Strawberry-Basil Jam

Despite the clouds and rain, tomorrow marks the first day of summer.  To celebrate, I bought a flat of local, chemical-free strawberries to make jam.  I usually make enough freezer jam to last us all year and decided to add in something new this time.  In addition to making freezer jam, I made cooked jam and added some basil!  This recipe is taken from Good Housekeeping:

Ingredients:

3 qts (1/2 flat) strawberries; pick smaller, bright berries
1 1.75 oz package of pectin
1/2 tsp butter
1/4 C basil, finely chopped
7 C sugar

Place 1 cup berries in 8-qt heavy pot.  Crush with potato masher and continue to add berries, crushing until you have 5 even cups.  Add basil.  Stir in pectin and butter.  Heat on high, stirring constantly until mixture comes to full rolling boil.  Add sugar all at once.  Return to boil; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and skim off foam.



Prep your canning jars (wash in hot soapy water, rinse, then keep lids under hot water until ready for use).  Ladle jam into half-pin jars, leaving 1/4 in room at top.  Wipe jar rims, add lids.  Process in boiling water canner for 5 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling).  Remove jars; cool on wire racks for 1 day.

I don't have a canner, so I used my double-pot pasta cooker (has an insert that drains water).  I always use this for canning and it works great!  Looks like this --->


Enjoy!

Fun with White Wine

I hosted a baby shower for a dear friend this past weekend and wanted to provide something alcoholic for those of us not growing a little child.  What better summer-time drink with wine than Sangria!  I researched recipes for white sangria, took bits from here and there, and came up with this recipe:

Two bottles white wine (I used a table wine)
Four peaches
Three limes
Two lemons
Two oranges
1 C sliced strawberries
2 C sugar
1 C brandy
Club soda

Slice the citrus fruit into rounds and the peaches into chunky slices.  Add all the fruit, the sugar, the brandy and the wine into a large pitcher.  Mix and let sit for 24 hours.  Right before serving, mix in about 2-3 cups of club soda.

This was sooooo yummy!  I plan to make it again this weekend and will *try* to remember to get pictures.  It makes a beautiful drink!