How to make jam

First and foremost, put your kids to bed, or send them outside. You won't need them for this process! Next, pull your hair back into a ponytail. This is going to get hot and messy. 

Put on an apron (hopefully you have a cute one) and if you like to live on the edge like me you'll wear white underneath.

Pour yourself something lovely to drink. You're going to be stuck over a hot stove for a while. It's nice to have something cool to sip. I like bubbles a lot so it was mineral water for me. 

Queue up some booty shakin' music, 

and get everything set up.

Now you're ready to do the easy part. Just puree...

boil, and stir... and dump in pectin... and ungodly amounts sugar... and stir some more...and keep stirring.

Give it a little taste to make sure that it is sweet enough. (Right? Because 7 cups of sugar could leave it tasting a bit blah?!?? Certainly not, but lick your fingers anways...just in case). 

Then ladle the sticky red stuff into jars and process in a water bath for 10 minutes- during which time you can a.) clean up a little. b.) start your next batch. or c.) stand inhaling strawberries in a foggy sugar daze and think wistfully about taking your own bath:

or doing this to your hair, or handing out these.)

When the time is up, pull your jars out. Set them on a towel, stand back, and sigh. You should feel all domestic and farmy. 

I've got a whole bunch more to make tomorrow and it's all going on the shelves at Tractor Mac's!

More stirring...