Well I was all about learning to can my fresh veggies this year but I have stumbled across a much easier and less expensive way to save them. I've always been told that using frozen veggies was just like picking them from your garden so when I read that some people just freeze everything they grow it made sense. I froze corn last year and I was told I had to shuck them and boil it and then dry and bag, same with green beans...so that was why I decide to learn to can. Luckily I figured out the alternative before I purchased all that canning equipment. This year I just invested in gallon freezer bags.
The best thing we added to our appliances was an upright freezer (I remember the digging through my granny's chest freezer and I know I probably won't risk falling in like I did when I was a kid, but upright is easier to see all you have stored up). This allows us to stock up on meat sales, especially helpful when Kevin is laid off through the winter months. So if you have the space and can afford a freezer it will pay off over time.
The two things I've got readily available in my freezer from my garden this year is tomatoes and bell peppers. With the peppers I just cut tops of, seeded them, rinsed and let dry. I put them in a freezer bag and straight in the freezer. My tomatoes rinsed and let dry, then in the freezer bag and in the freezer. If you have trouble getting the air out you can use a straw to suck out all the air and then seal that corner...I'm not lucky enough to own one of those expensive sealers you see on T.V. but this works just fine.
When you take the peppers out they thaw fast so I cut them while froze the size I want them, strips or diced. When you take the tomatoes out, just set out to thaw and the peeling with come right off and they are ready to use any way you want them. One thing I like about this is I can take out just what I plan to use and everything is as fresh as when I put it in. I'm still researching all of this and will keep you posted. Please feel free to comment on your experience and ideas.
Frozen Tomatoes and Bell Peppers
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