Whether your #summer #garden has reached peak yields or you went overboard at the farmers market, you may find yourself with a lot of fresh #produce this season. Don’t let it go to #waste. There are easy ways to use up your favorite #vegetables, fruits and herbs before they turn to mush. Turn excess zucchini into lasagna or zucchini bread. Add vegetables to stews. Freeze extra berries and fruits for smoothies or cobblers. Make extra greens and herbs into a savory pesto to toss with pasta or use in marinades. And toss anything that goes bad into a #compost bin. “You’ll be saving your budget and the earth all at once,” says Better Homes & Gardens. #SummerGarden
Tag: recipes
When the Garden Yields More Than You Can Consume
#Gardens can be unpredictable. Some seasons, you’ll only get a taste of your favorite foodstuffs because of low yields, poor weather conditions or the local critters; others, you’ll be awash in so many #fruits and #vegetables you won’t know what to do with them all. This is a good problem to have! Don’t let your hard work go to waste — you can preserve the bounty for future feasts by canning, freezing or dehydrating, says Gingham Gardens, or stage a sidewalk-sale farmer’s market to sell surplus vegetables. Or you can give away those delicious foodstuffs to family, friends or a #food pantry. Who doesn’t appreciate a fresh tomato? #SummerGarden
Try Canning to Preserve Summer’s Bounty
Experiencing a glut of #summer #produce and unable to consume it all at your backyard #cookouts? Try your hand at #canning to (quite literally) preserve access to summer’s bounty for weeks and months. Start with the freshest fruits and vegetables and follow a recipe that meets USDA safety guidelines for preserving foods. You’ll need a selection of basic canning equipment including jars and a large pot or pressure canning device, as well as some quality time in the #kitchen. The payoff? You get better-than-bought flavor from your #summer #garden throughout the years. “The truth is, anyone who can boil a pot of water can make a pickle or a jar of jam.” Food Network says.
Bring Summer’s Bounty to the Table
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the amounts of delicious fruits and vegetables a successful #garden can produce or the variety and bounty of the local farmers market. Many #summer #vegetables can go directly on the grill, says Delish, including zucchini, eggplant, green beans, onions and corn. Many popular crops don’t even require heat to create a fresh and healthy meal: Tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce, for example, can be dressed lightly to create a simple salad. Or just rinse that tomato, slice it, and eat it with a little salt and pepper. Store-bought just doesn’t taste the same! #SummerGarden
Begin Your Holiday Baking Now
#Holiday stress will really start to #snowball after Thanksgiving. Why not get some of your baking out of the way now? There are plenty of #recipes you can make ahead of time and pull out of the freezer to enjoy at a later date, Parade says. Homemade cookies and confections such as peppermint bark, peanut brittle, sugar cookies, gingerbread, fudge and (everyone’s favorite) peanut butter blossoms can be baked weeks in advance. Freeze them and thaw them out a few hours before giving them as a gift in a festive tin or plating them for the holiday feast. You’ll have more time to relax and enjoy the celebration! #HolidayTips