my first foray into canning & $150 Ace Hardware Giveaway

by | Aug 31, 2016 | a slice of life | 693 comments

This post may contain affiliate links.

I bought a book on canning years ago.  I liked the idea of gardening, growing, harvesting and preserving.  Well, that book was about the extent of my efforts at canning until last week.

If you have read my blog for a while, you may have picked up on the fact that I love cherries.  I rejoice when they first hit the stores in May and feel like there should be a moment of silence when they are no longer available in August.  My family knows that if they see good cherries, buy them for Marian.  I’ll even pay the outrageous $8.99/pound when they make a brief appearance around Christmas.

So, while cherries were plentiful, I decided to try canning some.  Well, a lot.

In addition to the cherries, I also picked up tomatoes, herbs, lemons and a few other ingredients.  I mean, if you’re going to can, you might as well can a lot, right?  I also picked up a variety of canning jars at Ace Hardware.  (Who knew they had canning equipment?)

I started with the cherries, so I could snack while I canned.  

I always cut the pits out of cherries, but in hindsight, a pitter would’ve been a smart purchase!

I made two different recipes with the cherries – a cherry pie filling and cherry jam.  It may be jelly or preserves, but I’m a little fuzzy on the exact difference.  Let’s just call it a jam.

The pie filling was just 4 cups of cherries, 1/2 cup honey, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/4 cup corn starch, and 1/8 teaspoon almond extract.  I love that the recipe was so simple and didn’t have a ton of sugar.

I just stirred it together until the cherries were soft and all of the ingredients were combined.

I seriously just ate it with a spoon and it was heavenly.  Definitely the best cherry pie filling I’ve ever had.

And it was so pretty.  I love things that are yummy and photogenic.

A blogger’s gotta do what a blogger’s gotta do.

I washed all of the canning jars and heated them in a pot of simmering water before filling them.  It’s important that everything is clean, so the contents of the jar won’t be contaminated by a dirty jar.  Heating the jars reduces the risk of breakage when they are submerged in the canning bath.

I canned the jam in the same manner.

(I sealed the two full jars and we ate the one that was half-full right away.)

Speaking of the jam, the recipe I used called for five cups of sugar.  FIVE!  I just couldn’t add that much sugar, so I decided to add one cup to see how it worked.  I figured it would be sweet enough, especially since I was using sweet cherries.  It ended up being quite tasty!

(I’ve since learned that canning recipes shouldn’t be altered and you should always get updated recipes from a trusted source to make sure the canned food is properly preserved.  While this jam tasted amazing fresh, it may not have had the right balance of ingredients.  Lesson learned!  There is some great info in the comments section on canning tips, safety, and great resources.)

And lastly, I made a tomato sauce.

Kriste peeled the tomatoes while I was working on the cherry jam and pie filling.  We laughed about how she just never knows what she’s going to do from day to day.  One day it’s painting furniture and another day it’s peeling tomatoes.

I strayed from the recipe we found online, in order to add more flavor and veggies.  I added some sautéed zucchini, onions and garlic to the sauce, along with a bunch of herbs and some red wine.

The kitchen smelled amazing!

Once everything was cooked, it was time to get everything into the jars and then into the canner.  As I said earlier, I washed and heated the jars and I also boiled the lids.

When it came time to put the jars in the canning bath, I was really nervous.  I’m not a precise person and I was certain that leaving air bubbles or having too little or too much head space would mean the jars would explode.  I actually asked Kriste to Goggle what would happen if there was an air bubble in a jar.  She assured me the jars wouldn’t explode, but they just might not seal properly.

Jeff, who was hidden in his office working on a research paper during most of the canning, took some time to come out and poke fun at me.  He started saying things like, “Hey, Kriste, can you Google if the jars will explode if I stand one foot away from the canning bath?”

Hardy-har-har.

The freshTech electric canning bath from Ace Hardware did make things a lot simpler.  You literally fill it with water, turn the dial to “canning”, and it just does what it needs to do.

As I was gently dropping jars into the canning bath with some tongs, Jeff asked me if I knew how dropping the jars in boiling water sealed them.  “I don’t have a clue!  That’s just what you’re supposed to do.  I’m sure it has something to do with science.”

I’m so smart.

After the jars were in the bath for the proper time, I removed them with the tongs and set them out to cool.  The lids had a little give to them, so I thought it was a failure, but as they cooled, the lids popped down and created a seal.

I did learn that adding a little vinegar to the canning bath prevents any build-up on the jars from minerals, etc. in the tap water.  I didn’t add that to the first batch and there was a white powdery build-up on the jars.  I added it to the second batch and the jars came out nice and clean.

We’ve been sampling everything and it’s all been so tasty.  I look forward to the day we have a garden full of veggies that need to be canned and preserved.

In all of my spare time, of course!

Until that day, I’ll be eating through four jars of cherry pie filling with a spoon.

Since I’m a newbie, you can learn more about canning from the pros at Ace Hardware HERE.

As a little bonus, Ace Hardware is offering up a $150 gift card to one lucky reader.  If you’d like to enter, simply leave a comment on this post!  The giveaway closes September 6, 2016 at midnight PST.  A winner will be announced and notified by September 7, 2016.

Good luck!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Ace Hardware.  They provided the supplies and some of the produce, as well as compensation, in exchange for this post.  I was excited to try out canning and share it with my readers.  All opinions shared are my own.

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    693 Comments

    1. Chelsea

      I’ve only ever canned pickled okra. I would love to try and do some more once I get a good garden going again!

    2. Margaret

      I finally braved making my first jam last year, and it is so satisfying having tasty marmalade, plum jam and apple butter. My family loves it, and nobody has gotten food poisoning! (I carefully follow the directions in the Ball Canning book.)

      • marian

        Yeah, I would definitely follow a recipe in a professional canning cookbook next time.

    3. Alison S

      I have never tried canning before, but would like to as my kids get a little older! Way to go, Marian!

    4. Kari

      The cherries look delicious! I’d love the opportunity to stock up on canning supplies at Ace.

    5. tabatha stimpson

      strawberry is my “jam” ha! i love it on homemade bread. strawberry is the only canning ive tried but have always wanted to dive into it more….one of the days 🙂

    6. Mel

      Love ace hardware. Canning is hard work but worth every effort.

    7. Laura @ Rather Square

      I’ve never canned but I freeze a lot of garden produce (and sauces made from garden produce). Would love to finally learn how to can in jars so that I can get some freezer space back! Great post.

    8. Penny

      I love cherries too and yours look delish!

      Something to keep in mind is that canning is kind of like chemistry. The sugar, salt and/or acid (lemon juice or vinegar) are the preservatives and recipes have a ratio of food vs. preservative. If you mess with that ratio you tempt the canning gods and could end up sick. A canning website I love is http://foodinjars.com/. Marisa has a wealth of canning info and she has a couple of posts on how to safety alter recipes or make your own. You may already know this but I just wanted to give you a heads-up that canning recipes aren’t like regular recipes.

    9. amy

      Yes! Cantastic!

    10. Catherine

      Looks delicious! I love to make cherry pie and have a cherry pitter and also a cherry tomato slicer (it works well with cherries) that I bought at Williams Sonoma. It would make your job much easier!!

    11. SuzyMcQzy

      I’d love to win as there are some beans outside my window just crying to be canned!

    12. Kathleen Grace

      Good for you! Did the jam jell? I always thought it called for that much sugar in order to thicken the jam, I’ve never cut it down that much. Also, just a tip, if you dunk your tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds to a minute and then into ice water, those thin skins slide right off and you get all the tomato with no waste. I would eat that pie filling too, and I wouldn’t need a pie 🙂
      I could put that gift card to good use, thanks for offering a great giveaway.

    13. Amy

      I’d love to win!

    14. Gigi

      Oh my, the timing of this article is perfection!!!!! I don’t know why I never received it as I get all your posts, but after reading the dresser post, that beautiful picture of cherries caught my eye. Boy am I glad it did. We are backyard gardeners and lots of produce is ripening all at the same time. I wasn’t aware Ace Hardware had canning jars but that makes perfect sense. But what really has my heart racing is the canner! I have to spend a day preparing the veggies or fruit to can, then can the next day. All because I have a glass top range and it takes foreverrrrrrrrr for that darn canning pot to come to a boil. Seriously, the larger pot where I can do quart jars, takes one hour almost. The smaller pot for pints takes 35 minutes, and that’s before you put the jars in! This electric canner would be the answer to my prayers.
      Good to know I don’t have to follow the recipe exactly when it comes to sugar amounts. I have been worried that my jams/ jellies wouldn’t properly gel without enough sugar. That’s going to be a game changer.
      I noticed the empty jars on the table are a beautiful quilted pattern, but the cherries are canned in regular jars. What are you saving the quilted ones for?
      Also, to your partner in crime. Next time she needs to peel something for you, the blanching process is the way to go.Fill a large bowl or sink with cold water and ice cubes. Boil some water–(as I mentioned a problem for me) and immerse a few veggies at a time in the water. 15 seconds later, scoop one out with a slotted spoon and see if the skin has cracked a bit. If it hasn’t, another 10 seconds or so in the boiling water should do it (Less for fruits like peaches, longer for beets). Immediately drop them in the icy water bath. After cooling just enough to handle, the skins will literally slip off. Saving so much more of the fruit/veggie to work with, than undergoing the knife.
      You have been my go-to mentor for homey, honest advice in decorating, sewing slipcovers (that’s what brought me to you originally), and the joy of repurposing. Now canning is part of your repertoire?
      You go girl! And I, will continue to follow.

    15. Karen U

      Oh, fantastic! I’ve been wanting to get into canning my own garden! I’ve been trying to convince sweet hubby that we need more land so we can ‘homestead’! Bigger garden, chickens, goats….
      Karen

    16. Jennifer

      Please please please read up on proper canning recipes and science before altering canning recipes. Improperly canned items can contain botulism which can kill you (or the loved ones you give these items to). Items canned in a water bath canner have to contain enough citric acid to kill the bacteria, which is why many canning recipes contain prepared lemon juice. The Ball Blue Book is a good reference.

      • marian

        Oh, very good to know!

    17. Ann Geistfeld

      You make it look fun and easy!
      I am 52 years old and don’t know how to can but hope to learn. My husband’s grandmother always canned beef and it was soooo good and handy. Open jar, heat and pour over potatoes…..fresh potatoes from the garden makes it really special.
      Ann

    18. Lisa Brown

      I would love to learn and do some canning but am afraid what I can, will not be safe to eat; thanks for the chance to win 🙂

    19. Starla

      Oh, what a fun giveaway:)
      I love canning chow chow, a Southern green tomato relish. Thanks for the opportunity.

    20. Stephanie

      This has been my life the whole month of August. It’s very rewarding but so. much. work. Right now I have pears in my fridge waiting to be canned, but I needed to catch up on other things today. The pie filling sounds delicious!

    21. Pam

      I pickled red beets for the 1st time this year!. They were so good I planted a 2nd crop for fall harvest!

    22. Deborah Plapp

      I just canned some tomato juice on Monday, and plan on canning more tomorrow. There is no comparison between store-bought and homemade tomato juice! Thanks for the chance to win the Ace gift card. (Not sure I’ll still be around though on August 00, 3016). :^ )

    23. Rebecca Nelson

      I would love a pressure canner. I did water bath canning about 20 years ago with my grandma’s old water bath canner. I want a pressure canner so I can do things like broths and soup! Hope I win!

    24. Lisa

      You need an Oxo cherry pitter! Fun gadget my kids insisted on getting after using one at their cousins. 10 bucks at Target. Not cheap, but loads of fun and faster than a knife if you are canning. Don’t fret the botulism. If you read up, wash your items and follow the directions – you’ll be fine. Great Grandma always was afraid I’d kill someone, too. After 25 years of canning, no luck! Just kidding! I love the electric canner. Way easier than my speckled pot on a gas burner!

      • marian

        I loved your comment! I was freaking out a bit. Ha. I called my mom and felt like Anne of Green Gables in the mouse scene… “Don’t eat it, Miss Shirley!!!”

        • Kim

          Ours tastes great and we are eating it. Mom

    25. Rena Madison

      What a fun post!
      Would love to win!

    26. Ruth Malone

      I would love to win this, Ace is the place and I have one I frequent in Oakland, TN.
      You really made the cherry pie filling recipe look so easy, cherry is my favorite and Ill have to try your recipe!

      Thanks so much!

    27. Janet

      I, too, would like to try to can some fruit. I’m happy you did and were successful.

    28. joni

      If you don’t have a cherry pitter, a bobby pin works quite well. ? And an easy way to peel tomatoes is to put them in boiling water a bit, maybe a minute….the skin will slide right off. Canning is a lot of work, but fun! Hearing those lids pop is such a beautiful sound.

    29. Taysha Riggs

      Great giveaway! I really want to learn to can but am so afraid of my end result being bad

    30. Jordan Kahn

      My grandparents have a huge garden and lots of fruit trees and my grad mother cans tons! Since I’ve gotten older, I’ve been wanting to learn how to can as well. This would be so helpful!

    31. Lynnette

      I have wanted to try canning for a very long time, but I’m so worried about doing it wrong and making everyone sick! Yikes. I also love fresh cherries. I bought a ton this year, planning to freeze a lot for those months they aren’t available. Well, so far none have made it to the freezer…I just eat them up faster than I can bag them. Maybe next year I will have more willpower!

    32. MaryE

      Haven’t canned in years as my sister moved away and took all her canning supplies with her 🙂

    33. David

      Canning is a lost art. My grandma not only canned, but she had a cellar full of the goods that she canned. It seems like the convenience of going to the grocery store has made it less of a necessity for most people, so they don’t bother to learn or even try.

    34. Sandra T

      Canned tomatoes are my favorite. They easily turn into pasta sauces, tomato soup, salsa, etc. I usually just put in pink salt and fresh ground pepper-which also works in any recipe. The electric canner looks nifty. I’d like to hear more about it.

    35. Linda @ q is for quandie

      Am I the only one who has noticed your funky deadline dates? I’m guessing you’re going to notify the winner before the year 3016 😉 I’ll throw my name in the hat, but I can’t promise that if I win I’d use the gift card for canning supplies. Since I’m the type that literally has to dust my stove, there isn’t much chance I’ll ever try it. You definitely make the process look pretty though!

      • marian

        Ha! I had actually fixed those, but I guess they didn’t save. They are fixed now.

    36. Jennifer

      Canning is an art. Thank you for highlighting that with your beautiful photos. Yum! Now I really want to can cherries too. 🙂

    37. Sandra Schneider

      Oh! That FreshTech canner! Another wonderful find from Ace.
      We own a small lumber yard with minimal hardware. When our customers are in need of something we don’t carry, we send them 1/2 mile away to our local Ace. Those good people do us the same kindness, for the lumber need of their customers.
      Win-win!
      Lovely, delicious post, Marian!
      Sandy Schneider

    38. Sandy A

      When our children were young my mom and I would can tomatoes, tomato juice, peaches, corn, apples for deserts, applesauce, pickles, strawberry jam. Now that our kids are adults I only do freezer jam. It was a lot of work, but nothing tastes better, or looks prettier, then home canned foods…

    39. Sheila

      I canned when I was first marries-pickles, tomatoes, dilly beans. Oh boy, I would whole heartedly recommend that you thoroughly read a canning book before doing anymore. It seems that you don’t really understand why each step is done. For instance, boiling the jars before using them is to sterilize them, not clean them. If you add veggies to tomatoes, you need to be aware of ratios in order to maintain the proper acidity in the mix. It is the acid that allows you to can using a canning pot instead of a pressure cooker and prevents bacterial growth in the jar. I don’t know if I would trust the mixture you used even though the lids popped. I see someone already wrote about the tip for skinning the tomatoes. You should look up low sugar jam recipes and not wing it-again, to prevent bacterial growth in the jam. Canning is very specific for a reason-to prevent food poisoning.

      • Sheila

        Martha Stewart has some great videos on canning I love the ones with her mother!

      • marian

        Oh yes! As I said, this was my very first time and I have a lot to learn. This definitely isn’t a “tutorial” post, but a post just sharing my experience. And yes, I realize boiling sterilizes the jar, but I thought saying “clean” was sufficient.

        Anyway, thanks for sharing your expertise! Very good to know!

    40. April

      Those cherries look awesome. My mom cans everything from her garden and would love a canner like this. I ordered a seal ring for her canner and her canner is from 1970…the guy on the phone had the part, but was amazed she was still using a canner that old…

    41. Nancy Janssen

      Here is a hint to make Kriste’s peeling easier next year: submerge whole tomatoes in a boiling bath just until the skin begins to separate from the meat. Place in cold water, and the skin will literally fall off! You can then freeze or can the fruit! :O Plus, it goes very quickly!

    42. Karla McM

      I love to can – primarily tomatoes, but I just finished some cinnamon cucumber pickles…. and they turned out wonderful.
      My mother bought me a pressure canner 30 years ago, and while it still works very well, I would love to have a replacement from Ace Hardware.
      Please choose a winner before August 3016.

    43. Amy barra

      Love to can! It’s addicting once you start! This year I have canned pickles, beans, blackberry jam and pie filling so far…still waiting on my tomatoes to ripen!

    44. Vikki

      I used to can all the time. But after my kids left home I pretty much stopped. Now all I usually can is pear butter for gifts since I no longer eat sugar.

    45. Elizabeth A

      Awesome job. I learned from someone recently that “heritage” recipes have way too much sugar so if you use grandma’s recipes make sure you back off the sugar otherwise your canned fruits and jams will be too sweet. Keep up the good work.

    46. Beth W

      They look delicious! I’m a frequent visitor to my local Ace hardware 🙂

    47. zhaleh

      Love it! My mom and I have been cannning these last few years and have found it extremely rewarding. I love using tiny jars so I can rotate through different jam varieties more quickly, instead of eating out of a quart sized jar of blackberry jam for a month…

    48. Cindy Mandernach

      i canned 27 quarts of tomato sauce the last two weekends of August…..and 9 half pints of blackberry raspberry jam with blackberries from our garden. Now, just waiting for the apples to ripen for applesauce!!!

    49. Kathleen S

      I love your article on canning. I have never tried canning but after reading your post I may give it a try. thanks for the giveaway.

    50. Teresa

      This cherry pie filling looks amazing! Would love an electric canner. Thanks for the opportunity!

    51. MimiG2002

      My canner is 30 years old and Momma needs a new one! I hope I win. Oh, and the cherry pie filling looks divine….

      • Kimber

        I love the idea of preserving fresh home grown foods. Thanks for sharing!

    52. Linda DuBay

      I have always “longed” to be someone who cans but felt so intimidated until I read your blog. Your honesty, explanations, photos (of course) and the canner from Ace actually kind-of make me think I could actually can. That it’s not just for Martha Stewart!
      And my favorite fruit is cherries and I’ve been devouring them the last two months and this weekend I got sad thinking they won’t be around forever. So hungry for the pie filing and preserves right now!! I can imagine the preserves added to a little bit of plain yogurt in the mornings!!
      Thanks so much for sharing this. Hope I win but regardless I do think I can “can” :).
      Linda DuBay

    53. Chris Moore

      Long time canner here! Oh Marian, PLEASE buy a cherry pitter. Americas Test Kitchen (who run many tests on all the different brands/types) have determined the Progressive Cherry Pitter for $15.00 on Amazon is the best model. It hurts to see you work so hard when there is an easy solution. Oh, and it is high canning season, I would love some new equipment!

      • sandi

        Totally agree about the pitter. Made me sad to see all that meat left on the stones.
        I can’t can, but definitely will be making that pie filling and turning it into a pie!

    54. Vida

      Canning is something I’d really like to try! The process has always intimidated me though. It was inspiring to read through your process. Thanks for sharing!

    55. Allison

      Everything looks so good!! It makes me want a cherry pie!!

    56. C Werges

      I love to can!! I can carrots, salsa, tomatoes sauce, whole tomatoes, green beans, raspberry jam, raspberry juice. A ton of work but so very rewarding to grow it, pick it, can it and then see cupboards full of food for a cold Iowa winter! My kids will only eat my canned green beans. I also give canned goods for Christmas presents. People love it!

    57. Terri H

      Everything looks yummy! Thanks for the chance to win!

    58. Dale

      Oh my word! That cherry pie filling!! 🙂 Thanks for the chance to win an Ace gift card!

    59. Maureen

      Wow! That cherry pie filling looks so beautiful…picture perfect! I used to do a lot of canning. Maybe it’s time to start again.

    60. Amy Cook

      I would love to have some new canning equipment. I have a flat top stove and my old canning pot won’t work on it. And that cherry pie fillings looks amazing!

    61. Susan Vicary

      I could eat cherry pie filling straight from the can. I can’t imagine how good fresh canned would taste, would love to try it!
      Thanks!

    62. Jon

      Cherry jam looks so yummy……If you are worried about it spoiling, it could always be frozen. 🙂

    63. chris

      jJust like nana used to make. How nice that Ace sells everything you would need.

    64. Denise

      I have a pressure canner that I also use for boiling water bath canning. I love it, but it’s so heavy. I think I need that electric canner–I bet it’s lighter and would help keep the kitchen from heating up so much.

    65. Tara

      Wow, looks tasty!!

    66. AC

      So THAT’s what Mason jars are really for…

    67. Kelle Sawers

      I just canned tomatoes myself this week end – also made tomato jam!

    68. Gail

      Everything looks beautiful and delicious!

    69. Christy Sumbury

      My grandmother and mother have been canning garden vegetables and local fruit for many years. Canned peaches are my favorite!!

    70. Theresa

      Grew up helping my mom can- so many great memories! Steamy kitchen in the middle of summer with no AC! Those good old days!

    71. Janae

      Looks yummy!

    72. Cheryl aucott

      I really appreciate your posts and your honesty as you try new things. It extends an invitation to your readers to be courageous too! Thank you!

    73. Barbara

      WOW! An electric canning machine? I had no clue they had those? I still have an enamelware water bath that has a removable metal rack:-) An electric canning machine would be wonderful. And so fast. I still can peaches, pickles and a few other things. Mark and I grew up with canning and it sure saves on money. I am so happy you had a good time with Kristie. I would love to visit my Goods Store Ace Hardware in East Earl PA and spend that gift card:-):-)

    74. Michelle

      Every year I tell myself this is the year to start canning. I work at an orchard so the fruit and veggies are plentiful but it seems very time consuming so I end up not doing it. Maybe if I’m the lucky winner that will give me that extra little push to start.
      Your cherry pie filling looks very yummy. I’m afraid that wouldn’t last very long in our house.

    75. Robin starr

      I’ve been thinking about canning for a while now.
      Summertime is so sweet

    76. Kathy Milliken

      I would love to make blackberry jam! Yum! I grew up canning tomatoes, need to get back to it!

    77. Arlene

      I’ve canned all my life (I’m 54). My adult children are so spoiled on home grown/canned food that they turn up their nose at commercially canned fruit and veggies. My daughter-in-law is learning to can also, I’m so proud of her. My garden is finally done for the season, so I just have applesauce left to do in a few weeks. I’m proud of you for attempting this, many people are hesitant to even try. It’s a lot of work, but so worth it.

    78. Esther

      I would love to try canning! Maybe winning the gift card will help me get started 🙂

    79. Amy

      How fun! I just did my first ever canning last weekend! Bourbon peaches. Looking forward to canning more this fall. Especially chicken stock so I wont have it taking up space in my freezer.

    80. Rosemary

      In the future if your or Kriste would boil a pan of water and prepare an ice cub bath, you can put the tomatoes briefly into the boiling water then the ice water and the peels will just slide of, leaving more of the body of the tomato. It’s really worth the little extra time.

    81. Karen

      Marian,

      Your adventurous side will try anything new for the first time. You inspire me to explore my creative side! By the way, I love how the traditional Ace Hardware logo of the picket fence was transformed to a row of mason jars for the canning blogger logo. How clever!

    82. Anne Morgan

      My mom canned everything and used the old pressure cooker. I have yet to be brave enough to tackle canning!!!

    83. Debbie wilson

      The jars of cherry looked delicious!! Great giveaway….would love to win!

    84. Karyn Hinkley

      I’ve always wanted to try canning but I’ve been afraid to! I also have a ceramic stove so I can’t use traditional canning pots. The electric canner looks so much less scary! So cool!

    85. Shawnett

      I have never canned yet want to try but I am afraid I will not clean the jars or lids properly and grow mold. Maybe I’ll get the nerve one day.

    86. Breezy Mason

      I,like many others who have posted would love to try canning. Love the opportunity to win a gift card, thank you for that. My 40th wedding anniversary is Sept. 8th, how cool would that be!

    87. Chelle

      I’ve never canned but I long to learn. What an absolutely lovely giveaway!

    88. Jill

      Well done! Don’t all those lovely (& sealed) jars make you smile.

    89. Cathy Farmer

      My mom always canned and still does at 70 years old. She makes a wonderful salsa and neighbors will buy the jars and pay her to can their salsa for them. Your tomatoes will peel with very little effort if you drop them in boiling water for a few seconds the skin literally will slip off.

    90. Katie

      I have always wanted to try canning! What a great post!

    91. Connie Kallerson

      I’m so glad you have tried canning! Did you know there is a hot water method for peeling tomatoes? It really speeds things along. Give it a try…next year!

    92. Cyndi

      Everything looks so tasty and beautiful!
      Thanks for the chance to win.

    93. Jane

      Hi Marian, your post brought back so many wonderful memories of canning with my grandparents, my parents, and now my siblings. We have a family recipe for canning green tomatoes with onions, dill and lots of other herbs. We also make our own sausage! A lot of work but so worth it. I suspect the five cups of sugar in the jam recipe is intended for use with sour cherries, not sweet ones. I do have a tip as to pitting cherries: stab a plastic drinking straw through the stem end – so easy your boys could help. And may I say that cherry pie filling is sooooo good over vanilla ice cream. Happy canning!

    94. Mickey

      I’ve always wanted to can my own vegetables. I hope I win.

    95. Amanda bodden

      Marian your photos are amazing! I love canning!

    96. karen

      Canning gives you the taste of summer in a jar to tide you over the long stretch until the next harvest season. A new canner would be wonderful!

    97. Kimberly M

      I love home canned goods. My canner came from my mother in law and it is old.

    98. Lisa

      What timing!! I was inspired by my Mom who canned strawberries this summer for the first time! I went out and got my canning supplies and then have been a bit stuck!! What timing you always have..such a way that I am gently pushed and encouraged into doing things that I either put off or are hesitant to try!! Thanks so so very much!!

    99. Lisa

      Your pie filling looks delicious. And that electric canner looks very interesting. I will have to check it out. Tomorrow, I have to can some tomato pure from my garden and some homemade sauerkraut. Nothing tastes as good as the stuff you make yourself.

    100. MARTHAIA

      I have a cherry tree,, so I will be trying this out..Thanks

    101. Mary Beth

      While I might be unlikely to do canning, I could easily spend $150 at Ace Hardware – it is one of my favorite places to wander around and find cool things I need!

    102. Becky

      I’m laughing at the parts about eating the end results….so me..so what I do when I cook.
      I have ALWAYS wanted to try my hand at canning. After all, I live in the Central Valley of California where pop up fresh fruit and vegetable stands are everywhere in the summer. I like the tip about the vinegar in the water. Hard water can certainly cause build up on things.

      Marian – and ACE Hardware – thank you for the offer of the gift certificate. Should I be the lucky winner, I am going to use it for canning implements and try my hand out.

    103. Jennifer Heath

      Love cherries too! I’ve been wanting to learn to can for a while – thank you for showing the process!

    104. Terri

      Strawberry jam is my jam! Your cherry creations look so yummy!

    105. Dana Denney

      I can all of our Jam (raspberry, blackberry, strawberry, blueberry) & salsa- love it!

    106. Teresa

      Always wanted to try it, thank you for the inspiration!!!!

    107. Marie W.

      This all looks so delicious! Glad to see you are enjoying the canning process.

    108. Mary Ann

      I can smoked salmon every September and it seems like I’m always second guessing what I’m doing too and googling the correct time and pressure settings for the pressure cooker. It is quite the process but we love it!

    109. Leslie

      My mother and grandmother used to can every September. I can still remember the smell of those tomatoes, a lot of tomatoes! (We’re Italian)

    110. Cynthia

      What pretty pictures! Thank you for a great giveaway, too!

    111. Shannon

      My canning experience is only with canning applesauce made from apple brought from NC fall vacations back to FL. I’d love to try the tomato sauce or homemade spaghetti sauce. Thanks for a chance to win.

    112. Sian

      I have never canned, but want to try it some day and would love winning a gift card to Ace too!

    113. Debbie Hibbert

      Such a successful day! That cherry pie filling sounds heavenly.

    114. Cindy McNichols

      Would love to win … Love our neighborhood Ace Hardware!! They always have exactly what ever we need for the project du jour and are the most helpful guys and gals to be found !

    115. Sarah

      Many years ago, my husband and I pitted 2 gallons of cherries using a pastry tip. Only problem was that we didn’t wear gloves – our fingers were terribly stained for days! The pastry tip worked really well even if the juice sprayed our kitchen counters a lovely shade of red!

    116. Korrie

      I’ve never seen an electric Cannner before! That looks so handy.

    117. Amanda

      An electric canner? How fabulous! I’d love to try it and maybe have a cooler kitchen during the canning process.

    118. Joan

      I LOVE canning too! I LOVE sweet cherries too!
      AND baking breads and buns to put that yummy jam onto! Mmmmmm! Wish I could send you some Marian to go with your beautiful jam!!!!
      If you add less sugar in jams than the recipe calls for, I find it just is runnier, thinner, more syrupy,..and the more sugar you add the ‘thicker’, less runny the jam, sugar helps it ‘set’ thicker, and it won’t run off your toast/bread/bun,….
      As far as the canner, it heats the product to a temperature that kills bacterias, and the heat seals the jars…that’s MY SCIENCTIFIC knowledge 2 cents worth ! HA ! heheh
      Good job at all you did Marian!
      I made sweet tomato chili tonight …..so we’re in the same mode! 🙂
      Whenever we’re out of jam, I have fruit that I’ve frozen in the freezer, grab a bag of strawberries for example, if you have 4 cups of fruit ( frozen or fresh!) makes a couple of nice fresh jars of jam any time of year! Doesn’t take long to do, done in a quick hour ;)The best jam I made so far this year/families favourite is apricot peach, 3 large peaches, a small basket of apricots, all fresh from the grocery store, and inspiration….2 nice med. size jars, of YUMMMM.
      I use certo or pectin for canned jam, the jam is so hot that once cooked I add to sterilized hot jars, lids etc. too, and wahlah ! Jam is done/ cools and seals itself. no canner involved. optional. okaayyyyy, I’ve written almost a pamphlet..lol ! love seeing all you’re doing and trying Marian!
      oh and LOVED the landscape #4 ….BEAUTIFUL !

    119. Betsy

      I’ve always wanted to can. Pretty food in pretty jars!

    120. Fatimah

      I love making strawberry jam but I’ve never tried canning it before! Guess that’s next on the list.

    121. Sally

      I love to can foods when all the fresh produce comes in. I grew up on a farm and we had a huge garden. There was lots of canning going on in August. You name it, it got canned!!

    122. B Folk

      The FreshTech electric canning bath sounds wonderful! I enjoy going to my neighborhood Ace, even if I don’t buy anything…reminds me of my childhood, going with my dad on his errands (barber shop, hardware store, automotive store, etc.)
      The diff between preserves and jelly: preserves are chunkier, almost whole pieces of fruit; jelly is a gel consistency. Think of the canned cranberry that some people have at Thanksgiving, that you can slice and it’s like a round plop of gelatin. Jam is somewhere in the middle of preserves and jelly.
      Looks lovely, enjoy the literal fruits of your labor:-)

    123. Chrissy

      I could easily spend $150.00 at ACE.
      Going to be the wet blanket here on altering recipes for canning especially water bath. The sugar amount is important for the preservation as well as consistency. As for the sauce. it needs to have a particular acidity to store for long periods of time. “Base” products like onions and zucchini change the ratio of acidity and may spoil quickly as a result. A good source for recipes that are not the old style is Marisa Mclellan of the food blog Food in Jars. She has written a couple of recipe books dedicated to small quantities and different levels of sweetening.

    124. Amy

      I started canning this summer too! I was a little intimidated but it’s actually super easy and I’m so excited to have homemade food stored away! Thanks for the great giveaway!

    125. Kirsten

      Last time I did any canning was about 30 years ago with my grandmother! Great memories and I’ve been wanting to try it again the past few years. This may just be the time!

    126. DEBRA THOMPSON

      I adore cherries also. When we lived in Pennsylvania a man who had a cherry tree would put them by the road for FREE!!! Lawdy Lawdy!

    127. Teresa Dishner

      I would love to have an ACE gift card, thanks so much!

    128. Dorene

      My paternal grandmother and aunts used to can all the time, and I always wanted to try but was intimidated by the potential of doing it wrong and contaminating the final product. Our garden had an abundant yield of cucumbers this year, so my husband and I finally took the plunge and purchased a canning pot and rack to make some pickles. It was simpler than we thought and I am sorry that I procrastinated with attempting to can for so long. I love your blog and had to smile when I read your post this morning and realized we were in sync with venturing into this new hobby. Now I can’t wait to explore new canning recipes with the veggies from our garden. Thank you so much for all of the inspiration you provide to your readers and for offering this fun giveaway.

    129. Mary eguia

      Beautiful pictures. Would love to win so I could buy supplies.

    130. Christina Bolden

      I love to can. It is something my sister in law and I enjoy doing together. We get so excited hearing those kids “pop” after all our hard work

    131. Sheri

      You made this look so fun to try!

    132. Brenda McCulley

      I haven’t made cherry jam in a really long time! We moved across country and are having a hard time getting our cherry trees producing. My husbands personal favorite is strawberry. I try to make enough for the year when I make it. Another tasty buy unusual jelly is blackberry and mulberry. I do can and I had never heard of an electric canner. I might just have to do some research on that one! It would be cheaper than a six eye stove!

    133. Glo.

      It’s been years since I canned jam; they would make perfect Christmas gifts!

    134. kt

      Like you, I have wanted to can/preserve/pickle for years, I even have some tools I bought and never used. The steps in the instructions from Ace make it look super easy! Maybe it’s time.
      If you want to get your garden growing, Ace has some giant galvanized metal tubs that are perfect to use as raised beds, and look very farmhouse-y too! I just drilled out a few holes for drainage. I love that Ace had them in stock at the store too, I actually tried to find them at some other big name home improvement stores, who did not have them, no surprise. Ace actually has the stuff you need, when you need it, instead of having to go home and order online!

    135. Sharon Bates

      Your cherries look Y.U.M! I did a batch of stewed tomatoes yesterday and it’s going to take a lot of self control to wait until winter to dive in. 🙂 I love your latest landscape dresser because it really reminds me of the Piedmont region in Virginia….it like a dreamy glimpse of the farm land between Lucketts and Waterford! Pictures please of when you do make a cherry pic with your pie filling!! Perhaps your Santa with bring you a cherry pitter.

    136. Paige

      Your cherries are gorgeous! My Mama was a canner. I’ll give you a tip I did pick up from her on canning. If you will briefly dip those tomatoes in nearly boiling water the peels will slip right off. Love this post, it makes me think of my Mama:)

    137. Deborah Delosreyes

      Looks delicious. Sign me up to win please!

    138. Mary Ann

      I always enjoy reading your blog! Here’s a quick way to peel tomatoes: wash tomatoes, cut a small X on the bottom of each one, then add them to boiling water. Immediately remove from the boiling water and place in very cold water with hunks of ice in it. You will be amazed at how the skins split and are easily removed. It’s fine to leave the tomatoes in the ice water while you’re working. I would love to have that electric canner from Ace!

      • angela

        me and my mom would can tomatoes and did something like this but i never cut an x in the tomatoes. i would just put them in the boiling water for 1 minute and then put them in a ice bath. i put 3 or less (it depends on the size of the tomatoes) in a Strainer in the water.

    139. Sue

      I love the canning process – my favorite part is hearing those lids pop 🙂 My cherry-pitting secret is to take a soda straw and punch through the cherry – works perfectly! I know your post was about canning, but I love to freeze cherries for fresh smoothies throughout the year – for that matter, I freeze blackberries and peaches too when they are at their peak. I got organic blackberries for 1.00 a pint this year and my freezer is loaded with them. 🙂

    140. Missy yanchuck

      You must follow the blog “Food In Jars” if you want to venture into canning. Larissa specializes in small batch canning, making it very manageable. Also low-sugar recipes and alternative sweeteners.Good for canning newbies!

    141. Jo

      A tip on peeling tomatoes – bring a very large pan of water to a boil (a very large pan). Put all the tomatoes in the sink with the stopper in. Once the water boils, dump it over the tomatoes and let them sit for a minute or two. Remove a few from the water with a tongs and the peelings literally fall off. Cut out the nasty end and then do what you want with them. Easy Peasy. Same thing for peaches.

    142. Cindy

      I LOVE canning and now that we live in New Jersey, I have access to amazing fruit and vegis! Will definitely be canning like crazy from here on out. My next new attempt? Dilly beans!

    143. Konni B

      Oh My! Reminds me of my days as a young girl in the kitchen with my mom while she was canning! Back then it was a way of putting food on the table so it seemed like more of a chore! But I learned so much and I’m having a craving for black-eyed peas and bread and butter pickles right now!

    144. katienearchicago

      Learned to can from Mom. Lots of good tips in these comments already; fun to read! Thanks for the chance to win bucks from Ace — the friendliest store in town!!

    145. angela

      i would love to win.

    146. Jean

      I’ll try canning and I’ll even send you some Mt. Rainer cherries as a bonus. Thanks for the opportunity.

    147. Susan W

      I have never canned but found this very interesting. Also liked the cherry recipe using honey – sounds like a winner.

    148. Margaret

      Love your blog! Your post took me back to when I was younger. I would have NO problem spending money at Ace Hardware. Love that store!!

    149. Bee

      I love growing, preparing and canning; I have made everything from jams, jellies, chutneys, pickles and more pickles, pestos, but my most popular product is salsa. I could easily spend 150$ at ACE.

    150. Dana

      I don’t can, but I love my Ace Hardware!

    151. Becky m

      I would love to learn how to can as well.

    152. Ashley

      Who knew canning could be so much fun! I wish I could have been there with you to try it for the first time!

    153. Rhonda K

      I love cherries too! I’ll grab a spoon and be right over! lol

    154. Susanne Lewis

      I would love to learn how to can as well.

    155. Samantha Dickey

      My husband’s grandmother always has an abundance of tomatoes from her garden, so we receive tons of salsa from her! She’s also a pro at homemade BBQ sauce. I’ve wanted to get with her for a while now so she can teach me how to can fruits and veggies. But it looks like I’ve found a new blog to follow, based on other people’s comments!

      • Kathy

        Samantha, do take advantage of Grandma’s knowledge. Spending a few afternoons in the kitchen with her learning to can will be time well spent.

    156. rachel

      Canning seems like a fun hobby!

    157. Marian@CMShawStudios

      This is my favorite sponsored post ever! I had no idea, and that’s the way it should be. Plus now I want to can and eat cherry pie.
      Great work lady!
      The Other Marian

    158. Deb

      I canned when I was younger, making ketchup, I did learn and still do dip my tomatoes in boiling water to make peeling them a breeze, no knife needed. Just Google it! Ace is the place!!!

    159. Lila

      I’ve canned applesauce (LOTS of it!) the old fashioned way with a big pot of boiling water on the stove. Would love to spend $150 at Ace!

    160. Amy G.

      I keep wanting to try canning and I keep putting it off! You’re inspiring me. 🙂

    161. Colleen Robison

      Love canning!

    162. Jo

      The cherry pie filling looks yummy!
      Jo

    163. Justin

      I’ve been canning for many years now and have learned a bit of the science behind it. Not altering tested recipes is pretty good starting advice. 🙂 However, you’re probably fine with the jam. The real thing you need to be worried about is upsetting the acidity level. Cherries (and most stone fruits) are fairly acidic and lowering the sugar isn’t going to change that. It might, however, change how much your jam jells. Sugar and acid are needed to activate the pectin in the fruit, which is the “jelly” part. It’ll still be tasty, but it might be a little looser than you’d expect. In the case of cherries, I think they contain a lot of pectin, so you may not have even noticed. One rule of thumb for setting most fruits is equal parts sugar and fruit by volume, provided you’re not using a boxed pectin with an included recipe.

      The corn starch is probably the one thing most experienced canners are going to take you to task on. 🙂 Generally speaking, regular corn starch and flour are not supposed to hold-up well under canning temperatures and most thickened recipes, which are usually thickened with commercial “modified corn starch” called ClearJel require pressure canning. I’ve never been able to get a straight answer as to why, but I suspect it’s more about quality than safety (provided your acid and heat levels are correct). The starch might separate or clump over time or the food may not hold-up quality for as long. That said, I know a few people who thicken tomato soups year after year with regular flour or corn starch and they’ve yet to get botulism. A lot of canning is deciding the level of risk you’re okay with. The Federal guidelines (from the National Center for Home Preserving) tend to err heavily on the side of caution (like the don’t alter anything rule).

      In any event, congratulations! You’ve now joined the ranks of home canners everywhere. Doesn’t it feel great? 🙂 If you want a really great resource for canning, I recommend foodinjars.com. I even recommend Marisa’s first book as a book for newbies over the Ball “Blue Book” since it has all the same great information on process and safety plus it’s geared towards smaller batches of preserves.

    164. Kristen in Atlanta

      What a fun post! Love Ace; we buy our bird seed there for all our spoiled backyard birds!

    165. Donna Morgan

      I love ACE and could surely use the $$ to spend there!

    166. mami2jcn

      Canning looks like a fun activity for me to do with my daughter.

    167. Jenny K

      The cherry pie filling looks amazing. I would love to learn how to can. Looks like so much fun!

    168. Marie Lutzow

      I made blueberry jam this year, and stewed tomatoes with basil and thyme. In honor of my mother, who canned everything! I hope to add more variety this fall. Thank you for the inspiration! I’m ready to start again.

    169. Becky

      So glad to hear you’ve tried canning. I can each year and really enjoy it. Get yourself the Ball BlueBook. So many great recipes and the best guidelines for safe food preservation. You can find it anywhere they sell canning supplies or online to at the Ball canning website. Your cherries look amazing.

    170. Linda

      It’s amazing what we can find at our local Ace Hardware. They seem to have everything. Your pie filling sounds delicious!

    171. Becky Delson

      I love this post! Canning always reminds me so much of my grandparents. Decades ago, when they built their home in Illinois, they started with a cinder block basement. They lived in it until the rest of the house was done. Once they moved into the other rooms, the basement became storage for all of the wonderful things my grandmother cooked and canned to preserve for another day. 40 years have passed since I last stepped foot in that house, but I will never forget that basement or all the jars of colorful food that lined its shelves. The air changed as you went down those stairs. It got cooler and darker and more mysterious. It was magical to me. My grandmother was an excellent cook and it always seemed amazing that she could make and keep things to delight our palates before we even arrived for our visit. There were jams and jellies and sauces and whole fruits and mixed vegetables and pickled this and sugared that. She grew things and bought things and traded with neighbors and canned all of it. You are making me want to follow in her footsteps again. Thank you for this reminder!

    172. Maureen

      I love canning, have been doing it since I was a kid. But I’ve never tried cherries! Now I want to try it! Last year my experimental canning project was making crabapple butter. Basically I used crabapples with an apple butter recipe and it was out of this world. This year I’m canning bruschetta for the first time. Mmmmm. Happy Canning!

    173. Donna C.

      Love Ace Hardware and have been a regular shopper for years in support of small business in our community! My goal is to start with refrigerator pickles!

    174. Rachel W

      Looks amazing! I’d like to try canning. A gift card would be great too!!

    175. Mary K

      I remember canning when my children were little – might be a good time to put up some fall produce!

    176. Karen H.

      When I lived in Oregon I use to do a lot of canning.

    177. Stef

      My mom would always can tomatoes, green beans, and relish. I’ve never tried it myself though!

    178. Marcia

      Ace is the place! I love that store…ya just never know what you will find. You did a ton of work girlfriend and came away with jewels!

    179. Wendy

      I would love to be able to can….

    180. Dodie Leibecke

      I have never tried canning but first time for everything! Right?

    181. Shirley D

      I used to can the old fashion way with the big blue speckled canner pot with the pullout rack. It’s a lotta work but rewarding. Who knew that there was such a thing as an electric canner!! They are always inventing things to make life easier but yet we seem to all be busier than ever. Go figure…. Love Ace Hardware

    182. Cassandra E

      I adore you. And my local ACE. I’ve lingered in the canning section, but am still a little afraid.
      Side note, has anyone already suggested heating a tomato before peeling? My gramma would hold hers over a flame on a fork. (I’m sure not safe….but….)
      Boiling works too!

    183. Krista

      I’ve never tried a canning recipe with honey instead of sugar, I’ll have to give that a go! Your cherry pie filling sounds really good.

    184. Lisa

      Yum!

    185. Katie Bell

      I LOVE to can. I think it’s one of the most rewarding things to see pretty jars filled with food that I grew. So satisfying. Anyway, I hope you liked it enough to stick with it, I like that the possibilities are endless. Sometimes just getting over the initial fear is the first step and then you realize, it’s not so bad after all. Good luck!

    186. Erica H

      I have always wanted to try canning fruits when they are in season, but it always seemed like too much work. That canning “cooker” looks like the perfect tool!

    187. Susanne

      Everything looks so yummy!! Thank you for the giveaway. Love, love your blog.

    188. Jana

      I would love to start canning again! I used to makes jams and green tomato relish with my mom every summer and loved it!

    189. Karen

      I like you have never canned before and always wanted to try. I will start by making peach freezer jam this fall. Love your blog!!

    190. Geach B

      I love to can and try to do lots of batches over the summer and fall. There are some great small batch canning books out there. Your cherries are beautiful and an Oxo pitter will be the best purchase you ever made!

    191. Amber

      Oh Ace Hardware, how I would love to give that new canner of yours a try!

    192. Sarah G

      looks yummy!

    193. Emily S

      Canning is very appealing to me but for some reason it’s intimidating. What if I don’t do it right! haha.

    194. Fran

      I have been wanting to try canning for a long time, so I’d love to win a chance to get the supplies from Ace!

    195. Julie W

      I’ve made and frozen my own tomato sauce, but never tried canning – might be time to learn a new skill!

    196. Jo

      Oh yum! I don’t recommend canning on a flat top stove! We ruined way to many peaches that way!

    197. Cindy

      Great post. I loved it. Just moved to the country and canning is one thing I want to learn.

    198. Margie Copeland

      It all looks great!

    199. Mickie

      My Mom and I canned everything when I was a kid, but life got busy fast after I started having my own children. Lately, I have a lot more time, and I have been thinking that it would be a great thing to teach my grandchildren. I don’t have any more canning supplies, though, so it was great to hear Ace carried everything needed. This was just the nudge I needed to do this. Applesauce. here we come!

    200. Clara Eaton

      Love that you are trying something new! Having a garden full of veggies to can is on my bucket list too.…

    201. Gina

      Oh, I loved this post! I have wanted to can but never have. This was the first year we even grew some tomatoes. I plan to make pesto with the rest of my basil later today. 🙂

    202. Cally

      I’ve wanted to try canning but I haven’t made the plunge yet! Love your blog 🙂 I read it almost daily!

    203. Barbara

      Love canning and ACE!

    204. Stephanie Phelps

      I was so distracted by your beautiful home and the pictures of the nice food it took me forever to read lol I love to can and the recipe sounds so good! Thank you for the chance to win this awesome giveaway! I can a small amount but not like you. I look forward to more recipes and pictures!

    205. Jeanie

      I absolutely love cherries too!!! Cherry pie is my favorite dessert…well, chocolate chip cookies too. Love your blog and all your tutorials!

    206. amber

      I can’t wait to start canning! my garden didn’t do great this year, but next year want to can a bunch of tomatoes

    207. Phyllis

      I’m so glad that you did this post on canning. I’ve needed a kick to get me to try it, and you provided that boot! You even picked the two favorite things I would like to try- cherries and tomatoes. Hope ACE can provide me with even more incentive.

    208. Debbie Nisson

      I need this canner!!!

    209. Olivia

      I love canning – especially tomatoes, and pickles, and beets and jams, and…and…and…thanks for the great tips!

    210. Holly R

      I love canning!!!! Canned cherries are awesome!

    211. Angela D McAlister

      The cherry jam is so pretty! I had no idea that there are electric cancers available. Sweet!

    212. Judy Jensen

      Never thought of canning cherries! Great idea!

    213. Esther Nemuras

      I canned for the first time this past week. The canner you featured from Ace looks amazing. Thanks for the opportunity!.

    214. Marion Lutz

      Your cherry pie filling is making my mouth water! Looks delicious!

    215. Cindy kington

      I really enjoyed reading this blog today. I am a new canner and have enjoyed making many jams. Once you start its hard to go back and buy jam at the grocery!

    216. Olivia

      Oh I’ve always wanted to can something and dream of retiring and having a farm full of veggies and doing just that. Thanks for the chance to win.. and a great read!

      Olivia

    217. Ruthie

      Looks positively delicious! This has been a great summer for cherries!

    218. Janet

      I love the satisfaction that you get when you look at all of those beautiful jars full of produce lined up and especially when you start hearing the “pings” after you take them out of the canner!!!

    219. April

      I love those mason jars for drinking cups, especially the large mouthed ones! Such pretty pictures. I love Ace for two reasons. #1 there is always someone to help me find what I am looking for, even when I am not quite sure what it is! #2 I can walk the entire store in 5 min and I am more likely to find all the general home improvement items I need and almost every specialty product as well! Amazing!!!

    220. Kathy

      I have not canned in many years. Your blog has been an inspiration. I’m going to can peaches this weekend.

    221. Cassie

      I am loving that canner!

    222. logan wilhelm

      How fun, can’t wait to go to the orchard and do some picking!!! Your cherry concoctions sound marvelous, thanks for the inspiration!

    223. Sharon

      Yummy!!!

    224. Laurie

      Count me in! And, yay for you learning to can!

      BTW, the next time you can tomatoes…dip whole tomatoes in boiling water for about a minute or so. The peeling will nearly fall off. Also, you should add some sort of acid to your tomatoes before canning, like lemon juice or vinegar. You may have, I just didn’t see that. Good luck!

    225. Rose

      This is encouraging, now I’ll have to go to ACE for the electric canning bath for my own “canning” experience!

      Love the pictures.

      Thank you Marian

    226. Linda Miltzow

      For a newbie at canning, you sure made it look like fun and easy! Thanks for the beautiful pics to walk us through the steps 🙂
      I’m going to have to give a try…someday!

    227. kathy

      I want to can too!!!! Thanks

    228. Melanie cook

      We too tried canning for the first time. We made bread and butter pickles! Soo many cucumbers in the garden this year.

      We did combine a couple different recipes, so who knows what they’ll taste like after the 4-5 week waiting period!!! U guys are fancy. We just used a stock pot to boil the jars!!!

    229. Barb Albert

      I learned to can with my grandmother, but haven’t done it for a while. You made me want to start again!

    230. Courtney Kennedy

      This is so fun! I make my grandmother’s homemade tomato sauce and it’s a full day process which I LOVE. I’ve always wanted to try canning – this may have inspired me to dive in! <3

    231. Bettyann

      Would love to try canning! Love your website I ordered your square soaps & love them!

    232. Sheila

      Canning was something that all the women in my family did in the summer time. We’d gather at my Grandparents’ house and shell, peel, cook whatever vegetables or fruits came from their garden that morning. There were very few “store bought” foods in that house. We pickled peaches, canned pears that were picked from the two old trees in the pasture and my Big Mama also made her own kraut. Such wonderful memories, except perhaps the very hot day that we canned 111 quarts of green beans. That day is burned in my memory, lol. Thanks for all you do Marian!

    233. Kathy Sciamanda

      OK, you pushed me off my duff, to the kitchen to can up the excess tomatoes and basil. Your addition of extra goodies has me fearless now——— I can do it if you can do it!!!

    234. Tracey

      My mom and I can delicious blueberry jelly from our blueberry bushes each summer. We have blueberry jelly that lasts year round! I would love this gift certificate to purchase the caning bath! Never tried one before ?

    235. Ann

      Looks amazing. I’ve never canned cherries. I would love to try doing so, though. I’ve never seen that canning pot either. Lots of great ideas. Thanks for sharing and look forward to winning! Well, a girl can hope, can’t she?

    236. Jamee

      I’ve canned apple butter – first it cooked all day in a crock pot, my house smelled amazing!

    237. Eileen

      I’ve canned, but backed off because of so much sugar. I’ll have to readdress that as new methods have altered that, I’m sure. Using homey is a great alternative.

    238. Vicki

      I love canning, though finding the time is not always easy. So far this year I made apricot and nectarine jams off the bounty of friend’s fruit trees. A little later in the season I will make my yearly batch of hot pepper jelly. My go-to appetizer is pepper jelly over a block of cream cheese served with crackers. The sweet/hot/creamy combination is pretty irresistible.

      Glad you gave canning a try and it is always more fun when doing it with a friend. Peeling tomatoes is much easier if you drop them in boiling water for a minute or so and then drop into ice water, the peels come right off.

    239. janine

      Haven’t canned in years, might try again! Especially jellies and jams, they’re pretty easy! Thanks for a chance to win!

    240. cheryl liberty

      cherries are all gone here ;( cheryl

    241. Melissa Leach

      What an interesting post today! Just like Christie, we never know what we are going to get!
      I would love to win the ACE gift card.

    242. lynda santillan

      WOW!! ive always loved canned goods..but never would try…you’re brave and looks delish…thanks so much for all your blogs..on how tos…im new at computer and had never heard of blogs…but yours comes mostly every day…and love them…thanks again

    243. Amber Spencer

      Gah, I want to do all the things you do, but there’s just not enough time in the day (after work)!

    244. Lisa Racz

      High sugar contents in jam also serves as a preservative…..;)

    245. Bonnie Bryant

      If you drop tomatoes into very hot water for a few minutes, then take them out, the skin will just slip off! Couldn’t tell from the photo if that’s what you did or not. Happy canning!

    246. Kelly Parker

      I have always wanted to try canning and after seeing your post I will give it a go!! thanks!

    247. MJ Lepley

      I have always wanted to try canning. Fingers crossed I win so I will have no excuse not to try it. ?

    248. Emily

      Your cherry pie filling and jam look delicious!!! Thank you for this awesome giveaway!!! 🙂

    249. Cookie Sheldon

      I have never canned. But I do visit my local Ace once a week.

    250. Lyn

      Having a garden kind of forces you to try canning, and my biggest satisfaction has always been the encouragement from my family. Oh, and the jars look pretty!

    251. confessionalcook

      Jam sounds good and looks beautiful!!

    252. Elizabeth Alfree

      I share your fondness of cherries! We picked a total of 15 pounds! Some were eaten, some were frozen and some will be pie filling! Nothing like home made!

    253. Katherine Cruz

      Thanks for the great and educational post, Marian. I’ve pickled, but never canned. Here in South Florida, out growing season is about to start. I’m going to give it a try if I get some tomatoes to grow, lol! Kudos to Ace hardware for the offer, I didn’t know they sold canning supplies… But I do now! 🙂

    254. Alason Jones

      Love your blog and Ace hardware! Thanks for the canning tips!

    255. Patricia K

      Looks delicious!

    256. Erika W.

      I’ve never attempted to do any canning. It doesn’t look too difficult though!

    257. Kathleen bruns

      Brings back memories of my mom canning all summer long

    258. Sarah V

      I’ve been dying to try canning! I have a book, too, that’s sitting on my shelf collecting dust until I finally get the courage to try. Hopefully this year!!!

    259. Jean

      Marian, I know I am now a true resident of the Pacific Northwest – I bought a cherry pitter that pits 6 cherries at once! Got it at Bed Bath Beyond with a coupon.

    260. Sally Corrigan

      I was just going to say the same thing about slipping the skins off after a minute in boiling water…much simpler! and we always used a cherry pitter or a large paper clip to slip the pit out without losing soo much of the cherry! Home Arts are the best! Enjoy your blog

    261. Sharon @ Elizabeth & Co.

      Everything looks so delicious! I canned all sorts of fruits and veggies years ago and really need to give it a try again!

    262. Darlene Kennedy

      I would LOVE,LOVE the canner! Want to learn.

    263. Jennifer

      I love going to my local Ace Hardware store just down the road from where we live! The woman who owns it is incredibly helpful, and I’m so glad to hear that you have partnered with them.

    264. Wendy D.

      I love canning!!!! My mother and grandmother taught me the importance of canning from the time I could eat from the table. Some of my best memories of my grandmother revolve around gardening and canning. The hard work never bothered me as long as I was with Grandma. She has been gone for ten years and every year as I go about canning the garden harvest I think of her and weep with joy that somehow we are still connected through the ritual of canning. Oh and I also love cherries!!!!???

    265. Carla

      It all looks yummy. Would love to win!

    266. Gail

      You make canning look easier than I imagined. Maybe I will give it a go now that I have an overabundance of tomatoes from the garden.

    267. Mary

      I love cherries too. Look online for a recipe for “Velvet Cherry Sauce”…
      Amazing over good vanilla ice cream.

    268. JILL NELSON

      There is nothing more satisfying than pulling out your canned salsa and pie fillings come November and December!!

    269. Darla Thomas

      Love me some ACE Hardware 🙂

    270. tina

      That cherry jam would make a pretty milk paint color!

    271. Wendy

      I’ve never had homemade cherry pie filling, only the stuff from the can in the grocery store. This sounds much better and less sweet. I’ll have to try it, my husband loves cherries. I’ve only ever canned once before; I made slow-cooker apple butter as Christmas basket stuffers. I thought it was tasty but I don’t know if anyone else did. 🙂 I’d love to try canning again, maybe some tomato sauce.

    272. Lori Lockwood

      I get the majority of my canning jars, lids, etc from Ace. I didn’t know about the electric water bath tho!! What a neat invention

    273. Kelly T

      Man, just seeing those cherries makes my mouth water! I did strawberry jam last year, a lot of it and we’re still eating it but I’m thinking cherries sound so much better!

    274. LaDonna

      Looks like a lot of fun – I haven’t braved canning yet!

    275. Carleen Malinowski

      Your cherry pie filling is inspiring me to try making it and canning!

    276. Shannon

      Okay…the cherries look amazing! But LOOK at you! You look even more amazing! I’ve been on this journey with you although mine is more of a roller coaster ride. One day I hope to find the balance you’ve found and maybe I’ll find time to can when I do!

    277. Jo

      I always felt that when I occasionaly can tomatoes, I should have on a flowery print cotton dress..and an apron—just as my grandmother dressed ‘back in the day’ when canning was a necessity in her rural lifestyle. Thanks for the memories!

    278. karen sparks

      Welcome to canning!! I have been canning since about age 31 and I am 58 years old. We always do a vegetable garden every year; tomatoes, squash, beans, corn, cucumbers. In the fall we plant collards and cabbage. We have apple and pear trees which I either make apple sauce or freeze them. The pears are canned in light syrup and it is heavenly come about wintertime. I guess I will always can as long as I garden…it just goes together.

      I hope you enjoyed the process and if you didn’t grow a garden before, next spring you might try your hand it it….will give you more incentive to can.

    279. C Wilson

      I think back to canning each summer, my Mom & Grandma canned Tomatoes, Beets, Beans, Jam, Peaches, Pickles, and even Barbeque Sauce! Alot of work –but in those days it was a necessity.

    280. Karin

      Looks amazing! I’m a regular buyer canned cherry pie filling. Usually buy it a farmers markets or directly at the orchard. I’d like to give a plug to cooperative extensions. great resource for food preservation techniques.

    281. Rosie

      I would love to try canning. My dream is to have a home in the country and submit pies for the fairs to try for a blue ribbon, do canning and chop wood. I used to have a beautiful antique wood stove, miss it! An Ace store started near me not that long ago, and I’m absolutely wild to go shopping there! I’m signed up for their rewards! I love how helpful they are, and you can depend on their advice if you are on a DIY project!!

    282. Shelia Almon

      I have always wanted to can.
      Cherries are my favorite.

    283. Lisa Bue

      We take our “putting up” very seriously here in MN with our short growing season! I love the tip on the vinegar in the hot water bath. I have been canning for years and always hat the white chalky film. Thanks for that!

    284. Michelle

      I’ve always thought about canning but never tried it. Your post sure makes it look fun. I love Ace hardware and love the variety of things you can buy! Thanks for the inspiration.

    285. Vicki DuBose

      Love the simplicity of your cherry pie filling.

    286. Roberta Lloyd

      I had a problem with a pressure cooker years ago and have not tried to can since, but this sounds interesting. May have to try again

    287. Mary Jo

      I could do a lot with an Ace gift card! And canning sounds so fun!

    288. Anne Pik

      I love the cherry recipe, I’m going to try it!

    289. Debra Garrett

      I would love to try that electric canning bath!

    290. Mz V

      I’m loving the thought of tomato sauce…I’ve got a HUGE bush of fresh basil that I’m looking for something to use it for……thanks for the great visuals…

    291. clara

      I love all your tutorials–and you made canning look so easy, I think it is something that I would like to try.

    292. Alison G

      Canning is a lot of work but always worth it in the end. The best part being you know what is in your food. All natural good food. I really like homemade applesauce. I like Ace too. Thanks for the giveaway.

    293. Wendy

      My husband bought a couple of cases of jars and a “how to” book for me and said “this will give you something to do.” Your post was just the inspiration that I need. Thanks!

    294. Allie Cram

      I have many fond memories of canning with my mom and grandma. We canned peaches. I remember peeling so many peaches that my hands turned orange. Have fun with your canning adventure!

    295. Sherri Mailes

      I would love to win some canning goods.
      Did you dip your tomatoes in warm water? Heat water on stove – drop a few tomatoes in there for just 20 seconds or so – the peeling will fall right off.

    296. Katie Sauser

      That electric canner looks really neat.

    297. Tammy

      I really need to get back to canning. I have not done it in a long time. The pie filling sounds yummy.

      I would love to win this item.

    298. Pat Sanders

      Way to go MMS and Ace!

    299. Teri

      Thanks for the inspiration, Marian. I’ve always wanted to try canning too but have been too chicken to try. Not sure why. Canning cherries for a winter pie is a great idea.

    300. Fredi Alt

      I live on a farm that used to have a Bing Cherry Orchard! Was a very long time ago but I remember the best tasting cherries Ever! You would have been in cherry heaven. Anyway, love your blog and love Ace Hardware!

    301. Beth

      Have always loved canning fresh ingredients. And I love Ace Hardware

    302. Sherry Fram

      Love jam! I still can most summers. Learned how to do it growing up. Thanks for the giveaway!

    303. Diane Westbrook

      Hi, Oh that all looks amazing and tasty too!! Makes me think I need to do some canning! I like cherries, but mostly in love with tomatoes. The things you added to the tomatoes makes my mouth water!! I LOVE Ace hardware! I was there yesterday (find myself there a couple of times a month) and they are always so helpful, no matter what my needs are for a project. Thanks ACE! and Thanks Marian for another great post!!

    304. Mary

      I so hoped my garden would produce results this year so I could can. Alas, the heat and few torrential downpours stopped that dead in its tracks.

      On to the farmers market for me.

    305. MICHELLE

      Fall canning is coming…I love to can chunky applesauce…with and without cinnamon. I also can stewed zucchini and pasta sauces. I need some new canning jars and that canner looks awesome. Happy canning!!!

    306. Kaelsma

      Cherries are my favorite!

    307. Jessica | Petal + Ply

      Yum! Both look amazing. We canned pickles for the first time this year. We had an overabundance of cucumbers from our garden so we had to do something!

    308. Connie

      Sweet cherries for pie filling is new to me! I’ve always thought sour cherries should be used so I learned something. I share your interest in reducing the amount of sugar and adding extra veggies to your tomato sauce but please be careful. Sugar acts as a preservative and by adding veggies to your tomatoes you reduce acidity which also is a persvative. Enjoy the fruits of your labor!

    309. Andrea

      Love Ace hardware! have 80 pounds of tomatoes sitting in my kitchen waiting to be canned! Work cut out for me!

    310. Stephanie Lillard

      It sounds like a fun afternoon! Like you, I have never canned, but would love to try! I did bake cakes in jars once, to send to my son in afghanistan. They were great! I would love to win the Ace Hardware giveaway!

    311. Michelle

      Thank you for the tutorial. I love how people are getting back to the simpler things in life, such as canning, restoring furniture and fixing things instead of buying new. We can all learn from out Grandparents on how to live a healthier and happier life.

    312. Carolyn Hogan

      Just made Lavender and Lemon Blueberry Jam! It tastes so fresh and bright! Getting ready to bake some homemade bread to spread it on!

    313. Jane Allen

      Looks like fun, I found a cherry pitter makes a Hugh difference when doing cherries, even a little hand held one. (I noticed your square cherry pits in the picture). ?

    314. Karen

      I made some jelly once and cooked it too long so when it “set” in the jars it was hard as a rock – like a sucker in a jar that you couldn’t eat!!
      Yours look yummy!!
      Karen

    315. Bonnie Thompson

      I really love ACE Hardware. Shop there constantly and have been wanting to go back to canning but no longer have the equipment.

    316. Nina

      This summer I canned some lovely Fig Jam. The figs came from a friend’s organically grown tree. A few days ago, I made Fig “Newtons” from the jam. Excellent! Canning offers such a wide variety to home cooking.
      Thanks for a great post!

    317. Wendy from OldLakeGeorge.com

      Tomatoes are taking over my neighbors garden! I will share the FreshTech electric canning bath with her!!
      Thanks for the giveaway.

    318. Leslie Collison

      Awesome post. Brought back so many memories of my Mom canning. Something so special and comforting about that, does my heart some good. Thanks for sharing❤

    319. Melissa W.

      I’ve never tried canning before, but would love to give it a try. Thanks for the giveaway!

    320. Rose

      I was just telling my husband I really need to learn how to make my own jalapeno jam/jelly and then I could learn how to can it.

    321. Paula Watkins

      Canned tomatoes with fresh basil is my favorite!

    322. Carol

      I love canning but I’ve never seen this type of canner before. I have never canned sweet black cherries only the sour cherries for pie. I would love to win the Ace Hardware giveaway!

    323. Diana E

      You’re cherry pie filling looks delicious! I would eat it with a spoon too.

    324. Sandra Gumm

      I gave canning a try with last summers tomato harvest and none of my jars exploded, so that gave me the courage to give it a second try this year. Since I only had quart jars, which wouldn’t fit into the large pot I planned to use in place of a canner, I decided to freeze my tomato sauce. I would love to have the proper canning equipment to do the job properly. Just hope we don’t have any long term power outages in western PA this winter, as we go south for the winter and I would hate to loose the 8 quarts of sauce that my little square foot garden produced. Yes, square foot! It’s amazing what a little Epson salts added to the soil at planting time, can do to help your plants produce!

    325. Sharon

      What an enjoyable read, with lots of memories of helping my grandma put up her preserves. I have done this a bit in the past but am really ready to go back at it in a serious way.

    326. Marlee Goodnight

      yes please…love doing preserves 🙂

    327. Melissa

      There are local falls that allow you to pick your own cherries when they are ripe. I actually climbed a tree. They are in Biglerville. You pay for your cherries by weight. They are in Arendtsville/Biglerville. I had a blast…

    328. Melissa

      Auto correct turned the word farms to falls. No local falls with cherries!!

    329. Christina Schmidt

      Hi Marian,
      I loved this blog post! My stepmom has been learning how to can this year and she has created some really amazing things, like pickles, relishes, preserves, jams and so on. I can’t wait to be able to learn to do this myself. There’s nothing like having something fresh and knowing you had fun making it. It looks time consuming but so worth it. I hope you’ll share more posts like this and I love reading the comments to get more ideas.

    330. Heidi S

      I would love to get my bags of spaghetti sauce and those unknown leftovers (that you just knew you’d recognize so didn’t mark the bag!) out of the freezer where they get lost, forgotten or unidentifiable and give canning a try 🙂

    331. Cheryl

      I haven’t canned in years but kept the boxes of jars, “just in case”. An electric canner would be great! I remember standing over that hot water bath and trying to grab those hot, slippery jars!

      The cherry filling looks so yummy. I can’t believe you pitted all those cherries by hand either! Determination.

    332. becky j

      You go ,Marian- aren’t these “old-fashioned” skills just awesome? My Momma was an organic canning whiz back in the 70’s and 80’s when it wasn’t considered cool…she still cans in small batches when she is able and I am going next week to make grape juice from our delicious grapes with her…I would LOVE to win..bring on the mason jars! 🙂 thanks

    333. Vicki

      Love my local Ace Hardware in Middleport Ohio!

    334. Ellie Lightfoot

      I’ve never canned cherries. They don’t last that long at my house. Welcome to the world of preserving.
      Cheers!

    335. Bonnie

      There was an orchard where we picked cherries near where I grew up in Michigan…and I really miss that living in Georgia. Thanks for sharing your fun of canning. As an added thought, I often can find the ‘odd’ thing that I’m looking for at Ace Hardware. I love to shop there, and think that this is a GREAT giveaway!

    336. Laurie J

      I made cherry jam with cherries from our tree this summer. Usually the birds get them first, but this year we beat them! Poor birdies….lucky us!

    337. Janice F

      What fun! I can a good many things since we have a vegetable garden. Salsa, tomatoes, beans, peas, pickles, relishes and jams. I have been really busy this summer! I hope you continue on with this, but with your schedule, I doubt you will have much time. However, good luck on future endeavors!

    338. Kathy Sturgeon

      It’s been years since I’ve done any canning. You’ve inspired me to get going and can something for this winter!

    339. Angela W

      I have canned a number of items this year, including confiture, pasta sauce, and tomato soup.

      I hope I win! Thanks for the opportunity!

    340. Diane Scherbarth

      Beautiful canning for your first time out! I usually make apricot, peach, or plum jam. I agree—it’s delicious right off the spoon! I usually cut the sugar content too.

    341. Anne

      I was surprised to see your post about canning and enjoyed the mouth-watering pics!
      I remember helping my Mom with elderberry jelly many years ago. The electric canning bath looks like a very useful kitchen tool!
      I also used epsom salts to the soil when planting my tomatoes , and the plants are producing an abundance of them.

    342. Karen

      Oh what fun! I remember my Grandmothers working hard all summer to “put up” things. Now I wish I paid more attention to how they did it. 🙂

    343. Marcia

      Canning is one way to feel the warmth of summer in the middle of winter.

    344. Lisa Carter

      In Missoula, MT, my go-to for most things (non grocery) is ACE Hardware. They even have dog food. The cherries look delicious!

    345. Susie Meadows

      We just moved, and one of the best things about this house is the yard-and planning my new gardening space! Looking forward to plentiful tomatoes next summer, and who knows what all else.

    346. Beth

      I am glad you will follow the recipe next time. You will be amazed how much better they will turn out. I know you can do it.

    347. Sandy Fritch

      I think canning is so satisfying when the beautiful colored produce is jarred. Instead of peeling the tomatoes, use a slotted spoon and dip the tomato in boiling water. The skin comes right off. Hope I win the contest so I can splurge on more jars.

    348. Carol

      Love, love, love cherries!

    349. Donna Skees

      Would love to have some more canning equipment!

    350. Maryann Smith

      I have a glass top stove now and am looking into these canners. They look great.

    351. Katherine Schaffer

      haven’t read through every previous comment but just in case — here’s the distinction on the sweet preserves: Jelly – uses juice of the fruit only – NO pieces of fruit; Jam – contains the fruit itself but it is crushed; and finally – Preserves – whole fruit/ not crushed. You are right about NOT altering the am’t of sugar – you need that sugar to insure the fruit is safely canned or you could be talking about food poisoning issues. Best to refrigerate or freeze batches that you reduced sugar (or use your recipe but just freeze it from the get go and remove from freezer one jar at a time as you use it. Re: canning tomatoes and/or tomato sauce — they need PRESSURE canning or you really run the risk of food poisoning — there is rarely enough of some preserving agent ( e.g. – good amounts of vinegar an /or sugar) in tomatoes alone or sauce, Pickles are fine in the water bath — the vinegar or vinegar and sugar mixture in the liquid keeps them safely. A great source for info on safe canning is you local Cooperative Extension.

      • Joan Raines

        Learned a lot here. I always just can tomatoes with a water bath and boil for 45 minutes. Your saying pressure can always . I followed my canning book instructions. Maybe we have been lucky ??? Thanks for the info Katherine.

        I also did not know about the vinegar in the water to eliminate the mineral stuff on the cans, nor did I know Ace carried jars or that they have an electric pressue cooker which I am going to purchase. OH My. Never to old to learn. We have a new Ace Hardware in Charlotte, MI where I live and I am like a kid in a candy store when I go in there. I buy my tools, and lots of incidentals there. Great store!!!! It is my go to place also my son uses them a lot for plumbing supplies in his work.

    352. Sophie Vazansky

      Never have canned but would love to start since I am retired.

    353. Treva

      That’s so fun that you have tried out canning. It is scary though when you realize that jam recipes call for more sugar than fruit. I have switched to make low sugar jam with Pomona’s Universal Pectin. It uses powdered calcium to gel instead of sugar, so you can put in as much or as little sugar in as you want. The last batch of strawberry jam I made, I only put 1 1/2 cups of sugar in.

      I would warn about changing canning recipes. They need to be acidic enough to keep bacteria from growing. You can ask your local county extension for details. Ball and Pomona’s Pectin have good cookbooks with tested recipes.

    354. Susan NJ

      I love Ace Hardware. I would love make applesauce , Apple butter, peach jam.
      It would be so great to give them as Holiday Gifts.
      My mom many years ago, first time making peach jam took first prize in a local fair.

    355. Dawn Maletzke

      I recently started a garden club at my son’s elementary school to teach the kids how to grow organic vegetables and herbs. We are in Florida so our growing season starts now! I have a feeling there I going to be a great need to learn how to can food this year… and something else I can pass on to my students and their families!

    356. Ali

      I’ve always wanted to try canning! You make it look easy…

    357. Deb Zaharchuk

      I make jam with my dad almost every year, it’s literally the only thing he can cook! I am still nervous to can on my own, but that canning system looks doable!

      As a side note, dad can’t stand to add that much sugar either, as you said recipes are critical with jellies or they won’t gel, he buys low sugar Sure Gel to make his low sugar jelly! It works like a charm!

    358. Diane S

      What beautiful canned cherry pie filling! Your pictures make me want to make some jam this afternoon. I usually make apricot, peach and plum jam. I agree it’s best eaten right off the spoon. I also cut down on the sugar. Most recipes use too much for my personal taste. I like the flavor of the fruit to shine through.

    359. Kandee Walker

      I enjoy canning fresh produce, too!
      Save some for a cold winter day!!

    360. Yvonne Leach

      I love your blog! Hope I win the Ace giveaway!

    361. Susan

      I love making jelly. I’ve never had a canning bath. That would be a great purchase.

    362. Linda Latt

      I have not canned in years but your post brings back all the experiences I had with a large garden and canning veggies. I really enjoyed it. I must say the electric canning bath looks wonderful.

    363. Rebecca

      I too, have always wanted to try canning. Thank you for the inspiration!

    364. Carol S

      I once had a garden and peach trees and did some canning and preserving. It was so much fun! Why haven’t I thought of just buying a bunch of stuff instead of wishing I had a garden again? Thanks for the inspiration!

    365. Beth

      I would love to see you give it a another try with canning cherry pie filling using the recipe. You could educate people about the importance of not improvising and show how much better the second batch turned out.

    366. Joan

      Don’t change the recommended amounts of sugar.

    367. Donna Martin

      Ace is the place!!! I use a different method of canning—been doing it for years. My husband gardens and I put it up! It is great. Freezer jelly is great too–easy!!!

    368. Jackie C

      My mother canned almost everything she could from our garden when I was a little girl, I remember sitting on the back porch helping her prepare the fruits and vegetables for canning, how I hated doing it, I wanted to be off playing with my friends, how I miss those summer days now.
      Now, I carrying on the tradition with my daughter, but she actually enjoys canning with me!!

    369. Vicki

      I love Ace Hardware. I live in a small town in Montana and it is the center for most of the local activities. Have a question on most anything and someone at Ace can help you out. I love to can and loved seeing how Marion enjoyed canning too. The cherries looked delicious…

    370. Suzanne Gutierrez

      I have really wanted to try canning, but never had the time. Well, I now have the time! My maternal grandmother was a high school home economics teacher, and she canned all kinds of stuff. I should have paid more attention back then, I really could have learned so much from her. But, I guess it’s never to late to learn a new trick!
      I hope your foray into canning is a success!

    371. Starr Moore

      I tried canning figs once and my jars never popped and sealed. Boo hoo! Would love to try again with a canning pot from Ace!

    372. Molly Beth McCain

      I’ve never canned cherries! Think I will try to, your recipe sounds yummy!,,,, and I love your photography as well( especially the puce it you in it!) congratulations on your first try at canning!

    373. Martha Swanson

      We just canned salsa, we try and do something every year. We have to look things up every year to make sure we are preserving everything in a safe way. You have to learn as you go though. It is so rewarding to preserve and grow some of your own food!

    374. Kari

      Great first try! I tried pomegranate jelly this winter, it was a lot of sugar! I’ll admit though it tasted great and was such a pretty color!

    375. Kelly Hawkins

      Funny you should post a blog about canning. I was just roaming Pinterest about canning. My in laws make jams and jellies and I ran out so thought about doing my own so I don’t have to wait until next years visit to stock up. I found one recipe for pumpkin butter and debating whether to attempt.
      You’ve inspired me to go ahead and try my hand.
      Never knew ace had canning items either, wow, I love my local ace.

    376. Bea

      Glad you liked canning. I’ve made blueberry jam in the past and loved it. A guy I worked with grew and sold blueberries. Somehow I had the idea that when they were cooked, they would reduce so I bought a spackling bucket load. This was 30 pounds of blueberries. I ended up making 36 jars of jam, two pies, two dozen muffins, and froze quite a few quart bags to use for pancakes, etc. I learned that they do not reduce, but I had lots to share with friends which was the best thing.

    377. karen

      You make everything look beautiful and easy…….would love to be the lucky one to win the Ace gift certificate and do some fun shopping ! xox

    378. Darla Martin

      Oh yum. We just bought a home with lost of fruit trees most crops except apples are over but looking forward to canning next year. I will have to check Ace Hardware

    379. Melissa

      I love canning! We have a large garden and can almost everything. It really saves in our grocery bill. I have never used an electric canner I will have to check those out.

    380. Jean Elliott

      I haven’t canned for years…but I did everything you did with an old blue enamel canning pan…I still have the insert! I love Ace Hardware. I love it that you can park close and walk in and there’s always someone there who knows what you need to know and they almost always have everything I need. Would love to win that gift certificate and it wouldn’t take me long to use it.

    381. Gwyneth Miller

      Gotta go check out this great canner at Ace Hardware!!

    382. Christa

      I bought jars and lids after reading a few recipes a couple of summer ago. Last summer I filled the jars with sand and shells, so I get you. I have always wanted to try canning applesauce, maybe I’ll get there this fall.

    383. alberto prado

      I am trying this with Strawberries. Wish me luck.
      Never done this before, but I am curious.

    384. Sue

      Loved your post! A quick trick for peeling tomatoes is to cut an X in the bottom and drop in boiling water for about 30-45 seconds. Then, drop into a bowl of ice water. They will peel easily. This also works with peaches. Happy canning.

    385. Kim

      I need that freshTech canning bath! Also, did you know if you dip tomatoes in simmering water the skin peels off easily? Your photos didn’t look like they had been dipped!

    386. Lisa

      Poor Kriste peeling those tomatoes! Tip for next time, dip the tomatoes in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds, then remove, and the skins will slide right off! works the same on peaches. your cherry pie filling looks delish. My sister lives not far from Traverse City, Michigan, cherry capitol of the US, where you can find cherry everything, including wine and a great festival.

    387. Lori

      Ah! Thanks for the tip about adding vinegar to the canning bath water. We have hard water in our tap water and it makes for ugly jars. I ended up buying a few gallons of bottled water whenever I canned. I would so love to win that electric canning bath. Made applesauce today, only had enough apples for 1 jar so I didn’t “can” it. Looking forward to this season’s canning!

    388. Elizabeth

      Love canning! Never thought of canning cherries, yum! I’ve been freezing tomatoes as of late, they’re not as pretty as seeing jars in my pantry though. Love Ace Hardware too and I’ve known that they often have hard to find jar styles and sizes!

    389. Loren Forrest

      Just love seeing your posts. Thanks so much for sharing.
      Cheers

    390. melody gentry

      I adore Ace Hardware and their “home section”. I have canned big for about 6 years. My mom taught me. I am sure your tomato sauce is ok, but you need to make sure you haven’t messed with the acidity level by adding all those extra ingredients. You may have needed to add lemon juice to it. I am so cautious about canning b/c I am afraid of botulism!!! My father-in-law lost three cousins back in the 40s to botulism in canned peaches that their mama had canned. I have never done cherries and they look beautiful.

    391. Patricia Sappington

      Haven’t canned in years, this makes me want to do it again.

    392. Cynthia Krantz

      I learned canning through my mother. She canned everything from tomatoes, pickled relish, Apple butter, and tons of varieties of jams & jellies. Mom is 78 and still making fruit preserves. She is making tons of 1/2 pints jars of peach jam for my friends wedding, here in Georgia. It’s awesome to see other people taking up this delicious “hobby”!

    393. Mary Jamieson

      Marian, You can use a waterbath for tomatoes, you just need to add extra acid like vinegar, lemon juice or citric acid. Get a Ball Canning and Preserving book. It is the BIBLE of canning. Never adjust the recipes. By adding low acid vegetables (zucchini) to your recipe and adding in wine, you have thrown off the proper acid balance. If you want to adjust the recipes, freeze the results. Keep it up, canning is fun but always, ALWAYS follow the recipes exactly. Botulism can be dangerous and deadly.

    394. susi

      Thank you for the chance to win. I bet the sauce was to die for!

    395. Memri

      Oooh, the tomato sauce!

    396. judi

      years ago i tried substituting stevia when making strawberry jam….it didn’t set up very well. ?
      lesson learned.

    397. April

      I have an activity in my classroom that is grant funded and we work with a local farmer. He is ALWAYS singing the praises of canning and is really eager to teach people how to do it and how beneficial canning is. The way good is grown, stored and processed now makes it hard to really eat “fresh” and to not have produce go rotten so quickly. I’ve really started thinking about this based on a lot of conversations I’ve had with him.

    398. Melanie

      Wow!! Great giveaway I LOVE ace Hardware, they always have the things other stores don’t.

    399. carol

      How do you care for your wooden counter tops? Do wax? I love your Blog. Keep sharing

    400. Lee

      Love all the helpful people at my local Ace Hardware!

    401. Krista

      I have a large garden and have canned countless jars of food over the years. So handy to have on hand in the winter. I use a very large pot on my stove but that electric canner is quite intriguing.

    402. PJ

      I like that you reduced the sugar or used honey in your recipes. I am trying to find more canning recipes that use honey or maple syrup, both of which are available locally.

      • Grace Fuentes

        I found a canning book named “Naturally Sweet Food is Jars” by Marissa McClellan this summer. The canned food is sweetness with honey, maple syrup, agave, coconut sugar, fruit juice concentrate and dried fruit. So far, I’ve made the peach salsa. Great for those eating Paleo.

    403. Liz

      I love that electric canning bath! I’ve done some canning before but not as much as I’d like to. I’m always concerned that I may not process jars for as long I should or at a high enough temperature. That would probably take the guesswork out of the process. If you would like to make jams, etc with less sugar, Ball makes containers and specially formulated pectin to make freezable, low sugar/no sugar jam. The Ball canning guide has several recipes. I picked up both at my local Ace recently.

    404. valarie sanford

      You are so smart. And I’m so smart to follow you ha!

    405. Donna Doble-Brown

      I LOVE LOVE LOVE cherries! I haven’t ever thought about canning them. But I might now! Gosh they look De-lish!!!!

      Love the picture of you on the dining room chair . . Anything for the shot!

    406. Nancy H

      I canned this summer for the first time ever and I really enjoyed it.

    407. Cheryl

      Oh my, you two have been busy! At least Kristi can say she won’t get bored, lol. Thank you so much for the tip on putting vinegar in the bath water. I have hard water and usually get a film, so I’m glad to hear about this! I pretty much a newbie also. When mom passed away I had to learn to make her zucchini relish, which by the way has turned out great. I just ventured into pickled jalapeno’s . Love your pics!!

    408. Robin D

      I’ve always wanted to learn how to can. You made it look so easy! Thank you!

    409. Wendy B

      Love your blog! Tried MMS milk paint a few weeks ago and love that,too!! I’ve canned a lot of fruit over the years and just finished canning and making plum butter from a friends tree! It is/was the best! That electric canner looks interesting and I think I’ll have to check it out!

    410. Katy

      I’m the same way! Every year I say “this will be the year I start canning” and then I don’t… Ha! $150 to spend on supplies would definitely get me canning up whatever I still can this year. I dream of my pantry shelves being full of pretty jars of goodies some day!

    411. Benita Arnett

      Hi, I’ve always wanted to can. I canned peaches once and they turned out ok. I didn’t know Ace had an electric canner. That would make things much simpler. Thanks for showing your delicious canned cherries

    412. Sue

      Thank you for the canning inspiration and beautiful photos! My grandparents and mother always canned so it brought back memories. Thanks!

    413. Sherill

      Working on grapes myself…love knowing where and how my food comes into my house?

    414. Rebecca

      All Clad? When did u upgrade? Anything we should know? Buy one piece at a time? Save for a set? Advise me, please! I have dreamed of this and my heart skipped a beat when I saw it in the photos… I know it’s not a competition, but I felt I was on par with your world. I get it that things change and audiences will with those changes, this just grabbed me. If this is a blogging perk I will definitely begin one, If this is simply a case of “now I can afford”, congratulations!!! I think it’s equally as important to show the rewards hard work and determination bring. Thanks.

      • marian

        Actually, that is my one All Clad pan and I bought years ago, long before I started a blog. It was a huge splurge for me, but I was really into cooking at the time, so I saved up for it. It is my favorite pan and I use it often. Well worth the investment. (All of my other stainless pots and pans were bought here and there at discount stores.)

        • Rebecca

          Would you say this pan is the best to start with? I’ve been saving as well and I think buying one pan at a time is a great strategy! But, there are sooooo many! Does this pan have a special name or purpose? Thank you so much for sharing! You really help others make their dreams come true by showing your path.m thanks so much!

    415. Brenda Hardisty

      The cherries look beautiful in the jars! Canning is hard work, so when you eat the finished product, it makes you appreciate it all the more. Now I’m craving cherry pie!

    416. Stephanie Gunderson

      I enjoy your blog and todays was fun! One suggestion would be to have a pot of water boiling and drop the tomatoes in that you want the peeling done on. By imerging them in the boiling water for just 2-4 minutes and then plopping them in ice cold water their skin will split and you will be able to easily pull it off with your fingers!
      Enjoy
      Stephanie

    417. SusanIrene

      I never thought of canning cherries to make the season last longer!! I’m checking out the electric canner. Thanks for taking this detour for us.

    418. Joni G.

      Your post was perfect. Your cherry canning is a winner and so is Ace Hardware!

    419. Sarah

      I love to can and try to go fruit picking througout the summer. That electric canner would get a lot of use at my house!!!

    420. Cecily Carroll

      Love this post…the photos are beautiful and the canning made me want to get out the canning jars again!

    421. KitsyKeelSmith

      Many years ago when I moved to NC I had a vegetable garden and canned everything I harvested. It was all so yummy, especially the grape jelly. My husband and son at it up so fast, I decided it was a lot of work for such a small number of jars, what with the straining through cheesecloth (and messy.) Would love to give it another try but would buy my veges at Farmers’ Market next time since we don’t have a yard large enough (the pool takes up most of the back yard.) Thanks for sharing such an interesting post. Love you, your family, Kristie and the blog. Yours is the first one I open every day.

    422. Debbie Pinzino

      I love cherries too!!!!! I have an electric canner on my wish list. I have fond memories of my mom and grandma canning all kinds of things and would love to attempt it myself.

    423. Mary

      I have been canning since I was a child and helped my mom but I did not know there was a fancy thing like an electric canner! That sounds like the perfect idea!

    424. Denise Barkel

      Great post! I going through these same worries every year they never seems to go away for me no matter how many years I have been canning.

    425. Diane Stouffer

      I was interested to read of the electric canner. We have canned different fruits and vegetables in the past and even some homemade apple cider last year. My father-in-law gave my husband an apple press.

      The ACE canner looks like it would make things simpler than they have been.

    426. Mary

      Jelly is made from the strained fruit juice and has a very similar texture to jello. Preserves and jam have all the good chunky delicious fruit. Preserves are so much better! Your cherry recipe with five cups sugar may have been for “Tart Red Cherries”. I’ve never seen those for sale fresh in the south. Since you love cherries so much you should take a vacation next summer to Door County Wisconsin when the cherries are ripe. You will be in cherry heaven. Just be sure to make prior reservations. It is a beautiful and popular place.

    427. Ruby

      gosh, those cherries are lovely! having canned, frozen, and pickled food from my garden in my pantry makes me feel rich! lol, It is so nice to know exactly what the ingredients are that you are feeding your family. Oh, my! elictric canner! what will they think of next?! lol

    428. Lin Shultz

      I haven’t done any canning yet this season but I think I would love using the electric canner. I usually do the old fashioned enamel kettle and that works pretty well for me but the electric canner is intriguing.

    429. Gloria

      My mom and I have been canning together since I was school age. Thank you for a beautiful post!

    430. Tracy

      That cherry pie filling looks DELISH! I have never canned ever. I have always wanted too, just never have. I bet that tomato sauce tastes great too. Could you have dipped the “maters” in boiling water first to get that skin to come off easier?

    431. Kate Treadway

      I’m about to can for the first time too but I’m upper nervous I’m going to mess it up and accidentally give us all botulism in the process. Have a ton of garden veggies that need canning or theyll go to waste. That cherry jam looks to die for though!

    432. Sharon M.

      Mercy! An electric water bath canner, what WILL they think of next?! I’ve canned for years using a traditional water bath canner and then switching to an aluminum steam canner. Here I thought I was on top of the “latest” in home canning. Thanks for another lesson in homecraft, Marian.

    433. Naomi S.

      That cherry “jam” looks really delicious! You are certainly an adventurous soul! My mother canned every summer from their garden, but I never learned anything about it from her. Is that the height of stupidity or what? Still, today, I’m not really gung-ho to can. However, one thing I am going to try to make is tomato preserves or “jam”. My grandmother used to make it and it has a taste all its own and I’ve always loved it. Funny, I remember my mother canning bushels and bushels of tomatoes, but she never made the preserves. Anyway, that will be my foray into “canning” this year. Maybe more next year, but I have serious doubts! Am I just lazy? Possibly!

    434. Joanie McLaughlin

      The cherry-pie filling looks delicious. It also looks like the color of cherries we buy in the produce section. I’ve always wondered why store-bought canned cherry-pie-filling is bright red. I guess I need to look into this subject via google. I’m sure there’s an explanation!

    435. Sara

      I love the idea of canning but I am like you were and have only bought the book. One day…..

    436. Julie Shumaker

      What a fantastic post on canning! I hope to be brave enough to try it one day!

    437. Erika

      Beautiful cherries and nice job canning! We have a nice cherry tree on our farm but eat them up so fast. I had a lot of fun taking pictures of my daughters eating them because they are so picturesque. Nothing fancy like yours but fun nonetheless. I will put a few up on my new blog.

    438. Kate Burris

      Your post on canning brought back fond memories of my mom’s canned peaches. In the middle of a cold, snowy Ohio winter day, those peaches tasted like we’d just picked them !! Her canning equipment was not nearly as modern as the electric canner you used. I’m going to have to browse thru my neighborhood Ace !

    439. Audrey Nugent

      My mother used to can our garden harvest. Such good food through the winter. Almost as good as the summer harvest. My favorite was rhubarb jam. I hear or see the word rhubarb and her efforts and results are instantly remembered.

    440. Jamie

      I’ve never canned, but remember waiting for my Granny’s jars to “Pop”. I would love to try it one day myself. Also, Ace is my favorite hardware store, I visit it every weekend:)

    441. Shari schultz

      Glad you had fun!!!!

    442. Heather Anne

      Welcome to the world of canning … it is almost as addictive as say … painting landscapes on dressers or dabbling in watercolors! Ha! I love to can – still using my Nanny’s hot water bath canner! I had no idea there was an electric canner! Innovative! I love to help young ladies learn to can so I’ve had some gals over to can in my kitchen – I always send them home with jars and advice to keep on canning!

    443. Laurie B

      Congratulations on your first canning endeavor! It is fun. My favorite thing to can is pepper jelly. I love the oohs and ahhs I get when I gift someone with my own jellies. It’s not as hard it it appears.

    444. Kersti

      My mom used to (still does, actually!) can berries, tomatoes. She makes pickles that are to die for…

    445. Amy K

      Electric Canner?? Yes please!!

    446. Sandy Fox

      Thank you for including recipes and additions to personalize the taste (on the tomato sauce). Know you’ll enjoy every bite!

    447. Chris

      I haven’t canned in years. I always enjoyed it but five kids made it hard to find the time. They are grown now so maybe it’s time to get canning!

    448. Glenda

      So proud you put your hand to canning…it’s a good skill to have that can give you “sweet memories”
      I have never heard of an electric canning bath. Something to put on my wish list.

    449. Kelly

      Such a fun project!

    450. Mary Ellen McLaughlin

      My mother always parboiled the tomatoes so that the skin would fall off easily when peeling… I’ll have to dig out her canning books and try it sometime! Of course I would make a royal mess and not want to take photos while I do it!

    451. cathy gillette

      looks marvelous! bet you won’t have to worry about not keeping fresh…bet you eat it all in a week!
      another cool thing to make is Jalapeno Jelly and also Sherry Jelly! yes, use creme sherry instead of fruit juice! elegant and yummy!

    452. Jami Conner

      I used to make grape jelly from grapes from a vine in my backyard. I moved and haven’t had a chance to make any since. I recently bought a house and can’t wait to plant a new vine and get some grapes.

    453. rosanna

      Sounds exactly like my first experience in canning after marriage and moving away from home! I’m sure you’l get the hang of it.Beautiful photos..hope I win, I love Ace!

    454. Karen

      Everything looks so yummy! I love to can as well. My husband loves to put in a huge garden every year so there is always plenty to preserve!

    455. Susan McK

      Well done! The first time is always a bit scary!
      I used to love canning and preserving but haven’t done it in years. Your enthusiasm has convinced me to get a bushel of fresh tomatoes this weekend. Hello ACE – I’ll need a quick refresher!!

    456. Patrice

      I lived on a large, long-standing produce farm for five years and we operated a huge high volume produce stand; well known in the area. Ladies from all over the area would come and buy cases and cases of fresh tomatoes, bushels of peas. bean, corn, anything you can imagine off a produce farm… I worked 18 hour days so I never had time to “put up” any vegetables or fruits…so I would always give the women I served some extra so they would gladly bring me back a few jars of what they were canning on their next visit. …By the end of the summer my pantry was full…two jars at a time…neighbor helping neighbor!!

      I hope I win… I would love to get the electric canner!!

      Thanks, Marian.

    457. Denise O

      I just finished canning apple butter from local apples!

    458. Mary Stewart

      I don’t really do much canning anymore but Apple Butter and pickles are a must every fall!

    459. Sheena

      Like you, I am a newbie at canning, but I’m hooked. The electric canner would be a nice addition to my kitchen. Thanks for the opportunity, Marian!

    460. Karen

      Oh I’ve got a tree loaded with persimmons and I have been wanting to making jam with them. The FreshTech electric canning bath is now on my wish list. Thanks for sharing 🙂

    461. Nancy

      Nice job, they look yummy. I haven’t canned in years, and when we moved several years ago, I stupidly gave away all my equipment. Well, now we have grapes and my husband wants to make jam. That electric canning bath might convince me to do it again. I think I need a cherry pie now.

    462. Cheapdiva

      I’ve read about how to can for years, would like to actually do it! Have made home made marinara but only enough for one meal – if I win, I’ll buy the supplies to can it!!

    463. Charmaine

      I’d love to try canning! Also, you can peel tomatoes easily by cutting a small X on the bottom, then submerge it in boiling water for a minute or so. The skins slide off easily. 🙂 Works on peaches too.

    464. brenda

      Just started canning this summer…jalapenos grown on my condo balcony! Thank you for the chance to win the ACE COOKER! “Ace is the place with the helpful hardware folks” ….AND CANNING COOKERS 🙂 (who knew?)

    465. Erica s

      Love the photos. They look so edible.

    466. Donna Skeen

      Haven’t done any canning or jam making for many years but this post brings back many memories.: The best peaches My mom canned and the fun my sister and I had making jam — didn’t thicken properly but we had a great time together anyway.

    467. Gail

      Your jams, pie fillings, and tomatoes look wonderful! You’ll be so happy to have them this winter. I used to can tomatoes, fruit jams, and pickles. I would certainly love to have the Fresh Tech Canning Bath by Ace Hardware!!!

    468. Robin Haines

      I would love to have an electric canner!!!!! I buy all my canning supplies at ACE!!!!

    469. Debbie Reynolds

      WOW, Marian, you do it all!! I’m sure all of your canned goods will be wonderful! Love Ace Hardware!

    470. Tina Catoe

      Cherries are my favorite also. We freeze them and have them later.

    471. Megan A

      Those all look so good! I’ve never canned cherries before, but it’s almost concord grape season, and that’s probably my favorite to can with 🙂

    472. Alison

      would love to win this! And I love your blog!!!

    473. Nancy Weber

      Could I borrow Kriste for a week or two??

    474. Margaret

      Love my local Ace Hardware! Always havenwhatni need!

    475. Margaret

      Love Ace

    476. HS

      I would love to learn more about canning, those canned cherries look so good!

    477. Gina

      The cherry jam sounds delicious! Would like to try to do more canning. So far I’ve just made strawberry and blueberry jam as well as pickles.

    478. Eleanor

      I’d love to but more canning jars with an Ace gift card!

    479. Cathy

      My Mom used to can cherries. This brings back great memories of all of us in the kitchen helping.

    480. Karina

      I love canning jams! A gift card to Ace Hardware would be great!

    481. Deb Pelton

      Well, all I can say is good for you! I used to can but somehow it all got to be too much.it looks like you have a really cool canner. Never saw one like that. Now that i’m retired and have more time and less money , I think it might like to get back intonit. You, dear Marian, have planted a seed for me! Thanks

    482. Susan

      Would love to try that cherry recipe!!

    483. Elena

      I share your cherry obsession and you’ve motivated me to try to can some. I love Ace and could think of a few things I could buy there 😉

    484. Deana

      Would love this. I canned my first ever last week and had fun. This would have made it a little easier than having to use the same can to warm the jars then having to use it as well for Canning. I made Grape Jelly from Muscadine Grapes.

    485. Heidi Caminiti

      We moved to Pennsylvania when I was 24 years old and ministered in a country church for 10 years where our people were gracious to gift our family with all sorts of wonderful home grown goodies. From apricots, cherries, tomatoes and berries and many other wonderful produce. I learned to make jellies, jams, pickles and all sorts of amazing stuff! Though we moved from that area 27 years ago I still miss those sacks of produce that would show up on our doorstep 🙂

    486. Heidi

      I just got an Instant Pot, and it has a canning function! I’ve never canned, but I’m excited to try it out, maybe with some apple pie filing from our ridiculously productive apple tree!

    487. Adl

      Oh the memories helping Mom during canning season. Grumpy kiddos at work,but all smiles when we consumed her recipes at dinner. Thanks for recalling those days.

    488. Holly

      I know someone who would love that cherry pie filling – thanks for sharing the recipe!!! I look forward to reading what you post … I’m inspired.

    489. Lori

      I love home bottled food! You are such an inspiration in so many ways.

    490. Vicki K

      I’ve always loved Ace Hardware from when we built our house (before the big boxes), and I did NOT know there was an electric canner!!!! I got rid of my dad’s old fashioned one, and have regretted it ever since. Tongs and jars and everything.

      I made some wild plum jam every year when they were ready to pick from the sides of the road – but we paid for it in chiggers – hot and dry Texas.

      Thank you Marian and Ace for this opportunityl I hope I can replace Daddy’s canner with the card from Ace. :-))

    491. Sarah Burgess

      Looks delicious!! I want to do some canning now, Thanks for the inspiration.

    492. Patricia

      Growing up, Labor Day weekend always meant canning tomatoes. I’ll never forget the year the shelf in the old cupboard in the basement weakened under the weight of all that tomato sauce. Bam! In the middle of the night we all awoke as if a gun had gone off and as we crept down the basement stairs and viewed the saucy mess it did indeed look as if a murder had been committed!

    493. Cheryl

      What fun! You make canning look so easy.

    494. Kathleen

      Oh, cherries are my favorite, too! And I LOVE cherry pie!
      As for the process of “putting them up” (as my older relatives called it) ~ I had a less than satisfactory experience canning tomatoes in my younger days, and never tried canning again! However, I bet that electric canner from Ace (who knew they had supplies?) would make success mine! I’d sure love to win!

    495. Amanda

      I love this! I help my sweet momma can tomatoes in the summers, and she cans most everything else that she grows. I love being in the kitchen with her during those times! She has one of the old fashioned pressure cookers, and it always makes me a little nervous. I had no idea Ace had canning supplies! I would love to start canning on my own sometime!

    496. Debbie Bennett

      Wow… I remember eating cherries as a young child and had forgotten how wonderful they were… may have to try my hand at canning in the future. Would love to win this awesome prize and try that new canning system from Ace Hardware

    497. Jessica Moore

      I love canning, well not so much the canning but the finished product. My husband and I did 50 quarts of tomatoes.

    498. Sherri Schulze

      Enjoyed the post and hope I win the gift card. ?

    499. Joyce Francis

      Thank you for the cherry jam recipe – this has given me the courage to attempt canning. I think I will start with cherries!!!

    500. Michelle Gaul

      We recently moved to a farming town and would love to start canning. It’s been on my list for a while.
      Thanks for a chance at jump starting my canning career;)

    501. Karen

      Well done!! You’re hooked now. : )
      I was unaware of this canner, so thank you for the opportunity to win the gift card.

      Thank you, too, For the recipes…I love cherries as well.

      It’s always a joy to open my mail from you.

      I hope you have a peace filled weekend!

      Karen

    502. Jacqueline Flores

      I enjoy reading your blog. You have inspired me. I was also excited myself that ACE Harware sale canning materials. I’ve purchase the jars to keep my dry herbs in them. I would love to try canning.

    503. Alexis

      So many memories of my grandmother and the pantry, which was a small, long, closet-like room with floor to ceiling shelves, all just for the canned goodies–spiced peaches, tomatoes and a ton of other goodies from my grandfather’s organic gardens (and this was in the 50s and 60s!). The best, though was the dark, amber tulip poplar honey (with and without the comb)

      I’d love to win the ace hardware give-away. Do they have canning jars? Ha ha.

    504. Susan Lydick

      I too ventured into canning this year! I purchased a newly printed recipe book from Ball, plus some jars. I would love to be able to do more canning, would have to have more jars and a pressure canner! Would love to be able to get from Ace Hardware!

    505. Jacqueline Sanders

      My mother canned a lot when I was a kid. Once I got married my mother in law did as well. I’ve learned from them both. I’ve got a good stock of things canned. I love putting up tomato juice, jams and jellies, and anything my family eats a lot of. It’s a way to save a bit of money, which is something I can’t pass up. I could use this gift card. Seriously, I want to get myself a pressure cooker, so I won’t have to borrow one.

    506. Jackie Foster

      How inspiring! I want to try my hand at canning too! Hey, maybe it’s my long, lost calling!

    507. Kim O.

      I have been canning for years and I absolutely love it! However, it can be a little daunting. For instance I do not own a scale but need to get one, many canning recipes call for 3 pounds of cucumbers. Well I have a garden, so how many cucumbers is 3 pounds? Like the sugar thing you mentioned, the soft stage, etc. it makes for great research and I’ve had very few mishaps over the years. In the end you often end up with summer goodness all year long (and jars of food that are beautiful)! Kudos to you for giving it a try!

    508. Diane

      I used to can my tomatoes but now I just cut them and freeze them in freezer bags. There is an easy way to remove skin. Just plunge the tomato in a pan of boiling water for about 5 seconds and the skin just slides off. It’s much easier than peeling them by hand and no waste of the tomato.
      I love the pretty jars that you picked. Enjoy!

    509. Shelah

      I love giving away my apple butter made from my apples. It is great eating, too!

    510. Linda

      I love to read your fresh perspective on your new adventures. Good for you for diving into canning and sharing your experience with us. You are always inspiring. Thank you! How cool is the electric canning bath! That’s new to me.

    511. Cheryl

      Looks yummy! Started canning pickles, my first try at canning. Sure could use a little help! Like a book and the canning thingy.❤️??
      As always I look forward to your post and the inspiration you share. Thank you❤️

    512. Carol Rehme

      Canning is nearly a lost art. Glad to see you venture into it!

    513. cindy scheidt

      I tried canning a few years ago and then had a run of not so good gardens so I got away from canning. Funny, I never thought about buying the produce to can. You’ve inspired me to give it a go again. Thanks!

    514. Valerie

      Welcome to the world of canning! It’s a real kick to be able to look at the shelves of your pantry stocked with beautiful jars and think…I did that! ? I love it! Good for you!!

    515. Rick S

      Marian,
      The “ping” sound of jars sealing is the best when you are canning. My wife has canned for years and I can help as long as I am out of her side of the kitchen. My wife cans vegetable soup too and the pints are great for work or to add to leftover pasta or rice.
      Rick

    516. Anne

      Marian, I swore I would never can again after my dad and aunt left me to pick their garden while they were in Hawaii many years ago. I had more than 100 tomatoes on my deck plus other produce that obviously would not last if I didn’t can it. Talk about pressure. But this canner from Ace Harware certainly makes it look l lot easier and a lot more fun! I might give it another try!

    517. Leslie

      The fruits of canning work is so yummy!! My kids have been begging me to make homemade strawberry jelly for them. They’ve been spoiled… Store jelly just isn’t as good.

    518. Wanda Aills

      I LOVE Ace Hardware!
      I look forward to seeing the pies you make from your cherry filling Marion!

    519. Alice R.

      It looks like Krista is laboriously hand peeling those tomatoes with a knife…if you pierce the skin in a large X, and then pop in boiling water for a bit, they pop right off easily.

    520. Susan

      Canning is a lot of work, but worth it! I love my local Ace Hardware. The people are always pleasant and helpful. I’d rather support a small local vendor instead of any of the big box stores.

    521. Tracy

      I have never canned, but you make it look possible! Would love that canning pot! Thanks for the post.

    522. Denice

      I hate to admit it, but I’m an Ace Hdwe. junkie ; ) When my husband goes for real hardware stuff, I head to either their canning or paint section to hang out and then, of course, buy beautiful things. I’ve never met a canning jar I didn’t love so any opportunity to buy them or any accessory to them is fun. I really enjoyed your post and am feeling inspired. I think I’ll look for something to can, too!

    523. Kimberly Laurer

      That is my childhood memory of Summer – my mother in the kitchen and the canning pot going on the stove. I loved waiting for the jars to make that little pop sound.

    524. Cindi

      We have an Ace two blocks away, love that store. I’ve wanted to can foods for a couple of years now like my grandparent’s used to do, but everything looks intimidating but this looks pretty easy and not so scary. 🙂

    525. Char

      Some of my favorite memories are of preserving olives with my best friend.

    526. Jelena

      Oh, I could REALLY use that canner! I have been doing it the old fashioned way all along, the way my mom did it: tall stock pot full of boiling water. An electric canner would make things so much easier!

    527. Judy D Hamilton

      I shop at our local Ace Hdwe. all the time. The recipe for cherry pie filling sounds great. Love the honey in it. Thanks!!

    528. Amy Cavin

      Wow maybe I will try canning! I love how rich the colors are! It reminds me of my Grandmothers pantry in the 70’s!

    529. Jennifer Clark

      I picked up some canning jars and lids at a yard sale this summer. When I made my end of season tomato sauce I chickened out and put them in Ziploc bags in the freezer. I would love the canning bath from Ace. I was worried about exploding jars too (and poisoning my family, lol). Is Kriste included? I could use a sous chef!

    530. Leslie Bohannon

      Looks yummy!

    531. Kari Cox

      I’ve always wanted to try canning, but have been a little bit afraid of it! But now that I’ve read your post, I am anxious to try it–I think I can do it!!
      Thank you! (and my ever-hopeful-that-my-wife-will-try-her-hand-at-canning husband) will thank you too! 🙂

    532. Charity

      This was an inspiring read. Thanks! I could use a gift card from Ace!

    533. Karen

      Very interesting post and am sure all your results will be “yummy!” Thanks for sharing about the Ace card, too.

    534. Becca

      You just made me want to put up some cherry pie filling! Thanks for sharing. I’m going to dream about that fresh tech electric canning bath!

    535. Cheryl

      My boyfriend (we met six months ago so this is all new to me) and I made and canned several batches of sweet relish this year. It was a lot of work and a lot of fun. And this relish is delicious, No more store bought for me! This giveaway would be wonderful and go a long way towards more canning supplies. Thank you.

    536. Tori Deal

      When I moved into my house, there was an entire canning cupboard full of canned vegetables,probably about 100 jars, from the previous owner dated 1980…unfortunately all the effort went to the trash. But the cupboard was a keeper!

    537. Pat Miller

      I have memories of my mother canning peaches…the B E S T !!! For a while, I used her canned beans and tomatoes as part of my decor.
      Love Ace Hardware!! Glad that they back back in our town!

    538. Tricia

      Ive been interested in trying canning, but I always get too nervous! Making homemade tomato sauce sounds heavenly!

    539. Amy A.

      Cherries are my favorite too! Haven’t done any canning, just a watcher.

    540. Jan Goff

      I did some canning this year after not having done any for years. It was fun and rewarding to once again see the results. Kudos to you for doing something New!!

    541. Elizabeth G

      I love canning! Thanks for the giveaway

    542. dianne a.

      I would love to try this canning method.

    543. Carolyn Hogan

      The fruit cellar at my Grandmother’s house was down in the farthes, deep, dark corner of the basement. It had a crooked door with a wooden toggle to keep it closed. It was kind of spooky to go back there when she would send us down to get a jar of something she had preserved. But once you got the door open I thought it was a magical place. It had stone and brick walls, a tiny little window to let light in and a dirt floor. The walls had wonky little shelves filled with jars of tomatoes, pickles, jams and bins of potatoes, onions and apples. To this day I love making jam and I just got the courage to try my hand at pickles. There is nothing like the sound the canning lids making that “popping” sound!. I love lining my little “soldiers” up on a shelf when they are done and thinking of my Grandmother!

    544. HippiesChick

      I canned all last weekend and I bought my supplies at the local ACE. I got quart and pint jars and the canning salt and some great supplies like the jar lifter and the funnel. I canned stewed tomatoes, bread and butter pickles, dill pickles, salsa, pepper rings and stuffed peppers. I had a blast and am loving eating something I made! I have the bug!!

    545. meg

      My Dad canned and I’ve always wanted to…and that’s as close as I’ve gotten to actually canning!

    546. MARY KOENIG

      Oh yes, never knew about the automatic canner. If that gift card comes my way would be a wonderful addition to my kitchen appliances!

    547. Olivia H

      Every summer and fall I love canning using fresh produce from our garden. Our absolute favorite is fresh plum jam using the wild plums from our property. It is so worth all the labor required to make it!

    548. ANDREA MULLIGAN

      Hoping I can do something with the batch of cherries I had to freeze (pits and all) due to busy schedule. If any one out there has a recipe please reply. Thanks

    549. Elizabeth

      So glad your canning session turned out well. It looks so yummy!!!
      Thank you for the giveaway!

    550. Brenda Peterson

      I think you should put your canned products on your website for sale!

    551. Kathryn

      I have been looking at those canners. I would love to buy one with the winnings!

    552. Loretta

      I love cherries too. I remember my grandmother canning tart cherries. She made the pie filling from it as it was needed. Still my favorite pie!

      I haven’t canned in years but it might be fun again.

    553. Rocky

      Your cherry pie filling looks amazing! Our sweet cherries never last to actually can.
      Thanks for the opportunity for the giveaway!

    554. Cynthia Krantz

      By the way, thanks for the photos of the “quilted” looking canning jars that you have posted. I purchased plain ones and I think that the quilted ones will look much better when giving the jam out as gifts

    555. Sharon

      I haven’t canned for many years but since now retired I decided to try it again…the giveaway would be used…great idea…

    556. Lee in KY

      They look yummy!!

    557. Eileen

      Would love to start canning, time to get back to basics. And would be so good to know exactly what my family is eating!

    558. Mary Christianson

      Canning is alot of work but fun to enjoy during the winter. I would love to try the canner.

    559. Cindy baugh

      Looks delicious!

    560. Angela Harris

      I buy all my canning jars from our local Ace. I haven’t actually tried canning yet tho. I use them to store almost everything. I also bought a cherry pitter from Ace. Works great! I freeze the cherries to put in smoothies.

    561. Vicki

      The best part of canning is the way the house smells! You should have made Apple Pie filling with the apples you used for your photo shoot!
      Thank you Ace for such a generous give away!

    562. aimee

      hello! i love cherries, and yet I’ve never thought of making cherry pie filling or that topping for vanilla bean ice cream or as a topping on my plain nonfat greek yogurt! YUMMY! This is such a great giveaway. thank you!

      Blessings,
      aimee

    563. Sherry

      I would so love to win! I love shopping at Ace Hardware!

    564. Jennifer

      I love canning and shop at Ace Hardware all of the time! thank you!

    565. Sabrina

      I have always wanted to try my hand at canning… Why it seems so intimidating I don’t know. Lol Love the pics!

    566. Rhonda Niblett

      The cherries look amazing. I will do this with my pears and plums when I harvest them soon.Thanks for the inspiration.

    567. Lori

      ive canned pickles, but have not tried fruit yet. Sounds easy with the canning bath.

    568. Mary Borgsmiller

      You are definitely a marvel, Marian with all the amazing thing you do. NO grass grows under your feet! I would love to win the gift certificate. You are truly an inspiration!

    569. Krys

      Marion, Thank you for sharing this giveaway with us. I love picking up canning supplies at Ace Hardware. They have their jars on sale during canning season.

    570. Sheeba Mathew

      Perfect timing…I was going to do some jams and a pie filling with strawberries…yummy n I cannotwait to get to work!!!

    571. Annamarie V

      I also have a book on canning because I wanted to learn how but have yet to actually open it up. I also love cherries and have 2 pie cherry trees in my yard and if you pick them right the pit stays on the branch, unfortunately the birds got all but 3 of the cherries this year.

    572. Karen

      Learned about canning from my mom and my mother in law. Just finished up zucchini relish then peaches. Now I’m ready to work on salsa. (My family’s favorite.) Love to hear the “pop” of those lids!! Yours look absolutely beautiful!!!

    573. Alissa Allen

      Thanks for the giveaway!

    574. M. R.

      I enjoy canning cranberries in October or November every year. I would love to try cherries!

    575. Cathy

      There is nothing better then enjoying fresh canned fruits and veggies in the middle of winter….taste like summer.

    576. Laura

      Your canned foods look so yummy! I remember my Mom and Grandmother canning all sorts of things when I was a young girl. I have never been brave enough to do it on my own though.
      I’d love to win a gift certificate to Ace Hardware!

    577. PC Scott

      I love the cherry canning pics – the seal on the jars comes from the vacuum effect when the contents cool and shrink. I have used a pressure canner and hot water canner for years. We make pineapple and mango jam down here in FL. It’s time to make some stuff for Christmas gifts too.

    578. Jill

      I am far from an expert on canning but I worry that your adding the zucchini may have required you to use a pressure canner not a water bath canner to do that sauce. If you could check with an expert I would feel more comfortable about your sauce. If you would like a sauce mix that only requires the tomatoes and a little sugar try Mrs Wages Pasta Sauce. It’s got a little zing to it and we love it. That one can be used with water bath canner. I sure hope I didn’t make you nervous but I felt I should let you know just in case

    579. Teri

      I have always just used a water bath in canning. But now my glass top stove will no longer do this–no constant heat element! Who knew!! This would be great!!!

    580. Lynn Fowler

      Would love to try canning again. When I was a young newlywed, I found a huge patch of wild strawberries and made strawberry jam. Wonderful! I thought I was a pro after that. Made apple jelly, and before we had a chance to try it, I gave a jar to my Mom and Dad. We could not even get a spoon in it, it was so hard! I can`t remember what conclusion we came to as to why it was inedible. Glad it was Mom and Dad we gifted it to. We had a big laugh about it. Would love a canner like yours. Things have come a long way since I last tried it, back in the “olden days”. Ha Ha

    581. Jennifer M

      Just found out about your blog from Sage Farm Antiques and the October fair they will be doing! Glad I found you!

    582. SHERYL KLANCHER

      I, too, recently got a smooth top range and have to find a new method to use for
      my jelly-making. With many containers of berries languishing in the freezer, this appliance from Ace sounds like the perfect answer!! I didn’t know such a thing was available. Thank you, Ace and Marian for this opportunity.

      Sheryl

    583. debianne

      I love canning!

    584. Cindy K

      My grandparents started their family in 1920, several children later, canning was a way of life. Fast forward to 2016, canning is a way to remember. A summer isn’t a summer without Aunt Pat’s pickles. Cousin Brian updates the beet borscht and string bean soup recipes. We discuss our success in our gardens and usually darn those rabbits! Grandma isn’t around anymore, but her recipes and traditions are. We all remember how hot and humid canning day was. Even the great-grandchildren remember storing all those quarts. The ACE canner looks amazing! To think that canning day will be easier…maybe I will be able to finally can more than Cousin Brian! Thank you for the giveaway!

    585. Kaytee

      I would love to learn to can my garden grown veggies!

    586. Kerri Sullivan

      You’re making me hungry!

    587. Sue

      Mmmmmhmmmmm. I could just eat up all those cherries by the spoonful too! I have recently gotten into canning jams – new obsession. Thanks for the chance to win from Ace!

    588. Rosemarie G

      I’m a cherry lover too and although I roll my eyes at the ridiculous price per pound just can’t leave the grocery store without them!

    589. Mary Alice

      I have never canned cherries, but every Summer I generally can something or other. This summer, I made salsa! That canner looks amazing. I think I need one! Thanks!

    590. Kimberly Bruhn

      Hey my East Coast friend…I know it isn’t “canning” per se, but I found Mrs. Wages’ freezer jam pectin mixes that allow for less sugar and the jam tastes absolutely like fresh fruit. I have T1 diabetes like your boy and I try to use as little processed sugar in my home-made stuff. I tried something fun this summer and made my strawberry freezer jam with mostly powdered stevia, a little sugar (1/2 cup) and left a lot of the leaves in the mix! I just pulverized everything in my Ninja blender. My friend (who’s won a gourmet cooking contest) said it was the best jam she’d ever eaten (but I think it was a ploy to keep her samples coming!). Cheers!

    591. Linda

      I have my grandma’s old canner enamel pot that I still use. An upgrade would be nice. Love lining up all the pretty jars as they cool. Such a sense of accomplishment.

    592. Melody

      I bought some jars, picked a ton of salmonberries but still haven’t made jelly. Why does canning seem so daunting?!

    593. SueSchneid22

      I did a little canning this summer, too. Made spaghetti sauce without meat (I’ll add that later!) It’s always amazing to me how big piles of fruits and/or veggies end up being much smaller volume of canned goods. Great space saver, though.

    594. Kathy

      I have canned my whole adult life, starting as a young bride. Pressure cooker most of the time This year I just canned tuna. I want to make jam so may have to freeze the fruit until I get a chance to make it. I didn’t know they made this kind of canner! So cool. About peeling the tomatoes, I’m not sure by the photos but if you dip the tomatoes in hot water for a bit, then slip into ice water the skins just slip right off and leave the tomatoes behind. A little trick I was taught by my mother years ago. Good luck on your new canning adventure.

    595. Tanya

      Would love to do some canning! Thanks so much for sponsoring this giveaway!

    596. Jennifer

      You’ve inspired me to try to can some of the vegetables from the farmer’s market nearby!

    597. Jennifer Phipp

      Sign me up!!! I would love to win this!! I just built a new raised garden bed and hope to have a ton of veggies next year to can!!!

    598. Jessica

      This all looks so good! My garden has gone overboard with produce this year, so I have been thinking about trying my hand at canning. This might give me the push I need to try it.

    599. Jennifer Ross

      My Grand canned fruits. She always had a jar of silver spoons on the table for sampling. There’s nothing better!

    600. Laurajj

      Oh that looks so good! I have never tried canning before, my grandmother did some many years ago! Oh I would love to try! My family loves cherries, so this would be something I would love to do and can!

    601. Diane Marks

      I love Ace Hardware and love canning this is perfect timing to thanks for the chance to win such a useful gift !

    602. Patty

      I also canned cherries. Cherries have an antioxidant that is good for people with cancer so I made a lot of jars. I also did peaches. My husband couldn’t wait and open one of each to put them on his waffles. He said he can’t wait to eat some in the middle of winter. To me it doesn’t get any better than that.

    603. Pam

      Jam and veggies look delicious. My husband and I both love Ace. We buy bird food and all kinds of other gadgets from them often.

    604. Jenny S.

      I’ve always been too nervous to try canning, but (as always) you give me inspiration to just try! Your cherry pie filling looks amazing!

    605. Janice Propst

      I have three gardens this summer, one with my 82 year old uncle, one in my own yard,and one at our families mountain cabin. It’s been a busy canning summer! Mom and I have canned tomatoes, squash pickles, sweet pickles, bread and butter pickles, peach preserves, pear preserves, fig preserves, and today we canned 12 pint jars of homemade applesauce. Ohhhhh how I love canning fresh vegetables and fruits!

    606. Char

      Awesome giveaway!

    607. Laura

      I’ve never tried canning, but your post looks interesting and detailed enough for me to try. Thank you!

    608. Vicki

      I used to have a garden and I was so proud of my canning and preserving. Now I leave that up to my sister and hope she shares her abundance! 🙂

    609. Anya

      I started canning a few years ago and really enjoy trying new recipes. I have a few tried and true ones I make each year, but I’ve never made anything with cherries. The pie filling looks divine! Thanks for the chance to win!

    610. manda

      Love the article.thanks

    611. Julie Butterfield

      I can a lot of jam during the summer and the electric canning bath looks awesome to use. Very nice post.

    612. Jaclyn Reynolds

      The cherry filling looks so good!! Would love to go on a shopping spree at Ace!

    613. Kristine Alvarez

      I’ve always wanted to try canning and I’ve seen Ace Hardware’s selection (I love Ace Hardware and Nurseries! I am in between two locations and both have very helpful and knowledgeable staff). I think it’s time to just go for it. Getting free supplies would make it even easier for me. ?

    614. Ruth

      Great giveaway and a great post!!!

    615. Karen

      I love Ace hardware!

    616. Kelly Allaire

      Canning is a wonderful experience that can be handed down from generation to generation. I learned from my mother-in-law and have been canning for 35 years! I always look forward to harvest to put away fresh fruits and vegetables for the months when they are not available. My family is so spoiled that they refuse to eat commercial products, especially applesauce and strawberry jam! If you have the time, it is a craft that is rewarding and satisfying. To everyone thinking about it, just give it a try. We learn through our failures and become successful!

    617. diedre

      My original comment vanished!
      Briefly, I would love to give this a try!

    618. J. Barnes

      I love canning and would love an electric canner! ACE is my go to store for hard to find items and for answers to hard questions. I love my ACE hardware store in Lewiston Idaho!

    619. Brenda Haines

      I love canning season and Ace is the place! like seriously! I live in a small county and we have more Ace hardware stores than any other, and I love it! Thank you so much for the chance!

    620. Heather

      The only things I’ve canned thus far are pickled beets and homemade applesauce from our apple trees. Just bought 4 bunches of beets from the farmer’s market, so I’ll probably be trying my hand at canning again this week. The cherry recipes you made look amazing! Maybe I’ll have to try making jam next! Thanks for the chance to win!

    621. Elizabeth A. Snead

      My first canning experience was San Marzano tomatoes this summer. I helped a neighbor can 36 jars and she gifted me 8 of them. It was so much fun and I can’t wait until next year!

    622. Livivua

      I love shopping at ace for all my paint needs. I am not a preservation specialist but I love me some jelly preserves.

    623. susan

      I haven’t canned in years but posting has jiggled my memory and reminded me of my canning days. I love raspberries the way you love cherries and have made jelly that was the best I’ve ever had. I’ve also made relish using green tomatoes and strawberry jam.
      I am sure I could find LOADS of things at our local Ace hardware store. The staff are so friendly and helpful.

    624. Caroline B

      I really enjoyed this artlcle! Makes me want to go ahead and can me some peaches!

    625. Jan

      Can I can…ha ha…on a glass top electric stove? Heard it should be gas but we just don’t have a gas stove. Would love the Ace electric canner to solve that problem. thanks!

    626. Aleshia

      I have always wanted to try my hand at canning. Next year maybe! Also the second picture in this post is SO pretty!

    627. Benny Sequeira

      Your post makes canning look so easy, want to give it a try.

    628. Debra

      I canned peaches a long time ago. I’ve wanted to try spicy bread and butter pickles, but have never gotten around to it.

    629. Jennifer H.

      Looks yummy! I’ve never tried canning but would love to try making my own pickles.

    630. Heather sullivan

      Ace is the place! What can’t you find there? I would love to try canning and will most certainly look for canning supplies next time Im there!

    631. Mary Jo McLaughlin

      Marian, Good for you for “facing your fears” and trying canning! I grew up with canning in rural Upstate NY. My Mom, Grandma and all of my Aunts would pool together whatever produce we harvested that week and everyone would work together: washing, peeling, seeding and slicing. Many of the canning jars were from my Great Grandmothers, whom I never had the privilege of meeting. We would even can venison! For our families, it was a necessity to get through the long winters and still be able to put food on the table. The house would fill with the aroma of blackberries, tomaotes,peaches, dill, and concord grapes picked fresh from the Finger Lakes area.
      Now it is making a comeback as more and more people desire to be more self sustainable and provide healthy alternatives all winter long. Now at the age of 51, a single Mother with 6 daughters I have such gratitude for what I was taught without even knowing it. We can a variety of things and have our favorites, but we always make time for my Grandma’s bread and butter pickles and my Mother’s blackberry jam.
      Ace Hardware was our local hardware store in Upstate NY, I live in Colorado just south of Denver. The closest Ace Hardware is about 15-20 min depending on traffic, so I always plan my trip there around my weekly errands.

    632. Molly Tatro

      Very few homemaking tasks make me feel as accomplished as canning home grown produce for my family. When I get going I just want to can ALL THE STUFF. Between food preservation and home improvement projects, a little help from Ace would be huge!

    633. Stephanie

      I’ve always wanted to try this.

    634. Bess in VA

      Sooooo yummy! I wish I had the energy to do this. The last canning I did was about four years ago…peach jam. It was delightful.

    635. Cindy A.

      I grew up surrounded by family members who loved canning, but I have always been afraid to try it myself. My grandparents canned vegetables, raised their own beef, made butter, etc. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if they built their own house with lumber they cut down themselves. LOL! The perseverance of generations past is amazing to me.

    636. Jana

      I used to can with my mother in law but was never brave enough to try it myself! Those cherries look sooooo yummy!!!!

    637. Gloria Galiana

      I’ve never canned, but sure am inspired now. It would be so awesome to have all these yummiest to enjoy past their harvest time. Ace is such friendly place to shop.

    638. Brenda Turner

      I’ve been wanting to learn to can food as well. As a matter of fact my neighbor just gave me a bag of fresh figs from his tree. I am thinking fig jam is the way to go!

    639. Patty W

      An electric canner?! Wow, I would love to have one. If you can’t find something, go to ACE.

    640. Judy

      I remember my mom using paraffin wax as a sealing method 🙂 The canning bath seems much easier.

    641. Jennifer C.

      I love canning when I have the time. I made peach jam for the last few years with the “canning peaches” sold at a local orchard for cheap. They didn’t have many peaches for canning this year. 🙁 I’d love to get that electric canner!!!

    642. Celia Gerish

      Thanks for the inspiration!! You made it look so easy. I have always wanted to do this but have been too afraid to try! Now I think I will give it a go! LOVE Ace Hardware too! They always have fun things there!

    643. Leigh Sperry

      Everyone is canning peaches here! I didn’t even know they made a canning appliance. I love canning when your fruit is free.

    644. Wanda C

      Wow! an electric canning bath!I had no idea they had such a thing. I’ve been canning for close to 40 years and love having food on my self that I’ve made.

    645. Lugene Bastian

      Just finished canning peaches and pears over the last two days! Quite a mess, but oh so worth the effort it takes. Next weekend I’m teaching my oldest son how to can peaches for his family!

    646. Cheryl Foley

      What a yummy post! I could just about smell those cherries. lol You make me think that even I could can some stuff.

    647. Margaret Hyland

      It sounds like this electric canning bath appliance would make canning a great deal easier and I am all for that!

    648. Kelly D

      We did some canning last fall and it went pretty well. It’s nice to have through the winter months.

    649. Sandra

      Canning is really fun! I have made jars of salsa with bumper crops of tomatoes – excellent!!

      A tomato tip (and it would have made Christy’s job a snap) – to peel a tomato cut an x on the non stem end just through the skin – then drop the tomato in boiling water for a minute – let it cool and the skin will slide right off!

    650. Jordan Charbonneau

      I’ve been branching out in the canning department this summer too! I tried tomato sauce, peaches, and blackberry jam for the first time. Now I just need to buy more jars! Haha. Great post thanks!

    651. Jane McCarthy

      Your blog brought back memories of growing up on a small farm and canning everything we ate.
      My mom canned beets, string beans, tomatoes and peaches. She made strawberry and grape jellies and bread and butter pickles. Mmmmm!

    652. Jeanna

      I should send my recipe for Bing amaretto vanilla jam or boozy cherries– big hit at the holidays as a garnish or ice cream topping, then there is spiced pickled cherries to serve with a meat and cheese plate ( charcuterie ?). Invest in the stainless cherry pitters( dishwasher safe) buy 2-3 then you can press gang the boys into helping. Also buying grower direct saves big$$$, look into it. The farms we buy from are 5 hours away but they deliver to stores and if your buying a flat(20-25 pounds), many farms will have a drop off stop where people meet and buy farmer direct. Looks like your off to a good start!

    653. jan

      Fun giveaway! I love canning.

    654. Julie

      Yes, good giveaway! I just need to make sure to USE all of what I can!

    655. Dana Mertz

      I think receiving or giving a gift of a canned good is Big Love! Beautiful pictures. Brought back sweet memories of my Mom, Aunt’s and Grandmother’s canning days. You’ve inspired me!!!!

    656. Linnier

      I buy canning supplies at my local Ace store, very friendly helpful guys.

    657. Kim

      Just started canning on my own this year. It makes me feel just like a farm wife! In a suburb of Seattle. 😉

    658. Bri D.

      Would love to try canning! The canning bath makes it look a lot easier.

    659. Crystal Crouse

      That electric canner is SO COOL (& would be PERFECT for me as well!!!—I too am a canning novice & the couple times that I’ve done it, I was a NERVOUS WRECK THE ENTIRE TIME!!!!) Talk about stressful! I tend to feel like a jar is bound to explode (probably in my face!), that I’m not filling correctly, timing things right, getting a good seal, yadda yadda yadda!
      I’ve managed to do on, but secretly, every time we open & eat something that I’ve canned I hold my breath for a while waiting to see both how it tastes…& that no one gets sick…YIKES!!!!
      I always breathe a secret sigh of relief when we skate thru yet another jar safe & sound (& as a bonus things taste the way they should, LOL!!!)
      Everything you made looks AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS! YUM 🙂

    660. karen hines

      I love canning and the electric canner looks like a great product!

    661. Michelle M

      Been reading & reading on canning & preserving. Time to take the plunge!

    662. Cheryl Jarl

      Canning seems so farm wholesome. A nice reminder of simpler times and family traditions. Can’t wait to try the cherry recipe.

    663. Judy Stewart

      Your cherry preserves look very good. I love home canned food, but am a little afraid of the process. I have a friend who is teaching me. I have canned plum conserve, peach butter, and chicken, all good. I canned muscadine grape jam, which was a lot of bother removing seeds, and it looked good but a few weeks later had a thick black scum over the top of the jam. Three it all out.

      Enjoyed your canning story.

    664. Elizabeth M

      My daughter and I have tentatively dipped our toes into the art of canning. That pot from ACE Hardware looks like it would make things so easy.

    665. Melissa

      I first canned as a teenager and loved the feeling of accomplishment. I’ve lapsed lately, but you have inspired me to bring out my old recipes and give it another try.

    666. Michelle james

      I went out and bought the exact canner and 2 Ball Books on canning! I bought them as a gift for my boss and her 16 yr old daughter, they have an AMAZING enclosed, raised garden! Thanks for the great gift idea.

    667. Dolores

      I have many great memories of canning tomatoes and pears with my mom and grandmother! Enjoy!

    668. ChickVoice

      Would love to start canning. Always wanted to try!

    669. Liz H

      Oh Marion I’d love to win $150.00 from Ace Hardware! I’ve been wanting to get back into canning again!! Great looking cherries! ❤️

    670. Caryn

      I have made peach preserves from our Texas Hill Country peaches. So yummy!

    671. Jennifer Barton

      I have a kumquat tree in my backyard, I don’t really know anything about them except my neighbor said they have to be really ripe to use them or they make your mouth numb.So my husband and I thought kumquat jam would make great Christmas gifts at our annual Christmas Eve dinner. We followed the instructions from a canning book that I had purchased years before. After much excitement how pretty the color was we dropped jars in water bath and they did explode!!! All over the stove, walls and floor. So I am going to look into the electric one which I didn’t
      even know existed. Lesson learned and don’t give up our batch of fig and ginger jam turned out great!

    672. karen

      Would love to be your winner !

    673. Sue Pagels

      I always use to help my mom can, but I have never done it by myself as an adult. We made strawberry, blueberry and raspberry jam, “special sauce” which was like stewed tomatoes, tomatoes, pears, peaches, tomato juice as I recall. When the jam was “frothy” on top, we spread that on bread, warm. Yummy! And by now, I am sure someone told you the secret to peeling tomatoes – drop them in boiling water for a few seconds, put them in cold water and the skin slips right off. We do that with peaches too. I would love to win by the way!!

    674. Amy

      I’ve never tried canning before, but you made it look fun! I really admire women who are domestically gifted 🙂

    675. Suzanne Drolet

      Canning is definitely something I want to do more of in the future. That jam and pie filling look amazing!

    676. Suzanne Drolet

      Beautiful photos, it all looks so good!

    677. Elle

      I would love to win a gift card to Ace Hardware. It would be really helpful. Thanks for the chance.

    678. Jill

      I saw a neat way to de-pit cherries on Facebook (don’t know how well it works but it worked great in the video). You take one cherry, place it on top of a small-necked soda bottle, then poke it with a wooden skewer. The pit falls neatly into the soda bottle. It’s worth a try….

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