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Sinking in Surplus Strawberries?
by Tawra Kellam

Description: Ideas for using surplus strawberries from your garden.

Ah June! In the spring we think of a mouth-watering strawberry patch. Now it has turned into a forest with enough strawberries to feed most of the U.S. Undaunted by the mounds of berries in our kitchen, we have visions of row after row of beautiful jars of strawberry jam on our shelves. Then it happens! The first pot boils over leaving a red mess all over the stove, up on the walls and on the counters and floor. Hours later after the kitchen looks like World War III was fought in it we stand in our kitchen and proudly display our 2 pints of strawberry jam. Don't despair. Canning isn't the only way to use excess strawberries. Here are some other suggestions to use those mounds of berries from Tawra Kellam at http://www.LivingOnADime.com.

~ Think small. Don't plant too many plants in your garden. Plant just enough for what you need.

~ If you don't have a garden, shop early in the morning when the store marks down their produce. Great deals can be found. I found 4 lbs. of strawberries $1.49. Only 2 strawberries were bad. Just wash and freeze.

~ File all your recipes for fruits and veggies in order by the name of the fruit. Then when you need to find recipes for all the extra produce you can easily find several recipes.

~ Throw extras into a bag and freeze. Don't waste time freezing them on a tray, they do just as well thrown in a bag.

~ Use extra strawberries in milkshakes, fruit smoothies, popsicles, and fruit gelatin.

~ Top on cereal or oatmeal, add milk for a cream flavor.

~ Mix leftover jam with 3/4cup of hot water and shake. Pour into Popsicle molds and freeze.

Easy Strawberry Jam

3 qts. fresh strawberries
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar

In large microwave-safe bowl, combine strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Cover loosely and microwave on high 15 seconds. Stir mixture to dissolve sugar. Microwave on high, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir mixture well and check to see if it is done by putting a little on a spoon and placing it in the freezer for 5 minutes uncovered. Look at the preserves on the spoon. They should be thick but not hard. For slightly thicker preserves, microwave on high for another 5 minutes. For sweeter preserves, stir in a little more sugar then cook another minute. Spoon preserves into jars and refrigerate or cool at room temperature; spoon into plastic bags and freeze. Makes 7 cups.

Tawra Kellam is the publisher of http://www.LivingOnADime.com and is an expert in frugal living. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years on $22,000 a year income.