Canning & Freezing

Well, for "city folk" who are living in an apartment over a hotel with no land and no garden, I have been very pleased with the amount of canning and freezing that we've been able to get done this summer. I wish we had a humungous freezer just for all of our canned stuff, but that will come.

The boys and I have made oodles of strawberry, strawberry-rhubarb, blueberry, and mixed berry freezer jam. My family goes through a jar a week, so there can never be too much! And then today, a friend and I went to the Treworgy Apple Orchard and got permission to pick some "drops" - anything that has fallen on the ground - and tonight and tomorrow we're going to make a few batches of homemade applesauce.

I'm so excited. And then, maybe next year, we'll make pickles and relish and can beets and green beans and all sorts of delicious-ness from our very own garden! Oh the joy!

For the easiest freezer jam recipe in the world:

1 envelope of the "Ball" brand no-cook freezer jam pectin
4 cups crushed berries
1 1/2 cups raw suger

Stir together pectin & sugar. Add to the berries and stir for 3 minutes. Place into jars. Let sit for 30 minutes. Freeze.

Doesn't get much easier than that. Kaden can do this from start to finish!

Next year, I'm going to try a pectin from the natural food store that requires no sugar and one where I don't have to store the jam in the freezer. The Ball brand pectin calls for the least amount of sugar that I could find, but I would still love one that has absolutely none. There are just a few more steps involved with this other pectin - like cooking the berries and the whole jar sterilization thing, and I was feeling lazy this year.

Next year, I'm sure that I'll have way more time on my hands with a third child in tow, a house, and possibly homeschooling..........

Large joke, in case you didn't catch that........