Freezer Meal Prep Day

Lots happened over this last weekend.

It was a 3 day weekend, with Remembrance Day being on Friday. 

Will and I always attend the service at Sappers Cenotaph.  It was a great service.  The weather was warm, and it was slightly overcast with the sun breaking through every now and then.  It was solemn and beautiful as we sang the national anthem, and watched the parade lower their flags.  The few poems that were read were touching.  And watching the serviceman with their heads bowed - serving at their posts around the cenotaph always chokes me up.

We left the service promptly when it was finished to beat the traffic jam of people, and did quite well to escape the mass of people trying to exit.

We immediately drove out to EB games to try and get the NES classic console set.  There were no pre-orders available.  It was first come - first serve.  On a day where people should be paying respects and thanks to our servicemen and women, people went to video game stores to line up.  We got there as soon as we possibly could.  And the store sold out 6 people in front of me.  Same story at all stores.  Sold out as soon as they opened the doors.

But I tell you this .... you will be mine NES classic .. YOU WILLLLLLL!!!!!  (That reference is just for my dear husband, whose name is Will, but this quote has an entirely different frame of reference for us that we love dearly.)

Once the hopes of getting an NES classic on launch day had been squashed, we moved along with the rest of plans for the day.

I had to do all the grocery shopping for a Freezer Meal Prep Day that I had planned with 2 friends for the next day, Saturday November 12th.

I had ordered all my meat online from Save-On-Foods and had it delivered to my house thursday night.

Then I went to Costco, Walmart and Save-On again for all the canned goods and fresh veggies.  (The carts didn't seem that full, but when I was hauling it all into my friends house - it was a lot!)

We made 8 of the recipes from this list:
10-Healthy-Crockpot-Freezer-Meals
(We didn't make the pot roast or the bourbon chicken.)

This is the first time I've ever participated in something like this, so I led the charge and my friends were happy with my choices and decisions.  I picked the recipes and adapted them to 4 servings each.  I adapted them to be used in our electric pressure cookers either on the fast pressure cook mode, or on the slow cook mode.  I also adapted them all to use homemade spice blends and marinades rather than prepackaged ones.

 
We made a total of 192 portions - costing us about $1.88/portion.  We made 48 freezer bags (6 bags of each recipe) and we got to take home 16 bags each (2 of each recipe).

It took us 4.5 hours, and we worked almost non-stop.  We had a short lunch in the middle.  (Which I made in the slow cooker while we preppped. - I made a modified version of this recipe: creamy roasted cauliflower chowder)

Carey did all the meat handling, Mandy did the veggies and I did sauces, marinades and spice blends.

It was hard work but so worth while.  (look at our red faces!)

The way it works for my family of 2 is, I get 16 dinners and 32 lunches or I get 32 dinners.

Healthy, happy tummies for weeks to come.

Sunday was a day of rest.  I sat and watched more of The Hobbit (again) and then started on the bonus discs - and crocheted.

And there you have it friends.

Fondly,
Mrs B

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Canning: Pumpkin - do's & don't's

Pumpkin is getting a bad rap these days with everything being "pumpkin spiced'.  Personally, I love everything about pumpkin spice - but that's because I'm #basic.  At least when it comes to pumpkin spiced lattes.

I have never met a person who doesn't think pumpkin is an icon of fall.  Pumpkins are symbols of Halloween with their artful carved faces.  Their rich warm orange color mirrors the changing leaves of the trees and sets the mood for Thanksgiving.

And not to forget the best, they are the staple of pumpkin pie (obvs).  Who isn't excited about pumpkin pie?!?!

Will loves to grow pumpkins.  With their long curly vines, huge leaves and delicate flowers and getting to watch the fruit take shape and develop colour, it is very gratifying gardening.

We grow pumpkins every time we have a garden.

We grew multiple varieties this year, but I lost track of which pumpkin came from which, so .... whoops!

But more to the point of this tale .....

What to know about processing pumpkin:

It is not recommended to can pumpkin puree.  This is the article I read when I was looking for processing times: Click here.  Pumpkin puree is too thick for the steam to penetrate and kill the botulism.  Other purees are not as thick (such as apple sauce) and are fine to can.  Always find a recipe and follow the instructions.

If you want to can pumpkin - there is an option.  First, you must have a pressure canner.  The method is very similar to processing potatoes.  Peel and cube into 1-2" cubes.  Blanche for 2 minutes.  Fill hot jars and cover with blanching liquid.  Process in a pressure canner at 10lbs pressure for 55 minutes (adjust for altitude and jar size).  Keeping them in cube form allows circulation in the jar, and all bad bacteria to be killed.

I like pumpkin puree, so I choose to freeze it.

And there you have it friends.

Fondly,
Mrs B

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Recipe: Cajun One Pot Pasta

A friend posted a Tasty video on Facebook the other day.  Jotting down the ingredients as the video played, I realized I had everything (except the cream).  So I picked up some cream on the way home and got to preparing the meal.

The highlights of this dish were to be: homemade smoked farmer sausage that a friend made and we bartered for, homemade Parmesan cheese that I made in March and had let ripen for 6 months, and my pressure cooker (Instant Pot).

(Bartering / Trading is a favourite of mine.  I love homemade and traded for items.  Coming soon will be a recipe using bear sausage, deer steaks and moose steak that I recently traded some custom knitting for.)

The farmer sausage was so amazing.  The smoked flavour provided a lovely mellow compliment to the spicy cayenne in the dish.

The Parmesan was so satisfying to finally try.  I'm glad I watched a ton of videos on Parmesan before making it, because I definitely had to employ a Parmesan cutting technique to get the wheel open.  (Watch the linked video to see what I watched.)

Adapting the cooking process to my pressure cooker wasn't for time savings, it was for tenderness and flavour enhancement.  I didn't have to cook my chicken and sausage all the way before adding everything else, because the pressure process would finish the cooking.  And the pressure would also infuse the flavours more intensely.

Recipe:
Cajun One Pot Pasta - Serves 4
(I halved the original recipe since there is only 2 of us.  I got a full 4 servings (1-1/4 cup / serving) from the half recipe - so that is what I will reference below.  I added a little more spice than called for.  Will doesn't like food extra spicy and he found this to be an ok amount.)

2 tbsp olive oil
1 chicken breast, diced
250g farmer sausage, sliced
2 tsp Cajun seasoning **
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 onion, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2.5 cups chicken broth
250g uncooked pasta
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Parmesan

**As per the Tasty video, I made my own Cajun seasoning with equal parts: cayenne, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt & pepper.  I used a tsp of each to make the mix, used 2 tsps in the meal and had some leftover for the next Cajun meal.

Also, I actually added 2 cups of mushrooms because we love them and I had them on hand and they needed to be used up.  I had two large portabella mushrooms, which it is important to note that you should remove the gills of portabellas or they can get slimy.

Heat a skillet and add the oil, diced chicken and sausage.  Cook through.
Add Cajun seasoning and stir to coat.
Add garlic and veggies and cook until softened.
Add chicken broth and pasta.
Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes.
Add cream and Parmesan at the end.

To convert to pressure cooker, after I added the broth and pasta, I set for 8 minutes and let it do a 5 minute NPR (natural pressure release).  The food was cooked to perfection!

We both enjoyed this meal so much, and I had 2 lunches left for work.

And there you have it friends.

Fondly,
Mrs B

Social Media Links:
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Twitter: @cgruenwald
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Labour Day Long Weekend

The Gruenwald household had a full weekend.

First notable change in the weather.  We turned the furnace back on.

Friday night we had a last hurrah with our nephew.  I picked him up after work and I took him to get his first bank account.  I felt privileged to be able to do this with him.  (As Will and I will never have children of our own**, we are delighted when we get to experience some parental things with our nephew.)  Then we got pizza and watched The Martian on Netflix.  It was a short overnight visit, but we had a great time.  He's getting so big - grade 10 this year.  Our little punk is not so little anymore. 

Before I took him home on Saturday, he helped me get my game on.  I used to play Halo all the time.  I belonged to a clan, I even took part in a tournament.  While I still enjoy video games, I have too many other things to do (and want to do).  So I haven't played very much in the last few years.  But I recently got the Xbox One, and it came with Halo 5.  Ethan has logged a bajillon hours playing it, so he helped me learn the controls quickly.  I forgot how much I enjoy the Halo-universe. 

Will rushed out in the morning to get some bee work done.  But he arrived home in time to get cleaned up, and we headed out to see my cousin's daughter get married.  What a delightful wedding.  The weather held out.  Though it threatened rain, it didn't unleash.  The venue was the most adorable little heritage church in Clayburn Village, and the reception was in the old schoolhouse across the street.  I had been to the schoolhouse for a wedding reception before, but this was the first time in the church.  The bride was, as expected, radiant and beautiful.  They are such a wonderful couple, and I am exceedingly happy for them and hopeful for their future.  As a gift, we supplied them with the honey for their wedding favours that turned out so adorable.

Sunday my father stopped in for the night on his way to a job site on Vancouver Island.  Before he arrived I wanted to get the kitchen in order.  I'm still not done canning for the season, but having a guest, I wanted it all put away so we could eat at the table and not trip over my stacks of canning paraphernalia.  I built another storage shelf I had purchased, and quickly filled it.  Broke down all the excess cardboard boxes, and gave the table a wipe down.  I vacuumed the house and did the few dishes in the sink.  By the time he arrived, I was feeling good about having a guest.  Will was out in the beeyards, so dad and I headed out for a quick lunch and picked up supplies to make supper.  When we got back, we were both tired, so we both closed our eyes for a quick nap.  I made a scrumptious ham and scalloped potatoes (and cauliflower au gratin for dad who is avoiding potatoes).  We watched the first episode of BBC Sherlock and then called it a night.  (We've watched the series before - but dad has never seen it.)

Monday was a day off, and boy did I take advantage of doing nothing.  Dad left fairly early, and Will left shortly thereafter to do more beework.  I spent the morning playing on my phone and hooked up with an old Xbox friend and we played some Halo together for a while.  Then I wanted to do more housework but instead I had a glorious 2 hour nap.  When Will arrived home, we decided to get some take out for dinner and watch Sherlock while he rolled his cigarettes.  I had intended to start a knitting project, but ended up with an attention needy cat on my lap.  Not that I mind.  Our old girl is pretty precious to us.  (She'll be 19 this November.)  Since she has no teeth left her tongue often slips out of her mouth.  It's adorable.  (But I push it back in, I wouldn't want it to dry out.)

Will has continued to work every single day, as is par for the course during the summer months of beekeeping.  He's definitely feeling the pinch of summer ending the need to get the girls bedded down for winter.  If you're curious to know more about our beekeeping operation, Will posts updates on our Facebook page.  Feel free to check us out at Chillardbee's Apiaries.
 
And there you have it friends.

Fondly,
Mrs B

Social Media Links:
Facebook: charity.gruenwald
Twitter: @cgruenwald
Instagram: nicaoidh77
Pinterest: nicaoidh77
Snapchat: MrsBeekeeper

** Someday I will make a post about us not having children.

Canning: Methods - Water Bath, Oven, Pressure

Water Bath Canning:

Water bath canning is only appropriate for high-acid foods.  Which is most fruits and properly pickled vegetables.  I tried to look for a list, but everywhere I looked said that to try and create a comprehensive list would be very difficult.  It's best to find a recipe and use the canning method described.  Some examples of things I have water bath canned: jams, salsa, chutney, pickles, peaches, pears, cherries, tomatoes.

The Equipment:
Large enamel pots, specifically made for canning, are usually sold with the appropriate jar rack.  These pots are not that expensive, and well worth the small investment.  I believe I recently saw them at Walmart for $15**.  Any pot can be used as long as it is deep enough.  You also want to have a wire rack in the bottom.  I've read that if you do not have a wire rack, that you can put a cloth at the bottom, but I have personally never tried that. 

The Method:
Water bath canning is achieved by fully submersing jars into hot water (not boiling yet), with at least one inch of water covering, and then bringing to a boil to process.  You want to maintain a rolling boil for your whole processing time.  I usually keep my stove burner on high the entire time.

Processing times vary, if processing is under 10 minutes, you will need to make sure jars are completely sterilized.  (I talked about sterilizing jars in my last post.  Click here to read.)  I don't think I've ever processed something for less than 10 minutes.

Once your processing time has finished, turn off the heat and wait for the water to settle.  Then, using jar lifter tongs, remove the jars to a towel lined counter and leave undisturbed until cooled.  Overnight is ideal.

Post-Processing and Storage:
After the jars are cooled, press all the lids to make sure the seal is good.  The lids should be firm, and will not pop back when pressed.  If the lid is not sealed, you can put the jar in the fridge and use it within the next week, or you have many that are not sealed, you can removed the lids, re-wipe, add new lids and try processing again.  If the seals are good, remove the screw bands and wipe the lid and threads of the jar.  As food processes, sometime some spills out.  If you do not clean this, it is a sticky mess that can allow bacteria to grow on the jar, which could potentially work its way under the seal and spoil your food.  Always label your jars with the contents and processing date before putting in storage.  Note: I have never had a jar not seal.

Foods should be kept in a controlled environment.  You don't want extreme temperatures or direct sunlight.  A closet pantry in the house is ideal.

Oven Canning:

I really don't know much about oven canning, as I have never done so.  What I have ever seen is that people use the oven for dry goods, at temperature to kill any small bugs, and create a seal.  It usually takes several hours and is controversial in how good it is for the food.  Here is a good article about it.  Personally, I don't think I would ever use this method.  If I want to seal dry food in jars, I'll use my vacuum sealer that has the attachment for mason jars.

Pressure Canning:

Pressure canning really intimidated me at first.  Although I have never known anyone who has had an accident with a canner, it's still in the back of my mind that not too many years ago, we didn't understand this technology very well.

Pressure canning is not scary, but it is still not for the faint of heart.  Be prepared for a long process.  Recipes will often call for 75-115 minutes of processing time.  But that does not include the pressure building stage or the cooling down stage.

In my opinion, the result is worth the effort.  Safely canned homemade goods are delicious, nutritious and give a sense of self-sufficiency that is very comforting.  Some things I have pressure canned include: green beans, swiss chard, potatoes, mixed vegetables, chicken soup and Will pressure canned some smoked salmon last year.

The Equipment:
You must have a a pressure canner, not just a pressure cooker.  In a previous post, I shared a short rhyme about it: "You can cook in a canner, you can't can in a cooker."  You must have a canner.  There are many to choose from.  Whatever one you choose, be sure to read all of the manufacturers' instructions.  I got my canner second hand, but I found the instructions online and made sure to read them thoroughly.  Here is an amazon link if you are interested in checking out the one I have.

Pressure canners have a very tight sealing lid that is locked on and well secured.  It features a vent which allows steam to escape.  As water in the canner heats up, steam builds and vents, and pressure is building inside the canner.  You apply a weight to the steam vent to control how much pressure is retained in the canner.  Most canners also have a dial gauge to tell you precisely how much pressure is in the canner, so you can monitor and adjust your heat source accordingly.

The Method:
Processing times will vary, so read your recipe carefully.

Once you have your jars of goods prepared (filled, de-bubbled, rims wiped, lids & rings on) you can load your canner.  Pressure canners only require a couple of inches of water to create the steam.  Place a rack in the bottom of the canner, and if needed, top the jars with another rack and create a second layer.  (Easily one of my favorite things about pressure canning is the ability to process 18 pints at one time.)  When I start to fill my jars, I turn my canner to med/med high to get the water heated, but I don't want it to be boiling when I add my jars.

Once you put the lid on and lock it down, turn your stove burner to high.  After a while (15-20 minutes in my experience) steam will start to sporadically spurt from the steam vent.  A short while later (maybe another 5 minutes) the steam will be a venting in a steady stream.  Once there is a steady stream of steam (say that 3 times fast!) start a timer for 10 minutes.  After that time has elapsed, you can apply your weight the the steam vent and watch for the dial gauge to reach the appropriate pressure.  Once the dial reads the pressure desired, you can start your processing time.  But don't walk away just yet.  You need to adjust your stove burner to stabilize the pressure.  If you leave it on high, the pressure will continue to rise.  If you adjust it too low, you will lose pressure.  I find that 2 notches below high is ideal.  I drop it one notch and wait 3 minutes.  Then drop it another notch.  I check it every five minutes for the first 30 minutes to make sure the pressure has not changed.  After 30 minutes, I feel comfortable that the pressure is stable and I can walk away until the processing time is finished.  After processing time has finished, turn your stove burner off.  Remove the weight over the steam vent and allow all steam to vent.  Your dial gauge should begin to drop and eventually return to zero and no further steam escapes.  Once this is accomplished, allow the canner to sit for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes, the lid will still be hot, and there will still be some steam inside (with no pressure), so still use caution.  Use oven mitts and open the lid away from your face.

Using jar lifter tongs, remove the jars to a towel lined counter and leave undisturbed until cooled.  Overnight is ideal.

Then follow the same post-processing and storage guidelines as for water bath canning.

Sometimes there is liquid loss from pressure canned goods.  This does not mean your goods will spoil.  Exposed foods may discolor slightly, but if your seal is intact, and your processing times and pressure were good, the food is preserved.  It's recommended to put those jars to the front of the batch on the shelf to be used first.

And there you have it friends.

Fondly,
Mrs B

Social Media Links:
Facebook: charity.gruenwald
Twitter: @cgruenwald
Instagram: nicaoidh77
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Snapchat: MrsBeekeeper

**I went to find a link to the canner I got at Walmart for $15, and they were up to $25, and not in stock, so I didn't want to leave a link to that.

Re-Arrange: Living Room

I am working on some canning posts, but they're not ready for you yet.  So, in the meantime, here's a peek at my weekend:

Will had a very busy schedule.  He was bringing honey in from the mountains all weekend.  He did 2 days of double runs, so I hardly saw him.

Friday, after work, I had a very frustrating commute home.  It should only take 30 minutes to get home, and while the freeway was indeed a mess, I skirted my way around and made it home in 45 minutes.  But before pulling into my driveway, I remembered I had to run to the store.  That should have only taken me 15 minutes, but it took me 45 because of all traffic, pedestrians and people blocking my paths in the store.  I couldn't even get into my local store.  I went there, but some festival was taking place and there were zero parking spots.  I had to wind my way through people and narrow streets to another store where, inside, people kept cutting me off and standing / blocking the aisles.  I was super cranky when I got home.  But I didn't have time to sit and pout because I had a coffee date at 7pm with my Mandy.  I quickly made a wrap with a rotisserie chicken I picked up and then packed up my spare spinning wheel (to lend to someone - who I met up with later that night at 9pm).  Had a very nice coffee time, and when I got home, I went pretty much straight to bed.

I got up early on saturday so that I could see Will for a few minutes before he left for the day.  By 730, I was in the kitchen scrubbing my stove range.  I wasn't going to do so until canning season is complete, but I was getting irritated with how grungy it was.  That took me a good hour.  Then after a quick break, I decided to clean and re-arrange the livingroom.  I have been planning on it for a while, but keep running out of energy.  Not only was it arranged in a way I was bored with, it had become a  giant mess.

A note about sharing things about my house:

I am trying very hard not to belittle my house.  It's where I live, and work (my "other" jobs), and have a loving relationship with my wonderful husband.  It's in disrepair, and we do not have plans to put money into it.  Because we have other plans for our money and efforts.  So please keep in mind when I share photos of my home, it is not fancy, it's not what most people aspire to live in.  But it is full of love and restful peace.  And I'm ok with that.  :)

I have said before, and will again, I have very little in the way of places to store things in my house, so things get piled up pretty quickly.  

In the above photo, I had two giant empty storage totes, that are intended to house my gardening supplies outside, but outside is too busy to organize just now.  The garden is being torn down for the season, and the honey crop is coming in, so for now, these empty totes just get wheeled around the house.  It's annoying, but will be dealt with soon enough.

There were also 2 stacks of pails that needed to be removed, and since it's cooling down now, I was able to remove the air conditioner.  There was a bunch of tobacco processing stuff that really has no other home, so I had to work their storage into my new livingroom set up.

I used a free online, non-downloaded, browser interactive 3D layout designer to build a few different configurations of my space and the furniture I needed to fit into it before I decided on a layout and then I didn't have to move furniture needlessly.  There are a few of them out there, but this is the one I used:  Room Styler.

First, I removed the bulky items that didn't belong.  Then I stacked all Will's hobby stuff (tobacco) on his sofa, and all my hobby stuff (knitting) onto my chair.  Then I got out the vacuum and started moving furniture around and vacuuming.  Mid-way through, here's a look from my new spot.

I didn't have to move the china cabinet or the guitars, which was nice.  I have to keep my cheese fridge in the living room, there really is just no other place for it.  (PS - My Parmesan is almost ready to eat!  It's 6 months old now, and at 7 it's ready.)

I moved the DVD / video game shelf to create a room divider, and it's facing the computer desk.  I backed it with the TV.  This created a nice separation between the living area, and the computer area.  But being short in height doesn't close in the room.

There is space by the lamp beside the sofa where I ended up putting some of Will's tobacco supplies.  You can't see it from the entry way, and it's frequently used, so it needs to be where Will can get to it.

I left space in front of the bay window for the upcoming Christmas season so the tree already has a spot established.

I sit diagonally in the corner so I can see out the bay window, and see to the front door to observe the cat go in and out.  (Or random cats come in ... like that sneaky little grey cat who got in this weekend.  Gave my old girl a big ole puffy tail.  Imagine being mostly deaf, toothless and sleeping peacefully, when a stranger enters your space.  The little grey was not aggressive, just lost and bewildered, and looking for a snack.  We got him out peacefully and Acers got lots of pets and praise for being a good protector.)

This layout is nice for visiting too, freeing up the captains chair for a fourth seat - all facing each other.  Which got tested out immediately.  Half way through cleaning, my mom and Jim came to visit and Will arrived home for 10 minutes between his trips.  So we all sat and visited and it was quite nice.  There is room to add the 4 kitchen chairs if I have need with additional visitors at Christmas.

After their visit, I finished cleaning up the desk, and arranged all the cables for internet and the xbox's.

I still have some dusting to do, and need to take the curtains down for a wash, but I'm very pleased with this new layout.

Oh! And I found a book I thought I had lost.  It was in the far corner under the china cabinet that I never vacuum.  I'm very excited because it's the 2nd in a set of 3 of my favorite book series, that I've been longing to re-read.

After Will got home, we relaxed in our newly arranged space and watched The Sum of All Fears.

Sunday was a very chill day for me.  I was pretty sore from Saturdays' events, and after Will left to do more honey runs, I just watched YouTube videos and had a morning nap.  I got up to see Will when he was home in between runs, and then spun wool for the afternoon.

By the time Will was home for the night, I had already eaten dinner, and so he had a bite to eat, and we were in bed by 9pm.

It was a busy weekend, but it was good.

And there you have it friends.

Fondly,
Mrs B

Social Media Links:
Facebook: charity.gruenwald
Twitter: @cgruenwald
Instagram: nicaoidh77
Pinterest: nicaoidh77
Snapchat: MrsBeekeeper

Canning: Overview & Essential Tools

Disclaimer:  I feel silly for having to write this, but I still feel I have to.  I am not a professional.  All information below is gathered from online sources, learned from influential persons in my life, and personal hands on experience.  If you choose to follow my information, it may be at your own risk.  This blog is written in hopes to inspire others to try these things out.  These methods are my personal experiences written out for your enjoyment.

Canning is a method of making shelf stable preserved foods that do not require energy to maintain their preservation.  Recommended shelf life of home canned goods is usually up to one year.  I personally will use home canned goods for as long as my common sense says is appropriate.  If the goods are visibly spoiled, or the seal is broken I will not even test it.  If the jars have been exposed to extreme temperature variance or direct sunlight, it can also compromise the safety of the food.  If they are not visibly spoiled, the seal is intact, and I know the environment it was kept in, I will smell and taste to determine if the food is still good.  This is my personal choice, and is probably frowned upon by health organizations.  Please do what is safe for you and your family.

Commercial canners primarily use tin cans and single use glass jars with a single piece lid.  Everything has gone through the same processes we do at home, but in larger quantity and with slightly different packaging.  In the home, we use reuseable glass jars with a two part closure - snap lid (or tattler lid with rubber gasket) and screw band.

A note about sterilizing jars.  Sterilizing jars will be mentioned in my later canning posts.  Often recipes / videos online will tell you to sterilize or triple sterilize your jars and equipment.  There are few scenarios that will require that extra work.  To be sure, you need to ensure a sanitary work space and tools, but do not make extra work for yourself either.  I personally have never had my canned goods spoil on me.  On the day I do my canning, I make sure all my jars are washed, in hot soapy water, and then rinsed very well.  Just prior to filling, I give them another quick rinse under the hottest tap water I have available.  This works for me.  Use common sense, and if you are uncomfortable or unsure, do what is more safe.  I am comfortable with my methods.  Here is a link on how to sterilize jars.

Equipment:
Jars:
Canning jars differ from store bought processed food jars.  Canning jars are heat treated so they may be processed over and over again.  You may buy pickles in a glass jar with a sealed lid, but the jar has been designed for a single processing only.  It is not recommended to reuse these jars for canning.  There are many non-canning re-uses for glass jars.

Jars have specific anatomy that is helpful to know.  The mouth is the opening at the top.  There are regular and wide mouth jars.  As described by Ball manufacturer:

Regular Mouth works best with pourable foods such as jams, jellies, salsas, sauces, pie fillings and vegetables.  Wide Mouth works best with whole fruits and vegetables, allowing for easy filling.

Lids:
There are only 2 current options I know of for lids.  Both are secured during processing by a screw band.

Snap Lids are a single use metal lid with adhering thin rubber seal.  I have reused them in the past, but after reading a lot of comments, I have stopped doing so.  I was lucky that my seals held.  And when it comes to preserving, you don't want a slow leak that eventually spoils your food.  Snap Lids are very affordable.

Tattler Lids are reusable plastic lids that are used in combination with a reusable rubber gaskets.  They are a little more expensive, but don't get thrown out.

In the past, people also used paraffin wax to seal their jars.  This isn't done any more.  (That I'm aware of anyway.)

Labels:
You can use any type of label you like, but I LOVE the Bernadin Dissovable Labels.  They make cleaning the jars so much easier.

Tools:
You will need a canner with racks (I'll go into detail in each section on those), a funnel, jar lifter tongs, plastic or wooden de-bubbler and a magnetic lid wand (if using metal snap lids).
The funnel is fantastic for easily getting your food into the jars without making a huge mess.
The jar lifter tongs are critical for getting the hot packed jars into the canner, and the scalding hot jars out of the canner after processing.
The de-bubbler is essential to scrape down the insides of the filled jars and release any air pockets that may be there.
The magnetic wand is great for getting hot lids onto the jars without burning your hands.

It's always good to keep paper towels, clean dishcloths and oven mitts handy.


And there you have it friends.

Fondly,
Mrs B

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