Strawberry Vanilla Jam

Spring and summer’s bounty includes so many delicious fruits and vegetables. Florida is one of the nation’s top strawberry producers, and our markets are full of many varieties of fresh local strawberries. I love to eat them right from the carton, but I also enjoy making and eating strawberry jam.

Ingredients

• 2 quarts fresh strawberries
• 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2 boxes of pectin
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 7 cups white sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

I’ve tried this recipe with less sugar, but the consistency is just not right.

Wash berries, slice off tops and cut them in half. Mash them in a bowl with a fork or potato masher. Place them in a heavy duty pot with the lemon juice, butter, pectin and split vanilla bean. Bring to a rolling boil. This may take a while. The mixture will be watery. Once it boils, add the sugar all at once and bring back to a boil. Boil for 1 full minute. Take the pot off the heat, add the vanilla extract and mix by hand for a couple of minutes. The butter helps to prevent foaming, but if you do get some foam on your jam, you can skim it off.

I can my jam, but if you are not into canning, then you can share your large batch of delicious Strawberry Vanilla Jam with friends and family. If you don’t can the jam, keep it refrigerated. Read about keep jam safely here.

While I admit the name doesn’t sound all that appetizing, you will love Garbage Soup! Make this soup when you have plenty of leftover rice, lentils and veggies on hand. It’s called “Garbage” because of the recycled leftovers and the pile of other ingredients. The smoked sun-dried tomatoes really add a depth of flavor. The best thing about this recipe is that your amounts and ingredients don’t have to be exact. It’s delicious, low in fat and healthy – a great way to get fiber into your diet!

• Saute one chopped onion and one chopped stalk of celery for about 5 minutes until softened
• Lower heat and add 4-5 cloves chopped garlic, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes
• Add 4 cups organic chicken stock
• Add 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Add your leftovers (about 1 cup rice, 1/4 cup lentils, cup and half of veggies)
• Add some fresh chopped kale
• Add about 8 smoked sun-dried tomatoes
• Add one large chopped tomato
• Cook for about 10 minutes just enough for leftovers to soften
• Put chunky soup in blender to puree in batches and then return to heat until bubbling hot
• Taste and add more salt if needed
• If you like thinner soup, you can add more chicken stock

Clockwise from from top left – Apple, Chocolate Pecan, Pumpkin and Lemon Meringue!

I made mine in a heart-shaped cake pan and then added icing I made from powdered sugar, cocoa powder and milk. This is perfect for anyone (like me) who is gluten-intolerant.

Get the recipe on Epicurious.com

I bought this huge onion at Robert is Here in Redlands, FL. It was 6 inches in dimater and made a massive number of huge and delicious onion rings!

Clean and peel tomatoes

Cook with onions, garlic, red wine and spices

Add meatballs. and look what ya got!

Yummy!

Make your favorite shortbread cookie recipe, add a drop of red food coloring and use a heart-shaped cookie cutter. Then melt some chocolate chips and drizzle it over the top of the cookies. Delicious! And so perfect for Valentines Day!

Just take your favorite chocolate layer cake recipe, and add pure spearmint extract to the cake and frosting, rather than vanilla extract. Garnish with chopped chocolate mint candies!

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is my favorite day of the year. It’s the day I pick up my turkey and bake all my pies. I also cut up all the onions, celery, shallots and garlic I’ll need for all the side dishes. That’s the time to use the food processor and the mandoline slicer, make one big mess and clean up once.

No slicing and dicing for me tomorrow!

Daughter home from college to bake pies! These are all the leaf cutouts for the pie edge decorations.

Close up of leaf cutouts. (Buy the cutters at Williams Sonoma)

Pumpkin!

Pecan!

French Apple Crumb!

Chocolate Truffle Tart to be Decorated Tomorrow!

Meyer Lemon Cranberry Bread!

Herbed Carrot White Bean Meyer Lemon Soup

Chop onion and celery and saute with olive oil until soft. Then sautee garlic for 2 minutes.

Add chopped carrots and 3 cups chick stock and 2 cups water and simmer for 20 minutes

Gather up herbs

Chop herbs finely and zest 1/2 meyer lemon or regular lemon

Add white beans, salt, pepper and herbs and simmer another 5 minutes

Use a stick blender to puree or use regular blender and puree in batches

Color will be a creamy orange when blended

Enjoy with your favorite sandwich or salad! Add croutons if you like.

Another healthy, nutritious, low fat soup. No cream or butter or bacon!

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 5 large carrots, chopped
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups water
• 1 meyer lemon or regular lemon
• 10 or so stalks of fresh herbs, sage, rosemary, basil and thyme
• 1 can navy beans or cannellini beans
• Salt and pepper