Happy National Can It Forward day all! One of my fondest memories growing up involved making homemade apricot jam with my mom. We had a friend who would always give us bags and bags of fresh fruit including apricots from his fruit trees every year. I am not really a fan of apricots (they are fuzzy like peaches ~ it’s a texture thing) but I absolutely love apricot jam. So instead of letting the apricots go bad, my mom taught me how to make apricot jam the old fashioned way.
We would boil all our jars and lids to sanitize. Then, we cut up pounds and pounds of fruit, added sugar, a dab of butter, a little water and put it on the stove to cook for hours. I’d go back to the pan and stir it whenever I could trying to see if I could tell when it was all done. My mom is a pro at knowing when it is thick enough to call it jam. Once it was all “jammed” up, we would carefully ladle it into jars, put the lids on and boil them for as long as my mom said to do it. When they were ready, we would painstakingly take the jars out one by one to allow them to cool and listen for the lids to pop (the best part because it meant we did it right!). It was definitely an all day process but we usually made enough jam to last all year and to share with others.
I haven’t ever canned, preserved, jammed or jellied as an adult because well it was a lot of work and a lot of time…something only mom’s do best. Ok, well, I do kinda….I just freeze everything as The Husband always teases me lol.
Little did I know until a few weeks ago that the folks over at Ball have made jamming, jellying, preserving and canning so easy now.
Enter the Ball Home Canning Discovery Kit ~ such a genius idea that takes all the intimidation out of canning!
This kit gives you everything you need to can (except the fresh food of course) along with the coolest holder that allows you to dunk and seal your jars in a synch.
In addition to giving you a recipe book with tips for canning, they break it down in 3 simple steps.
I LOVE the fact that Ball promotes sustainability and being a Loca-Vore ~ buying things from your local market or growing your own.
I will be posting all my canning and jamming recipes for you all this next week. There is something to be said for knowing exactly what is going into your jars and being able to control how much salt is added. I can definitely see making homemade soups for the winter using summer produce!
I found a bunch of green beans, celery, bell pepper and onion at my local farmer’s market so I knew one of the first things I was going to make with my kit was a four bean salad.
Cut, boil to soften slightly and drain.
Put the veggies into your clean jars, ladle your “dressing” over the top. The one thing I learned here ~ put your jars on a cookie sheet to catch anything that doesn’t make it in the jar.
Slide a knife around the edges to get rid of any air bubbles and wipe the rims. Put the lids on the jars.
Add 3 jars at a time to the Green Canning Basket provided in the kit. Put them in warm water and “can” by boiling according to the instructions, about 10-15 minutes.
The green handle actually tucks under the lid making this so easy. Turn the heat off and let the jars stand for 5 minutes. Grab the green handle and remove 3 jars at once! You do not have the balance trying to get them out with tongs.
Set on a cooling rack and allow to cool for 12 hours listening for the “pop” from the lids as they seal. So easy, huh?
As if that wasn’t easy enough, the folks at Ball took Jamming and Jellying a step further with the Automatic Jam & Jelly Maker.
Fresh jam or jelly in under 30 minutes???? Seriously ~ it’s true!
I love that they totally understand how I have canned ~ enjoy now, FREEZE 
and of course, preserve using the cool kit above. Yes, that kit works for anything you want to jar for up to a year!
Included in the box ~ another recipe book ~ they are totally feeding my cookbook addiction too.
I bought a bunch of organic berries at my local market for really cheap. If you buy in bulk (I bought a flat meaning 12 containers) the price gets cheaper. I mixed and matched raspberries with strawberries for $2 a box – deal!
Rinse your fresh berries and toss lightly in a paper towel to remove any excess water.
Use a potato masher to mash, not a food processor as fruit as natural pectin in it which makes it thicken it which gets broken down too much in a food processor.
Add pectin if you are using it ~ it natural as it comes from apples and citrus fruits but it is what helps you keep the color of your jam as it sits on the shelf and allows it to thicken up nicely.
Add your fruit and a 1/2 tsp. of butter. The butter is needed as fruit foams as it boils so it keeps the foam to a minimum.
Press the jam button and hit start.
4 minutes later you will hear a beeping sound which means add the sugar.
21 minutes later, the jam is done!
Ladle into the jars, wipe the rims and put the lids on. Then can using the kit above boiling in water.
Cool for 12 hours listening for the pop, add these super cool Ball labels that dissolve in water so you can re-use our jars when the jam is all gone.
Tadahhh ~ it really was that easy to make jam in minutes!
To kick off National Can It Forward Day and give you all some fantastic ideas, I am sharing the entire broadcast schedule from Ball that starts today along with the video below that you can watch live all day today.
The broadcast will begin on Saturday, August 17th at 10am EDT. If you do not see the broadcast, please refresh the page once the broadcast has started. You can also click this link to head over to the Ball Website to watch the broadcasts.
Broadcast Schedule:
10:00am-10:45am: Jam making and water bath canning demo by Jessica Piper
10:45am-11:00am: Craft Corner with Jordan DeFrank
11:00am-11:45am: Pickles Demo by Rick Fields
11:45am-12:00pm: Craft Corner with Jordan DeFrank
12:00pm-1:00pm: Special Guest Host Ted Allen canning and cooking demo
1:00pm-1:15pm: Cocktails in Ball Jars hosted by Mason Jar NYC Restaurant
1:15pm-2:00pm: Jam making and water bath canning demo by Jessica Piper (repeated)
Did I mention they are also giving away fun Canning products every hour today?
I wanted to be able to share in the fun with you all as well so I am kicking off today’s National Can It Forward Day with a fun giveaway too!
THREE LUCKY WINNERS WILL RECEIVE THEIR OWN HOME CANNING DISCOVERY KITS:
I will also be including a box of dissolvable labels to get you started….
And the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving as well!
FOUR ADDITIONAL WINNERS WILL RECEIVE A COPY OF THE BLUE BOOK AS WELL!
HOW TO ENTER:
1) Simply leave your FIRST comment telling me the first thing you will can, preserve, jam or jelly.
BONUS ENTRIES:
2) TWEET and/or Facebook about this giveaway, “ Ready to #CanItForward and win a @BallCanning Home Canning Discovery Kit? Enter this #Giveaway hosted by @danicasdaily http://danicasdaily.com/?p=45112 “. Be sure to leave your SECOND comment to let me know you did.
3) If you have a blog, LINK back to this contest and leave a THIRD comment letting me know you did.
If you do not have a blog, just leave a comment below telling me someone you told about this giveaway.
The Fine Print: Thanks to Ball.for teaching me that canning really can be that easy and sending me the Jam & Jelly maker along with the Home Canning Discovery Kit like the ones I am giving away for National Can It Forward Day to my readers.
The Winner will be randomly drawn and announced on Wednesday, August 21, 2013.
Good luck everyone & Happy Canning!
The first thing that I would make is a Jalapeno Ketchup. My sister made and canned a homemade ketchup that I loved. I put that stuff on everything. Last night I was at World Market and saw they had Habanero Ketchup and told my husband that it sounded good. But I would probably like Jalapeno better. I would also be making a 3-Bean Salad as you did. That looked great.
I lady at church cans chicken breast. That’s what I will try 1st. The chicken will be ready for casseroles…etc. Great idea if you don’t have much freezer space.
Blackberry jam – blackberries straight from the back yard!
I have a freezer full of fresh blueberries from my back yard..i will make blueberry jam/jelly first!!!
I told my friend sheryl!
The first thing I will can is strawberry. I have six year old twin boys with autism, and one of them has issues with the texture of food… but his favorite that has not wavered is strawberry jelly.
Sauerkraut! My mom makes the best sauerkraut & now that I live far away I’d love to still be able to eat it
I’d try tomatoes for fresh sauce in winter season and bread and butter pickles for husband who loves them.
I spilled the beans to two of my sisters-in-law.
I am making WW 0-1 points + soup and chili. I will be able to do it this way. Thanks for the great giveaway!
I told my Daughter about it. She will come right over. Thanks
Blueberry Jam and lemon curd! 🙂
We need more Hawaiian Cowboy Candy. I made 2 batches and it needs to sit 2-4 weeks before ready. Haha, there was a partial jar, I put in fridge, lets just say that jar is gone and WE NEED MORE.
I have really been wanting to give canning a try, but I have been too afraid! I think the kit will remove the scary parts!
I will be canning salsa with all the vine ripened tomatoes.
I would do pickles for sure with garlic and dill! This looks SO amazing!!
First thing I would make is Peach jam..There is a peach ranch about 10 mins from me every year we buy a couple flats I try and eat them as fast as we can, and every year I saw I am gonna make peach jam!!
We have a bumper crop of okra this year. I may try my hand at pickling some.
Wow, I’ve never wanted to win one of your giveaways more! I am soooo interested in learning how to can. The first thing I would do if I won would be to make a lavender blueberry jam. ^_^ Just cause I love blueberries and lavender! Thanks for hosting this giveaway!
I tweeted it !
Tweeted!!! https://twitter.com/blueberriesoats/status/368754525500235776
I would preserve jam!! I love homemade jam – it tastes much better than store versions!
Peach jam — loving the peaches in NJ this summer.
I have always made freezer jam… but would love to try this and make more jams!
I would probably can pears first – as my mom has an abundance of them right now. Thanks for this super cool giveaway!!! <3
I will can some jam with the concord grapes in my garden!
I posted a tweet: https://twitter.com/FireRunner2379/status/368762322237415425.
I tweeted! https://twitter.com/RawJuiceGirl/status/368762390692626433
Home grown grapes! We have so many at our new house and I don’t know how to do anything other than freezer jam!
I’m not sure – but definitely something sweet – like blueberry jam.
I would preserve SALSA…homemade is so much better than the store-bought brands!!!
I would preserve anything with tomatoes, beans or hot peppers in it. I have a bumper crop of all of them. Thinking a four bean salad and pickled jalapenos will be first on the list along with spaghetti sauce.
My sister has been wanting a new Ball Blue Book , so told her to get on the computer and check out your post. You never know who will be the lucky one.
thank you! I haven’t canned for years, but now that it looks so easy, I am definately going to get started, I will be making some peach jam from peaches on a peach tree in my back yard, and I also want to find a recipe for zucchini relish! thanks!! -wendy-
The first thing I would can are pickles. I have cucumbers coming out of my ears from my garden and my CSA. I don’t want to see them go to waste and I would love to pickle them.
So many choices living in Oregon but like your 4bean salad you did.
I will be canning something involving limes, since my lime tree is exploding with delicious fruit!
I Facebooked it!!
My sister cans the old fashion way. I filled her in on this amazingness.
I’d can some homemade tomato sauce!
I would make blueberry jam first. Also would do the bean salad.
I will be making blueberry jam from fresh wild blueberries
https://twitter.com/johnhutchens1/status/368785459712765952
I told my sister about it
So cool! I’ve been wanting to try canning for ages and would want to make two things first… First, I’d make a huge batch of my spaghetti sauce to can & also have been dying to make my own jam. I’d make cherry while they’re still in season. …and then spicy pickles… and then marinara…. and then… I have so many ideas!
Thanks for hosting this! :0)
I would make raspberry jam, my toddler loves raspberries!
I will can our garden produce–our counters are overflowing with garden fresh tomatoes!
mixed berry preserves, yes!
My Grandmother used to make three bean salad (which looks alot like yours in the photo.) That is what I would make. I love cooking with my children and it would be a wonderful way to teach them a wonderful thing their Great Grandmother loved to do. Canning seems to be a thing of the past, but using this great tool would make it easier!
My husband loves peach and apricot jam, so I would definitely make that first. I would love to take advantage of the super sweet peaches at the market right now.
I tweeted about the giveaway
Tomatoes
The very first thing I would can will be homemade salsa. Chunky, hot and full of good things.
I’d probably try a pumpkin butter or strawberry rhubarb jam
Enjoying fresh all year long
Posted the giveaway on Facebook.
3rd Comment: Told my sister about the giveaway ,
I will make delicious tomato sauce!
Facebook for my friends.
I would can some chunky applesauce p. yum!
I linked your blog to my blog!
I would do either peach jam or pickles. Though I once made a spicy blueberry jam that was to die for.
I will make some tasty tomato sauce.
I would can strawberry or raspberry jam!
Bring on the kraut
I have a tree full of apples and another one full of pears so Jam of course!
I tweeted. https://twitter.com/rizzogurl/status/368870555862061056
I told my Mom about your give away and blog.
Blackberries! I get them weekly in my CSA and they remind me of my great-grandmother.
think salsa sounds good
I would like to can homemade veggie soup that I have been making weekly to use for my SFT. I love it. But how cool to have some canned!!! I also would like to make pepper jelly. It is a popular here in Florida and I have never had it but would like to. Would love to make both of these for gifts too. Thank you for the opportunity to try to win this contest. The bean salad and raspberry jam look soooooooooooooo wonderful. I have never canned anything. I helped my dad’s girlfriend make strawberry jam when I was a teenager once. I am so hyped about doing it after this blog whether I am a winner or not.
I tweeted about the contest and posted to my personal FB page, to ~~Motivation~Love~Support Group~~, to Weight Watchers and Us page, to Weight Watchers…. One Day at a Time, to Weight watchers, to WWPP SFT and to Weight Loss Support Group.
I posted:
Enter this contest to win a Ball Canning Kit from Danica from Danica’s Daily Blog– where she posts about WW SFT and how to make it work for you. This kit makes canning look easy and exciting to me!!!
http://danicasdaily.com/?p=45112
I don’t have a blog. Besides tweeting about, posting to 7 FB pages, I also told my daughter about the contest. Thanks again for the opportunity for a chance to win something so nice.
Peaches are beautiful right now in our area. Peach jam sounds delicious.
Green beans…yum!
I would love to try pickling and canning some veggies!!
salido99@msn.com
I want to make a batch of Hatch Green Chile Sauce and can some of it to use in the winter. Yum!
I would can dill green beans.
I tweeted about the giveaway (@runsteelsprings).
Apricot jam! YUM!
Pickles or Salsa or better yet, BOTH!
I tweeted about it.
I don’t have a blog, but I told my mom and my husband about the giveaway.
I really want to can some blueberry/raspberry jam
Would try my hand at some BlackBerry jam – yum. Posted on Facebook. Don’t have a blog but told all my buddies at my WE meeting.
I told my husband about your giveaway, and I will tell my mom in two hours when I go visit. She will definitely visit your blog. Since she is now retired and trying all kinds of new things – I think she will really like some of your recipes!
I will can some salsa or maybe chili!
I would can some blueberry jam. I have never canned before, but we have been talking about it all year to save money. Winning would help even more to saving money:)
I’d do homemade mango jam first!
I tweeted!
https://twitter.com/mgaltier/status/369087029662842880
I told my BFF, Heather, & all my Gym Girls (Erica, Kathy, Chris, & Barbara) about this fantastic giveaway! Thanks for hosing it, Danica!
Strawberry Jelly! In memory of my mother in law who would always make it for everyone in the family! Now we will be making her recipe in Ball jars for my nieces wedding shower!
Strawberry jam is always a fav.
I grew up with canning too – but tomatoes. It used to gross me out that the tomato skins had to be peeled and one summer my Mom was sick and I had to do all the dirty work. I hated it back then, but I love doing it now!
I would can homemade spicy pickles – my store sells pickling cucumbers for .59 cents a pound! 😀
Pickles!
Definitely pickles!!!
I told my mom about this giveaway, she just started making jelly at home!
I’d can peaches. Thanks for the giveaway!
My mom used to can jam when I was a kid – would love to try it myself.
I would love this! I eat clean, and so many jams and jellys add bad ingredients. I have been craving blueberry jelly. Mmmm
I used to can with my mother; I would like to try to reproduce her famous mango chutney. Also, tomatoes, tomatoes and more tomatoes – whole, salsa, pickled, sauce – you name it I want to can it.
I posted a tweet: https://twitter.com/AnnaZed/status/369303034993471489
I read about this giveaway and your blog here on the ‘The Canvolution Daily’ : http://paper.li/flouronmyface2/1311561521
I would can jam.
I do not have a blog. I told my co-worker about this giveaway.
Jalapeño jelly to put over cream cheese. Yum!
This! What a great idea!!!
I would love to make jam! I would can something too but I don’t know what to can so the recipe book would help me find something to can. Thank you! : )
I would can green beans & pickles!
I would can jam, I love strawberry jam, oh and nectarine….yum!
The first thing my mom and I will be canning is homemade black raspberry jelly. It’s like gold here, so much so that we trade it for work around our houses.
I would make homemade jam!
Oh this makes me think of home! We preserved so much of the fresh veggies from the garden (tomatoes, mostly!). But we also made homemade pickles. We also made our own sauerkraut from the cabbages my dad grew. I would love to try to make my own pasta sauce with the Roma tomatoes and fresh basil I have in the garden. And I have some peaches on the peach tree in the backyard that would made delish preserves. Your raspberry jam is so pretty! Makes me want to try making it!
I tweeted: https://twitter.com/CynthiaRavensha/status/369449435203260416
Tomatos! I used to can with my Mom! This will bring back tons of fond memories. Tthank you for posting all this canning information, I can’t wait to get started.
I have never done any canning but am always impressed with those that do. I think my first item would be jam – either raspberry or strawberry. Then maybe I would do some pickles. YUM!
Hi Danica! Great giveaway! I’ve canned preserves in the past, but what I’d really like to try my hand at is pickling veggies!
I am sharing this link on my blog’s facebook page. it is scheduled to post at 2pm today!
Pickles and jalapeno jelly yummy:)
I facebooked this;)
Told the girls at work about this give away.
I’ve always been intimidated by canning, but I really want to try it! The first thing I would can would be tomatoes- plain, in salsa, and green relish! My tomatoes (and jalapenos) are the only things that actually survived in my garden this year. 🙁
i am thinking raspberry jam.
No blog, but I did tell my friend about the giveaway!
told the staff here at work.
i facebooked this. i so want to win
A plethora of tomatoes and peppers means I cannot wait to learn how to can by making SALSA!!! (Well, that, and I’m a salsa junkie!) Thanks for the opportunity to win such a great kit! No whammies…no whammies…(remember that game show? LOL!)
I would make strawberry jam!
What wouldn’t I can??? I freeze a lot of produce now b/c I always thought canning was so hard.
Peaches at the Farmer’s markets are amazing right now. I want to can peach slices in its own juice. My mother-in-law does this is and it is delish!
I would can raspberries, and more raspberries!
I told my walking partner about this giveaway!
Never canned before, but if I could Strawberry Jelly 🙂
I just recently tried my hand canning, I would love to can salsa, peppers or peach jam!
I will can blackberry jam!
No blog…but I told my lunch-time workout crew about the giveaway!
I tweeted your giveaway also. GarnetGirl64 is my Twitter.
A few years back I canned a bunch of home made sweet pickles. I loved them and want to make some more to share!
No blog but did share it on Facebook and with my daughter!
My grandma used to can all kinds of fruit and veggies! My favorites were always her canned plums and apricots. If I won, I would start with those to try and recreate them!
If I’m a lucky winner, the very first thing I would make is a batch of blueberry jam, using the lovely little wild blueberries that are in season right now here in Maine.
I posted about this most excellent giveaway on my Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/anne.other.921/posts/506487036094028
I don’t have a blog, but I’ve been talking about Can It Forward Day and this giveaway to my sister and my friend.
I would love to try to can strawberry jam!
No blog, but I told my sister about this!
I really want to try canning some blackberry and thyme jam!
Tweeted! https://twitter.com/barkingbulltran/status/369739442501586944
I don’t have a blog. This would be so much fun to win as I love to can. I told all my friends about this giveaway.
I would like to make some salsa.
I posted on facebook!
I have an intolerance to refined sugar, so that doesn’t leave me many options when it comes to buying jam. I would rather make it myself anyways. First thing, I would make a big-ol batch of raspberry jam. Then, I would smother it on some beautiful artisan rosemary bread. It would be delightful. 🙂 mmm sounds so good.
Never canned, but I’d like to try. This looks easy enough for me to do.
Have been wanting to try this with the tons of tomatoes in our garden.
How exciting! The first thing I would can would be blackberry jam!!!
I have fond memories of my grandmother’s pantry in Arkansas full of canned fruits and veggies lining the shelves built along the wall. The pantry was once the bedroom my dad grew up in converted to hold all her yummy goods.
My absolute favorite dessert she made was her infamous blackberry cobbler she made using the blackberry jam she has previously canned.
I’m passing this link on to my sisters who love to can anything and everything they find in their garden! Thank you for the lovely step by step guide for those of us that haven’t done it before but are excited to try!!
and posted to facebook!! Hope it brings in lots of new readers! Wonderful site, thank you!
Just canned pickles for the first time this year. I would definitely love to make jelly!!
I just tweeted – my first tweet ever!!
I would love to try making some Strawberry jam
The first thing I’d like to preserve, is strawberry rhubarb jam!
Tweeted! https://twitter.com/Elannbe/status/369882840801894401
I have never canned before but I would start with strawberry jam.
That jam looks amazing. I think I would definitely try that!
I love home made jam, so that would be the first thing on my list 🙂
The first thing I will can is tomatoes!
I’ve actually been dying to try canning but I just haven’t had the confidence to try it! This would be so awesome to win! I think I would try strawberry jam to start with!
I dont have a blog but I actually emailed this link to 3 of my friends!
I told my daughter. : )
I would love to can salsa with this kit!
I would like to try strawberry preserves. I always buy them but I would like to try my hand at making it.
I would love to try canning tomatoes and green beans. And, maybe experiment with some jams!
I wold make hot pepper jelly!