I've been buying lots of fresh veggies and fruit from the co-op and grocery stores. Sometimes, after a long week (and weekend) I don't end up using what I buy. Now, I don't mind throwing scraps into the compost pile but I really don't like putting in some larger quantities that I have over the last year. Half carton of mushrooms, half bag of potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, apples, berries, etc. It's usually not a lot of a whole vegetables or fruit at a time. But if I add up the waste and monetary amount in my head it adds up to quite a bit of both! Tonight I prepared and froze sweet peppers which had been in the fridge for a week + and were on the verge of getting 'shrively'. We'll be gone over the weekend and I won't be cooking the rest of the week so into the freezer they went!
Freezing Sweet Peppers :
(Blanching Method)
Step 1: Cut peppers in strips. Cut as close to the stems as possible. Set seeds aside.
Step 2: In small pot add enough water to cover peppers. When water has reached boiling add peppers and boil 2-3 minutes. (While peppers are boiling set aside a bowl with ice.)
Step 3: Strain peppers and immediately add to bowl with ice.
Step 5: Once cooled and drained, seal peppers in freezer bag. Get as much air out of the bag as possible to lessen the chances of freezer burn.
Step 6: Freeze! 12-18 months in a deep freezer of 6-9 months in a standard freezer.
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Extra:
Step 7: Remove seeds from pepper pulp. Let seeds 'air out' on paper plate. Seeds should be ready after a week to store for planting.
(I used an egg crate tonight as the last time I tried this Jeremy spilled my seeds twice...)
Step 8: Compost 'pepper waste'. Should just be the stems and pulp!
(I didn't cut as close as I should have with my stems, will use a smaller knife next time!)
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