Mom's jam

I love my mother! She is an efficiency expert, especially in the kitchen. Proof of this is when I called her for her scrumptious strawberry freezer jam recipe. We almost always had a patch of strawberries and couldn't wait to get enough to make a batch of jam. She's even made some with the grandkids. When I asked her how she made it, this is what she said:

"Oh, I don't have it written down. I just follow the directions on the insert in the package of SureJell."

Okay then. There you go.

She said the same thing about pumpkin pie, by the way. Follow the directions on the back of the Libby's pumpkin can.

Follow-up

After this was posted, mom sent me this email:

Nessa,
Thought I had passed this along already. I now use Ball No Cook Fruit Pectin that comes in a pouch. I am attaching 2 things that explain it. I really like it better to use.
Enjoy and Love,
Mom

Follow the directions on the back exactly as they are written. This is a “soft” jam but
uses far less sugar. I started using this several summers ago when Kate brought it to
my attention. Thanks Kate! I buy it at Wal*Mart or OSH (Orchard Supply Hardware).
About $2/ packet. Makes about 5-6 cups.

Low Sugar Strawberry Freezer Jam

1 Pouch Ball Fruit Freezer Jam Pectin
1 ½ cups Sugar
4 cups crushed strawberries, (about 2 heaping baskets)

Combine freezer jam pectin and sugar in a medium bowl, stirring to evenly blend. Add crushed strawberries. Stir for 3 minutes. Serve immediately, if desired. For longer storage, ladle jam into clean freezer jars*, leaving 1/2-inch head space; apply lids. Let stand until thickened, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 1 year.
*You can use glass jars with this recipe.

TIP: Crush berries in a 13X9” pan with a potato masher.
Use exact amounts in recipe for best results.

Cranberry Jelly with Snowdrift Paraffin

This is one of my favorite homemade gifts to give at Christmas time. The rich red color of the jelly presents gorgeously in a fluted glass, sealed with paraffin that looks like foam on the top.

Cranberry Jelly
3 1/2 cups cranberry juice cocktail
1 (1 3/4 oz.) package powdered fruit pectin
4 cups sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

In 8-10 quart kettle or Dutch oven combine cranberry juice and pectin. Bring to a full rolling boil. Stir in sugar. Bring again to full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice.

Quickly skim off foam using a metal spoon. Pour at once into hot, sterilized half-pint jars or glasses. Seal the jars with metal lids and screwbands; seal the glasses with paraffin or Snowdrift Paraffin (see recipe below). Makes 6 half-pints.

Snowdrift Paraffin
First Layer: Melt 2 blocks of paraffin over, but not touching rapidly boiling water in an old double boiler. Using a wide-mouthed funnel, pour hot fruit mixture into sterilized glasses to within 1/4-inch of top. Spoon a thin layer of melted paraffin over the surface of the jelly or jam to seal out air. (Make sure the layer is about 1/16 inch thick. Too thick a layer of paraffin will cause the jelly or jam to leak around the edges of the paraffin. Hold the hot glasses, one at a time, with a pot holder and rotate them slowly so the paraffin will cling to the sides of the glasses. Prick any air bubbles. Let stand till paraffin hardens.
Second Layer: Melt 2 additional bars of paraffin in top of the double boiler over, but not touching, rapidly boiling water. Cool till paraffin become cloudy and starts to solidify. Quickly whip with electric mixer till foamy and slightly stiff. Work fast. (If paraffin solidifies, remelt and start again.) Spoon foamy paraffin over layer of hard paraffin. Cool till set. Covers 6 glasses.