Homemade Strawberry Freezer Jam

Growing up, no peanut butter and jelly sandwich tasted better to me than one that was made with Strawberry Freezer Jam.  It instantly made my sandwiches (cut into triangles, not squares) taste better, simply knowing it was made by my Mimi and Momma.  Now, having made it with them, I realize why its SO good...it has TONS of sugar! This Strawberry Jam is a yearly tradition in our family, and it just so happens that we made it last night.  It is perfect for sandwiches, biscuits, toast, or to put on top of ice cream, and is guaranteed to be delicious. 

You Need:

• Fresh Strawberries (really fresh ones, preferably bought in flats, not in a grocery store)
• Sugar (we use Domino's Brand)
• SureGel (several boxes, depending on how much you're planning on making)
• Canning Jars (mason jars with lids, pint jars, quart jars, etc)
• A Potato Masher
• Two Large Bowls
• Measuring Cup 

First, wash and cap 4 Cups of Strawberries (try to only take the very tops off of the berries...the more berry you include the better) and place into a large bowl.  Mash the strawberries with a potato masher (we don't make them completely mushy...we like to have some good pieces of strawberry in the jam). Add 8 Cups (yes, 8 Cups..told you it was good!) of sugar to the strawberries in the bowl and stir together.  Let them stand for about 10 minutes. While you are waiting, bring 1.5 Cups of water and 2 packages of SureGel to a boil (leave boiling for 1 minute).  Once the SureGel/Water mixture has boiled for 1 minute, add it into the bowl of strawberries and sugar.  Stir together with a big spoon for about 3 minutes, or until the mixture doesn't feel grainy (the sugar should pretty much dissolve).

Pour the mixture into the containers (using a 1 Cup Measuring Cup to dip the mixture and pour helps), cover, and let stand overnight.  Then store in the freezer until opened. After opening, store in the refrigerator!

We made several "runs" of the recipe...now we have enough freezer jam for my grandparents, parents, aunt/uncle/cousin, and me for a year!