Another use for jam....bake an Italian Jam Crostata!

Photo credit: Chow.com 

Are you like me? 

Do you have trouble saying "no"?

When the gorgeous ruby-red rhubarb stalks started coming up in my garden and the u-pick strawberries are plentiful and the neighbor is giving me a big bag of apricots because she "never liked 'em" but her sister "still brings 'em when she visits", I made jam. Lots of jam. I have trouble saying "no" to a deal involving fruit, especially free, almost-free or inexpensive fruit.

The itty-bitty problem is, I still have Strawberry-Rhubarb left from last year, and a few jars of Apricot Jam too. And Sour Cherry Jam. (I could go on.) 

Most people I know who are into preserving their own food tend to go overboard on at least one project and are left with a few hold-overs in their pantry, fridge or freezer. Could you be one of those people?

An abundance of jars marked with the previous year's date is why once in a while I post ideas for using jam in recipes. You can blend jam into smoothies, or spoon jam onto plain yogurt, or in salad dressings, or even as a baste for meat. When I have time, I like to bake something with jam, like adding it between layers of a cake, spooning a dollop on thumbprint cookies or spreading it onto tarts. I especially like this recipe from Chow.com for an Italian Jam Crostata*.

Oh, did I tell you about the time someone sent me a beautiful box of almonds? Still in the shell, of course. Yep...I better get crackin'...I've got a tart to make.

*Chow.com recipe adapted from Brigid Callinan