Marisa McClellan is a food writer, canning teacher, and dedicated farmers' market shopper who lives in Center City Philadelphia. She is the author of Food in Jars: Preserving in Small Batches Year-Round and Preserving by the Pint: Quick Seasonal Canning for Small Spaces. She has written for the Vegetarian Times, USA Today, the Food Network, Saveur, Fine Cooking, Serious Eats, The Kitchn, Grid Philly, and Table Matters. You can find more of her jams, pickles, and preserves (all cooked up in her 80-square-foot kitchen) at foodinjars.com.

Marisa was one of the first cookbook authors and local Philadelphia food celebrities to throw her enthusiastic support behind the Culinary Literacy Center. She has taught a number of classes here on everything from sauerkraut to jam...

Speaking of, here's one of her tasty recipes that you can add to your Thanksgiving feast this year!

Apple Cranberry Jam

Makes 6 pints

Ingredients

• 8 cups of peeled and diced apple (approximately 5 pounds)
• 6 cups of whole cranberries (approximately 1 1/2 pounds)
• 7 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 lemons, zested and juiced

Directions

• Prepare a boiling water bath and 6 pint jars (or some combination of pints and half pints). Place lids in a small saucepan and bring to a bare simmer.

• Combine the apples, cranberries, sugar, and cider in a large pot (use a big one, this jam will bubble) over high heat.

• Bring to a boil, skimming off the foam that develops on the top of the fruit. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until the cranberries pop and the apples soften.

• Add the lemon zest and juice and simmer until the liquid in the pot begins to thicken (because both apples and cranberries are naturally high in pectin, you won’t need any additional pectin to help this jam set, as long as you cook it until thick and syrupy).

• Test set using a cold saucer or spoon, or by looking carefully at the way it runs off a spatula. When it seems nice and jammy, turn off the heat.

• Ladle jam into jars. Wipe rims, apply lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for ten minutes.

Notes:

• This recipe can be halved if 6 pints seems like too much. I don’t recommend increasing the size of the batch though, as it will be hard to cook down with any more volume in the pot.

• If you are above 1,000 feet in altitude, adjust your processing time accordingly.

• Choose a variety of apples for the best depth of flavor. Make sure to include a few under-ripe ones if you can, as they will help boost the amount of natural pectin in the jam.

• Feel free to add spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves to this recipe for a more autumnal flavor.