I canned!

Well I took a nose dive into canning when I got bombarded with cucumbers.  I didn’t have enough stuff to make the juice so I did three jars at once.  I figured I better try it on something BEFORE our 50 tomato plants fruit turns red.

I struggled with it. I was afraid I would screw it up somehow, but I didn’t. I filled my waterbath canner up halfway full.  Turned it on.  Put the lids in water and turned them on and then kind of followed the directions on the packet of Ball bread and butter pickle spices.  One problem, it says it makes 2 quart jars…Wrong! I put the sugar and vinegar in the saucepan.  Then opened the packets and picked out every single clove (YUCK).  I put some cinnamon in and let it start boiling. 

When the canner water was about boiling I put the jars in my oven on the rack and turned it on to 200 degrees for 10 minutes.  My mom used this method.  Other people have.  Ball doesn’t have it listed, but oh well. 

I filled them and let the process for 20 minutes to be sure.  Took them out and was mad because all of my cucumbers shrunk and there was nothing but juice on the bottom and pickles toward the top of the juice..UGH. 

I went to my mom’s to visit and came home and saw two jars had popped!! YAY.  I checked them today and two lids stayed on, one came off.  I put that one in the fridge only after a taste test. Am going to start some dills tomorrow.  Super excited!

I also have froze 4 loaves of zucchini bread, gave one to the parents and one for us.  Froze two bags of homegrown peaches and a small pack of green beans!!

I canned!!!

Well I took a nose dive into canning when I got bombarded with cucumbers.  I didn’t have enough stuff to make the juice so I did three jars at once.  I figured I better try it on something BEFORE our 50 tomato plants fruit turns red.

I struggled with it. I was afraid I would screw it up somehow, but I didn’t. I filled my waterbath canner up halfway full.  Turned it on.  Put the lids in water and turned them on and then kind of followed the directions on the packet of Ball bread and butter pickle spices.  One problem, it says it makes 2 quart jars…Wrong! I put the sugar and vinegar in the saucepan.  Then opened the packets and picked out every single clove (YUCK).  I put some cinnamon in and let it start boiling. 

When the canner water was about boiling I put the jars in my oven on the rack and turned it on to 200 degrees for 10 minutes.  My mom used this method.  Other people have.  Ball doesn’t have it listed, but oh well. 

I filled them and let the process for 20 minutes to be sure.  Took them out and was mad because all of my cucumbers shrunk and there was nothing but juice on the bottom and pickles toward the top of the juice..UGH. 

I went to my mom’s to visit and came home and saw two jars had popped!! YAY.  I checked them today and two lids stayed on, one came off.  I put that one in the fridge only after a taste test. Am going to start some dills tomorrow.  Super excited!

I also have froze 4 loaves of zucchini bread, gave one to the parents and one for us.  Froze two bags of homegrown peaches and a small pack of green beans!!