OK, this canning adventure with tomatoes was fun; but, I'm ready to step away from the canner;-) In total, we have 26 pints of tomato sauce for the duration of the next year. Pasta anyone?? I now have to investigate all the different ways to create interesting meals from these pints of deliciousness. Macaroni, spaghetti, lasagna, etc. Too much for me to think about this early in the day...
So, canning does require some focus time - a lot of it! And, you definitely need the correct tools. Tony got me the instruments: Ball jars and covers, lid lifter, bubble remover, canning funnel, jar lifter, jar wrench, and kitchen tongs (they all came in a Presto canning kit). I used my large pot to do the canning; but, I really need a good water-bath canning pot to do it right. This is where Craig's List and Amazon may come in handy. There's also a 'pressure canner' that offers many other features and canning possibilities, but I'll stick to basic water-bath canning. Our garden is fairly compact and doesn't have the volume of produce to warrant a larger investment right now.
So, I'm handing up my mitts for this year, and will think about canning salsa and jellies in the Spring. In the meantime, I'll continue to post about any canning highlights or lowlights I come across.
Keep those jars on low simmer!
Andrea
