popover tins (preferably nonstick) with oil, shortening, or lard (butter won't work). In a small saucepan, warm the milk and cheese over medium-low heat until the cheese is melted. Remove from the heat and whisk in the salt and pepper. (You can also melt the cheese in the milk in a glass measuring cup in the microwave on low power for 1 min.) Put the flour in a medium bowl. Whisk in the milk mixture until just combined; it's fine if the batter is a bit lumpy. Add the eggs one at a time to the batter, whisking well after each addition. Pour the batter into the prepared tins and bake on the lowest shelf for 20 min. at 400°F. Don't open the oven, but reduce the temperature to 350°F and continue to bake another 15 min. until the popovers are browned and fully puffed. Remove the popovers from the oven and immediately take them out of the tin to keep them from getting soggy. Poke each popover with a knife to release steam. Serve immediately or reheat just before serving. Blue Satin Soup 4 T. butter 1/4 c. each very finely minced celery, green onion, and green pepper 14 oz. can chicken broth 1 cup milk 4 oz Maytag Blue Cheese I cup light cream 1/2 c. flour 2 oz dry sherry Fresh ground pepper, to taste Melt butter in heavy sauce pan, add vegetables and sauté very slowly until soft and translucent, but not brown. Add flour and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until the flour is cooked but not brown, add the warmed chicken broth whisking all the while to prevent lumps. Simmer 2 minutes. Add the crumbled blue cheese and stir until smooth. Add milk and cream and heat to serving temp, but do not boil ( it will curdle) add sherry and pepper. Garnish with chopped chives and sour cream if desired. Blue Cheese Stuffed Pork Chops 6 pork chops, 1 ½ inches thick with pocket cut 3 T butter 1 T fine minced onion ½ c crumbled Maytag blue cheese ¼ c. finely sliced mushrooms ¾ c. fine, dry bread crumbs (not moist, fresh bread) Melt butter in fry pan, add onion and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in blue cheese, bread crumbs and salt. Stuff chops and secure pockets with a toothpick. Bake on a baking sheet at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes to an hour. Spinach Noodle Casserole 8 oz package of spinach noodles 2 packages frozen chopped spinach 11 oz can of cream of mushroom soup 1/2 cup milk to thin the soup 4 oz can of sliced mushrooms drained 4 oz crumbled Maytag Blue Cheese Thaw the spinach, drain well and cut through several times with a chefs knife. Cook noodles according to package directions, and drain. Mix milk with the soup, add to noodles along with mushrooms and cheese.toss to mix and bake at 350 degrees until bubbly, about 25 to 35 minutes. Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish. Toms Shrimp Fettuccini, serves 4 4 oz Maytag Blue Cheese 8 oz cream cheese ( no one said this was low fat!!) 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1/3 cup dry white wine tablespoons light cream I clove of garlic, minced 4 scallions chopped (tops too) 1 pound cooked, shelled and deveined shrimp Fresh ground pepper.lots is good. I pound fettuccini cooked Mix cheeses, wine and cream at room temperature in a 2 quart casserole. Add seasonings and shrimp and bake at 375 degrees until heated through (about 25 minutes) serve over cooked pasta. There are more plus many different recipes for different salad dressings, including a rosy boue cheese dressing one based on Lillet another that I call Zesty blue cheese dressing, made with lots of lemo0n, and my old favorite....the none better creamy blue cheese dressing. This ought to use up that wheel you have. Linda c Linda C