Yesterday I harvested another round of zucchini from the garden. This time around I’ve decided to make Francisco’s zucchini bread out of those green beauties.
But first, I needed to make room in the chest freezer in our garage.
I try and clean out and defrost the freezer about twice a year. Once towards the end of summer, and once again in the early spring so I can see what we still have left produce wise. This helps me to know what I need to preserve more of during the summer months.
At our old house we had 2 freezers in the garage {we bought them at Costco several years ago}. Our garden was pretty big and somehow by the end of each summer both freezers were both stuffed to capacity.
We sold our second freezer last fall before we moved. And I’m so glad we did. Because really, with The Girl off to college here in another month, and Monkey Boy working full time until he enrolls in trade school {we wanted him to work for a year in his particular field first to make sure he really likes it before shelling out big bucks for tuition} we just have no need for two chest freezers anymore.
That being said….
I looks like I’m going to need to hurry and use up some of this food. Clearly, eating the chocolate cheesecake will be priority number one. Then, I’ll tackle the freezer meals. Who knows, maybe I’ll even hunt down a shrimp recipe and cook up the 2 pounds of shrimp the HH brought home last summer. Do you know of any good shrimp recipes {I don’t like shrimp} so I can get rid of it once and for all?
~Mavis
P.S. Are you ready for fall? When was the last time YOU cleaned out your freezer?
Deborah says
We like fried shrimp. I also like Shrimp Scampi, and my mother’s Shrimp Pearlie. It is good, but rich. I only have the recipe for the Shrimp Pearlie. Saute chopped green onions tops and all, and a rib or two of celery in butter until clear. Cook some rice. And prepare and cook the shrimp. When everything is done, mix all together. It’s better if you make it ahead of time and refrigerate it to let the ingredients meld together. Heat it up and eat it with crackers, toasted bread and a salad. It’s really good with lots of butter.
Beverly Phelps says
Hi M avis! Since shrimp is not all that great reheated after it is cooked (it gets rubbery) keep your shrimp frozen until you are ready to cook it. If it is already cooked, thaw it and use it in a salad or for shrimp cocktail. You can even chop it up and fold it into scrambled eggs that are almost done then put it all in a tortilla! Simple roasted shrimp ( little olive oil, salt and pepper on a cookie sheet at 375-400 for about 6 minutes) makes fab shrimp to use for shrimp cocktail or to just toss over pasta with veggies. Can’t begin to tell you how much more flavorful the shrimp is when you roast it instead of boiling it! The main thing is not to over cook it. The rule of thumb is to cook it just until it is a “C” not and “O”. If the shrimp are big enough, you can skewer them and give them a very quick grill for an appetizer when you are grilling steak or chicken. I like to sprinkle them with a little steak seasoning and old bay spice – Yum! If the shrimp is HUGE, then butterfly it open and grill it with lemon and butter like lobster. Of course, no matter which recipe you choose for the shrimp, you will need a good glass of crisp white wine to sip on while you cook….then maybe another while you eat the shrimp! Happy cooking Mavis, who knows, maybe you will find that Shrimp is OK!
Monica says
I do not like shrimp either and yesterday my husband said, “Don’t we have some shrimp you can throw in the pasta for me?” I then looked int he freezer and realized we did have shrimp and we have had it for a few months. I even remember him buying it, but because I do not like it, it some how became invisible to me!! (And it was right in the front of the freezer where I could not miss seeing it every time I opened the freezer!!)
Mavis Butterfield says
I spent every summer up until I was 17 on a boat and would be thrilled not to eat any sort of seafood for the rest of my life. It’s invisable to me too when it’s in the freezer.
Susan says
Funny you should ask! I just cleaned out my freezer last week to see what I needed to use and to see
what I actually have in there.
Tina P says
Thanks for reminding me what I need to do asap. Fruit and venison anyone? That’s all I have left in my freezer.
Rebecca says
Hi Mavis,
We like shrimp at our house so I have a lot of recipes. Good recipes for the summer include shrimp salad http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/shrimp-salad-recipe.html or make a pasta salad with shrimp (after oven roasting with olive oil and salt and pepper) and mix in some of your fresh garden vegetables.
You could even hold back some of the pasta salad before adding shrimp so that you have some as well. Your lemon Vinaigrette would be perfect with it!
Jeanie says
What about shrimp egg rolls or a shrimp stir fry with all your veggies? Or shrimp summer rolls?
Shrimp and corn chowder? I am not a huge shrimp fan either.
Kari says
Make a big batch of jambalaya. It’s ‘da bomb!
http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/38060/oven-baked-jambalaya/?internalSource=search%20result&referringContentType=search%20results
Sunny says
Bang bang shrimp!!!!
Beth C says
Well, gumbo, of course… or etouffee.. or shrimp and grits….or shrimp scampi…or just plain fried!
RebekahU says
Got shrimp? Then you MUST make Low Country Boil!!! Get the biggest pot you have (think BIG!), fill it with water and an entire container of Old Bay seasoning and a couple of bay leaves. Maybe salt if you like salt. Then add 1-2 pounds of sliced polish sausage (more if you like it), and a bag (3-5 lbs) of small red potatoes. Once the potatoes are cooked, then put in 1-2 pkgs of half corn ears. Before those are completely cooked, add in a quartered cabbage or two, and once tender to your liking, add in the shrimp. Cook the shrimp until pink. (some people put in crab legs too) Then! Carefully drain the feast. Clear your bar top. Cover it with newspaper. Dump the drained contents of the pot onto the newspaper. Serve immediately! If you have sour cream, cocktail sauce, and buttered french bread, this is an unbelievable meal. Perfect for easy entertaining if you have a crowd to feed. yum! yum! yum!
Mrs. Chow says
Last October, and I’m due for another major cleaning.
If your family likes fajitas, grilled shrimp fajitas are very good, and I don’t like shrimp. I enjoy grilled shrimp fajitas when they are well seasoned with something kind of spicy, and because of the grilled flavor.
Salt and pepper shrimp is good, too: http://thewoksoflife.com/2015/07/salt-and-pepper-shrimp/
Also, Ina Garten has a very good and easy shrimp scampi recipe.
Mrs. Chow says
Another suggestion: how about putting The Girl in charge of coming up with meals and smoothies for a lot of the stuff that needs to be used up?
Mavis Butterfield says
You are a genius.
Mrs. Chow says
🙂
Em says
Good idea 🙂
Ashley says
We like shrimp kabobs on the grill. My husband just skewers them, sprinkles on some Cajun seasoning, and throws them on the grill.
Barbara Dougherty says
You can just send the shrimp tp me….
Kari says
All this talk of shrimp makes me want to watch Forest Gump! 🙂
Mavis Butterfield says
Ha! Lieutenant Dan.
Renay says
This is really good – Cantonese Shrimp and Cabbage. Fresh ginger, sooo yummy: http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Cantonese-Style-Shrimp-and-Napa-Cabbage-MyRecipes-240116
The other is this simple recipe. Cook ravioli (any kind you want, cheese/spinach is especially good), with a few minutes left, add in chopped asparagus and shrimp. Finish cooking. Drain. Put it in a big bowl and add pesto. Easy, one bowl. and fast.
brittney says
i just defrosted a few days ago, to see what randomness we had open, and how many hams and turkeys we had in the bottom (we get them free random thru the year) and how much deer meat we had left before we bring home roughly 200 pounds of ground beef on monday (farm cow) so we actually have a method to the meat madness.
JC says
Make shrimp dumplings!!! if you don’t like shrimp this is perfect! They also freeze for future use too. http://damndelicious.net/2013/02/20/shrimp-dumplings/
Also I’m in love with sun dried tomato cream sauce lately, and you totally focus on the sauce instead of the shrimp.
http://www.sweetloveandginger.com/shrimp-and-sundried-tomato-cream-sauce-pasta/
Good luck!