Hammah Jam!

 

I tried something new.  I tried to be a little daring.  I got a recipe from a magazine... it looked easy. I researched how to follow-up on The Pioneer Woman's  blog and voila!!  An easy and step-by-step jamming process!  That's right my pets, I said "jammin'" 

For some reason saying that makes me want to follow up with "Hammer time" but ya know, say it like "hammah" and start doing the running man around my kitchen.

Why does this make me think of the Paulson sisters? 

I have visions of Melis, Laurie and Michelle dancing around their house to "hammah time" even though I have never actually seen that happen nor have I seen them shake thar thangs to that song.

But I wouldn't be surprised.  I guess I just have visions of grandeur...

Anyway, it's hammer time and back to jam!

I made strawberry jam.  It made my day and I was so nervous and excited. I'm not even going to tell you how to do it here. I'm sorry! I hope you're not mad that you just read through a full paragraph about three sisters who may or may not have danced to MC Hammer and you may have endured it thinking, "Well, after all this, surely she'll tell me how to make jam" and now you're angry that I won't.

Well, it's not that I won't... it's just that I shouldn't.  I am a newbie. 

And you wouldn't want advice from someone who's only been around the jam block once, would you?

Please don't be mad.

Go to Pioneer Woman and she'll make everything better.

 

Ohhh look at that beauty!

Listen, I'm serious!  Making jam was wonderful and fun!

It really was.

Are you still mad at me for not giving you the recipe?

Hello?

Hello? Are you there?

Anyone?

Mom?

Listen, how about we compromise.  I'm all about win-win situations.  How about if I give you something and in return you promise to not block my blog or swear off reading my wonderful tales of visions of grandeur.  Okay, can we make a deal?

I'll give you the recipe to the honey whole wheat bread recipe from Betty Crocker that I made to go with my jam.  Because honey, homemade jam is only good on homemade bread, am I right or am I right?

I know that I'm right and I know that you are going to thank me for this blog because honey, I'm feeling generous!

Not only am I including the recipe at the end of this blog but I am including the links to where Pioneer Woman makes everything alright, jam-wise and because I'm hyper and eating popcorn for dinner, I'll also send one lucky soul a jar of my strawberry jam.  So that you can forgo the whole "doing it yourself" process and links and messes and stress and just eat it!

That's right, my very first giveaway!

Because honey, I just love you and love you for reading this far into it!

All you need to do to be entered into my lovely giveaway is answer this question:

Who was your favorite band/singer during the late 1980s to mid-1990s?

And yes, I am aware that I was still a spring chicken at that time but come on, now! I had older brothers!

(side note: my Grandma's need not enter this contest, they'll be receiving their own complimentary jar of jam because they pretty much made it via their loving words of encouragement over the phone!)

So just enter your answer in the comments section and winners will be chosen at random on Thursday.  Comments section will be closed on Wednesday!

and then look at what you can do with your very own jar of Hammah Jam.

Ohhh baby, I like the sound of that! 

IT'S HAMMAH JAM!!

I'm off to go get my husband out of the kitchen so he doesn't eat all of YOUR jam!!

The Pioneer Woman jam links are:

here

and here

And my honey whole wheat bread recipe is as follows:

3 cups whole wheat flour

1/3 c honey

1/4 c shortening

1 T salt

4 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

2 1/4 c very warm water

3-4 c bread flour

Margarine or butter

**Mix whole wheat flour, honey, shortening, salt and yeast in large bowl.  Add warm water.  beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently.  Stir in enough bread flour, 1 cup at a time, to make dough easy to handle.

Place dough on lightly floured surface.  Knead about 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy.  Place dough in large bowl greased with shortening, turning dough to grease all sides.  Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 40-60 minutes or until doubled. Dough is ready when indentation remains when touched.

Grease bottom and sides of 2 loaf pans, with shortening.

Gently push fist into dough to deflate.  Divide dough in half. Flatten each half with hands or rolling pin into 18x9-inch rectangle on lightly floured surface.  Roll dough up tightly, beginning at 9-inch side.  Press with thumbs to seal after each turn. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal.  Press each end with side of hand to seal.  Fold ends under loaf.  Place seam side down in pan.  Brush loaves lightly with butter. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 35-50 minutes or until doubled.

Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven.  Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Bake 40-45 minutes or until loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.  Remove from pans to wire rack.  Brush loaves with butter, cool.