Banana Split Preserves ~ Home Canned

Okay, so I had been given all these banana's the week of Thanksgiving...I knew we weren't going to eat or use all of them before they went bad. I had to do something with them. But What?

I already have bananas frozen for smoothies. I have jars of banana jam and banana butter...What could I do that would be different yet tasty and delicious. As I became searching through my cupboards and fridge, I came across a 1/2 gallon of maraschino cherries. The wheels began a turning in my head and here is what I came up with.

Banana Split Preserves

6 cups mashed bananas (approx. 12)

1/2 cup finely chopped maraschino cherries

1/8 teaspoon banana extract

1/8 teaspoon cherry extract

1/2 cup lemon juice (helps w/browning and preserving)

6 cups sugar

1 box of pectin

Mash and measure the bananas into a large saucepan. (Larger than you think you will need, as it foams a lot when it boils). Add the lemon juice, extracts, cherries and sugar; mixing well. Bring to a rolling boil and boil hard for 1 minute; stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in pectin. Return to heat and bring back to a rolling boil for 1 minute. Mix well. Ladle into clean, hot sterile jars and seal. Process in a BWB for 10 minutes for pints. I got about 7 pints from each batch.

This turned out so delicious and pretty... I can't wait to try it on some homemade ice this next summer.

Serina