Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Great friends make hard jobs easy........and a giveaway!

I had so much fun canning with my friend, Wendi, on Saturday. Canning is not hard, but it is time consuming. And doing it with a friend makes it go so much faster and makes it a lot more fun! And I love giving my jelly, etc as gifts. It is something special and personal!



We ended up canning more than 70 jars!


How hot do you think these jalapenos are?

sometimes they are very mild and you need to add more....
ya....she was sorry she did that!!!


First batches of jalapeno jelly is done.
If you use hot jars and then turn them upside down after filling them,
then they will seal and you don't have to water bath them.
It's a lot faster and not as hot!!!
seeing as it is almost 100 degrees out, this heats up your kitchen pretty fast!


one thing about jelly...
...it uses a LOT of sugar!!
you almost don't want to know how much!


and you get a very messy, messy kitchen


this is the start of the peach jam
I used peaches I had frozen last summer and they weren't
completely thawed...it kinda looks like a dreamsicle!


This was the hardest job..peeling the garlic
I think my hands still smell like garlic!


we had so many jalapenos, we decided to pickle them with
garlic and red pepper.
this is a new recipe and I can't wait to try it out
It will need to sit for a few weeks first.


even though you are exhausted at the end of the day,
it is such a sense of accomplishment to look out over
the table and see this!!!!

So many of you said you had never heard of jalapeno jelly!!
honestly, it was hard to believe because we love it.
It may sound weird to you, but I have never met anyone who didn't like it

most people serve it over cream cheese with crackers,
but I LOVE it on bagels or toast!!!
sweet with a little kick!

So, I have decided to give a jar away!!!

yep, one of you lucky bloggy friends will get one of these precious
commodities by just commenting on this post.

I would like to know if you have ever canned before,
and if yes, what is your favorite thing to can.

I will pick a winner on Thursday....
....sorry, but I can only send it in the US.
However, if you are like Kim and live outside the US,
you can comment and leave a loved ones or friends name to win!!!

Happy Commenting!

28 comments:

Darla said...

well, i am thrilled that you are doing this, and hopefully i will win that jalepeno jelly! :D i have canned before back in the 90's and i canned bread and butter and dill pickles. i love the smell of the brine. this was a great post that i really enjoyed, loved the pictures and all!

Kim said...

Oooo, my son would SO LOVE to win this! :-) He's a fan of the hot jelly. Actually he's a fan of any jelly. LOL

What a great giveaway! Those jars looks like jewels, don't they? You have mad canning skills!

SmilingSally said...

I canned quite a bit when I was a child because my mother had a pressure cooker and all the canning supplies. I most liked canning our fresh garden tomatoes. (My father always had a small garden even though we lived in Washington, DC.) I liked the "slurp" sound the last one made as you push it into the jar.

I've never tasted jalepeno jelly, but I'm game.

LuAnn said...

You know that I love to can. Thanks for the tip on the hot bath and turning the jar upside down. So you think that would work for anything - like peaches. I never heard of this. What a great thing!!!! I have two canners usually going. Love the garlic/red pepper and pickles. I have never had your spread before either. I do love canning peaches, spag. sauce and salsa.
It is so rewarding at the end to see all the hard work. And then in the winter to be able to crack open one of those jars. What a treat !!!!

SusanD said...

I love canning! Tomatoes, salsa, jams, but my favorite is zucchini relish. Oh my holy cow it is the best relish ever! I'll be glad to get a house so all my canning tools will be out of storage.

A friend helped me can tomatoes a couple summers. Wow, did we every make a huge mess. She had never canned before and shot tomato juice everywhere when she was slipping off the skins. lol

Blessings, SusanD

Cathy said...

I don't can. I did can green beans once years ago. And my mom canned the whole time we were growing up and I helped a little with that I guess. My sister and mom both make jelly. Mom makes a pepper jelly that looks kinda like yours. I don't if she uses jalapenos or some other kind of pepper, but it's good and they use it on crackers with cream cheese too. My sister just finished make blackberry jam. I guess I'm lazy, because it's just something I don't even think about doing! lol -Cathy

Heidi said...

I have never had this jalepeno jelly before, but I think it sounds grrreat! I did make some jam once, I believe it was strawberry freezer jam. I also canned some tomato sauce once, most of the jars sealed. It was very hot and steamy. I always dreamed of being a big canner person, but so far, I haven't become that.

Projects paralyze me, mostly. I like that idea of doing one with a friend.
Heidi

StephieAnne said...

We do a "reduced-sugar" version of raspberry jam here - while I'm a lover of sugar, this version makes it a bit more tart and sooooooo yummy! In fact, I need to do another round soon. Looks like you had a great time!

shell said...

i have never canned, but my mom is bringing me her stuff next time she comes, so maybe by next year i can say i am a 'canner'! i am a 'freezer' girl. my upright is almost full!

Michelle said...

i have always wanted to can but have been scared to do it! between using a pressure cooker and the thought of not getting the seal right and making people sick, i've just never tried.

Sara@iSass said...

Thanks for the tip about turning the jars upside down, instead of the water bath.
I have only canned once and it was strawberry jam. It was really good, I'm not sure why I didn't do it again?
I think I may have to try making peach, cause ummmmmmm, love peach stuff, but hate the fuzz, so I EAT nectarines...
I'm not sure about jalepeno jelly!?

Jackie said...

Sara! Yum! This looks fantastic, and almost too pretty to eat sitting there in that jar.

I have never canned on my own, but my mom is a canning machine, so I got in on plenty of that growing up. I love your tip of turning them upside down - never heard of that, but it sounds way better than heating up your kitchen. Thanks, Sara!

Skoots1moM said...

ooooohhhhhh! i'd love to get some.
turning them upside down is brilliant!
they are so beautiful

Aspiemom said...

If you want to get rid of the scent of garlic or onion on your hands, wet your hands under the faucet, pour some salt onto your hand and work it in, then rinse. Never fails.

I used to can salsa and pickled beets. Now I freeze strawberry jam & vegetables, but each year I seem to cut back.

I'd love to sample your jam!

Tori said...

I agree about the sugar!! The first time I made the jelly, I couldn't believe how much it used. I have canned the jelly and peaches. Kevin's mom cans all the time. Need to do more with her.
BTW, if I am chosen, chose someone else, since I already have some of that jalapeno magic! :)

katylinvw said...

i've never personnaly canned anything, but may parents always made the best canned peaches and fresh strawberry jam :) i haven't gotten up the courage to try my hand at canning since i've been out of the house, lol!

ooooh - i've never had jalapeno jelly before, but i love jalapenos and i love jelly :) please count me in for your giveaway!

Unknown said...

Who are you? Martha Stewart or something.

I've canned one thing in my life ... apple butter. Yum!

Christine said...

I made freezer strawberry jam once--but I don't think that counts, does it? I would love to try canning though.

Elizabeth said...

You are so awesome in the kitchen! I may just invite myself over for dinner sometime!

I have never tried jalapeno jelly, or canned anything in my life. I really think I should very soon. You don't even have to mail the jalapeno jelly to me! I can pick it up next time I'm in town:)

Jill from Killeny Glen said...

Oooooooo, Oooooooo, Oooooooo, I want in on the drawing! I have never tried this kind of jam before...actually I have never even HEARD of it!

I used to help my grandmother can Bread and Butter pickles...I love pickles...but I have not canned in YEARS!!! Your quick way of turning the jars upside down to seal them may inspire me to try it again!

Unknown said...

I used to make lots of jam, but alas I don't do it anymore. It's lots of fun and not as hard as it looks. I also found it not too messy if I kept organized. I used to buy the GIANT bags of sugar at Costco because you go through it so fast. I still buy the sugar that way because it is cheaper and I have a big bin to store it. My favorite jam I made was a combo apricot/pineapple.

As far as the giveaway, no offense, but Jalapenos & I don't get along.

Beverlydru said...

I've never had jalapeno jello either! But would love to taste yours. We grow jalapenos by the bushel so the suppoly would be easy. I've never canned before. HAven't really wanted to...but the thought of doing it with a friend is worth considering. My mom always asks me to be on the lookout for the old-fashioned kind of fig preserves. A lady in my church makes those.

Rachel said...

Sounds interesting! I'll try anything once. :)

Greg C said...

Wow just in time I see. The best thing we make is strawberry jam. We make it every year and it never makes it to the next spring. I think most of ours is gone now. I may have some hot peppers for you later this year, they are soooooo hot.

Wendi said...

Canning with my bud was soooo much fun! Just a comment on turning the cans upside down. I only do this with jams and jellies. If I am canning vegetables, I still do a water bath.

Sara, you can leave me out of the drawing seeing as I brought 15 jars home with me! I think we should go to the farmer's market soon and just look for "inspiration". I am still wanting to can some green beans.

Esthermay Bentley-Goossen said...

First off -- MAN! That is a TON of sugar!

...I bought a huge canning pot with some-type of wire thing that holds jars at an estate sale about 3 years ago and promised myself I'd start canning that Fall. I haven't a clue about canning - I even bought a box of wax since my sister in law said so.... Wax?? Ya' got me!!>??

HOWEVER...I'm an A-1 procrastinator. I never learned and I cleaned a wasp nest out of the canning apparatus last week. But... you inspire me! I just might do some pickles this year.

I want that Jalepeno Jelly!

The Davidson Den said...

Heard of Jalepeno Jelly, but I've always been too chicken to try it. I don't have a very adventurous spirit. :) As far as canning goes, I really ought to know how. Shame on me for not sitting down long enough in my Mamaw's kitchen to learn how. I'd really love to learn sometime...did you know my little family is looking to move out to the country (hopefully sometime soonish), get a cow and some chickens, and become homesteaders (or something close to it anyway)? Pretty sure canning will be something I'll HAVE to figure out. Wanna give lessons??!

Esthermay Bentley-Goossen said...

I'm just back to see if you had any tips on this post I could use. I pulled that big canning pot/apparatus out of my cellar and am going to give it a shot tomorrow. My dear husband surprised me with a brand new box of canning jars and wax -- honestly, I have no clue what the wax is for -- I must go google this whole process.

We've got beans, cooked carrots, tomatoes and homemade salsa & cucumbers. AND I'm going to get into the sugar and try some blackberry jam.

I told you -- YOU INSPIRED ME!!