Mango Lime Basil Jam

Mangoes are a great fruit to have and use in fruit salads, or even in a green salad with almonds and a light dressing. But what else can you do with them if you get tired of them plain? 

I used my 8 pound case of mangoes to make the best jam ever!  I was researching different jam recipes online when I stumbled across nectarine jam with basil.  I immediately got excited at the possibilities of basil!! Next to cilantro, basil is my number two herb to have on hand! My husband and kids love to eat mangoes, but I wanted to do something special with them.  I let the 8 pounds of mangoes ripen all week until they were wrinkled and soft, but not mushy or moldy,  and then used them to make the best jam in the world - in my opinion!

8 pounds mangoes, very ripe -peeled, cored and mashed
4 cups sugar
10-12 basil leaves, whole
1 package Sure-Jell
1/4 c lime concentrate or fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp ground ginger, optional

Peel and core mangoes. The mangoes I used were very, very ripe so I just squeezed them from the pit/core making sure they were mashed well. 
In a heavy sauce pan, boil mango puree with remaining ingredients for about 25-30 minutes until mixture begins to thicken.
Adjust lime and sugar content as needed for your own taste.  *I love mine full of lime, so I tend to lime it up!
Pour into nine prepared half-pint jars and seal as usual for canning jams.

(**I discovered last summer that very ripe mangoes make for a more spreadable jam, and that's why I added Sure-Jell to this batch of mangoes.)