Wednesday, July 25, 2007

STRAWBERRIES!!


MMMMM Summertime means sTrAwBeRrIeS, lemonade and pbj's (because it's way too stinking hot to cook!)


Brent and I both had the day off yesterday. The 24th of July is Pioneer Day, a state holiday in UT. It's the day we celebrate the pioneers settling in the Salt Lake Valley back in ooooh, way back when... :) But it was cool to have the day off with Brent, spend some time together and get a few things done around the house.


Most of the morning was spend making homemade strawberry jam. I usually make homemade freezer jam, but this year I decided to make home canned/bottled jam. It will last longer and doesn't take up precious real estate in my freezer. Brent even helped out! He was so excited to see all the finished bottles lined up on the counter cooling. Each time a lid would POP (seal), he'd keep count... POP! - "Three", POP! - "Seven!" LOL!




We tried two recipes... one with pecitin and one without. They both taste fabulous, but the Pectin recipe was a LOT faster and the color was much prettier. You have to cook the non-pectin recipe a lonnnng time and it gets really dark and almost looks like raspberry jam instead of strawberry jam.






We ended up with 21 half pints of strawberry jam. We made one batch (see left photo), then had a ton of strawberries left, so Brent ran to the store and picked up more half pint jars.)

This is WAAAAY more than B and I will eat in a year. Perhaps I will have to create a cute little tag or something for a couple jars and give some away... hrmmmmm.......

6 comments:

CreativeMish said...

I've always made freezer jam! your cooked jam looks fabulous! I'm going to have to give it a try

Nicole *Ü* said...

I have never made strawberry jam, but yours looks really yummy!! You probably better share the recipe! LOL I usually make raspberry-peach jam (canned) and it doesn't use Pectin. It uses Jell-O instead. It is SOOOOO good!!! When peaches come on, I'll have to post the recipe on my blog.

mE said...

I will post the recipe tonight after work. :) It's super, super easy.

I still have freezer jam from last year. I am sure it's ok, because it's mostly sugar!! lol! With two ppl, you don't go through as much as a big family would.

The Batty Bunch said...

Girlfriend you seriously need a day job. Way too much time on your hands if your making jam. Looks YUMMY.

mE said...

LOL Dizzy Lizzy!

We had the day OFF! :P I don't want a day job no mo..... noooooo... I just wanna play and run B's business!

InkyE

Nancy Ball said...

I'll take a pint......as I made strawberry mango freezer jam fours years ago and I'm still eating it. Still tastes fabulous too!

I'd love to taste yours, how about send me a pint...okay!