Zucchini Jam for Food n Flix

It is Food n Flix time again.  The flix part of it this month was chosen by Kimberly of Coffee and Casseroles.  You can see her invitation post here and it is still early enough to join in the fun if you would like.  Kimberly chose the movie Witches of Eastwick which came out in the 1980's.  I didn't think I had ever seen it before but Amy said I had and Frank said I had so I guessed I had.  Until I started watching it and then I knew that I had not ever watched this movie.  It was not at all familiar.

 

The reviews said it was scary.....Well, Jack Nicholson is always a little scary, isn't he? He plays the best nutcase ever....I am not sure it is an act.   The story stars Nicholson as the devil who comes into town and seduces three friends, played by Cher, Susan Sarandon and  Michelle Pfeiffer, who were unaware that they had magical powers (were witches) until they met him or conured him up as it were.

All three women are single, through divorce or death, and wondering what the rest of their lives would hold.  Cher is a widowed artist with a teenager. Susan Sarandon is a music teacher whose divorce was just finalized andn Michelle Pfeiffer is a mom of 5 adorable little girls who gets pregnant every time a man looks at her.

It is a goofy movie.  I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either.  I was just kind of neutral about it.  I did root for the women, who finally realized what problems were being cause by the devil they had allowed into their lives and joined forces to rectify the situation.

It is a movie filled with food....there is one, actually two,  especially disturbing scenes involving cherries.  I chose not to go there.

I actually got my inspiration, right at the beginning of the movie.  I think before the credits were even done rolling.  You see Sukie (Michelle Pfeiffer) in her garden grabbing one of the largest zucchini you have ever seen, and I have seen some large ones.  These lovely little darlings come out of the house with their lunchbags asking what was in them .  Their mom answers peanut butter. "Peanut butter and what?" asks one of the blond beauties. " Peanut butter and jelly" responds Sukie.  What kind of jelly asks another of the little blonds.  "Zucchini jelly" admits Sukie.

That was it. I watched the rest of the movie.  I saw fruit, fish, crackers, lots of drinks, breakfast foods, dinner foods, desserts...but nothing resonated with me like that first mention of pbj in those kid's school lunches.

So I googled Zucchini Jelly and found this recipe on Allrecipes.com.  I adapted it slightly by halving the recipe as it is not yet zucchini season here and I don't have any huge zucchini's that I am looking to use.  

We enjoyed it on toast the next morning for breakfast.  It was good but very sweet.  I should have paid attention and thought about the fact the strawberry jello had sugar already in it and reduced the sugar called for in the recipe.  When I make this recipe again to use up my summer squash I will reduce the sugar by a full cup but keep in mind that I prefer things much less sweet than some.  My husband thought it was just fine the way I made it.

This is actually more of a jam than a jelly. The zucchini, as you can see, is very pronounced and when I think of jelly I think of just a clear gel with no chunks.  Hence, the fact that I named mine Zuchinni Jam instead of Zuchinni Jelly as in the movie or the original recipe.  Of course the original recipe called for the zucchini to be peeled.  Why would I peel the zuchinni when all the nutrients are in the skin.  I don't know if that is factual but it is what my Mom always told me so I left the skin on. I'm just weird like that.

Zuchinni Jam

adapted from Allrecipes.com

3 c. zucchini, shredded

3 c. sugar ( I will reduce this to 2 in the future)

1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple

juice of 1 lemon

1 (3 oz) package strawberry gelatin

Combine zuchinni, sugar, pineapple and lemon juice in a large pot over medium heat.  Bring to a boil and allow to cook until zucchini is tender.  Remove from heat and stir in the gelatin until dissolved. Ladle the mixture into hot, steralized jars, leaving 1/4" headspace.  Seal and process in a hot water bath canner for 10 minutes.  Print Recipe