So... I did get busy this morning and get those beans underway. I got out the instructions that I'd gotten when attending the canning workshop last summer. I felt much better knowing that I'd been taught how to do this and had instructions to keep me on task and doing it right.
I did manage to get them all ready and the pressure cooker ready to go.
At this point, Mr. left me on my own to deal with the pressure cooker. However, it wasn't long until I realized that something wasn't right. There was about as much steam coming from the handle area of the cooker as from the vent in the top. I really questioned what to do now. If I turned them off, then what would I do with them. I hated to go through all of that getting them ready and then have it not work.
I called Mr. on his cell and he returned. He's done this before, as I've heard many many times. At this point, I was glad to know that.
As a back-up plan, or perhaps the main plan, I picked up my phone and dialed the green bean canning emergency hotline. Yep... have one of those. I called Janice, my wonderful OSU Extension Educator. I knew she was the one who would have all the answers. After all, it was Hubby and her workshop that had gotten me into this mess. Now, it would be up to them to save me. Save me from a canning woe!!!
The calm cool voice of experience coming over the phone line gave me hope of salvaging all this hard work. She said that she would bring me a pressure cooker. She would BRING me a pressure cooker... a home call. Gotta love that!!! Here in the middle of my canning emergency, there was help coming to my door in the way of experienced help coming from the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Come, Janice, come!!!
Now Mr. and Janice and I gathered around the pressure cooker, which now actually managed to pressurize. Behold, the jiggly thing jiggled. It was working!! I must admit that I felt much better having Janice in the kitchen as knew she had all the answers if things started going wrong again.
I'd love to show you a nice picture of Janice grinning at me, but she yelled when I snapped her picture, so will give her a break and not post it today. She was smiling and very patient with her new green bean canning student.
About the time Snappy took Janice's picture, he also decided to take Mr.'s picture. Now doesn't this man look happy with that pressure cooker. He is so proud of his wife and her venture into the world of doing something with all that garden stuff.
At last the beans are cooling on the towels. I'm awaiting some popping sounds, but haven't heard any of those yet. They are still pretty hot, so I imagine it will be a bit before I hear the beautiful sealing sounds. I will say that I went to a lot of work for five quarts of beans.
Mr. proudly told Janice that he was going to bring in more green beans tomorrow. 'Uh, Mr.!!! What did you say?? Tomorrow?!' Now let's not get carried away. I'll bet I can make it through the winter with just five quarts of green beans. Well, perhaps not. I sure hope canning gets easier as one gains experience. Tah Dah
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