Jam Tomorrow, Jam Yesterday...

….But Never Ever Ja-aam-mmm Today.

I love strawberry season.  As they sit in their little blue cartons at the farmer’s market, they looked so fresh and vibrant. I always have to pick up one or more pints every week while in season and at least once I must use them to make refrigerator strawberry jam.  Since I still need to purchase proper canning supplies, refrigerator jam is an easy way to make fresh jam and once made it will last in your fridge for one month (I’ve kept it longer and had no problems).

You will need

4 cups of fresh strawberries- stems removed and cut in half (I sometimes cut them smaller)

1 cup sugar (I like to use organic non-processed sugar)

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Combine the strawberries and sugar in a pot and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.  Once it reaches a boil, lower heat to a simmer. 

.  Let the contents simmer, stirring occasionally until it becomes thick.  The recipe I use says to simmer for an hour but I’ve found it takes quite a bit more time.  It is one of those nice things to leave on simmer and wander away to fold some laundry or put away dishes or check your Facebook, strolling back to it every so often to give it a stir all the while allowing your nostrils to indulge in the blissful jammy scent.

Once it thickens but still retains some juicy strawberry chunks, take the pot off of the heat and stir in the lemon juice.  Let the jam cool.  Once cool transfer the jam to a sealed container that can be kept in your fridge.

 

I found that this jam works great in The Pioneer Woman’s Strawberry Oatmeal Bar recipe.  You just need to make a double batch of jam so you will have enough.

I can never make jam without singing the jam song that Carol Channing sings in the made-for-television-all-star-cast version of Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass. I remember watching it when it first aired in December 1985.  My seven year old self was in epic grand musical rapture. We tapped it on the VCR so I could watch it over and over and over again, as seven year olds do and the Jam song was always my favorite( The Lion and the Unicorn being my second favorite song).   I was giddy with excitement a few years ago when I found a used copy of the movie.  I still loved it as it transformed me back into my seven year old self even after all of these years,  but my husband fled after twenty-five minutes claiming that it might be the worst most cheesy thing every put to film.  To each his own I guess.