We are getting very near to the end of Strawberry and Rhubarb season now, but I managed to get in the best strawberry rhubarb jam recipe before it is too late. If you hurry you just might be able to do the same.
A small batch recipe, it makes only 7 (one cup/250g) jars of this beautiful ruby colored sweet taste of summer! I just know that I am going to be enjoying this when the Winter comes!
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We are all great jam lovers in my family! It is something I never have a problem using up. We love it spooned over ice cream, spread between layers of our favorite sponge cake, spooned over vanilla ice cream and of course on bread, either toasted or not.
Bread and jam is one of those simple treats that never fails to please. You just cannot beat a slice of it late in the afternoon on a cold winter's day with a hot cup of whatever brings you joy. A simple supper that warms the heart.
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PRESERVING CHECK LIST
Use this handy guide to safely process all of your jams and preserves. Safety in 10 easy steps.
1. Filling the jars - Make sure your jars are scrupulously clean prior to use and inspect them for any chips or cracks. If you are using a water bath canner, its not really necessary to sterilize your jars, but you should make sure that they are hot by keeping the in hot water until just prior to filling. This helps prevent breakage from sudden temperature changes. For cold packed preserves, room temperature jars work fine.
2. Check your headspace - This is the gap between the top surface of your food and the rim of the jar. Making sure you have the correct amount of headspace ensures that you will achieve a strong vacuum seal as the jars cool.
3. Remove air bubbles - Some recipes require that you remove any air bubbles which could lead to spoilage later on. Poke a non-metallic utensil inside each jar a few times to release any pockets of air. A plastic knife, chopstick or the handle of a wooden spoon work great. After removing any air bubbles, check the head space again and top up with more of what you are preserving if necessary to reach the recommended level of head space.
4. Wipe jar rims - Use a clean damp cloth or piece of paper toweling to remove any drips or spills of food from the jar rims before securing lids. I also like to wipe away any food drips from around the jar threads where the screw bands will come into contact with the glass. This prevents them from becoming stuck and hard to remove later on.
5. Screw on the lids - Follow the manufacturers guidelines on the packaging for preparing lids for processing. You can reuse the jar bands, but use only clean new lids for processing. Position the lids over the clean jar rims and position the jar bands, securing them in place just until finger tip tight. Do NOT screw the bands on too tight. It is necessary for some air to be able to escape during processing.
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6. Lower the jars into the canner - I know many people don't use a water bath canner and rely on the heat from the jam to seal the lids and in the old days they would cover jam with wax. I like to use a water bath canner. Fill your canner with water and place it over high heat about 25 minutes before you will be needing it so that it will be ready. Have an extra kettle of boiled water ready to top up if necessary. You will need to be sure that when you lower the jar filled rack of your canner into the boiling water that the boiling water will come up at least 1 inch over the tops of the jars. Keep the lid on your canner when not moving jars in or out to maintain the temperature and reduce evaporation.
7. Use a timer - Start timing only once the water in the canner has come back to a full boil and then follow the recommended time for each recipe you are processing. When processing time is up, turn off the heat and remove the lid. Leave the jars in the canner for 5 more minutes. If you live at a high altitude ( more than 1000 feet/305 meters above sea level) adjust your timings accordingly)
8. Removing jars - Cool surfaces can cause hot jars to crack to be very careful not to place the hot jars directly on them. Place them on a rack or a counter which has been lined with a double layer of clean kitchen towels. Leave some space between the jars for air circulation. It can take up to 24 hours for the lids to seal. You will hear a popping noise as they do. Do not tighten the screw bands while the jars are cooling.
9. Check the seals - Once your jars are fully cooled, check the seals by pressing down in the middle of each lid. If there is no give and the lid is securely suctioned down your jar has safely sealed. If for some reason a jar has not sealed, store that jar in the refrigerator and use it up first.
10. Label and Store - You may think you will have no problem remembering what is in each jar, but trust me when I say that six months down the road you could be scratching your heard if you don't label them. Label each jar with the contents and the date. Store in a cool dark place and consume within one year. Any opened jars must be refrigerated after opening.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE STRAWBERRY RHUBARB JAM
Strawberries, rhubarb, pectin and sugar. See printable recipe for amounts.
HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY RHUBARB JAM
Wash the strawberries under cool running water to rid them of any debris or sand. Hull the berries, discarding the stems and leaves. Place them into a large heavy bottomed saucepan.
Crush the berries with a potato masher. You should end up with 2 1/2 cups (625g) of mashed berries.
Rinse and wash the rhubarb. Chop into 1/2 inch pieces and add them to the berries in the saucepan.
Stir in the pectin powder and bring to a full boil over high heat, stirring often.
Reduce to medium heat and stir in the sugar. Cook and stir until the sugar dissolves.
Increase the heat to high and bring the jam to a hard boil. Keep at a full boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
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Skim off and discard any scum which rises to the top.
Ladle into hot sterile jars leaving 1/4 inch of head space. Wipe rims of jars with a damp clean cloth. Top with sterile hot lids and rings, tightening the rings just to finger tight.
Process, covered, in boiling water in a water bath canner for 15 minutes. At the end of that time, turn off the heat and remove the lid of the canner. Leave the jars in the canner for 5 minutes and then carefully remove to a double layer of clean kitchen towels.
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So there you have it, a beautiful recipe for a quintessential taste pairing that will have you dreaming of summer in the winter months to come. I really hope that you are still able to get your hands on some of these lovely fruits and make some for yourself!
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Some other tasty jam recipes which I have shared over the years:
PEAR AND SAFFRON JAM - This is a really pretty coloured jam. Delicious, easy to do and doesn't make a ton.
APPLE AND BLACKBERRY JAM - Apples and blackberries make a perfect pairing. I just love this jam. Its a real favorite on toast, in tarts, between cake layers, etc
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam (small batch)
Yield: 7 (1 cup/250g) jars
Juicy strawberries and tart rhubarb are a marriage made in heaven. A little taste of summer preserved for the Winter days ahead.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds (675g) fresh strawberries
- 1 pound (450g) rhubarb stalks
- 1 package (57g) pectin powder
- 6 cups (1 1/2 kg) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Wash the strawberries under cool running water to rid them of any debris or sand. Hull the berries, discarding the stems and leaves. Place them into a large heavy bottomed saucepan.
- Crush the berries with a potato masher. You should end up with 2 1/2 cups (625g) of mashed berries.
- Rinse and wash the rhubarb. Chop into 1/2 inch pieces and add them to the berries in the saucepan.
- Stir in the pectin powder and bring to a full boil over high heat, stirring often.
- Reduce to medium heat and stir in the sugar. Cook and stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Increase the heat to high and bring the jam to a hard boil. Keep at a full boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
- Skim off and discard any scum which rises to the top.
- Ladle into hot sterile jars leaving 1/4 inch of head space. Wipe rims of jars with a damp clean cloth. Top with sterile hot lids and rings, tightening the rings just to finger tight.
- Process, covered, in boiling water in a water bath canner for 15 minutes. At the end of that time, turn off the heat and remove the lid of the canner. Leave the jars in the canner for 5 minutes and then carefully remove to a double layer of clean kitchen towels.
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
This recipe I am sharing with you today for a simple cheesy pasta is sure to get the family's approval. Not only is it quick and easy to make, but it is also very delicious.
This is one that will have the family licking their chops. And you won't mind either because it is designed to get you in and out of the kitchen pronto with supper being on the table in about half an hour tops!
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The gooey melted cheese and tender pieces of chicken in this easy pasta recipe will have everyone scrambling for seconds! Quick and easy to make this is the perfect weeknight supper and is even a supper that you can cook out at the camp!
Very easily done on top of the stove or on the camp stove, it is destined to become a real favorite with everyone.
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I had to prepare some meals to take to a member of my church who just had an operation this past weekend and one of the meals I chose to take was this quick and easy pasta dish. It was very well received.
For the smaller family it is very easy to divide half of this tasty dish into a freezer container and pop it into the freezer to enjoy at a later date.
Quick, easy and simple to make. Who says delicious needs to be complicated?
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHEESY CHICKEN PASTA
This is a simple store cupboard meal that goes together very quickly. You can either use a can of chicken (I get mine from Costco and always have some in my cupboard) or you can use leftover cooked chicken or poach chicken specifically for just this purpose. Its up to you!
- 8 ounces (2 cups/227g) fusilli pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup diced red peppers (about 1/2 medium red pepper)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (355ml) milk
- 3 cups (362g) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 - 12.5 ounce can chunk chicken breast, drained well (or 1 ½ - 2 cups shredded cooked chicken)
- 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning powder
- pepper to taste
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You don't need to use fusilli specifically to make this stovetop wonder. You can use Penne, Radiatore, Malfalda, even macaroni. What you want to use is a pasta that is going to hug the sauce and grab onto it.
If you are not fond of red peppers, you can use green peppers, or even multicolored peppers. If you don't like peppers, why not use a different vegetable such as crispy tender broccoli or even zucchini? What you are trying to do here is add a bit of color, crunch and fiber.
Choose a vegetable that goes well with cheese! (And chicken!)
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I have used colored cheddar cheese here today, medium strength, but you could also use cheddar jack if you wanted to, or a combination of the two.
I use whole milk. It adds a lovely rich flavor so the sauce, but you can also make it with 2% or semi-skimmed milk. Just don't use skimmed milk.
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Ranch seasoning is the powdered seasoning mix that you can buy to make ranch dressing with. If you can't get that it is perfectly okay to leave it out altogether. You can use a few other herbs to flavor it if you want to.
A good combination would be onion powder, oregano and basil. Just season to taste. You might also need to add some salt if you are leaving the ranch seasoning out.
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HOW TO MAKE CHEESY CHICKEN PASTA
Nothing could be any easier than this.
Cook your pasta to al dente in a pan of lightly salted water according to the package directions. Drain well, rinse under cold water, drain again. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the chopped peppers. Sauté for several minutes, stirring frequently, until beginning to soften slightly.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Whisk in the flour. Cook for one minute. Slowly whisk in the milk. Cook, over medium heat, stirring until the mixture begins to thicken. Cook for a minute to cook out any flour taste.
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Stir in 2 cups (240g) of the cheese. Stir to melt the cheese. You should have a nice thick creamy sauce. Whisk in the ranch seasoning. Season to taste with black pepper.
Stir in the pasta, cooked chicken and 3/4 cup (90 grams) of the cheese to combine. Take off the heat.
Scatter the remaining cheese over top. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes or so to allow the cheese on top to melt. Serve immediately.
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In the hot summer months I like to cook either in my slow cooker, air fryer, BBQ or in a skillet. I have an electric skillet which works really well. Skillet meals usually go together very quickly and easily and are quite delicious.
If you are a fan of the skillet meal, you might also enjoy the following:
SAUSAGE AND VEGETABLE SKILLET DINNER - Meals where I can cook everything in one pan are my favorite kinds of meals! This one pan Sausage and Vegetable Skillet Dinner is really delicious! Not only do you end up with some perfectly cooked sausages, but also potatoes and two vegetables to enjoy on the side!
SKILLET CHICKEN PARMESAN - This tasty skillet chicken parmesan has all the flavors of the original, full sized recipe, with with far less mess and work. Its also deliciously ready in half the time. No fuss, no muss!
CHEESY TUNA SKILLET PASTA - This Cheesy Tuna Pasta is just like your favorite Tuna Casserole, except it is cooked in a skillet. Amazingly there is no need to cook the pasta first. The pasta cooks right in the pan with everything else. This also helps to cut down on the washing up! I am all for that!
Cheesy Chicken Pasta
Yield: 6
Cook time: 30 MinTotal time: 30 Min
A simple stove top supper that the whole family will love. For the smaller family you can easily cut the amounts in half, or pop half of it into a freezer container and freeze it for another day. Quick, easy and delicious
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (2 cups/227g) fusilli pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup diced red peppers (about 1/2 medium red pepper)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (355ml) milk
- 3 cups (362g) shredded cheddar jack cheese, divided
- 1 - 12.5 ounce can chunk chicken breast, drained well (or 1 ½ - 2 cups shredded cooked chicken)
- 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning powder
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook your pasta to al dente in a pan of lightly salted water according to the package directions. Drain well, rinse under cold water, drain again. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the chopped peppers. Sauté for several minutes, stirring frequently, until beginning to soften slightly.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Whisk in the flour. Cook for one minute. Slowly whisk in the milk. Cook, over medium heat, stirring until the mixture begins to thicken. Cook for a minute to cook out any flour taste.
- Stir in 2 cups (240g) of the cheese. Stir to melt the cheese. You should have a nice thick creamy sauce. Whisk in the ranch seasoning. Season to taste with black pepper.
- Stir in the pasta, cooked chicken and 3/4 cup (90 grams) of the cheese to combine. Take off the heat.
- Scatter the remaining cheese over top. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes or so to allow the cheese on top to melt. Serve immediately.
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
I am sharing the easiest and best coleslaw dressing recipe with you today. Not only is it extremely tasty, but also very quick and easy to make.
If you use a prepackaged coleslaw vegetable mix you can seriously have it ready in five minutes! If not, you can shred your own vegetables and still have a tasty side dish in not a lot of time.
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My mother made very good coleslaw and raised a family of coleslaw connoisseurs. All of us love it. I have many fond memories of watching my mother make hers through the years. She did not have a food processor and she would never have stopped to grating the cabbage on a grater.
The carrots yes, but not the cabbage. The cabbage was always very methodically hand shredded. And I have to say hand shredding cabbage is a chore I love. It the type of chore that is a great way for you to practice mindfulness while you are doing it.
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There are some really good bags of already shredded coleslaw mixes available in the shops these days and so to speed things up, by all means do use one of them, but if you don't mind getting stuck in and doing a bit of labor, hand shred.
Today I used a bag so show you just how quick and easy making this salad can be.
You need only as much time as it takes to whisk together the dressing ingredients and fold in the vegetables. Presto chango! Its like magic of the tastiest kind! I may not be able to pull a rabbit out of my hat but I can make a pretty darned good coleslaw!
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WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CLASSIC MEMPHIS STYLE COLESLAW
Its a really simple list. If you can't find bagged coleslaw vegetables, just shred the equivalent required by hand. (cabbage, carrots)
- 1/2 cup (110g) mayonnaise
- 1 TBS Dijon mustard
- 1 TBS cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 TBS sugar
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp celery seed
- 8 ounces (230g) of coleslaw mix (roughly half a bag, shredded cabbage and carrots)
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The recipe is one I borrowed from the blog Barefeet in the Kitchen. I have all of Mary's cookery books as well. Her recipes are great.
I downsized it to make half the amount of servings because I just don't need that much coleslaw and I knew it wouldn't get eaten up in time. Generally speaking coleslaw is not a great keeper.
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Half of it was for my father and I to enjoy along with our Chili tonight, and the other half was sent to a lady who just got out of the hospital. I had sent her a few meals to enjoy while she is recovering.
Its been so hot this past few days, I thought you might enjoy this different version of slaw. It has the perfect balance between being tangy and being sweet. A combination of the two.
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HOW TO MAKE CLASSIC MEMPHIS-STYLE COLESLAW
Seriously this takes just five minutes if you start off with a bagged coleslaw mix.
Whisk the mayonnaise, mustard, cider vinegar, sugar, salt, onion powder and celery seed together in a bowl until well combined.
Add the coleslaw mix and toss together until well combined and coated. Cover and chill for one hour before serving, and for up to two days.
Toss again just prior to serving.
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I do not recommend making this too far in advance as it does water itself down upon standing. Its still highly edible but you will need to drain it a bit.
This is the perfect slaw to enjoy along side of your burgers and dogs, on cold plates, and with pulled pork, etc.
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We do love coleslaw in our family. I think we were spoiled by a mother who made the best slaw in the world in my opinion. There is no shortage of coleslaw recipes here on the blog:
MACARONI COLESLAW - A delicious mash-up of two summer classics, this Macaroni Coleslaw is loaded with plenty of texture and great flavors!
DELI STYLE COLESLAW - This tangy cold salad is delicious. Its quite different than your usual creamy coleslaw in that there is no mayonnaise involved, just a simple oil and vinegar dressing. It goes great next to deli sandwiches or even on deli sandwiches!
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CHINESE COLESLAW - Also known as Ramen Noodle Salad. With crisp shredded cabbage and carrots, toasted almonds, and crunchy ramen noodles in a sweet and savory sesame dressing, it's the perfect addition to almost any potluck, picnic, or cookout.
CHEESE SLAW - This is delicious and a bit different than regular slaw. I like a nice quantity of cheese in mine, but you use as little or as much as you want.
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CREAMY CARAWAY COLESLAW - There are only a few vegetables in this version. Cabbage and spring onion. The star is that lush creamy dressing. Its a simple dressing made by combining dairy sour cream along with some mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar and seasonings.
So there are a few different and tasty options to sink your teeth into. The weather has been so hot these past few days, nobody really wants to be cooking much of anything.
What are your favorite go-to's when the temperatures start to rise? I really want to know! Let's share with each other!
Classic Memphis-Style Coleslaw
Yield: 4
Prep time: 5 MinTotal time: 5 Min
This small batch recipe is a sweet and tangy southern style coleslaw with the perfect balance of crunch, and creamy flavors. You can double the amount to serve more. You can make this in advance, but you may need to drain it a bit prior to serving.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (110g) mayonnaise
- 1 TBS Dijon mustard
- 1 TBS cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 TBS sugar
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp celery seed
- 8 ounces (230g) of coleslaw mix (roughly half a bag, shredded cabbage and carrots)
Instructions
- Whisk the mayonnaise, mustard, cider vinegar, sugar, salt, onion powder and celery seed together in a bowl until well combined.
- Add the coleslaw mix and toss together until well combined and coated. Cover and chill for one hour before serving, and for up to two days.
- Toss again just prior to serving.
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
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