How To Pick Your Strawberries

Large or small -- every red berry is ripe, luscious and ready-to-eat. So pick all the red ones you can find in your aisle. Green berries will not ripen after being picked.

To find the berries -- look under the leaves of each strawberry plant.

When picking berries from the plant, pinch or pull stem from plant and be sure to leave the stem on each berry.

Care of Your Strawberries

Strawberries are very perishable and need to be handled gently.

Protect the berries from direct sunlight and don't leave them in a hot car.

Store berries in the coolest place in the home -- in the refrigerator or on the basement floor.

Don't rinse off the berries until ready to use.

Remove stems after washing berries you use.

Grade your berries -- use the ripest ones first.

Freezing Strawberries with Sugar

     Wash strawberries and drain. Remove stems and slice berries. Add 3/4 cup sugar to 4 cups sliced berries. Stir and let stand until sugar dissolves. Put into freezer containers, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Put into freezer immediately. Berries can also be crushed, sweetened and then frozen. Work with only a few quarts at a time, then the berries won't get mushy and will freeze well.

Freezing Whole Berries

     Wash berries and drain well on paper towels. Don't remove stems. Place in freezer on a cookie sheet, only one layer at a time. After they are frozen, place these berries in freezer bags. Ziplock bags are great. Use these berries right from the freezer on your favorite cakes, salads and cereals.

A Tip!

     You can't fail with strawberries. If you should undercook your jam, it will not jell as firmly as you might like, but the "failed" jam is really the world's greatest syrup for pancakes or ice cream.

If there is no time to make your jam tonight (or maybe you'd rather not be cooking tonight), here is a great idea -- wash, remove stems, and slice berries and then blend them. They won't take up as much space in your freezer, and two cups of blended berries make one jam recipe any time you want "fresh" jam.

Ways To Enjoy Your Strawberries
Recipes

Strawberry Jam

5 cups crushed strawberries
7 cups sugar
1 box powdered fruit pectin

Wash and then cap berries.
Crush strawberries one layer at a time.
Measure berries into a large sauce pan.
Add the fruit pectin and stir well.
Bring to full boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
Stir in sugar, bring to a full boil and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat. Skim off foam.
Ladle into clean, hot jars, leaving 1.4 inch head space.
Seal with lids or paraffin.

Freezer Jam

2 cups crushed berries (1 quart)
4 cups (1-3/4 lb.) sugar
3/4 cup water
1 box powdered fruit pectin

Add sugar to fruit and stir well. In a saucepan, boil 3/4 cup water and the fruit pectin for one minute, stirring constantly. Add the hot pectin and water to the fruit and continue stirring 3 minutes. Put in containers and let stand 24 hours. Store in the freezer.

Strawberry Bread

Beat eggs and sugar, add oil and vanilla. Mix in flour, oats, cinnamon, soda, salt and baking powder. Add strawberries and mix well. Pour into two greased and floured 4 x 8 loaf pans. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Strawberry  Pie

1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. corn starch
2 cups water
1 small Strawberry Jello

Boil sugar, corn starch and water until thick. Add one small package of Strawberry Jello. When it begins to set, pour it over sliced berries that have been arranged in a pre-baked pie shell. Top with whipped cream.

The Nutritional Value of Strawberries...

Strawberries are high in Vitamin C and A, and supply 8% of the RDA of IRON. There are only 55 to 60 calories in a cup (149 grams) of Strawberries. ONE pound of fresh strawberries has 168 calories.

Strawberries DO NOT contain saturated fats, cholesterol or high calories!

REMEMBER...

Pick enough strawberries for your whole family to enjoy all winter long.