I got up early Saturday morning and decided I wanted to make jam. I make my Christmas presents every year and decided I’d like to add jam into the baskets this year. The two Farmers Markets in Sparks are on Tuesday morning and Thursday afternoon, so I drove over to the one on California Avenue in Reno. Bought a flat of strawberries and four baskets of blueberries. Figured that would be a good start!
Blueberries went off without a hitch…made 7 – 8oz jars.
Then came the strawberries. All was well until the last minute of boiling! Gonna need a bigger pot! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!
Luckily I only had 3 feet to carry the pot over to the butcher’s block (I did leave a trail of strawberries on the wood floor) to pour the mixture into the jars…I knew that I would NOT have strawberry jam, probably strawberry syrup, but I was not going to waste anything by throwing it out. I ended up with 10 – 8oz jars of strawberry goop. Sunday morning I opened up a jar and put it on our whole wheat pancakes…OH MY GOODNESS! It was very tasty! And it wasn’t as syrupy as I thought it would be. Good save, if I say so myself! 🙂 Unfortunately, my stovetop did not fair too well. That large crescent on the right side somehow etched itself into the ceramic top. Boo Hoo! 😦
I have lots of peppers growing in the garden so my next canning project will be to make Hot Pepper Jam. I also would like to make either peach, plum, or orange marmalade jam.
After the Farmer’s Market I went to a couple of yard sales in the area and lookie what I found! The cutest wooden sewing machine!
And three hardback books of Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery
~ the lady had bought them at Prince Edward Island.
Sunday morning while picking some squash I was admiring said peppers and just happened to look over at the green beans. I have beans! Went inside to grab the colander and started to pick green beans…then saw the black beans were there too. Picked enough for dinner that night and a bag to give to my mom. So dinner was bbq-d chicken breast with steamed beans (which I then lightly sauteed them with two strips of bacon) and extra-sourdough bread.
I picked lots of carrots…needed to thin them so the rest of them will grow bigger. Ate a bunch right then and there and brought in a gallon bag-full to work. They are VERY GOOD! Also had two funky looking cucumbers.