Yes, I Can!

I went to Soulard Farmer's Market yesterday and came home with this beautiful bounty. If it tastes half as good as it looks, I can't go wrong. The Soulard Market is a historic institution in St. Louis and has been around since 1779. My visit to this wonderful place is one of my favorite weekly routines. It is bustling with people and bursting with fresh, brightly colored fruits and veggies; not to mention breads, cheeses, meats, and more. I can see the Arch from the entrance. It's a true St. Louis experience.

On yesterday's venture, I was shopping for ingredients to use for some canning I want to do before the weather turns cold and the selection of produce declines. Maybe you're a canner, maybe you're not. I must admit that it's something I was always a little afraid of--it just seemed to be a huge project to tackle. I did my first canning last summer, and it turned out to be easier than I thought. It's a project, yes, and it requires equipment, yes, but it is so rewarding. It feels good to see my jars of home prepared sauces and jams lined up on my shelf. And, I love having them available through the winter months. They make great gifts, too.

But, maybe what I like the most about canning is that it makes me feel connected to canners in my family tree, past and present. I have so many memories of my grandma canning. She canned all summer long, and what I remember the most is her canned green beans. I don't even like canned green beans from the store, but my grandma's were delicious--and spiked with a pinch of cayenne, because that's how we roll in our family. 

My mother-in-law, Marie, was a canner; and after she passed away, my father-in-law, Al, took over the canning. In fact, here is a recent photo of 89-year-old Al when we visited him on the family farm in Wisconsin. The day we arrived, he'd canned some dill pickles. These pickles, by the way, are the absolute best pickles on the planet. They are coveted by everyone in Al's big family. (King-Man has 9 siblings.) Al sent us home with some pickles and a jar of his unbelievably flavorful strawberry jam that was made from his hand picked strawberries. 

My sister, Nelda, is also a canner. Here's a photo of her along with a photo of her recent output from a day of canning. (The bunny ears in the photo are compliments of her very mature hubby, Jim.) Nelda is an amazing cook and gardener. Much, if not all, of what you see in those jars came from her garden. She sent this photo to me a couple of weeks ago, and it has been my inspiration to get out my canning equipment and do some canning of my own again. Okay, Sis, the pressure's on, now it's time for me to can!

Thus, my trip to the Farmer's Market to purchase ingredients for my day of canning. Practical girl that I am, I'm canning those things that we eat the most of on a regular basis: salsa, pasta sauce, and enchilada sauce. These are the main fresh ingredients for my roasted salsa recipe and chile verde enchilada sauce: roma tomatoes, tomatillos, jalapeno peppers, anaheim peppers, and cilantro.

And, here is the fresh produce I bought to make my pasta sauces: Roma tomatoes, basil, and Italian parsley. I'm canning 2 kinds of pasta sauces, a basic Marinara Sauce and Arrabbiata Sauce. Arrabbiata means "angry" in Italian, and is appropriate for this chile-spiked hot,hot,hot pasta sauce. I've gotta make some spicy pasta sauce, because that's how we roll in this family.

Looks like I've got a lot of cooking and canning ahead of me today. I'll let you know how it goes and share my salsa and sauce recipes with you another day.

Much to do today. Like the little engine that could, Yes, I think I CAN!

If you've done any canning this summer, please share. Recipes and tips are always welcome. It's still a learning process for me. But, that's part of the fun.

Make it a yummy day!

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