Page 90 - South Mississippi Living - May, 2018

LEISURE jammin
Let's Make Strawberry Basil Freezer Jam
story and photos by Kelsey Sunderman-Foster
In honor of this month’s Ultimate Dining Guide, we cooked up a simple and sweet DIY jam recipe just for you! Strawberry Basil Freezer jam is a delicious spin on an old classic and makes for a great gift or summer snack.
TIP: Try changing up this recipe with different fruit and herb combinations. Mint is another great ingredient to spice up your jam.
What you’ll need:
INGREDIENTS
Step 1:
Collect your ingredients. We got our strawberries and basil from a local farmers market.
Step 2:
In a large bowl, mash clean strawberries using a potato masher. You’ll want to leave some chunks. Measure out two cups and return to bowl.
Step 3:
Stir 4 cups of granulated sugar into the 2 cups of mashed strawberries. Mix well to combine and moisten all the sugar, then
let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 4:
Step 5:
Add pectin and water mixture to the fruit and sugar mixture. Stir constantly for about 3-4 minutes or until sugar is completely dissolved and mixture is no longer grainy. Stir in chopped basil leaves.
Step 6:
Pour mixture into jars. Let jam stand at room temperature for 8 hours before moving to the fridge or freezer. If you freeze it, thaw it in the fridge when you’re ready to use your jam.
•
about 1 pound of fresh strawberries (you’ll need 2 cups crushed strawberries)
•
•
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
4 cups granulated sugar
one 1.75 ounce package of fruit pectin
SPECIAL TOOLS AND ITEMS
• potato masher • fruit huller
• mason jars
FOR THE GIFT TAGS
• kraft paper tags • twine
• ink pad
• stamp
• fine-tipped marker
90 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • May 2018
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Meanwhile, combine fruit pectin and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil on high heat, stirring constantly. When it boils, set a timer for one minute. Continue to stir constantly and then remove from heat when it has boiled for one minute.
Step 7:
Decorate tags and tie to jars with twine.