
@ gardengrl3: Your question isn't crazy at all. Some pasta-sauce jars *are* rated for canning. They have markings and everything on them. But don't use plain lids, even on these jars. Use the safe canning lids, the two-part ones. But, for your first time canning, I would say not to use even the pasta-sauce jars rated for canning. Use equipment and supplies known to be correct while you're learning the safe way to do things. It removes one source of stress. Do not improvise as a beginner, especially with safety requirements. Later, as you gain experience, you may want to play around with ingredients, like Applestar is doing, but the safety will still be critical.
If you want to make a small batch, that's fine! One "batch" in my canner holds 7 jars, no matter what their size. There are only 7 parking places in the canning rack. Four or five jars, then, would be most of a batch. And, if you want to freeze the sauce, you will again want to use--yes--canning jars. They're tempered for both heat and freezing, and thus are recommended either way. When I've needed to "put up" food and haven't been up to standing for long enough to do canning, I've punted and frozen the food (praying for no power outages...). My canning jars, therefore, have never stood idle for very long!

I wrote a post the other day with my "three rules of canning" in it. Since then, I've found some recipes from my first couple of years canning. I am *stunned* *gobsmacked* *staggered* to find that I've been canning for 25 years. Self-taught from books, including pressure canning, but really if you follow the directions carefully and give yourself time the first couple of go-rounds, it will come together for you quite safely and happily.
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9