Canning has turned into one of my more recent endeavors. I learned from a friend last fall, and have been preserving like crazy ever since! Canning gives me a sense of fulfillment. There's just something about your kitchen smelling amazing, looking at the pretty jars on your shelf (my laundry room is pictured above), and knowing that you "made" everything that your family will be eating.
Many of my friends have asked me to teach them how to preserve, and have been requesting recipes for the things I post. People think it's intimidating, or that it takes a lot of time and effort. I'm here to tell you that it's easier than you think...
The cost? Yes, there is a little bit of an initial investment (jars are not cheap), and some tools that make the job easier, but the things you purchase will last you a lifetime or two... sometimes three. As long as jars are in good condition with no chips, bubbles, or cracks, you can use them for generations. A couple weeks ago, I made some peaches in a jar that belonged to my Great Grandma McIntosh. I remember eating Bread and Butter Pickles from it as a kid. But think of the money you're spending as an investment into the health and longevity of your family.
The time? Yes, it does take time to research recipes, make the food, and process the jars. But I'm a proponent of small-batch canning, where I just make a few jars (from 1 to 8) of something. Basically, whatever will fit in one sauce pot is what I can. Whether it's soup, sauce, pickles, fruit, jam, or green beans, I usually take canning a few jars at a time.This method usually consumes about one to three hours, depending on what I'm making. But hey, that's less than a trip to the grocery store with a toddler! Now, in the fall, I work with my mom and we do apples and pears from their fruit trees. This turns into an all-day-for-two-days canning marathon. She and I labor side-by-side in an assembly line fashion to preserve apple slices, pie filling, apple sauce, apple butter, and apple jelly, totaling about 100 jars between the two of us. Spending two days for 50 jars a piece is not bad. We're still eating applesauce and pears from last year!
So if you're still thinking, "wow! that sounds amazing! How do I get started?!", then there is a LOAD of information available on the internet. But beware, not all of it is true, and not all of the sites you will read promote safe canning procedures. I'll give you recipes for things I've made, but I'll let the experts give you the tutorials. I tend to like Ball's guides. Their website and Pinterest are full of fantastic ideas and detailed directions. Check it out here. Happy Canning, folks.
Many of my friends have asked me to teach them how to preserve, and have been requesting recipes for the things I post. People think it's intimidating, or that it takes a lot of time and effort. I'm here to tell you that it's easier than you think...
The cost? Yes, there is a little bit of an initial investment (jars are not cheap), and some tools that make the job easier, but the things you purchase will last you a lifetime or two... sometimes three. As long as jars are in good condition with no chips, bubbles, or cracks, you can use them for generations. A couple weeks ago, I made some peaches in a jar that belonged to my Great Grandma McIntosh. I remember eating Bread and Butter Pickles from it as a kid. But think of the money you're spending as an investment into the health and longevity of your family.
The time? Yes, it does take time to research recipes, make the food, and process the jars. But I'm a proponent of small-batch canning, where I just make a few jars (from 1 to 8) of something. Basically, whatever will fit in one sauce pot is what I can. Whether it's soup, sauce, pickles, fruit, jam, or green beans, I usually take canning a few jars at a time.This method usually consumes about one to three hours, depending on what I'm making. But hey, that's less than a trip to the grocery store with a toddler! Now, in the fall, I work with my mom and we do apples and pears from their fruit trees. This turns into an all-day-for-two-days canning marathon. She and I labor side-by-side in an assembly line fashion to preserve apple slices, pie filling, apple sauce, apple butter, and apple jelly, totaling about 100 jars between the two of us. Spending two days for 50 jars a piece is not bad. We're still eating applesauce and pears from last year!
So if you're still thinking, "wow! that sounds amazing! How do I get started?!", then there is a LOAD of information available on the internet. But beware, not all of it is true, and not all of the sites you will read promote safe canning procedures. I'll give you recipes for things I've made, but I'll let the experts give you the tutorials. I tend to like Ball's guides. Their website and Pinterest are full of fantastic ideas and detailed directions. Check it out here. Happy Canning, folks.
Canning Resources
The internet is abound with information on canning. Bizzillions of men and women are sharing their recipes for canning. Since so many people have been requesting mine, I decided to jump on the bandwagon and share mine with the people of the internet, too.
In addition, here are some awesome things I've found for canning!
In addition, here are some awesome things I've found for canning!
Modern Harvest Labels
Super cute heat-shrink labels for all of your jars!
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Ball Canning Website
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Canning Recipes
Spaghetti Sauce
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Enchilada Sauce
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Tomato Basil Soup
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