Freezing Peppers

     It's that time of year in Kentucky!  Peppers everywhere.  All of a sudden, like everything else in the garden, they are ALL ready to pick at the same time.  So they are the cheapest now at the grocery and Farmer's market.  I used to get them 3/$1 at the grocery, but I haven't seen that price this year, yet. I got these for 50 cents each at the Farmer's Market & produce store back home.
     If you are lucky you might live close to a Gardner. My Dad used to raise enough garden for the whole countryside then gave it away! He was so proud of his yield.  You almost feel you are doing the Gardner a service by taking their treasures to give them a good home before they die away.
     This time of year I grab about a dozen green peppers to last me until next summer.  I only use a small piece of green pepper at a time. It's chopped finely & put in my meatloaf and cole slaw.  I use very little. Just enough to say, "Oh it has green pepper!" Not to say, "Wow, there is definitely green pepper in this!"
                                                                                         

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*A Tutorial Tuesday*

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I have frozen the colorful counterparts of the green peppers.

I haven't tried freezing other types of peppers, 

but I'm sure you could freeze them as well.

First I purchase small pint size FREEZER bags.

Since I'm in and out of the bag several times,

I splurge for the bags with the "real" zipper handle.

They are easy to wash & reuse when I'm finished with the pepper.

I wash and dry each pepper very well .  

I even let them set for a while, to make sure they are completely dry.

Then place the whole pepper in the bag,

Remove as much air as possible from the bag.

These were large enough that only 1 pepper fit in a bag.

Sometimes you can fit 2 small ones in a bag.

One pepper had a very bad spot on it, 

so I cut it into usable size pieces.

I'll use this bag first.

 The pieces don't freeze together in one clump.

Over time, ice crystals will form which doesn't harm the taste if used within the year.

When it comes time to use a piece of the pepper,

I take it out of the bag,

run the pepper under warm water for about 5 seconds,

just enough that my knife will cut through it.

 After, I remove the piece of the pepper to use,

I put it right back in the freezer before it thaws anymore.

As I'm putting the pepper back in the freezer,

I'm usually thinking about those $1.99 green peppers

at the grocery at that moment that I didn't have to buy.

 One good thing about a Farmer's Market,

is sometimes you get a bonus.

The farmer gave me the odd pepper, because he wanted me to try it.

Said get back to him and let him know how I liked it.

Sneaky way to get a return customer?

He said it was a mild pepper.

Not sure how I want to try it.

Raw?

I froze it.

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