Happy National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day! Celebrate with recipes

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Perfume this fresh nectarine jam with a touch of lemon verbena, basil or rose geranium. Click here for the recipe. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Apricot jam, like the one pictured here, is a favorite flavor, but consider adding a touch of honey to take the jam to the next level. Click here for the recipe. (Richard Hartog / Los Angeles Times)

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This creamy coconut spread may be more like a custard than jam, but at Susan Feniger’s Street, it’s sandwiched with butter for a sweet treat. Click here for the recipe. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

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This cherry preserves recipe comes together in only a little more than 30 minutes. Click here for the recipe. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Sweet and lightly savory, this recipe combines premade apricot jam with whiskey, parsley and shallots. Click here for the recipe. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Some jams are all about capturing the freshness of a fruit’s flavor. This recipe takes advantage of the extra complexity that comes with long cooking. Click here for the recipe. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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This jam is sweet yet savory with a slight kick to it. It’s wonderful paired with potato pancakes and horseradish creme fraiche. Click here for the recipe. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Adapted from Valerie Gordon of Valerie Confections, this jam combines tomatoes and oranges for a surprisingly wonderful spread. Click here for the recipe. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Fresh plum preserves are a sweet topping for fresh baked goods. What could be better? Click here for the recipe. (Richard Hartog / Los Angeles Times)

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According to Food editor Russ Parsons, “This, if I do say so myself, is a great jam. The addition of rose geraniums came about because the red-skinned nectarines turned a blushing rose color when cooked. Rose color . . . rose geraniums. It doesn’t make logical sense, but boy does it work. The sprigs of leaf add just a hint of flowery rose flavor to the nectarines.” Click here for the recipe. (George Wilhelm / Los Angeles Times)

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Love cranberries? Frozen cranberries are flavored with orange zest and a touch of cinnamon in this jam recipe. Why stop at cookies? You can spread this tangy jam on toast, biscuits, scones.... Click here for the recipe. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

By Noelle Carter

April 2, 2014 8 AM PT

Happy National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day! We’re here to help you celebrate -- with peanut butter and jelly recipes, of course!

Sure, you can go out and buy the spreads, but why not get creative -- like, DIY creative -- and make your own?

Recipes: 14 recipes for jams, jellies and preserves

Believe it or not, homemade jams, jellies and nut butters aren’t that difficult to do (if you want to make your own bread for a sandwich, well, that’ll be a little more time-consuming).

Check out the photo gallery above for recipes for 14 jams, jellies and preserves -- we include traditional options, such as strawberry, as well as more adventurous offerings (such as the insanely good coconut jam from Susan Feniger’s Street).

VIDEO: How to make your own nut butters

And check out our how-to video on homemade nut butters! Make your own peanut butter, or think outside the box with oh, say, almond or hazelnut butter.

Then celebrate! Just remember to clean up your mess when you’re done.

How to make your own nut butter: Toast raw nuts in a 350- to 375-degree oven until they’re fragrant and slightly darkened. Toasting the nuts will give them a richer, deeper flavor. Cool the nuts slightly, then place the warm nuts in a food processor and start grinding. Process the nuts until they are ground to coarse meal, then continue until you finally get a smooth paste. Scrape down the bowl periodically.

As you process, the meal will first clump together as the nuts’ oils are released, finally smoothing out over a couple minutes. That’s your nut butter. Taste the butter and season, or flavor, as desired, processing everything together.

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