Country Kitchen Cooking
Summer is winding down with each weekend that we see go by and that is sad, but here it means that we are beginning to see harvesting done and that plants are ready to be picked and fresh vegetables are in abundance. My husband planted tomatoes, cucumbers,green onions, and green peppers. We have enjoyed several peppers and onions, but the tomatoes are not doing so well. It seems that the chickens like them as much as we do.
A neighbor has given us more cucumbers and banana peppers that we could probably ever consume, but I am always looking for ways to use them. I greatly enjoy cucumbers sliced and dipped in ranch dressing. Friends are always nice to have when you are speaking of sharing the garden abundance. Yesterday, I purchased some corn from another friend and so tonight that is what is cooking in the kitchen.
We prefer to freeze our corn for winter and I usually leave some on the cob and some off the cob and that is what I am doing at the moment. To prepare it to freeze either on or off the cob, I prefer to blanch it and then freeze it. I boil a large pan of water and place the ears in and let boil about 7 minutes. I then remove from the boiling water and place into one side of my kitchen sink filled with cold water.
Once in the cold water for approximately 5 minutes, I remove from the water and place it onto a cookie sheet to set for 10-15 minutes. Then if it is corn that is to be removed from the cob, I simply cut it off and place into freezer bags. If it is to remain on the cob, I simply place the ears into the freezer bag, date the bags and place in the freezer to enjoy for a later time or in the middle of the winter.
I recommend that anytime you are freezing corn that you blanch it first. I feel that it adds to the flavor of the corn. I am going to buy some more tomorrow because after looking at the corn, I do not feel that it is enough for us for winter.
Well, the timer is going off, so I better get back to my ears of corn. Until tomorrow- corn is cooking in the country kitchen.
A neighbor has given us more cucumbers and banana peppers that we could probably ever consume, but I am always looking for ways to use them. I greatly enjoy cucumbers sliced and dipped in ranch dressing. Friends are always nice to have when you are speaking of sharing the garden abundance. Yesterday, I purchased some corn from another friend and so tonight that is what is cooking in the kitchen.
We prefer to freeze our corn for winter and I usually leave some on the cob and some off the cob and that is what I am doing at the moment. To prepare it to freeze either on or off the cob, I prefer to blanch it and then freeze it. I boil a large pan of water and place the ears in and let boil about 7 minutes. I then remove from the boiling water and place into one side of my kitchen sink filled with cold water.
Once in the cold water for approximately 5 minutes, I remove from the water and place it onto a cookie sheet to set for 10-15 minutes. Then if it is corn that is to be removed from the cob, I simply cut it off and place into freezer bags. If it is to remain on the cob, I simply place the ears into the freezer bag, date the bags and place in the freezer to enjoy for a later time or in the middle of the winter.
I recommend that anytime you are freezing corn that you blanch it first. I feel that it adds to the flavor of the corn. I am going to buy some more tomorrow because after looking at the corn, I do not feel that it is enough for us for winter.
Well, the timer is going off, so I better get back to my ears of corn. Until tomorrow- corn is cooking in the country kitchen.
