Becoming a domestic goddess

I have been keeping myself busy building up somewhat of a pantry storage.

 One baby step at a time.

I was given a boat load of raspberries by a nice guy at work.

I knew we would NEVER be able to eat them all, although we did nibble on quite a few of them. They were absolutely YUMMO!!!!

I got busy Saturday morning (after going to the local yard sales of course).

I have never made jam before but raspberry jam has always been a favorite in our house. I decided it was time I taught myself the art of jam making.

 I must say, it was a HUGE success for me. It turned out to be soooooo good!! My kids all LOVED it and proceeded to gobble down almost an entire jar.

I also made some pickled beets a couple of weeks ago. I tried a different recipe than I have used in the past. I thought it would be better because it included a little cinnamon and cloves in the recipe. They are pretty tasty, but I think I will stick to my other recipe. I liked them better.

I'm planning to make mustard pickles this weekend using my grandmas recipe. Oh my gosh I can't wait to dive into a bottle of those. They are one of my favorites not to mention the memories they bring back of visiting my grandma. I remember them always being on the table when visiting her as a young girl.

I also hope to make salsa and my grandmas sweet chili sauce in the coming weeks.

Anyone have any great canning recipes they want to share?