Ancho-Cherry Pork Chops

My husband loves pork chops.  I’m not a fan so I don’t cook them often.

He bought me a pretty necklace so tonight he’s getting pork chops 😉

Pressure Cooked Ancho-Cherry Pork Chops

  • 4  Bone in Trimmed Pork Chops about 3/4 inch thick
  • 2  TBLS Coconut Oil
  • 6  Pieces Thick Cut Bacon
  • 1/2 Cup Frozen Dark Sweet Cherries
  • 1  Medium Pasilla Chili (Poblano)
  • 1/2 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1/2 Cup Water
  • 1/4 Cup Fischer & Wieser Smokey Ancho Cherry Sauce
  • Salt & Pepper
  1. Set the pressure cooker to “Brown” and add the coconut oil
  2. Seed and chop the chili into small pieces
  3. Using kitchen shears, cut the bacon into about 1″ chunks
  4. Add the bacon and chili to the pressure cooker
  5. With the lid open, let the bacon brown and the chili soften (about 8 minutes)
  6. Add the frozen cherries and stir until they defrost
  7. Stir in the apple cider vinegar and water
  8. Sprinkle both sides of the pork chops with salt and pepper
  9.  Brush both sides of the pork chops with he Ancho-Cherry Sauce
  10. Layer the pork chops into the pressure cooker then close and lock lid
  11. Set machine to high
  12. When pressure cooker reaches temperature, cook for 10 minutes
  13. Unplug machine and immediately release the pressure with manual release button

To serve:  Put a scoop of rice or quinoa in the center of the plate.  Pile some of the drained Braised Red Cabbage (yesterday’s recipe) on top of the rice/quinoa then place a pork chop on top of the cabbage.  Spoon some of the cooking juices, cherries, chilies and bacon onto the pork chop and serve immediately.

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Pressure Cooker Braised Red Cabbage

Those of us who were raised in the 1970’s remember the infamous Brady Bunch episode where, trying to imitate Humphrey Bogart, Peter Brady repeatedly said (misspellings intended), “Pork Chops and Apple Shauce, that’s schwell.”   I’m playing with a new pork chop recipe tonight and despite the expectation of mashed potatoes and, yes, apple sauce, there is no way I’ll be serving that boring combination!

I tossed around ideas for different types of cold coleslaw, carrot slaw and even considered going the sauerkraut route, but none of those seemed hearty enough to accompany the Smoky Ancho Cherry Pork Chops I have in mind.  I grabbed some red cabbage, Granny  Smith apples, aged balsamic vinegar and started tossing things into the pressure cooker.

Pressure Cooker Braised Red Cabbage

  • 1 Medium Head Red Cabbage (chopped)
  • 2 Large Granny Smith Apples (chopped)
  • 2 TBLS Coconut Oil
  • 2 TBLS Balsamic Vinegar
  • 4 TBLS Honey
  • 2/3 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 2/3 Cup Water
  • 3 tsp Allspice
  • Salt & Pepper to Taste
  • 1/4 Cup Golden Raisins (Optional)
  1. With lid open, pre-heat the pressure cooker on the “Brown” setting
  2. Add the coconut oil and chopped apple and stir about 1 minute
  3. Add half the cabbage and stir to coat with the oil
  4. Sprinkle the Allspice over the contents of the pan
  5. Stir in the remaining cabbage
  6. Stir in the 2 TBLS balsamic vinegar
  7. Add the water and apple cider vinegar to combine
  8. If you are adding the raisins, do so now
  9. Close and lock the lid
  10. Set pressure cooker to 194° (Medium-High)
  11. When it comes up to temperature, cook the cabbage for 10 minutes
  12. At the end of the cycle, unplug and allow to sit for 10 minutes
  13. Release rest of pressure and remove cabbage to a serving bowl
  14. Adjust sweetness with more honey or allspice as needed

Can be eaten hot or cold.

cabbageAre you on Facebook?  You might be interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water. I may not write a blog post every day, but there are daily updates to my This Girl Loves To Eat community at: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Tax Day Discounts & Freebies

taxdayfreebies

I think we can all agree that Tax Day sucks.  Whether you owe or are getting some money back from the IRS, the stress that comes with the approach and passing of April 15th (this year April 18th) is enough to make anyone feel like they need a treat.  Some companies across the country are trying to ease the pain by offering Tax Day deals, sales, promotions and even a few freebies.

  • Arby’s   Get two Arby’s Gyros for $6 until the end of the April.
  • Boston Market  In honor of Tax Day, Boston Market will offer a half chicken Individual Meal with two sides and cornbread, plus a regular beverage and a cookie for just $10.40 on April 18 only. Only 1040? How clever. Offer valid only at participating restaurants.
  • Buca di Beppo  Craving a little Italian? Save 18 percent off your meal at Buca di Beppo through April 18 when you use their Tax Day coupon available online.
  • Chili’s  Happy hour on Tax Day will be a little bit happier at participating Chili’s restaurants. The chain is offering offering $5 Presidente Margaritas to take the edge off dealing with Uncle Sam.
  • Coffee deals  Need some energy after dealing with the IRS? Participating McDonald’s in Arizona, Vermont, Colorado and Wyoming are offering tired taxpayers a free small coffee today. Prefer to perk up at home? Caribou Coffee is offering free shipping of orders over $50 online.
  • Great American Cookie  Stop by a participating Great American Cookie location on April 18 and you’ll be treated to a free sugar cookie. No purchase is necessary but unlike Ben & Jerry’s free cone giveaway, there is a limit of one cookie per customer.
  • Hard Rock Café  Get a free Local Legendary Burger at participating restaurant locations—but only if you get onstage and sing for it.  Not willing to belt out a tune for some free grub? The burger is regularly $17.95.
  • McDonald’s  Mickey D’s is offering Tax Day deals on a location-by-location basis, so the offer may wary. In the past, participating locations offered a rock-bottom burger deal– buy one Big Mac or Quarter Pounder at the regular price, get a second sandwich for just a few cents.
  • Outback Steakhouse  Diners at participating locations of the Aussie-themed chain can take 15 percent off  the check (excluding alcohol, applicable taxes, and gratuity) through April 18. Valid at lunch or dinner for curbside take-away or those dining in. You’ll need a coupon for the offer, so check Outback’s website.
  • Red Robin  This is a Tuesday special. On April 19, get a Ramen burger and bottomless fries for just $0.22 if you’re one of the first 22 students in the door with a valid student ID. Everyone else gets to enjoy a $2.22 discount. No coupon required. Schlotzsky’s  Schlotzsky’s knows that #TaxDayBites so the sandwich shop will be giving away free “Original” subs today. To snap up the deal, customers need to buy a 32 oz. drink and a bag of chips on April 18.
  • Tony Roma’s  End your Tax Day with something sweet. The steakhouse is offering taxpayers a free coupon for a slice of its Red Velvet Cake on April 18. The offer is valid through April 29.
  • Pieology: Sign up for the PieLife eClub by texting PIELIFE to 48307 and following the link. A coupon for 10 percent off your order on April 18 should be emailed to you shortly after you sign up.
  • Noah’s Bagels: Take $1 off your order with this coupon until April 18.
  • Chuck E. Cheese’s: Get a free large cheese pizza with the purchase of any large pizza with this coupon on April 18.
  • Pei Wei: Receive $5 off your order of $20 or more with this coupon until April 18.
  • Hot Dog on a Stick: Get one free Original Turkey Dog on a Stick on April 18. No purchase or proof of completed taxes necessary.
  • California Tortilla: If you say the secret password “Tax Man” on April 18, you’ll receive free chips and queso with your purchase.
  • Papa Murphy’s: Receive 50 percent off select items depending on location until April 29. Select your location on the website and then select Specials to see what is available.
  • Bob Evans: Take 30 percent off your entire check April 18 only with this coupon.
  • Carrabba’s: Take 15 percent off your entire check with this coupon until April 29.
  • Denny’s: Take 15 percent off your entire check with this coupon until April 19.
  • Chili’s: Get a Presidente Margarita for $5 on April 18.
  • Sonic: Get 50 percent off cheeseburgers on April 18.
  • Bruegger’s Bagels: Get a Big Bagel Bundle for $10.40 on April 18 when you sign-up to receive this coupon.
  • Noodles & Company: Now through April 18, get $4 off any online order of $10 or more with coupon code TAXDAY. Also, if you buy one entree at regular price, you can get a kid’s meal for free. Both deals available at participating locations only.
  • Sonny’s BBQ: All day on April 18 get 50 percent off Sweet & Smokey or House Dry-Rubbed Rib Dinners.
  • Kona Ice: Get a free cup of shaved ice and a Hawaiian lei on April 18. To find a truck near you, tweet your zip code to @KonaIce. No coupon required.
  • Great American Cookies: Stop by a participating location and get a free chocolate
  • Krystal: Use these printable coupons until April 24 to take advantage of these buy one, get one free biscuit and burger offers.
  • Bananas: Get the The CPA Frostie, featuring fresh strawberries and bananas, with added Red Bull Yellow Edition, to help power through all the tax paperwork and preparation. Plus, if you can present a valid Certified Public Accountant license, you will receive The CPA on the house at participating locations. Both specials are available April 17 and April 18.
  • Zeel.com: Use code TAXDAY25 to receive $25 off any massage until April 18.
  • Planet Fitness: Whether you’re a member or not, you can get a free HydroMassage at any Planet Fitness location during tax week. Visit PlanetFitness.com to get your coupon on April 18. Must be 18 or older to redeem.
  • Regal Entertainment: Get 25 percent off candy on Monday and 50 percent off popcorn on Tuesday if you join the Regal Crown Club. Paid admission is required.
  • GameStop: Get 25 percent off pre-owned interactive gaming figurines if you order online by April 30.
  • Best Buy: Shop the Tax Refund Event and save up to $20 on select video games, get $100 off Macbooks and much more until April 18.

Don’t see anything you like? Call your favorite local restaurant or retailer to check out any specials being offered up today.

Are you on Facebook?  You might be interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water. I may not write a blog post every day, but there are daily updates to my This Girl Loves To Eat community at: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Luscious Lemorancello

I am still up to my eyeballs in fresh citrus, so I found a new project from which I will be able to make some really fun desserts!

slicecake_w_lemons11Have you ever been to an Italian restaurant and seen Limoncello on the after dinner drink menu or seen some type of Limoncello Cake on the dessert menu?   Limoncello is a syrupy liqueur that is smooth and sweet with an intense lemon flavor.  It can be sipped on its own, mixed into sparkling water, or shaken into cocktails.

I had no idea that Limoncello is the second most popular liqueur in Italy.  Considering that both my family and my husband’s have Northern Italian roots, I was amazed to realize neither of us had ever tried this particular yummy treat!  I think that counts as some kind of neglect or child abuse 😉

The process to make homemade Limoncello (or in this case, since I am combining blood orange and Meyer lemon peels:  Lemorancello) is quite easy and much less expensive than buying a smaller bottle of the commercially bottled version.

Lisa’s Luscious Lemorancello

  • 1 – 750 ml Bottle Vodka (80 Proof is fine, but 100 Proof is even better)
  • 5 – Medium Sized Meyer Lemons
  • 5 – Medium Sized Oranges (I have Blood Oranges, So I am using those)
  1. Remove the peels from the lemons and oranges.  Put the fruit in a zip bag to freeze for later use.  I peel them whole and then use a spoon to scrape away the pith, but you can also use a vegetable peeler.  It’s important to leave as little of the bitter white pith as possible.
  2. Once you have peeled the fruit and removed the pith from the skins, slice the peels into narrow strips and put the peel into a 32 oz container with a lid then pour the vodka over the peels.  I prefer glass so that any dormant odors don’t transfer from plastic into the vodka.
  3. Seal the container tightly and put aside in a cabinet – or at least on a counter out of direct sunlight.
  4. Infuse your blood orange & lemon peels in the vodka for at least 1 week to a month or longer. Most of the fruit flavor is extracted in the first few days, the longer you let it sit the bolder the flavor will be.  I’m going to let mine sit undisturbed for 6 weeks.

You don’t need to worry about mold or bacteria growing while it is infusing.  The alcohol prevents any mold or other bacteria from growing on the fruit.

When you decide that you just can’t wait to enjoy your treat any longer, it’s time to strain out the fruit peels and combine the infused vodka with simple syrup.

TIP:  You can use any amount 1 C Water to 1 C Sugar up to 4 Cups Water to 4 Cups Sugar.  More water will dilute the alcohol percentage and make the liqueur milder.

  1. Make your simple syrup:  In a saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar (I use superfine baker’s sugar) with 1 cup water and stir over low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.
  2. Add this to the infused vodka, taste, and add more simple syrup if you need it sweeter.

When you have reached your perfect ratio and your Lemorancello is ready to enjoy, you can store it in a cleaned 750 ml vodka bottle (there will be more than 1 bottle worth of liqueur) or in pretty oil/vinegar type bottles with hinged or screw sealed tops.

The liqueur can be kept in the freezer for at least a year, and likely much longer. Use your own common sense if it’s been more than a year and it tastes off or you see any mold growing in the bottle.  Then it’s more than likely time to toss it and make a fresh batch!  I have no intention of letting mine last that long.

Are you on Facebook?  You might be interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water. I may not write a blog post every day, but there are daily updates to my This Girl Loves To Eat community at: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Blood Orange Mojito

My backyard garden has always just been okay, but this year my trees are full of ripening fruit, my herbs are healthy and I have been looking for more ways to use my bounty.

I was able to use a few of the Meyer lemons in yesterday’s Chicken Under Pressure “Mamba Style” and Lemon Artichoke Risotto, as well as in a recipe for Sauteed Shrimp in Buttery Lemon Pepper Sauce that I have on deck for tomorrow.

The blood oranges are a little bit tougher challenge.

I was cleaning up the mess from the enthusiastic toasts after Kobe Bryant’s triumphant 60 point final game performance that included the game winning shot and, as I went to put away the bourbon, the tall white bottle of Malibu Rum caught my eye.  AHA MOMENT.

Malibu Mojitos, with the hint of coconut, are my favorite poolside treat and the sweetness would offset the tart bite of the blood oranges!

  • In a highball glass, muddle 5 mint leaves with a splash of simple syrup
  • Fill glass 2/3 full of ice
  • Fill a cocktail shaker half way with ice
  • Squeeze juice from 1 Ripe Blood Orange into the shaker then add
  • 1 TBLS Rose’s Sweetened Lime Juice
  • 1 TBLS Simple Syrup
  • 1 1/2 ounces Malibu Coconut Rum

Put the top on the cocktail shaker and shake the drink vigorously for about 15 seconds until drink is well mixed and chilled.

  • Strain into the highball glass
  • Garnish with 3 fresh or frozen raspberries, 1/4 slice of blood orange and mint leaves
  • Top with club soda and give a quick stir

Are you on Facebook?  You might be interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water. I may not write a blog post every day, but there are daily updates to my This Girl Loves To Eat community at: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

 

Chicken Under Pressure “Mamba Style”

I’m not feeling a lot of inspiration to create today, but have some chicken in the freezer, plenty of citrus on the trees, dry goods and spices in the cupboards, so dinner shouldn’t be a big ordeal.

I’m employing my handy dandy pressure cooker so I can make dinner ahead and not have to worry about it during all of the pre-final game Laker festivities honoring The Black Mamba,  Kobe Bryant that I’ll be glued to tonight, tissues close at hand.

Chicken Under Pressure “Mamba Style”

  • 6 Frozen Boneless-Skinless Chicken Thighs
  • 2 TBLS Extra Virgin Oil
  • 1 Chicken Bullion Cube
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Allspice
  • 2 tsp Dried Tarragon Leaves
  • Juice of 2 Small Ripe Lemons (About 1/4 Cup)
  • Zest of 2 Small Lemons
  • 1 Cup Water
  1. Turn the pressure cooker on to “Brown” setting
  2. Pour 1 TBLS of the Olive Oil into the bottom of pan
  3. Put frozen chicken into pan to begin defrosting
  4. Add the bullion cube then sprinkle 1/2 tsp of the garlic powder & onion powder, 1/4 tsp of the pepper and allspice, and 1 tsp of the tarragon over the top of the chicken
  5. After 3 minutes turn the chicken over
  6. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 tsp of the garlic powder & onion powder, 1/4 tsp of the pepper and allspice, and 1 tsp of the tarragon over the other side of the chicken
  7. Brown for another 3 minutes then turn chicken over one more time
  8. Grate the lemon zest into the pan (on top of the chicken)
  9. Squeeze the juice from the zested lemons into the pan
  10. Add the Water and close & lock the pressure cooker
  11. Set to medium – high setting and, when pressure cooker reaches temperature, set time to cook for 10 minutes
  12. When cooking is completed unplug the pressure cooker and allow to sit, without releasing pressure, for 10 minutes.
  13. After rest time, release the pressure and remove the chicken to a covered dish

 Lemon Artichoke Risotto

  1. Add enough water to the reserved liquid in the pressure cooker to equal 3 cups.
  2. Add 2 Cups Dry Arborio Rice
  3. Set pressure cooker to Rice setting
  4. When cooker reaches desired temperature/pressure, cook rice for 9 minutes
  5. When cycle is complete unplug and release most of the pressure but do not unlock or open machine
  6. After 10 minutes finish releasing pressure and unlock/open pressure cooker
  7. Add 1 jar quartered Artichoke Hearts in Water (drained)
  8. Grate the zest from one medium lemon into the rice
  9. Stir in 1/2 Stick Butter
  10. Stir in 1/4 to 1/2 Cup grated Parmesan Cheese
  11. If desired, add more heated chicken broth to make the rice creamier
  12. Keep covered until ready to serve with the chicken

Are you on Facebook?  You might be interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water. I may not write a blog post every day, but there are daily updates to my This Girl Loves To Eat community at: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Lightened Without Losing Taste!

finishedcasseroleI woke up this morning to raindrops and remembered that my Mom used to make us Tuna Noodle Casserole on rainy days.  That started a mad craving but I wasn’t sure I had everything to make it.  UG!

After surveying the cupboards and refrigerator, and preparing the emergency replacement for one of my main sauce ingredients from yesterday’s blog post, I was good to go and well on my way to satisfying my craving with the unintended bonus of lightening the recipe and making the soup gluten free, so I didn’t feel quite so guilty having seconds.  Yes!

Mom’s Lightened T.N.C.

  • 1 – 12 to 16 oz package Extra Wide Egg Noodles (Gluten Free if desired)
  • Scratch Condensed Cream of Celery Soup (follow link)
  • 3/4 Cup Milk
  • 4 – 2.6 oz Single Serve Pouches Starkist Low-Sodium Chunk Light Tuna in Water
  • 1 Cup Mayonnaise
  1. Prepare the noodles per package instructions
  2. Drain most of the water off in a colander
  3. Return noodles to the pan
  4. Warm the soup (if not already warm) over low heat
  5. Add the milk, contents of the tuna pouches, and mayonnaise and stir until combined
  6. Bring to a boil then remove from heat
  7. Using a heat proof rubber spatula, pour contents of soup pan over the noodles and gently fold it into the noodles.

Can be eaten hot or, as I prefer it, cold from the refrigerator!

Are you on Facebook?  You might be interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water. I may not write a blog post every day, but there are daily updates to my This Girl Loves To Eat community at: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

AARGH! I Forgot ___ at the Store!

We’ve all done it.  Started a recipe thinking we had everything we needed only to get to a critical stage and found out we are missing a key ingredient.  A string of curse words later, after checking with the “go-to” neighbor, we are begging our kids who drive or our spouses to run to the store for what we desperately need to save our cooking creation.

I found a couple of resources online for the most common substitutions (thank you Kraft Foods & Life Hacker!):

Today I ran into an even tougher situation.  I had no Condensed Cream of Celery Soup to make the comfort food I was having a big craving for: my Mom’s Tuna Noodle Casserole.  But I had no one to bail me out!  No one was home next door, my son has moved a state away (to avoid the emergency runs to the store??? hmmm… ) and my husband was still at work and nowhere near to coming home.  FML!

Time to create a fix from what I had in the cupboard…First things first, I needed a creamy, thick base for the soup.  Milk & Cornstarch would take care of that.  The rest should be a piece of cake, right?  Just some seasonings and the main ingredient, chopped celery.

Scratch Condensed Cream of Celery Soup

  • 1 cup cold milk
  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 3/4 C chopped celery
  • 2 TBLS olive oil
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp butter
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube
  • ⅛ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Salt-Free Seasoning (Mrs. Dash type) I use McCormick Perfect Pinch Original All Purpose
  1. In a small pan, saute’ olive oil and the celery for 2 minutes over medium-high heat.
  2. Reduce heat to low and add the bouillon cube (crushed), pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and all-purpose seasoning.  Stir to combine and let it continue cooking until you complete the next step.
  3. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, combine the cold milk and the cornstarch.
  4. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly then whisk in the butter it melts and the sauce begins to thicken
  5. Immediately add the celery mixture.to the sauce and cook another 30 seconds.
  6. Remove from heat and set aside to cool until you need it for your recipe.

It took 10 minutes start to finish, made just a bit more than a 10.75 ounce can from the store, had no preservatives, no added salt and was lower in fat and calories because I used 2% milk to make it.  Win-Win!

Are you on Facebook?  You might be interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water. I may not write a blog post every day, but there are daily updates to my This Girl Loves To Eat community at: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Carrot Pineapple Slaw

ribdinnerI needed to add some color to what was going to be an otherwise bland (but really delicious) looking plate tonight, but my husband asked that it not be the things I had ready to whip out: Asparagus and Green Salad.  Ug!

Having just put all of my creative brain power into making Zucana loaves and the spicy sweet sauce for BBQ ribs, I was just not feeling it.

I looked into the refrigerator and saw a lot of produce, dairy products, some leftovers and then inspiration struck when I found:

  • 2 Pound Bag of Carrots
  • Oikos Triple Zero Greek Yogurt Cups
  • A Small Can of Crushed Pineapple

Aha!  In 10 minutes there would be color on my dinner plate!

Carrot Pineapple Slaw

In a large mixing bowl combine

  • 6 Cups Shredded Carrots (About 10 Large Carrots Peeled/Grated)
  • 1 Small Can Crushed Pineapple (Drain first)
  • 1/2 Cup Golden Raisins
  • 2 – 5.3 ounce Cups Vanilla Oikos Triple Zero Greek Yogurt

You can use any yogurt you want to.  I like the Oikos because it doesn’t add any fat, sugar or additional sweetness to the salad.  I use a rubber spatula to combine everything.

My husband didn’t even complain about it 😉  Bonus!

Are you on Facebook?  You might be interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water. I may not write a blog post every day, but there are daily updates to my This Girl Loves To Eat community at: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Did You Know…?

freezer_openThere are many foods I didn’t know could be frozen, saving me from the inevitable time when I need something like buttermilk, which I never have on hand when I come across a recipe that calls for it.  Learning this led me on an internet search to see what other seldomly stocked foods can be frozen for use later.

You Can Safely Freeze:

  • Buttermilk:  Fill an empty ice cube tray.  Freeze overnight and transfer frozen cubes to a freezer bag.  Keeps up to 3 months and each cube slot measures 1 ounce (1/8th of a Cup)
  • Bananas:  Freeze them overnight when they are at their ripest point (when skin is browning but not going bad) in their skins. Using a sharp knife slice the frozen bananas in half lengthwise and peel off the skins.  Store in freezer bags for use in smoothies.  Homemade Frozen Bananas: Put two frozen halves together with a popsicle stick between them and coat with melted chocolate. Immediately sprinkle with/roll in nuts, coconut, or rainbow/other sprinkles and place on a pan lined with waxed paper.  Freeze an hour or two and enjoy for dessert.
  • Butter: This is particularly good to know since I rarely need unsalted butter and buy it 1 pound at a time (4 – 1/2 Cup cubes) when it’s on sale.  Now I can cut cubes in half  (1/4 C portions) and freeze them in freezer bags for later use!
  • Cheese: Don’t freeze whole chunks – it crumbles when you defrost and try to slice it.  Instead grate or shred it and freeze in 1 Cup portions in zip bags for recipes at a later date.
  • Eggs:  Remove the shells and freeze individually in snack sized zip bags.  You can also freeze egg whites separately from their yolks.  I’d recommend marking the bags with the number of egg whites or whole eggs you freeze per bag to make using later easier.  Frozen “pre-made” omelettes:  In a large measuring cup crack the desired number of eggs and whisk .  Stir in 2 TBLS milk, 1/4 Cup each chopped bell pepper (or any pepper you desire) and chopped ham (bacon, turkey, chicken breast, ground beef, sausage, etc.) and 2 TBLS chopped onion (if desired).  Pour into sandwich sized zip bags and freeze until needed. Great weekday breakfast option.  You can remove a bag to the refrigerator the night before to thaw, pour into a preheated pan to cook, sprinkle with a bit of frozen grated cheese & eat right before running out the door the next morning.
  • Garlic: Separate cloves but leave skin on and freeze in a doubled zip bag to keep freezer odor free.
  • Wine:  Unlike hard alcohol, wine does freeze solid.  Freeze in 1 ounce portions in an ice cube tray and transfer to a freezer bag to use in sauces or other recipes.
  • Yogurt: Measure it into 2 to 4 TBLS (aka 2 to 4 oz or 1/4 to 1/2 Cup) portions and freeze in zip bags.  Don’t forget to mark the bags for later recipe use.
  • Lunch meat: Can be safely frozen in zip bags for up to 2 months.
  • Bread:  You can freeze a loaf of sliced bread for up to 3 months and you don’t even need to thaw it before eating it. The freezer is a better storage option than the fridge, which can dry bread out.
  •  Milk / Half & Half:  Milk can be frozen for 3 months.  Half & half stays good for 4 months in the freezer, but never freeze heavy cream.  Cream doesn’t freeze well at all.  I never understood why my mother-in-law always shook the milk before pouring out of the carton, now I do!  She kept it frozen in the chest freezer in the garage and was breaking up the ice.
  • Grains:  Quinoa, farro and bulgur last 3 months in the cupboard but up to 6 months in the freezer!
  • Tofu:  Chop it in chunks and freeze for up to 5 months to add to smoothies, soups, stews, etc.
  • Tortillas:  That at room temperature, not in the microwave.

Important things to remember about freezing any food are:

  • Make sure you are using a bag or container meant for freezer use to ward off freezer burn, keep smells from escaping into the freezer, and keep your food fresher longer
  • Remember to mark the date frozen as well as the last date you should use the food directly on the bag or on a piece of tape with a permanent marker.
  • Don’t over stuff your freezer.  A well organized freezer gives you the ability to easily see what you have on hand and helps food freeze faster/stay frozen because cooled air can flow between and around the packages.

Are you on Facebook?  You might be interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: recipes, food facts, nutritional information, photos and other things that make my mouth water. I may not write a blog post every day, but there are daily updates to my This Girl Loves To Eat community at: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood