At Eleanor’s Best, we understand that you’re busy and want to feed your family well and wisely. We’re committed to giving you authentic flavors and wholesome products. We’re also happy to help you build meals and make delicious dishes out of real foods, like we do. Below are some recipes and tips we use all the time. They should help streamline your time in the kitchen, and give you great results. Feel free to cut and paste any of these into a document to print. Let us know what you think!

Here’s to faster prep and more fresh fruit flavor for your table!

BASTES & GLAZES

Make your own Eleanor’s Best basting or glazing sauce using the following formula:

  • 1/3 cup (1/3 jar) Eleanor’s Best jam or marmalade
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

For BEEF:

Try using Eleanor’s Best Peach Jam

For CHICKEN:

Try using Eleanor’s Best Ginger Jam

For PORK:

Try using Eleanor’s Best Raspberry Jam or Meyer Lemon Marmalade

For SEAFOOD:

Try using Eleanor’s Best Meyer Lemon Marmalade or Bitter Orange Marmalade

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DIPPING SAUCE FOR STEAMED OR FRIED SEAFOOD (shrimp, squid, crab, lobster)

  • 1/2 jar Eleanor’s Best Meyer lemon or ginger marmalade
  • 1-2 Tablespoons rum (optional)

Heat the marmalade in a small saucepan over low heat. Thin with rum as desired.

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SALMON WITH MARMALADE

  • 1/2 cup Eleanor’s Best Meyer lemon marmalade or ginger jam
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger (if using ginger marmalade, omit ground ginger)
  • 4 (6-ounce) salmon (or other hearty fish) fillets
  1. Preheat broiler.
  2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well. Place fish on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Brush half of marmalade mixture over fish; broil 6 minutes. Brush fish with remaining marmalade mixture; broil for 2 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.

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RASPBERRY CHICKEN

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 3 tablespoons Eleanor’s Best raspberry jam
  • ½ cup flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup cream
  • 3 tablespoons Brandy or red wine (optional, but awesome when used)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 3/4 cup of chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • A couple of shakes of salt & pepper
  • Fresh raspberries to garnish (optional)
  1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. 2. Mix eggs and cream to make egg wash.
  3. Dredge chicken in flour.
  4. Dip chicken into egg wash.
  5. In a pan, heat the oil and melt the butter.
  6. Saute the chicken in the oil/butter over medium heat.
  7. Cook until the chicken is cooked through.
  8. Remove from burner and add the brandy, if desired. If you don’t add brandy, skip step #9.
  9. Return to heat and flambee.
  10. Add jam and chicken stock to the pan and stir.
  11. Boil for a few minutes; turning the chicken in the sauce to coat.
  12. Garnish with fresh raspberries, if desired.

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BERRY FRUIT BARS

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups sliced almonds (divided) – if nut averse, skip them. It’ll still be delish!
  • 2 sticks cold butter, sliced
  • 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/3 jar Eleanor’s Best jam
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade, combine the flour, 1 cup of the almonds, the butter, brown sugar and vanilla. Process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Put aside 3/4 cup of the crumb mixture.
  3. Press all of the remaining crumb mixture into an 11″ x 17″ jelly roll pan (ungreased), building up 1/2 -inch edges against the sides of the pan.
    • (side should be about as high as your pinky nail.)
  4. Pre-bake this crust for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
  5. Remove from the oven and spread the preserves on top of the crust.
    • (Microwaving the jam for 20 seconds will make it easier to spread.)
  6. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs and the remaining 1/2 cup of sliced almonds over the preserves.
  7. Return to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned.
  8. Cool and cut into bars.

Makes about 36 (2 1/2″ x 1 1/2″) bars.

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Strawberry Pop Tarts
(Makes 8-10 tarts)

  • 2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar, plus more for dusting
  • 2 sticks (1 cup) of chilled, unsalted butter, diced, plus one tablespoon melted for rubbing tops
  • 4 tablespoons of ice water
  • Eleanor’s Best strawberry jam for filling
  1. Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor and mix.
  2. Add the chilled, diced butter and pulse until it’s about the size of peas.
  3. Add the water and process until the dough starts to form a ball.
  4. Split the dough into two balls, wrap them and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.
  5. Roll out the dough into a rectangle on a lightly-floured surface until it’s about a 1/4-inch thick.
    • (Remember to dust your rolling pin with a wee bit of flour, so that it doesn’t stick to the dough.)
  6. Cut the dough into evenly-shaped rectangles using a knife or a pizza cutter. Repeat with the second ball of dough.
  7. Line two baking sheets with foil and place the squares of dough down on them, about an inch apart.
  8. Spread the Eleanor’s Best strawberry jam in the center of each rectangle.
  9. Top each rectangle with a second sheet of dough and seal the edges by gently pressing dough on the dough with a fork.
  10. Prick each pop tart in the middle of the top with a fork.
  11. Freeze the tarts on the sheets for several hours.
  12. Take out of freezer.
  13. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  14. Use a pastry brush or a paper towel to rub tops of tarts with melted butter and sprinkle buttered tops with a wee bit of sugar.
  15. Bake them for 25-30 minutes.
  16. Let the pop tarts cool slightly.

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THUMBPRINT COOKIES

  • 1 1/4 cups dry plain oatmeal firmly packed
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 regular stick butter (=1/2 cup)
  • 3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 3/4 cups finely chopped walnuts or pecans (or whichever nut you particularly love)
  • Eleanor’s Best jam
  1. Pre-heat oven to 300°F.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar.
  3. Add the egg and the vanilla, and mix well.
  4. Gradually sift in the flour and salt and blend thoroughly.
    • (If you don’t have a sifter, you can use a wire strainer strainer as a replacement. If you don’t have a wire strainer, simply add the flour in small batches and mix well for each batch.)
  5. Add the oatmeal and 3/4 cup of the nuts and mix well.
    • (If your family is nut averse, skip this step. Your cookies will still taste great!)
  6. Cover and refrigerate, until well chilled.
    • (This means that the dough should be resistant to your poking finger.)
  7. Shape the chilled dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter.
    • (This means that the cookie should be about as wide as your thumb from your finger tip to the first joint.)
  8. Roll balls in the remaining nuts to coat and place on cookie sheet (about 2 inches apart).
    • (Again, if you’re nut averse, skip this step.)
  9. Press the cookie ball with your thumb (or the back of a spoon) and fill the “dent” with your favorite Eleanor’s Best Jam.
  10.  Bake in the center of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

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Hamantaschen (Makes about 20 to 30 cookies)

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 To assemble the cookies:

  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 1/2 cups of Eleanor’s Best real fruit jam
  1. Stir together the flour and salt, and set aside.
  2. With an electric mixer or in a stand mixer, mix together the butter and the sugar.
  3. Add the eggs, zest, and vanilla, and mix.
  4. Slowly add the flour, mixing gently.
  5. Use your hands to form it into a smooth disk, then wrap it and refrigerate for at least one hour.
  6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  7. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.
  8. In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk together the egg and milk, then set aside.
  9. On a well-floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness.
    • (If necessary, divide the dough in two and keep the other half of the dough wrapped in plastic until ready to use.
  10. Use a 2- to 3-inch across biscuit or cookie cutter to cut out round circles, and use a spatula to transfer the rounds to the prepared cookie sheet.
  11. On each round, spoon 1/2 teaspoon of Eleanor’s Best real fruit jam.
  12. Lift up 3 sides and pinch the corners together to make a triangular 3-cornered hat shape, leaving the center of the filling exposed. Make sure you have thoroughly pinched the corners.
    • (If you’re having trouble, you can moisten the surface of the dough lightly with the egg mixture.)
  13. Make sure there’s about an inch of space between each cookie, then lightly brush the pastry with the egg wash.
  14. Bake until lightly golden, about 15 to 18 minutes.
  15. Let the cookies cool completely before serving.

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Pairing Guide:
Here are but a few ideas for you to try!

Marmalades – soft fresh goat cheese, cream cheese, scones, cocktails

Blueberry Jam – bloomy rind goat, manchego, ice cream topper, cocktails

Ginger Jam – Gorgonzola, brie, stilton, cocktails and pastries

Hot Pepper Jam – cream cheese, glazed ham, grilled shrimp

Quince Jam – blue cheese, triple creams, swirl for brownies or cheesecake

Raspberry Jam – brie, cream cheese, poached pears, thumbprint cookies, mascarpone, aged cheddar, blues, pie filling

Strawberry Jam – chevre, ricotta, peanut butter, bbq sauce starter

Let us know if other combos work well for you at info@eleanorsbest.com.