~Freezing Butternut Squash~

Butternut Squash is a favorite vegetable in my family! When it is available at the local farms it is always time to purchase many of them to prep and freeze. The prep work is done back in autumn. That is NOW! It's when these "buy local" vegetables are found at Farmer's Markets and also in the produce departments of local grocery stores at a "good" price. Later in the year taking a bag of Butternut Squash out of the freezer and microwaving it is so easy. These past two weeks Butternut Squash has been purchased, then prepped and frozen.

The process in photos:

Butternut Squash Chunks
(File Photo) 

 

Mashed Butternut Squash
(File Photo) 
 

Butternut Squash ready for the freezer.
(File Photo)

For my complete instructions to prepare Butternut Squash to freeze, click here.
Freezing Butternut Squash  

I also use this delicious vegetable as a substitution for pumpkin when baking. It looks like a few more bags will need to be prepped and frozen to enjoy in the next few months!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

     

Saving Marigold Seeds

Marigolds 
(File Photo)

The question is, "Can you harvest and save Marigold seeds to plant next year?" The answer is yes! This is another annual flower that is easy to grow and it begins with planting seeds. That is- if you do not purchase small plants to place in your garden. If you have these beautiful bright flowers growing in your garden or flower pots now, save some flowers, dry them and save the seeds. Plant the seeds next Spring! 

Like saving Zinnia seeds, saving Marigold seeds is an easy process. The colorful flowers are snipped from the stems and placed in a cut down tissue box to dry out. After the flowers dry out the seeds can be separated. A Marigold seed is slender and black. It is attached to the petal that is now brown. 

Dried slender black Marigold seeds
(File Photo)

Save those dried seeds in business sized white envelopes that are labeled/ sealed. The seeds will be ready to be planted next year! 

Happy Gardening!

~Saving Zinnia Seeds~

Colorful Zinnias
(File Photo)

If you have been enjoying the colorful beauty of Zinnias in your yard this summer you may want to save the seeds from these plants. Next Spring the saved seeds can be planted in your garden. It could be a repeat of the red, pink, yellow and white flowers that added so much color to your yard this year. 

The process is easy. Snip the colorful flowers from the stems in your garden and place the flowers in a container. The containers I use are cut down tissue boxes. I put the containers of cut Zinnias in our garage while the flowers dry out. The air circulates between the flowers easily while they are drying out.

Zinnias drying out.
(File Photo)

After the flowers dry out it is time to harvest the seeds. Pull the petals from the short stems and you will find tear shaped seeds. Sometimes, the seeds do not break away from the dried petal easily, so I leave the dried petal on the seed and plant "as is" the following Spring. I store the seeds in business sized envelopes that are labeled/ sealed.

Tear Shaped Zinnia Seeds
(File Photo)

When you save the seeds from your current crop of these beautiful flowers you will have so many seeds to plant next year.

Enjoy!
Happy Gardening!

 

Cheesy Eggplant Parmesan

Cheesy Eggplant Parmesan
ready to be placed in our oven
(File Photo)

It's great to find that local Eggplant is now available to purchase at Farmers' Markets and at roadside stands. For me it is the time to bake Eggplant Parmesan. It is a delicious dinner and I also freeze the extra portions to enjoy when our weather gets colder. It will get colder outside before we know it. At this time of year buying local vegetables is great. 

No longer do I eat fried foods, so baking the Eggplant Parmesan works so well. It is a 2 step process, but it is easy to prep. 

A few years ago I shared the directions, so I am giving that link to my post here and below: 

Cheesy Eggplant Parmesan     

This is a great dinner! For me it is especially tasty, because it is not fried. We enjoy it served with spaghetti or penne. 

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Freezing Green Peppers: Strips and Chunks

Green Peppers ready for the freezer.
Pepper Strips and Pepper Chunks

August is a great month to "buy local" and visit a local farmer's venue to purchase fresh vegetables. Tomatoes, Zucchini, Summer Squash, Eggplant, Corn on the Cob and yes, Green Peppers are available. They are all ready to be purchased! This past weekend, time was set aside to return to one of our local farm's roadside stand to purchase Green Peppers. At this time of year I purchase this vegetable to prep and place in our freezer. During the year whenever a recipe has a Green Pepper for an ingredient it is so easy to reach into my freezer and take out a needed frozen bag to defrost.

The process is easy! 

1. Rinse the vegetables under cool running water.
2. Dry each Green Pepper.
3. Cut into slices or chunks and discard the stems and seeds. 
4. Place a handful of slices or chunks into a sandwich bag, close.
5. Then place the sandwich bags into freezer bags and seal.
6. Label and freeze.   

Seven Green Peppers were prepped yesterday and are now in our freezer. Earlier last week seven were also purchased and prepped. A few at a time works well.

Enjoy!
Yummy!

    

Colors of Summer!

The bright colors of summer are enjoyed on days when the raindrops are not making appearances.

Enjoy!

  

~Simply Delicious~

Lime Simply Delicious
(File Photo)

Ohh, the heat is on!! 90°F days in June are tough- especially when we are heading into what could be our second heat wave of the year. A cool refreshing dessert is what is needed on a hot day. A quick and easy to prepare dessert! One that requires only 3 ingredients is great. Simply Delicious! There are 3 ingredients: 1 small package of flavored Jello, 1 Cup of Vanilla Ice Cream and 1 Cup of hot (boiled) Water. Everything is mixed together (in order) in a medium size bowl. It is that easy! It also tastes so good!

Preparing Strawberry Simply Delicious
(File Photo)

Simply Delicious- serves 2 

Ingredients: 

1 small package flavored Jello 
1 Cup hot (boiled) Water
1 Cup Vanilla Ice Cream

Method:  

1. Boil cold water and measure out 1 Cup.
2. Place contents of 1 small package flavored Jello in a medium bowl.
3. Pour hot water in bowl and stir Jello.
4. Dissolve Jello completely.
5. Add 1 Cup Vanilla Ice Cream to mixture.
6. Whisk or stir well until Ice Cream melts.
7. Pour into 2 servings dishes/ mugs.
8. Refrigerate several hours.
9. Serve with whipped cream on top.

Strawberry Jello and Strawberry Ice Cream tastes delicious! Lime is so tasty! Orange flavored is so good! There are so many choices. On a hot day make a batch or two of this dessert.

Enjoy!
Yummy!