Celebrate Ball Home Canning’s Can-It-Forward Day + Giveaway!! #canitforward

When I was little my grandmother used to have a little garden. She lived in a rented house. By today's standards, it would have been a tiny house. It had 2 bedrooms and a small living room and kitchen. The yard was also pretty small but every summer, she would make sure to plant tomatoes. I loved when it was time to pick tomatoes. The first tomatoes were the best. We would pick the tomatoes and would eat them right there in the garden.

They were juicy and sweet. It was messy but fun. The rest of the summer, we would enjoy tomatoes in various ways. We would have tomatoes and mayo sandwiches, tomatoes and onion salad and my grandmother would also make her famous tomato sauce. She allowed us to help by picking the tomatoes. Then she would allow us to squash them. She would then flavor the tomatoes and make the sauce. I remember her putting the sauce into the Ball jars and then into a hot water bath. Then they would seal and then they would be cooled to be put up. It was the best sauce ever and after all the at work, he would make us a spaghetti with a batch of her sauce. It was amazing.

This Friday, July 22nd, the Ball brand will host this year’s sixth annual Can-It-Forward Day! A day to celebrate the joys of fresh preserving, and encourage both new and veteran canners to preserve more. This year, Ball is hosting Can-It-Forward Day entirely online via Facebook Live. Throughout the day, the Ball brand and their expert ambassadors will be demoing a variety of canning recipes and in the true spirit of “canning it forward.” For every engagement received on the videos, whether it be a comment, like or share, the brand donate $1 to a local charity. WOO HOO

This year we started a garden because I wanted to put up tomatoes like I had done the past few years. At our old house we had a giant garden so I was always putting up tomatoes to have fresh sauce in the winter. This year our garden is small and it is not that productive. But there are enough tomatoes to actually use to can. I usually try and follow my grandmother's recipe but I decided to try a recipe from The All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving.

It was easy and I suspect the sauce will be delicious. The Tomato Sauce recipe was really basic. Tomatoes, lemon juice, seasoning blend (optional) and salt. I am hoping we get more tomatoes so I can put them up as well. I will start putting more jars up before summer is over. I love this book. It really has some fabulous recipes that will me have delicious veggies in the winter!

In support of Can-It-Forward Day I have a giveaway! The prize is:

· The All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving: From the makers of the iconic Ball® jars and Ball® canning products comes the first truly comprehensive canning guide created for today's home cooks. This modern handbook boasts more than 200 brand new recipes ranging from jams and jellies to jerkies, pickles, salsas, and more. (Retail value: $22.95)

· Case of Collection Elite Wide Mouth Pint Jars: For the first time, the Ball® brand has introduced a line of never-before released blue colored jars. If you’d like another size or glass color, let us know and we’d be happy to swap out! (Retail value: $8.99/case)

· One $5 off coupon to be used on FreshPreservingStore.com

What a great prize. Let me tell you that the book is pretty amazing. Not only does it walk you through preserving food but also gives you some recipes where you can use your preserved foods! It is really a must have if you love preserving food.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Rules: One entry per person per day. Once a winner is drawn I will contact them and the winner will have 48 hours to reply back before I draw a new winner. Giveaway is open to US residents only who are 18 years of age or older.

Disclosure: I received a sample product for review purposes. No other compensation was given and the opinions in this post are solely mine and are based on my experience with the product. Sponsors are responsible for shipping prizes unless otherwise stated. I am not responsible if sponsors do not fulfill prize. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of any prizes.