We've been getting steadily more into canning and preserving so this year, I decided to take a slightly more organized approach to it. So I turned to one of my very favorite tools ever, the GoogleDocs spreadsheet and created a handy-dandy little Canning Planning spreadsheet that makes it much easier to map out what I want to preserve, when, how, and what recipes I'd like to use.
It's still early in the season so I've only pickled the ramps, frozen the rhubarb and canned the strawberry jam. There are still many tasty miles to go before winter (and, more importantly, before the baby is born in September since canning and preserving may grind to a halt for a few months at that time.)
Good food is highly seasonal so I encourage you to plan ahead since you'll be more likely to actually make time in the short windows when stuff is at its best to can and preserve the things you'll enjoy eating all year.
Which brings me to the second part of this post - the GIVEAWAY!
I was delighted to receive my copy of Marisa McClellan's new book, Food in Jars: Preserving in Small Batches Year-Round
, a few weeks ago and it's definitely lit a fire under my ass with regards to this summer's preserving plans.
, a few weeks ago and it's definitely lit a fire under my ass with regards to this summer's preserving plans.
Marisa has been one of my favorite bloggers for a while now so I knew this was gonna be good. And her book does not disappoint. You really can't go wrong with Marisa's strawberry vanilla jam, rhubarb syrup, boozy canned peaches, pickled asparagus and much, much more...
So I'm giving you all a chance to win your own copy of this petite preserving powerhouse. All's you have to do to enter is:
1. Leave a comment here telling me one thing (or more) that you plan to can, freeze, dry or otherwise preserve this summer.
2. Make sure that you leave at least your first name and email address -- otherwise, I will have no way to contact you if you win, which would be a shame and has actually happened before :(
You can also increase your chances of winning by doing some extra credit (this is completely optional). Here's how it works - you'll get an additional entry in the drawing for each of the following things:
a. Share this post on Facebook and leave me a comment on this post letting me know you've done so.
b. Share this post on Twitter and leave me a comment on this post letting me know you've done so.
c. Write a blog post about the giveaway that links back to this post and leave a comment letting me know.
Feel free to do all your sharing before you write your comment and just fill me in in on your activities in one fell swoop.
3. Entries must be received by midnight on Thursday, June 21, 2012. I'll choose a winner at random (using random.org) and announce it on June 23rd.
4. This giveaway offer is only open to readers in the U.S. and Canada.
I think that is all of the fine print. Good luck!
Two resources you might find useful in your canning and planning endeavors:
- My page of canning directions and resources with links to my favorite recipes, cookbooks and canning and preserving web sites.
- Punk Domestics' recent round up of canning planning posts.
38 comments:
Most of our garden fruits and veggies get consumed too quickly to be put up for later usage. But if we have a lot of peaches this year (it's not looking good), I'll freeze some to use in smoothies.
I am planning on canning peaches and peach preserves. We have a CSA that overloads us on peaches (we learned last year) so I plan on making them last throughout the winter this year!
Alison
alison.k.jamison@gmail.com
i plan to try to make strawberry jam
gkuroda(at)gmail.com
Planning to can cherries and peaches (organic) if I get the courage! j. McNeely, 6687 20th ave south, lino lakes, minn. 55038-8744
I am hoping for a good strawberry year, which we haven't had for two years now, and want to roast them and also make strawberry vanilla bean jam...
Vanilla strawberry jam...and slow roasted tomatoes.
My daughter and I picked 10lbs. Of strawberries on Sat. To make Marisa strawberry vanilla jam. Last year was my first year at canning and it was the first recipe I tried and it was outstanding! Shared this post on facebook. Thanks, Patti
I plan on making some guava jelly.
I'm actually just starting to think about getting into canning and this cookbook sounds like it would be perfect since it's about canning in small batches. That's also good, because we're a 2-person household and I don't want to go overboard.
Nicolle (Culture Jaunt) culturejaunt@gmail.com
I have also shared the giveaway on FB and Twitter with my Culture Jaunt accounts.
I just canned for the first time this morning. I followed your beets with cumin and cloves post. It went well. Thanks.
Dill pickles, again, lots of tomato sauce, and this year I want to try your maraschino cherries! OMG strawberry vanilla jam sounds AWESOME.
I plan to can some jam!
Oh, I'm dying to get my hands on this book!
I've already done apricot jam, spicy pickled carrots, and tarragon cucumbers (fermented fridge pickles) this summer. Looking forward to lots of peach salsa, bourbon-peach jam, and tomato jam. Plus whatever else strikes my fancy. I tucked some rhubarb and guavas in the freezer last week, possibly to be combined with strawberries for jam.
I plan on freezing cut off corn. I am currently drying garlic.
Love your organized approach to canning/freezing-
I picked tart cherries today and will make them into pie filling. I freeze it in pie sized portions to enjoy all winter--yum!
I shared this on my facebook page as well.
jdatwood@hotmail.com
I will be canning and freezing tomato sauce, freezing corn, canning blackberry and blueberry jam, canning eggplant relish and a few other things. Thanks so much for the handy spreadsheet!
Shared on FB & Twitter (breburn).
Elizabeth (epreburn@gmail.com)
I plan to can tomatoes.
It's been years and years since I did any canning, and I didn't do much even at that time. But, now I'm motivated to learn how to do it right so am spending some time researching. Your spreadsheet looks quite helpful. Thanks!
I hope to at least can some tomatoes this year. I love to can but with work it's become harder. I could make time for some small batch canning I bet.
Every summer, we do salsa, so that's a "for sure". I'm also going to do a simple marinara with the herbs from the garden (no meat), pepper jelly, and some grape jelly.
Oh, and I've shared on Facebook.
rosemaryfasselin
at
gmail DOT com
I love canning and putting food up. The past couple of years, I hve put up eggplant and sweet and hot peppers in a garlic oil. I love pulling it out in midwinter to put on homemade pizza. My jars stacked up are like gold in a vault.
I am only in my second year of canning, but this year I plan to try spaghetti sauce. Can't wait.
Amanda
Ajstern22@yahoo.com
I've already canned some rhubarb chutney. I plan on doing some strawberry-orange compote (to stir into yogurt) this weekend. I'm also planning on canning peaches--my CSA sends tons of them.
cookingmwtmycsa(at)gmail(dot)com
I pickle everything.
Mike
housecfp at yahoo dot com
I'm sitting down to plan my canning season right now, and first up is strawberry jam! Yum yum yum.
I'm looking forward to making a sweet pickle from bell peppers, tomatoes and onions, playfully called "Devil's Pickle" in Finland. Last year I made the stuff out of small yellow, orange and red sweet peppers in stead of bell peppers, and the result was bright and delicious.
It is divine on top of grilled meats, with goat cheese, or ladled on top of stews to take the edge off the sometimes rich meaty taste. I'll have to can 2-3 times more of it this year, since I ended up gifting cans of the stuff during the winter to guests who liked it.
I am planning on trying to make my own strawberry jelly. Never done it before and need all the help I can get lol. Thanks!
Rochelle
romapup at gmail dot com
Shared on FB https://www.facebook.com/Roma10Max/posts/127789394025710
Rochelle
romapup at gmail dot com
Tweeted https://twitter.com/romapr09/status/215323587077357568
romapup at gmail dot com
Tweeted:
https://twitter.com/#!/WEErosieWEE
Facebooked (Monday):
https://www.facebook.com/RosemaryFasselin?ref=tn_tnmn
I am new to all this, we have recently moved to our log cabin to live off the land for a year (or at least begin to try...it's looking like I'll have to go to year 2 to implement what I've learned, LOL). Anyway, I've already made violet jelly, it was just wonderful, and easy too. I plan on freezing and making jam with blackberries, then we have planted beans, corn, squash, tomatoes, potatoes, radishes, carrots, turnips, salsify, celery, peppers...all of which will need some method of preservation! I haven't got a clue yet, but I'm gung ho!
Lise
LisesLogCabinLife@gmail.com or
liseplandry@aol.com
Thanks for the chance! Will post on Facebook and Twitter too:)
Definitely tomatoes (all of the above). And maybe strawberry jam. And I'll dry some beans and herbs.
Tomatoes!!! Since we have planted at least 30 plants and they are all thriving...I hope to pickle some lemon cucumbers as well. Thanks for the giveaway!
Amanda
akmh75 at gmail dot com
I would love to make some freezer jam this summer.
~Jill
luvcooking2 at yahoo dot com
Each year my family makes both a tomato sauce as well as a pepper paste! There's a good month of being surrounded by jars and bushels of fresh vegetables! It's wonderful and lasts all year round! - Victoria
My e-mail is victoria@itsybitsybalebusta.com
Hey Eve,
So you got me canning Strawberry Jam and since then I have canned cherry preserves, wild blackberry (rasberry) jam, wild blackberry syrup, whole cherries and I plan on hitting up another patch of wild blackberries I found today. As well as rasberries in a couple weeks. All this in the past two weeks. I also shared your link on facebook and pinterest, I WANT THE BOOK:)
Thanks, Danielle
inlightcreations@gmail.com
Congrats, Danielle! You won!!! Thank you all for entering.
Strawberry, lemon, ginger jam! As good as it sounds!
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