Canning Peaches and Pears, OH MY!!

Fact: There is a Wizard of Oz allusion available for every situation.

The last two days have been consumed with canning. I'm a well-seasoned noob now. But still a [major] noob. I forgot to take any pear canning pictures. So here is me creepily posing with a jar. 

Canning pears is not my favorite. 

Here's why. You know when you're peeling a potato, and you're almost to the end... And the dang thing is just so slippery that it is hard to hold onto? Well, pears are worse. They jump out of your hands. 

Fact: I am pear-peeling challenged. Shawna, my MiL, can peel two and cut out the centers of three in the time that I can peel one. She's the boss. 

But, I have to admit that I DO love pulling the stems out of the pears. That is quite satisfying. 

I enjoy peaches a little more. Possibly because I like eating them more... and blanching is involved. 

First you wash them. 

Then you blanch them so the skins come off easily. 

Usually, the best canning peaches are Elberta peaches because they slip right out of their skins, but we couldn't get them this year. So we got O'Henry and Elegant Lady. (Or "Pretty Ladies" as Logan says.) O'Henrys peel ok, but Elegant Ladies... Oh boy. They're way high maintenance. 

 With Elegant Lady peaches, you CAN and SHOULD rush Blanch.

Peeling is my favorite part. It's like peeling the dead skin off of a sunburn. ... But gooey and peachy smelling. Ok. That sounds super gross outside of my mind... But trust me, it's good. I think I dreamt about peeling peaches last night.

You cut them and pit them, cover them in sugar water, then stick them in the canner.

And Ta Da! Dozens of peaches. Peaches for me. Boxes of peaches. Peaches for [not quite] free!

I love the nice rosy color of these peaches. It's like a peachy sunset in a jar.

Just remember: You can't can more than you can. But you can can as much as you can.