how i freeze fresh peaches

this is definitely not a 'how-to' from Heather... because who knows if I even did it right. But I was-a-wishin' I would have written down my instructions a few years ago when I prepared fresh peaches for freezing ... so here I am doing just that.

Here's the low-down...
i bought a box of peaches at the Thanksgiving Point Farmer's Market for $18.
i probably only used 2/3 of it... so let's say $12-$13 worth.
It took about 4-5 peaches to make 2 cups sliced.
2 cups per quart-size freezer bag x 13 bags = 26 cups
So we'll say about $1 per 2 cups.

First I washed the peaches...

Blanched them by putting them in boiling water for 30 sec - 1 min. Then immediately put them in ice water to stop them from cooking. Hannah helped peel the peaches. What a lifesaver that girl is!

Then I sliced and cubed those slippery peaches. (for future reference... we like the cubed much better.  It seems like I generally cut up the sliced ones.  But sliced would work better for cobbler probably)

I put 1 - 1.5 cups sugar & 2 Tblsp of Fruit Fresh for about 6 cups worth. (one of my white tupperware size bowls). It seemed to make it's own little sauce from the liquid in the peaches. I like it that way - little saucy but not too much.

Then I put 2 cups in each bag and laid them flat in the freezer. Wah-lah. I'm so excited to use these on crepes, scandinavian fruit soup, cobbler, etc ALL WINTER LONG!

Smashed Potatoes

Recipe from Pioneer Woman. Yum! Jimmy and I both liked these potatoes.

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad

This is a new favorite recipe from my friend Brooke Fritz.

I went a little mellow on the spices and didn't add all the stuff in the dressing.  It was all really, really tasty!

These 3 recipes, Brooke shared.

CAFE RIO PORK

6 Lb. Pork - 2 of the pork sirloin roast at costco per recipe
16 oz. salsa
20 oz. Coke
2 c. brown sugar

Place roast in crock pot cook approx. 6-8 hours until meat falls apart. Shred. In a blender mix salsa, coke and brown sugar. Pour over meat and reheat. YUM!



CAFE RIO DRESSING (I just used the buttermilk ranch dressing mix)

1 pkg. Buttermilk ranch dressing ( prepare as directed on pkg.)
2 tomatillos ( a green tomato with husk)
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 garlic clove
juice of one lime
1 jalapeno pepper ( use seeds too if you like it spicy)

Use a blender to blend all ingredients. Refrigerate.



CAFE RIO RICE
3 c. water
4 tsp. chicken bouillon
4 tsp. garlic, minced
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 can green chilies
3/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. Butter
3 c. rice

Blend cilantro, green chilies and onion together in food processor/blender. Bring water to a boil and add all ingredients; simmer cover for 30 mins.


These recipes below I found at favfamilyrecipes.com. They have different recipes for the meat, dressing, and rice, as well. Plus, they share ideas for the tin and tortilla for the salad.

Cafe Rio BLACK BEANS - favfamilyrecipes.com

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro. (**NOTE** we added a can of corn, drained, to the beans with a dash of cumin and chili powder, it was AWESOME! We recommend doing this even though it's not "traditional Cafe Rio")


Homemade tortilla chips favfamilyrecipes.com
These are perfect for Our Version of Cafe Rio Salads (click HERE)... or any salad for that matter. They are so easy and cheap to make. If you buy these at the store, they are like $4! What a rip-off! These taste a lot better than the store ones too. I promise it is worth making your own!

10-12 corn tortillas
oil for frying
Kosher salt

Cut tortillas into strips using a pizza cutter. You can cut 2-3 at a time pretty easily. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Place strips into hot oil and fry until they become crispy. When nice and crispy, remove from oil and place on a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt after each batch.

(photo by favfamilyrecipes.com)