Freezing Fresh Carrots

In the fall, I take a little time out of my regular schedule to prepare and freeze vegetables to use later in the winter. Today, I am working with carrots. I have grown quite a few in my garden and also purchased some at my local farmer's market. Since we are a family that loves roasted carrots,I try to stock up on the fresh ones and freeze them so I have them on hand whenever needed. It is really a simple process. Today,I am preparing a small batch ,but will prepare many more over the course of the next few weeks.

You will need:

Carrots
Vegetable peeler
freezer bags
boiling water
Bowl with ice water

   As you can see, this is a dirty bunch of carrots. Cut off a small piece from each end,then peel each carrot.After peeling,wash them,then slice into the desired size.

Nice and clean.

Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, carefully drop in a bunch of the carrots for one minute. Immediately remove them with a strainer and place in a bowl of ice water(this will halt the cooking process). Remove them from the ice water and place in a colander to drain.

 

I like to blanch each color separately because the darker ones tend to bleed as you can see here. I now have purple water.I start with the lightest color and end with the darkest.
 

Once they have drained, spread them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment and freeze them for about 15 minutes. Remove from the freezer and  place them in freezer bags that have been labeled and dated.

As you can see, the carrots retained their vibrant colors.They are now ready to freeze until needed. This is really an easy way to make sure you are eating fresh food all year long. Enjoy!
 

Herbed Butter

 

 It may only be the end of October, but now is a great time to start preparing for the holidays. If you visit local farmer's markets or have a garden of your own, you may have noticed that they are filled with vegetables and beautiful herbs. I like to make and freeze herb butter now to use later on my Thanksgiving turkey as well as for other holiday and winter meals. It is easy to make,and will save you some time,as well as money since the price of herbs tends to increase closer to the holidays. Feel free to use whatever herbs you prefer,or even combine a few of your favorites. I like to use parsley,rosemary,thyme and sage.Sometimes I throw in minced garlic,salt,pepper and/or lemon zest as well. Not only can you use the butter in or on your turkey, it is a great shortcut for your stuffing,mashed potatoes or even a roast chicken.Store the butter in your freezer and thaw in the refrigerator a day before you need it. You can also let it sit on your counter for a few hours before using. Please keep in mind these are approximate measurements..you can adjust them according to your own taste.

Directions:
1/2 c. of fresh herbs(parsley,rosemary,thyme,basil,sage,chives,dill)
1 stick of unsalted butter

The first butter I made was rosemary because I have numerous  plants in my garden. It is one of my favorite herbs.

Chop the herbs. Place in a small bowl along with one stick of softened butter. Mix until the herbs are incorporated well throughout the butter.

 

-Wrap well in plastic or store in ramekins or mini storage containers ,then cover or seal with plastic wrap.

Once I roll the butter in the plastic, I like to use a Sharpie to label each one.

When they are all wrapped, they are ready to freeze. One less thing to worry about come holiday time! Check that off your To-Do list!
   Stop by often as I will be sharing more tips to make your holidays a bit easier! Enjoy your day!