Small Batch Preserving

 

I arrived home from our family reunion to find that the produce in my fridge needed some attention. We all have times when what we purchased at the grocery store begins to languish and the plan for it being eaten has changed.  This week we are unexpectedly down a few family members to help eat the fresh produce, so rather than have it spoil, I spent a few minutes to process it.

It really was a few minutes.  I had a head of cauliflower, a 1/2 pound of bacon, a bunch of asparagus and a red pepper to process. With just a little effort, all of those things are in my freezer, saved for another day's use. We always think of canning, drying or freezing when the harvest is on and the abundance flows in, but this can be done throughout the year. If you try it, you will be surprised at how easy it is.

To freeze the cauliflower and the asparagus (and most other vegetables), you need to blanch it.  Set a pot of water boiling while you wash and  cut your veggies, then pop them into the boiling water for a minute or two. You are not cooking it, you blanch to kill bacteria that deteriorate your produce while in the freezer. After the couple of minutes are up, you plunge the veggies into a cold water bath to stop the cooking process. Drain well, pack into freezer bags, label and freeze. I used my saucepan for this, since it was such a small batch. (When I have large batches--although it sounds kooky--my favorite tool for blanching is my wok; with the large surface area you can get a lot of peaches or tomatoes done quickly.) Different vegetables are blanched for different amounts of time. There are online tables for blanching times, or you can refer to a Ball Blue Book.

To freeze the bacon, Brown and drain on a paper towel, let it cool, then crumble and put it into a freezer bag. Squeeze out all the air. It is super handy having cooked bacon in the freezer! This same method is used for most meats. You can read more on this here.

To freeze the pepper: Wash, slice, put them in a freezer bag and place in the freezer. Peppers and onions don't need blanching before freezing. I slice mine for ease of use. It allows me to take out the amount I want, and further dicing is really easy when they are frozen, you can even break them into cubes for cooking. Use these from a frozen state.

General guidelines: berries can be frozen like the pepper, wash and freeze. Here is a how-to for freezing zucchini and one for winter squash. There are a some other small batch preservation recipes on the blog, here are a few: 

Refrigerator Pickles, Freezing Tomato Paste, Family Spaghetti

Once you start thinking this way, you could even have a double-preserve situation, like stashing a bag of cranberries in the freezer, and later using them to make Cranberry Orange Butter! So smart and yummy!

Jenny

Bacon Corn Chowder

A soup to warm your bones this fall. I make it for my husband who is a soup junkie and my oldest daughter who loves this particular soup.  You would enjoy it with bread sticks, yeast biscuits or a slice of fresh bread.
Bacon Corn Chowder
1/2 lb. bacon, chopped
1 med. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Brown these together in a large pot, add
1/3 c. flour and stir to coat flour in drippings. Add
5-6  potatoes, peeled and cubed
6 c. water
bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 min.  Add
2 (15 oz.) cans corn, (drain liquid off one of the cans)
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. seasoning salt (like Lawry's)
Pepper to taste (I like a lot of ground pepper in this, or to use pepper bacon if I can)
2 c. cream (or half and half)
Heat for a few minutes, until potatoes are tender.  Taste for seasonings.  Serve with bread or crackers.

Notes: this would also be yummy with red potatoes-leave the peels on if you try this. You can replace one of the cans of corn with a can of creamed corn.

Jenny

Mashed Potato Patties

This is really a how-to more than a recipe, as leftovers always vary in their content and amount.  These are fun to make with left over mashed potatoes, and my family always welcomes them as a simple week night supper with  biscuits and a veggie. I start with mashed potatoes that I have made with good old Idaho Russets.  I think you can use mashed potatoes made from flakes, but you may have to experiment with the amount of flour to get them stiff enough to hold together when you fry them. Let me know how that goes.

Mashed Potato Patties

about 4 cups cold mashed potatoes

1 cup chopped ham (or bacon, or pepperoni)

2 Tbsp. onion, chopped fine, or use onion powder to taste

1 clove garlic, minced, or use garlic powder to taste

herbs of your choice (opt.)

salt and pepper

1 egg

1/2 c. flour

oil for frying

Stir ham, onions, garlic and any other seasonings you like into mashed potatoes.  Salt and pepper to taste.  (And do taste them. Potatoes are bland and can take quite a bit of seasoning, the amounts given are approximate.)  When the potatoes are well seasoned, add the flour and egg and mix well.  

Heat a puddle of oil in a skillet on medium heat, when hot, scoop a dollop of potatoes into the skillet and flatten out a bit with the back of a spoon. Cook for a minute or two, then turn to brown on both sides.  Fry a few patties at time, replenishing the oil as needed.  Drain on paper towels.  You can serve them with sour cream if you like.

Notes:  If your first batch of patties fall apart in the skillet, you need to add more flour.  They should be tender, but manageable.  You can use any leftover meat in these, or you can make them without, as more of a side dish.   These would also make a nice warm breakfast.

Jenny

German Potato Salad

German potato salad is served warm and has a tangy dressing.  I like to make it once in a while for a change of pace from my cold potato salad, and I love to use red potatoes in it.  Besides, who can go wrong with bacon and potatoes? This is based on a very old Taste of Home recipe.

German Potato Salad
5 bacon strips
3/4 c. chopped onion
3 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 1/3 c. water
2/3 c. cider vinegar
1/4 c. sugar
6 c. red potatoes

Scrub red potatoes and cut into bite size chunks.  Bring a pot of water to a boil, add potatoes and boil for 20 min. or until tender.  Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook bacon until crisp and remove to a paper towel to drain.  Drain all but 3 Tbsp. drippings from the skillet.  Add onion to drippings and cook until tender.  Add flour, salt and pepper to the skillet, mixing to cover all the flour in fat.  Add water and vinegar; cook and stir until bubbly and slightly thick.  Add sugar and stir to dissolve.  Crumble bacon.  When potatoes are done, drain.  Stir together bacon, potatoes and dressing.  Serve warm.

Jenny

What Grandma Knew: Bacon Drippings

About a year ago, my mother gave me a cookbook that once belonged to my great grandmother,  The Good Housekeeping Cookbook from 1942.  I love reading old cookbooks, and this one has been particularly handy.  At the time it was published, depression economy and war rationing was a real part of the minds of the cooks of the day.  There are sections of the book dedicated to stretching this and substituting that in the kitchen to make everything as pleasant as possible. One thing that caught my eye was a section dedicated to saving on butter that included the following:

"Use bacon, ham or sausage drippings in seasoning such vegetables as string beans, lima beans, rice, macaroni, vegetable sauces etc."

"Use bacon, ham or sausage drippings for sauteing white or sweet potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes, onions, apple rings, cabbage, etc." (pg. 27)

Since reading this, I have saved my bacon drippings in the fridge and found that potatoes fried in bacon fat are super and green beans seasoned with a teaspoon of bacon fat instead of butter are a new hit.  Last night I used a tablespoon of drippings to saute chard from my garden with mushrooms and lemon basil--grandma was sure smart!  I'm grateful in this day of expensive food and tight budgets to be getting more mileage out of any food stuff, but to have the shortcut taste nice as well is a bonus.  Here are the rest of the instructions on the use of pan drippings:

"If they are bacon, sausage, ham or roast drippings, strain each kind into a separate covered container and keep stored in the refrigerator.  Then use for sauteing vegetables, chicken, eggs, French Toast, fish, rabbit, etc.  The ham, bacon, or sausage drippings are good too as seasonings for vegetables and as the fat in buttered bread crumbs, stuffings, casserole dishes, soups vegetables and meat sauces, etc.  Plan to use up your pan-drippings as quickly as possible for they don't keep too well." (pg.28)

One thing I would add: remember that bacon and sausage and ham are all salty.  Taste before you salt when using the fat from any of these meats to avoid over-seasoning your food.  Also, I have yet to strain my bacon drippings, finding that I don't mind a bit of bacon in anything I might want to add drippings to.

I remember a can that held drippings at my grandma's house, but I hadn't put it all together until seeing this hint. Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without! Thanks, grandma.
Jenny

Red Beans and Rice

I've tried several recipes for red beans and rice, but this one is my very favorite!  Makes my mouth water to type it out.  In the photo I have used a bulk sausage that has bacon in it.

Red Beans and Rice
1 1/2 c. bacon, chopped
1 lg. onion, diced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 green pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
dash hot pepper sauce
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, (do not drain)
salt and pepper
cooked rice to serve

Place bacon in a saucepan and cook until fat starts to run.  Add onion, celery, green pepper and garlic. Cover and cook gently for 15 min. until softened.  Add bay leaf, hot pepper sauce, tomato paste, parsley and kidney beans.  Cover and simmer 30 min., stirring occasionally.  Salt and pepper to taste, remove bay leaf and serve over hot cooked rice.

Notes:  I've posted the original recipe, and this is what I like to do different: cook bacon (you can also use some bulk sausage) and drain most of the fat before adding the onion, pepper and garlic.  Because of the reduced fat, when you add the beans, you may want to add water to adjust the sauce consistency. Continue as directed.
Jenny

Bacon Potato Soup

A few years ago, I compiled a family cookbook for Nathan's family, with recipes from their childhood and from our current family gatherings.  This childhood favorite was originally called "My Mom's Potato Soup" and is a recipe from my husband's maternal grandma, Rosalie.  It is hands-down my children's favorite soup.  The creamy onion-bacon flavor is homey, and feeding a crew with only 1/2 lb. of meat makes this budget friendly too.

Bacon Potato Soup
1/2 lb. bacon, diced
1 c. chopped onion
In a soup pot, brown together.  Stir in:
1/4 c. flour, and continue to heat until flour is brown. Add:
6 c. peeled, cubed potatoes
2 tsp. salt
6 c. cold water
Stir.  If needed, add additional warm water, just to cover potatoes.  Cook on medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 15 min. 
Add 2 c. milk
Taste for seasonings. (I usually add a little pepper here).  Heat, but do not boil.

Notes:  You can add other dried herbs to this, if you like. Thyme and parsley and some rosemary are all nice.  This is also a quick recipe for a soup, about 30 min. from start to finish. 

Jenny

Cornbread Salad

Different and delicious! This has become a favorite of our extended family and shows up at all the summer picnics.  It is soooo good!

Cornbread Salad
1 pkg. cornbread mix, prepared as directed (8x8 pan)
3 c. chopped tomatoes
1 c. chopped onion (red is my favorite in this)
1 c. chopped green pepper
1/2 c. chopped sweet pickles
12 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. sweet pickle juice
Parmesan cheese, for topping

Crumble 1/2 of prepared cornbread into bottom of large bowl (this is the one you will serve the salad from).  In another bowl, mix vegetables and bacon, blend well.  Spoon half of vegetable mixture over cornbread.  Stir mayo and pickle juice together; spread half of dressing over vegetables.  Repeat layers and sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese.  Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving. 

Notes: if you want to make the cornbread from scratch, here is a recipe, Favorite Cornbread .

Jenny

Bean and Bacon Soup

Sometimes there are happy accidents.  I had planned to make ham and bean soup with a ham bone I have been storing in the freezer.  I soaked my beans and started simmering them when I went to the freezer and found the "ham bone" was actually some turkey in disguise. Sigh.  So, we've heard of bean and bacon soup, but I've never made it before! This attempt was good, and enough so that I jotted the recipe down for future soups.  I share it here.

Bean and Bacon Soup
3 cups dried beans
Cover beans with 1 1/2 quarts of water and bring to a boil.  Boil for 10 min., remove from heat, cover and soak for 1 hour.  Drain and rinse beans and place in a big soup pot. (You can also cover beans with cold water and let them soak overnight.)

Add 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 1 hour. 

Meanwhile, chop

1 (12 oz) package bacon

1 onion

In a skillet over medium high heat, cook together, adding 2 cloves garlic, minced.  Brown well.

Add bacon mixture to beans with

2 bay leaves

Simmer 1 hour. Add salt and pepper to taste and simmer until tender. You may have to keep adding water to the pot as it cooks to maintain the soup consistency. If you like, you can mash or puree part of the soup and add it back to the pot to make a thick soup.
Note: though I have not tried it yet, I think after adding the bacon and bay leaves, this could go in the crock pot to finish cooking.  The type of bean will determine the cooking time.  If you have a bean like Anasazi that softens easily, reduce cooking time accordingly.
Jenny

Mountain Man Breakfast

You can make this in a Dutch oven over the coals, or in your own oven inside.

Mountain Man Breakfast
Place 2 pkg. hashbrowns in a dutch oven at 425 degrees for 15 min.
Brown 1 lb. sausage or bacon.
Add meat and drippings to oven
Cook for 15 min.
Add 10 eggs, slightly beaten.
Cook 15 min. more or until eggs are set.
Top with cheese if you like!

Feeds a lot of hungry mountain men!

Jenny

Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad

Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad
1 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1/2 package of bacon, fried until crisp, drained and crumbled
3 crowns of broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
1 head cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces
1 c. sunflower seeds (already shelled)

Mix together mayo, sugar and vinegar.  Combine other ingredients in a bowl, and pour dressing over the top.  Toss to coat and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Notes: the photo salad includes chopped red onion and dried cranberries just for fun.

Jenny

Yummy Baked Beans

Baked Bean lovers!  This one is yummy and fast, as it cooks in the microwave.  You may also pour it into the crockpot for about 3 hours.

Yummy Baked Beans
2 cans (15 oz) pork and beans
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
1/2 c. cooked pepper bacon, crumbled
1/3 c. chopped green pepper
2 Tbsp. dried minced onion
6 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. spicy brown mustard
1/3 c. ketchup
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar

Mix all ingredients in a 2 qt. casserole.  Microwave 10 min.  Salt and Pepper to taste.  I always serve this with corn bread.

Jenny