It’s Apple Berry Jelly Time!

Have you all heard the “It’s Peanut Butter Jelly Time” rap for kids?  I, of course, had not until recently.  The local morning show that I listen to played a clip of it and talked about how their kids were obsessed with this little diddie.

Now, anytime I eat jelly, I think of this dancing banana and break out my mad rapper skills.

That is why, when the official strawberry season was in full swing here at West Street {and I decided to combine them with apple jelly} I couldn’t help but “peanut butter jelly time” my way into my husband’s berry-lovin’ stomach.

First of all, we get our strawberries at Aldi’s until the local Pick-Your-Own place opens.  I laugh at those that think $1.99, for one week, is a “steal” at their grocery store.  Aldi’s has had the berries consistently at $0.99 for WEEKS.  Whenever they drop the price to this point, I always buy a full case when I stop in.

Yes, that means A LOT of strawberries!

This year, Graham actually surprised me with a sweet strawberry treat after I brought the first few containers home.  He made chocolate covered strawberries!

I didn’t get to capture the process for you {hello, surprise to Jen}, however Graham said it was as easy as melting 2 cups of chocolate chips with 1 tbsp. shortening using the double boiler method.  He had read online {you think he just KNEW how to make these?  Ha!}, that once you have your berries covered, drop in a few handfuls of peanuts to use up the rest of the melted chocolate.

Then, simply place the coated strawberries {and peanut clusters} on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and place in the fridge to cool.

So, we had sweet berries AND chocolate covered peanut clusters.  Yum!

Besides eating fresh strawberries {I can eat an entire container in one sitting, just sayin’}, I also coat chopped up strawberries in melted apple jelly for a quick dessert. 

Simply melt down a jar of Apple Jelly in a small sauce pan {I am sure you can use any flavored jelly, but I have about one hundred apple jelly jars to use up from last year’s canning}.  Then, drop in chopped strawberries and mix until they are coated.  Keep the berries warm, on low, until you are ready to enjoy.

Then, using the leftover “Apple Berry Jelly”, I create my version of strawberries and cream oatmeal.  No, the berry mixture does not harden back up in the fridge.  Just spoon in the jelly coated strawberries {and some of the jelly syrup} into your oatmeal and top it off with a splash of milk.

And you better believe I am NOT throwing away the strawberry-infused jelly liquid.  No way!  That will also make it into oatmeal over the next few days instead of using a different sweetener.

I have purchased two cases, in total, of strawberries from Aldi’s thus far.  Once the strawberries start to reach their prime {just past the point I would eat them straight from the container}, I chopped the tops off and freeze them.

I like to freeze my berries whole because they are easier to use in smoothies AND they can easily be chopped up for pies and other things {even after being frozen}.  I would hate to limit myself to JUST chopped if I would want a whole frozen strawberry for something.

I freeze them, individually, on a parchment-lined cookie sheet before placing them in a freezer bag.  This way they do not freeze together, in a huge clump, once in the bag.

Also, do not throw away those plastic containers {and cardboard crates if you frequent Aldi’s, like myself} that the berries come in.  Use the containers to collect your garden goodies this summer!  I like having the containers to carry my cherry tomatoes home in.

“It’s peanut butter jelly time, peanut butter jelly time….peanut butter with a baseball bat”