Another Way to Utilize Frozen Blueberries

Do you freeze your home grown blueberries, or freeze locally picked ones?  We are unable to grow the plants, due to the limestone here, so I hunt down produce stands that sell blueberries grown in the area or in MI.

I've been looking for more creative ways to add nutrition, protein (not protein powders), fiber and whatnot into our breakfast. I look for more ways to utilize what we have in the freezer, like blueberries.  My husband was intrigued at this idea for the blueberries.  It looks like blueberry jam, but it is not.

I used a slice of sourdough (or use what you like), topped with the freshly ground peanut butter (peanuts only) we purchased, organic hemp hearts sprinkled (to get 1 full Tbsp. I need to sprinkle some on the peanut butter and then on top of everything), and finally topped with frozen blueberries heated with organic cinnamon mixed into it .

I used about 1/3 cup of blueberries.  Yum!  Healthy.  Fills us up. I just heated the blueberries, smashed them down with a fork, sprinkled some organic cinnamon, and gave it a stir.  I let it cool a bit before spreading on top of all of it.  It was pretty good.  Do you have a unique idea to utilize frozen blueberries (we freeze ours during blueberry season in our area).

I have had two people, in the last two weeks, tell me they were diagnosed as pre-diabetic.  Sigh.  There is sugar, dextrose, fructose, etc in almost anything processed in stores.  Be careful, and read labels. 

By the way, if you do not can jam, and have a hankering for it on a piece of toast or a PB and J, this method of mashing blueberries (thawed and heated from the freezer) works great.  When you let it cool a bit, it becomes a spreadable delight.  No sugar added.  I may add a tiny bit of nutmeg the next time I do this.

Another Way to Utilize Frozen Blueberries  © April 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Crockpot Creamed Corn

 

A winner in the "tried new" recipe category.  So good!  The only ingredient I did not add, was the red bell pepper, because I didn't have any in the freezer at the time.  I will be adding it and making this again.  A keeper recipe.

The recipe is online at The Southern Lady Cooks - Slow Cooker Creamed Corn.

If you freeze your corn off the cob with butter, you can use that and add less butter too.  I save bacon grease, so I used that, and already had some bacon cooked that was leftover from another meal.  The sugar could be left out too.  I mean, it's only 2 Tbsp, but we freeze our corn with butter and sugar so I can leave it out.

A win-win recipe if you freeze your corn off the cob, and freeze your garden bell peppers.  Saving your bacon grease is always a frugal tip I share often.

Sharing for those looking for a new side dish for your own meals, or for potluck meals.  I've tried other variations in the past, and we really like this one.

I like to try new recipes exactly according to instructions, and ingredients.  Next time I will swap the corn starch with arrowroot powder and see if it makes a difference in consistency or flavor.  I do by organic corn starch, but for us arrowroot would be a healthier option.

Tip:  We cook up an entire package of bacon, and save half for a second meal or use it in another recipe.

Enjoy!

Crockpot Creamed Corn © Dec 2023 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Breakfast Grits ~ Strawberry Crunch and a lot dirty dishes day

 

(recipe is from The Southern Lady Cooks, online)

I made us a sausage/tomato/chili and cheese grits breakfast casserole, to use up some tomatoes from the freezer.  It was the first time to try this recipe, and it was delicious.  So delicious my husband kept coming back in the kitchen to get another bite, and another, and another....so good.  I made farm fresh scrambled eggs to pair with it.  I will be taking some to youngest, as it made a lot.

Where do you all buy your grits?  I'm having a terrible time finding organic/non-gmo grits.  I need to day to search online I guess.  Any tips on where to buy them would be great.  It's been a while since I bought any, so if I find some, I will stock a bit in the freezer.  

In celebration of the crazy work schedule ending, I baked a strawberry crunch for my husband to take to work, for their celebratory dinner at work.  I love having those frozen strawberries on hand, and they smell as fresh as they did when I froze them.

After all the dishes were washed (hubby did the washing), dried, and put away, I did a lot of re-filling of stuff.  It was like everything was out all at once.

I buy a lot of organic ingredients in bulk, so the black pepper was re-filled, cinnamon, homemade vanilla, and the sugar canister needed refilled (I do not bulk buy sugar).

Speaking of homemade vanilla.  I keep this in a box in my closet, and when I went to retrieve the vanilla, I saw a tincture I started in 2021 and completely forgot about it.

The tincture has sage still in the vodka.  Is this still good to strain, or should I toss it?  I guess that year it was super crazy, so I completely forgot about it.

Most of the rainy day was involved with baking, but my wonderful husband went upstairs and helped me move the things, so I could paint more flooring.