Saucy Tomatoes

Here's a peek at yesterday's canning project.  It went really well.  I think I'm headed to the market today to find more things to put in jars.  I'd happily do more peaches or tomatoes (I have 6 and 5 jars respectively), and I'm thinking about pickles.  In a week or so our grapes will be ready to harvest and I'll make some juice.  Yum!

Again, I used the "simplest sauce" recipe from Mama's Minutia.

I started by washing the tomatoes.

Then I cored them, halved them, and spread them on a cookie sheet.

Note I DIDN'T blanch and peel them...so much less work this way!

Then I roasted them...

Then I scooped the roasted tomatoes into a bowl, and used a hand blender to mash 'em up.

And into the jars it went.

Finally, I set a bay leaf on top for flavor, put the lids on, and into the boiling water bath they go.

And that's that.  I have tomato sauce.  Yum.

(If you're planning on doing your own, my steps here are certainly not exhaustive, so don't use this as your guide!)

Pretty Peaches!

I'm canning this week.  It's SO fun!

We've done pickles before, and they were delicious.  This year I've tried my hand at peaches and tomato sauce.  

And they're yummy.  And beautiful.  I thought I'd share some pictures of the process.  I've been following Jennifer Jo's recipes from Mama's Minutia, who I discovered after her directions for canning peaches were posted over at Simple Bites.  

Here's the recipe I followed.

We started with some beautiful peaches.

And jars, canner, and tools.  When we bought our house, there was a cold cellar full of jars and canning supplies, which we were able to keep, and I'm so thankful!

Don't you just love my counter and backsplash!?  Can't wait to redo this kitchen...

Then I washed and blanched and peeled the peaches - my favourite part!  And look at how they glisten without their skins.  Mmmm!

Notice the hands of St. James who helped me sterilize the jars!

Then sliced them up, packed them into jars, put them through the hot water bath, and voila!

Peachy goodness for the winter...

Except my six jars (I've already given a few away), won't likely last until November...