Recipes

There are many creative ways to use preserves other than on the traditional toast, muffins, and peanut butter sandwiches. They make great toppings for food such as, waffles, pancakes, scones, cheese cake, and even ice cream sundaes.  Preserves can also be cooked and used as sauces for rice, vegetables, fish, poultry, beef, and pork.

Listed below are a few of our favorite delicious recipes for you to try.  We encourage you to experiment with Peace Preserves and send us your recipes to post.  Enjoy!

Blueberry Peace Preserves Hors d’oeuvre
1/8-1/4 teaspoon paprika (smoked if available)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
8oz light cream cheese or goat cheese, soften at room temperature
1/3-1/2 cup Blueberry Peace Preserves

Heat heavy skillet on medium-high heat. Do not add oil. Coarsely chop walnuts. Add to heated skillet with paprika (amount depends on personal taste). Roast walnuts for a few minutes until lightly cooked. Stir frequently. Set cheese on plate and put Blueberry Peace Preserves on top of softened cream cheese. Take roasted walnuts and place on top of preserves. Serve with crackers, toasted pita, focaccia, etc. for a delicious and unusual taste.

Chicken and Blueberry Peace Preserves 
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup blueberry Peace Preserves
1/4 cup apricot preserves
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/3 cup white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1/4 cup fresh blueberries
Hot cooked rice

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook chicken in oil for about 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Combine preserves and mustard; spoon over chicken. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.

With a slotted spoon, remove chicken and keep warm. Add vinegar to skillet; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3 minutes or until sauce is reduced by one-third, stirring occasionally. Stir in blueberries. Serve over chicken and rice if desired. Great combination!

Chicken and Strawberry Peace Preserves
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup very finely chopped unblanched almonds
1/4 cup minced shallots or green onions
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup strawberry Peace Preserves
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
10 ounces fresh spinach, cooked just until tender
non-stick cooking spray
1 tablespoon extra light olive oil or canola oil
Finely chopped fresh parsley for garnish, if desired

Coat a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray; add oil and heat over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, dredge in almonds. Place chicken in skillet; saute four minutes on each side, turning once. Remove from pan and keep warm.

Reduce heat to low; add green onions to skillet and saute one minute. Add chicken broth, strawberry jam, vinegar and rosemary; simmer until slightly thickened, about two to three minutes.  Place spinach on heated serving platter; top with chicken breasts and pour sauce over top. If desired, sprinkle finely chopped parsley over chicken. Very tasty!


Peace Preserves Mini Pies
½ cup sugar
½ cup butter (at room temperature so it’s soft)
2 eggs
2 ½ cups unbleached or pastry wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
Blueberry or Strawberry Peace Preserves

Cream butter with sugar in mixing bowl. Beat in remaining ingredients. Cover bowl in refrigerator for 3-4 hours. If you skip this step, you’ll have to use extra flour to keep the dough from being too sticky, and then your cookies will not taste terrific. So be patient!

Using a rolling pin, roll dough until thin, about as thin as a nickel. Use a little flour on the rolling pin and on the surface you’re rolling it out on but as little as possible. You can choose any shapes but a circle cookie cutter (2 ½ “ is ideal) or a small glass as a cookie cutter to cut shapes is the easiest. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Place approximately a teaspoon of Blueberry or Strawberry Peace Preserves in the center of half of your cutout shapes. Take the remaining shapes and cover the shapes with preserves. Use a fork to pinch edges so it looks like you have mini berry pies. You can brush the cookies with egg whites, cinnamon & sugar, nuts or whatever. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 7-12 minutes. Overall baking time depends on how thin you rolled the dough. Don’t over bake. Yield depends on cookie cutter size. Delicious desert!