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June 19, 2004

Simply Divine

I'm sitting here eating fresh bread, spread with cool butter and warm strawberry jam. A taste of heaven.

Two batches done, one to go. . .

Posted by TulipGirl  |  10:31 PM|  TrackBack (0)  |   Words

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My mouth's watering!

Posted by: Earth Girl at June 20, 2004 04:48 AM

You mentioned you had plans for canning this year--have you started on anything? Other berries should be in season right now here--I need to go to the market and see what looks good.

Posted by: TulipGirl at June 20, 2004 12:46 PM

I tried my hand at cherry preserves, but ended up with cherry sauce. You've inspired me to try strawberries. There are several "U-Pick" strawberry farms nearby. The last several summers we have picked blueberries, but I usually freeze them whole to throw in pancakes. My father-in-law will have grapes for me again and my blackberry bushes are loaded. I froze the blackberries in the past, but I'm the only one who likes them that way, so I may try blackberry jam this year. So far, I've stuck with fruit, but I may try my hand at salsa given the number of tomato plants I have.

Posted by: Earth Girl at June 20, 2004 03:05 PM

Was it home made butter? I tried my hand at canning last Christmas. It was fun and easier than I thought. Do you have any small batch recipies to pass along?

Posted by: Samantha at June 20, 2004 04:27 PM

Samantha,

No, it wasn't homemade butter (though, that's pretty easy--have you done that with the kids? Put heavy whipping cream into a jar and give it to the kids to shake shake shake!) It wasn't homemade bread, either--but it was our favorite soft, fresh, preservative-free bread. (All the breads here are preservative-free!)

Sam/EarthGirl: For strawberry jam I use the recipe that comes in the the box of pectin you can buy at the grocery store. My mother in law prefers the freezer jam, but we have a small freezer. . . I love the canned jam. I've played around with other recipes, but with strawberry, I stick with the tried-and-true pectin box recipe!

Oh, and if you try salsa and you want to have it shelf stable in jars, be sure you get a recipe that specifies it's for canning. You need to be careful with the vinegar/tomato/pepper ratios to keep it safe. (But it still leaves plenty of room for playing around.) Remind me, and if you're interested, I have a spaghetti sauce recipe for canning that is easy-easy.

The boys are having bread and jam for dessert tonight. *grin*

Posted by: TulipGirl at June 20, 2004 06:53 PM

I rediscovered the secret of making homemade butter while making chocolate mouse for french class in junior high. There's a thin line between whipped cream and butter.

My grandfather used to throw a wooden clothes pin in the jar with the cream to speed the process along.

Posted by: Samantha at June 22, 2004 02:14 AM

I would like an easy-easy spaghetti sauce recipe for canning! :-)

Posted by: Dianne at June 24, 2004 02:43 PM