Enjoy the bounty of your garden by preserving! Read on for “My Tips” for Saving Summer Tastes for the winter blues…..See my recipe for “Basil Oil” (below) ~ Keeps for 3 months ~ drizzle it on everything!!!!
Gardening in Newfoundland is always unpredictable! The fog and the wind play havoc on many a crop and then if the sun doesn’t shine and the days are chilly, that’s a double whammy! But I have to say, even though the summer started off miserably (cold, cold, cold) August has certainly been beautiful and my garden is showing it’s bounty, FINALLY!! 🙂
Everything in the greenhouse is growing prolificly while my raised bed is growing half assed! Lost my broccoli and cauliflower to root maggot, the slugs got my potatoes, and the birds ate my strawberries and quite a few of my seeds (peas, lettuce, spinach). I would LOVE to hear how you keep the birds from eating your seeds.
My basil, oregano, hungarian peppers, green peppers, hot peppers, cukes, zucchini, kale, and romaine lettuce are producing more than we can eat. I am one of those people that likes to use everything!!!! so here are some ways I preserve my produce to enjoy after the warm days of summer have passed. Which in Newfoundland, is much sooner than I would like! (sniff, sniff)
DD’s Tips
Zucchini: I grate my zucchini, bag it in 2 cup measurements, squeeze all the air out of the bag and freeze it. Great for baking! Just defrost, squeeze out the extra liquid and mix in your recipe as per the directions.
Oregano: I have been using my oregano in everything! That stuff grows like a weed. I am on my third drying, have a few bottles of “DD’s Garden Oregano” and have frozen some in ice cube trays with olive oil to use in sauces, soups, dips, or melted over fish or chicken.
(NOTE: To dry your basil and oregano, tie stems with twine, hang upside down in a non drafty room until nice and crumby. Gently remove from stem, do not crumble, and place in a mason jar. When using, just crumble into food ~ it’s just like using fresh herbs).
Basil: My basil is drying as I write this, I also have some frozen in ice cube trays with olive oil and they get added to spaghetti sauces, soups, dips, or drizzed over a salad…it’s even great just thawed for dunking with a fresh baguette. I also made this delicious “Basil Oil” (recipe below) that will keep in the refrigerator for about 3 months. Drizzle it on everything!!! and then drizzle some more. (eggs, veggies, meats, chicken, fish, salad…….)
Kale: I cut my kale up into bite size pieces and place it in a large baggie, remove all the air and place it in the freezer. I add this to soups, stews, sauces, smoothies….here is one of my favorite recipes using kale…Spicy Fish Stew with Vegetables.
Spicy Peppers: I just found this “How to Roast and Store Chilies” this morning and will be roasting my chilies this week to make my own “canned green chilies”. Store in the freezer in 1/2 cup measurements = a 4oz can of chilies.
I hope you enjoyed my little garden tour! Would love to hear your ideas on how you preserve your garden’s bounty! Leave me a comment at the bottom of this post 🙂
Basil Oil
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cup packed basil leaves
- 1 cup olive oil
Preparation:
Assemble your working station ~ Put your water on to boil, fill bowl with ice water, place paper towels on counter with slotted spoon to drain basil, add oil oil to blender.
Once water starts to boil, add basil and blanche for 1 minute. Remove basil with slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Use an extra paper towel to blot the top of the basil. Add basil to the blender and blend until finely chopped. Using a fine mesh strainer placed over a bowl (not pictured) pour basil oil into strainer and let strain until all the oil is in the bowl. (Do not discard the finely chopped basil). Pour basil oil into a mason jar or squeeze bottle and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
Spoon the finely chopped basil into a clean ice cube tray, top with olive oil, and place in your freezer. Once frozen, remove from ice cube tray, put in a ziploc bag, label with contents and date and use whenever you need fresh basil (soups, sauces, dips, marinades, etc).
Enjoy 🙂
Loving this Life Living “Around the Bay” ~ DD
Around the Bay with DD 
Ok, first i am jealous of your beautiful garden! Second, I would love to try that basil oil recipe! Thanks for sharing xxx
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I’m kinda in love with it myself!! 🙂 Hope you try the recipe! It’s so good…leave me a comment once you try it!
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The combination of olive oil and basil is heavenly so I simply have to try it. I will let you know!!xxx
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