Strawberries are on sale and that means jam time.  This has become my family's favorite jam.  It is from the Ball canning site and tastes like strawberry lemonade - summertime in a jar.


1/4 cup thinly sliced lemon peel (about 2 large)
4 cups crushed strawberries (about 4 1-lb containers)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
6 Tbsp Ball® RealFruit™ Classic Pectin - I have also used any box of pectin I have handy
6 cups sugar
7 (8 oz) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

Directions:

1.) PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
2.) COMBINE lemon peel and water to cover in a 6- or 8-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil for 5 minutes, until peel is softened. Drain and discard liquid. Return peel to pan. I usually just finely dice my lemon peel in a food processor and then add strawberries.  I chop the strawberries really finely to almost mush in my processor along with the already chopped lemon peel.  You cannot do the lemon at the same time as the strawberries as you will end up with pureed strawberries and chunks of lemon peel.  With it being chopped so fine the lemon peel cooks and softens just in the jam process.
3.) ADD strawberries and lemon juice to peel and mix well. Gradually stir in pectin. Bring mixture to a full rolling that can not be stirred down, over high heat, stirring constantly.
4.) ADD entire measure of sugar, stirring to dissolve. Return mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off foam if necessary.
5.) LADLE hot jam into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.
6.) PROCESS in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Every year our Braeburn and Gala apple trees dump a bunch of delicious apples on us.  This is not the plain applesauce which we like as well but the dressed up version that we like best.  If the apples are really sweet, I will decrease the sugar.

5 lbs apples peeled, cored and sliced which should be around 15 cups
2 1/2 c water (add more water if needed to make it less thick)
1 c packed brown sugar
3/4 c lemon juice
3 Tbsp lemon peel optional
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 Tbsp vanilla

1. Combine in large pan everything but the vanilla.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for at least one hour till apples are very soft.  Using an immersion blender or a potato masher, mash up all the apples till desired consistency.  You can also do batches in a blender.
2. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
3. Pour into sterilized canning jars and secure with lids.  Put in boiling water bath for as long as needed for altitude.  For us that is 30 minutes for a quart or 20 minutes for a pint.  Or just eat the applesauce straight away!