Strawberry Syrup

We went strawberry picking yesterday, and my 9-month-old son got covered in dirt. He was extremely cooperative, playing with the flag for marking our spot, picking weeds and picking a few strawberries. He even managed to pick one ripe one that he handed to me, so he contributed to our $30 worth of strawberries we picked.

In the past, we've typically frozen most of our berries for my husband's famous margarita. This year, however, is a bit different. I got an early start to canning this year, partially thanks to my Food in Jars cookbook. I found a recipe for Strawberry Syrup, which is what 4 pints of strawberries became.

It's such a pretty syrup, and I imagine it's be wonderful with pancakes, waffles or french toast. I mixed a bit in with my plain yogurt along with some chopped strawberries.

Strawberry Syrup
2 pints strawberries, hulled and chopped
2 cups sugar
3 cups water

Combine the strawberries and water in a medium pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer until strawberries are soft and have given most of their color to the liquid, about 15 minutes.

Place a large fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl, and strain the berries and their juice through the sieve. Let the berries drip undisturbed or else you'll have a cloudy syrup.

Discard the solids, and return the strained juice to the pot. Add the sugar, and bring to a boil, skimming any foam that appears on the top.

Remove the pot from heat, and pour the hot syrup into prepared sterilized jars leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Makes approximately 2 pints.