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Easy Hot Pepper Vinegar

If you’ve ever visited or lived in the South, then chances are you’ve seen (and hopefully tasted) hot pepper vinegar. It’s the condiment of choice for any type of cooked green, field peas, acre peas… the list goes on. The super fabulous thing about hot pepper vinegar is that it’s more than just a condiment!red peppers in clear jar

What is Hot Pepper Vinegar?

Hot Pepper Vinegar is just what it sounds like. Hot peppers are soaked in vinegar for weeks (or months.. years..) and create a tangy and spicy addition to any meal. The benefits making some hot pepper vinegar with fresh peppers are…

  1. Is so easy to make; any greenhorn cook can do it!
  2. It’s beautiful, so it’s a natural DIY gift.

Now, while peppers and vinegar may not sound all that exciting, wait until you taste it. And you will have to wait, because after preparing the vinegar, you’ll need to give it some sit time in your pantry for a few weeks for the flavors to develop. But trust me, much like wine and your wedding day, it’s worth the wait. affiliate link policy

Our garden’s pepper plants went the distance this year and survived from May to December, so with this last bowlful, I decided to restore our pepper vinegar stash.

Hot Pepper Vinegar Ingredients

Two handfuls of hot peppers (Or enough to fill your jar)

White vinegar

Whole garlic cloves (optional)

Empty, clear jar with lid (I like to use leftover maple syrup jars)

Small funnel

red cayenne peppers in clear glass bowl

How to Make Hot Pepper Vinegar

  1. Wash off peppers and gently slice the tops off–this will expose the seeds and membrane to the vinegar, and that’s where the heat is.
  2. While you’re slicing, place vinegar in a small pot on the stove over medium high heat. The amount of vinegar you need depends on how big of a jar you’re using.
  3. Pack your jar full of the peppers; when you don’t think you can cram another pepper in, add two more or add in a few peeled, whole garlic cloves. This will give your pepper vinegar an extra pop.

red peppers in jar with white vinegar

4. Once your vinegar has reached a slow boil, use the funnel and fill the jar almost to the top. (You do want all of the peppers to be covered by the vinegar.)

vinegar poured into white funnel

5. Let the jar cool, then screw on lid and place in a cool, dark place for several weeks (a pantry or cabinet is perfect). The vinegar should keep in your cabinet for months, or until you use it all and make more. Enjoy!

hpvinegar5

And that’s it! You’ll have fresh hot pepper vinegar to use on any dish you choose, or you can gift it to friends and family as a way of sharing your pepper harvest! 

Yield: 1 jar

Hot Pepper Vinegar

Hot Pepper Vinegar

Make fresh hot pepper vinegar from spicy cayenne peppers and white vinegar! It's the perfect southern condiment!

Prep Time 15 minutes
Additional Time 14 days
Total Time 14 days 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • Two handfuls of hot peppers (Or enough to fill your jar)
  • White vinegar
  • Whole garlic cloves (optional)

Instructions

    1. Wash off peppers and gently slice the tops off--this will expose the seeds and membrane to the vinegar, and that's where the heat is.
    2. While you're slicing, place vinegar in a small pot on the stove over medium high heat. The amount of vinegar you need depends on how big of a jar you're using.
    3. Pack your jar full of the peppers; when you don't think you can cram another pepper in, add two more or add in a few peeled, whole garlic cloves. This will give your pepper vinegar an extra pop.
    4. Once your vinegar has reached a slow boil, use the funnel and fill the jar almost to the top. (You do want all of the peppers to be covered by the vinegar.)
    5. Let the jar cool, then screw on lid and place in a cool, dark place for several weeks (a pantry or cabinet is perfect). The vinegar should keep in your cabinet for months, or until you use it all and make more. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 5Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 0g
© Courtney
Cuisine: Southern / Category: Preserving

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How to Freeze Tomatoes (It’s so Easy!)

In the middle of the summer harvest, the last thing I want to do is drag out all of my canning supplies to put up tomatoes. The heat and work seems overwhelming. Last year I decided I wanted to have tomatoes to use for spaghetti sauce, but I did not want the work of peeling, canning, and sterilizing jars. I just didn’t have the time… you can call me a lazy gardner, and you would probably be right. That’s when I decided to learn how to freeze tomatoes. I’d heard about it before, but hadn’t tried it myself. Man, oh man, did it change my world!

chopped tomatoes on a wooden cutting board

 Why freeze tomatoes?

Besides the obvious benefit of being so much faster than canning, I love that freezing tomatoes takes up less space and my pantry. And I love the flavor of frozen tomatoes better than canned. This may be personal preference, but once those frozen tomatoes are cooked down into sauce, they are absolutely delicious. affiliate link policy

 The best tomato varieties to freeze

I would avoid freezing any slicing varieties or grape tomatoes. Grape tomatoes seem like they would be difficult to use. Instead, I would focus on varieties that work well for canning. Romas, San Marzanos, or any medium-sized tomato varieties will work best for freezing. And I actually like juicier tomatoes for this as well. They have wonderful flavor that will be a delightful addition to your winter sauces, soups, and stews. 

 How to use frozen tomatoes

I typically only use frozen tomatoes for two things: spaghetti sauce and stewed tomatoes. Those two things maybe kind of similar, but for my tomato sauce, I use my traditional recipe and simply add cook time to compensate for the extra moisture that will come out of those frozen tomatoes. You can also use a favorite spaghetti sauce recipe, but just add another hour of cook time to let the moisture come out of your sauce. What I find is that the flavor the fresh (but frozen) tomatoes provide is unparalleled. I am certainly not Italian, nor am I an expert on spaghetti sauce, but the recipe my family has been using for the last 30 years did come from an Italian, so I feel like there is some validity there. (The classic cookbook is Sophie Kay’s Italian Cooking, and it’s unfortunately out of print.) 

If you choose to dice your tomatoes into smaller pieces, then I don’t see why you couldn’t use them in other winter soups and stews. Just know the tomatoes will lose some of their texture, so it won’t be the same as using fresh. 

Now, onto the instructions!

What you’ll need:

Fresh tomatoes

Gallon-sized freezer bags

Sharpie

Sharp knife

 How to freeze tomatoes

  1.  Begin by washing your fresh tomatoes. These can come from your own garden or if you have a local farm that sells boxes of tomatoes in the summer then this is an easy way to put up a lot of tomatoes in a short span of time.Quartered tomatoes on a wooden cutting board
  2.  Quarter your tomatoes and cut out the cores.  Label gallon-sized freezer bags with the date and contents.
  3.  When your tomatoes are cut,  scoop them into the prepared freezer bags. cut tomatoes in a ziploc freezer bag
  4.  Place bags in the freezer and flatten them for easier storage.
  5.  A gallon-size bag of tomatoes is perfect for a family-sized portion of spaghetti sauce. Enjoy! Cut tomatoes in a gallon freezer bag

 

If nothing else, I hope that you will give freezing tomatoes a try. It has definitely been one of the biggest time-savers I have implemented in preserving my summer harvests. If you’re looking for more information about how to preserve the summer harvest, check out these other articles:

How to Freeze Zucchini

How to Freeze Okra

Freeze Fresh Green Beans

How to Freeze Blueberries

 

 

How to Freeze Tomatoes (It's so Easy!)

How to Freeze Tomatoes (It's so Easy!)

Knowing how to freeze tomatoes will help you preserve your summer tomato harvest without having to drag out the canner and jars! It's quick and easy!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Active Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Materials

  • Fresh Tomatoes
  • Gallon Freezer Bags
  • Sharp Knife
  • Sharpie

Instructions

  1. Wash tomatoes and cut into quarters.
  2. Scoop up quartered tomatoes and place in labeled ziploc bags.
  3. Seal bags and place flattened in freeze to conserve space.
  4. Use frozen tomatoes as needed.

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As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases with no added cost to you. Thank you!

© Courtney

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How to Freeze Blueberries

how to freeze blueberries

Ever wondered how to freeze blueberries successfully? Frozen blueberries are versatile, delicious, and easy to grab and use at a moment’s notice, so stay tuned for how to freeze blueberries quickly and easily.

Blueberries, naturally attractive

Did you know that blueberries are the only blue food? Natural blue food that is. There are certainly plenty of artificially colored blue items out there, and when given the choice, my kids always lean toward anything blue. Gatorade, freezer pops, and ice cream… it baffles the mind! But according to research, people are drawn toward brightly colored food. I just wish it was always brightly colored REAL food. I digress… affiliate link policy

Are blueberries really blue?

In truth, even blueberries aren’t actually blue. They’re dark purple! True story. Blueberries contain a pigment called anthocyanin, which is what gives them their purple/blue color. The darker the berry, the more anthocyanin is present, and the sweeter the taste.

The Healthy Fruit

While fruit is across the board considered healthy, blueberries in particular are always a great choice. They are naturally high in antioxidants, and in comparison to other fruits, they are low in sugar. In fact, berries in general are low in sugar, making them a fantastic choice for those who may be diabetic or on a low-carbohydrate diet. Blueberries have the most sugar of all berries, but the sugar content is still much lower than other types of fruit.

Blueberries also contain around 4g of fiber per cup. This is the same amount of fiber found in a cup of collard greens, and I’d rather eat blueberries (no prep and easy to grab)! These are all great reasons to stock up on blueberries when they’re in season. Or better yet, a great reason to plant blueberry bushes in your yard! They can easily be incorporated into your landscape.

How to Freeze Blueberries

  1. Begin with “dirty” (unwashed) blueberries. Pick off as many stems as you can because this will pay off in the long run. Spread out unwashed blueberries on a sheet pan in a single layer.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    how to freeze blueberries
  2. Place sheet pan in freezer, and leave for at least six hours. I usually end up forgetting and sometimes leave them for several days… they’ve ended up just fine! Either way, you want the blueberries frozen through.                                                                                                                                                                                                                               how to freeze blueberries
  3. Once the blueberries are frozen, take them out of the freezer, and use a scoop to place them in freezer bags or containers. I have used both in the past. Freezer bags are nice, because they lay flat, and don’t take up much space. Containers are easy if you’re planning to use a few at a time. My kids like to eat rinsed, semi-frozen berries with lunch. So the containers make it easy to take off the lid, pour a few into a strainer and close them back up.                                                                                                           how to freeze blueberries
  4. To use your frozen berries, simply remove them from the freezer, rinse with lukewarm water in a mesh strainer or colander, and you’re good to go!

Frozen blueberries are perfect for muffins, smoothies, and of course, blueberry pie (see the recipe in the link)! I’d love to know if you’re preserved blueberries this way, and if you had a great blueberry harvest this year! Have a great week and happy gardening!

 

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How to Freeze Fresh Okra

Not sure how to freeze okra? No worries, I’ve got you covered! Freezing okra is a quick and easy way to keep this veggie on hand in the kitchen well past those hot summer months that okra loves so much!

fresh okra on wooden cutting board and cut okra in a bag

How to Freeze Fresh Okra

Okra, the jewel of the southern garden, can get a bad rap for being… well, slimy. You’ll find that most people are either okra lovers or haters, and thankfully most of my family is in the lover category. (Particularly if said vegetable is fried, ahem.) If you’ve ever grown okra in the garden, then you know that once it starts coming in, it can be difficult to eat it all.

 Once you begin to harvest okra (check out my post here on when to harvest) you have a few days to use it before it starts turning brown and soft in spots. Learning how to freeze okra for use later is easy as pie thanks to my granny.affiliate link policy

Granny imparted her okra-preserving wisdom on me for this “recipe.” She doesn’t keep track of oven temperatures or how many minutes it should be in there, so there was a bit of testing on my end. But the result was non-slimy okra ready to go in the freezer in 15 minutes from start to finish. Voila! So if you’re having a busy week, and unable to cook okra before it goes bad, here’s an easy way to know how to freeze okra for use later.

Can you freeze okra without cooking it?

The short answer is yes, but I would advise against it. The process of baking (or blanching if you want to go that route) helps break down enzymes in the okra. Breaking these down helps preserve the flavor and texture of the okra itself.  So though it’s an extra step, I highly recommend it!

Instructions for Freezing Okra

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash your tender okra pods in cool water and drain in a colander. Once relatively dry, move them to a cutting board, and decide how you’d like to cut them.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  fresh okra pods on a wooden cutting board
  2. Cut okra and place on rimmed baking sheet. I like to cut mine into 1/2 inch pieces for easy use in smoothies and soups. (If you’ve never had frozen okra in a smoothie, you’re totally missing out. The Trim Healthy Mama book introduced me to this.)                                                                                                                                                         sliced okra on a metal sheet pan
  3. Place baking sheet in preheated oven for 3-4 minutes. You just want the okra pieces warmed through, not cooked.                                                                                                baked and sliced okra on a metal sheet pan
  4. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. The moisture that was on the okra has dried a bit after the short time in the oven, and once cool, they are ready for the freezer.
  5. Place cooled okra in labeled freezer bags, and use throughout the fall and winter as needed!                                                                                                                                   ziploc bag full of okra sliced and ready for the freezer

Okra Freezing Options:

  • If you prefer fried okra (or “oven fried”) then you can go ahead and coat your cooled okra in cornmeal before putting it in the freezer bags.
  • For freezing okra whole, cut off the tops and warm the pods in the oven. Then freeze as usual.

These freezing instructions are great for those growing okra in your home gardens. But it also is perfect if you happen to grab some fresh okra from your local farmer’s market. Fresh is fresh, and buying local veggies in season is always better than shipped-from-who-knows-where out of season. So buy up (or pick) that okra now and “put it up” (as we southerners say) for use later.

How long does it take to cook frozen okra?

There really isn’t much difference in the time it takes to cook frozen okra versus fresh. A few more minutes in the oven or in the pot/skillet should do the trick. For my oven roasted okra recipe, I would add just a few minutes, or until the edges begin to brown. 

I’d love to know what your favorite okra dish is. Comment below and let me know, because I’m always looking for news ways to use this super vegetable!

Here’s my recipe for Oven Roasted Okra, and a guide for How to Harvest Okra and How to Freeze Tomatoes. 

 

 

Yield: One Gallon Bag

How to Freeze Fresh Okra

How to Freeze Fresh Okra

Learn how to freeze okra and extend your harvest well into the fall and winter. Preserving the harvest by freezing is a quick and easy way to have okra on hand!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Active Time 5 minutes
Additional Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Materials

  • Fresh Okra
  • Ziploc Freezer Bags

Tools

  • Sheet Pan
  • Knife
  • Cutting Board

Instructions

  1. Begin by washing okra. Then slice okra into 1/2 inch thick discs. Try to keep them uniform.
  2. Place sliced okra on a sheet pan and place in preheated oven for 3-4 minutes or until just warmed through.
  3. Remove okra from oven and allow to cool.
  4. Once cool, scoop okra into freezer bags and place in freezer.
  5. Once okra is frozen, use as needed!

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As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases with no added cost to you. Thank you!

© Courtney
Category: Preserving
 

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How to Freeze Fresh Green Beans

Freezing Green Beans

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Freezing fresh green beans is the quickest and easiest way to put aside some of your summer harvest for later. Whether you have rows and rows of slender beans or teepees full to the top with bright green goodness, you may need a way to preserve them. In our kitchen garden this year, we have two teepees full of Kentucky Blue Pole Beans leftover from last year’s seeds. (If you’re ever unsure about whether last year’s seeds are still good, try this quick test.)

My Granny always canned her green beans, and they were a treat straight from the jar, cold. True story. But canning takes time that I don’t usually have, so freezing saves time an space on my pantry shelves. If you’re growing beans, even in a small kitchen garden, then you know beans grow quickly. This means I may be able to freeze a quart bag a week, while still having them for dinner one night. That’s not too shabby for only using half of a 4×4 raised bed for growing beans.

And for those non-gardeners out there, this method also works for those grocery store or farmer’s market beans that just didn’t get used. Sometimes we have great intentions for dinner that just don’t pan out. You can easily freeze them and save them for later!

Harvesting Green Beans

I love to have the little gardeners help with harvesting green beans. They can’t reach the top of the teepees, but they can certainly cover most of the bottom. In fact, last week I sent Girly Gardener out with our Dollar Store Garden Basket and told her to bring in beans for dinner. She loved helping out, and I was thrilled at being able to continue working on the rest of dinner.

Try to pick your beans when they’re still a bit tender, and not overly large and tough. I have a whole post on how to harvest beans, so check it out! Now on to the instructions!

How to Freeze Green Beans
  1. Pick your beans from the garden (or the Farmer’s Market), and wash them in a colander. Take beans one or two at a time out of the colander and snap off the ends. If a bean is particularly long, then go ahead and snap it in half. Freezing Green Beans
  2. Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove. I added a pinch of salt to mine, but that is completely optional. While the water is warming up, grab a large bowl and fill halfway with ice, then add enough water to cover the ice. Once the pot is at a rolling boil, add in snapped beans.
  3. Set a timer for 3 minutes. As soon as the timer goes off, remove pot from heat. Quickly drain beans, and dump them in your ice water bath. This stops the cooking process. Your beans will be a beautiful bright green color, just from the few minutes in the pot. Freezing Green Beans
  4. Allow the beans to sit in the ice water for 5 minutes, or until cooled. Then drain beans and place on a clean kitchen cloth to dry a little before freezing. Freezing Green Beans
  5. The beans do not have to be “dry,” but I let them sit for ten minutes or so, usually while i’m doing something else. Then label and date quart-sized freezer bags and fill them with your blanched beans. Place bags in the freezer, and use whenever needed as a side dish or as an add in for those winter vegetable soups!

 

And that’s all there is to it to put some fresh green beans away for using later. From snapping to bagging, this may take 20 minutes, which is a far shorter time than canning. You can even put those snapped ends out in the compost pile or feed them to your chickens! You’ll feel like a homesteader with all of this resourcefulness! Have a great week and happy gardening!

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