Every year I make strawberry jam using the recipe that comes in the box of pectin, but every single year I debate if I should use the recipe for cooked jam or the recipe for freezer jam. Recently I did a side by side comparison of the two recipes to find out what is the difference between cooked jam and freezer jam. The debate is finally over! This post contains affiliate links. Wait a second. Where am I getting these recipes? There are many options out there for strawberry jam recipes, but I always use the recipe from the Sure Jell brand of pectin. Pectin is the powder used to thicken the jam. Inside the box you will find directions for … [Read more...]
How to Make Homemade Bone Broth
Last year I started to make my own chicken and turkey broth for the very first time. When Thanksgiving came around, I snatched up the turkey bones and made so much broth that I ran out of containers. I literally started to give it away to anyone that would take it. If I can do it, you can to! What is the difference between broth and stock? I've read that stock is made from the bones and broth is made from the meat. I've also read that broth is seasoned and stock is not. I don't think it matters what you call it, but for this post I'm calling it broth. Why make your own bone broth? The number one reason to make your own broth is so that … [Read more...]
Salsa Canning Vlog: a silly and ridiculous “how to” video
This post contains affiliate links. I was home alone. It was glorious. There were a million things that I could have spent my time doing, but the ripe tomatoes were calling my name. It was time to make salsa. I decided to do what any "normal" person would do in this situation and I live vlogged my salsa making adventure on Instagram. All night long I sent 15 second clips of salsa making madness out into the land of social media. The salsa canning vlog clips were silly, ridiculous, and poor quality. They were shot on my iPhone through the Instagram app. My kitchen lighting was horrific. My hair wasn't looking much better. I was … [Read more...]
How to Peel (and cut) a Peach {video}
I was sitting at work years ago and noticed a coworker was staring at me from across the lunch table. "I have never seen anyone peel and cut a peach like that before." "Really???" Strange or Ordinary - You decide! Here is how I like to peel a peach! Do you peel your peaches or eat the skin? This post is being linked to Kitchen Tip Tuesday. … [Read more...]
I can Can-Can-Can!
One of my Insane Goals this year was to can something using the canning jars that my grandmother gave me. To be honest, I was half expecting my "canning" experience this year to be making cookies-in-a-jar gifts. I didn't have much faith in myself. Thankfully, I have friends and family who were willing to take me under their canning wings! Emily and I spent a day tackling a crate of peaches. We mostly used them for peach jam, which we froze actually. We canned a few jars of peaches and also made some salsa. Then a couple weeks later my mom helped me make pizza sauce and more salsa. This is a big deal, folks. I do not consider … [Read more...]
Planning Now for Frugal & Green Gifts of Jam
I have been having so much fun making jam this year. I have made way more that my small family will be able to consume in a year! So I plan to give some as gifts. I might use them for hostess gifts, birthdays or even Christmas. (Am I really planning ahead for Christmas already!??!) I didn't want to buy a large number of jars so I came up with the idea of using a large baby food jar. These 6 oz. jars are a great little gift size! Fill them up, let the jam cool and set, screw on the lid tight and pop them in the freezer* until you need a small gift. By planning ahead this summer and making an extra batch or two of jam, I've been … [Read more...]
