For the love of....

JAM

It's that season.  School season, oh yea, and summer too.  Long ago in my Michigan days I would go to the Upick strawberry patch and spend the day picking berries with my babies on my back.  Then I would go home, wash the berries, then take the stems off the berries, then make the jam.

It was a long process.  But the results were so great, I had to do it.  It was one of my favorite jobs as a mother.  Providing homemade jam has always been a "need" in our family, and I love that our kids appreciate the difference between real jam and store bought jam.

But, things are different now.  First, I live in the desert.  Second, my time for making jam has seriously eroded.  Who knew having 4 kids could completely eat up all free time?

What's the solution?  In true Sarah fashion, I make jam the easiest way possible.

Step 1- buy the bags of berries from Costco (frozen berries)

this time it was 2 bags of strawberry and 1 bag of mixed berries..

why? because strawberries are cheaper, but the mixed berries are fabulous

Step 2- Defrost the berries by sticking them on an outside table for an hour.  This may take longer if you live anywhere reasonable.

Step 3- Blend up the berries.  We used a handmixer in one big bowl.  It took about 5 minutes.  Maybe.

Step 4- Using the freezer jam pectin from ball (shown in picture above), make jam by mixing packet with 1 1/2 cups sugar and 4 cups of fruit.   Stir for 3 minutes and you are done.

No cooking!  Nothing could be simpler or better!  

Saving time never tasted so delicious!