Peanut Butter [HOMEMADE] Jelly Time

When I was a teacher I worked a minimum of 55 hours a week...So now that the school year is over, and I am in that awkward gap between starting optometry school, I am incredibly bored. After accepting my first round of financial aid, I have come to the realization that I need to save every penny possible. With that being said, I have tons of time with not a lot of money to spend. So when it came time for lunch, I decided to save money and scrounge up something in the kitchen. As a college student I found ramen noodle soup as a go-to cheap meal. However, in light of the apauling sodium content and its detriments to health, I decided to go with something a little less malicious and a little more nutritious. Alas, I decided a PB&J it would be. Upon my search through the fridge I found no jelly or jam, but I did find a carton of strawberries that had seen better days. Hoping to salvage a few bucks (and the strawberries), I decided to solve my problems by making homemade strawberry jam.

Slice strawberries into consistent sized pieces.

Place strawberries in pan with a 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.

Stir mixture, and bring to boil on medium-high heat .

While the concoction brews to a boil, place a small plate in the freezer. Because of the depressed freezing temperature of alcohol, obviously this was the best place :)

After it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking for 8 minutes.

Mmmmm strawberry frothy goodness.

After 8 minutes take a spoonful of the jam-to-be and place it on the chilled plate.

Tilt the chilled plate to check for jam consistency. If it slides down the plate then continue to cook.

Continue thickening or 1-2 minutes.

Not quite there, so continue cooking!

After another minute it looks about right.

Third times a charm!

Voila, homemade strawberry jam.

Peanut butter, jelly time.

PEANUT BUTTER, JELLY TIME!!

C'mon, I know your jelly ;)

Strawberry Jam Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Place strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in pan.
2. Place small plate in freezer.
3. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 8 minutes
4. Take spoonful of mixture and place on cold plate for 30 seconds.
5. Tilt plate, and if mixture runs then continue cooking for 1-2 minutes. Repeat until consistancy on cold plate does not slide.
6. Serve or store after jam reaches room temperature.

Yields 3/4 cup of strawberry jam