Pear & Apple Jam with Raisins

4-5 pears,very ripe
3 apples
1 clementine
~100 ml sugar
handful of raisins

Peel,core & cut the pears & apples into the smaller pieces.
Peel & cut the clementine,make sure all seeds are out.
Put apples,pears & clementine into a small sauce pan,cover with water & boil until soft,add sugar.Add water if needed.Boil it for extra 1-2 min,take off the heat & blend.You can also press it throu the sieve.Add raisins,back to the heat,check the taste if you need more sugar or want to add some spice to your jam,cinnamon or ginger,maybe nutmeg,bring it to the boil ,take off the heat & spoon the jam into the jars(about2x250 ml jars).Close the jars airtight & keep in the fridge.

I had loads of pears waiting for somebody to eat them way too long,in some reason they are not too popular fruits in our family.So i had to use them up & now I got this beautiful spread for our sunday pancakes!Delicious & not too sweet,so the fruits can spoil your taste buds.

Elderflower Syrup

100 elderflower heads
5 kg sugar
8-10 lemons,washed
5 l water
2-3 tbsp citric acid

Place the elderflower heads,sliced lemons & citric acid in a bowl & mix.
Boil the water & sugar until sugar is completely dissolved.
Take the syrup off the heat & pour over the flowers.
Cover the bowl & let it stand in cool place for 5 days.
Wash & sterilize the bottles.
Strain it through a fine-meshed sieve lined with cheesecloth & bottle the elderflower syrup.
Stores in the cool place for months.

To serve, add a small quantity to a jug with some fresh lemon juice. Serve chilled with ice cubes and slices of lemon. Very refreshing in summer.

Excellent remedy for colds, flu and feverish symptoms.Make a drink with hot water & lemon or ginger..
Good for purifying the blood..
Also can be used as a de-tox, to build the immune system by clearing toxins through the lymph glands.
Relieves the symptoms of allergies to pollens etc;reduces the effects of sinusitis.
More about Elderflower benefits can be found here:http://herbalpicnic.blogspot.ie/2013/06/elderflower.html

Chunky Tomato Sauce

50 g butter
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6-7 big tomatoes,cut into smaller pieces
handful of basil leaves,teared

Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion,garlic,tomatoes,salt,pepper,basil & simmer until sauce thickens. .
You can also refrigerate the sauce in a tightly sealed container for 3–5 days or freeze for 1–2 months.
Great with pasta, vegetables,chicken or meat dishes.

Add cumin, oregano or fresh parsley.
For a smooth sauce - puree sauce in a blender or food processor.

Rhubarb & Plum Compote

6-7 rhubarbs,peel,cut into ca 2 cm chunks
3-4 plums,stoned,quartered
150-200 g sugar
Place the plums into pan & cover with water,bring it to boil until cooked.
Add sugar & rhubarbs.
Bring it back to boil for 1-2 min.
Spoon the compote into the jars & close air tight.
Store in the cool place.
Ideal on the ice cream or with pancakes,yumm..

Dandelion Syrup

250 dandelion flowers
1 l water
500 g sugar
1-2 lemons
Pull the green bits off the dandelion heads.
Place the dandelions into the big pot along with lemon juice & water.
Let it simmer gently,covered for about 1 h.
Remove from the heat & leave to sit for 24 h.
Drain the dandelion syrup mixture,add the sugar & simmer on low heat until syrupy.
Pour the syrup into the clean jar when still hot,seal tightly.
Store in the refigerator.

The syrup is very lovely,I use it instead of honey.
Dandelion is a rich source of vitamins A, B complex, C, and D, as well as minerals such as iron, potassium, and zinc.
In traditional medicine, dandelion roots and leaves were used to treat liver problems.
Dandelion leaves produce a diuretic effect while the roots act as an antiviral agent, appetite stimulant, digestive aid, and may help promote gastrointestinal health. Dandelion flower has antioxidant properties. Dandelion may also help improve the immune system.


Dandelion is one of the best herbs to support a spring cleansing diet. It acts on both the liver and the kidneys, helping to 'purify ' the blood and flush out the uric acid crystals that accumulate in the tissues from eating a diet too rich in animal proteins.

Fanta Orange Marmalade with Chocolate

1 kg marmalade oranges,peeled & cut roughly
250 ml sugar
500 ml Fanta
50 g chocolate
peel of half of orange & lemon,sliced very finely

Boil oranges in the Fanta until soft & mushy.
Press them through the sieve.
Put back into the saucepan along with citrus peels & sugar.Boil fast ca 20 min.
Wash 3 x 250 ml jars & rinse. Place jars on  to a baking tray and heat them in a 200C oven.
You can check if marmelade is ready by dropping a bit on to the cooled plate,if marmalade sets,its ready.
Pour the hot marmalade  into the jars,let cool a bit & stir in the chocolate bits.
Close the leads tightly.