How to stock a pantry 101! #MakingJamsAndJellies

As hard as I try to be prepared in the kitchen I rarely am on the first try...  I am one of those people that seems to be always missing one important ingredient when trying out new recipes... This week alone I have gone to the store just for eggs (my fridge froze my last dozen farm fresh eggs), just for vanilla extract and just for baking powder all trying to make special breads for market.... SMDH...Three separate times in one week I have had this problem... last week it was the same story just different ingredients because I was making new jam and jelly recipes...and I am determined to turn this trend around!

How to Stock a Pantry 101:

A long time ago when I first started baking cakes I was the same scattered shopper... always having ingredients for a vanilla cake when I needed chocolate and vice versa... along the way I figured out which ingredients were the basics that I always needed to have on hand and I started building my cake baking pantry.  For me those basics included:

vegetable oil

powdered sugar

crisco

vanilla extract

flour

eggs

Now I am starting to build a Jelly/Jam pantry and figuring out what to keep in there has been tricky, but I think I am getting the hang of it...  I use 8 oz and 4 oz jelly jars, and seal them with regular lids and bands... so I try to keep at least two dozen of each of them on hand 3-4 dozen if I can manage... Depending on the recipe it could call for regular powdered pectin, low sugar powdered pectin, liquid pectin, SURE-Jell and one I haven't used is no sugar powdered pectin... and Sugar.... lots and lots of Granulated Sugar! Add some crushed fruit, crushed berries, berry juice, fruit juice, flower juice, coffee, or champagne and some love... cook it just right and can it up for later!  My Mom and I have made some very unique jellies and jams and I enjoy taste testing each new batch!  My latest jelly is a Ras-apple Jelly made with red raspberry, apple and grape juice!  The kids and I thought it was really yummy and I can't wait to see what kind of reaction the samples get at the markets on Thursday and Friday!

Some of our other unique jellies and jams include: Blueberry Lavender Jam, Honeysuckle Jelly, Lavender Jelly, Coffee Jelly, Champagne Jelly, and Strawberry/Banana Jam.  Though we are currently out of the Blueberry Lavender Jam it is next on my list to make and then I think I will try my hand at some Crab Apple Jelly, Plum Jelly and Queens Anne's Lace Jelly too!

As always to keep up with the markets we can be found at follow Something Special on Facebook or to order specialty baked goods check out Something Special Bakery also featured on Facebook!