canning 101

 

We've been canning up a storm lately.  The best part is that it's a whole family event.  The kids love helping.   Everything from washing the fruit, using the magnetic lid lifter to give me the lids and rings, to eating all the fruit peels that are left over.  But the really great part is that they've been playing "canning" almost every day.  I love listening in to their creative play.  A few things I've learned from them:

~always use a saw to cut your watermelon and tomatoes

~monster meat can be canned

~so can T-Rex meat, but it must hang in the freezer first to chill

~slices of bread can be used if you run out of lids

~a tea bag can also be used to wash the rims of your jars (bowls)

~all jars must be left in the oven overnight to rest

~sometimes you can "fast can" (Mason's technique) and other times you have to work really slow (Emma girl)

~when canning berries you must dress up as Steggy (a stegosaurus: Mason) and Little Bear (Emma) to first pick the berries to fill your purse

~use your flashlight to heat up the jars before putting them on the stove

 We still have a lot left on our list of items to be canned: cabbage from the garden to be turned into sauerkraut, beets to pickle, tomatoes and peppers from the greenhouse to make more salsa, a few more boxes of apples, and pepperoni from our local deli.  Can't wait to see what the kids come up with next!