It’s that time of year. Yes, tis’ the season for family, joy, love, and, well, gift giving. But gift giving doesn’t need to be all about money! It can be about time, and love. Make your favorite cookies or baked good, wrap a dozen of them up nicely, and give it to someone you love. Or why not make some jam with fruits that are in season, put it in a mason jar, slap on a bow, and voila! A wonderful gift that says I love you.

Sold? Me too.

Here’s what you need:

8 medium sized apples, half gala, half granny smith
2 1/2 cups of water
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
6 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Peel and core the apples. Cut them into cubes, small to medium dice and place them in a large pot.

2. Add the water, sugar, lemon juice and spices to the pot.

3. Stir it all together and bring it to a boil. Once boil, turn the meat to medium so that the mixture can simmer vigorously for 35-40 minutes. Stir every 5-7 minutes to keep the jam from sticking.

4. After 35 minutes, spoon out a small amount of jam and place into a small bowl. Place the bowl in the freezer for about 10 minutes, or until set. If you like the consistency, your jam is ready! If not, let the jam continue cooking and reducing, doing the freezer test every 5 minutes until you get the consistency you want.

5. Once done, remove from the stove and cool completely. Gift the jam by placing it into sterilized mason jars, or just place the jam in a glass, airtight container. Stays in the fridge for up to one month, and in the freezer for up to 1 year.