Strawberry Freezer Jam

Well, can I just tell you how proud I am of my little ol' strawberry patch!

 I planted it two years ago around our back yard deck with starts from a friend's garden. Last year, it produced a small bowl full of berries. This year, it has far exceeded my expectations! Last week, it produced a small mixing bowl full of berries. Enough, to mix with rhubarb and make  cobbler. This week, it has provided me with a large mixing bowl full of very ripe strawberries.

Plenty of strawberries to make two batches of Strawberry Freezer Jam. Eight pint jars worth! (Notice that I used empty peanut butter jars to store the jam. The peanut butter jars stack beautifully in the freezer.)

My hard working little patch has also been frantically sending out lots and lots of  runners (baby strawberry plants).

Hopefully, next year those little baby plants will produce even more strawberries! YUM!

Save Your Containers!

I was washing out a peanut butter jar just a little while ago, and I was inspired to remind everybody to save those 18 oz. peanut butter jars. If you were like me, and bought peanut butter on Smith's case lot sale awhile ago, or when it was 10 for $10 I know you have a lot in your storage. Right now we are in the dead of winter, but before you know it, it will spring and summer. If you make freezer jam(which is very easy and a great way to start learning how to preserve your own food) with all the yummy raspberries and strawberries that go on sale throughout the summer it's sometimes hard to find enough containers to hold it all! I discovered a couple years ago when I was in that exact predicament that empty peanut butter jars make the perfect jam containers. They stack beautifully in the freezer.What I love about them is that the containers are clear so I can see what kind of jam it is and the screw top makes it somewhat spill proof. When they are empty wash them out and save for next year. Empty frosting tubs work well, too.

Here's some food for thought: You know you are a tightwad when you are more excited about getting the container an item comes in, than in the actual item!