Making Dandelion Jelly

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​I've always looked at Dandelions as unwanted weeds. A lush green lawn was the way to go. Then we moved to the farm. Lush green lawn went right out the window and enter the Dandelions. I gave up on trying to eradicate them and noticed that Dandelions are visited daily by bees, sweet ants, butterflies, all kinds of little insects and goldfinches. Hmm, I decided to take a closer look at the dreaded Dandelion and found that each flower is surprisingly different then the other, like snowflakes. I decided to look up all things Dandelion. I found these little guys can become SO many different things! oils, vinegar, food, salves, soaps and teas just to name a few! Holy Cow! The list just kept going! Then I saw Dandelion jelly. Seriously? eww. But, the kids had no school and they were getting bored. I thought a nature lesson would be good. Dandelion Jelly it is! We took a bucket and went out to collect Dandelions (away from where the dogs are. Of course!) We picked the bigger flowers until we got about a gallon and took them to the house. We had to remove ONLY the yellow flower heads NO green, apparently it gives a bitter taste to the jelly. We filled TWO compacted cups (took about an hour, a tad bit tedious. I just kept thinking, "I hope this is worth it") and took the remains out the chickens. They loved them too. From there you boil 4 cups of water and pour it over the dandelion  heads. Let cool, cover and put in the fridge overnight. This is making "Tea". Don't let the smell deter you, it will improve. The next day we poured the mixture through a fine colander and ended up with a little over 3 and 1/2 cups. we put that in a sauce pan with 2 T of lemon juice and a pouch of Certo, We also made a batch with powdered sure jell and they both worked perfectly. Bring that mixture to boil and then add 4 cups of sugar. Bring to boil and let boil a few minutes stirring to avoid sticking. Pour the golden jelly into hot jars, screw on the lids and put them into a boiling water bath for around 10 minutes.  Then be prepared to shock your tastebuds with the taste of Dandelion Jelly. A velvety smooth palate of mild honey and hint of lemon.  Pleasantly surprised and kid approved, I now look at Dandelions in whole different light.