Canning & Preserving foods: Is it possible to can soups and stews using my own recipes?

You need to know the correct pressure setting, for meats it is different. Hot water-bathing is good for high-acid foods only, it can cause botulism in low-acid foods. It is a good idea to find a book (maybe in your local library) about canning and food preservation and follow the recipes. I knew someone years ago who canned jars of soup mixes--corn, potatoes, etc. and she would cook some meat and add it to it or else drain it and use for meatloaf filling. Wish I had saved my canning book, got rid of it when I sold the pressure cooker. There were recipes in it for canning whole chickens, etc. but think if it doesn't seal, which happens sometimes, if would have to be done over again or used right away. If there is a Mormon church in your area, they might share some booklets or other resources since they like to store up food.