Ingredients
2 quarts of strawberries
3 pints of blueberries
4 cups of sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 package pectin

Follow the directions for canning that are found on the pectin packaging! Be sure to read the directions for your pressure canner as well! And keep jars and lids in HOT (not boiling water) water before adding jelly. All important canning instructions can be found HERE!)

1. Wash and dry blueberries and strawberries. Remove stems from strawberries and any strays on the blueberries.

2. In large saucepan, crush blueberries and strawberries with potato masher. Add pectin and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Add sugar and return to bowl for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  

3. Using tools, transfer jelly into ball jars.

4. Add sealed jars to pressure canner and process at 5 lbs of pressure for 10 minutes.  Follow cooling instructions in your pressure canner’s manual.

5. Label jars and stash away to use later or give as gifts!

**Please be sure to consult Pick Your Own and/or the instructions on your canner and pectin packaging. These directions are just a sketch of the different steps involved in the process!

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I made the “executive” decision to invest in some canning equipment…because I am the CEO in my kitchen.

I have fallen in love with my garden…and have wildly elaborate plans for next year’s expansion…which I hope to put into place this fall, so it’s all ready to go in the spring!

In order to preserve and protect my garden’s harvest, I thought it wise to start canning. I’m most looking forward to making salsa and spaghetti sauce. I’ll use the tomatoes from my garden, as well as from a nearby “you pick” market that practically gives the tomatoes away at the end of the picking season!

In the meantime, I’ve made a few jellies, as the prices on berries have been LOW!

Blueberries and strawberries with some lemon juice

A few of the jars “in the bath”

Round 1…of hopefully many!!!  Blueberry-Strawberry Jelly!

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July 4th Muffins….Red, White and Blue!

I used my Fruit and Veggie Muffin recipe as a base for these muffins.  Then I topped them with an almond struesel!

Ingredients
4 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries

Almond Struesel
1/3 cup ground almonds
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

Directions
1. In stand mixer or mixing bowl, stir eggs, oil, applesauce, white sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Add baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, wheat flour and white flour. Mix until batter forms and is no longer lumpy. Add blueberries and raspberries.

2. Carefully fold in blueberries and raspberries with plastic spatula.

3. In small bowl, mix ground almonds, brown sugar and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter or margarine.

4. Add batter to muffin cups and top each muffin cup with 1 tsp of almond struesel.

5. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

6. Let cool on cooling rack. Serve warm with butter.

Makes 12 regular sized muffins.

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Here’s a Red White and Blue smoothie for you all to try this holiday weekend! 

It turns a magnificant purple color when blended!

Ingredients
1 banana
1 cup of milk, rice milk or yogurt
6 large strawberries
About 1 cup blueberries
2 Tbsp ground flaxseed (optional)
2 Tbsp favorite sweetener, like honey, agave syrup or sugar (I used agave)
Enough water to cover all the fruit (about 3-4 cups)

Directions
1. Add all ingredients and blend until smooth.
2. Drink!

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We used to make baked oatmeal for breakfast all the time when we lived in the Dominican Republic!  There are so many great ways to make baked oatmeal.  I thought I’d share my basic recipe, and you can mix in whatever you prefer…blueberries, strawberries, diced apples, dried cranberries, raisins…whatever! 

I made this in a 9×13 baking dish so that we would have leftovers for breakfast! You could half the baked oatmeal portion of the recipe and bake in an 8×8 baking dish.

Ingredients
2 eggs ($.16)
1/2 cup applesauce ($.20)
3/4 cup sugar ($.15)
1 cup milk ($.10)
3 cups of quick cooking oats ($1)
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking powder ($.05)
2 Tbsp brown sugar ($.05)
1 tsp ground cinnamon ($.05)
2 cup fresh blueberries ($2)
Vanilla or plain yogurt, or cream, or milk ($.50)

8 eggs ($.64) On sale $.89 a dozen!!!
1/2 cup milk ($.05) On sale for $.75 a half gallon!!!
Salt/pepper

Directions
1. In large mixing bowl, whisk 2 eggs, applesauce, sugar and milk.  Once creamy, add oats, salt and baking powder and mix through.  (If you wish to add in any fruits, add about 1 cup into the batter at this point.)  **Gluten free: Use certified GF oats.  They are expensive, but this dish would be worth it!
2. Pour batter into greased 9×13 baking dish. Sprinkle top with brown sugar and cinnamon.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Don’t wait too long, as you want to serve it warm! Top with your preferred topping: vanilla or plain yogurt, or cream, or milk.
3. Just before taking the baked oatmeal out of the oven, whisk together 8 eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Add to skillet over medium-high heat. Scramble to your likeness.
4. Serve warm Baked Oatmeal with Scrambled Eggs.

Cost $4.95

Print this Recipe

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The bread became very soft after soaking all night!

Ingredients

1/2 French loaf, sliced and stale! ($.50)
6 eggs ($.75)
1/2 cup milk ($.10)
1/2 cup sugar ($.10)
dash of cinnamon
Handful of Blueberries ($1)
Fruit ($1)

Directions
1. In bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, sugar and cinnamon.
2. Cut bread into 1/2 inch slices and spread on bottom of 8×8 baking dish or equivalent.
3. Pour egg mixture over bread. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
4. In the morning, preheat oven to 350. Uncover and sprinkle with blueberries. Bake 35-40 minutes, until golden brown on top and eggs have cooked through. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve warm with syrup and fruit!

Cost: $3.45

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I’m not sure why wild rice makes me think of fall…so here’s a yummy recipe for you all as we enter into a season of unending beauty (and leaf raking!)…

Ingredients
1 cup cooked and shredded chicken (leftover from the crockpot would be perfect!) ($1 or less!)
1 cup wild rice ($1.50)
3/4 cup blueberries ($1.25)
3 cups water
2 T sugar ($.05)
2 dashes cinnamon ($.05)
1 small-medium butternut squash (they will be VERY cheap soon!) ($1.09)
(Add 1/2 cup white rice and 1 more cup water to stretch this meal a bit further!)
Variation: Add dried or fresh cranberries instead of blueberries!)

Directions
1. Cook wild rice, blueberries, water, sugar and cinnamon for 30 minutes or until rice is tender. Mix in chicken as rice finishes cooking.
2. Cut squash in half or strips. I prefer to place my halved squash face down in 1/4 inch water in glass baking dish. This gives it LOTS of moisture and comes out perfectly for young mouths! We usually eat our squash (and most other veggies for that matter) plain. A little butter or brown sugar makes it extra tasty!

Cost $4.94

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