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Melinda's books

I Am Watching You
The Maid
Hopeless
It Ends with Us
Unmissing
The All New Ball Book Of Canning And Preserving: Over 200 of the Best Canned, Jammed, Pickled, and Preserved Recipes
Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
Jurassic World: The Official Cookbook
Halo: The Official Cookbook
Ugly Love
Verity
Where the Crawdads Sing
The Moonlight Child
Becky: The Heartbreaking Story of Becky Watts by Her Father Darren Galsworthy
Freed
Drowning in Stars
Behind Her Eyes
The Girl in the White Van
Regretting You
Defending Jacob


Melinda Haiden's favorite books »

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Homemade McChicken

M cChicken sandwich, spicy or regular, has always been a household favorite until McDonalds started adding crap to the recipe. I used to work at McDonalds when I was 16 years old, things have def changed from then to now. Season it how you wish, I just throw a bunch of spices in and call it good! Does not matter what you use.  You Will Need: Ground Chicken Garlic Powder Onion Powder Paprika  Breadcrumbs  Flour Egg Wash Mayo Buns Lettuce Tomato After you form patties, freeze for 1 to 2 hours. Once frozen, dip in flour, egg then bread crumbs and deep fry until golden brown and 165 degrees temp reached inside. 

Strawberry Jam

Organic strawberries were on sale for 4/$5.00 at a local farmers marker so I took advantage of that! I got a bunch so that I could can my favorite jam of all time! I cannot express to you how much I love this jam recipe from Ball and how much I LOVE (LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE) my jam maker. The jam maker literally makes making jam as simple as possible. Before when I would make the jam from the ball canning book, I had to make it on the stove and crush the berries but now I use my Vitamix blender and my jam maker and I have jam done and canned in 45 minutes. It is so simple! Give it a try and definitely get the jam maker because it is worth the $60 bucks! And here is how I did it...

You Will Need: 

2 2/3 Cup Organic Strawberries
1/2 tsp Homemade Butter (link)
3 tbsp Ball Pectin
3 1/3 Cups Organic Sugar 
Ball Jam Maker
Water Bath Canner Set (everything you will need is there for $40.00!)
Mason Jars
Ball Recipe

Cut tops off berries, and wash


Blend it until smooth (I like with chunks in my jam, so I do not puree all the way). The Ball website says to crush (so make sure they look like they are crushed)


Measuring the berries


Add you strawberries


Sprinkle your pectin on top (the Ball recipe says on the bottom of the pan, then add berries but I forget that ever time!)


Add your butter 


Press jam button 


Press enter and let it go until it beeps, 4 minutes in it will beep, beep, beep that is when you add your sugar


Let it go....


Sanitize all your jars, and anything else you are using to can! Be sure to also go to ball's website and check out how to sanitize your jars, lids, rings and utensils 


Cooking down, as you can see my homemade butter melting! 


Add sugar slowly and place lid back on top


At 11 minutes remaining, remove the lid and take the stirrer out


Place lid back on and let finish cooking


It is really hard to control myself here! This is the BEST jam ever!


Ladle into jar


Fill with jam


Measure 1/4 inch headspace then wipe rim of jar (I could not get a picture of that..sorry use a damp paper towel)


Remove lid and ring from the boiling water using your tool and place on jar


Place lid and ring on not tightening all the way only lightly


**Be sure you go to Ball recipes website to learn how to water bath can**
Place jam in the water bath (I placed empty jars in there to give it balance- you need to make sure to do that or it will not can correctly) 


Replace lid and boil for 10 minutes.


After the 10 minutes, remove the lid and let cool for 5 minutes. Place them on a canning mat or dish towel and leave alone for 12 to 24 hours. Once that is done, remove lid, wash jars, place date on jar and store in pantry (do not stack them on top of each other!)


Short video of after the 5 minutes was up


I had enough to fill half of a 5th jar so I keep that out for my fridge (you do not want to can it unless it is fill to the 1/4 inch headspace)



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