Summertime is... Simple Strawberry Jam

Red and Ripe Summertime Strawberries

Summertime is all about eating berries! I love all types. I remember a couple outings with my mom and sisters growing up when we went to local farms to pick. We'd spend the morning in the blazing sun and come home ready to make jam. Little did we know, making proper preserves can be a long process. Inevitably we'd get impatient and head outside to the pool for fun, leaving my mom with much of the jam-making process left. Not exactly the summertime activity my mom wanted to do solo!

So, this year, when we put jam-making on our bucket list, the goal was definitely to find a quick and easy recipe, so the kids could experience the fun, but not spend too much time in the details. We decided to go with a recipe from Sure-Jell-- it had few ingredients, and did not involve sterilizing and canning. It was a great choice... within 45 minutes, we had made the jam, and the kids were diving in the pool for fun!

Making Simple Strawberry Jam by B.Nute productions

Here's the recipe: 

Homemade Strawberry Freezer Jam (from Sure-Jell)

and the simple steps we followed:

1. The kids removed the stems and diced up the strawberries.

2. With the strawberries in a bowl, they used a potato masher to crush the strawberries.

3. They mixed the sugar with the strawberries, and let the mixture rest for 10 minutes.

4. We heated 3/4c water with a Sure-Jell package to a boil.

5. After boiling for 1 minute, we removed the water/jell mixture and stirred it into crushed strawberries and sugar.

6. For "canning", we simple used small reusable containers, and filled them up. 

7. After 24 hours at room temperature, we now have a couple jars in our fridge for use, and the rest in our freezer (for up to a year.) Yum, summertime strawberries all year long!

Strawberry Jam! 

I'd definitely recommend this recipe if you're looking for a little jam making fun this summer- it was simple and didn't take too long, and sure tasted delicious on our toast the next morning!

Summer means... Berries!

Summertime means berries!

Berries are abundant in the summer... and they are the best! I always get sad when I start to see them leave the stores in the fall... although you may see them occasionally in the off season, they are not nearly as sweet as in the height of summer. Here are some ways to celebrate berries this summer:

Go Berry Picking- Head off on a berry picking adventure with your kids. There are many berry patches throughout the US, so just look on the web and find your local spot. Pick Your Own is a great site that lists farms. If you happen to be too late in the season, then venture to a farmers market and pick out a berry sampling.

Make Jam - I remember making jam with my mom when I was younger. It was an all day process, and the results were delicious! Just doing a quick search on the web for jam making with kids, there are plenty of sites with ideas. From 30 minutes jams to more intense recipes, the outcome is well worth the effort!

Berries and Cream - There is nothing like fresh berries in a bowl with a little cream. Mmmm.

Berry Pie - Making a fresh berry pie is quite a treat... if you don't have much time, but would love to make a pie with your fresh berries, just click for some easy berry pie ideas.

Try Some Different Berries - Olallieberries, logan berries, gooseberries, lingonberries, and more... why not introduce some other berries to your family besides the tried and true. Do a taste test and see which one is the family winner.

Make Fruit Roll Ups - I remember making fruit roll ups with my mom one summer. I couldn't believe that it was so easy to make! Here's a recipe from Family Fun to make your own: Homemade Fruit Rolls