A Summer Full of Canning

Is summer really upon us already?  How did the school year fly by so fast?  It's definitely hot here already. We've seen 100 degree temps. Ugh! But with the heat comes the fabulous deals on fruit.  Mine usually comes from Utah or Washington.  And when the deals come, it's time to preserve all the glorious bounty so we can enjoy it all year long.  So I decided to put together a list of my favorite canning recipes.  They are tried and true.  Plus my family loves them... well they better! ;)

Anyway let's get started.

1.  First a recipe that needs no special equipment.  No canner, just a stock pot and a blender.

  
Jalepeno Jelly

2. Now for some jams.  My absolute favorite is the newest to the jam family.  
Wa.S.P Jam or Watermelon Strawberry, Pineapple Jam.

3.  The next two are in no particular order.  Both are fabulous!
  
Raspberry Pear Jam

4. This is another Pear favorite.  Definitely appropriately named.
  
Pear Honey Heaven

5. More pears.  So yummy!
  
Pear Butter

6. Let's move on to apples.  Really who couldn't use some Apple Pie in a jar?

Apple Pie Filling

7.  This jar doesn't last long on my shelf, meaning we eat it up so fast, I'm always having to make more!

Fabulous Applesauce

8.  Apricots just scream summer to me.  It brings back visions of my childhood sitting in my Aunt's apricot tree, eating the summer ripened balls of heaven and spitting the pits on the ground.  Not the perfect visual, but you get the idea.  This recipe is good for Peaches too, only you'll have to slip the skins off before canning them.















Apricots


9.  Did you know you can preserve juice too?  I did.  Grapefruit are abundant here in Arizona and most people just don't eat them that much.  So I totally scored a ton of Grapefruit for free and saved it.  Ready at a moments notice.
  
Grapefruit Juice

10.  Time for Tomatoes.  So easy, and so versatile.

Rosemary Garlic Tomato Sauce

11.  Of course we have to make salsa.  Isn't that what tomatoes were made for?

Homemade Salsa

12.  Before we leave the steam/water bath canning, one last favorite.  Pickles.
  
Bread and Butter Pickles

13.  Ok.  Time for some pressuring.  The pressure canner is necessary for most vegetables, minus pickles and tomatoes, and always for meat.  I have a few favorites.
  
Chicken

14.  How about some vegetable stew in a jar?  Quick & easy to use when you need dinner in a minute.
  
Vegetable Barley Stew

15. Vegetable Stock is another favorite that I use all the time.  In breads, soups, and in place of water for rice or pasta.
  
Vegetable Stock

16.  Sweet Potatoes are a lovely addition to my pantry.  Ready in a pinch.
  
Sweet Potatoes

I hope you find something you'd like to try from my list.  If you do please let me know.  I'd love to hear about it.

Happy Summer!