Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Aren't They Purty?!

One of the beautiful things about summer in Oregon are their gorgeous and delicious strawberries. We were waiting and waiting for them to ripen. It seemed like summer was never going to come, but once we began to get our hot sunny weather the berries began to turn into their beautiful hue of red. We headed out to the green field that had rows and rows of fresh warm berries and picked them to our hearts content. Yes, a few were popped into my mouth to make sure that their flavor was all I had dreamed them to be, and they didn't disappoint. I was only out there for about 40 minutes and I picked 13.5 pounds. After looking into my box I decided that it was enough to get me started. I didn't want to buy too many and not be able to put them up. Therefore, I stopped there and brought them home to make them into freezer jam.





Den helped me along in the process. We made sure they were all rinsed and ready to go.







River used my food chopper and diced them just like we like.





We used our extra large pot to make a triple batch, making sure to measure out our ingredients exactly.







Den and I adding the pectin gradually, as instructed. All was well, but once you add the corn syrup and the pounds of sugar it makes you gasp at this innocent sweet delight.




Here are the quart size containers all freshly cleaned, dried, and ready to be filled. Den said his mom put them in much smaller containers, to which I reminded him that we had triple the amount of boys that she did. Somehow, he had forgot......hehehe







Here are a few of the beautiful jams. I thought they were so pretty sitting outside in all their sugary glory. Yum!



These won't last long in this house. In fact, we cracked open our first container last night to spread them over our warm cornbread. I could have ate the whole 13x9 of cornbread with this red strawberry concoction dripping over the sides, but thankfully I showed some restraint.....whew!








17 comments:

Kim said...

I am so glad you pointed out the hairy arms attached to the hands with the chopper where one of the boys! I would HATE to think YOUR arms where that hairy! LOL It looks soooo yummy!!! I have never made freezer jam. Maybe I should try it to put on the homemade bread I make often. Yum Yum!

Julie said...

YUM! That looks great!

Jules said...

Okay... now my mouth is watering! I love strawberries!!! I've heard that Oregon had the best strawberries and blackberries, I have yet to put those theories to the test ;) But they did look good! I will have to do that sometime, great idea :)

Cherrie said...

I so wish I was already there to make my family some. Maybe I will be blessed to at least try yours.... Can't believe the time is almost here.

JoAnn said...

Oh Trina life is just so unfair. You sitting out there with those beautiful berries, me whinning out here with no berries what so ever!HUMPH!

Well I know being the wonderful friend that you are that you will hide some in the freezer so when we come and visit this winter we can enjoy some with cornbread ourselves! RIGHT?

Tiffany said...

It looks so yummy, I wish I could buy some from you. And be in Oregon!

Lori said...

Yummy! That looks delicious!!

Anonymous said...

ooooh, yum! Strawberry jam is the best! :)

Sylvia said...

That brings back so many memories. There is nothing like the taste of strawberry freezer jam. We used to make so much when we lived out there. Picking strawberries in the sun. That just means summer, doesn't it?

Beth said...

YUMMY...make my mouth water just looking at it.

meNmykids said...

Ohhhh, how I envy you! I would love to get my hands deep in those berry plants and smell the sweet clean smell of the field. I would enjoy every step of the way and especially the corn bread part! My mouth is watering with just the memory. Oregon has the BEST strawberries ever grown. Yummy.

Kalisha said...

YUMMY! We made about 5 or 6 different kinds of jams last year Blackberry being the majority of all of the jam (As that is our best growing berry here that we can just walk down to the railroad tracks and pick them for free and make delicious jam) so most of our jam is Blackberry or Blackberry with something. We still have a lot left so we won't be out when we go to make more.

Sabriena said...

Ummmm.... that is SOOO delicious looking. I love strawberries, and I'm sure that the best ones are in Oregon, where we are not likely to get any for at least a few years. But I don't care. Until I taste those ones, these ones will be superb!

Anonymous said...

SO beautiful and SO yummie
I guess puttin' away 'canning & freezing' is on most of our minds this time of year.

Laura said...

Yum, yum, yum!!! That looks delish!

Mrs. Mom said...

I love it that your family of men helped out! Those berries are beautiful and the strawberry freezer jam looks oh so yummy!

the mom~ said...

Yummy! My sister made some too this year.