Canning Archives - Page 3 of 19 - One Hundred Dollars a Month

Ask Mavis: Today I’m Telling You Why You Should(n’t) Become a Blogger {Among Other Things}

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By Mavis Butterfield on April 3, 2015 · 9 Comments

More of your questions, more of my answers. You know the drill by now. If you can offer a more coherent response than I can {not a tough job}, pretty please with sugar on top, chime in!

Hi Mavis! Love your blog. Writing for advice. I would love to get your thoughts on the pros/cons of being a blogger.

~Hillari

Oh Hillari, where do I begin. Excessive blogging will sometimes cause you to dress up like a pilgrim and prance through the streets. May also cause you to bolt straight up in bed startling your husband when you have a post idea at 3am. Blogging is the biggest time suck EVER and will also steal every ounce of your free time, become a full-time job, cause you to gain a blogger’s butt and require you eat an unholy amount of chocolate mindlessly while you are glued to a computer screen. So what I’m saying is, RUN in the other direction as fast as you can.

But… blogging also allows you to meet the most incredible, generous readers all over the world. Blogging challenges you. Blogging forces you to be creative and active and engaged even when you don’t want to. Blogging is a blessing, and I am incredibly grateful for it every day. So there’s the oxymoron that is blogging. Um, you’re welcome?

Hi, Mavis! Love your blog. I’m considering canning this summer and have a quick question. Do I absolutely have to have a canning pot or would a heavy duty stock pot and a rack do?

~Terri

You can absolutely use a heavy stock pot, as long as it’s large enough to hold a few cans, and the jars and lids have room to be completely submerged in the water for the duration of the processing time. If your pot can do that, can away! Here are some of My Favorite Equipment for Canning and Preserving in case you do decide to buy one down the road!

Hi Mavis, This year I am trying to grow my own vegetable garden to start learning how to can. Any advice on growing peas? Do they need a trellis? I have them coming up already but I wasn’t sure if they needed a trellis or stakes. Here is Eastern Pennsylvania we have been having wonky weather so they still have a few weeks before they go outside {we even had a freak snow storm on Friday}.

Thanks, Kayla

Peas are seriously so easy to grow. I think you’ll have great success with them. I always provide them with a trellis or pole to climb. You can find tips on How to Grow Peas Start to Finish HERE or Digging for Your Dinner HERE. Hope that helps!

Mavis I just want to thank you for the great idea you posted about freezing pancakes. I like pancakes but hate making them for just one person. The recipe is for 15 pancakes and one person cannot eat that many at one sitting. So your idea was great about freezing them. I made a regular batch and froze 4 pancakes in each bag so I have them for a quick meal when I am craving pancakes.

Thank you again, Robee

You are so welcome. I’m seriously still kicking myself that I haven’t been making them in bulk for years. It’s so genius. Glad my Freezer Pancake idea was helpful to you!

I found your wonderful egg custard and have been making it for cancer patients who are having difficulty swallowing. My problem I have lost the directions sheet, and cannot find out how to look it up on your web.

Thanks, Perry

Perry, I don’t think I’ve ever been so touched by a recipe request on my site! I have always been fond of my Old Fashioned Egg Custard recipe, but knowing that cancer patients are able to enjoy it even with swallowing difficulties will make me love it that much more. Click over on the link and print yourself out some new directions!

Hello, Mavis! I discovered you at the beginning of this year and really love your blog. I, too, love to garden, cook, can, travel, etc. My husband is very good at managing our finances {I’m currently a stay-at-home mom} and we try to leave a smaller footprint both environmentally and financially. That said, I do have a question about your $100/month or less spending goal; is that an allowance your husband & you agreed upon or is it “extra” money in your budget you simply track? Or something else entirely? Again, I love your blog and have become a dedicated reader. I look forward to future posts!

Sincerely, Meghan

First, so glad you found me! Second, in previous years both my husband and I have had $200/month budgeted for our personal spending. I decided I wanted to cut back this year by $100 a month so I could use that money somewhere else in our budget {I’m saving up for something I have not yet talked about on the blog}. After being married for 20+ years I know my husband’s spending habits so I just budget {assume} that he will spend about $200 a month ~~on crap that I think is a waste of money~~. 😉 Having a budget, and sticking too it is pretty awesome.

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Where is the Best Place to Buy Canning Jars?

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By Mavis Butterfield on April 1, 2015 · 52 Comments

One Hundred Dollar a Month reader, Sandra, recently asked me:

I do a lot of canning and was wanting to know where is the best place to buy canning jars that I want break the bank over. Thank you – Sandra

With canning season right around the corner, I thought the question was pretty timely. So, I figured I’d throw in my two cents, and then open it up to you peeps. Between all of us, I am sure Sandra will have more information than she bargained for.

First up, garage sales. You have to be willing to come up empty handed, but every once in awhile, you’ll hit the jackpot. Make sure to check the jars carefully for nicks/scratches/cracks. They really aren’t worth your time if they aren’t in good condition. I’ll admit, though, if I find an amazing imperfect antique jar, sometimes I’ll buy it to use as a vase, or something like that.

Next, thrift stores. For me, thrift stores are probably the biggest crap shoot. The jars are usually not in the best condition–I guess that’s why people get rid of them? BUT, sometimes, you’ll pop in and find a ton–like someone has given up on the canning game altogether. Again, you’ll want to check for cracks, nicks, etc.

Craigslist can be a great place to score some canning jars. The thing about craigslist is that you HAVE to be brave enough to haggle with prices. A lot of times, people price those puppies for waaaay more than you can buy them at the grocery store per jar–I’ve seen them listed for as much as $1 a jar. Ultimately, that’s the beauty of cragislist, though: you get to name your price, and either they want to sell them or they don’t for that price. It’s kind of exciting in a used car salesman kind of way.

Word of mouth is probably one of the most under-utilized ways to score jars. Mention that you are looking for jars to everyone you know. You never know who might have a grandma with stacks of jars in her basement. That’s how my friend Lola got all of her jars…she mentioned it at a family reunion, and then next thing you know, her great-aunt was loading up HUNDREDS of jars into the back of her car. {Don’t be afraid to use Facebook as a larger word of mouth tool.}

WinCo is spectacular for jars, if you have one in your area. They usually beat out all other grocery store prices, and they have a great selection. Because they sell them all year round, you can pick up one case each time you go grocery shopping. It will add anywhere form $5-$8 to your shopping trip, but it’s like a jar layaway program. By the time it is canning season, you’ll have acquired quite a few jars–and the cost will be spread out over a manageable amount of time.

Leading up to and during canning season, Amazon will run some pretty decent specials on jars. If you are in an area that you don’t have access to jars, this is the way to go. They will show up at your door, and if you watch the prices, it can be really cost effective. If you plan on investing in higher end specialty jars, like Weck, Amazon has some of the best prices I’ve found.

Finally, while Hardware stores can be really pricey the majority of the year, at canning time, you can get some great deals.

Those are basically all of the ways I score jars–I try to keep my eye open anytime I hit one of those spots. Jars are kind of a lifelong investment, so coming out with just a couple from an estate sale is okay by me. Scoring a HUGE amount all at once is a little more rare. It’s slow and steady wins the race.

How do all of YOU get your canning jars?

~Mavis

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Blueberry Lemon Jam

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By Mavis Butterfield on January 21, 2015 · 10 Comments

Clearly, January is not blueberry season. But, if you are a frugalicious homemaker like me, you probably have a boatload of blueberries tucked away in your freezer from last summer. No berries? No problem. Just stop by Costco the next time you’re out and grab a giant bag of frozen blueberries. This recipe for blueberry lemon jam rocks anytime of the year.

Ingredients

3 pound blueberries {I thawed mine overnight in the fridge}
2 pounds granulated sugar
1 cup lemon juice
1 cinnamon stick

Directions

Bring a boiling-water canner, 3/4 full with water, to simmer. Wash jars {I used both Weck and Ball canning jars} and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.

Combine the blueberries, sugar, cinnamon stick and lemon juice in a 5-quart nonreactive pan. Cover and bring to a boil then reduce the heat a fast simmer and cook uncovered, for 10-15 minutes stirring frequently.

Test to see if it has “set” by spooning a bit onto a cold plate. If it has formed a bit of a skin and started to give a bit like goopy jell-o, you’re good to go, if not, cook for a bit longer.

When jam is ready, remove the cinnamon stick and ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands on {see how to use Weck jars}. Place jars on elevated rack in a canner. Lower rack into canner. {Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.}

Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely. After the jars have cooled, check the seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary. Yields about {8} 1/2 pints.

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Ask Mavis – You Asked, I Answered {Plus, a Knitting Challenge!}

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By Mavis Butterfield on January 16, 2015 · 7 Comments

Another round of inbox questions, and another round of answers. First up is one of my favorite emails I’ve ever received from a reader. Sure it’s not exactly a question, but it certainly deserves to be shared!!

Mavis – I want to share with you a challenge I just made to my friends and family on Facebook. I want to challenge all of my friends who craft to knit/crochet/whatever else you do one warm winter hat each month this year and donate it to a homeless shelter in your town.

No matter what winter weather is like where you are, people living on the streets even part of the day need warm hats. And, yes, you can buy them, but having something that another human being made for you warms the heart and the spirit as well as the head. This isn’t a huge investment of either time or materials, so grab your hooks and needles and join me! I’d love it if you were able to share this with your other readers.

~Mary Anna

Oh. My. Gosh. You are my new favorite person! This is the coolest idea ever, and I love that you not only came up with it and are implementing it, but that you are spreading it across the country. I’ll do my part and share away, and challenge my readers to do the same. If you knit, participate; if you don’t, spread the idea. This is one idea that should go viral!

You are my idol!!! I happened to stumble on your website while looking for recipes for quinoa. Here is my question. I noticed that you grow kohlrabi and wheat grass, and I would love to know how you use it. I didn’t see any recipes for either.

~Allison

First, we need to talk about how you choose your idols! Ha. I feel like Mary Anna above would be much better suited for that title! Second, kohlrabi and wheat grass are fun to use. When it comes to kohlrabi, I like to roast it {my family’s favorite!} or add it to soups {it’s delish in any vegetable soup}. I know people who eat it raw or make some type of fritters out of it, but I’ve always just kept it simple.

Wheat grass is a whole different beast, though. The only way I’ve ever used it is to juice it in a juicer and add it to smoothies. It’s a great nutritional booster but if you don’t have a juicer, I wouldn’t recommend growing it!

I was wondering how your strawberries did/do in the gutter year after year and whether the metal gutters get too hot in the summer sun?

~Brian

So this is tricky for me to answer because I didn’t grow my gutter strawberries outdoors, I grew them in my greenhouse. They thrived and grew like mad inside the greenhouse! I’m not sure how they would have done outside all year, but I do know that if you live in climates with extreme weather {super duper hot or super duper cold}, they normally don’t make it. Anyone out there have experience with gutter strawberries?

For some reason I stopped getting your daily blog last spring. I checked your blog online and realized I’ve missed so much from a blog I like a lot. How can I go back and catch up. I don’t see anyway to go to past blog postings? Particularly information on your move and remodel…..and your reasons…your garden. Wow, a lot to catch up on. Anyway to do that? Thanks.

~Paula

There are a few ways you can search the archives. On the right sidebar, you’ll see a lot of category option, from recipes to my Mornings with Mavis posts. If you don’t see what you’re looking for there, you can throw a search term into the search box in the upper right hand corner. Let’s say you are looking for all my posts on my remodel. Just type in “remodel,” hit enter and all the my posts on the remodel will pop up there. You can also find category and tag links at the bottom of each post. Click on the “kitchen remodel” tag for instance, and all the posts about my kitchen remodel will be there. Pretty neat stuff, huh?!

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