Canning: Tomatoes and Apples

It's been awhile since I blogged about food, so I thought I would share a little bit about canning and preserving. First, do not be intimidated. Although it can be a bit time consuming, depending on what you are preserving, canning using a water bath canner is a relatively simple process and the results are well worth the effort.
Walmart sells a basic canning kit which includes a large pot, and several utensils used during the canning process for around $30-$40. You will also need canning lids, jars, and rings.
I purchased the Balls Complete Book of Home Preserving: 400 Delicious and Creative Recipes for Today a few years ago and it has every canning recipe you could possibly need. My other source for recipes, tips and instructions is Pick Your Own (http://www.pickyourown.org/allaboutcanning.htm), which is a fantastic website for newbies.
This weekend I canned tomatoes from my friend Jacqueline's garden. They were beautiful heirloom tomatoes called "Pineapple" and they turned out great. I also canned Apple Pie Filling and apple butter in preparation for the holidays. Nothing is easier than making apple pie with homemade canned filling and a frozen pie crust. The apple butter makes a fantastic hostess gift for holiday parties.
Please, please, please give it a try. I promise you will feel so fulfilled when you see your pantry filled with healthy, local foods you canned yourself.