IN THE KITCHEN

Out of the frying pan and onto the page.

JAMMIN’

IN THE KITCHEN

Meghan Isom spreads good vibes and good-tasting food with her homemade jams.

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The 28-year-old Oxford resident has been cooking up delicious fruit- and vegetable-based jams for several years since her father- and mother-inlaw passed down a recipe for strawberry jam. Meghan took that recipe and modifi ed it to make it her own.

“Before I started the business, I worked in retail, and I missed a lot with my fi rst son like his fi rst steps,” she said. “I was looking for something I could do from home so I could watch my babies grow.”

Now she creates all sorts of various fl avors of jam from home; she sells the jams through her company Just Jammin’ and creates gift baskets for weddings and other occasions.

She even uses her jams to raise money for charities such as the American Heart Association.

“I’ve always been interested in helping others,” Meghan said. “I don’t care whether I get anything out of it.”

Using her jams to raise money for charities is a happy byproduct of her business, she said. Being home with her family is the best part.

“I like us to have family dinners,” she said. “I enjoy cooking and baking for them.”

And, her family enjoys her cooking, too. Meghan is the mother of two boys

Out of the frying pan and onto the page.

Jensyn, 2, and 6-month-old Eversyn.

“My son loves the jam,” she said. “He’d eat a PB&J with my jam on it every day and just loves it.”

Meghan loves knowing what ingredients are in the jams and therefore knowing what her family is eating.

“I cut down the amount of sugar from the original recipe,” she said. “I use fresh fruits. It’s just good to know there are no preservatives or other bad stuff in there.”

Aside from the fruits and sugar, pectin is the only other ingredient. Pectin is a natural fi ber found in fruits. Some fruits have more or less natural pectin, which affects how much she adds to the recipes. It acts as the gelling agent in making the jams.

Pears, apples, guavas, plums, oranges and other citrus fruits contain large amounts of pectin, while soft fruits like cherries, grapes and strawberries contain smaller amounts.

“The recipes and ingredients really depend on the fruit itself,” she said. “A lot of it you learn as you go.”

Her jams come in an assortment of fl avors such as guava or strawberry-Key lime, which is a bit more unique, she said.

Other fl avors include jalapeno, blackberry, pineapple, blueberry, peach, rhubarb and many more.

“I like to use fresh fruits,” she said. “For example, my father-in-law grows his own blueberries and blackberries, so I use those. I get my peaches up in Georgia and go to Plant City for my strawberries.”

For more information or to order jam, contact Meghan at justjammin15@aol.com or call 352.516.1657.

STRAWBERRY-KEY LIME JAM:

2 quarts crushed strawberries One-fourth cup Key lime pulp (about 6 – 8 Key limes) Zest from about 6 – 8 Key limes 1 package of pectin 3 to 4 cups sugar

BLACKBERRY JAM:

12 ounces blackberries (crushed) Half package pectin 3 cups sugar

STRAWBERRY JAM:

5 to 6 cups crushed strawberries 1 package pectin One-fourth cup lemon juice 4 cups sugar

• Combine ingredients in saucepan and cook over low heat until sugar dissolves. • Continue to boil, stirring frequently until ingredients begin to thicken.

This process takes about 10 – 15 minutes. • When fi nished, transfer hot jam into hot, sterile jars, leaving a little space at the top for the jam to expand and thicken.