Preserving Fruits 4: Freezing Strawberries

Frozen Strawberries for Next Winter

Recipe by Debbie from Live Earth Farm

In my last post I talked about how we’re not as excited about eating strawberries as we were early in the season, say in late April or even June. We’ve theorized that the berries themselves taste better earlier, but perhaps we just get used to them. In any case, we will be missing them come December or January, so why not freeze some now to enjoy during the winter? I’m imagining that Strawberry Sauce over chocolate pudding, or even a few plain strawberries, will soothe even the most winter-weary souls.

Balsamic Strawberries with Mint

Quick & Easy Balsamic Strawberries

Recipe from Bon Appetit and Live Earth Farm

It’s that time of the season when we’ve grown accustomed to getting strawberries every week in our CSA share, and eating just a basket of strawberries for dessert doesn’t have the appeal that it did back in early May. Here’s a simple recipe for jaded palates featuring the goodness of strawberries. The idea of strawberries and balsamic vinegar seemed strange to me, but in combination with the sugar, the balsamic sauce takes on a strawberry flavor, along with a sweet sophistication.

Pesto Salad Dressing

Pesto Dressing on Green Salad

Recipe from More Recipes From a Kitchen Garden

Back in the days before cell phones and PhotoShop, when I was employed as an Art Department Technician at a community college and had to bring a floppy disk and borrow a colleague’s Mac Plus if I needed a computer, I met a charming retiree-student named Fran. In addition to creating beautiful sculpture in her art classes, Fran had completed a challenging culinary program. She periodically brought me treats with specific instructions that they were for me, not to share with students!

Spicy-Sweet Glazed Pork Chops

Hot and Sweet Glazed Pork Chop

Recipe by Robin

During the hot days of early August here in the Northern Hemisphere, many people are on vacation, and the rest of us wish we were. I’m all for simplifying food preparation at this time of year: firing up the BBQ and grilling outside, making a big salad with tuna for dinner, or making a meal of just steamed garden vegetables like my Mom and I used to do. It's summer--let's spend more time relaxing and less time cooking! Here’s a simple recipe for grilled pork chops, and I made it even simpler by using the electric frying pan instead of the BBQ grill (you can use either one).

Ode to Joy: Blackberry Cobbler

Joy Loved Summertime

Recipe by Joy and Robin

My dear friend Joy passed away rather suddenly early this year. Today, exactly in the middle of summer, makes me think of her. A fan of underappreciated holidays, she would have enjoyed celebrating today. Although Groundhog’s Day was her favorite day to throw a party, she did love summer, and hadn’t much use for the dark rainy days of winter. She would have loved contemplating why we celebrate mid-autumn (Halloween), mid-spring (Beltane), and even mid-winter (Groundhog’s Day) but not much is made of mid-summer. And we would have had fun exploring why summer solstice is called Midsummer, when it’s really the beginning of summer.

Ruby Red Beet Soup

Beet Soup with Yogurt Blended in

Recipe adapted from Deaf Smith Country Cookbook

I tried out this recipe to explore the kinds of foods my Polish ancestors might have eaten, one of my cooking goals for this Vegetable and Fruit Year. I know that some people don’t like beets, and this recipe is not for them.

Natural & Healthy Green Bean Casserole

Green Bean Casserole, both Creamy & Crunchy

Recipe by Robin

My Mom used to make this dish with frozen green beans, Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup, and canned crunchy-fried onions, dubbed “Boonga” by my sister Diane and I.  Making the no-processed-foods version of this recipe makes me appreciate why my Mom and other 1960s cooks were excited by the simplicity of opening two cans and defrosting a package to make this. Each of the three parts of this casserole requires time and talent, and preparing the three parts so they will all be ready simultaneously requires some finessing.

Todd's Classic Pesto

Pesto with Sustainable Local Salmon

Recipe by Todd

Years ago I did production work for a jeweler lady who was very popular with men. One of her many admirers who used to come by the shop (garage, actually) was Todd. Unlike the other guys, Todd was an enthusiastic and talented chef, making classic recipes from his Italian family, which he knew by heart.

Week 18 Menu Plan

First of this Summer's Cucumbers

Featuring cucumbers, baby turnips, padron peppers, assorted greens, basil and beets

We still didn’t use our radishes from weeks past, so it looks like Sauteed Radishes with their Greens are on the menu soon. Carrots and celery from other weeks will combine well in my Steamed Fish on a Bed of Veggies (or whatever I named it!) and perhaps some padron peppers will add some unusual spiciness. Luckily, we never seem to tire of Tuscan-style Garlic Spinach & Arugula, a simple and very tasty, healthy dish that cooks down a large volume of greens neatly.

Week 18 Veggie List & Ideas

Last of the Apricot Harvest from our Leaning Tree

It’s that bountiful time of year again, the middle-of-summer harvest. We still have plenty of leftovers from last week. With more veggies on the way, we’ll have to be extra-careful about what my friend Barbara calls “refrigerator maintenance,” the art and science of eating and/or preparing all the fresh foods in the fridge before they go bad.  Wasting not it what this blog is all about!