Freezer Strawberry Jam

June 14, 2011 by
 
I wanted to share one of my FAVORITE canning ingredients: Pomona’s Universal Pectin
It is great because: You don’t have to use as much sugar and you can do big batches of jams and jellies at one time, unlike regular pectins.  AND it is all natural.  Here is the basic freezer jam recipe, turns out great every time! PS I find Pomona’s locally at Whole Foods.  I’m sure other stores sell it, I just don’t know which ones.
 
FREEZER STRAWBERRY JAM
8 cups mashed strawberries (as chunky or smooth as you like)
4 tsp calcium water (prepared according to package directions)
1/4 cup lemon juice, optional
1 1/2 to 4 cups sugar, your preferred amount of sweetness (or 1-2 c honey)
4 tsp pectin powder
 
Clean and hull your strawberries. (I like using a huller to waste as little as possible.)
What? You don’t have a huller?! I’ll show you why I love them:
 
When you open up your box you’ll find two packages inside.  Just follow the directions.
Prepare calcium water according to package directions.
Mix strawberries, lemon juice if using, and calcium water together in a pot, bring to a boil.
Mix your pectin powder and sugar together in a bowl.
Add pectin/sugar mixture to berries.
Stir 1 to 2 minutes, return to a boil.
Fill containers, label, and freeze.
Filed Under: Canning, Freezer

Minute Sausage Patties

June 6, 2011 by
 
Have you heard of “minute steaks”?  They are little steaks which cook up extra quick.  This is my sausage version.  I don’t particularly love freezer meals, since they really never do taste quite as good as before they were frozen.  Instead I freeze components to make quick meals.  Breakfast included.
I rarely think to un thaw meat, especially for breakfast.  And honestly, we don’t usually have meat every morning and when we do, I really don’t want to serve my family large amounts of meat.
This is a great way to have smaller portions of meat and honestly, my hubby and kids don’t miss it.
I have gotten more than 12 patties out of a pound, but you could up the amount of meat used in your patties if you want.
These make it so quick and easy and I even use them for quick dinners in a pinch.
I serve them with biscuits or English muffins and eggs for breakfast sandwiches.
 
MINUTE SAUSAGE PATTIES
ground sausage (We buy ours from Butcher Boys here locally)
 
Measure meat into desired patty size (I weigh or use a scoop, or shape into a log and slice thinly).
Put between two pieces of wax paper or plastic wrap and flatten out very thin.
Flash freeze by laying single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze for a few hours, or until frozen.
Then put in a zip lock and label.  OR stack in a freezer container without flash freezing, just separate by a piece of parchment or wax paper.
When ready to cook, just put in a pan frozen.  Because they are very thin they will cook through quite quickly and there is no need to unthaw first.
 
Filed Under: Breakfast, Freezer, Pork

Homemade Tamales

May 4, 2011 by
 
 
What? It’s Cinco De Mayo tomorrow? And then Mother’s Day? Yikes, I really need to get with it! : )
I’ve had this recipe waiting to be shared for some time now, and I guess Cinco De Mayo is a good time to share it.  If you’ve never had fresh homemade tamales, you have never had tamales my friend.  They are a big favorite around here, especially when my oldest sister comes over with her family.  I think her husband has a tamale addiction.
Since they do take some time, I like to make a double or sometimes triple batch when I make them.  The day before I’ll cook and shred the meat for the filling, and when I cook them I get 2 big pots going at the same time.  They freeze amazingly well, and no matter how many I make my husband always eyes me a little funny when I give any away. : )
I base my recipe off the one printed on the bag of the MaSeCa I buy, it has never failed me.  And while you can use shortening, I strongly suggest using a good quality lard.  Yes, lard.  It’s the one time I use it.  I have tried it with shortening, and it just doesn’t work the same.  The flavor will be artificial, waxy, and just not right.   And have fun with the fillings, we just really prefer the plain shredded beef.
It freezes great and I’d rather have the filling more plain since we serve them with fresh salsa.  Yum!
 
TAMALES
8 cups MaSeCa for Tamales
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
8 cups lukewarm chicken broth (or water)
2 2/3 cups lard (or vegetable shortening
8 oz bag dried corn husks
Filling (I used shredded beef for these)*
Soak corn husks for about 15-25 minutes submerged in warm water (you may need to weigh them down to stay under the water with a plate)
While husks are soaking, make masa.  Combine MaSeCa, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
Work in chicken broth with hands to make a moist dough.
 
Add lard, mix well.
Separate husks and rinse well.
Spread masa dough (about 1/4 cup) on each husk making a rectangle about 3″ by 4″, butted up against one edge and leaving a border on other sides, as shown.
 
 
Spread a strip of filling down middle of masa.
Roll the long edge of the husk so that the masa meats, encasing the filling.
 
Finish rolling long side
Then either tear some husks into little strips and tie the ends:
or fold ends under and wrap in a piece of foil:
Fill a large pot with water and bring to a heavy simmer.
Stand tamales up in a colander or steamer basket and place over pot.
(water should not touch the steamer basket).
Cover with a wet cloth and steam for about 2 hours.
To freeze, put foil-wrapped pre-steamed tamales in ziplocks.
*Filling ideas: We like the basic shredded roast since we serve it with salsa and such and it freezes so well, but I’ve also had good outcome with shredded pork, shredded chicken with cheese, etc.
Filed Under: Beef, Freezer, Mexican Tagged With: , ,

Gnocchi with Bolognese

February 17, 2011 by
 
Have you made some gnocchi yet?  I know its good, but I am still shocked at how crazy people go over it when I serve it!  I recently made over 1000 little gnocchi for a church dance and they were SERIOUSLY a hit.  After making the first couple hundred I saved my sanity by skipping the marking and rolling step on the rest.  I served them with Gorgonzola cream sauce with ham, but I want to share another way to serve them.
(Which happens to be my hubby’s favorite way).  And since both the gnocchi and sauce can be frozen, this is the tastiest freezer dinner I can think of.  I keep Bolognese in my freezer at ALL times since my hubby is kind of addicted to it. 
 
GNOCCHI WITH BOLOGNESE
Gnocchi
Bolognese sauce
Parmesan, for serving
 
Heat Bolognese in a pot, add milk or cream to sauce if desired. (I usually freeze mine without the milk since it freezes better, then add when serving). Keep warm on stove.
Drop the uncooked gnocchi into a pot of boiling water. Boil just 2-3 minutes, until gnocchi float.
When done, add to pot of sauce.  Toss to coat, serve with Parmesan cheese.
Filed Under: Freezer, Pasta

Gnocchi

February 3, 2011 by
 
Homemade gnocchi.  Seriously yummy.  And seriously easy! Don’t be intimidated by the marking process, you can even completely skip that part if you want.  And I know what you’re thinking… “Holly, how can I possibly focus on learning how to make gnocchi when I am so distracted by your gorgeous green fake marble counter tops?!” I know, I know, but just try. 
 
GNOCCHI
2 1/2 lbs russet potatoes (about 5 large)
2 egg yolks
1 T olive oil
1 1/2 cups flour
 
Place potatoes, unpeeled, in a pot of water and bring to a boil.
Boil for 20-30 minutes, or until easily pierced with a paring knife. (Alternatively, you could bake or steam them as well, you just need them cooked through.)
Let cool enough to handle, then peel with a knife and pass through a potato ricer. (If you don’t have one you could use a fork or push through a fine sieve. You just don’t want any lumps.) 
Lightly beat egg yolks with oil and add to potatoes.
Sprinkle with flour and stir in with a wooden spoon, just until somewhat incorporated.
 Use your hands to gently knead until it comes together in a soft dough. Don’t overwork the dough.
 Divide dough into 4 parts, and on a lightly floured counter top, roll into a 3/4 inch thick rope.
 Cut into 3/4 to 1 inch sections. If you’re using a gnocchi paddle, roll one piece at a time down the ridges..
 folding the gnocchi onto itself to make a U shape.
 Use same technique if using a fork to mark gnocchi. (This is optional, you can just leave them in the little pieces, but the grooves and U shape help them hold sauce better… and they look pretty.) : )
As you finish each piece, lay out on a lightly floured cookie sheet or tea towel.
TO FREEZE: At this point you can lay single layer on a baking sheet or tray in the freezer and after frozen, about an hour or two, put all together in a zip lock in the freezer. Boil straight from freezer.
TO COOK: Bring a medium to large pot of salted water to a boil and add a couple hand fulls of gnocchi at a time.  They are done when they float, which should only take 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon and either serve as is with sauce of choice, or saute in butter or olive oil with some herbs, etc.
Filed Under: Freezer, Pasta

Mini Pizza Calzones

January 27, 2011 by
 
It’s almost 5 pm, and I’m just now posting my Wednesday post! I try to post every mon, wed, and fri, and usually I have it ready to go and scheduled to post… but life has been a bit crazy lately! I really want to expand the site to include homeschooling, autism tips, crafting and quilting… etc.  But the idea of all those changes make me super nervous! I really have no idea what I’m doing and definitely don’t have a ton of time to sort it all out. (Any web designers out there that want to get paid in baked goods?) : )   If anyone has any advice, I’m listening!
I’ve been wanting to share this recipe with you for awhile, it’s a really fun dinner for getting everyone involved.  You can put out a bunch of toppings and let everyone choose their own filling.  Which is my favorite kind of dinner.  The kitchen is crowded, everyone is having fun and getting their hands dirty.  These are great leftovers as well, they freeze pretty well for lunches (although leftover pizza doesn’t last long around my hubby!) : )
 
MINI PIZZA CALZONES
pizza dough
pizza sauce
shredded cheese ( we usually do mostly mozzerella with a little cheddar)
desired toppings, I used pepperoni, cooked Italian sausage, chopped onions
1 egg, beaten with 1 T water (for egg wash, optional)
 
Divide dough into balls and roll out in a circle.(I made mine about 8 inches across)
Spread half of circle with sauce and toppings (or mix sauce and toppings all together first)
Fold circle in half and crimp edges closed.
 
Place on greased cookie sheet.
If desired, brush with an egg wash.
Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown, about 15-25 minutes.
(How long is going to depend on how big or small you made them.)
 
Filed Under: Freezer, Pizza

Freezer Tip! (precooked beef)

September 27, 2010 by
I thought we’d start out the week with a great tip.
I buy ground beef from a great butcher locally (It’s SUPER lean too, just how we like).
I have them package it in vacuum sealed bags in 1 pound portions for the freezer, and I also get some bulk and pre-cook.
I just cook it in batches, make sure all the fat is drained off –
(Mine is so lean that I have almost none to drain off.)
Then I portion it into freezer containers
(I buy take-out containers that are freezer-safe from Cash and Carry, they’re inexpensive, reusable, and work great. You can get them in pint and quart sizes).
Cover, label and freeze.
This comes in so handy when we need a quick meal.
For taco salad I unthaw a container in the microwave quickly, then saute it with a little water and taco seasoning.  Or maybe you need some quick sloppy joes?  Or nachos? Just think about dishes you use ground beef in and could use some time shaved off of the prep.
Filed Under: Beef, Freezer

Bolognese

August 30, 2010 by
 
This is probably my husband’s favorite dish that I make.  He seriously makes a fool out of himself when I serve this.  And I love every second of it. : )  There is nothing like seeing your family savor every bite of a meal.  Happy and content.  I make a big batch of this so I have it on hand in the freezer when needed for a seriously good quick dinner.   And I know with school starting back up, many of you are looking for some extra satisfying dinners with minimal effort. 
I’ll be sharing more recipes for using this sauce this week, so make sure to check back for that!  At the bottom I’m including directions for a small batch as well.  Usually you would use white wine when making this sauce, but since we don’t drink alcohol I don’t cook with it either, so I use all chicken stock in it’s place.  I don’t think you miss it at all.
 
 
Saute onions, carrots, and garlic in the olive oil.  You can finely dice them or puree them in a food processor to make a smooth paste.  Let cook and soften while you cook meat.
In another pan, brown meat in batches, then add the vegetables.
Add tomato paste and incorporate well.
Add chicken stock, then crushed tomatoes.
Simmer on stove for 1 to 3 hours.  Add salt and pepper to taste. (If making for the freezer I under season and season more so when heating to serve.
I then separate into 7 freezer-safe quart containers.  Label and freeze.
To serve: Heat in a pot, add 1/2 to 1 cup milk depending on personal preference.
Toss with noodles. Sprinkle on some fresh basil if desired.
Filed Under: Freezer, Pasta, Sauces / Condiments Tagged With: , ,

Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Cookies

July 30, 2010 by
 
Who doesn’t love chocolate chip cookies? If you raised your hand, put it back down, I don’t believe you.  If you’re trying to get your family eating healthier, this is the best way to start.  After all, who would turn one of these down?  They may be whole grain, but the only thing people think when they eat them is how good they are.  The whole wheat gives a great heartiness, while the oats keep them light.
And bonus? They freeze well too!
 
WHOLE GRAIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Recipe from http://www.everydayfoodstorage.net/
 
2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups white whole wheat flour*
4 cups oatmeal, blended in blender to make oat flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
24 oz. chocolate chips
8 oz. chocolate grated (not needed but adds flavor- I don’t usually add this)
 
Cream the butter and sugars together.
Add the eggs and vanilla.
Mix in the remaining ingredients. 
Drop by tablespoonfulls onto ungreased cookie sheets, bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
*Sometimes called spring wheat as well.
 
To freeze: Put a few cups of batter in a cookie sheet, smooth out in an even layer about 1″ thick. Seal and freeze.  When ready to bake, just cut bag open and use a chef’s knife to cut into 1″ cubes. Bake as usual.
Filed Under: Cookies, Freezer, Whole Grain

Freezer Meatballs

May 10, 2010 by
I’m not a huge meat-eater, but my husband feels like something is missing sometimes if there’s no meat with a meal.  That’s when these really come in handy.  I’ll warm some up and serve as a side dish with dinner, either alone or with sauce, (I keep home canned sauces and some premade on hand), to remedy.
I also use them with pasta, for sweet and sour meatballs on rice, or teriyaki meatballs, or throw them in a pot with some BBQ sauce and serve on buns with cheese.
They have a ton of uses, and are so easy to make ahead of time.  I never have problems with them sticking together, so you can just pull out however much you need of a big container kept in the freezer, or pre portion into smaller containers for ease.
You can jazz them up with your favorite seasonings, but I really like these basic ones so they’ll be more versatile.  And you could use ground pork in place of half the beef, but we like these since they’re healthier.  And making them yourself takes no more time than running to the store to buy some pre made (and not to mention- SO much cheaper!)  And I don’t know about all of you, but I like knowing what is in the food I serve!
FREEZER MEATBALLS
4 lbs ground beef (I buy 98% lean from my butcher) I’ve started making these with half ground pork- amazing!
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 C breadcrumbs
1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1 T kosher salt
2 T cornstarch
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp Worcestershire
Blend all ingredients together well.  Shape into one inch balls.
Bake on ungreased cookie sheets for 10 to 15 minutes at 400 degrees, until well browned and cooked through.  Remove and drain on paper towels.  When cooled, divide into freezer containers or bags.
Use within 3 months.  Makes about 144 meatballs.



Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Filed Under: Beef, Freezer