Why You Should Can Your Own Fruits and Vegetables?

Canning season is officially over for me. In the past two weeks I have managed to pack 40 jars of tomato sauce, 10 jars of peaches and 20 jars of salsa. I'm tired. I know for some of you the idea of canning your own fruits and vegetables is considered old-fashion and outdated. Many argue with me. If you can buy a can of tomatoes for 99cents why would you put so much time and effort into canning your own?
A couple of reasons, first if you are productive and efficient and your timing is just right you can do it for a little cheaper then store bought. But more importantly, I control what goes into my food, salt, sugar, preservatives. But the real reason I love it so much is because in the dead of winter, when you can saunder down to the your cantina and grap a jar of tomatoes that you have grown yourself or simply bought from your local farmer, cleaned, cooked, pressed etc.etc. there is nothing like it and nothing can compare to it.
If you really want to eat clean and healthy then you should seriously consider turning back the clock to the days of your grandmother and great-grandmother and consider taking up the lost art of preserving and canning.
I'm going to share with you today my recipe for canning tomato sauce. I consider this recipe to be my greatest treasure it belonged to my Italian mother-in-law. It was the quick thinking of my sister-in-law to it write down on one such occasion when she was canning with her.  We all took our turn learning the ropes and I continue the tradition today using the very same separator that belonged to her.

Nonna's Sauce
Your tomatoes should come fresh from your local farmer if not from your own garden. Roma tomatoes or if you can get your hands on San Marzano tomatoes are ideal.
Wash your tomatoes genereously, remove the stem and any dark or white spots.
Hand cut the tomatoes and put them into a blender.
Pour the blended tomatoes into the separating machine. This machine will separate the skin and seeds on one side and send the juice in a pot on the otherside.
Once you have filled a large pot with juice you can begin boiling it on the stove. You can add some salt at this time. This juice will boil for a couple of hours.
Meanwhile I wash my jars and lids in the dishwasher on sanitizing setting. If they finish before the sauce I will then hold them until the sauce is ready in oven. The lids I boil on the stove and hold in the hot water until ready to jar.
Before you jar place 3-4 fresh basil leaves (from your garden) and fill the jars with the hot sauce. Leave at least 1 inch head room. Attach lids and secure tightly, turn upside down to sit and seal. 


When you are ready to use your sauce.
saute up a little chopped garlic in olive oil, add a jar of sauce, let simmer for 20-30 minutes adding again some fresh or "frozen fresh" basil about 1/2 way through your cooking time along with kosher salt to taste.
This will make a lovely marinara sauce for your favourite pasta.