Rhubarb + Sugar = Marmalade

This is from a very old cookbook (The American Woman's Cookbook, edited by Ruth Berolzheimer, 1941) which came from my grandmother's house, though, let's be clear, I don't think she ever canned anything... so was not an adventurous cook.

This is a delicious recipe!

1 lb rhubarb (4 cups)
1 lemon
2 cups sugar

Wash rhubarb and cut into thin slices. Wash lemon and shave off the thin yellow rind, cut rind into small, thin pieces. Juice lemon and set aside.
Mix rind with rhubarb with the sugar, let stand overnight.

The next day, add lemon juice and cook until it boils over a high heat, stirring constantly. Cook rapidly *almost* to gelling point (this is important- if you cook to gelling point, you will get marmalade that's too stiff to spread unless you warm it first.)
Do your normal jam prep work, this recipe makes about 4 1/4 pint jars.
Remove from heat, fill hot jars, process in boiling water for 10 minutes.
Enjoy!

Gardening this summer

Garden Sept 2010
Originally uploaded by zombie amelia

In addition to cooking, I love gardening. Flowers are nice (I grow many) but I also try for vegetables. This year, I started with several small cold frames and tiny plants and ended up with 15+ pie pumpkins, a bunch of peppers, tons of strawberries and tons of rhubarb (strawberry rhubarb jam!), several summer squash... I could go on and won't. And I'm waiting for more tomatoes.

I've been requested to make a stuffed pie pumpkin (or two) this year. I've made one recipe in the past with layers of bread crumbs, goat cheese, soy creamer, and egg, but it was too rich for my tastes, so I'm on the hunt for a less rich recipe.

I'll keep you posted.