We made Blueberry Jam on Saturday.  I literally whipped up two batches in less than 30 minutes thanks to my friend Jonna.  I used the Ball Fruit Freezer Jam Pectin.

1. Washed the blueberries
2. Mashed blueberries
3. Measure 4 cups of mashed blueberries
4. In a separate bowl mix 1.5 cups sugar and the pectin packet together
5. Pour the mashed blueberries into the sugar/pectin mixture
6. Mix for 3 minutes
7. Ladle blueberry jam into half pint jars (make sure to leave head space for expansion in freezing)
8. Cover with lids and rings
9. Let sit for 30 minutes
10. Put in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 year

We had it on homemade bread yesterday.  Delicious and not to sweet.

I’d love to have your ideas for what to do with the leftover chicken that we have from a roasted chicken (in my crock pot) we ate earlier this week.  I typically make chicken enchiladas with the most of the meat portion.  What do you do with the rest?

Chicken noodle soup, broth…

I’d love as many ideas as possible.  Recipes would be awesome…

I just wanted to show how easy it is to make fresh strawberry freezer jam. You’ll want to make sure you follow the recipe in the package of pectin that you buy.  I used the recipe in Sure Jell Low-Sugar pectin (pink box) for strawberry freezer jam.

Wash your strawberries.

Remove the stems.  I run water over them again just to make sure they’re good and clean.

Mash strawberries.  I put them in a 11×15 pan and use a potato masher.

I added more strawberries and mash again until they’re all ready.

Measure out exactly 4 cups of strawberries and set them aside (use a liquid measuring cup).

Measure out exactly 3 cups of sugar into a large saucepan.  (This is organic sugar so that’s why it’s darker)

Add a box of Sure Jell Low-Sugar pectin and mix together well.

Stir in one cup of water.

Bring mixture to a boil on medium-high heat.  Make sure to stir constantly.

Boil and stir for 1 minute and then remove from heat.

Stir strawberries quickly into hot pectin-sugar mixture.  Stir for 1 minute or until thoroughly mixed.

Pour into prepared containers.  Make sure to leave 1/2 inch space at the top for expansion during freezing.

Cover and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours until set.

You’ll be able to refrigerate up to 3 weeks or store in the freezer for up to one year.

If you’ve never made homemade jam before this is a great method to start with.  You don’t need a canner and it’s really very simple.   The biggest thing is to follow the directions in the box exactly.  Once you’ve had homemade, you’ll never go back.  Enjoy!

I made a quick batch of Strawberry Freezer Jam tonight.  I’ll post details later.

Now I just have to figure out where our jar lids went…

This is a favorite for this time of year when we’re able to pick fresh rhubarb from our garden.  It’s a recipe that my mom in law passed on to me.

Rhubarb Coffee Cake

1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c buttermilk
2 c. rhubarb (small pieces)
1 1/4 c. sugar
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Topping:

1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. sugar
2 Tbs. butter
1/2 c. nuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cream 1/2 c. butter with 1 1/4 cup sugar

Add 1 egg

In a separate bowl, sift together 2 c. flour, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. baking soda.

Add 1/2 of the dry ingredients and mix.

Add 1/2  of buttermilk and mix (you use 1 c. total so add approximately 1/2 c.)

Again add 1/2 of the dry ingredients and mix.  Then the rest of the buttermilk and mix.

Chop washed rhubarb into small pieces.  You’ll need about 2 cups.  I generally add a little extra:)

Add to batter along with 1 tsp. vanilla.

Fold in vanilla and rhubarb.

Use 2 round pans or a 9×13 pan.  Spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Pour into pans.

In a small bowl, put 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 c. sugar, 2 Tbs. butter, and 1/2 c. nuts (optional)

Cut together with pastry cutter.

Sprinkle on top of batter.

Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Enjoy!

I love this recipe for caramel corn, so I wanted to share it with you.

The recipe actually calls for Jay’s Corn Puffs.  It tastes wonderful with that, but it’s also delicious with popped corn.  It’s a more frugal option.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees

Spray two pans (a roasting pan and a 10 x 15 pan) with non-stick cooking spray

Pop (2) 1/2 cup batches of popcorn directly into prepared pans

Gather your ingredients for the caramel sauce:

• 2 sticks of butter or oleo
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 c. light Karo syrup
• 1/2 tsp. Salt

The baking soda is for a little later.

Put them in a medium sized sauce pan.

Melt over medium-high heat.  Make sure to stir constantly.

Bring to a boil.

Simmer for 5 minutes.  I turn the heat down to low-medium.

Remove from heat and add 1/2 tsp. baking soda.

It will foam up a bit.

Pour over popcorn

Stir quickly to coat evenly.

You’ll now bake it in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

Dump on wax paper to cool.

Store in airtight container when it’s cool.

Enjoy!

I love these bars and they’re so easy to make.  I don’t even use a mixer, just stir by hand.

You’ll need butter, brown sugar, eggs, flour, salt, baking powder, coconut, and chocolate chips.

Grease a 9×13 pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees

Melt 10 2/3 Tbsp. butter (1 1/3 stick)

Add:

2 cups brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

Mix well

Add:

1 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Stir well.

Measure out 12 oz. of chocolate chips and 1 cup coconut.

Add chocolate chips and coconut to the batter.

Mix.

Spread into prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!

These are a healthy homemade snack that my husband Matt and Kaden love.
I found this recipe in this cookbook Recipes from the Old Mill: Baking with Whole Grains by Sarah E. Meyers and Mary Beth Lind.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together until well blended:
1/3 c. brown sugar
2/3 c. crunchy peanut butter
3/4 c. honey
2 Tbsp. hot water (optional)
2 tsp. vanilla

Stir in:
2.5 c. rolled oats
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 c. wheat germ
1/2 c. sunflower seeds or nuts
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds (I didn’t add these b/c I didn’t have any)
1 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. raisins or other dried fruit
1/2 c. coconut (optional)

Press mixture into greased 9?x13? pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minute (lightly brown). Cut while warm.

This recipe is from my mother-in-law, a wonderful baker and cook.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

• 1 3/4 c. all purpose flour
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. chocolate chips
• 1 egg
• 1/4 c. cooking oil (I substitute applesauce)
• 1/4 c. milk
• 1 c. mashed bananas (3 medium)

Mix dry ingredients. Make a well and set aside. Beat egg until frothy. Mix in oil and milk. Pour this mixture into well along with the bananas. Stir until moistened. Batter will be lumpy.
Put into muffin tins.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes (my oven only takes about 15 minutes)

I don’t measure the bananas exactly.
Enjoy! As you can see, the boys love them, including my husband Matt.

Here’s a beer bread recipe that my family loves and the best part about it is how simple it is.

Mix

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup white sugar

Add 1 bottle of beer (I love it with Leinenkugel Honey Weiss) and mix it all together.  It is a very thick batter.

Put into a greased 9×5 loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes.  I tend to keep an eye on it.  When I stick a knife in it and it comes out clean, I take it out of the oven.

It tastes great with butter, honey, peanut butter, or cheese.  If you have any left for the next day, it makes a wonderful bread to use for grilled cheese.  We just ate it last week with chili.  Yum!

You can substitute 3 cups self-rising flour for the flour, salt, and baking powder, but I never have self-rising flour in the house so I changed the recipe.

This is so easy to make and cheap. You just need washing soda and borax. Mix equal parts of both. I premix a bunch and store it in an airtight container. I just fill up the detergent dispenser when I’m ready to run a load of dishes. Also put distilled vinegar in your rinse agent dispenser. If you have hard water, you may need to adjust the proportions to prevent soap film. You would have to increase the amount of soda.

Does anyone else have any homemade cleaning supplies that they make?

Easy Cheeseburger Mac-N-Cheese (feeds 6)

Last night Gooseberry Patch on Facebook reached it’s 1st 30,000 fans.  If you’re a fan or become one you’ll be able to download the 1st chapter of the exclusive Circle of Friends cookbook.  It includes 25 different recipes for homemade macaroni and cheese.  Yum!

If you’re not a fan yet, make sure to head over here and become one.  When they reach 40,000 fans, you’ll get another free chapter download (25 recipes for chocolate chip cookies).  The more fans they get, the more recipes we’ll get.

We had a family in our church growing up that made the most amazing egg rolls and I always wanted to learn how to make them.

A while back Matt came home from work with instructions from his co-worker Nu about how to make Laotian Egg Rolls.  I’m not Laotian so I’m definitely not an expert, but we made these for our house church and they turned out amazing.  Yummy!

Laotian Eggs Rolls

Ingredients that you’ll need to gather:

2 lb. ground pork (I substitute ground turkey)
Carrots
Cabbage
Bean Thread Noodles
Green Onions
Garlic
Dried black mushrooms (I use fresh shitake mushrooms)
Eggs
Fish Sauce
Salt
Sugar
Spring roll wrappers

You’ll find the best price and best products for the 3 products below at an Asian store (spring roll wrappers, fish sauce, bean thread).

Here’s what you need to do:

Take the spring roll wrappers out of the freezer so they’re ready when you need them.

Brown ground pork or turkey.

Soak bean thread in water for 10 minutes (I use 2 of the little packs.)

Shred 2-3 cups of carrots.

Chop cabbage (2-3 cup worth)

Chop green onions (about a bunch)

Remove bean thread from the water and cut it up with a scissor.

Put carrots, cabbage, green onions, bean thread and 1 cup chopped mushrooms in large bowl.

Add 3 eggs, 2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1 Tablespoon fish sauce, and 2 crushed garlic cloves.

Add ground turkey or pork.

This is the key: you need to massage the mixture with your hands to get everything blended together.

After it’s well blended, place a wrapper in front of you like this, put egg whites on the top edge (the side away from you), and add the mixture as shown in the picture.

Fold up the bottom edge of the wrapper.

Fold in both sides.  Make sure to keep everything tight.

Roll up to the far end.

Repeat until you’re finished with all the egg rolls.

It’s time to fry the egg rolls.  Heat 2 to 3 inches of canola oil in wok or deep pan to 325 to 350.

Float the rolls in oil and fry 5 to 6 minutes per side or until golden brown.

Remove the egg rolls from the oil (be very careful).  Place them on a paper bag that you’ve cut open.  It keeps them crisp and absorbs some of the oil.

Enjoy!

If you have any left, we’ve frozen them successfully.

Thanks so much, Nu!

Go HERE to request one of these 5 recipe booklets.  You’ll either be able to download them or request them in the mail.

• Fruit & Sunshine: Naturally Healthy Raisin Recipes
• The New Taste of Tradition: Our classic recipes with a new twist
• Recipes for Healthier Eating: Good food that’s good for you, too
• Fall Favorites: Celebrate Fall Festivities with Gooseberry Patch
• Family Favorite Recipes: From the popular Gooseberry Patch collection

Thanks, Moms Thrifty Deals

For all you Gooseberry Patch cookbook fans, make sure to become a fan of Gooseberry Patch on Facebook and here’s why.

Help us reach 100,000 fans!

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When we reach:

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Sweepstakes Starts

• March 09, 2010 @ 10:00 pm (PST)

Sweepstakes Ends

• March 23, 2010 @ 10:00 pm (PDT)

Sounds fun to me!

I love these bars and they’re so easy to make.  I don’t even use a mixer, just stir by hand.

You’ll need butter, brown sugar, eggs, flour, salt, baking powder, coconut, and chocolate chips.

Grease a 9×13 pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees

Melt 10 2/3 Tbsp. butter (1 1/3 stick)

Add:

2 cups brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

Mix well

Add:

1 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Stir well.

Measure out 12 oz. of chocolate chips and 1 cup coconut.

Add chocolate chips and coconut to the batter.

Mix.

Spread into prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!