You already know that I have a mini-obsession with ball jars: proof available here, here and here.
But I have only been using them for picnics, styling and gifting of dry mixes.
My daughter and I decided to unpack the Ball Canning Discovery Kit I was sent and start off nice and easy by using the Ball Kosher Dill Pickle Mix for our first foray into canning.
We had such a fun time prepping the cucumbers, mixing the pickling mix and giggling in our kitchen.
I spoke to my mom on the phone last night and asked her to refresh my memory of canning tomatoes when I was a kid. Let’s just say, she had a lot of cleaning to do. This reaffirmed my decision to start off canning pickles with my daughter. I was not concerned about my daughter making a mess; I was concerned about me making a huge mess. hehe.
I am super excited that my mom is coming for two weeks as we are already planning on canning all the lovely tomatoes we have grown. From salsa to marinara, we are looking forward to it. I hope my kitchen can handle it.
After I finished canning the pickles with my daughter, I flipped through some materials that were sent to me with the starter kit and I saw that August 13th is National Can-It-Forward Day
What is that you say? On August 13, millions of food lovers curious about canning can learn the ease and benefits of preserving fresh food. Jarden Home Brands has teamed up with Canning Across America, a nationwide collective of cooks, gardeners and food lovers committed to the revival of the lost art of “putting up” food, to create the first annual National Can-It-Forward Day.
Find out how to participate and follow along with National Can-It-Forward Day.
Disclosure: Some one who works for Ball or their PR company sent me the fabulous canning discovery kit after they saw the posts with the ball jars. Cool.
Lead photo courtesy of Ball.
Kathy - Panini Happy says
I’ve looked into this kit a few times now – I’d love to finally conquer canning. Glad to know it worked out well for you!
Shaina says
I adore homemade pickles, and I so share in your mason jar obsession. A case just arrived for me today!
Julia's Child says
You are brave! I want to learn pickling too. When we picked our very first cucumber a few weeks ago, my 5yo said “let’s pickle it!” But of course you have to eat the first one of the summer fresh…
Cajun Chef Ryan says
The pickles look great!
I would just like to request your recipe for these wonderful Kosher Dills!!!
Bon appetit!
CCR
=:~)
Anne-Marie @ This Mama Cooks! says
Pickles are my next canning project. My local farm says their pickling cucumbers are in and ready to go!
Nancy@acommunaltable says
I think I had best get “on the ball” and start canning!! It does sound like a lot of fun with the bonus of having something delicious to eat in the future!
Jennifer says
I will let you know if they are crispy once we open them. Crunch!
LaDonna Haslem says
I too would like to know the secret of keeping the cucumbers crisp going through the pickling process. I love pickles just can’t get enough but hate the ones that just flop over dead! LOL Pickles are great for when you are dieting but hankering for a treat also.
Georgia Pellegrini says
Love these! I’m in pickling mode too these days as you know!
Ball Blue Book says
Those pickles sound delicious. I’m so looking forward to can it forward!
Ott, A says
Well I’m anxious to see how the rest of your canning goes and I wanted to invite you to check out my Canning Week Blog Party athe week of Aug. 22-26. http://ow.ly/5WkAA There will be a canning linky party with a guest judge, canning related give-a-ways and lots of recipes and tips to get more people canning. Hope you can stop by and join in the fun!
Barbara | Creative Culinary says
I’m curious about your results. I used to can from a huge garden which predominately meant tomatoes and pickles, all sorts of pickles. I loved the results from bread and butter and little baby gherkins but never when I tried making dill pickles. I love the crispness of the Clausen dill pickles at the grocery, and my canned, sort of soft dill pickles just didn’t measure up. Did you like how these turned out.