Homemade Strawberry Jam

So here's the deal. For a long time my mom has made homemade strawberry jam, and I think I'm addicted. I've tried other stuff, you know, the store bought kind, and it just doesn't come close. Every time we go back to North Dakota I bring as much of the good stuff home with me as I can.

Well, a couple weeks ago our supply started to run low. We took two butter tub containers full of jam home with us from Christmas last year. For the average person, you'd think that two 45 oz. containers of strawberry jam would be enough for what, like 2 years?

Not so for me. I slather it on anything I can, including pancakes, crepes, and of course, sandwiches. Well, I haven't been able to take sandwiches to work for a few days because we only had enough jam for one sandwich. Taking the last jam for a sandwich is like eating the last doughnut. You just don't do it.

Well, we finally went crazy this last weekend and decided to make jam. Not anything fancy and cooked-like, just plain old freezer jam.

I think it turned out really well. We tried two different recipes from two different pectins (that's the stuff that you have to have to make jam). We haven't decided which one tastes better yet because one is still setting. I'm sure they'll both be delicious. And now I can take sandwiches to work again. YAY!!!

Just a quick update on the jam (from Tricia): We used both Sure-Jell and Ball's, and I think they taste about the same. Ryan likes the Sure-Jell better, but we're making another batch and it's going to be Ball's. Here's why: Sure-Jell used 4 cups of sugar and 2 cups of strawberries, while Ball's used 1-1/2 cups sugar and 4 cups of strawberries! Since I couldn't taste a difference, and Ryan only sort of could, we are definitely going with the one with less sugar. Plus, there were a lot more steps in the Sure-Jell recipe and I'm all about simplicity. Anyways, just thought y'all might want to know the difference!