Have you been busy preserving your yummy fresh summer fruits? No? Me neither… I’ve never made a jelly, jam, or fruit spread in my life – but it is on my Summer 2014 Bucket List! I’m thinking about trying an easy freezer jam, like this one that doesn’t use any refined sugar, because I’m still a bit terrified of canning. I’ll get there, though.
One of the things that had me a bit hesitant to make homemade jam was that the recipes I’ve found make A LOT. The one I plan to try makes six 8-10oz. jars. Which made me wonder, what on earth am I going to do with SIX jars of jam in my freezer? I love me a good PB&J, but even with two toddlers I can only go through so many of those before I begin to abhor them. So I got busy on Pinterest and actually found some really great ideas for using jelly, jam, and fruit spread. Of course, I wanted to share my faves with you. Here ya go!
Stir into plain oatmeal.
This is actually something my husband came up with a couple of years ago. I am cheap frugal and only buy plain oatmeal in a large bag or can (no individual packs over here). So Shannon started mixing in strawberry jam when he made oatmeal for Little Miss S. So quick and easy. And it is actually her favorite way to eat oatmeal.
Make barbeque sauce.
I’ve seen several recipes that use grape jelly. I wonder how it would turn out with strawberry jam. This recipe for roasted strawberry BBQ sauce by Closet Cooking sounds interesting!
Make thumbprint cookies.
This one seems obvious to me now that I think about it. This recipe by Baker by Nature only uses 5 ingredients!!
Make a sundae.
Again, it seems obvious, doesn’t it? And delicious. Strawberries oozing over vanilla ice cream? Oh goodness.
Make strawberry vinaigrette.
This one by Coconut & Lime will be perfect come midwinter, when you are longing for the days of summer.
Ok, stop it. Now I’m starving and have a strange craving for a barbeque chicken salad with strawberry vinaigrette and a side of fruit swirl oatmeal with an ice cream sundae and thumbprint cookies for dessert. Might as well top it off with a good strawberry ale just to let everyone know I’m not having wild pregnancy cravings…
Linked up at Living Well Spending Less, and Six Sisters’ Stuff.
Little bits of granola 