Time for Canning

I love canning! It's something that I've really gotten into since getting married and moving to Norfolk. When I was a newlywed, enjoying domestic bliss, Jarod's grandma taught me her secrets to making the worlds best salsa. It was the best feeling to be able to take freshly-picked-from-the-garden ingredients and make them into something so delicious. Not only that, but to be able to can it and have enough to last through the year so that I wouldn't have to buy another jar of salsa made me feel so resourseful.

I have since expanded my canning capabilities to strawberries, cherries, peaches, cucumbers, green beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers, and apples. From spring through fall I am busy making:

strawberry jam

strawberry rhubarb jam

strawberry rhubarb pie filling

cherry jam

cherry pie filling

cherry syrup

russian dill pickles

hot garlic pickles

dilly green beens

salsa

green salsa

black bean & corn salsa

tomato soup

hot pickled peppers

applesause

apple pie filling

apple butter

and I'm always interested in trying new things.

This year, our most prized possession, our cherry trees, did not produce any cherries! These cherries are SOOOO good and make THE best desserts and I only have one jar left over from last year to get me through until next spring! GASP!!!!

The best part about canning is the time I get to spend with my friend Jessi. We've shared five years of picking, chopping, stirring, sanitizing, ladeling, spilling, cleaning, listening for the "pings" from a good seal, talking, and helping each other through life. In the beginning we made lots of messes, but now we have a good system going and can whip through three batches of salsa in one night. These last two years she has been very patient with me while I attend to a screaming child and give my pregnant aching body a couple minutes rest.

This year was fun having Andrew help pick the vegetables from the garden and be my taste tester.

I am looking forward to next month when the apples will be ready for picking. Andrew loves my applesauce! I'll have to be sure to can some unsweetened applesause for when the new baby is ready for his or her first solid foods.