We can can, can you?

We spent most of our Lughnassad / Calan Awst canning tomato sauce. 

Here's how:

You'll need equipment: An enamel pot, a wooden spoon to stir, a ladle, a canning kettle, water, and a stove. It helps to have a smoosher, a can grabber and a jar funnel. You will need 12 quart-sized canning jars, lids, and rings. Make sure the jars are clean, sterilize them in boiling water, and keep the rings and lids under warm water 'til you're ready to use them.

You'll need the following ingredients: a bushel of paste tomatoes, 2 - 3 green peppers, basil, thyme, garlic, zucchini and onions. You can add more spices if you like, such as chili peppers, to make your sauce more zingy and to create salsa. We used Roma tomatoes, a large zucchini with the inner seedy part removed, two large green peppers, a handful of small white onions, three stalks of basil, a handful of thyme leaves, and two cloves of smashed garlic. I don't peel my tomatoes, because the skins are full of nutrients and fiber.

Add all the ingredients into an enamel pot. Please don't use iron, steel, or any other metal, including for the spoon. Metal can react with the acidic tomatoes. I don't add water. Smoosh the tomatoes. Let it cook until the tomatoes are soft but not a paste. Let it cool but not get cold.

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Ladle the sauce into wide-mouthed canning jars and put the lids on while the sauce is still warm. Tighten the lids. Put the jars into your canning kettle and cover with water, an inch above the top of the jars. Bring it to a rolling boil. Boil for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, let it cool, carefully remove jars from the kettle. A jar-lifter is helpful. Make sure the lids are on tight! They should be concave if they'd sealed properly. Some make a "Ping!" sound when they're cool, which indicate they've sealed properly. 

You do not need to pressure-can tomatoes or any other acidic fruits, but you can do so if you want. 

If you are a user of magick, you may want to thank the Universe for the bounty of the harvest, and do workings to ensure that your canned goods stay fresh and preserved.