Knox Strawberry Jam

Yield: 4 c Jam

Fresh ‘N Easy Berry Jam

2 envelopes Knox Unflavored Gelatine
1 cup water
2 pints strawberries, sliced, or blueberries (about 4 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup sugar or 12 packets aspartame sweetener*
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 to 3 tablespoons raspberry or orange liqueur (optional)

In large saucepan, sprinkle unflavored gelatine over water; let stand 1 minute. Stir over low heat until gelatine is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add strawberries, sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then simmer, stirring occasionally and crushing berries slightly, 10 minutes. Stir in liqueur. Spoon into jars; cool slightly before refrigerating. Chill until set. Makes about 4 cups jam.
*NOTE: Use more or less according to ripeness of fruit.

Fresh Strawberry Muffins (6)

Yield: 6 muffins

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
3/4 cup sugar (or 3/8 c sugar if berries are very sweet)
1 large egg
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup strawberries
1/4 cup milk
1/8 c sugar for topping
1/2 tsp vanilla extract, almond extract
1/2 tsp lemon and/or orange zest

Instructions:

1. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix to incorporate.
2. Sift dry ingredients together. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Gently fold in strawberries.
3. Spoon into paper-lined muffin pan, filling each cup 2/3 full. Sprinkle with sugar.
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Cool in pan.

NOTE: Tastes great. I wanted to make this recipe because of all the rave reviews (this is the Macy’s Blueberry Muffin recipe made with strawberries instead). It tastes great, is moist and delicious, but.. meh. I think New Englanders are easily pleased. There used to be an old muffin store in downtown Chicago in the 1980s.. they made the best muffins. They went out of business, I forgot the store’s name, but… I am still looking for THAT recipe.

Fresh Strawberry Muffins (12)

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar (or 1 c sugar if berries are very sweet)
2 large eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups strawberries
1/2 cup milk
1/4 c sugar for topping

Instructions:

1. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix to incorporate.
2. Sift dry ingredients together. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Gently fold in strawberries.
3. Spoon into paper-lined muffin pan, filling each cup 2/3 full. Sprinkle with sugar.
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Cool in pan.

Berry Cake

Make 1 gingerbread recipe.

Add 1 c huckleberries (or whatever berries you like) (can also use juneberries/serviceberries)

Huckleberry Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup huckleberries
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Yield: 1 cake
Method:
Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Cream butter and sugar together until the mixture is very light. Add eggs, one by one, beating after each addition. Combine 1/4 cup flour with the huckleberries. In a bowl, mix the remaining flour with baking soda and then fold this into the egg mixture. Add vanilla and, lastly, fold in the floured huckleberries.
Pour the batter into a buttered, floured 8-inch-square baking tin. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the cake is nicely browned, or when a tester inserted comes out clean. Serve the cake hot with whipped cream.

Strawberry Pie

Recipe (a more exact one) will be added if anyone is interested, otherwise I’m just posting pictures.

Strawberry Pie – UNBAKED

I used two crusts from my “Easy Pie Crust” recipe (also on this blog).

I mixed strawberries (one big carton) and blackberries (three small cartons) with corn starch, sugar, a twist of lemon, and a dash of salt, and let it sit for an hour.  TASTE YOUR BERRIES. If they are tart (and I was baking in the off season, so of course the berries were tart), add more sugar. If they are sweet, add less sugar.

Baked at 350 F for about an hour (55 minutes, I think).

Strawberry Pie

Strawberry Pie

Strawberry Pie

Served with whipped cream (my recipe: whipping cream, vanilla extract, bourbon (optional – Maker’s Mark), and sugar (confectioner’s)). Beat on high speed until fluffy and awesome. DO NOT OVERBEAT – otherwise you will make butter (if you do this by accident, don’t throw it out, that’s wasteful — sub it in for oil or butter in a recipe for cake or bread or scones or cookies or biscuits).

Otherwise serve with Haagen Daaz (yes, I’m specifying the brand, because it DOES matter) Vanilla Ice Cream.

Enjoy with a stiff coffee.