Freezing Tomatoes

The tomatoes are ripening fast and I can't keep up with them, so it's time to freeze them.  I like canned tomatoes too but freezing is just as good and I don't have to mess with jars or a pressure canner.
I like to use the frozen tomatoes rather than commercial canned tomatoes when making soup, spaghetti sauce,  goulash.....you name it.
Here is my process.

Freezing Tomatoes
Wash your tomatoes.  Drop into boiling water for 30-45 seconds, this will allow you to peal them easily (you don't want to freeze the peals, they are tough)
Immediately submerge tomatoes into ice water, then slip the skins off.
Chop the tomatoes into the size you prefer, seed and put in a drainer or colander to remove water. (I'm not too picky about getting every seed out, I just get the majority.
Fill quart freezer bags with 2 cups of tomatoes, express air and freeze.

You may want to save the juice from your tomatoes.  I put it through a strainer and got fresh tomato juice!

Wash Tomatoes

Drop into boiling water for 30-45 seconds, skin will break

Transfer Tomatoes into ice cold water

Slip skins off the tomatoes

Seed Tomatoes and strain

2 Cups Tomatoes per quart sized bag, seal and freeze

Apple Tart Cake

Apples Galore!

I picked more apples at my sister's place and I had a new, unused tart pan that was screaming to be put to work.  Tonight I decided to throw this quick cake together....mmmm it's almost like a coffee cake.  It is a fairly dense cake with a crunch topping.  It was good right out of the oven, but I can't wait to have some in the morning with my coffee.

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

I love this salsa!  There are so many flavors wrapped into one....the veggies come together so well, the spices and cilantro give it the perfect flavor, you don't even notice that it it good for you!  And it's pretty too!

Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas

These are addictive...you can't have just one!  This creamy, cheesy casserole is a wonderful comfort food.  It is easy to whip up after a long day at work....it tastes like you spent all afternoon making it!

Cheesy Garlic-Herb Dinner Biscuits

I had a great supper planned.......  Grilled Rib-eye, Baked Potatoes, Green Salad, and Cheesy Biscuits.  What a feast!  Well, we had a change in plans due to the grease fire that engulfed the entire grill, leaving our steaks tiny little pieces of black leather.  I'm just happy the propane tank didn't blow!

So, obviously plans changed.....Sloppy Joes!  I had already started on the biscuits, so what the heck.  These biscuits are so light, cheesy & garlicy.....mouthwatering good, I had to make them.

Pickled Spiced Beets

Love those beets!  I have 2 recipes for pickled beets, spiced and not spiced.  I grew up on the non-spiced kind and just found a new like for the spiced beets.
I was feeling ambitious so I dug my beets as well as my Dad's.  What a harvest! After pickling all those beets I don't care if I see another beet until next year's harvest!
Here are the recipes I used.

Apple Bread

The apples on my sister's tree are getting ripe...time to start using them up.
This bread is slightly sweet with a crunchy sweet topping.  It's good right out of the oven, but if you let it cool, the apple flavor really comes through.  This bread is quickly becoming one of my favorites!
I wasn't able to get a picture of the bread sliced up....it went too fast!

Freezing Corn

Fresh corn on the cob is sooo good, too bad we can enjoy it year 'round.....oh wait, we can!
Freezing corn lets us enjoy those sweet little kernels all winter (providing you freeze enough).  Some people freeze the whole ear, but that takes up too much space in my freezer.  I cut the corn from the cob and freeze it in quart bags, they stack very well.


Freezing Corn

Shuck the corn and rinse
Blanch corn in boiling water for 5-6 minutes
Submerge corn in cold water to cool and stop the cooking process.
When corn is cool enough to handle, use a sharp knife  to cut kernels from the cob.
Put 2 cups of corn into a quart size  freezer baggie.  Flatten baggies so they stack easily and remove the air.....and freeze.

I use Ziploc Vacuum Baggies

Blanch corn 5-6 minutes

Cut away kernels

Fill baggies and express the air