Bruschetta in a Jar

I have learned more about myself this summer than I have in the last five or six years.

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I’ve learned that I can work full time, blog for what seems like full time, help take care of a garden and a puppy and a cat, (kind of) keep the house clean, and get the laundry done – most weeks.

I’ve learned that summer dinners are the fastest and easiest meals I’ve ever made. Omelets with fruit on the side? Sure. Big salads so we don’t have to heat up the kitchen? Yes, please. Random leftovers just so I don’t have to cook since I have to can another batch of green beans? Expected.

Pulling together a crazy, drawn out meal just isn’t going to happen. At least not until the garden is done producing and I’m permanently plopped in front of the tv watching college football (just. two. days. away!).

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I’ve also learned that canning two or three days in a row makes my back and feet hurt. I thought I was in better shape, but I apparently have never used my gardening and canning muscles before this year.

But no matter how late our dinners have been or how tired canning makes me some nights, I am so excited that I’m actually doing it.

Never in my life did I think I would be canning fruits and vegetables by choice, on my own.

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I’m still surprised at how easy it is. Yes, it’s a process. And it takes a while. But once you get the hang of it and have your rhythm down, it’s kind of fun!

Except for the whole trimming-half-a-bushel-of-green-beans-before-you-can-start.

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I saw Julie make this bruschetta last year and have been thinking about it ever since.

And I haven’t tried any of my homemade jam yet or the frozen figs or the plain tomato sauce, but I have a feeling that this will be the best thing I’ve canned so far.

The best thing about this recipe? No peeling the tomatoes! Or I didn’t, anyway. That’s one step I’m happy to leave out whenever possible.

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The smell of the liquid simmering on the stove top is enough to make you want to just drown the diced tomatoes and eat the entire mixture right then.

Thankfully, I resisted. And now I’ll be able to have garden fresh bruschetta in February.

Can’t beat that.

 

Bruschetta in a Jar

Adapted from Ball’s Bruschetta in a Jar recipe

Makes: 6 half pints

Ingredients:

  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 2 Tbsp dried oregano
  • 2 Tbsp dried basil
  • 2 Tbsp dried parsley
  • 1 Tbsp rosemary
  • 1 Tbsp salt
  • 7-8 cups diced tomatoes

Directions:

  1. Heat water to simmering in your boiling water canner (or any pot large enough to place the jars in the canner and have the water 1-2 inches above the tops of the jars). Get your lids simmering in a small pot, and set the bands aside.
  2. Pour hot water into your clean jars and let them sit until you’re ready to add the tomatoes.
  3. Mix the garlic, wine, vinegars, water, seasonings and salt in a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
  4. Reduce heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes or until all the flavors are combined.
  5. Pour the water out of the jars, and fill with your diced tomatoes, leaving a 1/2 inch headspace.
  6. Spoon the hot vinegar mixture over the tomatoes, leaving a 1/2 inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles, wipe the rim, put the lid on and twist the band on.
  7. Place in canner and make sure the water is 1-2 inches above the tops of the jars.
  8. Process for 20 minutes. Remove from the canner and let cool.

A happy birthday to my sister, Melissa! This recipe made me think of her Winking smile

* I have not tried these yet so I’m not sure how my modifications have worked. But I do know that it smelled delicious and all of my jars sealed, so I’m taking that as a good sign! I’ll make sure to report when I do open the first jar.

26 comments

  1. Happy birthday to your sis! It is amazing how much we can do if we put our minds to it. Love bruschetta!! I think this would be awesome baked on top of chicken topped with a little cheese- like a super sweet parm!

  2. I’ll have a jar of that please! Haha, what a great idea! So creative :)

  3. You have been a canning machine lately, I’m so impressed!! I love the idea of bruschetta in a jar! What a great thing to have around too when friends come over! Yum!

  4. This looks so flavorful. I love that combination of herbs and what fun to try something like this. I will be sharing this with my mother-in-law who loves canning. She’ll love this!

  5. That brucetta is beautiful–I wish I would have thought to make some when I was canning the bounty. Probably more to come though :) You’re right–canning takes it’s toll! I thought I’d taken 10 years or so off my life when I was canning for a living last year–much harder than just cooking in the kitchen all day!

  6. Wow that’s like a jewel. Sooo pretty!! Ever since I watched Julie & Julia I’ve been loving bruschetta on crostinis with a sprinkle of parmesan…

    • That’s exactly what this made me think of! We both oooh’d and aaah’d at that part in the movie :)

  7. you’ve got all my fav spices and herbs, along with all my fav vinegars- this is a delicious concoction!! <3 <3

  8. What a great use for your tomatoes!!! I bet it’ll be delicious!

  9. Jeez, Brandi! You’re like Super Woman! I’m glad you are making everything work out – blogging, work, chores, fun, etc.
    This bruschetta looks delicious too! I love bruschetta!

    • Ha, it may look like that, but you don’t see the layer of dog hair currently covering everything in my house :)

  10. What an awesome idea! Yum. And I know I’ve said this a MILLION times, but I’m so jealous of you and your abundant garden hehe :)

  11. Yum, bruschetta is one of my favorite things ever! That’s awesome that you can can it, I would have never thought to do that!

  12. I love how much canning you’re doing. I feel like I’ve just put my toe in the water as far as canning goes so seeing how many different things you’ve canned is inspiring.

    • Me too! I made two batches of jam last year, and that was it – this is my first year to ever do tomatoes or bean or anything else. So much work – and so much fun :)

  13. My back hurts from canning so much, too! I think I need a break, but everything is so ripe and ready! :/

    • Ugh, I know the feeling! I’ve been so sore the last two weeks. those green beans are killing me – and we still have more!

  14. Such a great idea! I’m not big on canned foods but if it’s homemade, that def changes my mind :D

  15. Thoroughly impressed! What a great thing to have on hand when tomatoes are out of season.

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  18. Well I came across this and had to make it since I had several pounds of fresh garden tomatoes. Plus the idea of canned Bruschetta, I’m there. I doubled the recipe and put them in pint jars. I also added a large diced onion with the garlic on the stove top. I wasn’t sure if should drain the juice from the diced tomatoes so I reserved it, and turns out the juice wasn’t needed. It made 7 pint jars and 1 half pint, now i came wait to try it. All the jars sealed, but one will be broken open soon. Wish there was a place to add a photo of the finished Bruschetta, but I’ll be posting it to my pinterest. Thank you so much for this recipe.

  19. Hello and happy summer: We have so many roma tomatoes and thrilled to have a flourishing garden. We need to do something quick in order to maximize our fruit. I really make a great traditional bruchetta and have never canned. Here is my question; why the vinegar and wine? Does it act with the sugar as a preservative? Thank you – a little nervous. Kelly

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