Onions and Celery and Peppers, Oh My!

Good morning lovelies! As we start to wrap up winter, I see more and more deals on produce at the grocery. Some of these deals can be wonderful, money-saving opportunities!

I have found that there are three items that freeze especially nicely in my freezer for use at a later date in soups, stews, and other recipes.

Celery, onions and peppers can be chopped or diced, placed in the freezer in gallon or quart Ziploc bags, then pulled out at a moments notice. The prep time for all three is a very short 2-5 minutes.

• If you need to wash your produce, do so, and then allow time for it to dry. I wash my peppers. Since I am peeling the onion, I do not wash it. Depending on the celery stalk, I may or may not wash it.
• Using a sharp knife, dice your selected produce into small pieces. I put all left over scraps into the chicken bowl for the animals. As I have said before, we try not to ever waste what God has given to us.
• Label your bag with the date and contents, using a permanent marker.
• Place diced produce in bag, leaving the top 2-3 inches of the bag empty.
• Squeeze out air and close bag.
• Place in freezer.
• When ready to use produce from bag, loosen the contents by hitting it against the counter a few times. Produce should be loose and ready for you to measure out for whatever delicious food you are making for your family or yourself!

I have found that I love to do this anytime throughout the year, but especially when I find great deals at the grocery or farmers’ market.

When I go to the grocery, I always look through the mark down to see if there is any older produce that may not look great, but will be just fine for freezing and cooking at a later date.

My favorite spot for these deals is my farmer’s market a few miles from my house. I visit there once a week, always asking if there is any old produce. Linda, the owner, always has a box of items that she has taken out of bins because she cannot sell them at full price. We usually strike a great deal on the boxes of slightly aged produce, a win-win situation. She can sell and get rid of the older produce, and I can take it all home to put into my freezer so I am able to enjoy it year round.

This method also works great for overflow from the garden, or produce that is starting to turn in your fridge.

Stay tuned for more money-saving food ideas in future posts!

Today I leave you with this….”The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible.” ~Arthur C. Clarke.

~Annie