There are many way to preserve various types of foods to store for consumption for many months and up to a year or more. I have books that address this and I have read extensively but I also rely on the on-line resources that detail home canning safety. I have found the University of Missouri Extension program to be excellent; their instructions for processing foods mirror those of other well respected programs.

Here is an example of what I have to watch out for with the preserving of foods. Earlier today, I processed 6 jars of  tomato pasta sauce which means that I added sauteed vegetables to the simmering, reducing sauce I had begun on the stove top. I then processed these jars using a pressure cooker and used the recommended amount of time for processing that was appropriate for the contents, the jar size, etc. The jars came out beautifully and the lids popped down promptly…save one.

That jar took a bit of  extra time, but it ultimately popped down. In reality, it kind of ‘punkered’ down versus popped, which was less than impressive. I was watching out for this one since it was suspect all along. When I tap on its lid, it makes a different sound from that of its companions. It does not convince me that it is 100%! So, I will pop this jar into the refrigerator and it will be safe and usable in the near future but not 8 months from now, which its companion jar will be after sitting on the shelf in the pantry for one year from now.

Gotta share this pic. We go thru sooo many gloves in a year. Sometimes they are just too caked with mud to even put ones hands into them. There are some gloves that are washable and Dave thought to put these guys thru the wash today. Viola, clean gloves…good to go!