I received Ball canning products from Jarden Home Brands for my review. All opinions are my own.

It’s a cold and rainy day here in Oregon. As I sit by the window, I am dreaming of warmer weather. I am ready to get started on our family garden. This year we are going bigger and better than ever! We plan to build six new raised garden beds and have a couple vertical gardens along the fence.

With this revamped garden, I hope to finally have enough produce to can. I have never canned before. The first thing I plan to make is Jalapeño Jelly. I just love Jalapeño Jelly served on warm cream cheese with a hearty cracker! I found my Jalapeño Jelly recipe on the Ball Fresh Preserving website.

To make Jalapeño Jelly you need:

12 medium jalapeño peppers (about 1 cup pureed)

2 cups cider vinegar, divided

6 cups sugar

2 3-oz pouches of Ball® RealFruit® Liquid Pectin

5 (8 oz.) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

The directions say:

1.) PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.

2.) PURÉE peppers in food processor or blender with 1 cup cider vinegar until smooth. Do not strain purée.

3.) COMBINE purée with remaining 1 cup cider vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

4.) ADD Ball® RealFruit® Liquid Pectin, immediately squeezing entire contents from pouches. Continue to boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary.

5.) LADLE hot jelly into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

6.) PROCESS in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

*It is suggested that you wear rubber gloves to protect your hands when working with hot peppers.

When I finally get to make my Jalapeño Jelly, I will be using Ball Heritage Collection Jars in the new Spring Green color. For my review I received six pint jars and six quart jars. These jars have a fun vintage spin while maintaining the impeccable quality that Ball has become known for.

Ball canning jars are made from durable glass, they are dishwasher safe and made in the USA. Pint jars have a regular mouth and quart jars have a wide mouth. Both sized jars feature helpful liquid measurements along the side.

Ball Jars are also useful around the home and make cute country décor. We use Ball jars throughout or home. My daughters use them to hold markers. My husband’s favorite drinking glass is an old Ball quart jar. I often use Ball jars to hold fresh cut flowers and herbs. The possibilities are endless with Ball jars!

If you plan on gifting your canned goods or another craft, you can top your Ball jars with the New Design Series Colorful Lids and Bands. These lids and bands were created to add that extra special touch to your Heritage Collection Jars.

To see all the wonderful Ball canning products, please visit their website. You may also connect with Ball on facebook, twitter and pinterest.

One lucky winner is going to receive a set of the New Design Series Colorful Lids and Bands in blue and in green. This is a US giveaway and it will end on 03/14/2014.

Laurie

Hello, my name is Laurie. My family and I live near the Oregon coast. When we aren’t at work, in school, or on the volleyball court, we enjoy traveling, cheering for our favorite sports teams, playing outdoors, and checking off items on our bucket list. We are lucky in that both sets of our parents, as well as our siblings and their families, live within an hour of us. We get together often to help one another out, celebrate milestones, and go on adventures together.

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