When life gives you zucchini - make jam! Surprise Zucchini Jam - NO PECTIN NEEDED! Must-Have Garden Recipe!!

This fantastic Surprise Zucchini Jam will be a great way to use up those ever-growing zucchinis in your garden.  It turns out fantastic and uses no pectin!  Ding-ding-ding - money saver!  (Jello is lots cheaper than pectin!)  

I ate mine on some bread/toast and it was amazing!  I just couldn't imagine what it would taste like??  However, I was pleasantly surprised.  Great for biscuits, toast, even over cream cheese/served with crackers as an appetizer!  It would make a fun homemade Christmas gift, too!

I am making lots more varieties of this recipe.  My husband's grandma always used apricot jello. Strawberry jello is supposed to be great! Also, I thought it would be good to use pineapple jello and include some ground jalapenos for pepper jelly.  Lots of possibilities here!

Since this recipe uses no Surejel/pectin, I was very skeptical. However, after a sit overnight, it was all set up.  In the fridge, it was the perfect "jam" consistency.  (Prior to that it looked like relish.)  Don't stress.  It's will work!

(NOTE:  I didn't peel my zucchini and wish I had.  I'm fine with it but picky family members are more likely to eat it without dark green flakes in it LOL.)

Here's how I made Surprise Zucchini Jam AT HOME MY WAY:

Surprise Zucchini Jam

• 6 cups PEELED and finely grated zucchini (seeds removed)
• 5 to 6 cups sugar (I used about 5 1/2 cups)
• 1 (16 ounce) can CRUSHED pineapple (juice included)
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 (3 oz) or 1 (6 oz) box jello (apricot, peach, strawberry)

Instructions

Place PEELED and finely grated zucchini (seeds removed) in a pot large enough to incorporate (eventually) all of the ingredients.  Cook for 20 minutes or so - so that it actually boils for total of 10 minutes.  I carefully did this since my zucchini didn't have a lot of juice.  I covered it with a lid and stirred often.

Add sugar, pineapple (including juice), and lemon juice.  Cook so that it boils again for 10 minutes.

Remove pan from heat.

Add jello.  Stir for 1 minute so jello completely dissolves.

Place in sterilized (I use my dishwasher) canning jars and add lids/rings.  Water bath 10 minutes according to standard canning instructions.

Enjoy!

Gina