Canning is a wonderful thing when the air conditioner is running full blast! Monty and I had run a whole box of roma tomatoes through the food processor on Wednesday, and went ahead and did the onions, peppers, pineapple, etc. and let the salsa stand in the water bath canner pot in the fridge for 4 days. Sunday morning, bright and early, I awoke to a clean kitchen, sterilized pint jars, and a full head of steam to get this done. So, I did, and we got 21 jars filled and began to process. I lost a jar in the first batch of salsa - first one EVER! But the rest processed up fine.
Then the adventure really began. I took out the half-pint jelly jars and the pear juice I'd made from all those pear peels and cores from the pear relish. It was SO easy making the jelly! Sure-Jell, sugar, pear juice, and a bit of added flavor from either crystallized ginger or vanilla bean and VOILA!! A gorgeous, translucent golden treat in a lovely little glass container. Just beautiful. I ladled out the excess and let the family try some. They LOVED it! I made one reduced-sugar batch for my Mother-in-Law and another friend with diabetes. I didn't have enough left over to taste-test it, so I hope it's good. It jelled quicker than the regular!
I have lots of hot peppers from our friend Tony, and I'm trying to decided whether to make hot pepper jelly or just make pepper sauce. World Market has lots of great containers for that kind of stuff if I decide on sauce.
I found a really cheap online source for vanilla beans, and I may make real vanilla (extract) for gifts this Christmas. Just need cute jars for it, and I'll look at Hobby Lobby and World Market for those.
BTW, new adventure coming soon - blowing quail eggs! I want to blow out the stuff inside, rinse the eggs, and let it dry. Then put some shiny stuff on it to protect it and sell several in a little fake bird's nest. They should be SO cute!
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