Move over, Pioneer Woman...

[Darcy Baldwin]

..my Little House on the Prairie days are coming to fruition! (get it?)

I always wanted to be a farm wife. I'd probably REALLY stink at it, but I always wanted to live on a farm with lots of fresh veg and fruits and food and have a big country kitchen where I cooked and canned and feed the world. I'd really stink at it in reality, but my 'dream life' still keeps me going.

So, today, I tried my hand at freezer jam, one step closer to canning LOL I'm so proud of it. We'll see on Monday when it's ready for breakfast if it turned out okay, but I'm just way happy with it.


http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs159.snc1/5940_103769071175_564786175_2568528_6778630_n.jpg
http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs159.snc1/5940_103769076175_564786175_2568529_7882041_n.jpg

My kids are even impressed with me - you mean - you can make that stuff at home?!

Yeah - those of you on FB may have seen this...but I'm really proud of myself! I know it's not hard to do, but I've always been a bit chicken to try, and I finally jumped in!

[emilyscout]

woot, wtg! Nothing like fresh jam!

[Voodoo_Bryn]

You're so cute.

And you always tilt your head the same way.

::giggle::

[dana]

oh cool! i bet it's yummy! :)

[emmasmommy]

I'm with Bryn...you're seriously the cutest! Go you!

[KristinCB]

good job darcy! send some over here :P

[Di-ahh]

Yumm LOVE freezer jam!

[scrappurple]

LOVE homemade stawberry jam!

[Rae's World]

Darcy that is so awesome!!! I have been helping my friend can stuff for the last two weeks. We have done, plums, butter, hamburger, potatoes and some plum jelly. I myself have only helped in the prep work. She has all the gagets and pots and stuff. I have just been peeling potatoes and plums and stuff like that.

I really really want to make some strawberry jam. SO I am jeaulous for sure!!! Enjoy, and let us know how they turned out!!

[Mandy]

And the recipe is where? lol

[Sharon Kay]

Is there a reason you're not canning? Just curious. I who have only canned one bit of tomatoes with a friend...and then on her own tried salsa one year...never to mess with all that time and mess again...I just make salsa and freeze it now. lol

[jessica31876]

WTG!! When I was a kid my sisters and I would go with our parents out to the country and pick fresh wild blackberries on the side of the road then come home and Id help my mom make blackberry jam. Ohhh it was soooo yummy!! I have never done it on my own but I might try one of these days (only difference is Id buy the berries from the store LOL) Picking them ourselves was always alot of fun and we would eat TONS while picking them LOL

[momtutu]

Wow!! I'm so impressed!! I live in N. Texas as well - I'm on my over!!! :-)

[mummytothree]

Canning is over rated!!! :p

I love freezing so much better!!! My father plants a huge garden every summer and I get tons and tons of stuff from him. He cans most of his (he's 74 so maybe it a generation thing) and I freeze all of mine!!! I think my frozen carrots and Lima beans taste so much better then his canned ones!!! :D :D :D

Congrats Darcy....I hope this is only the beginning for you!!!! :thumbup:

[Darcy Baldwin]

Is there a reason you're not canning? Just curious. I who have only canned one bit of tomatoes with a friend...and then on her own tried salsa one year...never to mess with all that time and mess again...I just make salsa and freeze it now. lol

Honestly, Sharon, I'm scared of really screwing it up and making my family sick. And I don't have the equipment. And no one I know cans. My grandmother can't really tell me how anymore. Those reason.

Thanks guys - and yeah, Bryn, I tend to tilt my head in real life, too - makes it hard for haircuts, one side's always a leeettle bit longer than the other and it drives me nuts because I try really hard LOL

Mandy - I got it here, but there's recipes in the boxes of pectin, too.
http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Freezer-Jam/Detail.aspx

[renee82]

Oh that's awesome, Darcy! It looks so yummy! I always wanted to try to make freezer jam, I should! :) You're so cute!

[Mandy]

Thanks Darcy!

[Julie Billingsley]

way to go Darcy! :) I should try that too! My mom loved to can and always supplied me with my jam and syrups and stuff. She lived too far away for me to be there when she canned so I never learned how. Now since she died, I am missing those things and wish I knew how. I definately should learn. You've inspired me. :)

[SmallMoments]

Oh yes! I LOVE me some strawberry freezer jam! Congrats on your first success!

[Jennifer]

Oh yay!!! I want some!!! :wub:

[dabittymama]

mmmmm...I LOVE freezer jam! I felt very domestic when I made some this year too :) plus our strawberry patch produced enough that we got them all from our backyard :thumbup:.

[dabittymama]

Canning is over rated!!! :p

I think my frozen carrots and Lima beans taste so much better then his canned ones!!! :D :D :D I agree. DH's Gma does a huge garden every year and they are big on canning green beans, I am not a fan. I freeze mine them steam them so they are still crisp when we eat them :thumbup:. This year I am going to make some baby food with them too.

[pbumbaca]

I have never heard of freezer jam, I can't wait to hear how it is!

[Leah]

Ummmm Darcy...I'm sending you my mailing address! I do free quality control! LOL

And you're welcome in my {funny} farm kitchen ANYTIME! (bring jam!) hehe

[Sarah8914]

Yum!! I want to make some now!

[4noisyboys]

Strawberry freezer jam is dabomb!! love it!

ps...I found one out in my outside freezer the other day and I was really excited, and then I saw that it was dated 2003 and the jar was all cracked.

[RatherBScrappin]

Congrats on reaching a personal goal of learning how to do this! You SHOULD be proud of yourself! I have heard it's really good, but have never tried it out myself. Maybe someday...

Enjoy!

[tuneskids]

mmmmmm freezer jam. dang it, my ILs have already left on their vacation, can't tell them to bring me more when they arrive here. lol

awesome job Darcy ... you will become addicted.

[livelys]

Freezer jam is new to me too!

Thank for the link Darcy - I'm definitely going to have to investigate (especially as I always seem to burn myself when I boil the jam - freezing sounds so much safer for someone as clumsy as me!)

[crystalbella77]

WOOT!! THat's so awesome!!!!!

I have always felt like you and wanted to be like that and make tons of fresh stuff, but I am not good at it! LOL! I am proud of you!!!!!

[schock77]

Darcy, you're making me feel REALLY bad! How DO YOU DO IT ALL? My kids would be lucky if I cooked on a regular basis....


OVERACHIEVER! :P Ha ha!

[sammi]

Awesome Darcy!!!

I tried my hand at making cooked jam and canning it last week...I don't know why I have been so intimidated. I plan on doing a lot more. I grew up on a farm and my Mom canned all summer. It's a wonderful sense of accomplishment. :)

[ZaCola3]

Well look at you-Miss Domesticated-I love it!
I hope it's yummmy!

[Darcy Baldwin]

Awesome Darcy!!!

I tried my hand at making cooked jam and canning it last week...I don't know why I have been so intimidated. I plan on doing a lot more. I grew up on a farm and my Mom canned all summer. It's a wonderful sense of accomplishment. :)

One day - I'm gonna try. Still scared of screwing up lol, but I'm gonna try. Now I wish I hadn't let my grandmother's canning stuff go all those years ago. *sigh*

[4noisyboys]

One thing that helped me Darcy, was to do it the first time with someone who knew what they were doing. I did it with friends in Washington, and then I wasn't so intimidated doing it on my own.

[Penny Springmann]

Darcy, how cool!!! I'll have to try your recipe when I get up the courage to make my own jam! :)

[Nathalie]

Well done, Darcy! Home made stuff tastes sooo much better and you know exactly what is in it! When I had my veggie patch in the other house, we loved all our veggies, lots of them I put in the freezer for when needed. And I have some delicious jam recipes - the cooking ones though. Now I don't have a patch anymore, not the space for it and with our water restrictions it makes it really hard to grow your own veggies :(

[neenee]

Woohoo! You go girl!

I Pm'ed you my address so you can send me some........

LOL j/k.....

[Melissa Bennett]

Woo hoo!!! I am so proud of you *sniff*. LOL!! I love to can, it really isn't that hard at all, well I have only canned fruit and tomatoes, but still. LOL!! I am getting ready to start pears and peaches soon.

[Nonna2Dreja]

Darcy, this looks yummy! I have canned some jam many years ago, but have never tried making freezer jam....Thank you for sharing the link....I will definitely give this a try....

Please let us know how your jam turns out....:thumbup:

[LibbysMommy]

Sounds awesomely yummy Darcy!! I agree - you are seriously the cutest!! :wub:

[ccouch]

You rock, Darcy!
I told ya before, the girls & I just might take a road trip for some yummy cooking!