I think I can can, I think I can can, I think I can can

    As a little girl growing up, the majority of my memories have revolved around the kitchen. 
    I remember sitting around the kitchen table at my grandmother's house while she served a delicious hot breakfast, the smell and sound of the coffee percolating, wiggling around my seat impatiently to get my hands on one of her homemade biscuits, and the always inevitable trip to the ditch to throw out leftovers that were too old to be reheated anymore.  I remember how conversation at the table would cease as the train that was roaring past literally right outside the house until we could hear one another again.
    Come to think of it, that ditch has had a lifetime of delicious food dumped into it.  Kinda makes me jealous.
    Much of my childhood was spent watching my parents cooking something yummy in their kitchen.  I watched with fascination as my father would replicate my grandmother's biscuits with astounding results.  I watched with growing impatience as my mother churned out one delicious recipe after another.  When I got older, they started to let me help out a bit.  That was a big day for me.

    One thing that I regret not helping out on and learning how to do in detail was canning.  Frankly, it just looked like long, hot, hard work...and to a kid, that's about as unappetizing as a plate full of brussel sprouts. I believe I may have chopped veggies or fruit for them once in a while, but to me that kind of thing was fun.
    So when the hubs and I recently purchased some peaches and nectarines, I found that we couldn't eat them fast enough.  I really didn't want to lose them, so I figured I would give a shot at canning them and see what would happen.  At the most, I would end up with a bunch of stuff that I had to eat right then, right?  That's when giving it away is the best option, and one that I actually like the thought of.  Hence, partially why I want to get this canning thing under my belt.
    So I opened my family cookbook yesterday and found my mom's recipe for pickled peaches, and her recipe for peach salsa.  I had all of the ingredients, I had the jars, I had the time...
    I rolled up my sleeves, put my Hunger Games audiobook on the iPod, and got to work.

Here is the end product:

I learned some lessons with this venture.

• Canning really IS hot, hard work.
• Next time, pack the nectarines a bit tighter so there will be more in the jars instead of 50% liquid.
• The good thing about pickling nectarines is not having to remove the skin.
• I need a spice bag, and whole allspice.  And cinnamon sticks.
• I need a deeper stock pot for water baths.
• Pickled jalapenos are a lot hotter than I thought they would be!  Yowsa!
• This. Salsa. Is. Awesome.  I ♥ my mother!!

Peach Pickles  (or in my case, nectarine pickles!)

1 cup white vinegar

2 cups sugar

14 very small peaches, blanched to remove skin and stuck with 2-4 whole cloves each

cinnamon sticks

1 tablespoon whole allspice in boiling bag (optional)

Bring vinegar and sugar to a boil.  Add peaches and cook until tender.  Cinnamon sticks may be boiled with peaches and added to jars.  (I didn't have cinnamon sticks, so I just added 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the boil)  Allspice can be added to the boil, but not to the jars.  Place peaches in jars and cover with syrup.  Process jars according to manufacturer's directions.  Serve cold.

Peach Salsa  (double recipe as needed for volume)

1 medium tomato, chopped into small cubes

1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 small onion, diced

2 whole pickled jalapenos, chopped fine

1 cup chopped peaches, skin removed

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon white vinegar
Fresh chopped cilantro, if desired

Place all ingredients in saucepan and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.  Can reduce the jalapenos to one if you want it milder.  Spoon into jars, seal, and process.  Enjoy with fresh tortilla chips.

    Oh, since I mentioned those, I guess I should give you the down low on making them.  Get a package of small flour tortillas, cut into wedges.  Heat 2 cups oil in small pot, and begin dropping tortillas into the hot oil. They will brown and crisp up fast, so be ready to scoop them out!  Drain them on paper towels, and sprinkle hot chips with coarse salt.