Mrs. Wages to the Rescue for Home Canning

If you have NEVER experimented with home canning, I’m your new best friend today. Mrs. Wages has made her appearance and has come to my rescue a time or two. Although I began water bath canning before pressure canning, I had Aunt Helen to walk me through the process. Her generation DID NOT water bath can her tomato juice though. YIKES! She simply turned the hot jars over…

Can I tell you that THAT method of home canning is NOT recommended. I am thankful that I knew from my home economics background to bring them home and water bath can them.

If you long for your pantry to be filled with all the fresh produce from summer’s bounty, canning them in season is the most rewarding task.

Did you grow up with canning in your home? I did not. It was a “navigate on my own” with a bit of assistance “here and there” venture for me.

Let’s begin with the EASIEST way to begin water bath canning.

I don’t know why it took me decades to find this, but may I recommend that you begin canning by water bath canning FIRST and to make it EASIEST for you?

Let’s bring Mrs. Wages into the picture.

The first decades of canning never had any thought of her name or products in my canning world.

Her name may just be revered in my kitchen these days.

You see, I love homemade salsa…but canned recipes just never made me want to repeat the process.

Last summer an oversupply of tomatoes were given to me as we filled food banks. The reason? They were far past being able to give or serve.

I had a dilemma. I had already put up so many quarts of marinara, tomato juice, and tomatoes that were added to my pantry and gifted.

Enter Mrs. Wages.

No artificial colors.

No artificial flavors.

If you are like me and add salsa, pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce or tomato ketchup to your grocery lists…well lean in closer.

You see, Mrs. Wages seasoning packets take all the guesswork out of the canning process.

Mrs. Wages’ packets with EASY instructions on how to water bath can ALL of those items will be your new best friend.

As I stood in the aisle at a local store, those Mrs. Wages packets seemed to say, “come and use me to solve your problem with canning all of those tomatoes.”

And can I did.

First, Mrs. Wages Tomato Ketchup

Gives a whole new meaning to condiments from a bottle. A delicious flavor and consistency. It may be your new favorite condiment.

Next, Mrs. Wages Salsa

I don’t know about you but I am pretty picky when it comes to salsa. I prefer a fresh salsa EVERY time and never buy canned salsa.

Each “canning” recipe for salsa just didn’t do anything for me.

Enter, again, Mrs. Wages salsa packets staring at me from the shelves.

Into my cart it went…and well, the rest is history.

Now you can choose mild, moderate or hot…but, the mild went into pints and half pints here.

Can I tell you that I use pints of this salsa to replace enchilada sauce? This salsa is the perfect addition to many soups and casseroles. Perfect every time. And it’s great just served along side Mexican dishes and chips.

Then, there’s the Mrs. Wages Pizza Sauce.

The success was so wonderful that with all of those tomatoes, these packets were brought home.

I don’t know about you, but when there are movie nights or “littles” in the house, this pizza sauce in my pantry makes the BEST pizzas. So easy to make and store and have on hand when you need it.

Spaghetti Sauce is one of my FAVORITE Mrs. Wages’ recipes.

Whether served with your favorite kind of pasta or for lasagna, the ease of having it on your shelf makes life better. Even with all of my homemade marinara? My husband will request Mrs. Wages spaghetti sauce often.

The Mrs. Wages packet list is endless.

There are dill pickles, sweet pickles, kosher pickles, guacamole, hot spicy pickles, dillied green beans and the list goes on from there.

Back to the Home Canning!

Here’s what you need to begin:

• Water bath canner
• Canning jars – probably pint or half pint for most of these mixes
• Canning rings and lids
• Canning tools- Jar lifter, funnel, nonmetallic spatula for starters
• AND your choice of Mrs. Wages mixes

Now let’s CAN!

Begin with learning all about HOW to can.

First, read the manual on your water bath canner, adding the correct amount of water and selecting the burner on your stove that will work best.

Next, decide what your family will enjoy for you to can to make a selection.

Before canning, make sure that you have picked out your recipe and have all of the ingredients to add to the mix for making whichever one you choose.

Now it’s time to start canning that recipe.

Begin by preparing all of your food ingredients.

Prepare your canner and canning jars.

• Fill your canner with water as manual instructs.

• Next, wash and sterilize the number of jars your packet says it will make in the correct size jars.

• NOTE: You no longer sterilize lids AND you do not reuse lids again. Both will actually prevent the jars from sealing, Yikes!

• Follow the directions on your packet to prepare the mixture with ingredients.

Time to fill your jars with your ingredients.

• Now, turn the water bath canner on to begin bringing the water to a boil for canning.
• Fill the hot jars as directed with a funnel.

• Use the nonmetallic tool to remove any air from each jar.
• Next, wipe off the lid of each jar to remove any food that would prevent a seal and add the lids and rings. Just secure the rings to a finger tight point…not too tight.
• Then add to your water bath canner, following the canner instructions. NOTE: Water should cover the tops of the jars when you add them.

• Process the jars according to the packet instructions, setting your timer as soon as the water begins boiling.
• Lay out a dishtowel on your counter in a draft free area to remove jars when finished processing.

After processing…

• When finished processing, turn the burner off and remove the jars from the canner with the jar lifter.
• Set the jars on the towel and leave them there for 12-24 hours, making sure that they are in a draft free area.
• Check to make sure that all of the lids are dented in to ensure that they have all sealed…just look at them from an angle…don’t pick them up or push on the lid which could produce a false seal.
• When they have cooled, don’t forget to label and date each lid and add to your pantry.
• NOTE: Many canning sites suggest removing rings from jars before storing. It took me years to be able to follow that practice, but does ensure that the rings don’t give you a false seal.

So easy! And so rewarding during the year to have all of that produce ready to use. Now…when you get comfortable canning with a water bath canner…dip your toes into the pressure canning world!

I promise you will be ready for it.

Warning: Once you begin home canning, you may become addicted! I lost count at 500 jars canned last year…lots were given away…but, seriously it’s one of my favorite hobbies!

As produce from farms, farmers markets and home gardens are becoming ready for harvest, don’t miss the opportunity to have a great feeling about adding canned produce to your pantry.

If you are a seasoned canner, let me know your favorite canned items, won’t you?

I’d love to know in the comments if you have Mrs. Wages products that are your favorite!

Happy Canning, friends!

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