Cookbook Reviews...The Ball Canning Books

The Ball Blue Book celebrated its 100^th anniversary edition in 2009…our mother and grandmother used a Ball book to can from.  Both of us have fairly new copies, and use them.  We both also have the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, with some 400 recipes, published in 2006.  I still have my 1972 Ball book – one of my original canning books that I bought when we planted those first gardens of our own - it cost $1.  Both Myrna and I grew up with cannning at home; everything was preserved…memories of the Depression and World War 2 shortages weren’t far from mind.

I like both of these books – the Ball book for basic canning and the Complete book for jams, jellies, condiments, pickles, and the like.  They give helps, good explanations, and recipes that work.  
The Blue Book also includes some dehydrating recipes, and my son convinced me to buy one this year, after he found one he liked.  I used to have one of those round, cheap dehydrators that didn’t work and didn’t know if I wanted to invest in a dehydrator again – I am very satisfied with the LEM 10-tray machine I bought at a nearby farm store.  It’s similar to an Excalibur, but a little less expensive.  We use it every week now.

Every year I like to try at least one new canning or preserving recipe or two – I’d encourage you to try some too.  Check our canning section for some ideas and helps.

Home Canned Three Bean Salad

Home Canned Soup Vegetables

Dehydrated White Potatoes

Dehydrated Apple Snacks