The Daily Scuttlebutt: Classic Cooking

Up there next to roasting a chicken, making homemade jam has always seemed like something you just must know how to do.

I know, I'm ridiculous.

That being said, last night I made strawberry jam and it was so easy and so delicious.

Way better than that store-bought stuff!

Strawberry Jam

All you need:

4 C strawberries, washed, diced and mashed

1 C sugar

pectin

Follow the recipe included with your pectin, but basically you just bring the mashed fruit to a boil, add the sugar and pectin, then bring it back to a boil. Remove from heat and voila!

Let it cool and you've just made jam!

I had a problem last night though. Once the jam was made and jarred, I realized we didn't have any bread to put it on.

So I whipped out my delicious Paula Deen The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook and made some delicious Southern Tea Cakes.

The perfect solution to my jam dilemma.

Here's the recipe.

Southern Tea Cakes

Ingredients:

4 C all-purpose flour (I used unbleached white)

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsps baking powder

2 C sugar

2 eggs

1/2 C buttermilk (can substitute 1/2 C milk + 1/2 T vinegar)

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl sift flour, soda, and powder together. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Dough should be soft. Roll dough out onto a floured surface until approximately 1/4 inch thick. Cut dough into desired shape and bake on a slightly greased sheet for 10-12 minutes.*

*I used parchment lined baking sheets and I also noticed I needed to add additional flour. The dough was too sticky at first.

This recipe will make around 4 dozen tea cakes. I shaped mine with a 1/4 C measuring cup. Just press down to cut out shape and roll away excess dough.

Delicious!

Also thought I'd share with you some photographic evidence of our totally awesome softball skills.