Broccoli Bliss!

Have you ever wondered how to take fresh from the farm broccoli and put it up for the winter?  Have you ever tasted fresh summer broccoli in the cold of late January?  Well, I'm ready to do just that!  Here's how you can put up broccoli for the winter!

STEP 1:

Make friends with your farmer!  I'm super lucky to be friends with a co-worker who helps kids grow during the school year and grows produce in the summer!  So, get your veggies from your farmer.

Box 'O Veggies from J & L Farms

STEP 2:

Cut up your broccoli.  Do you like a lot of stalk on your broccoli?  I sure don't.  So, since I'm cutting it up myself, I discard much of the stalkiness.  I love using my chef's knife for this.

Broccoli crown to yummy bite size pieces.

Pile 'O Broccoli

STEP 3:

Get ready to blanch!  I had never blanched anything until last summer.  It's really a breeze.  Get a pot to boil water in, a large bowl with ice water (lots of ice!), a strainer, and a bed of paper towels for extra draining.  Don't forget a big slotted spoon!

Boil broccoli for about 3 minutes, then immediately cool in ice water for another 3 minutes.  Drain and dry.  That's it!  Then you are ready to package and freeze.

STEP 4:

Package and freeze.  I recently bought a foodsaver, and this was my first time using it.  It was a little temperamental, but I got the hang of it quickly.  If you are using a foodsaver, be sure to prefreeze your broccoli for at least 2 hours before sealing to get out more moisture.

Enjoy your veggies in the winter!  I need more freezer space!