What did you do in the garden today?

[akroberts1085]

Had the same problem once. Blackberry syrup really is very good on ice cream we discovered.

I love blackberry syrup on pancakes. I love pomegranate syrup even more.

 

[akroberts1085]

Well, not a fan of yogurt (frozen or otherwise).... But to your point, maybe I could use it for sorbet? Or blackberry ice cream? I do have an ice cream maker.

TJanonymous have you tried Tillamook yogurt. It's super good. Not sweet but not soured. I buy the Strawberry in the 5.3ounce. It's the only yogurt I can eat.

 

[akroberts1085]

I should think that maybe syrup could be used in order to make a blackberry cobbler. Of course you would have to have some fresh blackberries for it. You could probably even add a little thickening agent like cornstarch or pectin. I will give it a try and let everyone know how it goes.

 

[Smokerbill]

I have extra zucchini. If frozen zucchini is mainly good cooked down in a pot of cooked veggies, why did you not cut the whole zucchini into chucks or slices? Is there a reason to freeze it whole? Just asking because I have never tried to freeze zucchini and would like to give it a go this year. Dear Wife makes stir fry and soups all the time. It would be great to have some fresh (frozen) garden zucchini to add to the dishes. I am thinking it would make more sense to cut it up in chunks or slices before freezing and use as much or as little as you want in the dishes without having to thaw out the whole zucchini to cut it.

I personally think that a whole frozen zucchini will be more than difficult to use the thing is, for them to not get soggy after freezing, you have to cook them frozen, so, it’s easy to fry sliced frozen zucchini’s, but a whole frozen one?!

I didn't want to go to the trouble of blanching the zucchini. I considered cutting them up, but that would expose a lot more surface area, allowing more of the squash to suffer freezer burn.

Being whole when frozen, they're already in a tightly sealed container (the intact skin). So my theory was that they'd hold up better with less freezer burn being frozen that way.

When I decide cook one I'll thaw it slightly, cut it into big chunks and throw it into a pot with other veggies. I'm not going to be frying slices, so getting mushy won't be a problem.

I've never done it this way before, so I'll let you know how it works out.

 

[gtaus]

I personally think that a whole frozen zucchini will be more than difficult to use the thing is, for them to not get soggy after freezing, you have to cook them frozen, so, it’s easy to fry sliced frozen zucchini’s, but a whole frozen one?!

Well, I was thinking a person could just take out some chunks or slices of frozen zucchini and pop them into a soup or stir fry a little bit with the other veggies.

I didn't want to go to the trouble of blanching the zucchini. I considered cutting them up, but that would expose a lot more surface area, allowing more of the squash to suffer freezer burn.

Being whole when frozen, they're already in a tightly sealed container (the intact skin). So my theory was that they'd hold up better with less freezer burn being frozen that way.

I just learned about blanching beans before freezing them. It's supposed to lock in the flavor and prevent the beans from continuing to ripen in the freezer. I did not know that was even a thing. But if we end up freezing any beans this year, I'm going to blanch them for the first time and see if it makes a difference. In the past, we just washed and froze the beans. They tasted good later on, but not garden fresh. I am told that blanching them makes them taste like fresh from the garden without that slight freezer taste.

I have never tried to freeze zucchini, blanched or not. But I think chunks or slices would be a whole lot better for the way we use our frozen food. This year I froze about 8 quart baggies full of cherry tomatoes. I am told they will be great in soups or sauces this winter. Of course, we only have to take out as many cherry tomatoes as needed at the time. That is what I would like to do with the zucchini.

FYI, Dear Wife has been freezing lots of her bitter melon (ampalaya) and white gourd (upo) that we grew in the garden the first time this year. She cuts them up into thin strips before freezing, but no blanching. I would think you could do the same with zucchini. Or maybe everything should be blanched first. I really don't know.

Well, answering my own question, I found a couple of articles on the Taste of Home that says vegetables should be blanched before freezing if you are storing them longer than 4 weeks in the freezer. Here is their suggested times for blanching...

I will have to talk to Dear Wife about maybe blanching some of her veggies on the next batch, then later in the winter we can compare the blanched food with the non-blanched food to see if we can taste a difference.

 

[akroberts1085]

Well, I was thinking a person could just take out some chunks or slices of frozen zucchini and pop them into a soup or stir fry a little bit with the other veggies.



I just learned about blanching beans before freezing them. It's supposed to lock in the flavor and prevent the beans from continuing to ripen in the freezer. I did not know that was even a thing. But if we end up freezing any beans this year, I'm going to blanch them for the first time and see if it makes a difference. In the past, we just washed and froze the beans. They tasted good later on, but not garden fresh. I am told that blanching them makes them taste like fresh from the garden without that slight freezer taste.

I have never tried to freeze zucchini, blanched or not. But I think chunks or slices would be a whole lot better for the way we use our frozen food. This year I froze about 8 quart baggies full of cherry tomatoes. I am told they will be great in soups or sauces this winter. Of course, we only have to take out as many cherry tomatoes as needed at the time. That is what I would like to do with the zucchini.

FYI, Dear Wife has been freezing lots of her bitter melon (ampalaya) and white gourd (upo) that we grew in the garden the first time this year. She cuts them up into thin strips before freezing, but no blanching. I would think you could do the same with zucchini. Or maybe everything should be blanched first. I really don't know.

Well, answering my own question, I found a couple of articles on the Taste of Home that says vegetables should be blanched before freezing if you are storing them longer than 4 weeks in the freezer. Here is their suggested times for blanching...

View attachment 3630631

I will have to talk to Dear Wife about maybe blanching some of her veggies on the next batch, then later in the winter we can compare the blanched food with the non-blanched food to see if we can taste a difference.

That's a great idea. Let everyone know how it goes. I would be more willing to freeze my veggies next year. Sunday I am planning on trying to use fresh blackberries and blackberry syrup for a cobbler and making some squash fries. My mom and dad are going to come up and eat dinner and dessert with me.

 

[gtaus]

Dear Wife wanted me to get a vacuum sealer. I don't know the first thing about them, and neither does Dear Wife. At any rate, our Thrift Store had a used Deni Vacuum Sealer on the shelf last week for next to nothing in price. It came with the instruction manual, but no bags. I figure I will try it out on some regular baggies and if that works, maybe buy a roll of vacuum sealer bags from Amazon.

Here is the closest Google picture of what my used Deni Vacuum Sealer looks like...

I don't think they make them anymore, but if it still works, it might be worth buying a roll of bags. If we don't like it, maybe we will learn about the process and can make a more informed decision next time. At any rate, I paid almost nothing for this one, so I won't feel bad if it does not work out for us.

If anyone has some good advice on using vacuum sealers, or what brands to look for and which brands to avoid, please let me know. Thanks.

 

[Smokerbill]

Well, I was thinking a person could just take out some chunks or slices of frozen zucchini and pop them into a soup or stir fry a little bit with the other veggies.



I just learned about blanching beans before freezing them. It's supposed to lock in the flavor and prevent the beans from continuing to ripen in the freezer. I did not know that was even a thing. But if we end up freezing any beans this year, I'm going to blanch them for the first time and see if it makes a difference. In the past, we just washed and froze the beans. They tasted good later on, but not garden fresh. I am told that blanching them makes them taste like fresh from the garden without that slight freezer taste.

I have never tried to freeze zucchini, blanched or not. But I think chunks or slices would be a whole lot better for the way we use our frozen food. This year I froze about 8 quart baggies full of cherry tomatoes. I am told they will be great in soups or sauces this winter. Of course, we only have to take out as many cherry tomatoes as needed at the time. That is what I would like to do with the zucchini.

FYI, Dear Wife has been freezing lots of her bitter melon (ampalaya) and white gourd (upo) that we grew in the garden the first time this year. She cuts them up into thin strips before freezing, but no blanching. I would think you could do the same with zucchini. Or maybe everything should be blanched first. I really don't know.

Well, answering my own question, I found a couple of articles on the Taste of Home that says vegetables should be blanched before freezing if you are storing them longer than 4 weeks in the freezer. Here is their suggested times for blanching...

View attachment 3630631

I will have to talk to Dear Wife about maybe blanching some of her veggies on the next batch, then later in the winter we can compare the blanched food with the non-blanched food to see if we can taste a difference.

I typically cook a big pot of something and then eat over the next two or three days, so one whole large zucchini cooked with other veggies would work out just right.

I've read that you can shred zucchini and it freezes well without blanching. That way it's ready to use for something like zucchini bread or fritters... which I never make.

I've blanched a lot of veggies in the past and know what's involved, and at this point in my life I don't want to deal with having a big pot of water boiling on the stove, blanching small batches, cooling them in ice water, then waiting for them to drain. And repeating the process over and over again. I'm all about easy these days. LOL

 

[akroberts1085]

Dear Wife wanted me to get a vacuum sealer. I don't know the first thing about them, and neither does Dear Wife. At any rate, our Thrift Store had a used Deni Vacuum Sealer on the shelf last week for next to nothing in price. It came with the instruction manual, but no bags. I figure I will try it out on some regular baggies and if that works, maybe buy a roll of vacuum sealer bags from Amazon.

Here is the closest Google picture of what my used Deni Vacuum Sealer looks like...
View attachment 3630634
I don't think they make them anymore, but if it still works, it might be worth buying a roll of bags. If we don't like it, maybe we will learn about the process and can make a more informed decision next time. At any rate, I paid almost nothing for this one, so I won't feel bad if it does not work out for us.

If anyone has some good advice on using vacuum sealers, or what brands to look for and which brands to avoid, please let me know. Thanks.

You can use any bags for vacuum sealers. I have a Ziploc vacuum sealer but they stopped making them so I use a different brand of bags. You do have to make sure that you get the seals right. If it has a tube on the top, remove the tube because it will prevent the bags from sealing properly.

 

[gtaus]

Sunday I am planning on trying to use fresh blackberries and blackberry syrup for a cobbler and making some squash fries. My mom and dad are going to come up and eat dinner and dessert with me.

That sounds like a good time. I attend a Senior Citizen's Cooking Class the last Tuesday of every month. Last July we learned how to make a Baked Custard with fresh blueberries. It was really good, You can substitute any fruit. I have made 3 different variations for Dear Wife and myself in the past 5 weeks. It's a pretty darn good dessert. Easy enough for me to make without messing it up. I have never tried making a cobbler. But I sure like that, too.

Anyways, hope you have a good time with your parents.