Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam

My husband has good memories of his childhood. Like Almanzo in the Little House books, he really has good memories of the food that his mother made him.

The other day he was reminiscing about strawberry rhubarb jam. Trying to be the good wife that I think of myself as (!), I procured the supplies, the rhubarb from a neighbor, the strawberries from the garden. I just needed a recipe. Everywhere I look they call for a package of strawberry jello. Ak! (See why this is a problem for me, here.)

I finally dredged this one up fromStrawberry from the Jam & Jelly Times from Sure Jell, Spring 1995 issue. It is what I am cooking up today.

Ingredients:

4 cups prepared fruit (about 1 quart fully ripe strawberries, 1-1/2 lbs. fully ripe rhubarb and 1/2 cup water)

6 cups sugar 1 box Sure Jell Fruit Pectin

1/2 tsp. margarine or butter

Directions:

Stem and thoroughly crush strawberries, 1 layer at a time.

Measure 2-1/4 cups into 6- or 8-quart sauce pot.

Finely chop rhubarb; do not peel. Place in 2-quart saucepan; add 1/2 cup water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 2 minutes or until rhubarb is soft. Measure 1-3/4 cups into strawberries in sauce pot.

Measure sugar into separate bowl. (Scrape excess sugar from cup with spatula to level for exact measure.) Stir fruit pectin into fruit in sauce pot. Add margarine. Bring to full rolling boil on high heat, stirring constantly. Quickly stir in all sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.

Ladle quickly into hot sterilized jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Invert jars 5 minutes, then turn upright. (Or follow water bath method recommended by USDA).

After jars are cool, check seals.

Makes about 7 (1 cup) jars