My Little Taste of Sugar

So recently I decided that I eat WAY too many treats! It's amazing to see what you actually eat if you write it down. So I cut back on sweets and sugar. Yesterday it was 4 whole weeks without them! (Except on Easter, but I'm not counting that. Who resists candy and treats on Easter?) Anyway, this morning my Gram and I went to Costco to buy strawberries to make homemade jam! I couldn't resist having a little taste! And it was so easy to make!

2 cups crushed strawberries

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

4 cups sugar (yikes!)

1 pouch certo (stuff that makes it thick)

Two medium size bowls

First, cut up FRESH strawberries. A bunch of them

I love my cuisinart chopper! Crush your strawberries in something like this next.
They should be slightly chunky, but mostly liquid.

Then, mix your crushed strawberries in with 4 cups of sugar.
After you stir it slightly, it has to sit for 10 minutes, so your sugar isn't crystallized.

As your strawberries are absorbing the sugar, juice your lemons.
My sweet cousin Pickle was my little helper!

It also helped to use my brand new Cuisinart juicer! (I really like Cuisinart stuff)
You can find these at Sur La Table or Williams & Sonoma.

Mix 2 tbsp of lemon juice and 1 pouch of certo.

Fold the lemon juice mixture into the strawberries and sugar

Taste! This part is extra important.  (This batch was kid approved!)

Finally, Package your jam into little containers such as these.
Leave them out (at room temp) for 24 hours before sticking them in the freezer.

Once frozen, spread on a thick toasted and buttered slice of Liberty Heights French Bread.
M favorite! After it's taken out of the freezer, make sure to put it back into the FRIDGE!

This is a perfect and easy gift idea for Mother's day!  Try it out!  I love to cook and make things from scratch.  Something even as little as a container of jam.  A tiny taste of sugar after so long without it is just a little thing that stems from a BIG change in my life! After my tiny hint of sugar delight, it's back on the diet!