No way! Dandelion Jelly?! And it's good?!

You can eat a dandelion? I did NOT know this! Well, maybe I thought somebody somewhere tried to eat one once but I can't imagine they would taste good.

OK, so I'm reading my pioneer book...the one that told me about the sour milk coffee cake (which has been a hit!)...and the ladies are making dandelion jelly. With curiosity peaked, I picked up the computer and googled it. I've heard of dandelion tea but I don't know anything about it. I mean, my fear is that I pick all of these dandelions, go through the trouble to prepare the jelly, eat them, only to find out that the kind we grow here in Alabama are poisonous. There is only one kind of dandelion, right? Just kidding.  :)  So, I first establish that there is only one kind and that they aren't going to make us deathly ill. Then I google the recipe. I'm super excited because I have all the ingredients and dandelions are growing in may yard RIGHT NOW so CJ and I head outside to pick some.

Let me just say that while the dandelions were steeping, the concoction smelled pretty nasty. I still couldn't imagine this tasting good. Then I was eating a grilled cheese sandwich while waiting (yes, I washed my hands) and I accidentally tasted my finger. It tasted a bit like earwax. Now, don't tell me you haven't accidentally tasted earwax before. I mean, no one does it on purpose but it happens. Anyways, earwax, not yummy. But I read all over the internet, and you know everything you read on the internet is true, that the finished product has sort of a honey taste to it. Would you believe this? It actually kind of does! It's seriously not bad! Has to be all the sugar, huh? Nonetheless, I'm pretty psyched that you can eat dandelions.

My husband is not so psyched about eating a flower that is not typically eaten. But he did tell me that in this book he is reading, they eat dandelion soup. Then he proceeded to tell me that he will NOT be eating dandelion soup unless he is starving to death. Funny man. He eats everything I put on the table.

So, are you interested in trying dandelion jelly? Here ya go!

Dandelion Jelly
About 4 cups of dandelions without the stem
3 cups of water
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 box pectin (all I had on hand was the low or no-sugar pectin but 1 box of either is what you use)
2 cups sugar if using low or no-sugar pectin OR 4 cups if using regular pectin
yellow food coloring (if desired)

Pinch or cut off the head of the dandelion so you have mostly yellow in your bowl. A little green is ok and should not affect the taste.You should have about 2 cups of petals when you have them all trimmed.

(borrowed this picture from here because it looked good and looked easier than my pinching them off)

Pour 3 cups of boiling water over the petals and allow them to steep for 20 minutes-24 hours. I let mine steep for about 3 hours.

Drain the liquid off with a coffee filter or jelly bag. Don't be scared off by the amber color. It looks nasty now. You can either leave your jelly this color or add food coloring here.
If yours doesn't equal 3 cups, it is fine to add a little water.
Mix in lemon juice.

(borrowed this picture as well. I just get so carried away with my cooking that I forget to take the pictures.)
Pour liquid into a pot. I use a large one because once the jelly begins to boil, it tends to foam and will overflow.
Bring to a boil and add sugar.
Allow it to reach a hard boil, that cannot be stirred away, and start the timer for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add pectin (and food coloring if desired).

Again, allow it to reach a hard boil, then start the timer for 2 minutes again.

Remove from heat and pour into sterile jars.

Process in hot water bath for 15 minutes.

Recipe makes about 5 full half pint jars (that I processed) and about a third of another for a tester jar. The photo looks a little dark here but it is actually closer to the color of honey.