Triple Berry Jam and TB Cheesecake Bars

 

I am new to canning. I made freezer jam last summer with fresh berries but I didn't think I could complete the canning proccess on my glass top stove. I went to a canning demonstration with my friend Ann at Williams Sonoma and I asked about what I would need to change for my appliance. The canning "expert" was of the opinion that if I can keep a pot of water at a constant boil there is no reason why I can't can! So I accepted the challenge and hope that I won't kill anyone with my canning :)

I couldn't buy one of the cheap canning pots at Walmart (Granite Ware) because they are a thin porcelain that could melt on my glass top. Doh! So I looked online for suggestions.. I found one lady who cans using her ordinary stockpot and pasta insert!

I gave it a try. I followed all of the regular directions otherwise- boiling the jars and metal lids, cooking the fruit mixture, and boiling the filled jars for 10-12 minutes to complete the process. I used the recipe inside the pectin box.

 

I did make two minor mistakes. I forgot to stir the jam once the mixture was in the jar AND I forgot to wipe the rims of the jars after they were filled. I don't think either had any effect on my end product. I made low-sugar strawberry jam a few days later and didn't forget these two things. The jam still looked separated so I don't think it's really a big deal. You just stir when you first open the jam! Same recipe source.

 

The canning process? Easy enough. I heard the distinctive POPS! as the jars sealed. I didn't hear all eight pops, but I was a bit busy washing the ton of dishes afterwards so maybe I missed some of them.

And it tastes delicious! I had some jam that didn't fit in my prepared eight half pint jars so I waited for it to set a bit and then spread it on some toast. Delicious! I used a low sugar pectin, which required only 4 cups of sugar for this batch. Four cups sounds like a lot but not when compared with the regular jam recipes. My jam is still REALLY sweet.

I think I had three pieces of toast this day. Shhhhhh!

A few days later I had an urge to bake something. I googled recipes that use jam and found this recipe from a blog that I'm very familiar with. (I think that's key in finding great recipes. I don't just trust any one anymore- too many lost ingredients and energy spent with loser recipes!)

The best part? Low fat recipe! Low guilt :) This only made a small pan of cheesecake bars. Plenty for Jim and I to nibble on it for a few days!

 

The cheesecake bars again..

 

I loved that this recipe used Greek yogurt. I appreciate the graham cracker crust but I think it could use a bit more! I also think the cheesecake part could use a tiny bit more sugar (the blogger noted this too) but my husband said it was just fine. I guess as long as you get jam in each bite you don't really notice!

A very good recipe. A keeper!

Click here for the stolen recipe for Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars. (It doesn't matter which kind of jam you use!)

So of course my son is refusing to try the jam. I kind of figured he wouldn't like the Triple Berry (seeds) so I made the plain strawberry, which looks like the stuff we buy from the grocery store. He wouldn't have any on HIS sandwich today. I don't feel too offended because he's just that way sometimes- sometimes he just likes the peanut butter, no jam. I'll be ready when he wants jam in his sandwich again!

My PB&J with strawberry jam!

 

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Strawberry Freezer Jam

I picked SEVEN pounds of strawberries yesterday. It actually didn't take too long. James was at daycare so I went by myself and picked fast.

I used a reduced sugar pectin and followed the directions in the box for Freezer Jam. I had first bought boxes of regular pectin but was horrified to read that for every four cups of smashed strawberries I'd need THREE cups of sugar. Too much. My Facebook friend Sylvia told me that she used the reduced sugar pectin successfully to make her freezer jam. I went back to the store and found it. Four cups of smashed strawberries and just one cup of sugar. It is definitely sweet enough! The strawberries were awesome to begin with so they barely needed sugar, really.

The recipe is very easy. From about 5 1/2 pounds of strawberries I ended up with twelve 1-cup containers of jam that will stay good in the freezer for up to a year. I think I might need more because I'll probably give some away :) We're definitely picking more strawberries next week since I didn't have enough this time for this ice cream.

The recipe was in the pectin box but I did find it online here.

Strawberry Extravaganza!

I went a little nuts today with the strawberries. My son and I went strawberry picking and we came home with 5 pounds! I didn't really have a plan but I found some easy things to make that didn't require a lot of planning or extra supplies.

First up, strawberry preserves. I don't have a finished picture, like on toast, but so far so good. I opened a jar and it seems to have set well and it's nice and chunky with fresh strawberries. It's also a little tart from the lemon zest and juice. Yum.





Second, the Strawberry Rhubart Tarts. I went searching on one of my favorite food blogs for anything with strawberries and rhubarb and this was perfect. It was something new when I really wanted to go with something familiar, like last summer's Strawberry Handpies, so I'm glad I headed into the unknown. I really am very glad that I made these, they are wonderful! I loved that I got to use my little tartlet pans and they are a perfect portion size. (We tend to overeat our sweets in this house :)

I was a little confused when I followed the recipe at the end, mixing the strawberries and rhubarb with cinnamon, brown sugar, and an egg. I figured it would work out well. Uh, yeah!

In between making the top two delicious items I was making Strawberry Frozen Yogurt, from none other than David Lebovitz. So easy! I think I might have found my favorite way to use my ice cream maker. It feels healthier using organic plain yogurt instead of the heavy cream and whole milk, and eggs, and lots of sugar.

It felt like all day I was cutting strawberries, mixing with it sugar, and letting it get happy for a while before using it in my cooking/baking. Lots of dishes going on! It was all so worth it! I'm trying to decide if I should go strawberry picking again next week- maybe make a whole pie! Oh my Jimmy would love me so much if I made a true strawberry rhubarb pie! (Did you notice that every sentence in this paragraph ended in an exclamation mark?!)

Yes, exciting stuff! Great day! :)

I am sharing some of the jam (it made two half pint jars), probably with my mother-in-law, and then I froze the remaining tarts after Jim and I each had one for dessert. I'm sure Jim will dig in tomorrow again though :)

Click here for the stolen recipe for Strawberry Preserves.

Click here for the stolen recipe for Strawberry Frozen Yogurt. (Perfect Scoop)

Click here for the stolen recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Tarts.