"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Thursday, March 13, 2025

Blind Date with a Puzzle ~ Meal from the Freezer

 We have been having some beautiful weather here lately.  I however, have not put laundry out on the line, as we call this "bird" season.  Flocks of them are in the area, so as soon as they move on out, I will be able to enjoy the clothesline once again.



We purchased a "blind date" with a puzzle back on January 31st, from an area local store, while out on a getaway.  However, we paid $18.00 for this puzzle, and when we got it home, it was a used puzzle (box was falling apart).  I never saw any signage that stated the puzzles were used, so my husband insisted we purchase a 1,000 piece one.  

Well, we finished the puzzle finally. 


(puzzle is a portrait by a famous artist)






There were two puzzle pieces in the box that did not even go to the puzzle.





As we predicted, there were pieces missing from the puzzle.  We plan to donate the puzzle pieces to a place that recycles them with art/crafts.  Very disappointed.  We won't make this mistake again.

We have however, purchased two new puzzles.  I'll be back to share photos of them soon.  I, honestly, was not going to get more puzzles, as our weather is warming up here, but we did.


It's been so nice to pull the our homemade stuffed, garden bell peppers from the freezer.  I just top with more tomato sauce to bake them, and top with some mozzarella cheese.  It's a meal in itself, and we get to enjoy our "fruits from our labor" garden.

In the past years, I blanched the bell peppers.  I do not blanch them anymore.  The stay crispy, and bake up so delicious.  If you blanch them, they bake up too soft and more of a soggy bell pepper.  I prepare the stuffing mix myself, then stuff the fresh grown bell peppers (I cut in half lengthwise vs. cut the tops off), wrap each with saran wrap, and store them all in freezer containers.  The end result is a quick, healthy and delicious meal.

There are many ways to utilize growing bell peppers, if you are considering it this garden season.  We made breakfast egg filled bell peppers, we have cut them in rings and made "eggs in a nest" for breakfast, we have made oven baked bell pepper rings (like onion rings), stuffed bell pepper soup, and of course we freeze them in diced size and sliced for future meals.  Fresh bell peppers are healthy snack tools for hummus and other healthy toppings or dips.

Blind Date with a Puzzle ~ Meal from the Freezer  ©  March 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

5 comments:

Katie C. said...

I agree about the peppers. I freeze both regular peppers and jalapeño peppers. I tend to freeze them in strips and dice them frozen. I haven’t frozen any of the stuffed ones because last year the shapes and sizes just were not conducive for stuffing.

That’s a shame about the puzzle. I have three I got as Christmas presents. One is done so far.

My first daffodil has bloomed! Late for us this year.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Katie C. Our bell peppers are never the consistent size, but we still stuff them. Yes, a shame about the puzzle. I have sent a message to the store, but no answer yet. No daffodils here yet, and yes it is much later this year for us too. Hopefully, I'll see some soon.

🌻 Debby 🌻 said...

I really like stuffed peppers. 🫑

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Debby@My Shasta Home, they are very good right? Yum.

Far Side of Fifty said...

Sorry your puzzle was missing pieces, that is a bummer.