When making jelly or preserves – after cooking is completed, remove pan from flame and allow a minute or two for the foam to rise to the top.

Tear off a section of paper towel, and pat carefully on surface of jelly or preserves.

Have a bowl ready to receive the discard, lift paper by the corners and foam will adhere to the paper.

Repeat till all foam is removed. No waste and much easier than removing with a spoon.

When using paraffin wax to cover jellies and jams after putting in jars, just bend an empty can to make it like a pouring spout. Put the wax in the can and put in a pan of hot water to melt.

It isn’t necessary to clean the can after the wax hardens as it can be used over and over.

After rinsing off the jelly, used wax could be put back in the can and melted for reuse since it doesn’t spoil.

1 quart rhubarb
8 cups sugar
2 quarts strawberries, hulled

Sprinkle sugar over rhubarb, and let stand for 12 hours.

Bring quickly to boiling.

Add strawberries to rhubarb.

Simmer until thick – about 15 minutes.

1 quart strawberries
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 cups sugar

Boil berries and 2 cups sugar for 5 minutes.

Add remaining sugar and lemon juice.

Boil 10 to 15 minutes.

1 package Pectin or Sure-Jell
1 cup cold water
3-1/2 cup berries (mashed)
6 cups sugar

Stir pectin and water. Boil 1 minute.

Add sugar to the mashed berries, and add this to the pectin mixture.

Stir for 5 minutes.

Keep refrigerated.

Rhubarb was so plentiful when I lived in Minnesota. We don’t have it in Texas, so this recipe really makes me hungry for it!

5 cups rhubarb
4 cups sugar
1 package – any flavor Jello

Boil rhubarb and sugar for 10 minutes.

Remove from heat, and add Jello.

Stir until Jello is dissolved.

Place in jars and seal.

The beauty of this jam is that it can be made year round! You don’t have to wait until you have fresh strawberries.

3 packages (10 ounces each) strawberries in plastic pouch
2 tablespoons water
1/2 box (2-1/2 tablespoons) powdered fruit pectin
3 cups sugar

Place unopened packages in microwave oven. Microwave on high for 4 to 6 minutes, checking at minimum time and rearranging fruit if continued defrosting is necessary.

Remove fruit from pouches and place in a 3 quart casserole.

Crush the fruit.

Add water and pectin, stirring well. Cover.

Microwave on high for 8 to 10 minutes or until mixture is at a full rolling boil.

Stir.

Add sugar to boiling mixture and stir well.

Microwave on high for 8 to 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring after 5 minutes, until mixture reaches a full rolling boil. Then, time for 1 minute of boiling.

Skim off foam, and stir jam about 5 minutes before ladling into prepared glasses. Seal.

Makes about 4-1/2 cups.

You can find a wide variety of microwave ovens at Amazon.com. Here are just two of the possibilities:

4-1/2 cups crushed fresh strawberries (wash and stem before crushing)
1 box (1-3/4 ounce) powdered fruit pectin
7 cups sugar

In 3 quart casserole, place berries and pectin.

Stir well. Cover

Microwave on high for 8 to 10 minutes, until mixture is at a full rolling boil.

Add sugar to boiling mixture and stir well.

Microwave on high for 8 to 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring after 5 minutes, until mixture reaches a full rolling boil.

Then, time for 1 minute of boiling.

Skim off foam with metal spoon, stirring jam about 5 minutes before ladling into prepared glasses.

Seal.

Makes about 8 cups.

You can find a wide variety of microwave ovens at Amazon.com. Here are just two of the possibilities: