REAP THE FALL – Fresh, Frozen and Canned Produce Recipes

Before starting this week’s posting I have some announcements to make. On Labor Day, September 2, my article; “Hello September” was featured on the new on-line food magazine The Bwyd (thebwyd.com). On September 3, I guest posted on Heart Zipper(heartzipperblogspot.com) Last week I guest posted on Good-Cooking Co. (good-cooking.co.uk) and this week will guest post on Cooksnaps (cooksnaps.com) There are plans for each of my hosts to guest on this site soon.

Usually I write a blog for Labor Day. This year it’s for the weeks just after. Schools are open, activities revving up, bathing suits replaced by other sport apparel, grills covered, because there doesn’t seem to be time to heat them, or more to the point, clean them, much less enjoy a relaxed dinner. In fact, time seems at a premium and our perception isn’t off, because days are shorter, nights longer.

However, let’s get one thing straight. Plants don’t recognize humanly designated holidays as seasonal markers. As far as they are concerned they still have almost a month of summer left to ripen. Actually, some of the largest, most mature, flavorful, best produce is available in September. There’s no reason to change our menus just yet to heavier winter dishes, and even less not to take a little time to use easy methods to preserve a few memories to carry us through the cold weather

I’ve often mentioned that I favor fresh over frozen over canned, and that my mother was both innovative and successful at freezing, especially fruit. She was also the first to admit that, as commercial products improved, they were more practical, saving time, money, space and possible loss through spoilage. Not to let summer go so easily though, she still froze logs of butter, compounded with her own herbs, and several fruit mousse, which tasted like heaven after a heavy winter meal.

I’ve carried on this tradition, and added a few items of my own. The frozen ones are; whole green beans, edamame in butter sauce with mint and this year roasted peaches. The non-frozen items I make are watermelon pickle and mint sauce. The recipes follow with the easy ones first. Have fun!!

Frozen Green Beans:
Choose the largest, straightest and most perfect ones. In a skillet, bring about 2 inches of water to a boil and gently lay as many beans as will fit in one layer in the water. Leave only until beans turn bright green-about 1 min. Remove, run under cold water and drain on paper towels. Repeat until all beans are “blanched”. When all are dry, lay the beans out on a waxed paper covered cookie sheet and freeze. Wrap like cordwood in individual packets of plastic wrap of desired size. Cook as directed for commercially frozen beans.

Edamame in Butter Sauce with Fresh Mint:

This dosen’t seems like a special item, but if you have fresh mint, it’s worth it. Cook edamame as directed, and per 10 oz. add 2 tsp. butter and ¼ cup fresh chopped mint. Freeze. If serving at once up the mint to 1/3 cup. It permeates the flavor over the time it’s in the freezer Microwave 2 minutes covered or until heated through and serve.

Watermelon Pickle:
1 Watermelon- Green rind peeled and meat removed. White rind cut in 1 inch cubes.
1 cup cider vinegar per pound
1 cup water per pound
1 ½ cup sugar per pound
3 inches stick cinnamon per pound
4 cloves per pound
1 Tbs. sliced ginger root per pound
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Roasted Peaches:
Ripe peaches pealed
1 Tbs granulated sugar per peach
1 Tbs. melted butter per peach
Peal peaches as you would tomatoes, by dipping in boiling water for a minute, then pulling the skin off with a paring knife and pi t them.  Cover a cookie sheet with foil and either slice them or ` leave in halves. Drizzle each peach with 1 Tbs. butter and sprinkle with 1 Tbs. sugar.  Roast in a preheated 400 deg. oven for about 29 mins. until turning a bit golden. Serve as a dessert topping. Freeze in plastic containers and allow to thaw at room temperature before using as a topping. I think this would also be an excellent tart filling.

Mint Sauce:
Per 1 bunch mint as sold in a market
Strip the leaves, and put in a saucepan.  Cover with cider vinegar.  Simmer about 8to 10 mins. until leaves are limp. Add sweetener to taste. Sugar is usual, but substitutes can be used as well. Just be sure  it’s dissolved. Allow to cool in the pan. Blend until the leaves resemble coarse grains. Bottle and store in a cool, dark place. Keeps indefinitely. Use with lamb, vegetables and in sauces.

Fruit Mousse:
1 pt. fruit in large chunks
1 ½ cups whipping cream
(1) 8 oz. container whipped topping
1 envelope Knox  gelatin
¼ cup water +
Confectioners’ sugar to taste
Place the fruit pieces in a bowl with at least 1 Tbs. of the sugar and allow juices to collect. Soak gelatin in the ¼ cup water. Measure fruit juice in bowl and add enough water to make ¼ cup if needed. Add to softened gelatin and microwave 30 sec. at a time, stirring, until dissolved. Whip cream to stiff peaks. Add whipped topping, then gelatin, then fruit and sweeten to taste.  Pour into a decorative mold, refrigerate until set and then freeze covered. Unmold by placing in a bowl of hot water and running a knife around the edge until loosened. Invert onto a plate. (Note: 2 Tbs. chopped lemon balm mixed in adds zip) The whipped topping replaces the original raw egg whites in this recipe for health safety.