Impressive Cake

This recipe (well, more like a tip) came about quite by accident.

One cake mix (chocolate, yellow, white) or other layer cake recipe
A small jar of jam (strawberry and raspberry are my favorites)
One recipe vanilla buttercream frosting

Prepare the cake using the two-layer method.
Cool.
Spread the jam on top of layer cake one, stopping about a half-inch from the sides.
Place layer cake two on top, wiping away any jam that oozes out (it makes it harder to frost.)
Frost the whole thing.

If you aren't going to be serving soon, you may wish to spread a little frosting on the top of layer one and bottom of layer two to keep the jam from seeping into the cake too much (and thus, tumbling over.)

Strawberry Freezer Jam

If your mom and my mom shared recipes - this is the one they used to make strawberry jam. I seriously don't understand why people think this is so complicated. It's easy. It will bring back memories of mom and grandma - or, it will create memories in the minds of your kids.

BTW - if you can't find the recipe - it's in the yellow sure-jell box. Seriously. Who knew?

2 cups crushed strawberries
4 cups sugar
one YELLOW box Sure Jell Pectin (no, you can't replicate this recipe with anything else)

Wash and rinse the containers you'll be using to store the jam. I prefer glass jam jars designed for freezing, capped with rings and lids. Some people go for plastic - your call.

Crush berries one cup at a time, using a potato masher. Or, if you don't have one, pulse in a blender. Do NOT make the strawberries into a liquid. Jam is supposed to have bits of fruit (hence, the potato masher)

Measure exactly two cups of the crushed berries (seriously, no more, no less, or you'll have issues.)

Measure exact amount of sugar and mix very well into the fruit. Let stand for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes.

Stir pectin and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil on high heat, stirring constantly. Boil one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Stir pectin mixture into fruit. Stir constantly until sugar is completely dissolved and not at all grainy - about three minutes.

Pour into the containers you prepared earlier, leaving 1/2-inch space at top for expansion during freezing. Cover. NOTE: if you're using lids and rings, your not trying to seal them, just close them.

Let stand at room temperature 24 hours until set. Refrigerate up to three weeks. Otherwise, store in freezer for up to a year.

The recipe says to thaw in the freezer, but my family prefers to spread on warm toast direcly from the freezer.

Big Boy Strawberry Pie

Never made a pie? Start with this one... it's really hard to screw up.

1 prepared pie crust (bake according to package directions)
1 cup sugar
2 TBSP corn starch
1 3 oz package strawberry jello
1 quart fresh strawberries
1 TBSP lemon juice
1 TBSP butter

In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Mash 1 cup of whole berries. Add water to crushed berries to make 2 cups. Stir into sugar and cornstarch.

Cook, stirring over medium heat until boiling. Boil for 2 minutes.

Remove from heat, add butter, jello and lemon juice. Stir until jello dissolves. Chill until partially set.

Spoon 1/3 of mixture into pie shell. Add rest of berries to pie shell. Pour rest of mixture over the top. Chill at least one hour (overnight is better.)

Sherve with whipped cream.

Triple Decker Strawberry Cake

The book I got this out of says it's a great cake for a baby shower or birthday - I agree!

Cake:
1 package plain white cake mix
1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk (preferably whole)
4 large eggs
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries and juice

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees.

Either lightly grease three pans with shortening and dust them with flour - or, use the really nice baking formula non-stick spray. Works great.

Place cake mix, gelatin, flour, oil, sugar, milk, eggs and strawberries in a large mixing bowl and blend on low speed for one minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the speed to medium and beat for two minutes more. The strawberries should be well blended into the batter. Divide the batter as evenly as you can among the pans and place them in the oven.

If your oven isn't large enough, place two pans on the center rack and put the third one in the center of the highest rack.

Bake the cakes until they spring back lightly when you press them and they just start to pull away from the sides of the pan - about 33-35 minutes. If you placed a pan on the highest rack, be careful that it doesn't overcook.

Take the pans out of the oven. and place them on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each layer and flip each onto a rack so that the cakes are right side up. Allow to cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. The recipe calls for only frosting the tops of the cakes. I don't like that... so... I double the frosting recipe listed below and frost the sides as well.

Frosting:
1 stick of butter, room temperature
4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted (more if needed)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries and juice (more if needed)

Place the softened butter in a large mixing bowl (I mention softened again because it's important.) Blend butter with an electric mixer on low speed until fluffy, about 20 seconds. Stop the machine and add the confectioners sugar and strawberries. Blend on low speed until the frosting is creamy and spreadable. If it's too thin, add more sugar. If it's too thick, add more strawberries.

To assemble the cake, place one cake layer, right side up, on a serving platter. Spread the top with frosting. Add another layer, right side up, on top of the first and frost the top. Repeat this process with thte third layer and frost the top; frost the sides, and refrigerate to set the frosting.

Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

I have so much Rhubarb in the summer, I need to use it in every way I can. I bought a book called The Joy of Rhubarb by Theresa Millang. This is one of her recipes.

4 cups fresh rhubarb, diced
4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup fresh strawberries, cut into small pieces
1 3-ounce package strawberry flavored gelatin

Mix rhubarb, sugar and strawberries in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring often, 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in gelatin. Pour jam into sterilized jars or freezer containers. Store in refrigerator 2 week or freeze.

Rhubarb Strawberry Jello

This is originally from Country Cooking. I noticed my Rhubarb starting to peek up today. I'll need to be using these recipes soon!

4 cups rhubarb (fresh or frozen)
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1 6 oz package strawberry Jello (sugar free works too)
1 cup orange juice (or some lemon juice, cut with water)
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries*

Bring rhubarb, water and sugar to a boil over medium heat. Cook until rhubarb is tender, 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in gelatin until dissolved. Add orange juice, mix well.

Chill until mixture begins to thicken. Fold in strawberries. Chill until set. Arrange a few more strawberries on top for looks.

*NOTE: I usually use 2 cups or 1 pound of strawberries.