Sunday, May 3, 2009

Preserved with l♥ve

Saturday it rained non-stop!! John & I did our usual Saturday morning date....gym and breakfast. After he left for work I got busy making homemade jam!

I bought these beauties from the local farm, Holland Bottoms. I gently washed all 10 quarts. Then cut off the caps & stems and divided them into two quart bowls. Fresh strawberries are the best!

I decided to cut about 2 or 3 quarts into 1/2 inch pieces and dehydrate them.


Canning can be very time consuming...everything has to be sterilized to prevent bacteria from growing. I sterilize the jars in my dishwasher.


Here are the strawberries crushed up with the lemon juice and pectin in it; almost at a boil waiting for the sugar.

Here it is with the sugar added and almost at the rolling boil stage.



Here is the finished product! I ended up making 22 half-pint jars and 2 four oz. jars.

Homemade jam is made in small batches, you can not double the recipe, it is full of chunks and bursting with flavor. There is nothing better then homemade preserves on an english muffin or a homemade biscuit.

I will use these dehydrated strawberries in my granola or we will put them in our cereal. They are even good as a small snack. They came out great!

I'm at my happiest when I am in my kitchen! ♥

19 comments:

April said...

Strawberries are my all-time favorite fruit, especially in the summertime. I've never tried canning, probably because I know from watching my granny that it IS a huge undertaking! Oh, her jellies and preserves sure tasted good, though!

Becky said...

we always make my mom's recipe for freezer jam. We make bunches of it in strawberry, and it is everyones absolute favorite! Yum!

Natalie Freeman said...

I am so sad that Missouri doesn't have strawberries yet! Also, I have to start canning myself because I plan on making strawberry jam as favors at the wedding! I guess you'll have to add another jar to your collection :)!!

Betty said...

The jam looks so great, I have my mouth watering here! :)
You did a good job!!

Susie said...

I am too!! I love canning:-)

Heather said...

Girl, I wanna come over to your house for breakfast! And dessert!

You always make the most amazing things!

Great photos of the canning. My mouth is watering :)

Melody said...

Mmmmm. Strawberry jam on warm homemade bread is best!

Barbara said...

You did a really good job on the canning. It gave you something productive to do while it rained out and John was working.

Mercedes said...

Ooh I love home made jam. That is definitely on my to do list this year.

Julie said...

that look so yummy. I wish I knew how to make jam... not sure how to buy the stuff here!

Putting the FUN in DysFUNctional said...

Oh, that looks so good! My youngest boy would be in heaven, that boy could eat strawberries 24/7.

Elisabeth said...

The jam looks delicious. Everytime I think about homemade jam, I think of the episode from FRIENDS when Monica makes a ton of jam, and Joey just sits around eating it all day right out of the jar.

I have never tried canning--but if I were to, making jam seems like the easiest (and sweetest) place to get started!

The Pink Geranium or Jan's Place said...

wow.. I have not made Jam since my kids were little, now one of them cans.. it had looked like it was becoming a lost art.. maybe with the recession, more people are going back.. plus you know what you are eating!

Thanks for stopping by at my place!

Jan

The Wife O Riley said...

I am in awe!! Simply in awe!!

Jen said...

Strawberries are my favorite!! And homemade jam,YUM! We have about 50 strawberry plants ready to go into the ground and I can't wait for them to produce! I've never canned before but am definitely going to attempt it.

Yankee Girl said...

I am completely impressed! I love baking but have never done anything like jam or dehydrating food. It looked amazing!

Mrsbear said...

Looks fantastic. I don't know if I'd have the patience to make jam, although I'd definitely be able to put some away. Yum.

Jenny and the Princess Peonies said...

Mmmmmmm... I LOVE strawberries. Jam is yummo! I am jealous. We can't get our strawberries fresh for MONTHS.

Aubrey said...

Yum!
My fat granny used to make strawberry jam each year from the strawberries she grew in her garden. I miss that!