Question about freezing Vegetables?

[Snow In Summer]

There is an incredible deal on mushrooms and green peppers this coming week at No Frills. I was wondering if these are items that I can freeze? I want to make a big batch of homemade spaghetti sauce but I won’t be able to get around doing it for another 2 weeks. Any advise would be very much appreciated.

[gracesmommy]

i dont know about mushrooms since they have a fair amount of water in them but i do it for peppers all the time. i buy the 4pk rainbow peppers when they come on for 1.99 and i will slice them up and store them in a big freezer bag. then when i need a handful of them i can dice them up or leave them whole. hope that helps!

[Ami1984]

i dont know about mushrooms since they have a fair amount of water in them but i do it for peppers all the time. i buy the 4pk rainbow peppers when they come on for 1.99 and i will slice them up and store them in a big freezer bag. then when i need a handful of them i can dice them up or leave them whole. hope that helps!

I am just curious are the peppers mushy when they thaw

OP great question, I always wonder this and the response is all over the place

[gracesmommy]

i dont think so, i've never used them after as a like, veggies and dip. just in pastas or bbq'd etc. i've not had any complaints from my DH but maybe others find they are?

[ninna]

A great question indeed!

I've made stuffed green peppers before and frozen them (and, LOL, when they were on sale at No Frills last fall, I made stuffed red peppers, stuffed orange peppers, stuffed yellow peppers). I don't like the texture of them after freezing, myself. They went a little mushy. Mind you, they'd been cooked first, but even after they'd been cooked that first time, they weren't mushy because usually I make multiple batches at the same time-- 1 to eat for supper and the rest to freeze for later. Anyhoo---something happened in the process of freezing them or re-thawing them or re-heating them.

But yes, I've always wondered about freezing large quantities like that too.

Learn something new every day. I didn't realize mushrooms had a high water content!

[Zonny]

I've frozen diced raw peppers to use on pizza, etc., works fine. Mushrooms, I've never frozen them raw, but I do sauteé them first and freeze them that way, spread them out flat on a pan first to freeze up before putting them into a bag, that way I can just grab a handful of them as needed. But I wouldn't be putting either one in a salad, it would be on pizza, in chili, sauces, etc.

[Craiger]

I want to make some Shephards Pie and freeze it but I read somewhere that potatoes turn black...is this true?
Anyone ever made and froze Shephards pie?

[joseff]

I've done shepherd's pie before....usually I brown it up before freezing it...but the mashed potatoes do change in consitentcy...they tend to get a bit watery so need a bit more cooking time

[MrsSunshine]

for potatoes I'd cook, mash and then put them in ziploc bags and freeze. (freezer style) then once your ready to make shepherds pie you can thaw the bag cut the corner and pipe the taters on to the pies. or just open bag and spread on.

[dreamcatcher1962]

I want to make some Shephards Pie and freeze it but I read somewhere that potatoes turn black...is this true?
Anyone ever made and froze Shephards pie?

You can freeze potatoes without any problems as long as they are cooked first. It's the raw potatoes that turn black when they are frozen.

[Craiger]

Thanks for the feedback for potatoes..will have to make some shephards pies when Hamburg comes on sale next.
What about corn on the cob? I love that it is around all summer but miss it so much in the winter, what is available to buy just isn't the same. Has anyone tried to freeze it? How does it taste after?

[Natalka]

Craiger, I freeze corn on the cob every year. Though it doesn't taste exactly the same, it's pretty good to have in the middle of winter!

The corn needs to be blanched first, though. Do a half dozen ears at a time in a huge pot - put them in the water when it is boiling, and start the timer at 5 to 6 minutes from that time (not from when it comes back to a boil). Remove the cobs from the boiling water (which you can reuse), and put immediately in ice water (I just do it in the sink) for two minutes. Then remove from water and drain.
Then put in ziploc freezer bags to freeze.

If you want to cut the kernels off the cob, you prepare them the same way, just cut off the kernels before bagging.

[Craiger]

Craiger, I freeze corn on the cob every year. Though it doesn't taste exactly the same, it's pretty good to have in the middle of winter!

The corn needs to be blanched first, though. Do a half dozen ears at a time in a huge pot - put them in the water when it is boiling, and start the timer at 5 to 6 minutes from that time (not from when it comes back to a boil). Remove the cobs from the boiling water (which you can reuse), and put immediately in ice water (I just do it in the sink) for two minutes. Then remove from water and drain.
Then put in ziploc freezer bags to freeze.

If you want to cut the kernels off the cob, you prepare them the same way, just cut off the kernels before bagging.

That's awesome! Thanks so much, I am assuming when it is time to use you just put in boiling water for a few minutes...can't wait to make some this summer to freeze for next winter.

[gracesmommy]

i do this too with corn on the cob.. every aug/sept. last summer i did 2 dozen or so. i took the kernals off and put them in freezer bags and when i make chili, sheppards pie etc, i've got summer corn.

[janetta]

I second the suggestion of freezing the mushrooms already sautéed. I don't think they will hold up very well frozen raw.
As for the peppers, I'd cut them up and freeze them without cooking.