Can It Forward Day Giveaway!

Saturday, July 14 is not only Bastille Day, it's also National Can-It-Forward Day. That event, my recent post on DIY, Canning and Preserving and a Home Canning Discovery Kit I received from Ball made me decide it was time to take the plunge and try my hand at canning.  The kit had a book on canning, a special rack and lifter, some pectin and Ball jars, which you can find in just about any hardware store.

Instead of making a big batch, the kit enables you to make three pint jars which was pretty easy to manage and good for a beginner like me. I made a batch of canned plums that I spiced up with cinnamon chunks, cardamom and black pepper. I washed the fruit, boiled my jars for 10 minutes, made a sugar syrup according the instructions, filled the jars with plum halves and syrup, sealed the jars and simmered them for 20 minutes. It was pretty darn easy, though you have to be careful because the combination of boiling water and heavy jars can be a bit awkward. 

If I CAN than you CAN! If you've always wanted to try canning, now is the perfect time. There will be a series of live streaming canning demos on Ball jar brand's site, Fresh Preserving on National Can-It-Forward Day. Experts are going to demo a mixed berry jam, kosher dill pickles, pepper jelly, fresh tomatoes and Italian style pasta sauce so if you want to try one of those recipes you can get a whole lot of help! 

Thanks to Jarden, maker of Ball and Kerr canning supplies I am giving away a coupon good for one case of canning jars.


 To win:

1. Leave a comment on this post and tell me what you'd can with a case of jars. 
2. The contest will end at the conclusion of Can It Forward Day, at 10 pm PST on Saturday, July 14th, 2012. 
3. A winner will be chosen at random and will be announced on Sunday, July 15, 2012.
4. Giveaway is open to US residents or anyone with a US mailing address.
5. One comment per person, please, and you must leave your email address in the comment to be considered. 

My thanks to Ball for providing me with the Home Canning Discovery Kit and for providing a case of jars to one lucky reader.