Learning with Survival Girl!

Way way way back

before shows

like "Survivor"

my Machine Man and I had a friend...

who was SO into the whole survival thing..

she was in Service of our Country,

and is quite the Patriot to this day.

Princess and Ms.S.G. 

are cut from very similar cloths..

That said

WHY did it surpise me to learn on Facebook

that Survival Girl

is quite the canner?

who KNEW !?!?!

When she learned I am on the path to learning 

NEW skills

and that canning was on my 

"must learn" list

she invited me right over to start my learning

on some yummy jam!

here's all my ingredients..

don't freak out that those berries aren't from the farm

or that my sugar isn't organic..

it's class people

i am fully prepared to fail at this..

FAIL

First

Attempt

In

Learning

i am just fine with the idea of my failure in this..

I just want to LEARN it

Here is Ms.SG's cool pot..

liking the color... 

here she is printing up the recipe I have chosen

because like

EVERY newbie

and naughty student..

I forgot my assignment.

but..

brought all my supplies..

(that should make up for it!) 

first we have to sterilize my jars... 

here is one of her favorite Canning Magazine..

Watch out all you fashionista's

I didn't even KNOW this existed! 

here are the things we will need

FRESHLY washed 

lids.

they can't be re-used..

soooo didn't know that

and so bummed..

what a waste! 

filling the tub o'water

beautiful

black berries... 

fresh lime...

sounds yummy doesn't it? 

washed, sliced

and ready for action 

jars being steralized 

hot and steamy

and the smell?

WOW

so yummy

PINCH ME 

yummy! 

see the slivers of lyme?

we are just following the recipe... 

there's my lids

(nice english right? ) 

here is Ms.SG's amazing funnel

mine is NOT so cool..

(Dear Santa.....) 

and here

is the jam..

OH my! 

scraping the bottom..

so so so yummy! 

putting the lids on 

ever so snug 

carefully placing each jar of 

summer yummyness,

into the bath of HOT water.. 

see the happy jars.. 

they are in process!

this gave us more time for chatting..

they are ready! 

now what?

well now we sat at stared..

waiting for the thrilling sound of the 

POP

after that? 

after that, you thank each jar..

really?

Look..

I am just reporting the facts..

THIS is how it is done..

you THANK the jars...

weird but TRUE

just do it! 

next batch is Raspberry jam

yes

the aroma is beyond yummy

I feel giddy just from being near it.. 

here my dear pal is explaining to me how you

skim off the filmy icky scum 

from the top...

and get down to the YUMMY glorious beautiful

deep red..

of the summer berries

picked from Ms.SG's garden 

there is the ick 

and there is the YUM!

oh please people,

why haven't I been doing this forEVER? 

LOVE this woman! 

here is the set up..

busy

busy 

PINCH me

this is beyond fun..

but..

then I learned something tragic...

and well..

i thought i would share this funny interchange with you..

that sort of "grasps" my whole "jarring" experience...

well, i am uber NEW to the WONDERFUL world of canning.. 

and all I knew about is the 'water bath canning system" as seen in every walmart in america...

  I finally BOUGHT this whole set up, 

and got together with my pal 

Survior Girl, for my lesson on "HOW to can"

 only to learn, that soups, and a HOST Of other sorts of things can NOT be canned with this method... 

and I am all like.. ??????? huh?

 She was all.. "yah.. i KNOW" 

and I was like.. "can you teach me THAT too?" 

and she was shaking her head no..

 So i talked to this ramdom Amish friend I have.. 

and she just giggled... 

she thought it was Sooooo funny that I didn't know ANYTHING about a pressure canner.. 

or that it is SO different than a pressure cooker..

 (seems they are NOT interchangeable..)

 now... i like jams.. a LOT.. 

but I make soupls like a mad woman... 

and I would LOVE to learn to can these... 

so NOW I have even MORE exciting skills to obtain..

 such as 'pressure canning"...

 here is one I am looking at.. 

(note: I have NO idea what size i need.. just beginning researching..

)http://www.lehmans.com/store/Kitchen___Canning_and_Preserving___Canners_and_Cookers___Lehman_s__Best_Pressure_Canners___910?Args

Lehman's® Best Pressure Canners

www.lehmans.com

Lehman's® Best Pressure Canners; Our pressure canners are more expensive than some but they are a once-in-a-lifetime investment

That said..

I think..

perhaps..

this is Canning 101

next up..

Canning beyond....