Can-It-Forward with Ball Jars + Canning Discovery Kit Giveaway!
I am a big fan of preserving. Over the years I’ve written about many of my favorite jams, jellies, and pickles and I’ve linked to the recipes below. I even included a few never-seen-here canning recipes in my cookbook. In addition to my own recipes, I am a devotee of Marisa McClellan’s blog, Food in Jars, and cookbook of the same name. I also frequently consult my Ball Blue Book and Well-Preserved for recipes and answers to my myriad of canning questions. I’m fairly sure preserving is one of those things I’ll always practice but never master. The nuances of each recipe and idiosyncrasies of produce ensure that no canning batch is ever truly a slam dunk. Every year at least one or two variables has to be adjusted to accommodate sour fruit or soggy cukes. No two batches are ever exactly the same. Which is exactly why I love it.
I frequently package my canned jams and sauces to give away at the holiday season. It is one of my favorite gifts to give because for me it is like giving someone a slice of my warm kitchen. I want to share and spread the yumminess far and wide, especially during times of celebration, or even in times of need.
It makes me happy to note that preserving foods is making somewhat of a comeback. Not that it was ever out of style, but for many years we were, as a nation, so infatuated with the canned foods in the supermarket many people gave up canning their own foods at home. However, now you will find something of a wonderful preserving resurgence taking place. People are growing food in their own backyard and preserving it like crazy. Not only is it ultimately healthier, it also helps unsure that we know what we are feeding our children without guessing how the food is processed in a large distribution plant.
Today I am thrilled to be partnering with Ball Jars Brand, makers of terrific canning jars, to promote National Can-it-Forward Day. The amazing Ted Allen is hosting a live webcast on August 17th. I’ve embedded the screen here and it will go live the morning of the 17th. They’ve also set up a great user-friendly website that showcases awesome canning recipes and provides helpful tips and tricks for all kinds of home canning. You can join the fun on Twitter using the hashtag #canitforward and by following @BallCanning.
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In addition to the cool webcast and online content, Ball Jars sent me their new FreshTECH Automatic Jam & Jelly Maker to test out. I am used to the stir and test with a frozen plate method so this machine was a real eye-opener. All you do is add the ingredients, press a button, and the jam comes out perfect every time. As you can see here, the first thing we made was a delicious gooey peach jam. It was incredible! While this machine won’t replace my hand stirring method, it is great for making small batches of preserves, especially if you are a novice.
Now for the truly exciting news: today Ball Jars would like to invite one lucky reader to win a Canning Discovery Kit. This includes:
· The Ball Canning Discovery Kit: A kit is designed to demystify the home canning process and make fresh preserving accessible for even the most novice canner.
· The Ball Blue Book Coobook
· One case of the Heritage Collection Jars: These limited editions jars commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the Ball brothers’ Perfect Mason Jar and come in a beautiful vintage blue tint.
To Enter to Win:
1) Leave a comment sharing which favorite food you would like to preserve for winter. It can be anything from fruit to vegetables to sauces!
2) Like Ball Canning on Facebook.
3) Like Kelsey Banfield on Facebook
4) Subscribe to The Naptime Chef newsletter (upper right hand corner)
5) BONUS: Tweet giveaway: Win a Canning Discovery Kit from @BallCanning and @TheNaptimeChef {insert URL here} #canitforward
6) Contest runs from August 13th at 7:00am through August 20th at 7:00am. Winner will be announced in the Friday August, 23rd newlsetter. US Residents only please.
Some Naptime Chef Preserving Recipes for Summer:
I would love to can fresh peaches. My son can’t get enough when they are in season and I would love to make some without all the added sugar in store bought peaches. Great and useful giveaway. Thanks.
We make a tomato, eggplant, onion and pepper saute then can it. Along with blueberries in simple syrup for topping or pies in winter
Like Ball Canning on Facebook.
Like Kelsey Banfield on Facebook
already subscribe to The Naptime Chef newsletter
tweet https://twitter.com/cjsorel/status/367444137647153153
I would love to can blueberries for pie filling, I adore blueberry pie!
Would love to preserve strawberries!
Raspberry jam!
I like Ball canning on Facebook.
I subscribe to Naptime Chef.
I like Kelsey Banfield on Facebook
I’ve got blackberries coming out of my ears ! Gotta give ’em away and get busy making refrigerator jam (thanks to your friend recipe girl). I need this online canning class and would love to win the set. Thanks for the chance! PS- Absolutely love your Peppermint-Chocolate Fudge sauce!!! I made some for us and hostess gifts last Christmas.
I subscribe to your Naptime Chef newsletter
I really want to make some blackberry and thyme jam!
I like Ball Canning on Facebook!
I like you on Facebook!
I subscribe to your newsletters!
Tweeted! https://twitter.com/barkingbulltran/status/367525301086982144
Spaghetti sauce!
I like you on FB…
I subscribe to your newsletter…
I like Ball Canning on FB…
I would like to do some spaghetti & pizza sauce as well as some soups.
I like Ball Canning on Facebook. (Marilyn Blewett Blevins)
I like Kelsey Banfield on Facebook (Marilyn Blewett Blevins)
I subscribe to The Naptime Chef newsletter. MBlevinsNC(at)gmail(dot)com
I also tweeted the giveaway … https://twitter.com/MarilynInNC/status/367750971645906944
Mango fruit is one thing I love to use as a pickle and jam for my canning in winters
I like Ball on fb – blessie nelson
like you on fb – blessie nelson
email subscriber blessienelson(at)gmail(dot)com
tweeted
https://twitter.com/Bless_Eliz/status/367914376138735616
I would like to preserve all my FRESH salsa for winter! Nothing like eating salsa you grew on a winter day!
Liked Ball Canning on Facebook
I subscribe to The Naptime Chef newsletter to this box: margueritecore [at] gmail [dot] com
I would like to can tomatoes to make pasta dishes with. I would also like to can peaches!
Blackberry jam!
I would love to can my own tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce.
I love canning diced tomatoes for the winter months.
liked ball canning on facebook
following you on facebook 😀
I’m already subscribed to the newsletter
tweeted the giveaway
https://twitter.com/mmirnanda/status/368432091190403073
I’d like to can some tomatoes while they’re still good. I’ve also been wanting to make pickled okra!
Definitely marinara sauce, made from summer tomatoes.
I love pickled beets!
I like you on Facebook!
I liked Ball on Facebook!
And I already subscribe. 😉
I would love to can apples
I like Ball Canning on FB
I like Kelsey B on FB
I am a subscriber
tweeted https://twitter.com/BeeBubbaBella/status/368483563663929345
I like Ball Canning on Facebook as Margot Core
(I’m worried that I am double posting, but I don’t see my posts from yesterday)
margueritecore [at] gmail [dot] com
I would love to pickle some of my green beans! 🙂
I like Ball Canning on Facebook.
I like Kelsey Banfield on Facebook
I Subscribe to The Naptime Chef newsletter
I tweeted! 🙂
I would like to make jam out of all the erries I have picked over the past few weeks
I Like Ball Canning on Facebook
I Like Kelsey Banfield on Facebook
I Subscribe to The Naptime Chef newsletter
I tweeted https://twitter.com/johnhutchens1/status/368580536177934338
I want to make some fresh tomato sauce!
I follow you on FB – Organicall You
I like Ball Canning on FB – Organicall You
I want to can some blueberries for pie or as jam
Liked ball canning on fb
Liked you on facebook
My favorite thing to preserve for the winter is applesauce. There’s nothing better on a rainy Oregon December day than to heat up a pint jar of summery applesauce and curl up in front of the fire, the taste of sunshine-warmed apples making me smile. 🙂
strawberry jam would be fun
liked Ball on FB
like Kelsey on FB
newsletter subscriber
tweeted https://twitter.com/zealmag76/status/369141018936881153
I’d like to make tomato sauce
like Ball on FB
like you on FB
delicious recipe!! http://www.ataste.net
I’m in Maine, where the delicious, tiny wild blueberries are in season right now, so I’d love to make some blueberry jam and blueberry syrup to carry the season through the winter.
I like Ball Canning on Facebook.
I like Kelsey Banfield on Facebook.
I’m an email subscriber to The Naptime Chef.
I tweeted about your giveaway and added your URL to the tweet:
https://twitter.com/NotherAnneOther/status/369636473017860097
Well, they’re not my favorite, but we have a lot this year…cucumbers! My girls love pickles so I’ll try my hand at canning them this year….
I Like Kelsey Banfield on Facebook @elizabeth be
i Like Ball Canning on Facebook @elizabeth be
Tweet! https://twitter.com/Elannbe/status/369869776006291457
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