Being Present While Wrapping Presents

Easy Raspberry Filling!

Being Present While Wrapping Presents

Where are you while you are wrapping presents? I don’t mean physically, I mean mentally. Are you actually in the present moment? Or are you off in your head making a list of things you still need to do to be ready for the holiday? Maybe you are reliving the disagreement you had with your spouse. It could be that you are going over the meeting you had at work yesterday. But are you actually here, in the physical moment?

Being Here

Being here, right now in the physical moment takes practice. Think about it. How often are you actually in the present moment? I was listening to Oprah’s podcast one day and a question was asked that has stuck with me ever since. The question was, “Where are you when you are in the shower?” The obvious answer it that you are in the shower. And sure, you are there physically. But mentally? Are you in your 9:00 meeting? Are you cursing the fact that you had to get out of bed? Are you thinking about how much you dislike your job? How many of you are actually consciously thinking about the act of showering?

Practice

Being present in the shower, or anywhere else in life takes practice. I make it a habit on a daily basis to actually be conscious in the shower. First, I give my gratitude to the Universe for allowing me to wake up and be here for another day. Then, I sense the water, smell the soap, feel the warmth. Does my mind wander to a made-up scenario that will never happen? Yes, absolutely. Each time my mind wanders, I bring it back to the present moment. Doesn’t matter how many times your mind wanders, as long as you can acknowledge it and bring it back to the present. The shower is a good place to start this practice because you are stationary in one place. Helps your mind be in one place too.

Make it a Goal

Make it a goal to be more mindful in your every day life. Be present while wrapping presents, or whatever the task may be. I think you will find life a little more rewarding when you are living in the present moment. It is after all, all that we have. Check out my video here for more.

Rebecca

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The Gift of Raspberries!

Not only did my mom gift me with 49 raspberries bushes that she thinned out, she also shared with me raspberries from her very abundant crop this season! I planted the bushes she gave me in my garden and much to my surprise, they did yield some berries this year! I did not, however, have near the harvest that my mom did. When I suddenly found myself with a large amount of berries on hand, I knew I needed to do something with them so they wouldn’t go to waste. I had recently made a raspberry filling for the cupcakes I made for my son’s birthday. It was so delicious that I decided I would make another batch with the berries I was gifted by my mom.

Versatile Uses

What You'll Need

When I first made this recipe, I did so with the intention of filling cupcakes for my son’s birthday. I quickly realized that this could also be used as a syrup for pancakes and french toast. It would even make a great filling for crepes. I warmed some up and used it as a topping on vanilla ice cream and it was so delicious! The potential is really only limited by your own imagination!

This recipe is very similar to my strawberry jam recipe and just as easy to make!

This recipe only requires a few simple ingredients to make.

Ingredients:

* Raspberries – You can use fresh or frozen.

* White Granulated Sugar – The sugar in this recipe helps sweeten the filling.

* Water – The water in the recipe helps bring everything together.

* Lemon – Add the juice and zest of 1 lemon to cut the sweetness of the added sugar.

* Cornstarch – Adding cornstarch to water will help thicken the sauce.

Equipment:

* Strainer – You will want to rinse your raspberries in a strainer prior to adding them to the stove. (You will need a mesh strainer to strain the seeds and pulp).

* Medium Sauce Pan – You will want a big enough pan to accommodate the ingredients and enough room for bubbling while cooking.

* Heat Proof Spatula – You will be stirring the berries consistently, so you will want a heat proof spatula while making this recipe.

* Measuring Cup – Needed to measure out the sugar and water.

* Lemon Zester – You will need this to obtain the zest of the lemon.

* Bowls – You will want bowls for mixing the cornstarch and to add the filling to once strained.

How to Make This Recipe

Measure out 2 pints of raspberries and rinse them in a strainer to remove any dirt. Try not to squish them too much to avoid a mess.

Once rinsed, add into your sauce pan on the stove.

Add 3/4 cup of white granulated sugar, the zest and juice of one lemon and water.

Mix together to incorporate all ingredients.

Turn the stove on medium high heat and let berries come to a boil.

Allow berries to boil for 2-3 minutes, then reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes.

While berries are simmering, add 3 tablespoons of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water to a bowl, mix well.

Remove berries from heat and empty into mesh strainer with a bowl underneath. Push out all the raspberry juice, leaving the seeds and pulp behind.

Add the raspberry juice back into the pan you simmered it in (make sure you rinse it first).

Turn the heat on low and add cornstarch mixture to berry juice. Simmer for another 10 minutes on low to thicken the sauce.

Remove from heat and let cool for at least half an hour.

Store in fridge for up to 2 weeks.

ABOUT AUTHOR

Rebecca

Hello, I am Rebecca! I am so glad you are here on this journey with me! Here, I am sharing my passions including gardening, cooking, baking, crafting, natural living and so much more! In addition to the content I share on my YouTube page, I also write a blog.

It took a long time for the things I am passionate about to awaken within me. Now that they have, I am eager to share them with others.

Among the many things I am passionate about, gardening is one of them. In addition to gardening, I also enjoy different areas of art, crafting, photography and home project DIY.

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Easy Raspberry Filling!

This raspberry filling can be used in cake, cupcakes, or even as a syrup on pancakes!

Print Recipe

Ingredients

2 pints raspberries
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup water (plus 3 tbls)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
juice of 1 lemon
zest of 1 lemon

Instructions

Measure out 2 pints of raspberries and rinse them in a strainer to remove any dirt. Try not to squish them too much to avoid a mess.
Once rinsed, add into your sauce pan on the stove.
Add 3/4 cup of white granulated sugar, the zest and juice of one lemon and water.
Mix together to incorporate all ingredients.
Turn the stove on medium high heat and let berries come to a boil.
Allow berries to boil for 2-3 minutes, then reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes.
While berries are simmering, add 3 tablespoons of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water to a bowl, mix well.
Remove berries from heat and empty into mesh strainer with a bowl underneath. Push out all the raspberry juice, leaving the seeds and pulp behind.
Add the raspberry juice back into the pan you simmered it in (make sure you rinse it first).
Turn the heat on low and add cornstarch mixture to berry juice. Simmer for another 10 minutes on low to thicken the sauce.
Remove from heat and let cool for at least half an hour.
Store in fridge for up to 2 weeks.

ABOUT AUTHOR

Rebecca

FOLLOW ME ON

Our gallery

Easy Raspberry Filling!