Busy Days

I learned a new skill a few weeks ago!  How to freeze cream 12's.  I am 2 1/2 years into my stay in Georgia and found out there are so many kinds of peas....cream 40's, purple hull, white acre, and yes, cream 12's.  I've tried white acre through my MIL (Mother-in-law) and they were wonderful...look sort of like mini black eyed peas but sweeter.  So these cream 12's are greener and smaller and sweeter, or that's what I have been told anyway because I haven't had them before.  Recently I found a store in town, P & P, will sell you 8 lbs of shelled peas for $23.  So I signed up for 3 kinds...what was I thinking?!  A month later they call me and offer two kinds.  I had enough wisdom to tell them I would take one kind and would pick them up the next day.  After a phone call to my MIL I realized that all 8 lbs had to be blanched and frozen within 24 hours or they will go bad!  So I spent the better part of the next morning blanching peas but what's one morning when I got 6 bags of peas in my freezer?!  I say 6 because my MIL offered to buy the other half since discovering that all of my children and dh don't even want to try them! 
So let me tell you how simple it is to freeze peas or even sweet corn for that matter:
1) You need double sinks to work with. I also got two inexpensive wash tubs to put in the sinks since I felt like it was more sanitary.
2) I washed about 4 cups of peas at a time.  My MIL told me to look for brown spots that aren't in the middle of the pea.  This means insects have been eating on them. 
3) Place them in water and bring to a boil.  A nice white foamy crust will begin to rise to the surface of the water which has to be skimmed off.  Let them boil for about 2-3 minutes fully and skim the white stuff.
4) Immediately dump them into one of the tubs and cover in ice.  Move your hands through the peas (add water if you want) to cool them off quickly.  We don't want them to cook anymore so the ice stops the purpose.
5) Run cool water through them thoroughly and then drain the ice and water.
6) I measured out 2 cups per freezer bag.  Ta dah!  You have made 2 bags of peas for the freezer.

I can't wait to cook them for Thanksgiving dinner!  They say to bring them to a boil and then let them simmer for about 30-45 min.  I will add a little salt and that will be it!

When we lived in Colorado I froze peaches with my daughter and youngest son.  Those winter cobblers were so rewarding. It's also a penny saver to pick up fresh fruits and vegetables from your local area to freeze, not to mention supporting our local farmers.

Its pretty simple to freeze peaches but I will save that for another blog....
Happy Freezing!