Freezing Strawberries

After strawberry picking last weekend, I knew we couldn't possibly use and eat all 15lbs of strawberries before they went bad. Freezer is definitely the best option since I don't have canning supplies or a dehydrator. 

Here is the best way I've found to prepare and freeze strawberries. 

Wash and hull them then lay them on a towel to dry.

Let them sit for a while to air dry, or gentle pat them/roll them with another towel. 

The hardest part is trying not to eat them all when they look this good! 

Toss the hulls in your compost or worm bin instead of the trash!

Once they're dry, put them on a cookie sheet, making sure they're not touching too much. The whole point of this is so you don't have a frozen strawberry chunk you can't use! Then place the whole cookie sheet into the freezer until the strawberries freeze. Don't leave them too long or they may start to get freezer burn.

Once they're frozen, simply transfer them to a freezer bag and put back into the freezer! Remember to label the bag with the date as well. 

What would you make with frozen strawberries? Jam? Pie? Smoothies?

Till next time,

Catherine

Cook-Strawberry Yogurt Pops

I just KNEW I had to have this popsicle tray for a reason! Not to mention World Market had it on sale! It was only a few bucks and I just couldn't resist. Luckily Pinterest inspired me early on last summer to make my own version of THIS. 

My version was a bit simpler but just as tasty! 

Ingredients:

• Strawberries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries...whatever you prefer!)
• Vanilla yogurt
• I'd also recommend a sweetener like honey or agave, to taste

Directions:

Puree your fruit in a blender (after washing it, of course). 

Alternately spoon yogurt and the fruit puree into the popsicle mold. You can also swirl it around with a spoon if you want it more mixed. 

Freeze.

Enjoy!

Keep this in mind for the summer months when it's hot! It's going to be quite a lovely weekend and upcoming week with highs in the upper 50s and low 60s! Enjoy your weekend everyone! :)

Got any fun plans this weekend while the weather is nice? 

Till next time,

Catheirne

Cook: Homemade Fruit Roll Ups

How would you like to give your family a fruit snack that actually has real fruit in it? I know I would. Almost every type of fruit snack on the market today is deceiving us all! They are made with artificial flavors and colors and are chock full of high fructose corn syrup. I originally found this recipe on Our Best Bites and you can find the recipe HERE. 

This recipe is extremely easy but it does take a long time. If you have a dehydrator you can use that but I used my oven on the lowest heat setting available. 

Ingredients:

• Whatever fruit it whatever combination you want! You can use fresh, frozen, or canned.
• Sweetener like honey or agave
• Lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat your oven to the lowest temperature. Some only go down to 170 but others go to 140. 

Pick out your favorite fruit(s). Wash them and cut them if necessary. 

Blend them in your blender or food processor (I used a blender). Add a couple spoonfuls of your favorite sweetener and lemon juice. Do some taste testing to find the right blend. 

Stretch out plastic wrap onto your baking sheets, or use a silicon baking mat. Pour the puree onto the baking sheet and spread it till it is even. Try to keep it from the edges. The top pan is strawberry-peach and the bottom is just strawberry. 

Bake in the oven for about 6-8 hours or until the center is no longer sticky. You want it to be solid but not brittle. You can see in the bottom of this picture that the edges were getting too thin and brittle. If this happens, brush a little water onto the areas that need it. 

Now go make more in other flavors! These are apple and peach mixes. 

Once it is done, simple cut strips with kitchen scissors and roll them up. If you want to get fancy you can lay them onto parchment paper, roll them, then tie them with a pretty bow. I wrapped mine while still on the plastic wrap and it works great...just be sure to remind people that it has the plastic on it! 

Trust me, you want to go make these! They're delicious! Experiment with different flavors and see what's best! I don't think you can go wrong, though! 

What flavor(s) would you make? Would you make the switch from store bought to home made?

Till next time,

Catherine