Freezing Strawberries

Local Fresh Strawberries

It's Strawberry Season!!!

Now!!!  The time of year when we can drive out to a local roadside stand and purchase a quart/ quarts of the sweet, juicy, red, local strawberries.  This week was the week to drive out to Meadowbrook Farm in East Longmeadow and purchase a flat + 2 quarts of these tasty local berries.  No, there is no way we are devouring them all at once.  The strawberries were prepared for the freezer and then frozen.  There were other plans for 3 of the quarts.  During the remaining months of the year a bag needs only to be defrosted to enjoy as a topping on Belgian Waffles, Oatmeal Pancakes or on ice cream. 

Living in MA where this fruit does not grow year round, I like to freeze the local berries in June.  The quarts purchased during the winter/ colder months in our grocery stores are not very tasty. 

Packaging the Strawberries!

Freezing the strawberries is an easy process.  Well worth the time, too, if you enjoy eating the local tasty fruit during the winter months. 

There is always a little "strawberry snacking" going on after the bags are placed in the freezer.  Some berries are saved out to enjoy now!  Yum!  While preparing the fruit, my kitchen has the aroma of a strawberry field.

Freezing Strawberries

1. Working with a quart at a time, the tops are cut off. 
2. Then, the strawberries are triple rinsed in cold water.
3. Drain.
4. Slice each strawberry in half or thirds and measure out 2 and 1/2 Cups to place in a Ziploc Quart sized Freezer Bag.  
5. I prefer to add about 1 Tablespoon Sugar to each Ziploc Bag before freezing.
6. Move the Sugar/ Strawberries around in the bag to dissolve the Sugar.
7. Close, label & date each bag.  Then, place in your freezer.
8. Defrost in fridge when needed.

This year the Strawberries are so sweet & so juicy!  What a delicious local fruit!  We need to make a return trip and purchase a few more quarts.

Do you also freeze the local fruit??

Enjoy!
Yummy!

     

Ah, Yes! Yummy Blueberry Muffins!

Yesterday, I took a bag of frozen Blueberries out of our freezer and placed them in our fridge to defrost. Those bags of Blueberries that were packaged in the summer sure come in handy! Purchasing fresh berries in the grocery store is an option, but it’s great to just walk downstairs, open the freezer and locate a Ziploc Freezer bag of Blueberries to use when needed.

Valentine’s Day is approaching and I need to start thinking about tasty treats. A goodie that can be enjoyed at Breakfast and also just because… Yummy Blueberry Muffins are light and tasty. This is my favorite Blueberry Muffin recipe (click here for recipe card). I use one Egg plus two Egg Whites and also Soy Milk when preparing them.

Twenty-two muffins are usually the result of baking one batch. These Blueberry treats taste even better the day after they are baked. That is, if we can wait that long before eating any. They also freeze well! No, we will not wait until Sunday to enjoy them! Yummy!

YUMMY BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Oven temperature: 375° F, Time: 26 Minutes
Yield: 22 Muffins

Ingredients:
½ Cup Butter /Margarine
1 ¼ Cups Sugar
1 Egg + 2 Egg Whites
2 Cups Flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Cinnamon (Optional, but great addition)
½ Cup Milk (can be Soy Milk)
2 – 2 ½ Cups Blueberries (can be frozen & then defrosted or use fresh)

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Put paper liners in muffin tins. (Makes 22 muffins)
3. In large bowl cream butter/margarine with sugar until light.
4. Add Egg + Whites one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Add Baking Powder, Salt, Cinnamon and ½ the flour. Beat.
6. Add ½ of Milk, beat.
7. Then add remaining Flour, beat.
8. Add remainder of Milk. Beat.
9. Gently add Blueberries, stir in by hand with spatula or spoon.
10. Fill muffin cups ¾ full.
11. Bake 26 Minutes or until muffins are slightly browned.

Are you baking any special treats?

Enjoy!

YUMMY!!!

Great Minestrone

On a damp, chilly day a bowl of homemade soup that has been simmering on the stove tastes so good! Yesterday, the overcast sky brought showers, so it was definitely a day to make Great Minestrone. Great Minestrone (click for recipe) is filled with colorful, nutritious vegetables. Three 14.5 oz. cans of College Inn Light and Fat Free Chicken Broth were added to the combination of veggies along with some herbs. In my pantry was a box of Orzo, so I used 1 Cup of Orzo rather than Macaroni. Everything simmered in my 4-quart pot for 45 – 60 minutes.

The wonderful aroma in my kitchen helped erase the gloomy weather outdoors. Oh, the soup smelled so good while it was bubbling. I stirred it occasionally while it was simmering. Before serving, I noticed that it was a little thick, so I added one additional 14.5 oz. can of Chicken Broth and heated the Minestrone for a few additional minutes. It simmered once again. The Orzo had absorbed liquid while cooking.

After enjoying a warm bowl of Great Minestrone with dinner, as usual, there were extra portions. After cooling, the extra soup was placed in labeled/dated Ziploc Freezer containers and stored in my freezer. On another chilly day a warm bowl of soup will taste scrumptious!

This soup can be defrosted overnight in the fridge. To prepare place in a pot along with an additional 14.5 oz. can of Light and Fat Free Chicken Broth. More bowls of delicious, homemade soup await.

At this time of year grocery stores offer specials on College Inn Chicken Broth. Yes, I do stock up on the 14.5 oz. cans. It is great to use when making Great Minestrone, Stuffing and also preparing Rice.

Yummy!

Enjoy!