Canning!! Do the Work Now Get the Payoff Later!

It's one of my favorite past times! I love to spend a day in the kitchen canning fresh fruits and vegetables through out the summer. Fresh berries for making jam, pickling cucumbers, okra, even carrots, and of course we can't forget the TOMATOES. It's only the best thing all year to can!!! With a business that took off this summer, I barely had time to sleep let alone canning anything all summer. :( So there won't be any fresh peach or strawberry jam this winter with my sprouted toast! ;) My poor grandmother usually gets a lot of my goodies, when she finds out there is no jam this winter I think it may actually break her heart.Now that it's fall I am bound and determined to can as much as possible through out the next few months. I'm still getting some of the best tomatoes yet, but unfortunately not enough to make a batch from my own garden. So, I went to my trusty Organic farm and bought 30 pounds to make homemade sauce and stewed tomatoes for those cold, bitter wintry days.I spent my whole Labor Day in the kitchen. So, now I'll have plenty of mason jars full of fresh tomatoes for soups, stews, and even chili! Over 30 jars full!So now that fall is in full swing I'm rushing around to figure out what else I can jar, can, preserve, bottle, and pickle. In the past weeks I made over 10 jars of fresh basil pesto, infused 5 bottles of pepper oil and 3 with vinegar. With the figs coming in so late, I've been able to make a couple jars of my "Figgy BBQ sauce." (Recipe coming soon!) This weekend I plan to make fig infused balsamic vinegar and hopefully pickle some of these cute little cucumbers that have finally started to grow in my backyard garden.Seems like a lot of work! Believe me it takes sometime, but there's nothing better in the winter and early spring to have fresh tomatoes, pickles, and preserves. They're also great for gifts and even better to barter with friends! I have friends already begging for a jar. They've even bribed me with free eyebrow waxes and free dinner parties just for one jar! So it could definitely work out in your favor! Let me know what fun things you've got brewing in the kitchen!Happy Cooking & Canning!