goodbye, friends.

after bedrest for most of 2010 and pneumonia for all of 2011,

i feel it is time to let this blog loose.

and, the truth is, i have shared almost everything i know.

my goal was always to empower the reader to make

their OWN recipes work in the freezer.

i am not a freezing guru.

i am just a regular mom who tried things out.

some worked and some didn't...and i shared what worked here.

please feel free to visit the archives, search my recipes and browse all you want.

this blog will remain up, but there will be no new posts.

thanks for reading!

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all pneumonia. all the time.

still sick.
taking med round number six.
i'll be back.
at some point.

(cough, cough, wheeze)

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Prognosis Pictogram

Be back soon! (cough! cough!)

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Holiday Break

I'm off for the holidays.

Take some time and browse the site,
try past recipes and hints
and freeze happy!

See you next year!

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Fancy Baked Penne

Baked Penne with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

6 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking dishes
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound penne rigate
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups whole milk
10 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded provolone
1 cup finely grated Parmesan
 
2 disposable aluminum pans


To Prepare
Butter two alluminum 9x13" pans. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain pasta, and return to pot.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Halve each piece lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, melt butter over medium. Add flour and garlic; cook, whisking, 1 minute. While whisking, gradually add milk; bring to a simmer, whisking frequently. Add mushrooms and tomatoes; cook 1 minute. Off heat, gradually stir in provolone and 1/2 cup Parmesan.

Add chicken and pasta to pot; season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta mixture between pans; sprinkle each with 1 cup Parmesan.

To Freeze
Cover tightly with foil, and freeze, up to 3 months.

To Serve
Take directly from freezer, no need to thaw. 
Preheat oven to 400, and bake (still covered in foil) on a rimmed baking sheet until center is hot, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove foil; bake until top is golden, about 15 minutes more.

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Maple Corn Bread

Maple Corn Bread

1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup corn meal
1/2 Tbl baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 Tbl canola oil

To Prepare:
In a bowl, combine flour, corn meal, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, beat egg, milk, syrup and oil. Stir into dry ingredients, just until moistened. Pour into a greased 9-inch square baking pan. Bake at 400° for 20 to 22 minutes. Cut into squares. Serve warm.

To Freeze:
Remove corn bread from pan. While still warm, wrap loaf in extra heavy foil. Or, place individual pieces in sandwich bags and freeze together in a gallon freezer bag. Label and freeze.

To Serve:
Thaw and serve. Heat briefly, if desired.

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Trays for freezing baby foods

So, in the past year I have purchased a few items from CSN stores online. And I have discovered some pretty great products. I thought I would share one.

CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find everything from stylish diaper bags, to modern bar stools, or great cookware!

Since we're discussing freezing homemade baby foods, I thought we should talk about freezing options.  Of course, you can use traditional ice cube trays, but there are also other options out there.

Like the KidCo Baby Steps Collection.  It has some great features that make it worth the additional cost.  Locking lid seals foods tightly inside, a writing surface for date and meal prepared, each section is a single, 1 oz. serving and they're dishwasher safe.  These run around $6-8 per tray. 

Let us know if you have tried this product and what your thoughts are.

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Baby Food : Stage Two EARLY MEAL Recipes

Brown Rice Chicken & Peach Delight
1/2 c cooked boneless chicken - chopped
1/4 c cooked brown rice
1 ripe peach
1 tb peach juice (white grape or apple juice may be used or juice may be left out)
1 tb milk
2 ts wheat germ

- Mix all ingredients together
- Transfer to blender/food processor and puree or chop to make textured for older babies.




Creamed Chicken & Potato
2 tsp butter
1 tsp unbleached flour
1/4 c Low fat milk
1/4 c Chicken, cooked, boned and-shredded
1/4 Potato, baked and cubed (try using sweet potato.)
1 tbls Grated white cheddar cheese

- Melt butter in small heavy pan over low heat. Stir in flour and blend well and then add milk and stir until smooth.
- Cook over low heat until mixture begins to thicken, then add chicken and potatoes. Stir for about 2 to 3 minutes more or until heated through. Feel free to add a few vegetables.
- Add cheddar and stir until melted.





Green Beans and Potatoes
1/2 c. cooked potatoes
1/4 c. steamed green beans


- blend cooked white potatoes and green beans together
- add a bit of pear or applesauce for extra appeal

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Baby Food : Stage One VEGGIE Recipes

Stage 1 Homemade Baby Food Recipes are age appropriate for those babies who are between 4 months and 6 months. Many babies start solid foods between 4 months and 6 months so we have included fruits and veggies that your 4 month old beginning eater will be able to tolerate. Of course these recipes are also just yummy for babies who are older as well!

Stage 1 baby foods are thin and runny and are foods that are the lowest on the allergy scale. They are typically those foods that are also more easily digested by a tiny tummy. Some of these foods include, sweet potatoes, butternut or winter squash and carrots.

Please keep in mind that current recommendations advise that babies should start solid foods at 6 months of age.

Sweet Potato
makes 3 cups or about 30 cubes

2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (skin on), cut into 2-inch pieces
Formula, breast milk, or water, as needed

- Arrange sweet potatoes on a steamer rack in a large pan over 1 inch of water.
- Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Steam until potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes.
- Pulse in a food processor, or pass through a food mill fitted with a medium disk.
- Add formula, breast milk, or boiled and cooled water as needed.
- Fill 1/4-cup plastic containers or ice-cube trays with purée.

Green Beans
makes 2 2/3 cups or about 30 cubes

2 pounds green beans
Formula, breast milk, or water, as needed

- Arrange beans on a steamer rack in a large pan over 1 inch of water.
- Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Steam until beans are tender, about 8 minutes. Plunge beans into cold water to stop the cooking.
- Pulse in a food processor, or pass through a food mill fitted with the medium disk. Add formula, breast milk, or boiled and cooled water as needed.
- Fill 1/4-cup plastic containers or ice-cube trays with purée.


Green Peas
makes 2 2/3 cups or about 30 cubes

2 pounds green peas
Formula, breast milk, or water, as needed

- Arrange peas on a steamer rack in a large pan over 1 inch of water.
- Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Steam until peas are tender, about 8 minutes. Plunge peas into cold water to stop the cooking.
- Pulse in a food processor, or pass through a food mill fitted with the medium disk.
- Add formula, breast milk, or boiled and cooled water as needed.
- Fill 1/4-cup plastic containers or ice-cube trays with purée.


Carrots
makes 3 cups or 30 cubes

1 1/2 pounds organic carrots, peeled if not organic, and cut into 1" pieces
Formula, breast milk, or water, as needed

- Arrange carrots on a steamer rack in a large pan over 1 inch of water.
- Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Steam until carrots are tender, about 12 minutes. Plunge carrots into cold water to stop the cooking.
- Pulse in a food processor, or pass through a food mill fitted with the medium disk.
- Add formula, breast milk, or boiled and cooled water as needed. Fill 1/4-cup plastic containers or ice-cube trays with purée.

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Baby Food : Stage One FRUIT Recipes

Stage 1 Homemade Baby Food Recipes are age appropriate for those babies who are between 4 months and 6 months. Many babies start solid foods between 4 months and 6 months so we have included fruits and veggies that your 4 month old beginning eater will be able to tolerate. Of course these recipes are also just yummy for babies who are older as well!

Stage 1 baby foods are thin and runny and are foods that are the lowest on the allergy scale. They are typically those foods that are also more easily digested by a tiny tummy. Some of these foods include, sweet potatoes, butternut or winter squash and carrots.

Please keep in mind that current recommendations advise that babies should start solid foods at 6 months of age.  (wholesomebabyfood.com)

Baby Applesaucemakes 4 1/4 cups or about 48 cubes

4 pounds apples (skins on), washed, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup water

- Simmer apples in a large covered saucepan with water until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer mixture to a blender. Working in small batches, blend until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve; for a coarser texture, pass apples through a food mill or pulse in a food processor.
- Fill 1/4-cup plastic containers or ice-cube trays with purée.


Pear Puree
makes 2 1/2 cups or about 28 cubes

3 pounds pears, washed, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup water

- Simmer pears in a large covered saucepan with water until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain; reserve cooking liquid. Transfer pears to a blender.
- Working in small batches, blend until smooth. Add reserved liquid if needed. Pass through a fine sieve for a smooth texture, or mash with a fork.
- Fill 1/4-cup plastic containers or ice-cube trays with purée.


Pear Plum Puree
makes 3 cups or about 30 cubes

1 1/2 pounds pears, washed, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 pounds ripe plums, pitted and quartered
1/3 cup water

- Simmer pears and plums with water in a large covered saucepan until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain; reserve cooking liquid.
- Transfer fruit to a blender. Working in small batches, blend until smooth. Add up to 1/3 cup boiled and cooled water if needed.
- Pass mixture through a fine sieve for the smoothest texture. Fill 1/4-cup plastic containers or ice cube trays with purée.
- Use same method for other fruit combinations.



Stone Fruit Puree
makes 3 cups or about 30 cubes

2 pounds ripe *plums, pitted and quartered
1/4 cup water, plus more as needed

* Use the same method for peaches, apricots, and other stone fruits.

- Simmer plums with water in a large covered saucepan until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer plums to a blender. Working in small batches, blend until smooth. Add up to 1/3 cup boiled and cooled water if needed.
- Pass mixture through a fine sieve for the smoothest texture.
- Fill 1/4-cup plastic containers or ice-cube trays with purée.

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"Make Your Own Baby Food" Month

I am expecting our 3rd baby near the end of this month. And we have all heard that with each baby the parents become more lax, however, I'm getting the hang of this baby thing and now feel a greater push to feed this new little one organic foods and foods free of preservatives as often as possible. Since we now live in an area with an Amish Farmer's Market it was my chance to purchase inexpensive, chemical free fruits and veggies and stock my freezer with good foods for this baby.

Each Monday this month I will be sharing recipes for making your own baby food. It's easy, affordable and healthier than grocery store options. Of course, I will probably still have some of those around, but any amount of change is a good change!



The rules are simple: Steam vegetables until tender, simmer ripe fruits until soft, and poach meats until fully cooked.

Basic equipment: a steamer basket, a blender, a food processor or food mill, and a strainer. Babies should start with silky, smooth purees the texture of runny yogurt. As the months go by, and your baby moves from gumming food to using his or her milk teeth, your purees should become thicker and chunkier; switch to a food processor or food mill fitted with a medium or large disk.

Freeze the baby food in single-serving airtight containers labeled with the ingredients and the date. You can even freeze food in ice-cube trays; for many babies, one cube is enough. To store, transfer frozen puree cubes to a freezer bag. As your baby grows and begins to eat more, increase the size of the containers -- or simply serve two at a time.

Some baby-care books warn against using microwaves, but most mothers we know use one. Because microwaves heat from the inside out, however, food may be hot inside but cool to the touch, so stir the food until no hot center remains. Test it with your finger and mouth; the food should be barely warm or room temperature. If you don't want to use a microwave, you can thaw or warm the food in a saucepan or in a heat-proof bowl over simmering water.

Visit each Monday this month for easy baby food recipes!

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Shrimp in Spiced Tomato Sauce

This sauce gets a nice kick from ginger and coriander -- add a little more salt than you normally would so the shrimp become seasoned as they simmer.



Shrimp in Spiced Tomato Sauce
Serves 4

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium white onion, cut into medium dice
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger (from a 1-inch piece)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound large frozen raw shrimp (peeled and deveined)
Chopped cilantro, for serving
Couscous (optional), for serving

To Prepare:
- In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add onion and ginger; cook until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add coriander, cayenne, and lemon zest; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, breaking them up as you go. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook 10 minutes.
- Season tomato sauce with salt and pepper and let cool to room temperature.

To Freeze:
- Place shrimp in a one-gallon freezer bag and pour cooled tomato sauce on top.
- Press out air, seal bag, and freeze flat. Store in the freezer, up to 2 1/2 months.

To Serve:
- To serve, thaw shrimp mixture in refrigerator overnight.
- Transfer to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high; cook until sauce is hot and shrimp are opaque throughout, about 3 minutes.
- Serve sprinkled with cilantro, with couscous alongside if desired.

* recipe and photo from marthastewart.com

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Freezing Blanched Veggies

Often vegetables need to be blanched before freezing. Here is a quick and simple guide for blanching common vegetables. Blanching vegetables helps preserve color and texture.

After blanching vegetables in boiling water immerse immediately into cold water then drain. I often reuse the same water again and again. A large pasta type pot works great for blanching. You can submerse the vegetables into the pot already in the strainer.

Allow approximately a gallon of water for a pound of vegetables. Vegetables will need to cool for the same time as they are blanched.

Preparing Your Vegetables

Peel, trim and cut vegetables into uniform sizes. Look at the chart below to find the time needed. Extra large pieces may need to blanch a minute longer than the table calls for.


Blanching Timetable Chart for Vegetables

Asparagus: Blanch 2 minutes – 3 -4 4 minutes for large asparagus

Beans: green- Blanch for 3 minutes.

Beans: lima, butter or pinto - Blanch small beans 2 minutes, medium beans 3 minutes, and large beans 4 minutes.

Beets: small beets – 35- 30 minute, medium ones 45 – 50 minutes. If you leave the stem on top they won’t bleed into the water as bad.

Broccoli: Blanch 3 minutes.

Brussels Sprouts: Blanch small, 3 minutes; medium, 4 minutes; large, 5 minutes

Carrots: Blanch tiny, whole, 5 minutes; diced or strips, 2 minutes

Cauliflower: Blanch 3 minutes.

Corn: Whole small ears for freezing – 7 minutes, medium ears 9 minutes and large size ears 11 minutes. If you are going to take the corn of the cob for freezing blanch for 4 minutes and remove from cob.

Okra: Blanch small pods 3 minutes and large pods 4 minutes.

Peas: Shelled. Blanch for 1-2 minutes, chill, freeze.

Snap Peas: Blanch 1 1/2minutes

Spinach and other greens: Blanch 2 minutes

Summer squash: Blanch for 3 minutes.

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Freezing Bread

All bread products freeze beautifully. From pitas to tortillas to regular loaves. Here are some tips on freezing loaves of bread.

If you've just baked your own bread or purchased it warm, make sure you allow it to cool before freezing to avoid soggy bread or mold.

To Freeze. Wrap your loaf using two clear plastic bags. Then, seal it using masking tape and place it in the freezer.

To thaw your frozen bread, take it out of the freezer and let it come to room temperature, about 3 hours.

To serve the bread hot, wrap your bread in parchment paper and foil and place it in an oven heated to 400 degrees for 3 or 4 minutes to restore its crisp texture.

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Breaded Pork Chops

Here's another great recipe from Martha Stewart. Stack the breaded chops in the freezer, and remove as many as you need when you're ready to eat. Any chopped fresh herb can be substituted for the sage. These chops can go straight from freezer to oven for a fast meal in minutes.

This recipe makes 8 chops, but can be doubled.


Breaded Pork Chops

4 large eggs
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons packed finely chopped fresh sage
8 bone-in pork chops (1 inch thick and 2 1/2 to 3 pounds total)
2 cups plain dried breadcrumbs
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup vegetable oil

To Prepare:

- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, mustard, and sage and let stand 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, pound each pork chop (avoiding bone) between two pieces plastic wrap to a 1/4-inch thickness.
- Spread breadcrumbs on a rimmed baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture onto another rimmed baking sheet. In batches, season pork chops with salt and pepper and coat in egg mixture. Gently shake to remove excess, then dredge in breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere.

To Freeze:

- Layer pork chops between sheets of freezer paper and transfer to two 1-gallon freezer bags. Press out air, seal bags, and freeze flat. Store in the freezer, up to 6 weeks.

To Serve:

- Heat broiler. Place a rimmed baking sheet in broiler to heat.
- For each frozen chop, combine 1 1/2 teaspoons melted butter and 1 1/2 teaspoons oil; brush on both sides.
- For each batch of two, place chops on sheet and broil until both sides are deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Make sure each chop has reached an internal temperature of 160* F

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Freezing Stock

Some recipes require just a little stock, and the leftovers from a whole can won't keep forever in the refrigerator. Freezing unused stock or a homemade batch in 1-cup muffin tins makes it easy to store in small amounts.

Use a 1 cup measure to ensure accurate measuring. Fill tins with stock and freeze, covered.

Once they are completely frozen, pop portions out of tin; store them in resealable plastic bags labeled with the date (frozen stock keeps for about two months).

If you need smaller amounts you can also choose to free stock by Tablespoonfuls in an ice cube tray.

*photo from marthastewart.com

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Chicken Cutlets with White Wine and Garlic

Nobody does it better than Martha Stewart...am I right? And this recipe is no exception. It's so easy to make, freeze and a cinch to thaw and prepare. It's fancy enough for a special dinner, but easy enough for a week night meal with the family.

Freezing and thawing the chicken cutlets in the marinade infuses them with flavor. This recipe serves 4, but can easily be doubled or tripled.



Chicken Cutlets with White Wine and Garlic

8 chicken cutlets (about 1 1/4 pounds total)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup dry white wine (*or substitute with White Grape Juice or chicken stock)
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (optional)

To Prepare:
- Stack cutlets in a double layer in a 1-gallon freezer bag.
- In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons butter, wine, garlic, and thyme and whisk to combine. Season with pepper.
- Pour marinade into bag with cutlets. Press air out of freezer bag, seal, and freeze flat. Store in the freezer, up to 2 months.

To Serve:
- Thaw chicken in refrigerator overnight. Remove cutlets from bag and discard marinade. Gently shake chicken to remove liquid and season with salt.
- In two batches, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons butter and 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high; add half the cutlets to pan and cook until browned and cooked through, 4 minutes total, flipping halfway through and adjusting heat as necessary to prevent pan from over-browning.
- Serve chicken sprinkled with parsley if desired.


* Please note that when cooking with alcohol that studies have proven that the alcohol does not cook out, even under extremely high temperatures and prolonged cook times. Keep this in mind when serving to children, those with liver problems or those who refrain from alcohol consumption.

For more research information and scientific study results click here.
For alcohol cooking substitues click here.
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I'm Back!

YAY!
Our new computer arrived today.
It's delightfully fast and ready for action!
That means I will starting to post each week again.

Thanks for your patience!

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Computer Crash!

All posts are currently suspended until we get a new computer.
I HOPE that is sooner than later!

If you have found this site helpful and want to donate funds towards keeping it up and running please click the donate link in the right hand toolbar. Any amount is greatly appreciated!

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Candied Carrots

This is dedicated to my Mom, since I have never cared for candied carrots. LOL!
But MANY of you love them...so here's a recipe for you!



Candied Carrots

2 pounds carrots, cut into sticks
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper

To Prepare
- Place carrots in a large saucepan; add 1 in. of water. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and set aside.
- In the same pan, combine the butter, brown sugar, salt and pepper; cook and stir until butter is melted.
- Return carrots to the pan; cook and stir over medium heat for 5 minutes or until glazed.

To Freeze
- Allow to cool. Place in freezer bag or freezer container. Label and freeze.

To Serve
- Heat in microwave or in saucepan over medium heat and serve.

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