Jam Packed & Berry Good

 I hosted Gardening Gems Garden Club In June this year with a Strawberry class.....Jam Packed and Berry Good.  We had a good time.  

Jam Packed & Berry Good                                                
 
FREEZER JAM (STRAWBERRY IS OUR FAVORITE)    This recipe can be doubled or tripled
Stir together in a large bowl with a wire whip, making sure the ingredients are well mixed together.
                2 c. sugar             1/3 c. heaping Instant Clear Jel            1 pkg. unsweetened Kool-Aid (flavor of berries)
Stir in:  3 ½ c. berry puree
Stir in: ½ c. light corn syrup
Sets up within 10 minutes.  Pour into containers.  Can be frozen or used immediately.

Strawberry Salad Dressing
1 c. olive or canola oil
½ to 1 c. sugar
6 large strawberries (fresh is best but frozen works and jam does too, be generous)
½ t. pepper
1 t. salt
1 t. dried parsley
½ c. apple cider vinegar
Place all ingredients in blender and blend.   Refrigerate.  Serve drizzled over spring lettuce, spinach, sliced strawberries and sugared almonds.

Homemade Ice Cream
4 c. cream
½ to 1 c. sugar
1 T. vanilla
¼ t. salt
Chill mixture for an hour and freeze ice cream maker bowl overnight.  Start mixer on stir setting and slowly pour in the mixture.  Churn for 20 to 25 minutes to freeze.  After 20 minutes add 1 c. strawberry puree and churn for 5 more minutes.  When adding other sweet things I cut the sugar back to ½ c. If no additions I use 1 c. sugar.  Best when frozen for 3 to 4 hours before serving. 
 

To keep your strawberries fresh and prevent them from getting mushy:
Storage Rules

• Keep them dry: Moisture is the main enemy that causes mold to grow.

• Leave stems on: Removing the green tops exposes the interior to bacteria.

• Keep them cold: Put them in the refrigerator immediately after buying/picking them.

• Give them space: Spread them out in a shallow container rather than stacking them.

• Ditch the plastic: Take them out of the tight, original plastic grocery packaging.

• Line the container: Place a paper towel at the bottom to absorb moisture.

• I think they last longer when stored in glass containers. 

Washing Rules

• Wash right before eating: Never wash strawberries until you are ready to eat them.

• Use cold water: Rinse them gently under a cold tap to remove dirt.

• Try vinegar baths: Soak them in one part vinegar and three parts water.

• Kill mold spores: The vinegar bath kills mold spores to extend shelf life.

• Spin them dry: Use a salad spinner lined with paper towels to dry.

• Air dry completely: Lay them flat on a towel before putting them away.

 Tips for using INSTANT CLEAR JEL (for uncooked things, like freezer jam)

• Clear Jel tends to lump so mix it with dry ingredients to prevent lumps.  If you need to add more later for added thickening, mix it with more dry ingredients.

• Mix with a wire whip or blender or mixer.

• Thickens within 10 minutes so you know right away if you need to add more thickening.

• If you are converting from cornstarch, flour or other thickener start by using half the amount of Clear Jel, in most cases I use the same amount called for. 

• Use for quick & easy sauces, jams, cookies, soups, puddings, toppings, syrups and salad dressing mixes. 

CLEAR JEL IS THE ONLY APPROVED THICKENER TO BE USED FOR CANNING! It will not break down in the jar after it has been canned.  It will come out of the jar the same consistency as it went in.  Use Regular Clear Jel for hot water bath canning, not Instant Clear Jel.

Here is the link to the National Center for Home Food Preservation

https://nchfp.uga.edu/

Some of those in attendance at the class.....Sorry we didn't catch all of you that were there.