zucchini in the freezer.................

[Amishway Homesteaders]

Yes you read that right I can't do it right and I am here to admit it to everyone.

we have been 'talking' in the shout box about make zucchini bread and freezing the shredded zucchini so you can make bread in the winder time. BUT when I try to freeze any we have and then open the bag come winter I have a mess of water and some zucchini pieces? Now I know I need 4 cups per batch (?) so that is what I freeze but when it comes out I might have 1/2 cup of stuff after I pour some of the water.

 

HELP me Please!

Tell me what you do that I am NOT doing?

 

[S.K.]

wow good question

[Dee]

I snip off the ends and grate the rest in my food processor. I put 2 cups in each bag and freeze. Yep, when it comes out of the freezer and thaws it's a watery mess but works fine for zucchini bread and chocolate cake.

 

 

[Amishway Homesteaders]

I snip off the ends and grate the rest in my food processor. I put 2 cups in each bag and freeze. Yep, when it comes out of the freezer and thaws it's a watery mess but works fine for zucchini bread and chocolate cake.

 

 

 

OK thanks but when I open the bag and messure it it is no longer 2 cups?

[Dee]

Nope but it works fine. Just give it a try. After it thaws I do drain off the water. Not fanatical about getting all the water off, just kind of tip the baggie and pour off the excess.

[themartianchick]

Mine gets watery, too. However, I do add a dash of lemon juice into each freezer bag before freezing the zucchini. I also shred mine with one of those salad shooter type of gizmos. I pour off a little of the water before making the zucchini bread, but only because I add a couple of extra eggs to make it super rich and to use up some of those darn surplus eggs! Zucchini bread is the only thing that I use zucchini for!

 

 

[WormGuy]

I wonder if it could be dehydrated and then put in the freezer and when you are ready to use it rehydrate it. Somebody hit me with the frying pan if this is goofy.

 

 

 

John

[Dee]

It's so easy to just shred and put in the freezer in the amounts you want to freeze and then thaw some before using. Your bread will turn out delicious, it's not a problem. Give it a try.

 

 

I've also made zucchini chocolate cake. I have a recipe somewhere but I'm sure you can find one on the net if you're interested. It's just another way to use zucchini and it does make a delicious moist cake with no hint of the zucchini in it.

[furbabymom]

I don't even drain it, I just throw it in, water and all. I figure, all that water was in the zucchini to begin with, so it would all be in my bread anyway. Never had a problem.

[Amishway Homesteaders]

I wonder if it could be dehydrated and then put in the freezer and when you are ready to use it rehydrate it. Somebody hit me with the frying pan if this is goofy.

 

 

 

John

 

OH John I LIKE this idea!

that was all I would be adding is zuchini and NO WATER!

I bet we would have to adjust he recipe if we add just the dried zucchini? But matbe put them into a bowl of water first , then add?

 

Less space taken up in freezer too so I have room for things we can't can or dehydrate. Like that too.

[Amishway Homesteaders]

Thanks everyone for your input on this................... I am glad to know that I am doing it right. LOL

 

will be making LOTS of zucchini Bread starting next week! And it freezes so well that you can make up 4 or more loafs (heat oven once!) and freeze for when you don't have time (or it is to Hot!).

[S.K.]

can you just add the whole zuccine tot he freezer once you peel it then take it out let it unfreeze then shred?

[Dee]

I don't think you could shred it after it's frozen. Would just be a soggy mess but then I've never tried it so.....

 

As to peeling the zucchini. I don't peel it nor do I take the seeds out. Just cut off the ends and put it through the food processor and freeze 2 cups in sandwich bags.

 

Also I finally figured out just last year, to pat the bags to flattish and freeze on their sides they store much easier than leaving them in a chunk.

[Violet]

can you just add the whole zuccine tot he freezer once you peel it then take it out let it unfreeze then shred?

 

 

No, it will be a soggy mess. Shred before you freeze.

[Dave Digs Dirt]

I'm just another vote for don't even drain it. Like furbaby said, all that water in the freezer bag would have been in the bread if used fresh. 2 cups goes in the bag and 2 cups comes out into the mixing bowl. Never had a problem.

 

Dave

[Amishway Homesteaders]

I'm just another vote for don't even drain it. Like furbaby said, all that water in the freezer bag would have been in the bread if used fresh. 2 cups goes in the bag and 2 cups comes out into the mixing bowl. Never had a problem.

 

Dave

 

 

Thanks Dave

that was what I was thinking and I did try it that way last year for one batch but can't remember which batch I did that too?

.

.

.

 

Well now come to think of it - I don't remember because none of the stuff we made tasted funny so I guess in a way it worked fine.

 

Looking at the zucchini grow a inch or two every day (or hour- LOL)

so the first ones we will grill, the next go into a meal for Supper and then ZUCCHINI BREAD TIME!

[Dave Digs Dirt]

Put on your green with envy hat. We have been eating grilled zukes and yellow straight neck for the past week. Yummm!!

[Amishway Homesteaders]

Put on your green with envy hat. We have been eating grilled zukes and yellow straight neck for the past week. Yummm!!

 

<--- you

 

 

<-- me

 

[Horseyrider]

I'm one who likes to dehydrate the zucchini in quarter inch slices and pack it in pretty jars for winter use. Some goes into soup this way, and it rehydrates beautifully. For breads, I just throw the dried slices in the food processor and make a zucchini powder. I made some last week and it was delicious. You do need to rehydrate briefly in water first though; then the whole thing goes in the bowl and is mixed in. Just throwing in the dehydrated zucchini would yield bread with lots of unchewable little hard things in it.

[Trudy]

I know this will sound silly to some, but I just didn't like the water in my zucchini, so...I grated it into a collander, mixed in 1/2 t. salt, let drain for 20 mins., blotted dry with clean cloth towel, put 2 cups in each bag and put it in the freezer. This is exactly what came out of my first bag I thawed. I added it to a recipe of Stephanie's Millet Muffins. Yummy!!

[Becca_Anne]

I never drain mine, I just shred and freeze 2 c in a quart ziploc and then use with the liquid when I make the recipe. Turns out fabulous every time.

[Trudy]

I never drain mine, I just shred and freeze 2 c in a quart ziploc and then use with the liquid when I make the recipe. Turns out fabulous every time.

 

 

I might try my next batch like that. A lot simpler! I never actually used mine before, 'cause it didn't 'look good' when I thawed it, and I thought I was doing something wrong! lol No use in complicating things when so many people say it is good that way! Thanks Becca_Anne. And btw, congrats to you! I know things were not easy but now you are rewarded for your perseverance.

[Vlynn]

I dehydrate mine, shredded (2 cups per dehydrator tray). When dry, I package each tray-full separately. Then, when I need it for a recipe (my zucchini bread calls for 2 cups), I dump one packet into a 2-cup measuring cup and fill the rest of the way with boiling water.