Freezerlicious Frenzy!

A Facebook friend of mine posted the following question: "okay so now what do I do ~~~bring the peas to a boil ....boil for 3 min then chill , bag and freeze????"  When I saw her post I promptly responded and realized, this is a good topic of discussion.

In a world full of modern conveniences, we have forgotten that all those companies providing us with canned or frozen foods started in a small kitchen before they went global.  So why not do this ourselves?  My top 3 favorite reasons for freezing your own fruits and veggies:

1. You get to pick where your fruits & veggies come from. (support your local growers)
2. You season to your liking.
3. You save money!

I'm a strong believer in supporting local businesses and growers, so this is highest on my list.  Who doesn't like knowing what is going into their food?  Freezing your own veggies ensures you know exactly what's going in them.  Even if you have deep pockets, everyone enjoys saving money!  Now if you're going to tackle the freezer frenzy, you have to have a guide.  This is where my knowledge comes into play.  Here are the steps you need to follow for foolproof freezing of vegetables:

1. Thoroughly wash your veggies.
2. Parboil desired amount (3 minutes tops)
3. Drain and lay flat on a sheet pan so veggies are not touching.
4. Freeze for 30 minutes and remove.
5. Put the veggies into a freezer proof zip top bag and return to freezer until needed. 

*Side note: if working with carrots, asparagus, or string beans, cute them to desired length and follow above mentioned steps.*

Steps for foolproof fruit freezing:

1. Thoroughly wash your fruit.
2. Peel, hull, and/or chop as needed, depending on the types of fruit.
3. Lay flat on a sheet pan so they are not touching.
4. Freeze for 30 minutes and remove.
5. Put fruit into a freezer proof zip top bag and return to freezer until needed.

The most crucial step?  Laying flat on the sheet pan is a crucial step, in my opinion, because it prevents your fruits and veggies from clumping together.

I know it seems time consuming but trust me when I say its worth it!  Most of it is just remembering the order of the 5 steps.

As usual, I hope this inspires you to think outside of the "grocery store box" and take your food into your own hands!

"Follow The Food" with JBistro Style Catering!