One of my favorite late summer hobbies is canning.  It is exciting to see the completion of all the beautiful glass jars filled with yummy goodness. 

I had one of my good friends, Justine, come over to help can with me a few weeks ago.  She was awesome at helping take pictures and jotting down all the notes of what we did together.  (You should check out her own blog at http://www.lilybitdifferent.com!)

Canning can be a great way to use up any of those odd amounts of fruits and vegetables you might have.  For instance, I received 16 plums in one of my bountiful baskets last month!  I knew I could not eat all of them myself, so I decided to can Plum Jam.  It might be my favorite thing I have ever canned so far.

People that usually ask me about canning are hesitant about even wanting to can because they feel overwhelmed about what tools they need.  It is actually pretty easy and affordable to buy a canning kit.
I love this kit from Target! It is $34.99 for a gigantic pot and all the utensils you need to get the jars in and out of the water safely.  My favorite utensil is the magnetic wand to help snatch the metal lids out of the boiling water and place on top of your very hot jars.


Today, I would like to share the awesome recipe Justine helped create, Basil Peach Pepper Jelly!

What you’ll need:

¼ cup lime juice

2 packets of pectin (we used one dry packet and one liquid packet I had on hand)


Directions:

Begin with filling your giant pot with water and bringing it to a boil.  You will need to sterilize the jars by placing them into the boiling water without lids/bands.

In a separate smaller pan, begin boiling your lids as well.  All of this boiling takes time, and you will not have much time to waste after your pectin begins jelling your fruit mixture.

Add your peaches, peppers, basil and lime juice into a food processor or blender.

Blend until an even consistency.

Pour your liquid mixture into a sauce pan. Stir in the sugar, and bring to a boil.

Once it is boiling, add in the pectin. Boil for 1 minute and remove from heat. Skim off foam if necessary, then you are ready to start canning!

Carefully remove your jars from the boiling water. Be careful not to splash the water as you empty each jar.

Once your jars are out of the water, begin filling with your liquid jelly. You will want to fill them 1/2 and inch from the top.

I use a funnel to make sure I don’t spill any on the rims. Any liquid on the rims could cause the lids not to suction to the jars correctly.

Another good trick is to keep your canning area tidy. I like to make sure everything is within reach so that the jars and liquid do not cool off too fast.

My trick for filling the jars to the right height is to remember that the top rim is about 1/4 of an inch from the top, and the bottom part of the rim is 1/2 and inch from the top.

Once your jars are full, begin taking the lids out of the boiling water. Place them on top of the jars and secure with the bands.

Begin placing the filled jars back into the boiling water. Boil for 10 minutes, then slowly remove from the water and place onto a flat surface to cool.

Let your jars cool for 12 hours in a non-drafty area.  As they cool, the lids should begin to seal.  You will hear most of them make that beautiful chime of success.  After 12 hours, check that the lids are flat, not bulged.  Press the middle of the lid and make sure it does not spring back and forth.