Strawberry Champagne preserves

When I saw this I just had to try it.  It was absolutely decadent.  I found the idea on Pinterest then followed the links to here for the recipe.  There you can find the original recipe.  I altered it a little, probably just because I can't leave well enough alone.  And don't try the recipe first, then alter it, just go in and change stuff right off the bat.  Whatever... don't be judgey, its just how I roll.  We eat a lot of experimental food... sometimes I fail!  Horribly... I have a very forgiving family!

Aaannnyway, 

Super simple ingredients (oops, I forgot to picture the sugar)

Here is my recipe:

4 cups fresh strawberries

1 cup dry champagne

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 T Ball flex batch low to no sugar pectin

1 CUP OF SUGAR... ARE YOU KIDDING ME!  Thats right, when I went to the store to pick up this flex batch pectin I found this low to no sugar type.  So I cut down the sugar to see how that would work.  

I had never used the flex batch pectin, it is a powder, and there is a conversion chart on the back if your used to using packets. 

Enough chit chat:  GO...

  

Start with your strawberries (4 cups), top & quarter.

 

Place in stock pot along with 1/2 cup champagne. 

cook down until it looks like this. (about 20 minutes)

Add in your sugar (1 cup) and lemon juice (1/4 cup) and bing to a full boil. 

Add in the pectin and return to a full boil for 1 full minute.  

Finally turn off the heat and add in the final 1/2 cup champagne. 

Ladle into your jars, place your heated lids and rings on top and boil in water bath for  10 minutes.  

Let set overnight and make sure of your seal.  

 There it is.  And we just love it!  As I said before, it is absolutely decadent.  We love it!  

Try it, you are going to love it too.

Let me know what you think.  

-Sarah 

Grow your own Celery and Romaine

So on Pinterest I have seen a couple of times how to grow your own celery after you have used it.  I had to try it...

Low and behold it works like a champ!  I am super excited! I have not tried to plant it outside but it does great in this pot right next to my sliding glass door.  Lots of light, water every other day-ish, and very little attention, and dun du na na...  

Heres how I did it:

Cut the celery off the base...

set in a bowl of warm water for at least overnight.  I actually left it in there for about a week.  (I may or may not have gotten side tracked for a few days, whatever)


Plant it in the dirt...

 wait, and wait, and wait...

But it will all be worth it, you will soon see little sprouts coming up through the middle of the stalk.

I got a little excited at this point...

 
So then I started to wonder, 
And now look at it.

Getting big.  This took about 6 weeks.

what else can I re-grow from the grocery store?  I started with Romaine and look...
 It grew....

More...

And finally, Yeah!  I m so excited...

I now have 4 little romaine plants in this pot (along with a pineapple plant, outcome yet to be seen on that.)  But Yeah!  I love my little celery and romaine.



FYI:
The romaine grows much, MUCH faster than the celery, probably twice as fast.  After about 36 hours in the warm water for the romaine you will start to see little sprouts out of the center of the plant.


So there it is.  Your very own celery and romaine plants.  I am going to try and transplant a couple outside later this year.  I would like to keep a couple indoors to see if I can just keep them in the garden window over the sink throughout the summer then into the winter.

What do you think, will it work?  Has anyone ever tired it?