Mmmmmm it's strawberry time!

Yes, it's the time where butterflies start to pop out, gardens are on everyone's mind and strawberry season is here in the South! So much yummy delicious flavor packed into a red berry and so many ways to eat it. I think it's one of the most versatile berries out there. Ice creams, jams, muffins, toppings, syrup, in cereal etc...

This is the time where we clean out our fridge from the left over frozen strawberry's of last years harvest. They will soon be replaced with a bountiful crop of fresh U-pick berries from a local farm near by. We have tried to grow our own in the past but it seems that our local squirrel population really hates us! Our kids love picking the berries! It seems that for every 2 that go in the bucket one ends up in their little belly's. :)

Our favorite thing to do with last years frozen harvest is to make jelly, jam or ice cream topping. I will list a few easy steps on how you can do this with a few simple tools from your kitchen.

Step 1 - Pick the berries! (or use your left over freezer harvest)

Step 2 - Wash the jars and lids

Step 3 -Wash and hull the fruit!

Step 4 - Crush the fruit

Step 5 - Measure out the sugar

Step 6 - Mix the berries with the pectin and cook to a full boil

Step 7 - Get the lids warming in hot (but not boiling) water

Step 8 - Add the remaining sugar and bring to a boil again for 1 minute

Step 9 - Skim any excessive foam

Step 10 - Testing for "jell" (thickness)

step 11 - Optional: Let stand for 5 minutes and stir completely

Step 12 - Fill the jars and put the lid and rings on

Step 13 - Process the jars in the boiling water bath

Step 14 - Remove and cool the jars - Done!

Above is just a short step by step process. For a more detailed view on how to do jelly's, jams etc... Please visit the reference site I have given below. It's a fantastic food storage and prep website.
http://www.pickyourown.org/jam.htm

The pics here are from our canning operation. :)