Canning: Roasted Tomato-Garlic Salsa

I couldn't help it. I had to have it.

When I read about the Williams-Sonoma book The Art of Preserving, there was only one thing to do: Order a used copy ASAP.

And I'm so glad I did.

Even if you don't preserve food, you can't help but enjoy the lovely photography that fills the book. And if you do preserve food? It's a goldmine—a combination of classic jams and jellies and the like, along with plenty of sweet and savory recipes beyond the canning norm. And there are even recipes for dishes—from crepes with meyer lemon-ginger marmalade to chicken-lime soup with pickled jalapenos—for you to try in the kitchen.

Last week, I stuck with a tried-and-true canning technique, however, and made the Roasted Tomato-Garlic Salsa from the book.


My instinct after a few bites of the leftovers is that it's good. Nice flavor.

Conservative Hubby, of course, doesn't think it's flavorful enough. But he says that about everything, which leads me to believe his taste buds are not the most discerning characters.

Because it's a holiday, and I'm feeling a bit lazy, I was dreading typing up the entire recipe for you. But lucky you (and me), I came across a news article that features it. So here you go. Have at it.

And happy Labor Day!

Canning: Pasta Sauce

The thing about canning is I want to break open what I've canned the moment it's done to see how it tastes. Only that would defeat the purpose of canning, wouldn't it?

So instead I have patiently begun to stockpile my collection of canned foods until that sad time a few months from now when I can't stop at a farmer's market or visit the Habitat For Humanity food stand or pick up corn from a vendor on the side of the road.

But that's a depressing thought, so we will not entertain such notions anymore.

Besides, I just returned from a bike ride down to the farmer's market and returned with as much produce as my new bike basket would carry. So I'm pretty sure that sad day won't arrive for a while yet.

Anyway.

This week's canning experiment: a basic pasta sauce.

It looks lovely and smelled great as it simmered, and that's about all I can tell you now.

Canning: Tomatoes

Next up in the wild world of canning: Butter's Best of Show Tomatoes.


Yep, that's what I decided to call them, to go along with Julie's Jams and Conservative Boy's Delicious Dill Pickles.

(Ahem. But a note about the dill pickles: We broke into a jar on Sunday night at Conservative Family Dinner and ... well ... uh ... let's just say they were potent. I don't know if this was a failure on my part or if this just isn't the recipe for us, but I don't know that "delicious" is the word to describe them. So it may be back to the drawing board on that recipe.)

But I'm guessing that Butter's Best of Show Tomatoes are just fine. You can't go wrong with them, really. All I did was peel the tomatoes and can them in their own juice, so they're ready to use for any number of recipes when tomato season is long gone.

Try canning whole peeled tomatoes yourself with the recipe I used from Food In Jars.

Next up I'm looking for a good sauce recipe, as I use lots of red sauce for pasta and pizza and all sorts of other things.

And, you know, I'd gladly take your family-tested and approved recipe for pickles if you're willing to share. Just sayin'.

Canning: Peach Jam

I don't think I can call myself the Queen of Canning, since before this weekend I had never canned a thing before.

But I do think I will give myself the title of Canning Lady in Waiting.

That's because I went from zero to 12 jars of preserved food in a short weekend that was also filled with pie-in-a-jar making and thesisizing.

I started out my canning exploits with a countertop of peaches I purchased at the downtown farmer's market in Springfield. For some reason, those peaches gave me the urge to make some jam.

So I found a terrific recipe (read: easy!) for just that.

And so I started heating my jars


and my lids.


Then I took my peaches and removed their skins and cut them up.

I mashed the peaches


and partnered them with sugar and lemon juice and let them do their thing on the stovetop.


Then, when the peaches were ready, I filled the heated jars with the jam.


Next I proceeded to follow the canning steps required to finish the process, including working out the air bubbles (full disclosure: I may have forgotten to do this with a few, oops!) and wiping the rims and putting on the lids.

And then the happy little jars were processed in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.


Now they are ready to eat. I have decided to call them Jams by Julie and, if the spills I cleaned up off the countertop are any indication, I think they're pretty darn good.

Who's ready to try some?

(As for the other canning I did over the weekend ... you'll just have to wait for the next posts to learn about what went into them. Come on, I know you live for the suspense.)