Strawberries!

Ok, so I know it's waaaaay past strawberry season and this post is really late.  And I also haven't posted in a long time.  I really am trying to be more regular with my blogging.  Momma A always said to  write up a bunch of posts ahead of time and then post them so many times a week; I think I will try this approach, might help me be more consistent with it.
Anyways, back in strawberry season, my mom and I went to Raab Fruit Farms in Dallastown, PA.  You can access their info through this link, or you can also find them on Facebook, but their page is rather new and does not have a lot of info on it.  We did the pick your own strawberries and it was great.  The staff was very friendly and the berries were yummy.  You all know how I love local farms and pick your own.  you can get a lot of product for less money and you are supporting local farming and business.  Remember: "No farms, No food!"

I picked about 8 quarts of berries and there was no way I could eat them all before they went bad, so I made strawberry jam with them.  I learned how to make jam with Essen, "a recreational cooking school based in Lancaster, PA."  Essen offers a wide variety of classes and I always learn a lot of great foodie info while there.  I will share the recipe for strawberry jam that I learned with Essen.  After you make the jam, you can can it, freeze it, or put it in the fridge and eat within a month.

Strawberry Jam


Ingredients:
3 quarts strawberries, hulled and cut in half or quarters, depending on how big the berries are
2 1/4 - 3 cups sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice

Start Cooking:
1.  Combine fruit, sugar, and lemon juice in a large bowl.  Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours, or refrigerate overnight, stirring occasionally.
2. Transfer fruit mixture to a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming the foam and stirring occasionally.  Mash to think puree with back of spoon.  Reduce heat to medium-low and boil gently, until mixture begins to thicken, stirring often, about 30-60 minutes.  Keep skimming foam.

Berries cooking, waiting for the boil.

3.  Once your jam is thickened into jam, can it, freeze it, or refrigerate it.

Tips and Hints:
1.  Watch your jam!!!  I left the jam for about 20 minutes and ended up burning a batch.  Burn jam does not smell to taste good.
2.  Why skim the foam?  It helps keep the jam from getting cloudy.

Enjoy!