...the more you eat, the more you...
Forgive me my 10-year-old boy humor. I come by it honestly...just ask my dad who taught me all these phrases to begin with...
Anyway, back to the beans.
Last week I had one of my new neighbors ask me if I canned. My response was, "I have done water bath canning once with help". She proceeded to ask me if I would like to give it another go and can some green beans. Fear gripped my heart and shouted "NO!" But my practical and adventurous side got the words out of my mouth first with a falsely confident "Sure, why not".
The next day she brought me over two big of garden fresh green beans...
Glorious. Then she brought in her pressure cooker. AHHHHHH!!! I don't know how to use this thing. Don't these things blow up on people? What if I do it wrong and I give my family botchulism? Can you tell I am a little high strung???
Well after she gave me a quick run through, I was on my own armed only with my false confidence, a minor level of intelligence, her verbal instructions, and her cell phone number.
Middle and I snapped and cleaned all the beans. I assembled the beans in the jars as instructed. Then I turned to the pressure cooker, looked it straight in the proverbial eye and said, "I am not afraid of you."
Which of course was false.
I knew it. The beans knew it. The pressure cooker knew it.
Would you believe that thing called my bluff? No? Would you believe that I chickened out and desperately started calling all my new neighbors (the one who gave me the beans was traveling out of town that day) trying to get someone to help me not blow up my house? Why, yes you would believe that wouldn't you.
Thank heavens one of my fabulous new neighbors came and gave me another quick refresher on getting the beans in the pressure cooker. I am happy to say that I took her instruction, then she left and I still did it all myself.
Yep, after a long day and a battle with my confidence and the pressure cooker, I turned these...
Into 18 pints of these...
Pretty, right? Are you proud of me for not giving up?
With one round of pressure cooking canning under my belt, I think there may be more in my future. All these green beans are lonely in our food storage, they told me. They have requested some apple pie filling. I can't tell them no now can I.
Now that the canning bug may be in my future, I would love to know what I should can. Do you can? What is your favorite thing to can?
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13 comments:
so jealous! Love, love home canned green beans. You are wonderful and patient. Good Job!!
I have caught this bug too! I did green beans 3 weeks ago and have been canning ever since. Those look so good too! I wish my beans were not store bought, garden fresh is so much better! Try apple butter it is easy and tasty.
I'm jealous! I love green beans home canned :) I have never canned but my MIL does and my Grandma used to but doesn't have time now. I should learn though!
Do you know how lucky you are they a neighbor GAVE you all those beans!! That is awesome. I have never used a pressure canner b/c we have a glass stove top.
You need to make applesauce (it's a water bath food)! That has been my favorite. But then you'd need to borrow a squeezo or victorio strainer- makes it so much easier!
Peaches. They are so awesome home canned. They actually taste like peaches rather than mushy peachish stuff swimming in syrup.
You're amazing! I'm jealous of you and your new neighbor! :) Glad you're making friends.
So far this year I've canned 60 pints of salsa (shared w/ my sister in law), 12 1/2 pints of peach jalapeno salsa, 12 1/2 pints of peach jam, 7 quarts of tomatoes, and 12 quarts of peaches. I'll probably do some plum jam, and possibly some apple pie filling, and apple sauce too. This is way more than I usually do. I guess I have the canning bug too.
Good for you! I've been hoping to take up canning for years, but my fear keeps getting the best of me
That's awesome, Larissa! I can a ton and I love the food that I add to my food storage. It always taste better when you can it yourself. Apple sauce is a must every year for me. My boys go through a quart every 3-5 days during the winter. I'm glad you guys are finally in your house and you have such wonderful neighbors around you. We miss you guys.
OH guys, everything that you suggested and made yourself sound DELIGHTFUL.
SO I guess an applesauce is a MUST!
I love canned peaches too.
That peach jalapeno salsa sounds to die for.
Thanks everyone.
PS Columbus friends...I miss you too!
Go you!!
When we were younger my mom was always lecturing us kids on not touching the pressure cooker cause it would blow a hole through the ceiling. To this day I'm still afraid of it. I still use it, but I always look up at the ceiling and think about how bad the damage would be if it did in fact blow a hole through it.
kp...hahaha...that gave me a giggle. Yeah I feel the fear too! We are pretty awesome to can in spite of impending doom!
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