homemade jam

On the way to work the other day, a genius DJ decided to blast a Will Smith classic, and for the rest of the day I was singing "summer-summer-summertiiiiiime" in my mind (and most likely unconsciously humming, whistling and mumbling it out loud as well). It got me thinking about -- you guessed it -- summer, and all the things I love about the season.

One of the tops on my list is delicious, mouthwatering fruit. Summer melons, peaches, plums, nectarines, berries! So I decided that I would make some fresh, homemade jam and spread said delicious fruit on toast and sandwiches, and maybe even mix it in with a little vanilla bean ice cream. First jam on my list to tackle: peach. But I decided to give it a summer spin and turned it into *grilled* peach jam with rosemary. And it is tasty. And fairly easy. And worth the effort.

It goes a little like this....

Actual recipe:

Makes just enough to fill two 7-oz. mason jars

Ingredients:

3 yellow peaches, halved, pits removed

1 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temp or slightly melted (but not hot)

2 cups granulated sugar

6 tsp. fresh lemon juice

2 large rosemary sprigs

How-to:

Get your grill hot (you can obviously use an outside grill or, like me, you can use a stove-top griddle; I like this cast iron one by Lodge).

Brush the butter evenly over the flesh of your peaches (not on the skin--you'll be peeling that off in about 6 minutes), then place them flat-side-down on the grill. Cook about 5 minutes until you see some good grill lines. Let them cool just until you can handle them and then slice them into 1/2 inch wedges and peel or cut off the skin.

Put the peaches into a bowl, add the lemon juice, and toss. Add the sugar and toss well. Add the rosemary and toss gently so little rosemary needles don't break off. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for four hours, stirring mixture every hour. After the fourth hour, the sugar should be pretty much dissolved, which is what you want.

Put the peach mixture into a large pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, continue cooking on med-high for about 13 minutes or until the liquid becomes syrupy. Remove from heat and discard the rosemary sprigs. Use a potato masher to crush the peaches a bit, then skim any white foam off the top of the mixture.

Pour immediately into whatever jar(s) you're using to store the jam. Let cool on a wire rack for 12 hours, then refrigerate and use within one month.

If you want to make a larger batch and preserve the jam using a traditional canning process, have at it! Since I haven't actually tried that yet (it's on my to-do list), click here for a link to Williams-Sonoma's canning instructions, which seem pretty clear.

Now, spread the jam on something and eat it. Savor the deliciousness. Repeat.

♥ amanda

sunprint notepad diy

I've always loved the look of Sunprint images and I had a bunch of scrap paper lying around the house so I thought I'd make a recycled paper notepad with a Sunprint image for the cover. It turned out so well, I had to make another one.

Making your own notepads from leftover paper or old notebooks that are sitting in a closet is really simple and fun. Here's the method I used and the books are holding up nicely.

Supplies:
Scrap paper
Mod Podge (I hear you can use plain Elmer's glue, but I haven't tried it)
Any cheap-o paint brush
Exacto knife, ruler and self-healing cutting mat (or a large paper cutter)
Binder clips
Adhesive spray (available at craft stores; for an example click here)
Thick craft paper for the back of your pad (you actually don't need this, but I like it because it makes the pad feel a bit more durable once assembled)
Sunprint for the cover (you can really use anything for the cover--cool wrapping paper, a printed photo, plain construction paper, etc.)
Single-faced corrugated cardboard wrap for the spine (or any sort of decorative/masking tape--or a plain piece of paper)

Step 1: Cut your scrap paper to whatever size notebook you want. Set aside one piece that you'll use when you add your Sunprint cover page. Step 2: Take the thick craft paper and cut one piece so it's the same size as your scrap paper.

Step 3: Gather it all together with the craft paper on the bottom and tap it down on a table so all the pieces of paper are flush on the sides--especially the spine (the side you're gluing together). Step 4: Use binder clips to hold the paper together so you can glue it without the pages moving around. Step 5: Use your cheap little paint brush to apply the Mod Podge. I like to tap the glue along the spine so that it really gets into any pieces that may not be perfectly flush; then I immediately do a second layer--this time brushing the glue evenly over the top so it's smooth. Let the glue dry for 15 minutes, then apply another layer. Technically I don't think you need it, but I like to err on the side of caution, so I paint on a third layer after another 15 minutes. Place a third binder clip in the middle of the spine after each layer to really keep the pages together while the glue dries.

Step 6: Either cut whatever you're using for a cover to the same size as your notepad paper, or make a Sunprint. Making the Sunprint is easy and looks really cool. I got my Sunprint kit from the Getty museum here in LA, but I know they sell them at hobby stores and on Amazon for $15. The directions on the kit are all you need and they're simple and to-the-point. Step 7: I cut my Sunprint paper to the same size as my notepad paper first, then I design the print. Be creative here! You can use flowers, leaves, small items like a skeleton key or buttons and even photo negatives. Arrange them on the paper however you like and then cover it with the included acrylic board. I used fern leaves to create my initial "A" on one book and a rosemary sprig and needles to spell "NOTES" on the other. Take it outside and place it in direct sunlight for 1 to 5 minutes and you'll watch the blue paper turn to almost-white.

Step 8: Submerge it in water for a few minutes and then lay it flat or hang it to dry. I also like to press it once it's dry to really flatten it out. I use my old massive dictionary and stick the print in the middle overnight.

Step 9: Cut the corrugated cardboard to the proper height and width. I cut mine so that about 1" would show on the front and back. FYI: you want the single-faced cardboard--not double-faced--so that you can bend it. Click here for an example from Paper Mart.

Step 10: Now take the dry, pressed Sunprint and use adhesive spray (don't use regular glue--it'll warp and be bubbly!) to glue it to the spare piece of notepad paper you set aside earlier. (The only reason for doing this is that the Sunprint paper is pretty thin and flimsy, so adding an additional piece of paper makes it more durable. You can skip this step if what you're using for a cover is already thick or if you just don't care about the thickness.) Step 11: Glue your cover to the front page of your notepad with a thin line of Mod Podge just next to the spine. Cover the underside of your corrugated cardboard strip with Mod Podge and press it onto the spine, then press it over the sides to adhere it to the front and back. If any of the glue seeps out, just use a paper towel to wipe it away immediately. Use the same method for a piece of paper. And if you're using tape, just stick it on.

Voila! A pretty notepad to keep next to the phone or at your bedside to jot down random thoughts, dreams, etc.

♥ amanda

wine crate container garden diy

I rent my duplex and, while I'm lucky enough to have a bit of a backyard, I can't go digging it up to plant all the herbs and tomato plants I dream about. So I came up with an alternative that's pretty simple and, in my opinion, looks pretty cool.

Since my plants didn't all die after this project -- in fact, they're thriving, yay! -- I thought I'd share it with you. It's a great afternoon activity and it lets you get your hands a little dirty, which is always fun. And, because they're moveable containers, you can still do this if you have really limited space, like a patio or outdoor stairway that gets a good amount of natural sunlight.

Here's what you'll need:
Wine crates (I got mine for $1 each at a local wine store)
Scissors
Hammer
Flat head screwdriver
Staple gun
Screen mesh (cheap and easily accessible at any hardware store -- click here for example -- I needed one roll)
Newspaper
Potting soil (ask your local nursery how much you'll need based on how many crates you're filling -- it's always better to have too much than not enough!)
Herbs/plants of your choice

My wine crates (the big one is for a tomato plant -- it'll need more depth for its long roots).

Herbs ready to be planted.  Amazing canine ready to observe and keep me company.

First, you need to remove the bottom wood slats from your crates. Wedge a flat-head screwdriver in between where the bottom slats and side slats meet, then hammer the screwdriver so that the bottom slats start to pull away. You can then use the backside of your hammer to really pull the wood apart. You'll be left with a four-sided wooden box like the picture on the right.

Next, roll out the screen mesh over the bottom of the crate and trim it so there's a good two inches hanging over all four sides. Use your staple gun to staple the screen to the wood. Start by putting one staple in the middle of each side, pulling the screen taught with each staple. Add more staples along each side, continuing to pull the screen gently with each staple so you don't end up with a sagging bottom. Then trim the sides of the screen so there's only a 1/4 to 1/2 inch overhang all around. 

Lay about five pieces of newspaper in the bottom of the crate. This will keep the soil from washing out through the bottom when watering but won't impede the drainage process. Add several inches of soil to the crate. Place your plants on the soil but don't crowd them -- the roots need room to spread out -- and then fill in the container with soil. I put three basil plants in one wine crate, but only two rosemary plants because they grow taller and need more space. If you're going to plant tomatoes, only plant one per crate and make sure to get a deeper container (a magnum wine crate). Those babies need a lot of room to grow!

Now find a nice place for them to soak up the sun and give them a good watering. With any luck, yours will grow like this:

And your tomato plants will grow little fruit like this:

Happy gardening!
♥ amanda

P.S. You should also get a tomato stake if applicable. It helps shape the plant as it grows and will keep it upright and stop the branches from breaking when the fruit begins to grow and weigh them down. I got mine at OSH.