Sooooo, while my mind is in full disclosure mode let me add that I feel somewhat silly writing this post. You see, though I encourage people 100% to try and grow and preserve their own food, this year I did very little of it. We did grow a garden this year and reaped some rewarding food, but crab grass was our main speciality. So if anyone has any good crab grass recipes please share it (or don't).
So here is my quick list of EASY THINGS TO GROW and then PRESERVE in LESS THAN or around 30 MINUTES.
(Please note that I do not live in a vacuum by any means, I try to do this stuff when kids are taking quiet time, watching a show or in bed. Otherwise add 4 hours to the processing time.)------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are pretty easy and can be grown in a container on a back porch if needed. Remember that if in a pot that it will usually need more water. As you know there are many varieties to choose from, we like to grow sweet, meaty varieties because you get more 'meat' and less water. We have had good success with Amish Paste, San Marzano (both 'plum' varieties) and Brandywines. There are SO MANY other meaty varieties though so ask around what grows well in you area or just buy them from a road side stand.
Preserving
I am NOT a huge fan of eating fresh tomatoes, I AM a fan of having them around in the winter for soups or stews. Making sauce and pressure canning them takes more time than 30 minutes BUT they freeze beautifully. Just wash and dry them, make sure no rotten spots, pull off stem and put them in a freezer bag. That is all. No blanching, skinning required. I'M SERIOUS. Here's the cool thing, when you want to use 1 or 10, pull them from the freezer and let thaw only a little. I actually just run them under warm water to thaw a little. Once slightly thawed the skin will slip easily off. So easy. I will cut the whitish, firm stem area out and then maybe quarter before I add to a soup or stew recipe. They will break down and mash up just like canned tomatoes. If they are still slightly frozen they are easy to cut and won't squish. So why buy canned, stewed tomatoes again? I make our own tomato soup with frozen whole tomatoes, better than Campbells and VERY quick. Recipe Here. Also note that once fully thawed they are very squishy so don't expect them to be very good on a sandwich.
2. Pickles
Cucumbers are easy to grow and can be grown in small spaces up trellises (they love to climb and look lovely too). For pickles you need to grow a pickling cucumber variety, but let me say that I think pickling cucumbers taste better than regular cucumbers freshly sliced.... but that is just me. They are popular with my neighbors for sure. They are also very abundant so you get a lot. Cucumbers are one of my favorite vegetables for many reasons.
Preserving
Pickling can be quick depending on the recipe. In short, most dill or sour pickles (which is what we usually do) involves making a brine, cooling it and adding brine/spices/cucs to the jar. Done. Give it time to actually pickle in the jar but you don't do anything in that regard. We keep these in the frig since I do not seal them through a canning process. Plus, cold pickles are tastier in our opinion. Another pickle post Here.
3. Fresh Herbs
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| http://moorefarmsbg.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/herbs.jpg |
Preserving
I put the fresh herb leaves whole in my food processor. I turn the processor on and start adding oil slowly. Just enough to chop them and stick to the sides of the processor. A little more oil is ok too. I then put the 'paste' in an ice cube tray and cover with plastic wrap (I fill basil to the top of each cube, stronger herbs tasting herbs maybe only half cube). Let freeze solid them put the cubes in a freezer bag. Label the bag because they all look like green squares. I use them in soups and even pasta dishes. I just throw the frozen cube right into the hot soup at the end or hot pasta. I make and freeze basil pesto this way too and love having summery pesto dishes in the middle of winter.
Note: I have not experimented with freezing all fresh herbs, I assume most leafy herbs do well but if you know otherwise please share the knowledge.
4. Edamame (Or Soybeans)
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| http://www.withamymac.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/edamame.jpg |
This is the kind we grew linked HERE, we love Botanical Interests seeds.
Preserving
Just blanche, ice bath and freeze in a freezer bag. I freeze them on a cookie sheet so they don't stick together then put them in a bag once frozen. That way you can take out a little at a time as you want a snack. Just defrost or warm them up, don't cook them again. Did I mention these were really good, just add sea salt.
5. Potatoes
This is a picture of my parents potatoes and onions, happily stored in their garage. Potatoes are pretty easy to grow. You just need well worked up soil and seed potatoes. They don't take up anymore space than a bush bean plant. Some people have grown them in straw towers (aka potato towers) or bags of soil (aka dirt bags, aka the media and their.... I will stop there).
Preserving
You just put them in a paper bag in a cool, dry place. We put ours in our basement. You don't even have to clean the dirt off. Done. Just wash off before you cook.
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| Sweet potatoes and a dirty boy from a few years ago. Sweet potatoes are vines and take up more space but easy to grow. |
Other things that are a quick blanche and freeze worthy: green beans, asparagus and corn. Also easy to freeze and come out great: BERRIES!! We love having our picked blueberries in yogurt most of the year. Berry cobbler in the middle of the winter anyone. :)
Please share if you have any food preserving tips!!!
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