Strawberries, Strawberries, Strawberries

There are lots of fresh fruit farms here. Many of them have the option for you to pick the produce, which is nice because you can pick the best fruit and it is a ton cheaper. So Yesterday a group of us went to the berry farm and picked strawberries! YUM YUM. Only $.98 a LB, I got 9l
Spencer and Ashley (both 1 year) sat in the middle of the rows of Strawberries and were thrilled to eat as much as there little hands could grasp. I was just glad that bleach turned his strawberry stained shirt white again.


Ashley has the best face, Spencer looked about this bad as well

So I cut and sliced and froze. . .

And made Devin's mom's freezer jam recipe which is wonderful and doensn't require a steamer (which I don't have)


I also got ambitious and made this wonderful Whole Wheat Bread. It tasted great and was an easy one to make as far as bread goes. I haven't made whole wheat bread much in my life but was thrilled to try

Well Spencer ate it so I guess it was a success!

If anyone wants the recipe I will post it:

Strawberry Freezer Jam

What You Need

3-1/4 cups prepared fruit (buy about 2 qt. fully ripe strawberries)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 box MCP Pectin

1 cup corn syrup

4-1/2 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl

Make It

RINSE clean plastic containers and lids with boiling water. Dry thoroughly.

CRUSH strawberries thoroughly, one layer at a time. Measure exactly 3-1/4 cups crushed strawberries into large bowl. Stir in lemon juice. Stir in pectin; let stand 30 min., stirring every 5 min. Stir in corn syrup. Gradually add sugar, stirring until well blended. Stir an additional 3 min. or until sugar is completely dissolved and no longer grainy. (A few sugar crystals may remain.)

FILL all containers immediately to within 1/2 inch of tops. Wipe off top edges of containers; immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Jam is now ready to use. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks or freeze extra containers up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator before using.

Simple Honey Wheat Bread

3 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 Tablespoons active dry yeast (equal to two 2-oz. packages)
2/3 cup honey, divided into two
5 cups bread flour
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup honey
1 Tablespoon salt
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1. In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/3 cup honey. Add 5 cups white bread flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.

2. Mix in 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and salt. Stir in 3 cups whole wheat flour. Flour a flat surface and knead in additional wheat flour (1/2 cup to 1 cup) until the dough just pulls away from the counter, but is still sticky to the touch. Place in an oiled bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.

• If you're mixing in an electric mixer, you can skip adding the flour by kneading on a floured surface and instead add the flour directly to the bowl as the mixer does the mixing. The point of this step, by the way, isn't kneading; it's incorporating the remaining flour. Just make sure the dough pulls together.
  

3. Punch down, and divide into 3 loaves. Place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.

4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes; do not overbake. Remove from pan to cool loaves on a wire rack. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard.