This banana butter with chopped cherries is delicious served as topping on ice cream or as a spread with scones or baking powder biscuits.

Banana Butter

3 cups mashed banana (about 10 bananas)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/3 cup finely chopped cherries (optional)

6 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 bottle liquid fruit pectin

Paraffin wax

1. In a large saucepan combine mashed bananas, lemon and cherries. Add sugar to fruit mixture; mix well. Bring to full rolling boil over medium-high heat and boil hard for one minute,stirring constantly.
2. Remove from heat. Immediately stir in the liquid fruit pectin. Ladle into sterilized canning jars. Cover at once with 1/8-inch hot, melted paraffin wax.

Makes about 9 pints.