Saturday 12 September 2015

Chopping and Freezing


I've been busy this week pulling off the huge courgettes that are trying to pass themselves off as marrows.  Simply chopping them up and open freezing them means I can preserve their goodness for adding to soups and stews all through the depths of Winter.

Making the most of what we have, preserving it for leaner times ahead feels so right at the moment.  As the growing season winds down a notch and plants ripen their last few fruits I feel duty bound to make the most of what I find each day.


And the thought of luscious bowls of homemade soup fills the growing need in me for simple food, grown well, cooked well and eaten when needed.  

With our Challenge looming only four months away, the fuller I can get the freezer with all the homegrown goodies from the tunnels and the veggie patch the easier things will be through the lean hungry gap of January to May next year, and the more money I will be able to save for later in the year when bought in stores start to run down.  

I still need to think of a name for this Challenge, I tried to think about it the other night lying in bed, but as usual I fell asleep much too quickly, this squirreling away and preserving is pretty tiring work  :-)

Sue xx

19 comments:

  1. It's such a great feeling, knowing that you have grown something wholesome to feed your loved ones - nothing quite beats it. I am so looking forward to having more space to grow. At the moment, we eat what I grow as its harvested on the whole, so not much call for freezing veg. One day ......

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    1. I'm very lucky with the space I have, and now the polytunnel is up and running it's even better. You do well to grow, harvest and eat the crops you do. Like you say it's a great feeling isn't it :-)

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  2. I have frozen 90% of our courgettes. We had a mammoth crop this year. I am trying to think of what to do with them all eventually apart from stews. Tried a courgette frittata recently which was ok. Not my favourite veg but one of the easiest to grow. Now then, any ideas for the mammoth crop of tomatoes, 99% of which are bright green although they've all had to be outside?

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    1. Oooh lots and lots of lovely Green Tomato Chutney.

      It's honestly the best thing I produce, goes so well with meat or cheese and makes a plain sandwich something truly special. I'm actually hoping that enough of my tomatoes stay green as we are down to our last couple of jars. I think I will be okay as there are some just developing on the plants and there is no way they will have the time or the heat to ripen fully.

      My recipe is under the 'Recipes I Use Regularly' heading at the top of the blog.

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    2. Thanks Sue. Will have a look.

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  3. Replies
    1. Haha .... 'but healthy ... so get them down' ;-)

      That's one of the reasons I label every box and bag in the freezer, God knows what Lovely Hubby would be adding them to if he didn't know exactly what they were!!

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  4. What about 'Harvest Hunkering'?

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    1. No this harvesting isn't the challenge, although obviously what I can preserve plays a huge part of it, so yes at the moment I am Harvest Hunkering ;-)

      The 'Challenge' is for next year, when we are seriously putting every spare penny we have into paying off the mortgage, so Lovely Hubby can retire from the day job and start some 'real work' with me here on the smallholding.

      His Challenge to me was to get the housekeeping as low as is humanly possible, by us eating only what we have grown ourselves and what we can purchase with coupons, vouchers and Nectar points acquired during the course of this year. It will also give us an idea of what level we can keep it at when the only money we earn will be through the holding.

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  5. Good luck with the challenge, I have started reading your blog from the start again, I have done this once before, hopefully it will give me inspiration and hope for the future, we have 3 years now until we buy our forever home. I love your money saving challenges, x

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  6. I think you have been doing a wonderful job of conserving on household expenditures. I'd enjoy one of those wonderful bowls of soup.

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  7. I love reading your blog and through it, whilst we have been on holiday this week, we have had huge discussions on how, when I start getting my pension in two and a half years time, my OH can also cut down on his work and we can spend more time together. We have an allotment and grow many veggies. Now I am making plans on how we can produce more veggies to feed us through the coming years. I love your idea of preserving bottled sauces. I can't remember whether you posted how to freeze cabbage? I have loads of cabbage and have been told it doesn't freeze well (from one of my elderly plot holders) but dont want to waste curly kale, tuscan kale and ruby chard. Any suggestions.

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  8. Try this with those extra courgettes! You can finely shred them and freeze them to make bread later in winter. If you deseed those extra large ones that manage to remain hidden a bit too long, you can grate the flesh still for this sort of recipe. I usually add nutmeg, too. :)

    http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/james-beards-zucchini-bread-56389932

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  9. I can't wait have the time and space to grow some veg (tried digging up the lawn but it was just tree roots) you make it look such fun

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  10. I've just made 10lb of Red Tomato Chutney as I was given loads of cooking apples. It smelled wonderful whilst it was cooking and tastes good now. Can't wait until its ready next month. We don't grow much, mostly salad stuff, but it tastes so much better than bought stuff.

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  12. Hi Sue..i am doing much the same..freezing all we have to reduce our household budgets..how about the Niblet Challenge..nibble away at your budget til its how you want it..
    sara,fern,iris

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  13. Hi Sue. Been a watcher for some time now, love seeing how your place is coming along. Do you blanch the courgettes first or just chop and freeze?
    Jax

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    1. I just chopped and froze this time as I will be using all the courgettes in soups or stews and I reckon they will be used up within about six months or so.

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