I am on my 3rd year growing a garden. The first year we got a good small crop. Then the rain came and flooded the garden. The second year we didn't have bees to pollinate the squash, etc. This year we have so much squash, we can't keep up. We've given away bags and bags of it! Well we still have a ton of it here at home and i've tried to freeze it, but when i thaw it out, it gets soggy and unusable. so, my question is, how do i freeze it so that it's usable afterwards?
I googled "can you freeze squash" (because I'll probably soon be having the same problem!) and found this site: http://www.pickyourown.org/freezing_summer_squash.htm.
I have trouble with freezing fruits and vegetables, too. Sometimes if you cook vegetables and fruits first, it freezes better. Not a total solution, I know, or you would be cooking all summer, but maybe it will help. A couple of zucchini recipes that I've found freeze well are zucchini chips and zucchini fritters. For the chips, slice 2 small zucc's really thin, soak in skim milk, then dip both sides in a mixture of 1/3 cup breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup parm cheese, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp seasoned pepper 1/4 tsp garlic powder. Bake at 400 for 20 to 25 mins (keep an eye on them). They are crisp when you first make them, softer after being frozen but still good. Zucchini fritters are two small grated zucc's (wring out the water in a linen towel), about 1 cup chopped red onion, red pepper and green pepper, 1/3 to 1/2 cup both bread crumbs and parm cheese and 1 egg, fry on both sides. These taste the same even after freezing. Maybe this will save a few zucchinis for you!
If the water content is high, as is in most fruits and vegetables, they will be mushy when you thaw them. It may help to cook before freezing. I can explain to you in scientific terms (I am a scientist) why they get mushy but I guess it won't be of much help ;-))
I love using squash for baking recipes. I shred it before freezing it and then I defrost it and use it for breads and cakes. It makes it moist like bananas, but with not taste difference. But it turns mushy when defrosted, there is no getting around that.
Vegetables need to be blanched before freezing. The one I do the most is broccoli, I have never done squash. But, most veggies blanch for 2-3 minutes, look it up online for the right timing. Good luck!
