Homemade Series #3 - Grapefruit Marmalade made with 4 simple ingredients!

Seeing the word "homemade" always gets "ooohh's and aaahhh's" because it seems soooo complicated and time consuming. But after trying out some great homemade recipes I realized just how wrong that misconception is. Making homemade food can be easy and simple! Yes, there are steps to follow and it may take a couple hours out of your day; but it is worth that small effort to use and share something special made with your own hands.

What I also appreciate about making food at home is that for the amount of effort that it takes initially, what you make can last a long time. A great example is homemade jam/jelly/marmalade. To make a nice batch it may take the better part of a morning or afternoon but the results last for months and months! Plus you can share that hard work with others to enjoy as well!

I invite you to try out at least one of the homemade series' recipes this weekend.   : j

The combination of sweetness and slight bitterness of marmalade has always been a favorite of mine. For a new and different twist on the traditional marmalade that is made with oranges, I decided to incorporate grapefruit instead.

Ingredients: source: http://southernfood.about.com/od/jamsjellies/r/bln361.htm

2 large grapefruits, thick skinned

1 large lemon, thick skinned

2 cups water

4 cups granulated sugar

Steps:

1. Peel grapefruit and lemon; cut away inner white part of peel, leaving rind and white pith. Cut rind into slivers 3/4 inch long and 1/8 inch wide. Chop fruit coarsely, reserving juice.

2. In an 8-quart nonreactive heavy kettle over moderately high heat, simer rind, chopped fruit, reserved juice and water, uncovered, 10 minutes. Pour into a large heatproof glass bowl and let stand, covered, in a cool place overnight. **I wanted my marmalade to be a clear with bits of rind in it, so I placed the chopped fruit in a cheesecloth during the cooking process**

3. Return mixture to kettle. Add sugar and set over moderate heat. Insert a candy thermometer and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until thermometer registers 218 degrees F to 220 degrees F.

4. While that mixture is cooking, sterilize jars and lids.

5.Remove from heat, skim off foam and ladle into sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Wipe rims, seal jars and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (15 minutes for altitudes abouve 6000 feet).

6. Remove jars from water bath, let cool for 12 hours and test for airtight seals. Label and store in a cool, dark place. If you decide not to sterilize and process jars, refrigerate marmalade and serve within three weeks.

yummmmmmmmmm

After it cools, try a bite with a simple piece of toast. Amazing!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Cheryl and Adam from http://picture-perfectmeals.blogspot.com

for being so kind and passing along the "Lovely Blog Award" to Our Eyes Eat First. 

Here are some other bloggers who are also deserving of recognition as well! 

1. http://picture-perfectmeals.blogspot.com/2011/03/wed-like-to-thank-academy.html
2.  http://theaddictedbaker.blogspot.com/
3. http://muppyat.blogspot.com/
4. http://eatdrinkandrun.blogspot.com/
5. http://prep2eat.blogspot.com/
6. http://greengirl-alittlebitofeverything.blogspot.com/
7. http://regionalrecipes.blogspot.com/
8. http://thiswomancooks.blogspot.com/
9. http://www.zestyflavors.com/
10. http://cilantropist.blogspot.com/
11. http://www.sprinklesofparsley.com/
12. http://www.sunshineandsmile.com/
13. http://thatskinnychickcanbake.blogspot.com
14. http://www.mydeleriouskitchen.com/
15. http://yumanddelish.blogspot.com

Congrats!