When I think about making jam or jelly the first thought that comes to my mind is, “That will take a lot of time!” I have never made jam or jelly before so I did not know what was involved. I thought it would be nice to make my kids a fresh jam sandwich for school, but the problem is that I don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen. I have found a solution that is quick and easy. Ball’s FreshTech Jam and Jelly Maker is fantastic! I was able to make my kids some strawberry jam in about 30 minutes.
There are 3 simple steps!
Step 1:
Gather ingredients and crush 3lbs of strawberries. (Keep in mind, I made strawberry jam.) In the instructions it says to crush the strawberries with a potato smasher. I did not have one on hand so I used a mixer. It seemed to work well.
Step 2:
Measure ingredients and add them to FreshTech Jam and Jelly Maker. This step was very easy because there are only 4 ingredients. The recipe calls for strawberries, sugar, butter or margarine, and pectin. While the ingredients are mixing you will gradually add the sugar.
Step 3:
FreshTech Jam and Jelly Maker stirs and cooks ingredients until finished. The display is digital so it is very easy to use. Plug in Jam and Jelly Maker and select jam or jelly. I pushed the jam button and the timer defaults to 21 minutes. Then I pressed enter. The Jam and Jelly Maker starts and my ingredients are beginning their transformation. After 4 minutes the timer beeps 4 times letting me know to add my sugar gradually. After I added the sugar I simply replaced the lid and went on with my day. After the 21 minutes are complete the timer beeps again letting me know the process is complete. You are supposed to remove the jam promptly but I was busy so I let it stand for a little over 5 minutes. I did not notice that it made a difference. Then I simply unplugged the FreshTech Jam and Jelly Maker and poured my jam into jars. The recipe made approximately 24 ounces of jam.
If you are not going to use the jam right away you can choose to preserve it or freeze it. I was very impressed with the process. It was simple and straight forward. My children are very excited for lunch tomorrow!Ok, so I know you mommies are all wondering what comes in the box?So this is how you clean the Ball FreshTech Jam and Jelly Maker. .. It comes apart just very easily. Then you just put the stirring paddle, glass lid, and nonstick pot in the dishwasher. I love that it is dishwasher safe!Ball also has great ideas for those extra jars you have laying around your house! The Ball Mason Jar Infuser is a great way to add the taste of fresh fruit, herbs, and more to your favorite drinks. I love strawberry lemonade so I put strawberries into my infuser and my lemonade tasted fantastic! The best part is, you can leave the fresh ingredients in your infuser for up to 3 days as long as you keep them submerged and refrigerated when you are not using it. If you don’t want to use the infuser you can just use the lid. If you would like to get some fun recipes for the Ball Mason Jar Infuser visit http://www.freshpreserving.com/products/drinkware.
Another fantastic idea for your Ball Mason Jar is their Sip & Straw Lids! If you have some friends coming over for lunch these would be great to add to your spread for the perfect look. My favorite part was the cute straw! The package comes with a set of 4 lids and straws. My family loved them and my kids were having so much fun! We are planning a birthday party in the near future and I am going to be sure to add these to my table!
Here are 3 perfect ideas for anyone on your gift list! Go check the Ball FreshTech Jam and Jelly Maker and make something fresh!
