Can I really!?

Today I decided to be brave and once again attempt the huge task of making bread! For some this is an every week occurence and is as easy as making pie, or no, actually more like,as easy as making cookies for them! ;)

Bread has always come hard for me. I don't like bread that breaks when I fold it.I've made bread that was absolutely gorgeous when it came out of the oven, but give it a day and it was the awful break-when-I-fold-it-in-half bread.

Some of my friends make the oatmeal bread and told me it's easy and yummy! The last time I made it I was discouraged. It was so soft I couldn't even shape it into loaves. I just baked it in one big blob!   : D

This morning I mustered up the courage to give it another try - and I MADE BREAD!

Nevermind that my loaves were three different sizes! My "guessing scales" didn't work so well ;) When I let it cool a little I FINALLY got the chance to try the bread! I couldn't wait! Maybe,just maybe there's homemade bread in our future : D We'll give it a day and see if it gets all yucky and hard ;)

Oh, and I was equally as excited about trying my strawberry jam I made last night! I found this awesome recipe that takes only half the sugar! Strawberry Freezer Jam always gave me the blues because I could never help but think about amount of sugar that went into it! Seriously, an equal amount of sugar and crushed strawberries! Anyway, everyone tells me , "well, you use only a little bit", and if you remember telling me that, it's ok...but it still bothered me ;)

Julia's Strawberry Freezer Jam

5 cups mashed strawberries

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

5 Tablespoons plus 1 Tablespoon Instant Clear Jel

1. Place smashed strawberries in a large bowl

2. In a smaller bowl, mix together sugar and clear jel,whisking until well mixed.Add the sugar mixture to the strawberries,whisking until very well mixed and sugar looks dissolved.If you don't stir it well, the starch will thicken in clumps.This should only take a minute or so.

3. Let strawberry mixture sit for 10 minutes to thicken completely.Scoop into clean jars,seal with a lid and place in freezer.

                                              He didn't seem to mind less sugar in his jam :)