Garden Potatoes

We are getting a ton of garden new potatoes! An easy way to preserve potatoes is to blanch them. Clean them real well and then peel them if you don't like the peel. I love the peel on new potatoes, plus when they are small they are the pits to peel! Then dice them the size you would want them for stew or casseroles. Have boiling pots of water on the stove while you are prepping the potatoes. After they are cut up the size you want them then throw them in a pot full of boiling water for 5 minutes. (this takes several pots of boiling water going at the same time)The time starts when you throw them in the water, not after it starts to boil again.  Then drain the pot and rinse potatoes under cold water and drain very well. I lay out kitchen towels on the counter and put the potatoes on these to just drain a bit more and let them completely cool. Then take quart size freezer bags and fill them full, getting any air out. Place in the freezer in a single layer until frozen, then you can stack them after fully frozen.
It is so awesome during the winter to go to the freezer and pull out garden fresh potatoes for my stew or casseroles! Garden potatoes just have a different taste than store bought, YUMMY! And freezing is SO much quicker and easier than canning. I like this method because the potato holds its texture and does not get mushy like you would think freezing them would do. You do however need to be AWARE that when you add these already blanched potatoes to a recipe that they are partially cooked already and will cut your cooking time down, otherwise they may get mushy. Like if you were making mashed potatoes with them, it will not take the full amount of time to boil them, it takes like 10minutes and they are ready to mash!         ENJOY!

Linked to Totally Tasty Tuesdays

 

Here I roasted the potatoes in the oven with Freddy's burger/fry seasoning

June 'Stuff'

My kiddos camping in the backyard!

My daughter(on back) with her best buddy Kenzie



My daughter finally wearing her dress I made her last summer!



My daughter and her bestest friend Sadie



Our neighbor graciously allows us to have our garden behind his house in the alley, the closest is pumpkins, then burpless cucumber, then brussel sprouts and sugar snap peas



Tomatoes, zucchini, spinach



potatoes, carrots, tomato

 

Paula Deen House Seasoning

I saw this seasoning a couple years ago on the food network channel when Paula was cooking....I have been making it ever since. The combo is perfect to mix up in an empty container(I use empty spice containers) and have handy to season anything from steak to chicken to fish and I even season my ground beef with it when I am cooking several pounds of beef at once.  Anything you want to season, this is the perfect blend.  So many times people only season with salt and pepper, but by adding garlic powder too, it takes the taste to another level.  Even if you don't care for garlic, this blend is settle enough that you won't taste it so much as just know your food has a good flavor....if you do like garlic, then just add more garlic to the mixture.  And yes, this WILL make you sneeze when you mix it up!!
Paula Deen's House Seasoning
1C salt
1/4C black pepper
1/4C garlic powder
Mix together and store up to six months.