A neighbor gave me peaches, so I made some into a cobbler and canned the rest. It will soon be time to start on the tomatoes.

I freeze sliced apples in gallon zip lock bags. They are just the right size for a cobbler made in a 9 inch pan. If I slice them into some water with lemon juice, then drain them before bagging them, they aren't quite so juicy as when I just put them directly into the bags. The lemon juice treatment keeps them from getting so brown. I flatten the bags, leaving only enough room for a little expansion as they freeze, and place the bags on a cookie sheet. After freezing, they stack nicely, or line up like books on a shelf.

Cindy, you should have plenty of salsa for the fall.

Mary, Peach cobbler sounds great to me, yumm!

Yes Rita, it should last me most of the winter too if I don't end up giving it away

Hey, you made it you should get to eat it all! Well, maybe share a little.

Yesterday, I did 16 half-pints of fig preserves. Just figs, lemon juice & sugar. Cooke4d until thick. Today, it's sugar-free fig preserves. My first time. Used stevia & agave syrup. It's still cooking, but I'll probably have around 10 jars. I sell jams & jellies at a local farmers market & I've had several requests for sugar-free fig preserves.

I just got a water bath canning kit on clearance at Target! (Stock pot, rack, tools) also the Ball book. Had already bought some jars.

Gonna make salsa, and wild grape jelly. I discovered the neighbor across the street has wild grapes along the edge of his property, and he said I can pick all I want! Of course I'll give him a jar.

Even though my family doesn't like Bread and Butter pickles, I decided to make some yesterday. They are my favorite. I made 5 pints but will be giving l pint to my nieces who just love pickles. I had to buy the cucumbers since mine didn't produce enough. Every one who I talk to in Michigan did not have a good cucumber season. I guess the cooler temps could be the cause. We did not have a very hot summer.

holity said:I just got a water bath canning kit on clearance at Target! (Stock pot, rack, tools) also the Ball book. Had already bought some jars.

Gonna make salsa, and wild grape jelly. I discovered the neighbor across the street has wild grapes along the edge of his property, and he said I can pick all I want! Of course I'll give him a jar.

Welcome to the wonderful world of canning. It's so addicting that you'll find yourself reading every recipe in the ball book, and dreaming of making these wonderful things!

When you give your neighbor a jar of jelly, be sure to tell him that in order to get more, he has to return the jar. Those jars can get expensive!!
Jo-Ann

JoAnn said:

Welcome to the wonderful world of canning. It's so addicting that you'll find yourself reading every recipe in the ball book, and dreaming of making these wonderful things!

When you give your neighbor a jar of jelly, be sure to tell him that in order to get more, he has to return the jar. Those jars can get expensive!!
Jo-Ann

LOL! I will!

I've been on a pressure canning frenzy this week. So far, I've done 25 pints of meat sauce for spaghetti, 15 pints of pork stew, and I have 12 pints of red beans with sausage & onions in the canner right now. I have enough red beans left over to do 3 more jars, but I think I'll go get some more beans to do a complete canner full.

I picked wild grapes today and squished out the juice. Jelly canning tomorrow!

p.s. Here's a "before" photo.

The jelly came out ok. I learned a lot

The salsa I canned a couple weeks ago is almost gone! Hubby has been eating it like crazy! So I threw my last few tomatoes in the freezer to keep them for a new batch. (also, I've read you can slip the skins off pretty easily when they've been frozen, instead of having to blanch them)

BUMP!

This thread needs to be revived, LOL!

And, guess who I met this weekend at the local Farmer's Market in New Orleans? Miss Jo-Ann herself! We'd still be talking gardening and canning if I didn't have a plane to catch, LOL! Jo-Ann is the most delightful person, and her hubby is just as nice. And the jams and jellies she sells are delicious!

Jo, I'm gonna be d-mailing you for instructions when I finally pull out the All American Pressure Canner that's been sitting (brand spanking new) in the box for the last 5 years, LOL! I'm cutting my teeth on the water bath canner right now, but, I'm getting the hang of it, and my BFF was impressed with the instructions I gave HER when we made the jalapeno pepper jelly. She said her DH LOVED it!

I've got quite a few more recipes to go through in the Ball Book before I graduate to the All American. It's the biggest, shiniest piece of steel I've ever owned. It's so shiny I can put my makeup in it, LOL!

Hugs, Jo!

Linda

JO-ANN,
Where are you?

Girl, those jalapeno sweet pickles are THE BOMB!!!! I stood eating them right out of the jar last night, and could hardly stop! And, I don't even LIKE sweet pickles, LOL!

I need that recipe!!!

Linda, Been tied up with medical problems for a few days.

It was great meeting you at the market. You talk in person just like you do in your postings - friendly, chatty & full of information!

You'll love your AA canner once you get around to it. I haven't used mine too, too much. Been too busy making jams & jellies. So far, I've done the glazed carrots form the Ball book, some butternut squash, chicken (didn't like), red beans and some smoked pork soup that DH loves.

Whenever you get back to new Orleans, I'll certainly make time for you to see my own garden.
Jo-Ann

It's been cold here and we had a rooster that has now attacked everyone in the family so....we made a big batch of chicken tortilla soup and canned some. Turned out great.

And a good use for any rooster that turns nasty. No reason to keep such a bird.

LOL! When I read it, I asked myself, "Did they can the rooster?" Then I read the following post, and, yep, "they canned that rooster," LOL!

Our rooster was horribly mean. We got him from a neighbor and he was a bit older so he never got used to us. It was fine for the first couple of months but lately he has been attacking everyone and it made my son scared to go in the animal area. We have some new birds that will probably be here Saturday so we felt like this was a good time to take the rooster out.

Not worth the risk that he could harm someone, especially a child.