Berries arrived! One of my favorite things to photograph are strawberries. They never let you down, so bright and pretty. We got them after church and made jam. I havn't made jam for several years. I use to make freezer jam. Since it was never one of those things that I really loved it didn't give me much satisfaction, but now that I have some peeps that just really love their jam and I have noticed that I am always keeping a tub on hand for them, I broke down and made some this year. I did not want to make freezer jam, although yummy, after all the trouble I wanted to SEE those pretty jars sitting on my pantry shelves. A huge reward.
12 1/2 pint jars and they all "popped", (yea!) I went back and forth between the Sure Jell recipe and the one I found at Pick Your Own. I did end up using a tad mor pectin than called for, one of "Pick Your Own's" suggestions, after doing the spoon test and it was still runny and it worked out great. Its just the right consistency. BUT, next time I will definately use the lower sugar, (not NO sugar) but Low sugar pectin, spose to be just as good and less sugar is always good, right.
We bought way more than we needed. I only used half a flat for 12 1/2 pints and had a whole half flat left so we made shortcake with vanilla whipping cream.
This is such a horrible sad little strawberry shortcake. It was suppose to be layered all pretty with perky whipping cream, but it got all melty and the strawberry slid off the top but it was DELICIOUS, so who cares if its ugly.
I found these cute little labels at my local hardware in the "canning section" in between the nuts and bolts and pvc pipe, I love it. Yes, I could of made some , but these were only $1.99 and old fashioned I thought.
This was my dinner last night. Taylor made it. She tried to recreate her favorite salad at the local pizza place, Italia. The spinach salad, which she doesn't even like, she always subsitutes fresh greens for the spinach, she just likes everything else and the dressing. Oh man was it ever good, we threw on some grilled top sirloin, sliced thin and it was to die for. I could eat it every night.
What are you eating tonight?
i just made strawberry freezer jam for the 1st time. to me, it's less of a jam and more of a strawberry sauce to use in desserts. so i guess i made freezer sauce.
love your blog.
Posted by: steph | June 19, 2009 at 04:06 AM
yum yum yum!! that shortcake looks delectable to me! We had a beef and veg curruy (tikka masala) with noodles tonight..very nice on a cold night! Hope you're still enjoying the warm where you are Gxox
Posted by: Gina | June 18, 2009 at 01:42 AM
1/2 pint jars of strawberry jam are my favorite gift to give. Next weekend is my jam weekend ... I'm so looking forward to it!
Posted by: jessica | June 17, 2009 at 02:44 PM
Aren't strawberries the best? Pretty and yummy!
I do wish I had gotten around to making shortcake when we did jam. Even when they come out a little wonky, they taste so good! :)
Posted by: randi | June 16, 2009 at 06:31 AM
wow that strawberry shortcake looks so yummy Cindy! I'm loving your strawberry kitchen crafts!
Posted by: christy | June 16, 2009 at 05:43 AM