Canning

I'm doing more canning this year- I've found it so darn convenient- I love taking an hour to make 3-4 times the amount of something I need, if it means I will only take 10 minutes to use it later on!

For instance- tonight we had French Onion Soup for dinner. My preferred recipe can take forever to make and messes up multiple dishes (pots, pans, the mandolin slicer, measuring spoons, etc.  Not to mention I have to get all that junk out).  I also can put it in the exact amounts I need it- we don't end up with WAY too much soup leftover that we have to either toss out or eat until we are sick of it. Money saving! woo hoo! Bags of onions? Cheaper than buying a few at "full" price.

By doing it all at once, I can simply pop open a jar, toss in the croutons and some gruyere cheese and it's done!  Today I cut up a small onion (by hand- it's not such a task when it's only ONE) to add a little crunch to the soup.  I didn't have to measure a single thing and a dinner that would have taken me an hour to make took 10 minutes.  

I plan on canning potatoes this year.  I'm able to buy bags of small russets and do all the peeling, dicing, etc. just once.  Then I can pop open a can of potatoes, mix up any ingredients I want (I have a killer recipe coming for you guys- cheap, easy and quick!) and voila- fancy side dish is done.  It also will take them a shorter time to cook, since the potatoes cook while being canned.

Don't feel good? Pop open a can of french onion soup instead of ordering pizza.  In a hurry? Pop open a can of potatoes to make hashbrowns, instead of paying out the nose for a bag of frozen ones.  Not to mention- my salsa tastes way better than the junk you get at Walmart.  Sorry- but it's totally true.  Healthier too- we don't get all that extra sugar, GMOs, whatever.

There is something satisfying in seeing all that homemade food on your shelves as well.  Makes me feel so darn self-sufficient!

-Kristen