Saturday

Recipe & Reality

We ate so many strawberries this past week from our Mother's Day outing that my son ended up at the doctor's office covered in an "I ate too many red berries rash." Uh-oh.

So, we used the rest and made Strawberry Freezer Jam. Have you ever tried this? It is terribly yummy and super easy.

I wrote about creating a frugal home and one of my goals was to learn to can. This is my first attempt.  (I've decided that going frugal is hard work. I'm much better at being thrifty. Is that too honest? I'm not giving up, just being realistic!)

And since I'm being so honest, remember this post about my urban homestead thriving? Well. My plants all have yellow leaves from too much rain. My rabbit's furry white coat is stained with poop (too much lettuce), the compost pile stinks to high heaven, I've gained 3.5 pounds from all the bread I've been baking and I'm tired of the muddy boot prints all over the floor.

I feel better now.

Back to the Freezer Jam. Here's the recipe (it's included in the Sure Gel or Fruit Pectin jello package). 


To make around 3 pint sized jars, you need two cups of crushed strawberries, 4 cups of sugar, a little water and a box of Sure-Gel (canning section of the grocery store). That's it!

Freezer jam is kept in the freezer and is delicious on warm toast and biscuits.


But apparently, over consumption of freezer jam causes a rash too.

{scratch, scratch}

Oh, and really honest blog posts.

28 comments:

Muthering Heights said...

That looks delicious!

I can my jam, and it turns a darker color from the heated pectin. Yours looks much more appetizing, LOL!

Terri said...

I just sat down to take a break from making my own strawberry freezer jam! I used the same recipe as you, but put mine in 1c ziploc containers... that I got for free with coupons!

Sorry about your son's rash! I had a friend whose mom was allergic to strawberries... but NOT when they first were rinsed with boiling water. Seems the boiling water washed away all the tiny strawberry hairs, the real culprit to her allergic reaction! Don't know if this will help your son or not.

Blessings!

Darla said...

Is it wrong I love a good whine post every so often? :D

Kim @ Starshine Chic said...

I love freezer strawberry jam. I haven't had it since I was a kid. Brings back lots of yummy memories. I think I might just have to make some now. Sorry to hear about your son's rash. I have a sister who hates strawberries. She isn't allegic, just hates them. How can you hate strawberries?

bridget {bake at 350} said...

I'm so glad you blogged about this! :) We are SO EXCITED to have our jar...thank you!!! I was planning to quiz you about the recipe tomorrow. ;)

Thrifty is good, too!

Anonymous said...

I've been making freezer jam for years and it is to die for. One year I tried making cooked strawberry jam so I could just store it in the pantry. Yuck, no comparison. This stuff is the best!

Bailey's Leaf said...

Boil the jars for 20 minutes and you have shelf stable jam! (Well, not now, but next time maybe!) It's super easy!

Yummy! [scratch, scratch]

Stephanie said...

I'm sorry about the rash...the yellow leaves...the poopy bunny...and the muddy boot prints. We have muddy/sandy boot/shoe issues too.

But the jam looks fantastic. And I'm sure tastes even better.

Brandi said...

I must live under a rock - never heard of freezer jam, but I'm going to have to try it now!

Ace said...

LOLOLOL This was soooo funny because I am in the same situation. I have been trying to convince The General (my dh) to "urban homestead" but it seems to keep back firing on me and I am beginning to think it would just be wiser to "support" also know as buy from....actual homesteaders who are good at it.

Many Blessings :)
Ace

Unknown said...

Love freezer jam, I made it a couple of weeks ago...wish there wasn't so much sugar in it though.

Kathryn said...

I appreciate your honest post. I'm fairly good at "healthy" - i.e. organic, but the frugal part is harder. I justify by being extremely frugal in some areas, & not so much in others.

My ex used to be allergic to strawberries in large quantities, but could get by with just some. Which was good, 'cause he liked strawberries. :)

Shell in your Pocket said...

Everytime I see this done..I think I need to do this!
sandy toe

Unknown said...

The pics of your strawberry pickers brought back lovely summer memories as a child, and now freezer jam too!

I recommend it on warm irish soda bread or irish potato bread!

Brossettelewis said...

Glad to hear someone else attempts are covered in poo, yellow, and mud. The trying is the part that counts, right?

Jamie said...

I love making freezer jam! It gives me such a feeling of accomplishment to see it all lined up in the freezer. Plus, it makes me feel kinda pioneer-ish. So easy and satisfying.

Know all about the urban farming. We live where it's super hot in the summer (PHX) and so we're wasting the money we're supposed to be saving by doing this on the water to water everything. Hmmmm, maybe we need to move.

Michelle said...

The jam looks delicious!

grannyann said...

I have never canned but I do love jam, Smuckers Red Plum Jam on toast!!!
Your berry jam looks delich. Don't give up on the urban homestead!!

Jackie said...

Your jam looks great. Sorry about your son's rash though.

Don't worry. Things will get better. My garden doesn't look great right now because of all of the rain, but I have faith things will improve. I love to can and freeze our garden produce. I have a little info on my blog about it, but hope to post more this year. Not everything works out perfectly, but it is during the process that I learn so much. Take care.

Michelle said...

I love freezer jam! We're still eating our huge batch from last june's strawberry picking adventure. I just opened a jar 2 days ago and it tastes like we made it yesterday. YUM.

Hang in there on all the rest... as you do it, it gets better. At least that is what I tell myself! We actually have compost to till into the garden this year. My only tip is to try to do one thing at a time. It's a lot easier to make one small change before adding another rather than trying to do everything at once!

LifeAtTheCircus.com said...

Strawberry freezer jam is my fav. My mom has made it for years and people always rave about it and want her secret recipe... to which she always laughs and says, "Sure, just check the sure jell box." Funny, I was thinking of posting about freezer jam this spring as I am hoping to pick some berries and make some jam in a few weeks... our berries aren't quite ripe yet here in MD.

Lisa said...

Oh I love simple and I love good...this appears to have met both my loves. We have had 21 straight days of rain here in the Tulsa area. Today it rained this a.m. but we are now on a sunny day streak....yea!!!! I too am SICK of muddy footprints...three big dogs and one big husband, one small house, I love them too!
Have a great week. Just wanted you to know I am still with you.

se7en said...

Great post! Sometimes the honesty of life is so funny in retrospect!!! At the coal face, so to speak, it seems a lot less amusing!!! I am just so pleased that we are no where near a mountain of pickable anythings!

TxFarmhouse said...

Isn't it great when you can vent to your blogger friends? Your strawberry jam looks yummy.

Becky said...

In our house it's not jam if it's not strawberry freezer jam! And we once had a 2 year old that got a rash from eating too many strawberries. Fortunately, it was a one time occurrence, because he loves strawberries. In fact, our freezer is so full of strawberries and strawberry jam right now, there's no room for anything else!

CandiceM said...

mmmmm.... I made strawberry freezer jam last year. There is nothing better than fresh hot bread from the oven and some freezer jam!

Nicole said...

Thanks for keeping it real! THAT means everything!

Cathy {{Mommy NEEDS Motivation}} said...

This is the one and only 'canning' escapade, I mean attempt, that I've experienced. The jam was great, but it didn't, as I had hoped, turn me into a domestic diva. Oh, and I think I've tried all the stuff you're talking about too. I had a veggie garden, of sorts. (about 4 feet square). Now, it is a very lumpy piece of lawn. I keep praying the grass will win the war. :)

Good luck with your domesticating efforts. I'm better at bargain shopping myself too. We should start a club.