3 Winks Design
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
  • Printables
  • From Cover to Reel
    • Contests >
      • Writing Challenge
    • Show Notes
  • Where I Party
    • Places Featured
  • Archives

Canning Apricots 101

5/23/2025

1 Comment

 
This post contains affiliate links.  If you make a purchase after clicking them, we will be compensated, but there is no additional cost to you.  All opinions expressed are our own.  Thank you for your support.
Canning Apricots
     Over the last couple of weeks, Anita has gifted me peaches from a friend's tree and apricots from her own tree.  It has been amazing to process these fruits and add them to my pantry.  In the midst of it all, I realized that I haven't ever shown you how easy it is to can apricots!  They are absolutely one of my favorite fruits to can because of the ease of the process and because a jar of freshly opened apricots tastes amazing!  Almost as good as the fresh fruit!  So, here is my basic tutorial! 

Read More
1 Comment

Strawberry Oregano Shortbread

5/21/2025

0 Comments

 
This post contains affiliate links.  If you make a purchase after clicking them, we will be compensated, but there is no additional cost to you.  All opinions expressed are our own.  Thank you for your support.
Strawberry Oregano Shortbread
     Looking for a cute little cookie that would be perfect for a tea party or bridal shower?  Strawberry Oregano Shortbread is a delicate, flavorful and pretty pink cookie that would be perfect for any such  occasion!  A combination of flavors that are a little out of the ordinary makes this cookie special and when you are planning an event, being able to make it the day before and allowing the flavors to develop is a big plus for a tiny cookie. 

Read More
0 Comments

Strawberry Oregano Jam W/Chia Seeds!

5/14/2025

1 Comment

 
This post contains affiliate links.  If you make a purchase after clicking them, we will be compensated, but there is no additional cost to you.  All opinions expressed are our own.  Thank you for your support.
Strawberry Oregano Jam
     I was asked to help teach a class about using fresh herbs and my assigned herb was oregano.  It is one of the herbs that I don't have growing in my garden, lol, but I thought that I could give this presentation a shot!  
strawberry oregano jam
     Most people equate oregano with Italian food, but my two Italian experts, Anita and Jessica tell me that Americans use a lot more oregano than Italians do in our pizza and pasta sauces.   Oregano can actually be found in the food of many cultures.  It is very versatile and has health benefits as well!  
      I did share a recipe for a homemade Italian pasta sauce to begin with in my segment of the herb class, but then I decided to do a couple of more unusual recipes as well!  I'll be sharing a few of those with you in the future, but today I thought I would give you the recipe that probably received the most positive comments of the night.  It is the Strawberry Oregano Jam! 
Strawberry Oregano Jam
In this picture you can see the chia seeds and the bits of oregano in this delicious jam.
     You may think that the oregano would be too overpowering for a sweet jam, but the opposite is true.  The oregano is very much just a back of the palette earthy flavor that helps to cut through the sweetness of a regular strawberry jam.  
        I wanted to make this jam less sweet, so I broke the cardinal rule of jam making and messed with the recipe!  I used pectin, but I also used chia seeds that would help with the thickening process.  I added lime essential oil as well because I wanted the brightness to go with the earthiness of the oregano.  The jam is still a little thinner than normal, but so delicious! 
Strawberry Oregano Jam
      This recipe made a lot of jam.  I canned these jars while still saving out about 2 cups of jam to in a container in the refrigerator to share at the class!  

Shop This Post:  You will have to find your own source for strawberries and oregano.  I went to my grocery store when the strawberries were on sale. 
  • chia seeds-here is a great deal!
  • Lime oil-search lime oil in the search bar
  • Lemon juice
  • canning jars
  • canning lids

     Remember when making your jam that you must follow the directions and add the ingredients in the order given.  It really does make a difference in the outcome of the jam.  But, if for some reason the jam doesn't set, this will be super delicious on pancakes or crepes! 

     It is a lot of fun to add variety to your normal recipes and people are always eager to try them.  At the end of the class, one of my friends grabbed a plastic cup and poured some of the jam in it to take home!  I felt so complimented and happy to share!  So, here is the recipe, don't forget to click on it for the printable version. 
Picture
1 Comment

Sugar Free Chocolate Banana Ice Cream

5/8/2025

3 Comments

 
This post contains affiliate links.  If you make a purchase after clicking them, we will be compensated, but there is no additional cost to you.  All opinions expressed are our own.  Thank you for your support.
​

Picture
     Disaster happened this past week!  In the midst of making this ice cream, my ice cream making bowl started leaking the freezing fluid out of a crack that was suddenly on the side of the bowl!  There may have been tears at the loss of my beloved ice cream bowl!   But, Amazon came to the rescue and I was able to get free same day delivery on a new bowl!  Whew!  What a relief.  
     I decided to go with the knock off brand Ice Cream Attachment for my Kitchen Aid this time because it was so much less expensive.  This one was on sale, plus had an additional percentage off coupon, so it was a great deal! If you prefer the Brand name of Kitchen Aid, it is also on sale right now, but just not as low as the one I bought this time.  We will see how it goes! I just knew that with summer coming and temperatures soaring here in Phoenix that my Ice Cream attachment would get a lot of use, so I had to replace it ASAP!  
Chocolate Banana Ice Cream
Kitchen Aid VS Knock Off!  
​You decide! 
Chocolate Banana Ice Cream

Read More
3 Comments
<<Previous
Forward>>
    Picture
    Creators of Hot Cocoa Bombs!  (copyrighted)
    Subscribe to Our Email!
    Picture

    Author

    Helen Reynolds: Mother of six children , grandmother to fifteen!  I love to cook, craft and create things and I especially love doing that with my family, So, when my lawyer daughter, Lindsey, my artist daughter, Madalynn, and I came up with the idea of Hot Cocoa Bombs, this blog was born.  Then, one more daughter, with her technical and science skills, plus creativity has joined in to round us out!  Read more about us here!
        

    Picture
    Click this link and visit 3WinksDesignShop on Etsy. Find our Hot Cocoa Bomb Idea Book, our For the Love of PIe e-book and more of our creations!

    Picture
    Shop Mood Fabrics




    RSS Feed

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
  • Printables
  • From Cover to Reel
    • Contests >
      • Writing Challenge
    • Show Notes
  • Where I Party
    • Places Featured
  • Archives