Canning Season

Tomatoes. Peaches. Blueberries. Sauces. Soups.

 

It’s canning season {perhaps mixed in with a smidge of nesting season?} and the little cream colored 1950s stove, nestled in my kitchen, has been hard at work for the past few weeks. Actually, we ended up outside on the back patio for most of our canning – it’s much easier that way. Easier to clean up. Easier to still enjoy the day and sunshine. Easier on my tired feet.  I can pull up a chair while the baby naps and slice a bushel of red tomatoes or ripe juicy peaches in an hour while the girls play outside in the last few days of summer- or better yet, they are often recruited to join in the canning party.

 

Not only are these girls learning about canning for when they are future homemakers, they were actually truly helping me!

 

I tried a new recipe without pectin for the peach jam … it turned out scrumptious. We have so many jars of peach jam now – I’m pretty sure most of our Christmas presents will include a nice jar of peachy-summer jar!

 

Here’s the recipe:

Pectin Free Peach Jam

4 lbs. of fresh peaches
3 cups of sugar 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1/2 cup of water

Follow the usual instructions of preparing peaches (peel, slide, take the pit out) and toss into a pot where you will mix in the lemon juice.
Place pot on stovetop and set to medium heat. Add water and sugar and stir till dissolved. Keep stirring to prevent scalded jam (no fun!) or sticking.
I test my jam or jelly using the freezer test – place a plate in the freezer until cold, drop hot jam on plate and run your finger through it – if it stays separated, it is ready to can.
If it runs together, it still needs more cooking time.

Fill clean mason jars, wipe rims clean, place new seal lids on top and water bath for 20 minutes.

 I just finished a mountain of tomatoes (diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and salsa) this weekend and still need to can the tomatoes popping out of the garden with their last hurrah.

I’ll be back … after I sort through how many more jars need filling.

P.S. Have you been canning? What’s your favorite thing to can? Any recipes to share?

 Have you ever tried pressure canning? Let me warn you, it’s WONDERFULLY fulfilling!