Apple-Plum Butter

i am scurrying around a bit now as i plan for a trip to Montana. am overnight travel on a train will be our means of transportation. i've never traveled that distance on a train before so i'm very excited. a friend is currently traveling by train now to meet us in Minneapolis, to travel with us on our journey. he attended a wine and cheese tasting last night on the train! my daughter has already decided to name the train 'Thomas', and is sure that our final destination is strawberry shortcake's house, with a dinosaur museum or two thrown in for fun. so it's pack, re-pack, shuffle things, and then pack again. amidst the chaos of our household, i've also been planning for a class i'll be teaching on thursday. the class is 'canning up the fall harvest'. after several conversations with folks in and out of the co-op, i've learned that not everyone knows what to do with their garden bounties. this class will offer up ideas and we'll go through the process of canning. unfortunately, the class is full, so maybe we'll offer this class again in november. i'm posting a simple recipe for apple-plum butter from the preserving the harvest cookbook that we have here at the co-op. it seems that both apples and plums are plentiful now, and their flavors pair nicely together. belly up!!

Apple-Plum Butter

2 1/2 pounds (about 15 medium) plums, washed and pitted
1 cup water
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 1/2 pounds apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
5 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt

1. in a covered 3- quart saucepan, combine the plums, 1/2 cup of the water, and 1/4 cup of the lemon juice. cook over medium-high heat until the plums are soft, about 20 minutes.

2. meanwhile, in another 3- quart saucepan, combine the apples, the remaining water, and the remaining lemon juice. cook over medium- high heat until the apples are soft, about 10 minutes.

3. let both mixtures cool slightly; combine in a blender of food processor and puree.

4. pour mixture into a heavy 8-quart flameproof roasting pan along with the sugar, spices, and salt.

5. preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

6. cook on top of the stove over medium heat until all of the sugar dissolves.

7. transfer the roasting pan to the oven.

8. bake uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens. this will take 1-3 hours.

9. test for doneness by spooning some onto a plate. if no liquid appears on the edges, it is ready.

10. ladle into sterile jars, leaving 1/4 inch of head space. cap and seal.

11. process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath canner.