Freshly Canned Tomato Sauce Recipe

Directions:

1. In a medium pot over medium-high heat, pour in the olive oil. Add the onions and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Give it a stir and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, and basil. Reduce the heat a bit and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. About Sterilizing Jars: Properly handled sterilized equipment will keep canned foods in good condition for years. Sterilizing jars is the first step of preserving foods. Tips: Jars should be made from glass and free of any chips or cracks. Preserving or canning jars are topped with a glass, plastic or metal lid, which has a rubber seal. Two-piece lids are best for canning, as they vacuum-seal when processed. To sterilize jars before filling with jams, pickles or preserves, wash jars and lids with hot, soapy water. Rinse well and arrange jars and lids open sides up, without touching, on a tray. Boil the jars and lids in a large saucepan, covered with water, for 15 minutes. Use tongs when handling hot sterilized jars, to move them from boiling water. Be sure tongs are sterilized too, by dipping the ends in boiling water for a few minutes. As a rule, hot preserves go into hot jars and cold preserves go into cold jars. All items used in the process of making jams, jellies and preserves must be clean. This includes any towels used, and especially your hands. After the jars are sterilized, you can preserve the food. It is important to follow any canning and processing instructions included in the recipe and refer to USDA guidelines about the sterilization of canned products.