Easy Strawberry Jam + The Best Waffles

Ahhh long weekends are like a breath of fresh air. It's amazing what one extra day off can make in the normal routine of your week! Surprisingly, Stuart and I are staying in town this weekend and just relaxing. Last week we were at an engagement party and next week we are visiting my grandma in Oakland, so it's nice to have some time to just stay put and focus on things that need to get done on the home front. 

Yesterday I dragged Stuart to the Arroyo Grande Strawberry Festival, which takes place in a cute little town about 20 minutes south of us. We missed it last year, and I was very much anticipating it and picturing a utopia of strawberry everything. While they did have amazing activities for kids (including camel riding - random but amazing) most of the booths turned out to be nothing special and was a bit more like what you would find at a typical fair or carnival with a bunch of random knick-knacks.

The bright side was that we came home with a whole half-flat (six baskets) of perfectly ripe strawberries grown right in Arroyo Grade. They looked and smelled fantastic, and from the tastes I stole from the box as we were walking back to the car, it was well worth the $10 spent for local berries at the height of the season. And I had big plans for those berries, believe me. Ages ago I jotted down a recipe for "quick strawberry jam," containing just a few easy ingredients. You'll want to consume it within a few weeks as it has no preservatives, but I can't wait to spoon it on everything from yogurt to ice cream to pancakes.

My jam turned out almost like a strawberry sauce rather than a jam (cooking longer would have done the trick) but once I had my beautiful mason jars full of sauce I couldn't wait to pout it all over some hot fresh WAFFLES. My dad has the best recipe in the world for waffles, and I've just been dying for the right time to share this "family secret" with you all. So here we go: easy strawberry jam + the best waffles...

Strawberry Jam

Ingredients:

2 baskets ripe strawberries, washed, hulled, and halved

¼ cup honey

¼  cup sugar (add up to 1/2 cup total if your strawberries seem tart)

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a heavy medium pot. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam. Reduce heat and cook over medium, mashing the berries slightly with a wooden spoon or fork, for about 30-40 minutes. You may need more or less time to reach the desired jam consistency. Let cool a bit, pour into a medium-size mason jar, and refrigerate until needed. Consume within approximately 2-3 weeks.

The Best Waffles

Preheat waffle iron of your choice.

Mix together in a medium bowl:

1 ¾ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

Whisk together in another bowl:

3 large eggs, well beaten

1 stick unsalted butter, melted (all the way melted, not just softened)

1 ½ cups milk

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Gently whisk them together with a few swift strokes. The batter should have a pebbled look, similar to muffin batter. If you wish, fold in optional toppings such as berries, banana, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or coconut flakes.

Spoon approximately ½ cup of batter (or amount recommended by your waffle maker) onto the hot iron. Spread the batter to within ¼ inch of the edge of the grids. Bake until golden brown.