Home Sweet Homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Last week, I got one of my crazy ideas again!  I decided I should learn to make my own jellies and jams.  It seems as if I need a new challenge every so often and decide to take on something fairly random.  Now, I know a person can purchase a reasonably priced jar of the mass produced stuff at the local grocery store.  However, if you have ever tasted really good quality homemade jam or jelly, you'd know why a person would go to the trouble of making at home for themselves. 

Last week's adventure was grape jelly.  Since it was my first time making jelly as well as canning, I choose the simplest recipe I could find.  How did it go... let's just say I had a molten grape jelly lava explosion on my stovetop that took DAYS to remove!  UGH!  Add to this mess of an experience, I didn't boil it long enough with the pectin in it, so it has a less than perfect texture.  But it is still pretty good.  I plan to find lots of uses for grape jelly/syrup asap! 

This week, I tried making Strawberry Rhubarb jam.  At our current home, we have 4 rhubarb plants that have always been generous with us.  So, I decided "hey, I better use that rhubarb before we don't have it anymore!"  I found a recipe that mimics my DH's recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Pie--which is freaking awesome!  And made this...

I used the following recipe:

3 c chopped rhubarb

3 c chopped strawberries

2 c white sugar

1 T ground cinnamon

1/2 c water

1 (2 oz) pkg dry pectin

1. In a large saucepan mix together the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, water and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat for 20 minutes or until the fruit is soft.  (I cooked mine longer since I wanted a more condensed flavor) Stir in the pectin and boil for 5 minutes.
2. Ladle into sterile jars, wipe rims with a clean cloth or paper towel, and seal with new lids. Process in a bath of simmering water for at least 10 minutes, or as recommended by your local extension if you are at a high altitude. Store unopened jars in a cool dark place. Refrigerate jam after opening.

I taste-tested the jam this morning (on a couple of slices of bread, ya gotta make sure, ya know, lol!)  Delicious!  Very impressed with this recipe and a little impressed with myself too.  Not too bad for someone who had no idea what she was doing, right?  :)