Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Not a "fancy" jelly maker!

Oh, how I wish I could actually can and preserve. For one, I don’t have the supplies…yet. Secondly, I’m not fully sure how to do it. But my goal, by the end of 2009, is to do both!

I do, however, make my own freezer jam. I sent my husband to the store for more pectin. When he asked the grocery lady where to find it, she said, “you mean there are people in Dallas that still do that?!”

OK…it dawned on me that some people have no idea how easy it is! If the lady at the store knew how easy it was, she wouldn’t have asked to talk to me on my husband’s cell phone to get the 411 on how to do it. For those of you who are REAL canners and preservers, please just humor us amateurs and pretend this is a really big deal that we can do this.




OK, here's how you do it. Drum roll, please.

Step 1: Have clean jars ready to go.
Step 2: Buy some FREEZER JAM pectin. It will specify “freezer jam”.
Step 3: Wash your fruit of choice. You don't have to drown yours in water like I did...I'm just too lazy to wash individual fruit pieces.
Step 4: Dice fruit.
Step 5: Stir together the freezer jam pectin and 3 ½ cups of sugar (or sucanat or rapadura, or whatever you choose).
Step 6: Add diced fruit. Stir (for 3 minutes, I think).
Step 7: Pour into clean jars.
Step 8: Let sit on counter for 30 minutes to “harden” a little bit.
Step 9: Freeze or eat. (Will last in freezer up to 1 year….will last opened in frig up to 3 weeks)
Step 10: Consume on toast or ice cream or crepes or whatever tickles your fruit fancy!
Step 11: If your choice was consumption, now walk away…you’re gonna want more!



We love making it...but love eating it more! Hope you can take advantage of the wonderful produce right now and all the great prices...and make some as well.

3 comments:

Stacey said...

Hi Kathryn! Thanks for stopping by my blog this morning and leaving a sweet note. Yes, that's my backyard. It's a lot of work but we absolutely love it. Come by next week, I think I need to tell the story of how we ended up with such a big pond.

You are smart to make freezer jam. I'm like you and don't know how to do it the old fashioned way.

We are Texans too by the way. But we live in Oklahoma and have for 20 years. One of these days we'll get back!

Stacey said...

Kathryn, had to come back because I just saw your comment about a clean house and what does it feel like. I'm laughing! When my boys were little (it makes me feel old to say that) nothing was ever clean! Boy toys every where! Now it's not quite like that BUT I have a secret. The way our house is built the guys are sort of on one side of the house. Only boys go there..boys and their friends. It's gross!! Let's not even talk about their bathroom and trust me you will never see pictures of that side of the house.

Every Day Blessings said...

We love freezer Jam and I love to make it.Our favorites are usually apricot and raspberry because I usaully get those free from friends.You go girl!