Strawberry Jam

There's nothing like the taste of a warm fresh picked berry straight out of the garden. I gave up raising strawberries the year we moved to ground that makes better pottery than soil, but I have been fortunate that my nearest Amish neighbors grow more than they can sell, gifting my family a few buckets each year. Still no matter how much we love fresh berries, we cannot eat them faster than they ruin and freezer space here on the farm is limited to the occasion beef, hog, or deer.

I thought I might share with you my recipe for strawberry jam. It's simple and even though many prefer freezer jam, this method last longer and doesn't take up to much space.

Prep at least seven jelly jars with caps and rings and set aside.

After washing your berries thoroughly, cut them up into small pieces. I prefer larger chunks, but choose your own preference. You need about 7 cups of cut berries for this recipe. With a potato masher or wooden spoon, smash your berries to release the juices. Most people do this until it is very liquidity. Once again, we prefer chunks and I only mash my berries in less than a minute. I do not add water to my jam and you shouldn't either no matter what you've been told.

Premeasure 7 cups of sugar in a seperate bowl to have ready to add to the berries when ready.





In a stainless steel pan place berries and one box of sure-jel, or your preferred jelly making brand. Stirring regularly, turn your heat on the stove up to a mid-high range and slowly bring your berries to a boil. Once boiling, pour in your sugar and turn up the heat.

Stirring constantly, your berries will reach a raging boil that cannot be stirred down. This is where the magic happens. Let your mixture boil approximately three minutes. You can drip juices off your spoon onto a plate and see the consistency has thickened a lot. You can now turn off your burner and began filling your jars. Once you have screwed on your caps and rings, flip your jars over. Leave them for about an hour before flipping them back up. Don't panic if everything still looks a bit runny. It will firm more and more as it cools. Now, you have strawberry jam. Congratulations, and enjoy.

Farmhouse Strawberry Pie

Easter has come and gone, but I have been asked for this delicious Farmhouse Strawberry Pie recipe more than a few times. My current work in progress, To Catch a Hummingbird will have this recipe featured within it's pages, along with my sixty year old Granny's Chocolate Pie recipe. With strawberries blooming all around me, I thought now was the best time to share this with all of you.
1- 9 inch pie shell, cooked. (Unless you prefer homemade, then have at it.)
1 pint fresh Strawberries              
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 box strawberry gelatin
In cooled pie shell slice fresh berries and spread out evenly.
In medium pan mix remaining ingredients and whisk to a boil. 10 minutes boiling.
Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool (Don't worry it will still be pourable) Whisk occasionally to keep good texture. Then pour over strawberries and chill for an hour. Add whipped cream as a topping or dive right in.