Freezing Vegetables and Fruit Guide
Freezing fruit and vegetables is a great way to make your produce last a lot longer than the shelf-life. It also protects your produce from spoiling and keeps it handy for when you wish to use it, avoiding having to spend a lot of money for out-of-season produce. Frozen fruit and vegetables can be stored in your freezer for up to one year, giving you a lot of time to use them up.
To freeze vegetables, it is a good idea to blanch them first. You can blanch the vegetables by immersing them in boiling water for up to five minutes. By blanching them, you are killing any bacteria that may be present. Some bacteria will be killed by the freezing, but many can tolerate very cold temperatures and flare up when you defrost the vegetables.
As well as killing bacteria, blanching also helps to kill any little bugs that you might not be able to see. Once you have finished blanching your vegetables, move them to ice water and keep them in the water, adding more ice as necessary for as long as you blanched them. If you blanched your beans for five minutes, cool them off in ice water for five minutes as well.
To prepare your vegetables for freezing, cut them up into small pieces. This will only apply to items such as sugar peas, green beans and other similar items. Beans can be frozen as is after they are blanched. Be sure to store your foods in freezer bags as the bags are designed to keep your fruits and vegetables from developing freezer burn.
Freezing fruit is a little different as it does not require blanching. Blanching fruit may actually destroy it before you get the chance to use it. To freeze your fruit, after you pick it let it sit in a colander for up to 30 minutes. This will drain any water off of the fruit, even water that you can’t see.
After you have let the fruit sit and drain, place the fruit on a cookie sheet with some wax paper and place it in the freezer overnight. Be sure not too many of the individual fruits are touching each other; this will cause them to stick together. The fruit will completely freeze overnight. You can bag the fruit the next day in individual bags and rest assured that when you go to use the fruit, they will not all be stuck together in one huge ice cube.
Make sure you label the fruit and vegetables with the date they were packed. Most vegetables are good for up to nine months to a year. Fruit can be frozen for up to a year as well, in freezer bags. If you choose to vacuum seal your bags then freeze them, the fruits and vegetables may last up to 18 months. After you have frozen your fruit and vegetables, reward yourself for a job well done and money saved.
Halloween Popcorn Party Mix
Ingredients:
10 cups popped popcorn
1 cup raisins
14 oz salted peanuts
16 oz plain M & M
Pros and Cons of a Formal Ballet Training for Kids
Children are easily influenced by what they see and hear. If you take your child to the museum they may decide they want to be an artist. They may decide they want to be a clown if they see a circus. When they see the ballet for the first time they may decide it
Five Home-Made Jam and Chutney Recipes
Making jams and chutney at home is a rewarding process. Jams and chutneys can be made then canned or frozen for future use, yielding you a long shelf-life of use. You can use almost any ingredients that tickle your taste buds to create some yummy recipes. Here are a few recipes from the web to start you off.
Strawberry Jam
* 2 qts. strawberries
* 1 package pectin
* 7 cups sugar
Wash and take the tops off the berries. Crush the berries, one layer at a time. Measure 4 1/2 cups berries and put them in a pan. Add pectin and place over high heat. Stir until mixture comes to a rolling boil. Add the sugar and return to the boil. Boil hard one more minute, stirring constantly. Let set for 5 minutes and remove foam from top.
Ladle into hot, sterilized jars. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
Yield: 4 pints
Banana Nut Bread Jam
* 10 ripe bananas, pureed (you need 3 cups)
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 4 cups granulated sugar
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1 1/2 cups toasted walnuts, minced
* 1 box pectin
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, optional
Mix bananas, walnuts, lemon juice and powdered pectin in large kettle. Stir while bringing to a full rolling boil. All at once add sugars. Stirring continuously, heat until full rolling boil. Continue to heat 1 minute. Fill jars to 1/4 inch of top seat with two-part lid and ring. Put in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Makes about 3 pints.
Mango Chutney
* 6 large mangoes
* 6 garlic cloves chopped
* 2 cups sugar
* 2 apples peeled and chopped
* 12 oz. golden raisins
* 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
* 1 teaspoon fresh ginger finely chopped
* 2 cups wine vinegar
* 6 red chillies finely chopped
Add everything but the mangoes to the pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Peel and take the seed out of the mangoes. Slice the mangoes. Add the sliced mangoes to the pan and cook for about 30 minutes or until thick.
Ladle into hot, sterilized jars. Process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath.
Apple Chutney
* 3 lbs. apples finely chopped
* 1 lb. onions finely chopped
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon
* 3 red chillies
* 1 1/2 cups vinegar
Combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer until mixture thickens, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove chillies. Ladle into hot, sterilized jars. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
Spicy Blueberry Jam
* 2 pints blueberries
* 1/2 cups red wine vinegar
* 3 cups sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon each of nutmeg, cinnamon and mace
* 1/8 teaspoon cloves
Wash and stem the berries. Place with the vinegar in a four-quart saucepan over medium heat. When juice starts to form, increase heat slightly, and stir often until mixture boils. Boil steadily about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
Remove from heat and measure. You should have about 3 3/4 cups. If necessary, add water to fill to 4-cup mark. Return mixture to pan.
Combine sugar and spices in a bowl. Bring fruit mixture to a boil over medium heat. Add sugar and spices all at once, and stir until jam boils again. Adjust heat so jam boils steadily for 5 to 15 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. When it’s done, remove from heat and ladle into hot, sterilized jars. Label and store a week or so for flavors to mellow.
Makes about 5 cups.
Making jams and chutneys at home is a simple process. This article provides you with five recipes to start off with. Each of these recipes came from various websites and there are many more free recipes to be found. These recipes can be doubled or cut in half, depending upon your preference. All of these recipes and almost all of the jam and chutney recipes out there instruct you to can them for future use. Enjoy the recipes and let your creativity flow in creating your own.
First Aid Kit Essential Checklist
It is important to be prepared for whatever life throws at you. One way you can do this is to have a well-stocked first aid kit. What items should you include?
Depending upon who you ask, the following is a list of items everyone should have available for emergencies. The American Red Cross suggests having at the very least:
* Adhesive bandages or band aids. You
Halloween Party Toffee Apples
Serves 6
Ingredients:
6 sweet apples
8 oz white sugar
4 oz water
1 oz butter
2 tbsp maple syrup
4 tbsp mixed nuts, finely chopped
6 wooden skewers
Instructions:
Place the sugar and the water in a pan over low heat and heat until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the butter and maple syrup and bring to a boil. Boil until the mixture becomes syrupy and thick. Remove the pan from the heat and add the nuts. Mix gently. Pierce the apples halfway through with the wooden skewers at the stalk end. Dip each apple carefully into the toffee until well coated. Place onto a lined baking tray until the toffee has hardened.
Enjoy!
Energy Bars 101
Have you ever had one of those days where there simply wasn
How to Choose Outdoor Lighting Effectively
In the past, outdoor lighting was used simply for security. These days, however, learning how to choose outdoor lighting effectively can do more than protect your home. In fact, outdoor lighting can be used to enhance the beauty and appeal of the house itself as well as the landscaping.
There are different reasons for choosing outdoor lighting and, depending upon what you want to achieve with it, different types of lighting fixtures. When you think about what can be achieved with lighting it gives you some options you may not have considered before. There are many reasons to add lights around the home.
Many homeowners are concerned only with home security which is a valid reason for having outdoor lighting. Typically security lights are placed around the entrances to a home. This type of lighting is expected to deter thieves from breaking in. However, you may also want to consider some type of lighting around darker areas of your home. The more lighting you have, the better protected your home will be.
Of course security lighting doesn
How to Combat Magnesium Deficiency with Food
When you eat a balanced, healthy diet, your body is more apt to receive the vitamins and minerals it needs. If your diet is more like the Standard American Diet (SAD), you could be missing vital nutrients such as magnesium which your body needs to be healthy. Learning how to combat magnesium deficiency with food can greatly affect how you feel and how well you are.
Many people don
Crunchy Peanut Butter and Banana Wrap
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 medium bananas, sliced
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tortillas
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 tbsp honey
Instructions:
Place the banana slices in a bowl and add the lemon juice. Gentle toss until the banana slices are well coated with the juice. Spread one side of each tortilla with the crunchy peanut butter and layer with the banana slices. Drizzle with the honey and roll.
Makes a great quick snack.
What to Do If Your Child Gets Bitten By an Animal – First Aid Steps
Many families have pets or live in areas where others have them. When your family has a pet you can feel relatively confident that your child is safe. However, you can
Top Tips to Beat Unhealthy Cravings
When you hear about cravings, it
Steps to Take When Your Baby Is Choking
Even though parents do everything they can to protect their children, there may come a time when a baby or child can
Chocolaty Breadsticks
Ingredients:
Choking Hazards for Babies
Something all parents face is deciding when to start feeding their babies solid food. You can tell babies are beginning to get interested in other foods when they watch your fork or spoon as you bring it to your mouth. However, some foods are a choking hazard for babies. Which foods are okay for babies to eat and which foods should they avoid?
Pediatricians recommend either breast milk or formula for babies until they reach at least six months of age. Doctors also have suggestions as to which foods babies less than 12 months should avoid:
* Honey is to be avoided because it contains Clostridium botulinum which can produce deadly toxins in a baby