Product Review, Ball Pint & Half Jars

Ball Pint & Half Jar

I've been wanting to try the Ball Pint & Half Jars since I saw them earlier this season and today I got the chance.   They are wide mouth and would be excellent for whole green beans or asparagus.  For me I wanted them for things like potatoes and carrots to add to a roast.  I usually put 4 small potatoes cut in half and a few carrots in the crock pot with a roast when I have them.   This size of  jar was PERFECT for this.  If I buy a pound bag of carrots they go to waste.  I'm the only one who eats carrots and canning them with the potatoes makes it perfect for us.  Because of the waste I seldom had carrots with a roast.  
I have some winter squash that I'm going can this week and will be using this size for it.  This size is perfect and being a wide mouth jar makes it so easy to fill and wash.  This is a keeper for sure, love them.

Ball pint & half jars with carrots.

Ball pint & half jars with the potatoes added.

I received this product free for the purpose of reviewing it and no other compensation was received for this review. The opinions expressed in this review are my honest opinions.

Canning Jars, Free Canning Jars

I put an ad on Craigslist a couple weeks ago that said I was looking for canning jars, dirty or clean I would take them.  I had someone answer the ad this morning saying that he had a couple dozen and left me his phone number.  I called and left a message and he returned my call and my husband and I made arrangements to go pick them up.  We went and picked up for FREE 5 DOZEN PINTS and 5 DOZEN QUARTS and 3 half pint canning jars.  He also asked if I wanted any "mayo" type jars and I said sure.  He gave me about a dozen of them.  I have used "mayo" type jars many times when I water bath something but never in the pressure canner.  Right now I have such a huge amount of "real" canning jars I don't need the "mayo" type but the Amish where we go to in Cuba Il would take them.  Right now I have about 20 dozen "mayo" type jars we are taking down to them next Saturday.  I would rather take them to someone than to see them in the landfill.
The gentleman we got the jars from goes to about 3 auctions a week and get jars all the time.  He cans but only uses a certain Ball quart ball jar and the others he gives away.  He asked if I would take more when he gets them and if they were dirty would I take them.  Of course I said yes.  I told him what I don't need I will take to the Amish and he was very happy with that.  He said he would keep my number and only call when he has a nice amount to come and get.  He buys certain items at auctions and then sells the stuff, this is how he makes his living.
The reason I put the ad out there was I had several people tell me that they had canning jars and couldn't find anyone to take them and threw them away.  If you do this of course make sure you follow all safety precautions.  

Ball Pint & Half Jars

Look what I got by UPS delivery today.

3 boxes, 9 jars in each box, of the Ball Pint & Half Jars, Bread & Butter Pickle Mix, Classic Pectin and Low or No Sugar Pectin.  This is like Christmas to me.  Ball sent me the items to review.

I am really excited to put the stuff to the test, the pickle mix will have to wait until next season but the jars and the pectin will be used in the next couple of weeks.
I have some grape juice that I canned when we were in Texas and will use the pectin to make some Wild Grape Jelly.  I will try both of the pectin's to see which one I like best.
I have been so wanting to use this size jar on things that a pint is not enough and a quart is too much.  I will be using them to can some pork and beans, potatoes/carrot/onion mixture to use for stew and some butternut squash.  I will keep you update when I use the products.  I love the look of the jar, wide mouth, and straight up and down.  My brain is churning at all the possibilities for this size and shape of jar.

Ain't she pretty?  Come on admit it, she is a pretty good looking girl.

Grannies Escort Service, Delivery Service

Hannah the 16 yr old granddaughter got hit in the face in gym on Wednesday and cracked her back tooth.  She wasn't able to get in to see someone until this morning and Gina had to work so I took her to the dentist.  She can either have a root canal with a cap or pull it.  Since it is a very back tooth and the huge cost difference Gina went with the extraction, good choice.  The root of the tooth is curved so she will need to see an oral surgeon on Monday.  Gina also works on Monday but the oral surgeon WILL NOT do anything unless her parent brings her.  Not a step father, grandparent or any other relative.  She was calling back to talk to the office manager to see what else can be done.  Last month I took her to the eye doctor and no problems, the dentist knew I was her grandmother and no problem.  Sometime I just don't understand, all I am doing is driving her to and from the oral surgeon.  Crazy.....

Beautiful, Windy Day

It was a perfect fall day; sunny and a little windy.  Worked out in the shed organizing the jars I got the other day, I have it all cleaned and organized.  I then sat out back for a while enjoying the day and watching the deer at the edge of the field.  The other night they were in the neighbors herb garden.  This is the herb garden that I tried to take care of because the owners divorced and he wasn't keeping it up.  They have since gotten back together so I stopped caring for it and they have just let it go to weeds.  It's a shame all that money going to waste.
I made a pan of cornbread for supper to go with some ham and beans from the pantry.  We use about 5 jars of canned items from the pantry a week, some weeks it's more.   Last week I used about a dozen jars.  It makes me feel so good to be able to do this and makes it so much easier to put a good healthy meal on the table.  Tomorrow we will have fried potatoes, bacon and scrambled eggs for supper.  For this meal I will use a jar of potatoes and a jar of bacon.  I get 14 to 16 eggs a day (have 19 hens) and like to have them for supper once a week.
Later, take care.

Canning Black Beans and Calico Lima Beans

Every time I can something else I say this is it for the season.  Today I canned black beans and calico lima beans.  I got 10 qts of the black beans which I will use in taco soup and Mexican dishes and the 4 pts of  lima beans for a side dish for a meal.  Having the beans canned up makes it so convenient to throw a meal together.   The only thing I hate about canning all day is I can't get outside to do anything.  On canning days I bring my laptop in the kitchen to help pass my down time.  Then if I still have something in the canner when Ron gets home from work I ask him to "baby sit" the canner so I can go out to collect eggs and usually take the laundry off the line.  I have to get outside a couple times a day even if it is just to take a short walk around the property; I call it my checking to see if there is anything new walk.
It was a cool sunny day and a wonderful day for drying the laundry.  I love to watch the clothes blowing on the line and the smell is something you can never get from a fabric softener.

Soaked and precooked black beans then boiling water to 1" head space.

Can you identify this?  This is some dehydrated sweet potatoes that I dried last November.  All I do is put several pieces in a small sauce pan, add water and simmer for about 30 minutes.  I then add a little butter and brown sugar and you have fresh mashed sweet potatoes.   We are having these along with some brisket that has been slowly cooking in the oven since noon.



http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com/2012/10/carnival-of-home-preserving-32-come.html



http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.com/2012/10/barn-hop-83.html

 

Canning Chicken Broth

I canned 7 qts of chicken broth this morning made from the bones and scraps from the chicken breasts yesterday.   I had some broth left and made chicken noodle soup for supper.  Out of the $30 spent for the chicken breasts I got 21 pounds of ground chicken, 7 qts of broth and enough broth and also enough chicken from the bones to make noodle soup.  I wish I knew someone who was getting a cow butchered and didn't want their soup bones; I would make some beef broth if I could get some.
My afternoon was spent emptying canning jars and washing them out.  94 of the 600 jars we got yesterday had old food in them so I sat out back and did the stinky job of emptying them and bleaching them out.  It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.  After our yard sale this coming weekend I will organize the jars and store them in the shed.

Beautiful chicken broth.

When I was getting things ready to can this morning I opened the corner cabinet and out fell all this stuff.  Whoever put stuff away did not do it correctly and this is the result.  I'm not pointing fingers but my husband is the culprit.  A pie pan was the only thing that broke.


http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com/2012/10/carnival-of-home-preserving-32-come.html




http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.com/2012/10/barn-hop-83.html