I love mason jars! Who doesn't these days? They are so handy for storage and so pretty! We use them a lot! To keep salad greens fresh longer, to create a light fixture for our kitchen, and even as wedding ceremony décor (thanks to a friend who made them for my bridal shower)!
This is a super simple recipe!
1. Clean strawberries.
2. Chop strawberries. I made two batches. The first, I sliced, which you'll see in the picture. The second was chopped and it seemed to help the berries dissolve more quickly.
TIP: Use a garbage bowl for the strawberry tips. I think that's a Rachael Ray thing. Its easier while you're chopping. Plus, if you like to compost (like my hubby), its easy to add to the pile.
3. Combine ingredients in pot.
Cooking tip:
4. Bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat.
6. Continue stirring till it boils again; should have reduced by half and thickened. Will be thinner than typical jam.
7. Cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate overnight before use.
So, this was my breakfast. Its a lot of bread, but I wanted to taste the spread two ways. One slice has only the strawberry chia seed spread, the other has peanut butter, as well. I have to agree with The Gracious Pantry. The spread is much thinner than regular jam. So, I didn't really enjoy it on toast alone. I LOVED the slice with the peanut butter and spread. I really want to try it in crepes! I'm sure that would be yummy!
Like I mentioned earlier, I made two batches, which made nearly 3 jars. One for Ben and me, one for a friend, and one for a lucky reader. If you're interested in this DELICIOUS clean spread, leave a comment. I'll select a winner on Friday, July 26th.
I do recognize the lovely lacy mason jars :) And your spread sounds/looks delicious! And healthy :)
ReplyDeleteIt is delicious! It smells amazing! You'd like it!
DeleteAnd P.S. you did a beautiful job with those gorgeous mason jars!
DeleteHey Shelley! Love that you're blogging - so I'm starting to think about experimenting with Chia Seeds (mostly cause I've heard they are uber healthy). So were they basically the thickening agent? Did they dissolve? Did you need to pre-soak them? -liz lyon :-).
ReplyDeleteHi Liz! Chia seeds are fabulous! They really don't have a taste, but at SO much nutritious-goodness! You did act as a thickening agent- instead of something like pectin. They don't really dissolve...more like become gelatinous. You don't need to pre-soak. They'll expand with any liquid. That said, if you're using them in yogurt or juice, let them sit in the (yogurt/juice/whatever) for a while...at least 30 minutes. The longer they set, the more gelatinous they become. If you eat them immediately, they'll be hard. Let me know if you try the recipe! I'd love to hear how it turns out for you.
DeleteYou might be interested in a book Katie recently found called Homeward Bound: Why Women are Embracing the New Domesticity. The author, Emily Matchar, tries to understand what's behind recent interest in the domestic activities—for example, making homemade jams—women all but abandoned in the '80s and '90s. Very insightful look at the appeal of domesticity in opposition to the corporate aspirations of the late 20th century.
ReplyDeleteThat book sounds really interesting, David! I'll have to check it out! It is interesting to see the swing of people in their 20's and 30's pulling away from the way of our parents and looking to our grandparents and great-grandparents for "better" ways.
DeleteShelley, you basically paraphrased the author in saying we're "looking to our grandparents and grandparents for 'better' ways." In fact, the author at one point says (quoting someone else, I believe) that we shouldn't eat anything our great-grandparents wouldn't recognize as food. Ha!
DeleteLove it! Now I really must read it! Thanks for sharing this with me
DeleteLove LOVE love lOvE mason jars!!
ReplyDeleteMe, too!
ReplyDeleteHey Shelley! David (my MLIT husband) recommended that I check out your blog since I mentioned making strawberry jam this morning. And so your blog was exactly what I needed to know how to try making it for the first time! How long does the jam last? Thanks so much for this post! Also, I LOVE the backsplash in your kitchen! Was that already in there or did you install it?
ReplyDeleteKate, I'm so glad you found this helpful! To be honest, I really don't know how long the jam is good for. The Gracious Pantry says probably two weeks. And thanks! My hubby and I ordered it almost a year ago and we FINALLY just put it up this summer. It's my favorite! Thanks for reading!
ReplyDelete