Strawberries are here...Strawberry Rhubarb Jam!

After a loooooooong, very, very cold winter, spring has finally arrived and it finally feels like the winter is behind us. With the warmer weather, low cost strawberries are starting to flood the super market and before long, local strawberry picking will be starting.

Yesterday at the grocery store, in addition to having strawberries on sale, they had some beautiful Rhubarb. It brought back awesome memories of my Grandma's Strawberry Rhubarb pies. My Grandma is definitely a master pie maker - but this is a favorite of both mine and my dads. Anyone who knows me knows that I...on the other hand..am a disaster pie maker. However, this Strawberry Rhubarb Jam is right up my alley!


Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

1.5 lbs Rhubarb, sliced
2lbs Strawberries, hulled and cut in half
1 3/4 cups water
7 TB Ball Pectin (or equivalent)
4 1/2 cup sugar





Start with about 1 1/2 pounds of fresh rhubarb stalks.

Chop up rhubarb into slices. 

Place rhubarb into a colander and rinse well. 

Place your Rhubarb into a large pot (I use a enameled case iron stock pot for all my jams) with 1/4 of the water. Put on medium loan heat. As the rhubarb begins to cook and soften, begin to mash with a potato masher. Continue to cook and mash the rhubarb until no large hard chunks remain.

If you are going to can your jam, while your Rhubarb is cooking is also a good time to fill up your canner and get some heat on it. It will take a bit of time for the water to come up to boiling to sterilize your jars and eventually process your finished jam. This jam can also be frozen for 6 months to a year or stored in the fridge for a couple weeks if you'd prefer not to can. 

Once your Rhubarb is softened and mashed, add in your Strawberries. To prepare the Strawberries, remove the green leaves and any stems. Large berries can be cut into halves or thirds. Smaller berries can be kept whole. Rinse berries well before adding to your Rhubarb.

To the jam pot, add the remaining 1 1/2 cups water. Mash your strawberries into the Rhubarb, again, until you have no large chunks of berry.

To the mashed mixture, add your pectin. I use 7 TB of Ball Pectin for Jam which comes in a round plastic container. However, you could use any brand of pectin. Just make sure your checking the label to ensure there are no radical differences in how much pectin or sugar you need for the amount of fruit you are using.

Bring your fruit mixture to a full rolling boil. At this stage you won't be able to stir down the boil. Once it reaches a full boil, add in your sugar.

Mix your sugar in and bring back up to a full rolling boil again. Boil hard for 1 full minute.

Turn off the stove top heat. Ladle hot jam into sterilized canning jars (for canning, freezing or fridge) or freezer or other containers (for freezer or fridge). If freezing jars, make sure you check the label to ensure the type of jar you are using can be froze. Often times, the small jelly jars or half pints are fine for freezing, but freezing is not recommended for larger jars. 

Process your jars for 10 minutes in your canner at a full boil. Turn off the heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes before removing from the canner.

This jam is amazing on toast, an old fashioned PB&J Sandwich or spread on crackers or cookies. Enjoy the awesome taste of the spring harvest!

Spring Cleaning!

One thing about me is that I really do NOT enjoy cleaning. However, some things are essential and the fact that we're on our second 60+ degree day in a row signals that it's time to start airing out the house, put things outside to dry in the spring air, and get a move on that cleaning.

The first "project" is to make a list of rooms to be tackled.

• Bathrooms
• Guest/Kids Bedroom(s)
• Dining Room
• Kitchen
• Living Room
• Hall Closet
• Master Bedroom
• Bonus Room/Office/Soon to be Nursery:)!

You may also have rooms to consider such as:

Entryway

Laundry Room

Garage (I'm going to consider this one a completely different project I'm putting on the "Honey Do" list)

Porch/Patio

Even with the extra nesting motivation I'm getting from the baby on the way, there's no way a total cleaning hater like me will tackle everything in a single day or weekend. I spread mine out over a few weekends, breaking down into projects by room.

Wish me luck!

The Long Winter

I don't think anyone in the Northeast would say I'm exaggerating to say it's been a very long, cold winter. We've gotten by easy here for the past few winters in Upstate NY and this one apparently decided to pay us back what we were "due". Even now, in the first week in March when spring should be on the horizon we're facing another week of freezing temperatures with highs in the teens  and twenties.

All that said - it's been quite an eventful winter in our household. My husband and I found out we're expecting our first child in September. And while we wait somewhat impatiently for our newest family member, we welcomed another one..."Buddy" a stray Black Mouthed Cur found by my husband's aunt. This sweetheart was abandoned by his previous owners to town animal control. My husband and I were uncertain on whether, with a baby on the way, if this was the best time to bring a new dog into our home at first, but after meeting Buddy and seeing that Athena was as much in love with him instantly as we were, we couldn't resist

My husband and his friends have started preparing for spring by putting together their own maple syrup boiling operation. Growing up I spent many early spring days gathering sap, helping my grandpa in the sugar house and canning the finished product in my grandma's kitchen. I'm very excited that the boys will be embarking on their own small scale syruping adventure this year - when it finally warms up that is.

My husband and I also took the plunge and embarked on another homesteading project that we've wanted to take on for a few years now - chickens! A dozen chicks are getting their start in our newly crafted chick home in the basement while my husband draws up coop plans for the birds to make their home in once their grown. Though I grew up on a farm and my husband is no stranger to animals, neither of us have any chicken experience - it should be an adventure!

As we hunker down to make it through these last couple weeks of true winter, I can't help but hope that a spring thaw is just around the corner.

Cookies of Christmas - Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy Cookies

Christmas cookie baking in our house starts well ahead of Christmas - as does freezing and stashing away in the freezer. As you can imagine, my husband doesn't take very well to having dozens of fresh cookies in the house every weekend and not being able to eat any. These cookies are one of his favorite pre-Christmas treats which I let him eat while I save up all the other goodies for Christmas parties and cookie trays. The peanut butter M&M put these right over the top!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy Cookies

2 cups flour

3/4 cups cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1/4 cup peanut butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 package Peanut Butter M&Ms

Preheat oven to 350.

Stir together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. I use a wisk to mix everything well. Set aside.

In a mixer cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add peanut butter, eggs and vanilla and beat well. Gradually add flour mixture and mix until well combined.

Stir in M&Ms. I always stir mine in by hand to keep them whole and avoid getting little chunks of M&M.

Spoon or scoop dough onto a cookie sheet. I like to make mine with an ice cream scoop for night big cookies. These cookies will hold their size and shape when they bake, so you can place them fairly close together.

Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven, allowing them to sit 1-2 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a rack or wax paper to cook fully.

Good luck keeping these around until Christmas!

Cookies of Christmas - Gingersnaps

When I was little, my mom didn't bake a lot, but at Christmas time she always made these gingersnaps. They were a favorite - especially for my Dad. Since I have moved out on my own, I make these cookies every year. Popping White Christmas into the DVD player and eating one of these cookies always takes me back. The amazing mix of spices and molasses gives these a great traditional flavor. If you like spice, you'll love these - they smell amazing too!

Gingersnaps

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cloves

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

3 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

Preheat oven to 350.

Start by combining your flour, salt, spices and baking soda in a medium sized bowl and place off to the side. I use a whisk to combine all the ingredients well.

Cream the shortening on medium speed with a mixer. Add sugar and mix until smooth. Stir in eggs and molasses.

Add the flour mixture slowly and continue mixing until all is combined. 

Roll dough into 1/2 inch balls. Roll in sugar to coat. I like to large sugar crystals or sanding sugar - which makes the finished cookies glitter!

Bake 8-10 minutes.

Remove to a rack and allow to cool.

These cookies freeze really well - up to 6 weeks in advance without losing their flavor. The original recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies and doubles really well. It's a great pick for a cookie exchange!

Cookies of Christmas - 2 Twists on the Classic "Blossom" Cookie

Peanut butter blossoms are a Christmas staple. Almost all cookie bakers have their cherished recipe for them and I'm no exception. For those of you that don't know what I mean - think those peanut butter cookies with the Hershey's Kiss in them.

As much as I'm a sucker for a classic though, I can't resist putting all those new kinds of kisses Hershey's has come out with to work. Here's my two twists on the classic. These were so good they might just become new classics in my house!


Chocolate Mint Blossoms


1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 Tb milk
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
42 Mint Truffle Kisses (You can also use plain kisses if you like)
Additional sugar (to roll cookies in)




In a small bowl mix together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a stand mixer cream together shorting, butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Mix in egg, milk and peppermint extract. Slowly add in the flour mixture. Mix until well combined. Refrigerate dough for one hour.

Put sugar in a small bowl. Roll chilled dough into ping pong sized balls. Roll in the sugar until coated.

Place on a cookie sheet and bake about 8 minutes, until almost done. While cookies are baking unwrap chocolate Hershey's Mint Truffle Kisses. If you can't find the mint truffle - substitute with another Kiss of your choice or with chocolate stars.

When cookies are almost done, pull out of the oven and press a Kiss gently down into the middle on them. Bake for another one minute to soften kiss. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool on the pan for about a minute until removing to a rack to finish cooling.

Candy Cane Mint Blossoms

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2tb milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
42 Candy Cane Kisses


In a small bowl mix together flour,baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a stand mixer cream together shorting, butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in egg, milk and peppermint extract. Slowly add in the flour mixture. Mix until well combined. Refrigerate dough for one hour.

Put sugar in a small bowl. Roll chilled dough into ping pong sized balls. Roll in the sugar until coated. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes.

While the cookies are baking, unwrap your kisses.

When cookies are almost done, pull out of the oven and press a Kiss gently down into the middle on them. Bake for another one minute to soften kiss. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool on the pan for about a minute until removing to a rack to finish cooling.

Using this basic recipe the combination of extracts, chocolate and white dough and candy kisses is endless. Mix and match to find your new Christmas Classic.

Cookies of Christmas - Santa's Snowballs (A No Bake Recipe!)

While I love baking year-round, there is something about baking at Christmas time that is even more special. This is the time of the year that I dig into my cooking binder and pull out my favorite cookie recipes. Some of them are ones I've been enjoying since I was a little girl and now make for my own friends and family. Others are newer recipes that I've picked up along the way from friends, magazines and my own experimentation. All of them contribute to one of my favorite times of year. 

In this season of giving - I'd like to share with you my favorite Christmas recipes - my cookies of Christmas. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do. As a note - all of these recipes (unless noted) can be made as much as a month in advance of Christmas. I always start my Christmas baking at the end of November - making a few batches per weekend. By Christmas I have a huge variety of cookies for parties and to give as gifts. All I have to do is pull them out of the freezer and share!

The first cookies I'm sharing were my hands down favorites growing up. My grandma made them every year for Christmas. I loved them so much, many years she'd make me my own batch. I was always amazed by the layer effect and amazing filling. I could never figure out how she made them. I had visions of her spending hours in the kitchen making these special cookies.

When I grew older and she shared the recipe with me - I realize how easy - and ingenious - these cookies are. In the years I've taken up making these I've been asked for the recipe many times. Everyone is surprise when they find out the ingredients - now I'm sharing with you.

One secret to these is critical - make them ahead at least a week - preferably 2 - from when you want to serve them and freeze. The freezing softens them to a cake-like consistency and really makes the cookie. Trust me on this one - if you skip the freezing taste them immediately after making you won't understand why I love them so much.


Santa's Snowballs
1 box Vanilla Wafer Cookies
1 container spreadable strawberry cream cheese
1 container vanilla frosting
Coconut
Food coloring (optional)



Start my making an assembly line of all your ingredients - this will make it easier in the long run to do everything in order.

Take a vanilla wafer and spread with a small smear of cream cheese.

Top with another wafer.

Spread with an additional smear of cream cheese.

Top with a third wafer - you have layer wafer cream cheese ball of sorts.

Front the wafer ball with your frosting. (Sorry - there is no un-messy way to do this!)

Roll your wafer ball in coconut.

Once made, place your cookies in a freezer bag and freeze at least 1 week. Thaw and serve!


For a festive touch, you can tint your coconut red or green. Place the coconut in a plastic zipper bag. Add a few drops of food coloring and knead until coated.