The jars will usually still be slightly warm since glass holds heat more, but yes, thats how we've always done it w/ any type of canning. If the jars have cooled completely, it will still work as long as the lids are hot. Its so much easier this way- especially since you dont have all kinds of extra equipment taking up counter space.
I've wondered about the point fo boiling full jars w/ lids too. I worried the whole time I was doing it last summer that I was just ruining perfecly good tomatoes- but not one jar went bad!
And on another board I use, there were a few other people that said they did it this way too and never had any problems.

ok in order to create a safe sealed jar that will last ages, you have to process it. this is wht i do for beans, i sterilize my jars and lids, and then i put the beans into the jars, and then i add 1/2 tsp coarse salt for a pint jar, and 1 tsp for the next size up. anyways, i then boil water in my kettle, and fill the jars with boiling water, and then i put the sealer lids on and then the screw ring, you only tighten it until your fingers can't turn it, don't overtighten. and then i boil them in my canner for an hour and a half just to make sure the bacteria is all killed, and it creates a trustworthy seal. as for jam, just buy the certo and it has recipes and directions in it. for jam to get a seal if it doesn't seal, then just heat it up a bit in the microwave without the lid and smack the lid on and within 24 hours they will seal. leave your jars to sit for 24 hours, just becuase it doesn't get a seal right away, doesn't mean it won't seal. so before deciding your jar hasn't sealed let it sit in a draftfree cool place overnight. and if it still hasn't sealed then either boil it or microwave it and that should create the seal. you don't need to use the parrafin wax if you do this method.

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Kimberley

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oh yeah and this way works for most veggies. i don't can corn, i freeze that. never done tomatoes though. but i read that to do tomatoes boil them and then plunk them into ice water and the skin will peal off. and it will stop the cooking process.

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Kimberley

"there is nothing to worry about, just plenty to think about" from an episode of Extreme Makeover House edition

check out my blog:
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Great tips- I think I'm going to give the canned tomatoe recipe a go with all my roma tomatoes. It'll be great for sauce this fall.

Thanks for all the tips on canning and zucchini!

I'm no expert but I've been freezing tomatoes for several years. I take the core out and then put them in very hot water for a minute or two. The skin then just slides right off and I put them in a big freezer bag and done. I freeze several bags and then take out to make a big batch of spaghetti sauce and then freeze the sauce in usable size chunks. Easier to me than canning but does take up some freezer space.

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Yum! Cherry tomatoes fresh out of the garden are the best. My 2yo will hang out by our tomato plants and just keeps popping them in her mouth.

Our garden is pretty much a mess this year. DH let ds(7) plan it out & he planted everything under the sun so of course it got overcrowded. Next year we will do better.

Ok so I have a question. When freezing that much food, do you then put it into a lrage deep freezer? Those things take A LOT of energy, i.e. higher energy bills. I do think it is a wonderful idea though if you have a large family anyway and need to store that much food. My mother had/still has one of those big ol things and I keep trying to convince her that it is just wasting her money especially now that it is just her in the house.

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Heres what I was told-
As long as your freezer is full, or at least somewhat full, it doesnt take as much electric. Its when the freezer is half full or less that it costs generally outweigh the benefits.

In our case, DH hunts a lot on the weekends in the fall and he does his own cleaning and processing, so between the deer, turkey and ducks to go along w/ the stuff I've bought in bulk and the freezing I've done from the garden, ours is sometimes over full- which is good since our grocery budget these days is at the bare minimum.

When I freeze tomatoes, I simply put a pan of water on the stove, bring it to a boil, place my tomatoes in the boiling water for about 3-5 minutes, then remove the tomatoes to my sink of cold water to sit for another 3-5 minutes minimum. (called blanching) From here I peel them, though this is easily done as the skins will peel right off, most times a light squeeze on the tomato will pop the skins right off in one piece. From there I cut them up into chunks and throw in a freezer bag and haul them to my freezer.

Canning is great for space. I could always find room for another jar or 2, but I freeze everything because I have never had much luck with seals. Everytime I've canned in the past I've spent more time cussing seals than it is worth to me. Freezer space is obviously limited, but we currently have 2 refrigerators and 2 deep freezes. (Working on a 3rd) I always keep them full, if not with food, then with milk jugs filled with water, (sometimes milk) and even though ours are older units, I don't find they add that much to my electric bill to run. The worst part IMO is to keep rotating stock. But for us the winters are tight financially and December is usually the worst of course. But full freezers keep me and my money out of the stores. With a family of 6 to feed, 2 of which are teen boys, every little bit helps.

Carleighsmommy, thank you for the zuchini tips. I am anxious to give them a try and maybe be able to enjoy my fried zuchini this winter too.

I can't wait until we move into a house so that we can have a garden! Next summer I'm going to try and do a balcony garden though, does anyone have experience with this? Any tips?

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