A house by any other name...

Nine years ago my husband and I bought a 3 bedroom 1 bath fixer-upper that was built in 1905. (Yes 1905, not a typo). Many people would say this house is not without it's charms. I would like to ask them what they are? No, really it's been the perfect house. Except for potty training, or trying to hang a dress in my closet, or when my husband nearly knocked himself out as he went into my son's bedroom. There is only one bathroom, which is also a hallway. My closet is so short that my dresses touch the floor. The doorway into my son's room is less than 6 feet tall. But it isn't all bad. I can clean the entire thing in one day and still have time to watch a movie. My children's rooms are really close to mine making the first year of each of their lives very convenient. I only had to stumble about 15 feet in the night. It really is a great house for small children. My children aren't that small anymore.

AND for the good news. We are about to build a new house. The city council approved the building permit. Now just a few more weeks of waiting and HOPEFULLY, we'll be ready to build in June. So this house was sweet but I am really looking forward to more space.

 

If you have any suggestions please offer them now. I don't want to ever have to build again so your help would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks to everyone who has given me advice so far. Much of it has been VERY helpful.

 

Coming up...The value of dirt.

Reduced Sugar Strawberry Jam

I've made more jam this year than any other. My family LOVES strawberry jam. I am not a heath nut but every recipe I've ever seen has as much or more sugar than fruit. I challenge this. A few years ago my sister shared with me a recipe her mother-in-law had shared with her. Instead of pectin Jell-o was used as a thickener. I tried it. It worked great. The recipe was for apricot jam but why wouldn't it work with any other fruit? So since cooking is an experiment, I did.

I like a looser jam so I often didn't use as much pectin as a recipe indicated anyway. This recipe works great for me giving me the consistency I desire with a lot less sugar.

This is also easy to make in a sugar free variety using a sugar substitute and sugar free Jell-o.

Adjust it as you like. If you like a really sweet thick jam this is not for you but it is for me!

Happy summer!!

 

Reduced sugar Strawberry jam (with Jell-O)

8 pounds strawberries hulled and washed

4 C. Sugar (or less to taste)

1 package (4 servings) Strawberry flavored gelatin

Cut strawberries into small pieces.  (I put mine in the food processor but you can just cut them if you like a chunkier jam. They do break down some while cooking.) Put in a large pot and stir in sugar. (This is where I taste it for sweetness. Remember that once the sugar and fruit cook together it will be sweeter.) Cook over high heat until boiling then turn to medium heat stirring occasionally. (use a really large pot or watch that it doesn't boil over. Big mess!)