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One Hundred Dollars a Month

I am your typical housewife living in high maintenance suburbia. I have a handsome husband, 2 kids and a flock of pet chickens. I try and feed my family with $100 a month. With the help of coupons, gardening and bartering I am able to squeeze the most out of our grocery budget and still manage to have a little fun along the way.

Mavis’ 24 Days of Christmas Giveaways – Day 1

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mavis butterfield Christmas giveaway

This giveaway is now closed. 

I’m soooo excited I could pee my pants. I won’t because it would totally make a mess and who has time for messes when you’re about to have 24 CONTINUOUS DAYS OF GIVEAWAYS!!! Yep, you read that right. TWENTY FOUR! Christmas is coming early for all you loyal One Hundred Dollars a Month readers.

Here’s how it works. You show up here every night for the next 24 days to check out the new giveaway. I promise they’ll be awesome {they’re all my favorite things after all}. You have 24 hours to enter. One lucky reader will win each day. That means when all is said and done, I’ll have given away 24 frickin amazing prize packs and crowned 24 of you winners! Wahooo!

Now that we’re all on the same page, whadaya say we kick this thing off right with our 1st prize pack.

canning books

It should come as no surprise that my first giveaway has to do with something I totally love: canning! I’m giving away THREE of the coolest canning books full of hundreds of the most delicious recipes and tips and tricks. These are not your grandmother’s canning books {although come to think of it, grandmas are totally the ones to ask about canning. They know their stuff!}.

Book 1: Canning for a New Generation: Bold, Fresh Flavors for the Modern Pantry
Book 2: Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It: And Other Cooking Projects
Book 3: The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook

1 person will win all 3 books.

All you have to do to enter this giveaway is leave a comment below and let me know what your favorite thing to can is? Never canned before? No worries. You can either tell me what your favorite canned item to receive is, or what you want to learn to can?

My favorite? Jams and jellies of course!

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

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Comments

  7. I want to learn to can jellies and jams. I canned tomatoes this year & I loved it. Made spaghetti sauce the other night and it was so awesome.

  9. My favorite thing to can is tomatoes! It is a 4 generation (kids- this year 7 &12, parents and grandparents and great-grandma) effort to can our tomatoes for our families. We use the tomatoes in all of our pasta sauces, salsa, and soups.

  12. This past harvest was my first canning season and so far the easiest thing that I loved to can was raspberry mango jelly. It was so tasty and some friends are getting them for Christmas.

  14. Favorite thing to can— monkey butter!! Favorite thing to eat — monkey butter!!

    By the way – love the elf suit.

  16. I’ve never canned before, but a friend of mine makes yummy strawberry jam she gives every year for Christmas that I always look forward to! 🙂

  21. I am a canner ‘wannabe’! 🙂 My favorite thing I have gotten canned is Pepper jelly and dill pickles.

  24. I wish I knew how to can – I hope to learn in the near future but I love to receive canned tomatoes or pickles 🙂

  25. I loved canning strawberry jam with my dad growing up. I would love to can now but live so far away and the idea overwhelms me. But I bet these books would help.

  38. I’m in!
    At the young age of 60 I have just started canning for the first time. Peaches were my first try, so I’ll say they are my favorite. Sine then I have canned apples, green beans, figs preserves and refrigerated pickles. The fruits are easiest for me, veggies require I drive to my daughter’s, as she has the pressure cooker/canned. Haven’t found o n e small enough for my glass top burner. :0(

  39. Haven’t canned yet Brut I cannot wait to make green tomato relish next year. My grandma makes it and it is yummy!

  40. Just started canning!! My favorite so far is the chili beans! I would love to can homemade ketchup next year! I need to plant more tomatoes though!

  41. I love to dehydrate and can. I love growing and canning potatoes and green beans. But most of all ready to eat meals and gifts in a jar. I am setting up to start teaching my 5 daughters. They will be getting their hands dirty… With frequent hand washings. 😉

  49. I want to make pickles. The fermented ones with just water + salt. I tried 4 times this past growing season and couldn’t get it to work. Then I ran out of pickling cucumbers. I also want to try oven roasting my tomatoes for tomato sauce this year instead of cooking them to death on the stove.

  51. How disappointing that it is only open to US residents….I live a stone’s throw away on southern Vancouver Islans and follow One Hundred Dollars a Month like it’s a religion 🙁 I’d even be willing to pay for the postage….

  54. I love to can applesauce and pear butter (Thank you!) The house smells wonderful and we get yummy stuff to eat too.

  55. The only think I’ve ever “canned” is freezer jam. I’d love to learn to can everything!! 🙂

  62. I want to learn to can soooooo bad!!! I have so many things in my garden through the summer, and not enough space in my freezer to keep them all! Pick me! Pick me! – – or I’ll try again tomorrow! <3

  63. Haven’t canned yet, but since my Granny’s passing, I’m really missing her Bread n’ Butter Pickles. I’m hoping to try it this coming year!

  64. I love to can tomato sauce – it’s the basis for about 6 recipes. And in the cold, sports driven, homework packed days it gives me 6 awesome dinners in 15 mins or less with homemade goodness.

  68. Learning to can is my new years resolution, I bought a water bath canner on clearance for $24.98 at target. I’ve freezer jammed and made fridge pickles before but we just moved and are planning a big garden so I need to learn 🙂

  70. I love canning jams, jellies, and sauces from fresh picked fruit. Usually peach is my favorite, but last fall I did a batch of cherry jam which was absolutely amazing. I found cherries for a major steal so I bought a whole bunch. I’m so sad that we finished the last jar.

  73. I love to can pickles.. I pickle everything I can from the garden.. carrots, zuchinni, beans etc. I am a big pickle pus!

  77. Roasted Green Tomatillo Salsa- everybody loves it! Great for stocking stuffer for Christmas!

  78. The only thing I have canned is apple jelly. I LOVED it, but my husband and daughter wouldn’t touch it. (They preferred strawberry). I’m really wanting to learn more canning skills, though.

  79. I love my Grandmother’s canned tomatoes. We would always use them as a substitute for spaghetti sauce and YUM! Just loved them.

  82. I’ve never canned, but my grandma made amazing pickles and I’d love to carry on the tradition!

  83. I love csnning tomatoes because I love to eat from my garden all year but I would like a perfect pickle recipe!

  85. I have never canned officially before! I have wanted to learn and planned on learning this coming year. We have a huge garden and several berry bushes, so the first thing I would can would have to be jam! I absolutely love jam!

  89. We don’t can… Yet! But we have a friend who gifts us with grape jelly & fig jam every year, and we can’t get enough of it. Can’t wait to start making our own!

  90. I don’t know how to can, but I would love to learn to make peach jam to use up all the peaches we get ever year from our tree.

  97. I am loving canning meats, or maybe I should say I am loving eating my home canned chicken and beef!!

  98. I love making jam from blueberries that I pick! This year I also made your apple pie jam which we LOVE!

  99. I enjoy canning jams. My favorite this year was apple pie jam. Yummy!! I think that I will give some away for Christmas gifts with a homemade loaf or two of bread.

  100. I just canned some cranberry jam and that was fun. But I think my favorite it my Grandma’s pickles.

  105. I have never canned anything before, but I’m torn as to what I’d like to can, between strawberry jam or tomato sauce. Thanks for sharing your contest.

  107. So far I’ve only made strawberry freezer jam, but my sister makes an awesome pineapple jalapeno pepper jelly that I can’t get enough of. I put it on a cracker with some cream cheese and it’s one of my favorite snacks.

  109. I loved getting my grandmother’s blackberry or strawberry jam for Christmas! I would love to learn how to do jams/jellies.

  110. My favorite thing to can is zucchini relish I don’t buy sweet pickle relish anymore ! I use it on hot dogs and put it in my chicken salad

  113. I have canned cinnamon pears once with a friend. she did most the work so I guess it doesn’t totally count as me doing it. But it was so fun I went and bought a real nice canner/ pressure cooker and have never used it! truth is I’m scared but I so want to learn Mavis!!

  114. love canning jams. salsa. crushed tomatoes. diced tomatoes. applesauce. everything!!! thanks for the awesome giveaway

  118. I just tried canning this summer and loved it! My favorite was pickles! I’m looking forward to being able to can what I grow in my new garden next year!

  123. Nasturtium pods! I discovered this summer that they pickle well and taste like slightly peppery capers!

  125. My husband loves my canned cinnamon peaches, however I love to can salsa and diced/stewed tomatoes especially when you hve a friend who has too many plants and let you harvest so many for FREE!

  127. I love canning! But have never done it! Need books to learn how! My friends make amazing jams and yummy things! Jealous! I want to do jams/preserves!!!!

  129. I LOVE pickles, especially pickled okra. Unfortunately it’s hard to find local okra in the PNW.

  132. my mom canned tons of stuff. she had delicious black berry jam. my dad loved her tomato juice. i would love to can black berry jam, it would take me back to better days. thanks!

  138. I love canning and can a ton of things each year. My favorites are salsa and the various soups I make that you just have to open and eat on a busy day!

  144. I love to can everything, but I think one of my favorites is pork and beans. Mine come out so much better than the store bought kind 🙂

  148. I’ve never canned anything but am hoping to get started next year. My sister cans a mean salsa & I love when she shares it.

  152. I’ve never done “real” canning — just stock. I have big plans for next year though – – jam & applesauce at least!

    Thank you!

  153. I turn my tomatoes into pizza sauce and can enough to last the entire year. Best stuff on Earth; no lie.

  154. I love canning jams. I like to make flavors that cannot be found at the grocery store. Blueberry- lime jam and margarita marmalade are my favorites. I would like to try pressure canning, but the thought of it makes me a little nervous.

  155. I think you are such an efficient person. I have learnt from you. My favorite item to can is salmon. I love canning jams and jellies. I can beets and dills each year. Love making relish.

  157. I love to can almost everything. I have recently moved to a new home with 3.6 acres therefore our gardens have increased dramatically. Looking forward to gardening in the spring (we live in Upstate NY). My husband and I love your site and visit daily.

  161. I canned peaches and pears this year and they are so delicious! They are my new favorite to can!

  162. I love canning blackberry jam and sauce. I also love to can salsa verde made with my home grown tomatillos.

  165. I’ve never canned before but I would love to learn to can jams, jellies, soups and of course veggies!

  167. I love to can jams and jellies. I used to think plain old grape jam was my favorite but as I got to messing around with them I found out I LOVE raspberry/peach or blackberry/peach jam! And so does all of my family! This is an awesome give-a-way!

  171. Sweet hot jalapeño mustard and smoked habanero mustard are the two recipes I love to can. Spiced peach butter was pretty amazing too!

  172. My favorite thing to can, so far, was pomegranate jelly! I made a complete mess of my kitchen making it – but, it was oh sooo good!

  175. I enjoy canning almost everything. I think my Favorite is tuna. It is alot of work and time consuming but so yummy!

  178. I have never canned by myself, but I have been wanting to learn to can salsa and pickles. When I was a child I use to help my mom can pickles, green beans, and jelly!

  179. Stewed tomatoes… My Dad canned these when I was a young boy living in Maine. He would often use them as a base for chili, spaghetti sauce and sloppy joes. A hearty meal that warmed the soul on those cold winter nights.

  182. Helped my mom can the one year we lived in a house with an apple tree–loved having canned apple pie filling available any time.

  183. My favorite is Strawberry Jam, from strawberries we grow! Can never make enough!! Yum!! Thanks for the chance!!

  185. Canning was a yearly endever I learned from my grandmother and mother as a family we would canned just about anything that grew in our garden, tomato’s, tomato juice, corn relish,green and wax beans,peas,pickles (sweet,hot and dill) sour kraut. We would also grow our onions,dill,green peppers,celery it has been ages since we canned together-ever since my grand father died-I would love to be able to pass this knowledge to my children.

  187. I canned for the first time this year. Made some killer good applesauce! Would love to learn to can pickled asparagus and soup!

  188. I LOVE canning everything! But have recently really started to can real meals…meat and potatoes and soups! I am hooked. Love having good food fast and ready and so healthy!

  192. So far my favorite thing to can would be green beans. I’d love to learn to can jams/jellies though.

  193. My favorite thing to can is jam and jellies. I have also done Apple Butter, pear butters, and pears. I would love to learn how to do pressure cooking, yet haven’t tried yet. We need to put up all this deer meat (it is being stored in food saver bags – in the freezer). Appreciate all your posts and would LOVE your books! 🙂

  196. Never canned before but totally want to try it out so I can save all the veggies I intend to grow this coming year. Tomatoes and sauce is what I really need to learn how to can. Then I shall tackle all the other delicious ideas above!

  197. I made a jalapeno-apple jelly this year that I just love. One batch was made with green jalapenos and the other with red jalapenos. They will be served over cream cheese for every holiday event I can.

  198. My favorite thing to can is marinated eggplant, because my husband loves it so much – I don’t care for it at all.

  200. I like canning any type of tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomatoe sauce, salsa…and I tend to can alot of stocks too.

  203. I would love to learn how to can! Granny cans the kids jams, peaches, and salsa, they love it, she won’t always be here so I would like to learn . Plus homegrown food is sooo much better for you!

  204. I desperately want to learn to can jam! My favorite is mixed berry, then peach. I need to get over my fear and just go for it – wishing I had a grandmother to teach me…

  212. My favorite this year was your strawberry chipotle jam. Favorite for my friends and family as well

  214. I love to can jams and jelly! But, I used to help my mom can all sorts of fruits and veggies growing up!

  218. I love to can strawberry jam, peaches and our family favorite is blackberry, strawberry, raspberry and plum jelly!!

  220. i have never canned. but i love recieving my grandmother’s pickled cauliflower and would love to learn to can jam!

  223. Awesome! My favorite thing to can is Dilly Beans. Or maybe I just like to can them because I know I’ll get to use them in Bloody Marys….either way, we loooooove Dilly Beans! Thanks for the giveaways!

  227. I have never canned before but would love to learn! My favorite things are jams and jellies – any flavor!

  228. I have never canned, but I do a lot of refrigerator pickles and jams and freeze. I would love to learn to can! I would love to can veggies and meat!

  229. I want to learn how to can with a pressure cooker so I can have access to my organic veggies I grow. I love to receive homemade jam every year from my friend, Virginia.

  230. The first thing I ever canned was peaches – they looked beautiful but I was afraid to eat them – thinking I had to have done something wrong – but I didn’t – they were delicious a year later when I finally got the nerve!! Lately its just been jams and tomato sauce – would love to be more adventuresome!

  231. I love canning jams and jellies, this year I did a pretty killer batch of tayberry vanilla bean jam.

  234. Apple pie filling – take a jar out, throw it in a dish, put apple crisp topping on it and voila! A super yummy, homemade (but expedited) dessert!

  235. I would love to learn to can! I used to watch my Mom when I was a kid, but she was diagnosed with Alzheimer ‘s at a young age and I don’t have her to learn from. Would love these books.

  237. I’be never canned before but want to learn. I miss the grape preserves and pickles my grandmother used to can.

  242. I love to can Cowboy Candy or candied jalepenos. I serve it at parties with crackers and cream cheese. It is gone minutes after I put it out.

  244. I love to can everything! Well, tuna is my least favorite, the smell and all. I can over 1,000 jars a year and am always looking for something new! Merry Christmas Mavis 🙂

  250. Applesauce! My kids won’t even eat the store boughten applesauce now that I started canning! Need more ideas!

  252. I would love to learn to can on my own. I have always only done canning under a lot of supervision.

  253. I am still learning to can! So far I love Apple and pear butter. My kids love apricot pineapple jam!

  255. I have never canned anything before, but I think that I would love to start. Maybe something easy like jams and jellies would be good to start.

  260. Next year is going to be my first year of canning on my own…without my mommy’s assistance! I love canned beets, beans, and jams.

  265. Just started canning, without the help ofy best friend, on Thanksgiving. So far it’s orange cranberry sauce!

  277. I just learned, on Thanksgiving day, how to cold pack fresh venison & pressure can it. We ended up with 14 pints. Yum!

  279. I’ve just started canning and my Christmas list is full of essentials. My mom cans the best tart cherry jam from the tree in her yard. She knows to have a jar ready when I come to visit.

  280. Green beans….just like mom always did. Wish I would have appreciated it more back then. I thought she was crazy when you could go to the store and just buy veggies…all canned up and ready to eat. LOL!! Now I get it….and call her now for canning advice!!!

  285. Apple-blackberry Jelly, is my favorite to can. Unfortunately it is all gone by the end of the month!

  286. I would love to learn to can tomatoes and pickles. I love your blog, I think that I must visit your site almost everyday, thank you for sharing what you are doing..

    Karen

  288. I love to can jam… I already have the blue chair jam book! But if I win I will give it away to pass on the giving for the season!!! Thanks Mavis, I’m excited!!!

  292. My favorite thing to can is Blueberry Lime jam. This year I made Salted Caramel Pear Butter, and it was pretty good too.

  295. The only thing I’ve ever canned is grape jelly, but would love to learn how to can more things.

  297. My favorite thing to can is sweet pickles. I got the recipe from my mother in law and they are so good, almost like eating candy!

  301. I haven’t canned since I was little helping my grandmother, but my favorite thing we put up was her pink pickles, Cherry Ripe Cucumber Pickles.

  306. I have just started canning. I’ve had a little experience with ham and jam, but I want to learn how to can Manderin oranges aka little cutties :0)

  307. Love to can lots of goodies, with jams and jellies being done the most. And the last two years my new favorite is your Carrot Cake Jam recipe!

  308. I looooove canning jams….mmmmm…..mixed berry is my fave! Add a little lemon zest, too….swoon!

  309. I have not canned anything yet but I love anything pickled, jams and jellies. Love to see all the wonderful things you can, Mavis.

  310. I’ve really only ever canned green beans and muscadine jelly. I really want to can apple butter, though.

  313. Haven’t in a long time. Growing up my mother would can cinnamon pickles, sweet and hot. I remember eating them by the quart jar full…

  315. So far, the best thing I’ve canned is raspberry jam… I’m still learning so looking forward to more adventurous recipes.

  316. I canned wild grape jelly…once. I really want to can my own tomatoes in 2014. I worry about toxins in tin can tomatoes, and my grandmother’s aren’t exactly organic…she says she doesn’t use pesticide anymore – I think it is because she has used it there for 60 years, and there are no bugs left!

  317. my favorite thing to can is jam ~ I love making small batch’s and new flavor combinations, so I can eat it every day and not get bored =)

  320. I want to learn how to can homemade applesauce! My family loves it and I like to do it when organic apples are in season but they eat so much of it I’d love to have it year round

  321. I am getting a canner for Christmas! I just placed the order online for my mother yesterday. I have never canned- but I did make raspberry jam in the breadmaker last week and put it in an old jelly jar. Does that count? I would LOVE to have these books!!

  322. my favorited canned food is green beans. my whole family hates them frozen and rubbery. i want to learn to can apple pie filling. mmmmmmm

  335. I’ve never canned before but I remember my mom canning applesauce, tomato sauce and grape jelly. I would love to start canning.

  337. Blackberry JM has historically been my fav thing to can, but this last summer I had the pleasure of canning smoked salmon my husband caught in Puget Sound.

  338. I’m starting to get back into canning fruit besides jams. I canned some apples recently and intend to have them for Christmas apple pie. I’m also making sauerbraten which I may can when it’s sufficiently fermented.

  339. I really enjoyed canning my own salsa this year. I used the recipe from “Put Em Up!” It turned out delcious.

  340. Pickles, especially sweet dill and hot sweet dill. I love to make them and I love when others eat them too! The books would be AWESOME to win!

  341. I want to learn to can vegetables from my garden so badly. I wish i could afford to buy great books like those!
    You rock Mavis! 🙂

  342. I’m just getting into canning, so I don’t have much experience to pull from. But I really enjoyed making pickles!

  343. My favorite canned thing is green beans. My grandma made some amazing canned green beans and there were nearly fights when she died to see who would get the remaining bottles. I also love me some canned peaches and nearly any kind of jam!
    You are awesome, Mavis! <3

  349. So far I have only canned salsa and a few varieties of applesauce, but I would really like to try making lavender jelly!

  350. My favorite thing to can is chocolate raspberry sauce.i do. Big batch in the summer and then give it away as Christmas gifts

  351. Well, this year we only canned strawberry jam, blackberry vanilla jam & your corn relish recipe. I’d say out of all of them… the strawberry jam was my favorite because it was the easiest ;D I super look forward to getting a pressure canner tho because I imagine canning things we eat the most of like green beans & sweet peas would be easy & enjoyable — AND free up some much needed space in my small freezer!

  353. I tried all kinds of jam recipes this summer…Jalapeno Peach, Vanilla Pear, etc. They were all good, but in my opinion, you can beat good old STRAWBERRY JAM!

  361. I haven’t started canning yet, but this summer, watch out! My favorite thing to receive canned wise is Blackberry Jelly. Love it!

  364. I started canning jams this year and made your vanilla pear jam recipe. I also made raspberry, plum and cinnamon/vanilla pod/nectarine jam. All were wonderful, but I used super sweet plums and added 7 cups of sugar to the plums (as the pectin instructions said.) Yuck – it was so sugary you couldn’t taste the plums so had to toss it. I will try again next year.

  366. I’ve never canned but plan on learning next summer. I would love to make spicy pickled carrots like the taco shop has.

  371. I haven’t canned in awhile due to having a two year old…I would like to learn how to make spaghetti sauce.

  373. I haven’t canned anything yet but am biting at the bit to can something, anything. Jams intrigue me. Something with a ton of antioxidants would be excellent…

  374. Would love to learn the art of canning! Pickles, jams, and tomato sauce are high on my list!

  375. Used to can strawberry fig preserves and dill pickles with my Grandmother as a young child. My Mother in law always gave us canned blackberry jam.

  376. My favorite canned thing to eat is Dilly Beans. I have a friend who has the absolute best recipe, and I always swipe a bunch of hers when she cans them! This next year we will planting tons of beans and I will be trying my hand at caning some dilly beans of my own. I’m looking forward to it.

  377. Right now, it’s salsa. Jams and jellies intimidate me a bit as they call for mills and strainers and stuff I dont have…

  380. I love canning blackberry jelly. I used to can this with my grandma every summer as a girl and I still use her canning supplies. Makes me happy.

  381. Hi Mavis!

    My favorite thing to can (lately) has been homegrown tomato and pepper based hot sauce and ketchup! Yum!

  383. I’ve never canned. I’m learning all I can right now and hope to be canning homemade jam and jelly and everything else really soon.

  385. In October we planted 250 strawberry plugs for a large spring strawberry harvest. We just have to make sure they last through a misouri winter. So…….my favorite thing to can has been strawberry rhubarb jam and next spring it will be anything with strawberries! Those canning books would come in handy!
    Becky B.

  386. Just bought a Presto pressure canner- haven’t canned a thing yet, but can’t WAIT to can spiced applesauce and tomato soup as the first order of business 😉

  405. I love to can fruit-based jams with chili peppers added, such as: raspberry peach with cherry bombs and habanero, peach with aji, lemon-lime with green habanero.

  409. The thing I love the most to can is also the thing I was the most afraid to do… Chicken! It’s so easy! I love having a pantry with hundreds of pounds of boneless skinless chicken breast canned and ready for me to make anything I want! Chicken fettuccine, chicken tacos, chicken quesadilia’s, chicken soup, chicken salad or just right out of the jar.

  415. My favorite thing to can is zucchini relish. A close second would be apricot jam. But definitely not together! 🙂

  417. Spicy pickled garlic asparagus! which make awesome gifts! used to use grean beans but decided to use the same recipe to do asparagus. Everyone seems to like the asparagus better. I think I am one of the only guys here, unless of course I missed someone when reading all of the comments. some really great ideas there. I use your website as a source of inspiration and ideas for my little family of myself and my beautiful 7 yr old daughter Emily. who is becoming quite the cook.
    Keep on Rockin Mavis!!!

  421. I love memories made canning applesauce with my mom and sister in law. I would love to learn how to make my own spaghetti sauce

  423. Thanks for the giveaways Mavis! My favorite thing to can is usually my last batch – especially proud this year of peaches, roasted red pepper ketchup and cranberry chai spice jam.

  424. I have never canned anything before, but if I can figure out how to can spaghetti sauce and strawberry preserves I would be set for life.

  425. I don’t personally can (my college apartment is extremely small), but my mom makes the BEST blackberry jam with blackberries picked straight out of our backyard. Most people would hate “sticker bushes” in their yard, but we cherish them!!!

  426. I love to can blueberry lime jam with my older sister…. Memories of our times in grandmothers kitchen….

  431. I remember how, as a child, I loved my grandmother’s damson preserves. I wasn’t quite sure back then what “damson” meant, but I always wanted more!

  433. My favorite? Canned beef. It was something my grandma made (pretty sure it was water bath canning as my mom made it a couple times and I KNOW we didn’t have a pressure casnner). It was the most fragrant, tender, juicy, flavorful roast beef ever! I wish I had gotten the recipe from her before she went into the nursing home. Although these days I don’t think I would be brave enough to do water bath canning of meat. Hoping to get some great pressure canning recipes to use as soon as I get enough swagbucks to get a pressure canner!

  436. I have only made refrigerator pickles ( which my kids call mommy pickles) I would love to learn to can tomato sauce and some jams and jellies.

  440. My goal is to can salsa from veggies I have grown myself. I am on the low end of the learning curve 🙂

  441. Wow, look at the pile of comments already! Mavis, you are loved. I love to can jam and dilly beans.

  444. tomatoes –> salsa! We eat salsa all year long, so making my own is the way to go. Though, canning peach butter this past year was a HUGE hit with the kids.

  447. Usually my favorite is to can our jams & jellies, but this year we tapped maple and now that is my favorite.

  450. So awesome!!!!! I’ve turned into a canning obsessed woman. Every year I try new recipes but the one that NEVER fails and I always get asked for is my Dilly Beans (with a little heat, of course!). My neighbor actually asked if l would can her entire green bean harvest next year. 😉 Can’t wait to see all the giveaways!

    Kate

  453. A friend gave me canned figs and I made homemade fig newtons. They were so good! I’d love to learn about canning, I remember helping my grandmother with it but never have done it myself.

  456. We used to can EVERYTHING growing up. I haven’t canned for years but would love to get back into it. My favorite thing is green beans. My mom used to make us french style them. I prefer cut green beans. 🙂

  459. I love canning Citrus Conserve–oranges, nuts, coconut, cherries, and pineapple. To Die for!

  461. I can’t choose between pickles and apple butter, love the smells and especially love that these are my families favorites! Merry Christmas Mavis!

  464. My favorite thing to can (and my family’s favorite to eat!) is muscadine grape jelly. There are 32 jars in my pantry right now!

  467. I haven’t done any canning since we moved to the desert 12 years ago, but when we lived in Vermont we always had food to preserve. My favorite canning project of all time was homemade grape jam. Not jelly, jam with the whole fruit! I don’t like store-bought grape jam or jelly at all. A friend gave me a huge bagful of homegrown grapes, and the jam was the best I ever had. My mouth still waters when I think about it.

  468. Chocolate apple spread. Apples r local drops. Always looking for new ideas for my garden produce!

  469. The only thing I have ever canned was apple sauce. It was really satisfying to see the cans lined up on my pantry shelf.

  470. We’re looking forward to moving into a big enough house with a garden so I can start canning, so this would be perfect! I do have many fond memories of my mom canning so many things while we were growing up. Among my favorite memories is collecting the raspberries from the garden so she could can homemade raspberry jam!

  472. I want to can tomatoes. It reminds me of when my grandmother would “put up” canning in her basement

  473. I am a condiment freak! I love creating my own concoctions of relishes, salsas and toppings of all kinds to can for a winter of taste tempting treats! I know what my friends like (this one hot, that one sweet, etc) and slip a jar into their Christmas present. I usually get a dinner invitation starring the gift all throughout January!

  475. My favorite things to can
    Chocolate blackberry jam
    Strawberry margarita jam
    Pickled carrots
    I’ve yet to can meat
    I’ve yet to make lemon curd
    I enjoy your site

  476. I’ve never canned before, but I would love to preserve the fruits (and veggies!) of my labor. Dreaming of canning blueberry-lavender jam, salsa verde, green beans, fig jam, pizza sauce… So much yum!

  479. I have 80 pounds of Tomatoes from the garden in the freezer. Going to make Tomatoe Sauce and try canning for the 1st time.

  483. I guess my favorite thing to can would be the only thing I’ve ever canned – jalapeno jelly. I’m sort of afraid of food poisoning, and I’m really afraid I’ll can something incorrectly and make someone sick. I don’t even eat stuff other people have canned – sad isn’t it. That said, I’d love to win this prize so that I can learn how to can correctly and maybe overcome my fear of the process. Thanks for a whole month of prizes!

  484. I can all kinds of things, so it is hard to pick a favorite! But I really do love pickled foods! So I’ll go with pickled green beans. 🙂

  490. My family got into canning like crazy this fall when apple season was in full swing. I tried and mean tried to make apple jelly and it ended being apple taffy. Now I have to figure out a use for canned taffy – lol! These books would definitely help me in making some real jelly and a lot of other get things!

  492. My favorite thing to can is salsa. We canned 2 cases this year but quickly realizing it’s not enough

  494. My favorite is your Apple Pie Jam! Love giving it away at the holidays. Admittedly, haven’t branched out much from that jam.

  500. I just got back into canning this year due to an abundant garden. Of course tomatoes, but also did pickles again this year. I only have the hot water bath, and I am considering a pressure cooker. Pressure cookers kinda scare me.

  501. I love canning jalapeno jelly, it makes the house smell amazing! My mom and I just recently made twelve pounds of jalapenos into jelly for Christmas gifts this year!

  502. Jam – because I KNOW that my son will love it. I have recently branched out in to salsas and marinaras so that could grow on me.

  505. My fave thing to can is Ball’s recipe for raspberry chocolate sauce. I like using the food mill to separate the seeds from the pulp.

  508. I love pepper jelly!! It’s a great excuse to buy bagels and cream cheese. I recently purchased a pressure canner. Today I will be canning turkey stock for the first time. I am so excited 🙂

  515. Thanks for the giveaway Mavis! My favorite thing to can is jam! Probably strawberry freezer jam! But my favorite thing to eat that I can, is peaches!

  516. Ooh, great giveaway! I make mostly jam, with some pickles thrown in. I think my current favorite is tart cherry preserves. They’re perfect for making manhattans, and for eating over ice cream!

  521. This would be the perfect Christmas gift for my daughter 🙂 I know she cans some wonderful green beans and tomatoes and she is also a follower of yours here

  522. Zucchini Relish. It’s the first thing I learned to make with my mom. And I have good memories of having my kids grind up the vegetables and teaching them how to make it too. Family projects are always fun. And it tastes better than what you can buy too!

  523. I’m new to homesteading. Just started having the ability to grow our own food! I’ve never canned anything myself … YET! But I remember eating food my great grandmother canned when I was very young. My uncle has a small orchard in TN and for Christmas gave me some peach preserves from his trees and it was delicious! I have planted peach trees and fight the deer to keep them healthy and growing. I can’t wait to start preserving our own food from our garden. This would be a great start. I stick with real books There is just no replacement in my eyes. Thanks for the giveaways Mavis!

  528. My kids eat PB&J almost everyday. I love that I know exactly what went into the jelly. But, my favorite thing to can is applesauce, I think.

  529. Love to receive my mom-in-law’s grape jelly each year. If we run out my guys won’t left me buy store bought. They’d rather go without. I would so love to learn to can.

  531. I love canned peaches. I’ve also done a TON of freezer jam this year. I think I’d like to learn how to do cooked jam, though. I made so much freezer jam this spring and summer that I haven’t had to purchase commercially made jam since April! That’s eight months! Woot!

  533. I haven’t learned to can yet, but I just bought all the supplies! I’m hoping to make and can homemade cranberry sauce!

  543. Canning brings me back to being a kid again when my mom would spend hours canning all sorts of vegetables and making jam to last us through the rest of the year. Now that I am older and on my own, I am trying to get back in this habit. I am already growing my garden each year and freezer preserving, but want to get back into canning!!!

  547. I am a newbie wanna be canner! I am hoping, praying and wishing for a good garden harvest next year to can! Great giveaway…thanks so much for the opportunity.

  548. I love canning tons of things but I’m going to go with zucchini relish and salsa as my favorites !!

  549. My most favorite thing to can is jelly and jam. I have more than I know what to do with but for some reason it feels more fun than practical stuff like green beans and tomatoes (still enjoy those too though). I looove the carrot cake jam recipe I found on this site!

  550. I want to learn to can! I was going to this summer, but I realized after I bought the jars that I still didn’t have everything I needed and didn’t have any money left to buy all the accessories–jar lifter, etc. I was going to try canning in the stock pot. I don’t have a canner either.

    So, what would I can? First, pickled beets! My mom used to make them and it has been years since I’ve had them. Then there are those bright green sweet pickles my grandma used to make that are so sweet they’re almost like candy. I hope someone still has the recipe. After that, probably strawberry-rhubarb jam. Yummy.

  558. The only thing I’ve been brave enough to can so far (so by default my favorite!) was strawberry jam

  559. Tomatoes… or Pickled Beets. Actually those are the only two things I know how to can 🙂

    Looking at these comments all I can say is: my oh my has your site grown. Congrats!

  560. So many great canning ideas just in these comments! My personal favorite for canning is sweet gherkin pickles, a four-day process but well worth it.

  561. I can anything possible from our garden! My favorite thing to can is plain tomatoes, because you can use them in so many ways!

  564. My favorite so far is peaches. I am planning to pressure can chicken soup, beef stew, and sweet potatoes as Christmas gifts this year.

  567. My favorite canned item is my cousin Gary’s jam, both raspberry and strawberry is most welcome (usually with a lot of drooling)

  569. I would love to learn how to can tomatoes, was going to learn this past summer, but we had a horrible garden year…Meh.

  570. Who can only choose one favorite thing to can! I love to can ham n bean soup, skyline chili, relishes, and jams!

  572. I haven’t canned yet-my pigs got what little produce we had come up in our first year garden this fall, but I’m REALLY looking forward to making jam or jelly. 🙂

  581. I grew up in Kodiak, AK. My mom would can all kinds of things, but my favorite was pickled salmon and pickled kelp. My dad would scuba dive to cut the bull kelp from the sea floor. Mom would use a sweet pickle brine and the pieces would glow like emeralds.

  583. I would love to win the 3 books!! I love pickled vegetables but would love to have these reference books to help me out!
    Great job and wow is Lucy getting big!

  585. I love to can pickles. I give them as gifts and once I do they ask for more as soon as they run out!

  591. I have never canned, only helped family in the prep. My grandmother and mother canned and I remember tons of home grown/canned food. I would like to pass this legacy on to my daughter, I have lots of fond memories of snapping beans 🙂

  596. What a great giveaway. My favorite things to can are apple butter, tomatoes and strawberry vanilla jam(Food In Jars). I want to learn to pressure can so I can can stock rather than freezing it.

  597. Well, I think, after reading the books, I would try to make Muscadine Jelly (my favourite!) again. The first (and only) time I tried it, I could turn the jar upside down and it wouldn’t move…and yes, there was plenty of room! It was just a little bit thick! 🙂

  602. Not fully set up to start canning yet, but my hope is to be ready for next year’s tomato harvest. Love canned tomatoes and green beans!!

  604. I’ve never canned anything personally yet, though I plan to starting with next summer’s garden. My favorite canned thing to receive is homemade salsa we get each year from my mom’s farmer friend.

  606. I’ve never canned but I watched my Mom when I was younger. I have all the supplies, now I need some good books to teach me!!!!! Thank you, Mavis!!!

  608. I haven’t canned in years – probably decades! I’d love to get back into it. Pasta sauce, preserves, salsa – lots of possibilities! Thanks for all you do, Mavis!

  609. I love jalepeno jelly! I made six half-pints and my husband and I finished then off in about a month!

  613. I would like to learn how to can. I make an awesome salsa from the garden vegetables we grow. I would like to be able to can what I grow.

  614. I love trying new things – your site has inspired me to tackle all kinds of homemade delights. Canning is next on my list. My plan is to amass all of the things I need, read up and be ready to hit it once the 2014 garden season comes to Minnesota. I would LOVE to win this giveaway, Mavis!

  615. My favorite thing to can is tomato sauce! Nothing tastes better in the middle of winter than a big pot of spaghetti made with yummy home canned tomato sauce!

  619. I would love to learn how to can and I think I would start with strawberries.

  623. I would love to learn to preserve jams & jellies ~ I have some very healthy strawberry plants & 5 grandsons who would love to get some homemade goodies from their Mamie. Thanks for the chance to win these. Good luck, everyone!!!!!!!

  624. I grew up canning. As mothers helper, we canned peaches, pears, apricots, apples and sauce. We canned all sorts of vegetables grown in our garden. We also pickled many things – even green tomato pickles! I have always enjoyed seeing the fruit of my labors. It all looks so pretty on the shelf and gives me a sense of security to see my shelves overflowing with bounty.

    All of this being said – I would love to win these books to give to my daughter who is starting to can on her own for her family.

    Love this blog.

  627. i admire many of the previous posters, i have only canned ONCE in my life (blackberry jam) at a mentor’s home. my husband is a big wranglerstar fan and we happen to watch the episode where you are interviewed at a mother earth fair or something like that. since then, i have become a follower of this blog and have found a new-found-passion to learn these things. i want to learn to can–i even bought the canning kit you recommended and i am saving for the big ol’ canning pot. though i have only canned once, i do recall a canning “ingredient” that i found fascinating–my great aunt canned beef. she had a ranch out in ohio and raised 150+ cattle. she used to give her canned beef to neighbors, etc. and they always commented it was the best meat they ever tasted. i know that requires a pressure cooker. 😉 for now though, i have my mind and heart set on learning the ways of canning and wanting to can so that i “can” (pun intended) pass it onto my own two daughters. i would treasure and use these books to help me learn but i think i’d be even more excited to win something from YOU! 🙂 we are fans (you can thank wranglerstar!). 😉

  628. This year it is chocolate pear jam from the Food in Jars blog. I made it to give away at Christmas, but I have been hitting it pretty hard lately! I am planning to make some more.

  629. Dilly beans-I even like the ones I forgot to put the dill into-just changed the name to zesty beans:)

  630. I love making strawberry jam each year. My daughter loves her’s pureed so I throw the berries in the blender and then follow the recipe. I have to make at least 3 batches to make it through the year. It’s one of my grandkids favorites too.

  631. I love to can apple pie jam! I made over 600 jars of jam and such this year. I love it! I wish I could do it as a full time job. I have found a new passion!

  632. Hi,I love to can chicken garbanzo soup. The delicious smell makes the house seem yummy….Lolita is good just by itself or poured over rice…so satisfying on a cold winter night…..

  633. I am so interested in canning and would like to become really good at it. I made jam twice and it turned out really well. I’d love to win these books! 🙂

  637. Tomatoes.
    I’ve canned pumpkin as well, but probably wouldn’t do that again. It’s a lot of work, and takes a long time.

  638. My favorite thing to can is raspberry jam, I love to give it and receive it, I’ve never had anyone not just love raspberry jam!

  642. I just started canning this year and I love it! My favorite thing so far is jalapeño jelly. 🙂

  643. My favorite thing to can is home made apple butter! The house smells amazing while it’s cooking and it goes great with warm breakfast biscuits! Perfect for cool fall mornings.

  647. No that we have moved off the farm, I don’t turn anything down. I do like making pear and fig preserves. Canning is an art that needs to be passed on to each generation.

  649. Oooh, I don’t know if I could pick just one. My favorite experiment this year was tomato jam, but i’d like to try to make rose hip jelly sometime.

  654. I canned some dynamite dill beans last summer, using a combo from two different recipes. If only I could remember which recipes! Maybe I need some new canning books…

  655. I can’t say I “like” canning anything, since canning is stinkin’ HARD WORK! But I sure do love eating canned peaches/nectarines all year long. Totally worth the blood/sweat/tears. So excited for a whole month of Mavis-y giveaways!

  657. I started learning to can this fall when I discovered an apple tree practically throwing apples at me from the neighbors yard. I started with applesauce, but discovered that with more work I could instead make apple pie filling. Oh man its a lot of work, but its totally worth it! I popped open a quart & made thanksgiving pie and it was amazing!

  659. Peaches are my favorite. Used to help my Mom and was so little I had to stand on a chair to reach the counter!!

  661. Bread and Butter Pickles! Only got a few jars this year. Hopefully will have lots more cucumbers next year.

  667. Strawberry Jam! MMMmm. My son loves to help pick fresh strawberries in the summer. Eating this jam makes me flash back to warmer days!

  674. I asked for canning supplies last year for Christmas and darn it, I haven’t canned a thing! When I do, I’d love to can okra!

  676. Jam is my favorite with peaches or plums from my trees. Apple sauce is a close second with home grown apples too! I bought a pressure canner last year and have been afraid to use it. If I am the lucky winner the books may just give me the courage I need!

Mavis Butterfield Etsy