How to Freeze Green Beans
- Rinse them to remove any dirt.
- Trim off both ends of the green beans and, if desired (to make them easier to store), cut them in half or into 2-inch segments.
- Blanch the green beans before freezing them like this: Put the washed, trimmed, and cut green beans into a pot of simmering water and cook for 3 minutes. Immediately transfer the green beans to a large bowl of cold water and ice (to stop the cooking process). Let the beans sit in the ice bath for 5 minutes.
- Remove the green beans from the ice bath and spread them out in an even layer, and pat them dry with a towel or paper towel.
- Place the green beans on a baking sheet in the freezer and let them freeze for 4 to 6 hours on the baking sheet to freeze them individually rather than in clumps.
- Once the beans are frozen, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag.
Garlic Scapes Pesto
Delicious on bread, pasta, veggies, etc.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch or 10-13 garlic scapes (about 1 cup chopped)
- 1/2 cup packed basil
- 1/2 cup walnut pieces
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon), 1/2 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a high-speed blender or food processor, add garlic scapes, basil, walnuts, parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and pulse until combined.
- With the blender or food processor running, stream in the olive oil. Scrape down the sides of the blender and continue blending as needed until the olive oil is emulsified and the pesto looks uniform.
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Roasted Garlic Butter Fingerling Potatoes
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 lb. of fried potatoes
- 1 tablespoon of ground garlic
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 ° F.
- Place the butter in a microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave on HIGH in 10-second bursts, stirring between bursts (30-40 seconds total).
- Add the garlic and olive oil to the melted butter bowl.
- Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and dip them in the butter mixture, making sure the potatoes are evenly coated. Transfer the potatoes to a baking sheet, arranging them in a single layer, cut-side down. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place the tray on a rack in the middle of the oven.
- Grill the potatoes until they are tender enough to pierce easily with a fork, and golden brown (about 25 to 30 minutes).
- Serve garnished with parsley.
Homegrown Apple Pie
Carmen Marshall’s sister, Rosio Lopez from Peru, makes a 9-inch pie.
Ingredients
- Dough:
- 2 ½ cups flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 225 g butter in pieces
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- Filling:
- 6-8 homegrown apples
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- a pinch of grated nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
How to Freeze Basil
- Wash and rinse fresh basil. Use a food processor to coarsely chop basil leaves. To keep the basil from turning black in the freezer, add a drizzle of olive oil, and pulse to lightly coat the leaves with oil.
- Spoon the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze. Transfer the frozen cubes to freezer bags and use them as needed.
Rhubarb Lemonade
Ingredients
- 8 cups chopped rhubarb
- 3 cups white sugar
- 3 tablespoons grated lemon peel
- 1 ½ cups lemon juice
Instructions
- Combine the rhubarb, sugar, and grated lemon peel in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sugar has dissolved, and the rhubarb releases its juice and starts to break up, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Pour the rhubarb mixture through a fine sieve, pressing out as much liquid as possible.