Summer Faire Workshop~ Seed Packets

I can't even tell you how good for the soul this workshop has been for me. It has been so long that I have really created anything much in the past couple years. On top of that, I am pretty new to water colors and actually like it quite a bit. It is very forgiving...As well as inspiring and fun. This lesson was by Artist Valerie Weller...She showed her versions of seed packets and encouraged the students to either do what she was doing or come of with something of your own. I decided to do my own thing using her techniques. I drew/designed up my strawberry packet on my own, but the watermelon seeds with the little girl on it was inspired by an antique/vintage seed packet. I just had to paint her...It was adorable!

This week Valerie has another project with herb pots (so cute)...

I am doing mine on a canvas board. Hope it turns out good. Well that's all I got for today!!! 

Happy Summer!!!!

Summertime Jam Series~ Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Strawberry~Rhubarb Jam

Ingredients 

(makes about 6 half pints)

2 cups crushed strawberries

2 cups chopped rhubarb

1 package powder pectin

¼ cup lemon juice

5 ½ cups sugar

Directions

1. Put strawberries, rhubarb, pectin, and lemon juice in a heavy bottomed sauce pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat. 

2. Slowly add the sugar while stirring constantly.

3. Once the sugar is dissolved, bring the solution back to a boil. Boil hard for 1 minute.

4. Remove the jam from the heat and quickly ladle into hot, sterile jars leaving ¼ inch head space. 

5. Place the lids on the jars and adjust the two piece cap until finger tip tight.

6. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water canner.

7. Remove the jam from the canner and allow to cool completely. The jam may take several days to set completely. Mine took 48 to completely set and have an actual jam texture. 

Definitely one of my favorite jams to make. I first discovered rhubarb for myself about 14 years ago while living in Washington. My neighbors had wild growing rhubarb near their house and allowed me to glean from their lot. I made many pies and jam and rhubarb sauces over the years and never tire of it. It is just so delectably yummy to the tummy.

In the Winter months this is sure to be a delightful treat, 

that will remind you of the Summer's past. Enjoy!!!

Jammin' Party 2015

What a treat making some jam this weekend. We hosted a Jammin' Party for some friends for an early Mothers Day celebration. My girl and her gal friends and their mommas came over for some fun, fellowship, feasting, crafting and jammin'. It was a blast!!!! These gals have never made jam before, so it was the perfect opportunity to share the art of canning with these young ladies. And they had so much fun doing it!!!!

On Friday I went to our local Strawberry farm where they also have a stand for locals to buy. I love supporting local farmers! These strawberries were soooooo good! So fresh, so sweet and not sprayed with poison chemicals. For $20 bucks...I got a great bargain...Grocery stores charge so much more...and they usually are not that good, 

plus they travel quite a distance before they even hit the stores! 

I got all my supplies ready and pulled out the aprons...Set a nice table for lunch.....MMMM!

 I made these yummy grilled Brie cheese sliders with fresh basil and balsamic vinegarette soaked strawberries for lunch!!! MMMMM!!! I  served them with Tomato soup, and a lovely spinach salad dressed in walnuts and dried cherries with a raspberry vinaigrette! And a home made Southern Strawberry lemonade tea. Oh yum!

The ladies started cutting up and prepping their fruit to be cooked down. 

They were ladled into their jars and processed in the water canner. 

I pulled out some crafty goodness and a bin full of fabrics for the gals to embellish their jars of jam for fun or gift giving if they decided. They had loads of fun creating their jars.

We had a wonderful day celebrating these mommas and their daughters 

just in time for Mothers Day. 

It was a delightful time...And we have already planned to 

do some more canning and get together over Summer break!

This group of ladies have really been a blessing to us this year! 

We are so blessed!!!

Strawberry Pie...

Strawberry Pie
***
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups sugar
 (It is a SWEET dessert, you might want to reduce the sugar.)
1 1/2 cups water
3 oz box strawberry Jell-O
2 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
Pre-bake a 10" pie shell.
Line bottom with the sliced strawberries
****
Combine cornstarch, sugar and water in small saucepan.
Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened.
Add the Jell-O and stir until dissolved.
 Pour over the strawberries and refrigerate until set.
Serve with whipped cream

The last couple weeks we had two sets of friends moving. I had to say goodbye to a sweet girlfriend last week. it's never easy to say goodbye. (tear running down cheek.) Since I have been going through my stuff for our future move, I was able to bless her with some things for her home as well as some clothes. Our other friends are moving on the 6th. It will be quite sad to see them go. They have been some great friends to us as well as my daughters first babysitting job with Baby Bobby. She got to babysit twice this last week (for her last time with baby Bobby) (sigh) while I helped pack up their kitchen. they had sold a lot of stuff as well as their refrigerator...So the least I could do was make them a nice home cooked dinner. I made Gumbo Meatballs with Basmati brown rice, seasoned broccoli a salad w/ Feta and raspberry walnut vinaigrette. and rustic french bread...and for dessert this wonderful refreshing strawberry pie with vanilla ice cream. We had this wonderful pie at another families home a couple weeks ago...as I was told she had pinned it from Pinterest. I then hopped on Pinterest and found the recipe. It is so quick and easy and such a refreshing Summer dessert. I just had to share the recipe with y'all too. So here ya go friends. Your gonna love this one. Have a Happy Weekend ahead.

Homemade Strawberry Coconut Ice Cream

Those hot Summer days you yearn for something nice and cold to quench your cravings...Sometimes it can be hard to find healthy options, so you must make your own. Right now we are in the midst of taking dairy out of our diet to see if there are any changes with allergies. Both my hubby and daughter have asma and my hubbs has allergies realllly bad throughout the year. Perhaps it is all that creamer in his coffee or cheese on the pizza's he loves. We are now on week two. All was well until Sunday after church we usually go out to fellowship and have snack...My dear Mr. Darling went out for a snack, I was standing right next to him as he was chit chatting it up and dipping tortilla chips in a bowl of CHEESE. He said " oh this dip is so good" and I'm like, hey, your eating dairy silly head. He was all " um crap"... Poor thing forgot all about it. Well later that day he was all stuffy and clogged up. I am not sure if the cheese was to blame, but we are supecting perhaps it is. So now back to the drawing board. We have to eliminate dairy for at least 6 weeks then bring it back and see how they feel. If they see a change....then we have most likely found the culparate. In doing this elimination we are also hoping to allow our bodies have a break to cleanse itself...maybe even lose a few pounds. My daughter has seen and felt a difference only within week two of eating better, less carbs,less refined sugar, no wheat, and no dairy. She has lost 5 pounds and feels happy in her skin. Since our vacation a couple weeks ago I myself have changed my diet and have been moving and excersising...and lost 20 pounds without trying hard. I don't feel a change though...I have much more weight to lose. Okay, I am rambling on. I meant to be blogging about this yummy ice cream we made. This is a great way to enjoy a cool treat on a hot Summer day. Free of dairy.

You will need 2 cans of coconut milk
1 1/2 cups of frozen or fresh strawberries
1/2 cup agave nectar or honey
a blender and an ice cream maker. I am sure you could still mix this
all together in a blender and freeze in a bowl or popsicle molds.
We used our ice cream maker this time.
 
Mix the ingredients in a blender, pour into ice cream maker and churn for 25 minute. Then place in the freezer 2- 6 hours till frozen. Now you can induldge in a sweet, creamy healthy ice cream.
Hope you enjoy the recipe. It is delish.
 
Wholesome Goodness.
Have a great Summer week