I wouldn’t call myself domestic in any sense of the word. In fact, for most of my life (outside of making brownies or cookies), I stayed out of the kitchen. But lately, my friends, things have changed. I have a new roommate, Alice, who is in love with vegetables. I’ve always appreciated vegetables (I’m vegetarian) but never really invested in them unless I had a specific recipe or
something in mind, but Alice, she’s serious about vegetables.
A few weeks back she mentioned that she was going to can some of her tomatoes and I thought I should join her and find out what this whole canning thing is really about (never mind the fact that I have 1,000 other projects I should be working on). So, can we did and I fell in love.
There’s something to be said about the process of chopping piles of vegetables, heating, simmering, scrambling for sterilized jars that is so darn soothing and therapeutic. I’m thinking of throwing out the whole counseling thing and just canning whenever I get stressed.
My first canning experience was about 3 weeks before my birthday. When my birthday actually came around, what did this nerd want to do? Yep, you got it. Can. So, birthday morning I took my annual birthday run, went for breakfast with my closest of friends and then got to it. My friend Carrie and I stopped at the farmer’s market and bought a slew of veggies and went to work making the BEST peach salsa ever (don’t argue).
My 24th birthday this year was one of the most peaceful and fun birthdays yet. I did the things I LOVE and didn’t worry about the rest. Maybe I’m getting old (ok, canning on your 24th birthday already qualifies you as old) but seriously, meals shared with friends, running, and canning was all I wanted to do – and I did.
Kale Pesto (on my “new” food processer.) I put them in muffin tins for easy freeze packs when I use them 🙂
Best Peach Salsa known to man – saving it for a cold winter night
Pear Butter – Used all my parent’s extra pears from their tree. As Chris’s mom said last night: “Was it putsy peeling pears?” To which we all laughed.
The MESS to clean up…
Whew – the finished products…
So, here’s to you Ball – possibly the best company ever invented. Bringing back the art of canning :).
Have any good recipes I should know about to can next weekend??
remember your wellies 