The Canning Begins!

I have a great canning friend. Her name is Janet, and she's not JUST my canning friend, but I will say that we have become pretty darn good at food preservation. Today Janet had some tomatoes ripe and ready in her garden, heralding the arrival of this year's canning season.

First we plunged the tomatoes in boiling water and ice water to remove the skins.

Then we simmered the tomatoes.

Then we ladled the tomatoes into jars.

Then we processed them in boiling water.

VOILA! Crushed Tomatoes made with our own two (four?) hands.

The last step if you are canning at home is to reflect on your work for the day and think one of the two following thoughts: If you are Janet (the more spiritually reflective of the two of us) you will think: "Thank you Lord, for the earth and her bounty." If you are me it goes more like this: "Pioneers, you really could have used me on the plains! My mastery of nature and the domestic arts has rendered me a homemaking force which could have changed history, especially you, Donner Party! Watch out pears, because I am coming for you! HAHAHAHA!"