JustRite Summer Release #1- Preview Day One -Preserves and Blog Candy

Welcome to the beginning of our Summer Release #1 Reveal. We are very excited about our Summer Releases as we have a new illustrator and you are going to love our new look!! In our Winter release our new illustrator designed the Favorite Occasion and the Tiny Word Set . We loved her designs so much we asked her to design our entire Summer Collection.

What better way to share your love of gardening then to package your homemade pickles, jams, jellies, preserves, maple syrups, and salsas with beautiful labels and tags. Do you have a friend who loves to can and you know would love to stamp but just hasn't taken the plunge? Than this is the perfect gift set. For details on how to win your own set read the entire post.




Handmade custom labels and tags would be the perfect gift for your favorite gardener. Does the process of canning intimidate you? Then start with Refrigerator Pickles. These are super easy to make and are great fun to make with your kids.


Want to see what other members of our design team created today with this fun set? Visit Michele Wooderson to see her Salsa Creation and visit Kathy Jones (she's on Aussie time) to see her Aussie Twist on Preserves.
Here's Lauren Meader's fun project from Saturday using her Timeless Template "Pack a Picnic" and a border from our set in combination with Lizzie Ann's Tutti Fruit Set. For all the details visit her blog by clicking here.
Does the whole process of canning seem intimidating? Get your feet wet by starting with these Spicy Refrigerator Pickles or Strawberry Freezer Jam.

Spicy Refrigerator Dill Pickles
This is a wonderful, spicy dill pickle with a nice hint of sweetness.
PREP TIME 15 Min READY IN 10 Days

INGREDIENTS
12 3 to 4 inch long pickling cucumbers
2 cups water
1 3/4 cups white vinegar
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh dill weed
1/2 cup white sugar
8 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
1 tablespoon pickling spice
1 1/2 teaspoons dill seed
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
4 sprigs fresh dill weed

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine the cucumbers, water, vinegar, chopped dill, sugar, garlic, salt, pickling spice, dill seed, and red pepper flakes. Stir, and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours, until the sugar and salt dissolve.
Remove the cucumbers to three 1 1/2 pint wide mouth jars, placing 4 cucumbers into each jar. Ladle in the liquid from the bowl to cover. Place a sprig of fresh dill into each jar, and seal with lids. Refrigerate for 10 days before eating. Use within 1 month.

Sweet and Sour
Acid is necessary in preserving not only for flavor and texture, but in preventing bacterial growth. In making pickles, acid is an important part of the fermentation process. In fruit preserves, lemon juice is typically used as the acid, while vinegar is more common in vegetable preserves. Preserves made with low-acid foods must be processed in a pressure canner to prevent any bacteria from growing
Making jam can be an ambitious undertaking in the midst of summer's heat. The solution? Freezer jam. Not only is it easy and safe, but it tastes remarkably like fresh fruit since the jam is never cooked.

If you haven't made jam before you will need to purchase one key ingredient -Pectin. Pectin is an essential gelling agent. It is crtitical for jams and jellies.Using the proper ratio of sugar, acid and pectin is critical for jams and jellies, as it determines the texture and flavor of the final product. Pectin is found naturally in many fruits: apples, quince, plums, red and black currants, gooseberries and oranges all contain high pectin levels. Under-ripe fruit contains more pectin than ripe fruit, but is not recommended for preserving due to its lack of flavor. Most recipes call for added pectin, in either liquid or powdered form; there are also special pectins available for making low-sugar preserves. Jams and jellies made without pectin must be cooked longer, depending upon the amount of natural pectin in the fruit.

Fresh Flavors
When selecting fruit or vegetables for canning, choose the freshest available, preferably picked that day. If you don't have a garden you can still get fresh fruits and vegetables by going to U-pick farms and farmers' markets.

Strawberry Freezer Jam
This jam is quick, easy and delicious on toast, ice cream or even in milkshakes! Keep jars of this in the freezer and take them out when you are ready to use them. Once thawed, they will last approximately 1 month in the refrigerator. If it lasts that long!"

PREP TIME 10 Min COOK TIME 5 Min READY IN 25 Min
Original recipe yield 5 pints

INGREDIENTS
2 cups crushed fresh strawberries
4 cups sugar
1 (1.75 ounce) package dry pectin
3/4 cup water

DIRECTIONS
Mix crushed strawberries with sugar, and let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the pectin into the water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 1 minute. Stir the boiling water into the strawberries. Allow to stand for 3 minutes before pouring into jars or other storage containers.
Place tops on the containers, and leave for 24 hours. Place into freezer, and store frozen until ready to use.


For your chance to win this new set
leave a comment on this post and tell us which image from this set you would use first and what your favorite canned recipe - yours or a relatives. We will close the comments on this post on Sunday at Midnight and announce the winner on Monday Morning with our next stamp set reveal. How many chances do you have to win this set? That depends on the number of comments left on this post. For every 250 comments left on this post we will add another lucky winner. So you see you decide how many winners there will be. Tell your friends its a JustRite Summer Release #1 Reveal.


Keep us in mind....."When it needs to be JustRite".