It's In the Can

Last weekend I learned how to can.

Can food.

Specifically mustard pickles.

They are a family tradition.  We (well some of us) salivate for them.  My grandma made them apparently when my dad and his siblings were little and continued on the tradition as they all grew up, got married and had kids of their own. 

I can remember going out to the farm in Western Nebraska and coming home with at least one, hopefully more, jars of mustard pickles and some homemade cinnamon rolls.  The trips where we didn't come home with any were sad.  Very sad.

My aunt started making the mustard pickles since Grandma is a little too old to do it now.  This weekend I found out that my Grandma never ate the mustard pickles them but always made them because my Grandpa loved them. 

So I drove all the way to Colorado to make mustard pickles.  With my aunt and cousins.

And in turn I knew I'd have to bring goodies.  Bribery we'll call it.

So I made these... (pardon the cell phone photos...I was too tired to get my big camera)

All because we slaved away and canned 52 jars of mustard pickles.  And if you'll notice you can see the golden ears of corn in the right side of the photo.  Yes, that's right...we also did sweet corn.

And dill pickles.

And then we called it quits.

And ate some cookies.