Dandelion Jelly

We made the first jars of Dandelion Jelly this year. People look at us like we are crazy when we tell them we make jelly out of Dandelions but then most people spend all of their time trying to kill them rather than seeing them as the food they are. The blooms can be made into jelly, the leaves eaten like salad greens, and their roots can be roasted to make a substitute for coffee. You can even make Dandelion wine. Such a humble little plant and it can be so many things. But then, many of the plants we often label as weeds and do our darndest to kill can be used either as food or medicine. But people have strayed so far from our natural selves that we work to kill off natural growing food and medicine in favor of smooth,completely green lawns that make lawnmower tracks so perfectly that it looks like they have been stenciled on.

The Dandelions in my yard are blooming beautifully, their yellow blooms like little suns beaming up amongst the clover and the little purple flowers that grow wild. And we make jelly from them.

(I wanted to have a few Dandelion blooms in this pic but the Dandelions are lay abouts and apparently they prefer to sleep in since I couldn't find a single one awake and open when I went to take this pic this morning) 

Dandelion Jelly

1 quart packed yellow Dandelion blossoms (take off all of the stems)

1 quart water

1 3/4 oz package pectin

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

4 1/2 cups sugar

4 to 5 drops yellow food coloring

Boil the flowers in water for three minutes. Then strain through a jelly strainer, keeping the juice and throwing the spent blossoms to the chickens(or compost pile if you don't have chickens). Makes 3 cups of juice or there abouts. Add pectin and lemon juice and bring to a rolling boil. Add sugar and food coloring. Bring to a fast boil and boil for 2 minutes. Pour into clean pint sized jars. Place heated lids and rings on jars and let sit to seal and set up. Makes 4 to 6 half pint jars.

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