PANTRY CHALLENGE POST 2

Now that I roughly have a list of dinners and the ingredients required to prepare those meals for the pantry challenge. I will go through what I currently have and create a list of what I will need. What I want to begin with first is the canning process, and I will save my freezer meals for later. If you are new to canning, you can find a ton of recipes available online. I frequently use online recipes, but I also use a Ball Canning Recipe book that I purchased on Amazon many years ago. I believe there is a newer book out now.

There are two types of canning: the water bath method and pressure canning. If you are new to canning, water bath is an excellent starting point. Water bath canning is safe and easy for high-acid foods like fruits, jams, jellies, pickles, tomatoes (with added acid), and relishes. Now, if you're venturing into pressure canning, you can achieve much more with your canning efforts. I started with the Presto 01781 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker, and I now utilize the All-America Pressure Canner.

What I plan to start canning includes soups and stews (chicken soup, beef stew), alongside some vegetables like corn, green beans, and onion-pepper. Then jellies and butters (pear butter, peach butter). Additionally, I like to can pickles, both sweet and sweet with garlic. I do enjoy canning cranberry juice, which is something I prefer to can all year round.

I will also be sourcing my ingredients from the local farmers market. You want to obtain your vegetables as fresh as possible. One question I often receive is, "Does home canning taste better than store-bought?" Yes, it truly does taste better. I hope this provides you with a starting point for preserving your food through canning.

Chicken soup before processing.

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