Finally Feeling Fall

Well I have been super busy!  Last week I completed several projects.  I finished up repairs that had be lying in wait on the sewing table for months (yes, months!)  and I actually cleaned up my crafting space a little.  I finished sanding down the entry table, and starting prepping for Maggie's b-day party.  I was super busy- not blogging!  Anyhow, one of the best things I did, that takes about an entire day, was to pressure can some beef and potato soup.  I know we will be going through it this fall, especially school nites when we have soccer practice or kung fu.  It takes about a day, but pays off with ready to go to dinners.  It may not be as cheap as store bought soup, but it is about ten times better tasting and WAAAAY healthier- nothing you couldn't read on a label if my soup had 'em! Here's how I did it:
1.) Prep jars- I sterilize mine in the dishwasher.  Check to make sure all lids of jars are perfect, no cracks or chips.  They will not seal otherwise.  Wash lids, and seals.  Place all jars, lids, seals, funnel, and ladle on a large cloth on counter.  This helps protect, and clean up after. 
2.) Prep Food-  Ingredients may vary slightly, but make sure that what you are canning is safe to can- some ingredients do not can!  Read your instructions on Pressure Canner to make sure what you plan to put in your soup will not turn FUNKY!!  I used 1 onion, 5 stalks celery, a bag of carrots, about 16 small white potato, 2 28 oz cans of green beans, 4 cloves garlic, about 1 Tbs, fresh rosemary and thyme, 4 bay leaves, 2 Tbs. canning salt, and 2 tsp. pepper.  I purchased about 4 lbs of chuck roast (cheapest cut I could find) and cubed it.   I cleaned, minced, slices, peeled and chopped before I start cooking.
3.) Prep stock pots with EVOO, just about a TBS.  Pre-heat at med-high.
4.)  Brown Beef, Add Veg, Herb, Seasoning.  Cover with water and simmer on med-high for about and hour. 
5.) Prep Pressure Cooker, Check to make sure rubber seal is in place, add 2 quarts of water for every six quarts you process.  Adjust pressure to 10 lbs.
6.)  Using wide mouth funnel and ladle, start putting soup in jars.  Wipe lid of jar clean, add seal and ring.  Place jar in pressure cooker, leaving space between each jar so glass does not touch.  When 6 quarts are finished, close pressure cooker following manufacture instructions.  Wait for 5 minutes or so until steam starts pouring from closed lid.  Add pressure ring adjusted to 10 lbs pressure.  Wait until ring starts to gently rock.  Start timing now.  For six quarts, process for 75 minutes.  Make sure to adjust heat so that the ring is just gently rocking.  If if starts to rock fast, then turn down the heat some until it is again gently rocking.  When time is finished turn off stove top and wait.  Do not re open pressure cooker until all pressure has escaped.
7.)  Clean off outside of jars, they may have some spilled over soup from the pressure cooking process.

7.)  Clean off outside of jars, they may have some spilled over soup from the pressure cooking process.