Freezing Berries and Bananas

Freezing Berries and Bananas

We use a ton of bananas in our house.  I bet we go through two bunches a week.  I try to head to town just once a week and that means buying ahead on bananas and hoping they don't ripen too fast or that all they have are the greenest bananas you've ever seen.  Sometimes if I am lucky the stores have bagged bananas at a lower price, like $1.99/bag or the the other store has them for 39 cents/lb which is about 20 cents cheaper than regular price right now.  Bags are about 8-9 lbs.  They may look speckly but so far they are all still very firm. 

I take the peel off and hunk them.  Place them upright on a freezer paper lined jelly roll pan and put them in the freezer. When they are thoroughly frozen, at least all day or I wait until the next day, I put them in a freezer ziploc bag for use.  I tried the first time to see if they would turn brown and they didn't so I have frozen some several times since. We use them in smoothies, and protein shakes.  No need for ice (filler) or worrying about the bananas getting too soft or if the store only has green bananas.

I also freeze strawberries on sale (or hopefully soon from our own patch) and the wild black raspberries we have in our backyard.

Last year I bought a flat of cherries and blueberries and did the same.  I used my vacuum seal bags to keep them crystal free in the freezer. 

Try it and save some money!

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

This recipe makes a deep dish pot pie.

 3 cups chicken broth
3 chicken breasts, shredded
1-1/2 cups cooked vegetables (celery, onion, carrots)
using this method is best but you could use a purchased rotisserie chicken, broth, and saute your own veggies

2 to 2-1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup  instant potato flakes
1 cup frozen peas
2 pie crusts
1 egg , beaten

Rinse vegetables off.  This will remove all the funny bits they get from the crockpot.

Chop into chunks.

Add chicken broth (except about 1-2 T)  and chicken to a large skillet or Dutch oven. Heat to boiling. Add veggies.

Make cornstarch slurry with cornstarch and reserved 2 T chicken broth.

While stirring add cornstarch slurry.  Continue to stir to incorporate.

Add instant potatoes and stir to mix.

Your chicken filling should be thick enough you can run your spatula across the bottom and the liquid doesn't pool back to the middle.  Add more instant potatoes if needed. Season as needed here with salt and pepper.

Add frozen peas.

Put one crust in the bottom of the pie dish.  I use the Pampered Chef stoneware deep dish pie and love it.  My crust on the bottom is brown and flakey everytime! Add filling.

Place other crust on top and crimp together with bottom crust.  Poke any design into the top you want. I did it to release steam from the filling.  Not sure if it needed it or not but sure looks nice!

Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes, then brush on egg wash, return to oven for another 10 minutes. 

Let set for 5-10 minutes before digging in.

Veggie Pizza Cups

Veggie Pizza Cups

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried dillweed
salt and pepper to taste
1 can crescent rolls (they make one with no seams but it's not light)
Various veggies and favorite toppings

Roll out crescent roll dough, press seams together if that is the type you purchased. Cut into 24 even squares.  Press lightly onto back of mini muffin tin. Make it look like a checker board leaving blanks in between or they will puff up and stick to each other.

Bake according to directions, maybe a little less. When they are golden brown they are done. Take them off and put them on a cooling rack. 

Mix rest of ingredients together. Taste and add more or less spices as you like it. You could also use some premixed Ranch dressing dry packets. Use disposable decorating bag and star tip and fill each one. Quick and easy!

Have a relish tray full of diced carrots, green peppers, tomatoes, bacon bits, cheese, green onions, whatever veggiess you like for guests to assemble their own. They are easy to pick up and eat and everyone can have the type of veggie pizza they like without having to pick off the stuff they don't!