Strawberry-Rhubarb Freezer Jam (Soy, Wheat, Nut, Milk, Fish and Egg-Free)

Today is my (and my twin sister's) birthday!  If you want to know what you can give me for a present, I'd like if you could take a moment to vote for me for Top 25 Foodie Moms on Circle of Moms!  You don't have to download or join anything, be a member, a mom, a woman or even an adult (though I ask you don't vote for babies, LOL - you do need to be old enough to make your own choice, if you know what I mean :) ) to vote.  All you have to do is click on the link, scroll through the list until you see Natural and Free and my picture (I'm at #20 currently), click on the heart that says "vote" and you're done!  Simple and takes just a few seconds.  The competition is close, so any vote is welcome and needed and you can vote once per day.  Did I mention the competition ends tomorrow?  Anyway, if you could take the time to vote and maybe even pass the word along so that others can vote, too, that would be an amazing birthday present for me!  Besides!  My win is your win!  Even better! :)

Ok, now onto the recipe!!! :D

So, in honor of my birthday, I decided to share with you a recipe that is my favorite summer recipe and that I look forward to making every year when my wonderful neighbor brings me rhubarb - Strawberry-Rhubarb Freezer Jam!  It's tastes just like Strawberry-Rhubarb pie filling, is super simple and soy (if you use all soy-free ingredients), wheat, nut, milk, fish and egg-free!  Awesome, right?

I got found this recipe on the Sure-Jell website and changed nothing in the ingredients, but the technique I did change a little.  I hope you enjoy it!  Oh, and it's good for more than just jam - it makes a great ice cream topping or fruit dip, too! :)

Strawberry-Rhubarb Freezer Jam

1 pint fresh strawberries, rinsed, dried and halved

1 lb. fresh rhubarb, rinsed, dried and cut into into no bigger than inch-sized pieces

4 Cups white sugar

3/4 Cup water

1 box Sure-Jell Fruit Pectin

1. Rinse 6 (1 Cup size) clean, freezer safe containers and lids with boiling water and dry thoroughly; set aside.
       
2. In a blender or food grinder, crush the strawberries until you have 1 Cup mashed fruit and transfer to large bowl.  (Note: You can do this by hand, too, if you prefer, and you may not use the full pint of strawberries.  If you use a blender, you will probably have to pulse the berries, stir them, pulse them, stir them, etc. until they really begin to mash.  DO NOT ADD WATER TO MAKE IT EASIER TO BLEND!  It will ruin your jam.)
      
3. In the same blender or food grinder, crush the rhubarb in the same manner until you have 1 Cup mashed fruit and transfer it to the bowl with the strawberries and mix well.  (Note: You can do this by hand, too, if you prefer, and you may not use the full pound of rhubarb. If you use a blender, you will probably have to pulse the rhubarb, stir it, pulse it, stir it, etc. until it really begin to mash.  DO NOT ADD WATER TO MAKE IT EASIER TO BLEND!  It will ruin your jam.)
      
4. Stir the sugar into the strawberry-rhubarb mixture and let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  (Note: Do NOT adjust the amount of sugar or use a sugar substitute!  The jam will not turn out!  Sure-Jell does make a less sugar one that will give you a different amount of sugar to use, but I'm not sure if you can use a sugar substitute even with that, but you'll have to check the guidelines on the box and follow those steps exactly.)
     
5. Mix the water and the pectin in a small saucepan, bringing it to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly; boil and stir 1 minute.  (Note: Boil here means rolling boil with huge bubbles that are still present when you stir, not just tiny bubble and some steam that disappear as you stir.  Don't start the timer until the bubbles are as described or your jam won't gel properly.)
     
6. Add the pectin mixture to the fruit mixture; stir for 3 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved and no longer grainy, though a few sugar crystals may remain.  (Note: This step is crucial to good jam!  It should look kinda glossy, almost like pie filling, but not quite as thick, though it will thicken upon standing.)
      
7. Fill all containers immediately to within 1/2 inch of tops.  (Note: Don't overfill as the jam tends to expand, especially in the freezer.)
     
8. Wipe off top edges of the containers; immediately cover with lids.
     
9. Let the containers stand at room temperature for 24 hours (the hardest part!!!), after which jam will be ready to use.  (Note: As the jam sits, if you use mason-type jars and lids, you may hear them "pop" when the lids seal.  This is normal, and what you want!  If they do not seal, they will still be edible, though, because you store them in the freezer/fridge, not in the pantry.  Resist the urge to use the jam before the 24 hours is done, too - they really do need the time to finish setting up.  I promise, it is worth the wait! :) )
     
10. Store the jam in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 1 year (Thaw in the refrigerator before using.).

Makes around 6 (1-Cup) jars.

Variations (Please keep your individual allergen needs in mind when using substitutions/variations!):

• Flavor Change: There are tons of recipe ideas on the Sure-Jell site to try.  The freezer jam ones are all super simple and pretty fool proof.  I've made Mixed Berry with success, too, though I used 1 Cup of strawberries, and 3/4 Cup each blueberry and raspberry.  You can even use varying amounts of strawberries and rhubarb in the recipe above as long as your total amount of mashed fruit is 2 Cups.

Looks good, right?  It is! :)

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What's your favorite jam recipe and/or flavor?

(This recipe was originally posted on my original site, Natural and Free.)