Yes I "Can"

I have been wanting to learn how to can for almost two years. Fear of the unknown kept me from trying, but today I conquered my fear and fulfilled a new year's resolution. I made a big batch of Easy Heirloom Tomato Marinara (from all local or homegrown ingredients) and canned four jars of it. (I did add a bit of lemon juice to each jar before adding the marinara.) I froze the rest. I didn't want to get overly ambitious since it was my first time canning. 

Things went from this ...

 to this...

 to this in an afternoon.

Of course, I made a huge mess of things in the kitchen and I learned that there are some valuable tools that are very much needed for canning. Before my next canning endeavor I will be picking up some tongs for sure. A water bath canner (I used a very large pot) and funnel would also be very helpful. But, I am feeling good about trying my hand at canning other things now. I think I just needed to break the ice.