In a Jam

One of the best things about my garden is the abundance of berries,  I have a ton of them. The worst thing about my garden is the abundance of berries They seem to go to waste every year. Well, this year I decided, no more! I will do something with all those berries! Sure, I could just freeze them or put them in some sort of muffin, but really-that's kind of blah. So, I decided to make freezer jam-one, because I'm too lazy about canning and two, it's the easiest thing in the world to do and quick!

I made two batches, one with raspberries and one with strawberries. I searched through a lot of recipes and the majority of them were about the same. The one problem that you may run into is the large amount of sugar for the jam.  There are recipes with less sugar and I may try them next time.

Strawberry Jam
1 package of fruit pectin
2 cups crushed strawberries
4 cups sugar
Combine sugar and berries into a bowl. Mix well and let sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine 3/4 cup water to one package of pectin. Stir until dissolved. Continue to stir until mixture comes to a full boil. Let boil for 1 minute-still stirring constantly
Combine the pectin with the sugar/berry mixture. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
Pour into canning jars, leaving 1/2 inch space at the top for expansion
Put lid on tight and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.
It will last in your refrigerator for 3 weeks or in the freezer for 1 year.

For Raspberry Jam
1 package pectin

3 cups crushed berries
5 1/4 cups of sugar
Follow directions above.

Like I said, to the taste, right out of the jar, this jam will be very sweet but once it is combined with bread, scones or muffins, the sweetness tones down and will compliment anything you spread it on. This jam makes a wonderful gift and everyone will think that you spent hours on it, but we all know the secret!

Another thing to remember, the more ripe the berry, the sweeter and less firm the jam.

You can decorate the lids with stickers or bits of scrap fabric. Freezer jam makes an excellent gift and one of the best things, especially in the summer time, is that you hardly have to use your stove. Nice, cool and easy!