Unlike summer squash, members of the winter squash family take their time reaching maturity and are harvested late in the season. Tough rinds and a long shelf life mean they can be enjoyed well into the winter, months after being picked.

The key to great flavor, and good storage if you decide to stock up, is knowing how to pick a good spaghetti squash.

How to Pick a Good Spaghetti Squash

Look for a matte, golden color

When immature, the skin is shiny and pale yellow. A ripe spaghetti squash has an even, golden color. Its shininess will have changed to a rich matte finish. Any sign of green spotting or streaking means the squash isn’t completely ripe.

Feel for smooth, thick skin

Ripe spaghetti squash has thick skin. The best way to confirm that is to do a fingernail test. If you’re able to mark, puncture or leave a depression in the skin with your fingernail, the squash is either unripe or overripe. You want a Goldilocks squash! Any dark, mushy spots or signs of mold on the skin are indications that the spaghetti squash is past its prime.

Check the weight

A fully ripe spaghetti squash will feel heavy for its size. Most weigh in around four pounds, with some reaching a whopping eight pounds. Heaviness is a pretty good indicator that the flesh inside is ripe.

Once you’ve found “the one” (or several if you’re stocking up for winter), you’re on your way to delicious spaghetti squash recipes! Short on time? Try this quick and easy Instant Pot spaghetti squash recipe.

The post How to Pick a Good Spaghetti Squash appeared first on Taste Recipes.

The USDA states that freezing fresh produce does not destroy nutrients, so rest assured your frozen peppers will still be high in vitamin C. You’ll want to add peppers to your list of frozen produce you should always have on hand.

The Best Way to Freeze Peppers

Unlike other vegetables like asparagus and broccoli that require blanching—a process that involves steaming or boiling vegetables briefly to partially cook them—peppers require no special treatment. All peppers, from the spiciest to the sweetest, can be frozen. Smaller varieties like habanero and jalapeno are best frozen whole while larger ones like bells can be sliced or kept whole depending on how you want to use them later.

Prior to freezing, all peppers should be firm and vibrant in color. You want to freeze produce when it’s at peak flavor and ripeness. Once you’ve looked them over, give them a good scrub with a vegetable brush beneath running water. With a clean dish towel, dry them well to prevent freezer burn.

How to freeze whole peppers

My jalapeno plants are prolific producers, making them impossible to consume before they rot. Freezing them is the perfect way to ensure I have hot peppers for salsas all winter long. Simply leave them whole, tops and all, and place them in a single layer in a freezer-safe resealable bag. Be sure to label the bag with the date and the variety. Once full, lay the bag flat in the freezer to avoid clumping. This method works for all small peppers, both sweet and spicy.

For bell peppers, slice the tops off to remove the core and seeds. Wrap each bell pepper individually in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped peppers on a baking sheet and place in the freezer for at least one hour. Once frozen, transfer the peppers to freezer bags, removing as much air as possible. Label and date the bags and return them to the freezer.

How to freeze cut peppers

Whether you chop or slice them, the process for freezing peppers is the same. Just be sure to remove stems, cores and seeds. On a baking sheet lined with parchment, lay your pepper pieces in a single layer. Freeze them for at least an hour before transferring to resealable freezer bags. Remove as much air as possible from the bags and label and date them before returning the peppers to the freezer.

How long do frozen peppers last?

For best quality and highest nutrient retention, frozen peppers should be eaten within six to eight months.

How to Thaw Frozen Peppers

To defrost frozen peppers, place them in the refrigerator. If you’re short on time and need them sooner, place the peppers (bag and all) in a bowl of cool water. Once they’re soft to the touch, they’re ready to use.

How to Use Frozen Peppers

Peppers lose their crispy crunch after being frozen, so they work best in cooked recipes. Despite the texture change, they still pack a peppery punch. Add thawed peppers to soups, sauces, salsas, casseroles and other bell pepper recipes. For something fun and unique, try this easy hot pepper jelly on crackers with cream cheese.

The post How to Freeze Peppers When You Buy in Bulk appeared first on Taste Recipes.

When my kids were small, we spent hours at the local U-pick berry farm filling basket after basket with ripe fruit. By the time we got home, we had more berries than a family of four could eat. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to preserve that summertime sweetness. Whether you got carried away at the U-pick farm or scored a great deal at the grocery store, you’ll want to know how to freeze blueberries to get the most bang (and vitamins) for your buck.

Before getting started, you’ll want to learn how to pick the best blueberries. This will ensure they’ll taste good whether you’re making recipes with frozen blueberries or thawing them to eat on their own. You’ll also want to freeze the berries at peak freshness. This will lock in all the healthy attributes of the berries like vitamin C and dietary fiber.

Should you wash blueberries before freezing them?

It’s always a good idea to wash blueberries if you’ll be eating them right away. But for freezing, hold off on the washing step until after you’ve thawed them. That waxy white film on fresh blueberries known as “bloom” keeps pests and bacteria at bay, and also locks in their juiciness.

How to Freeze Blueberries: 3 Steps

Step 1: Remove the bad ones

Spread your berries on the counter and give them a good once-over. Remove any berries that appear soft or have wrinkled skin. Be on the look-out for stems and remove those too. You want only the best, most flavorful berries for freezing.

Step 2: Spread on a baking sheet

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread your unwashed berries in a single layer, leaving space between them so they don’t freeze in clumps. If you have a lot of blueberries (or if you’re also freezing strawberries with the blueberries), use several parchment-lined baking sheets.

Step 3: Freeze

Freeze the blueberries for at least two hours. Once frozen, label freezer bags with the date and add your berries. Place the full, labeled bags in the freezer.

How long do blueberries last in the freezer?

While they may only be good for a few days on the counter, freezing berries adds some serious longevity without sacrificing flavor or nutritional value. Blueberries are at their best within six months of freezing, but they’ll still be delicious up to 10 months.

How to Thaw Blueberries

Whether you’ll be using them frozen or thawed, give the berries a quick rinse in a colander as soon as you remove them from the freezer.

For immediate use in your favorite fruit smoothie recipe, simply toss the frozen blueberries in a blender and blend away! (Frozen bananas are another tasty smoothie ingredient.) Frozen blueberries also work really well in muffins, as they don’t turn the batter blue like thawed berries do.

For things like pancakes and pies, thaw the blueberries on the counter in a bowl to catch the juice. Once they reach room temperature (about an hour), they’ll be soft and ready to use.

Tips for Freezing Blueberries

• Pick the best blueberries for freezing. Wrinkled skin or mushiness is a sign that they’re past their prime.
• Don’t rinse before freezing. That waxy coating helps blueberries stay hydrated and flavorful.
• Don’t crowd. If you have a lot of blueberries, freeze them on multiple baking sheets to prevent clumping. It’s easier to get your recipe measurements right when blueberries aren’t encased in a block of ice.
• Use airtight storage containers or freezer bags that prevent freezer burn.
• Label containers so you know when the berries are still at their best.

The post How to Freeze Blueberries appeared first on Taste Recipes.

If you’ve harvested a lot of cucumbers and don’t want them to go to waste, consider preserving them with a recipe for cucumber pickles.

How to Choose Cucumbers

There’s a variety of cucumbers from which to choose and the rules for selecting the best are the same for all of them. Whether your harvesting cucumbers from your home garden or buying some at the farmers market, you want firm, unwrinkled veg with brightly-colored medium to dark green skin. Take a hard pass on cukes with soft or mushy spots. The same goes for black or white spots, which indicate the cucumber is overly ripe. An unusually heavy or waterlogged cucumber tells you it’s already pretty far along in the decaying process. Keep looking!

How to Store Cucumbers

Once home, rinse your cucumbers in cool water. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), soap or a produce wash isn’t necessary. A clean produce brush is great for removing any dirt and debris. Just be careful with thin-skinned varieties like English cucumbers. Their delicate skin makes them prone to damage and dehydration, which is why you’ll often find them wrapped in plastic at the grocery store. It’s best to leave them in the plastic wrap until ready to eat.

After rinsing, thoroughly dry the cucumbers with a clean towel. Any moisture left on the veg when storing can expedite the rotting process. Wrap each cucumber in a paper towel and store in a zip-top bag. The paper towel acts as a barrier and prevents condensation from affecting the cucumbers. The bag helps hold humidity to prevent dehydration.

Once wrapped, store them in the warmest part of your refrigerator. Temperatures are often too cold in the crisper, triggering the cells in the cucumber to rupture and result in a mushy blob. The warmest area of your fridge, like the door or top shelf, is best.

Check your cucumbers occasionally for any signs of mushiness or discoloration and remove them from the bag.

Do cucumbers need to be refrigerated?

If you’ll be eating your cucumbers right away, a few hours on the countertop shouldn’t be a problem. You might even get a way with a few days. When kept too long at room temperature, however, cucumbers may begin to rot due to fluctuations in humidity. Your best option is the refrigerator, but not in your crisper drawer.

How do you store sliced cucumbers?

If you prefer to slice your cucumbers before storing them, here’s what you need to know. Cucumbers dehydrate quickly and slicing them speeds up that process. As they lose moisture, cucumbers become soft and mushy. To combat that, store your sliced cucumbers in an airtight container filled with water. The water will keep your cukes crispy. Just be sure to change the water every two to three days.

Our Best Cucumber Recipes

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Crisp Cucumber SalsaHere's a fantastic way to use cucumbers. You'll love the creamy and crunchy texture and super fresh flavors. —Charlene Skjerven, Hoolpe, North DakotaGet RecipeBefore you check out more recipes, take a look at how to store cucumbers the right way so that you'll never find a mushy cuke in the refrigerator again.

Cucumber Party SandwichesThis is one of my favorite appetizers. We have lots of pig roasts here in Kentucky, and these small sandwiches are perfect to serve while the pig is cooking. —Rebecca Rose, Mount Washington, Kentucky

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Cucumber Salad with Miracle WhipCucumber salad with Miracle Whip, or Kansas cucumber salad, is a generations-old recipe that's a hit at picnics, potlucks and barbecues.

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Authentic German Potato SaladThe most popular salad at the table? Hot German potato salad with smoky bacon and a sweet-tangy dressing.

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Watermelon CupsThis lovely appetizer is almost too pretty to eat! Sweet watermelon cubes hold a refreshing topping that showcases cucumber, red onion and fresh herbs. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen

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Fresh Veggie PocketsOne summer I worked at a health food store that sold sandwiches. We were close to a college campus, so I made lots of these fresh-filled pitas for the students. Crunchy with crisp vegetables and nutty sunflower kernels, they're a fast-to-fix lunch when you're on the go.-Linda Reeves, Cloverdale, Indiana

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Chicken with Mango-Cucumber SalsaI put this dish together after looking for something quick and easy without too much indoor cooking. My husband prefers this moist grilled chicken a tad spicy. —Linda Tringali, Monroe Township, New Jersey

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Sesame-Ginger Cucumber SaladI love the marinated sides and salads that come with meals at Japanese restaurants and wanted to try them at home. After some research, I came up with this cool, crisp salad. —Kimberly Ludvick, Newburgh, New York

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Greek Shrimp CanapesI grew up by the ocean and then moved to a landlocked state. I wanted to show people in my area how to easily cook seafood, and this is the recipe I came up with. I think it’s safe to say it has become a neighborhood favorite. —Amy Harris, Springville, Utah

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Cheeseburger BowlMeet our new favorite bunless burger option: the cheeseburger bowl! Whether you are cutting carbs, eat gluten-free or forgot to buy buns, you'll love this take on a burger.

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Greek SaladIt only takes a handful of ingredients to make a bright, refreshing and incredibly flavorful Greek salad.

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Fresh Cucumber SaladThis easy, fresh cucumber salad is the perfect summer side dish—light, flavorful and packed with hydration. Make this if you're ready to serve up some cool, crisp goodness at your next gathering!

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Turkey GyrosGreek seasoning, feta cheese and dill-cucumber sauce give this gyro an authentic taste. It was my family's introduction to how really good pita bread can be. Instead of feta cheese, we'll sprinkle on cheddar or Monterey Jack if we have it. —Donna Garvin, Glens Falls, New York

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Kohlrabi, Cucumber and Tomato SaladThis chilled, refreshing salad is wonderful on hot days. It has a nice crunch and a delicious balance of sweet and spicy flavors. —Kristina Segarra, Yonkers, New York

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Cucumber Salad with Sour CreamCucumber salad with sour cream is the side dish you need. It is cool and creamy—the perfect way to use all those cucumbers from your garden!

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Stuffed Cherry TomatoesCream-cheese-stuffed cherry tomatoes are a simple yet delicious vegetarian appetizer that's an excellent accompaniment to a party spread of charcuterie and crudités.

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Favorite Cucumber SaladAdd a fresh-tasting touch to your menu with this favorite salad. The crunchy cucumbers are tossed with onion, green pepper and a sweet-tart dressing seasoned with celery seed.—Mary Lou Boyce,Wilmington, Delaware

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Cucumber Watermelon SaladRefreshing cucumber watermelon salad combines crisp cucumbers, juicy watermelon, fresh herbs and a tangy vinaigrette for an unforgettable burst of summery flavor.

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Ginger Salmon with Cucumber Lime SauceLime with ginger is a favorite flavor combo for me, especially with grilled salmon. So good. Even with the cucumber sauce, this recipe is easy, too. —Noelle Myers, Grand Forks, North Dakota

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Creamy Cucumber SaladThis creamy cucumber salad, a Norwegian favorite, was a staple at all of our family holidays. —Patty LaNoue Stearns, Traverse City, Michigan

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Cucumber CanapesI always get requests for the recipe for these canapes whenever I serve them. They're delicate finger sandwiches with a creamy herb spread and festive red and green garnishes. —Nadine Whittaker, South Plymouth, Massachusetts

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Crisp & Spicy Cucumber SaladRice vinegar, sesame oil and cayenne create a sweet-hot Asian flavor that will light up your taste buds! —Alivia Dockery, Jensen Beach, Florida

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Garden Tomato SaladFor as long as I can remember, Mom made a salad of tomatoes and cucumbers. Now I make it whenever beautiful tomatoes are in reach. —Shannon Arthur, Upper Arlington, Ohio

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Shrimp & Cucumber RoundsI always make these appetizers for our get-togethers. They're easy to prepare and a snappy addition to any party. —Kelly Alaniz, Eureka, California

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Cucumber and Red Onion SaladIf you need to quickly make a dish for a potluck or gathering, you can make this cucumber and red onion salad in just a few minutes. Even if you don't have time to let it sit so that the flavors can fully meld, it will still taste cool and refreshing.

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Cucumber Tomato SaladFrom the colors alone, you can tell this cucumber tomato salad will be bursting with fresh flavors. The feta cheese adds a layer of tang and creaminess. Chilling time aside, this recipe is ready in a matter of minutes.

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Chicken with Peach-Avocado SalsaThis super fresh dinner is pure summer—juicy peaches, creamy avocado, grilled chicken and a kick of hot sauce and lime. To get it on the table even quicker, make the salsa ahead. —Shannon Norris, Cudahy, Wisconsin

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Strawberry, Cucumber & Honeydew SaladStrawberries and cucumbers together—I just love this combination! We used to eat a lot of cucumbers growing up in upstate New York. We'd get them, along with strawberries and melons, from fruit and veggie stands to make this sweet and tangy salad. —Melissa Mccabe, Long Beach, California

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Mint-Cucumber Tomato SandwichesI jazzed up the quintessential teatime cucumber sandwich to suit my family's tastes. This was my absolute go-to sandwich last summer when I was pregnant. It hit all the right spots! —Namrata Telugu, Terre Haute, Indiana

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Chopped Garden SaladThis recipe is always requested by my children for their birthday meal or any other get-together. The flavor combination is so yummy.—Anna Sutherland, Camp, Arkansas

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Dill Garden SaladI love to cut up whatever fresh vegetables I have on hand and toss them with this delicious dressing and fresh dill. This salad shows up on our table regularly during the summer. —Bethany Martin, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania

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Cucumber-Melon SmoothiesMy cool honeydew and cucumber smoothie has only five ingredients. I sometimes add a small avocado to make it extra creamy.—Crystal Schlueter, Babbitt, Minnesota

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The post How to Store Cucumbers appeared first on Taste Recipes.

As you try hard not to take it personally, you scratch your head and wonder, why is this happening?

Why Do Tomatoes Split?

The answer is simple: water. Plants that are watered inconsistently, dry out and then experience a sudden monsoon delivered by Mother Nature or the gardener will lead to tomatoes splitting. It’s especially common in the large beefsteak-type heirloom tomatoes. As water becomes more available to a parched tomato plant, the fruit responds by absorbing as much of it as possible. The skin can’t keep up with the amount of growth and splits under the pressure from inside. It often occurs in fruit that’s close to ripening.

There are two kinds of cracks that form from the sudden increase in water—radial and concentric. Radial cracks appear at the top of the tomato near the stem end and concentric cracks form a series of rings at the top of the fruit. These cracks tend to be less pronounced than radial cracks and heal over, leaving behind thin brown rings.

Can You Eat Split Tomatoes?

Absolutely! If you’ve been watching your tomatoes closely, and we suspect you have, you’ll know a new crack or split when you see it. Pick the tomato immediately. Even if it’s not quite ripe, harvest it anyway to prevent the cracking from getting worse. The tomato will continue to ripen off the vine, although it may not be quite as sweet. Once ripe, rinse, cut off the split parts and enjoy! (Start with these fresh tomato recipes.) And it likely goes without saying, but if the tomato is oozing and smells rotten, it’s a good candidate for the compost pile.

Tomato Cracking Prevention 101

These days, Mother Nature is pretty unreliable when it comes to satisfying the weekly water needs of tomatoes. The good news is, you can prevent future tomatoes cracking by improving your watering game with these simple tips.

• Water your tomatoes consistently. They like about an inch per week delivered to the root zone, not the foliage. A water wand is an excellent hose attachment for directing water exactly where you want it. Consider investing in a soaker hose and timer to make watering easier.
• Mulch is a gardener’s best friend during the dog days of summer. A two- to three-inch layer spread beneath each plant helps with moisture retention (and weed control!).
• Improve drainage. At planting time, work compost into the soil to help water move through the soil and away from plant roots. After a heavy rainfall, dense soil holds water around the roots, increasing the likelihood of splitting tomatoes.
• When in doubt, pick any ripe or almost ripe tomatoes immediately after a heavy rainfall.
• Plant crack-resistant varieties like Jetstar, Mountain Fresh and Mountain Spring.

Tools I Use in My Garden

The post Why Do Tomatoes Split? Here’s Your Answer, Plus How to Prevent It appeared first on Taste Recipes.

Trees like maples and aspens often get all the credit for fall color. But we have something a little different that might pique your interest. When summer’s heat has taken its toll, Chinese lantern is just getting started.

Why We Love Chinese Lantern Plants

This multi-season plant is a bit of a chameleon in the garden, constantly changing as the seasons fade. While every plant produces a flower, the white blooms that appear on Chinese lantern plant in July are nothing to write home about. Just wait until fall! The flowers develop into small green pods (or husks) that enlarge, eventually transforming to yellow, then a brilliant reddish-orange by September.

Inside each pod is a round fruiting body. Once mature, the pods resemble lanterns and can be cut for fall floral arrangements, where they’ll hold their color for several months. If left in the garden, the pod skeletonizes to reveal orange fruit in the winter.

It’s hard to believe that something so interesting can be so easy to grow!

What About the Other Lantern Plant?

Many plants share a common name, but all have a Latin version, which is the only way to know that you have the right Chinese lantern plant. There are two Chinese lantern plants, both of which have lantern-like flowers, but they’re very different plants. Physalis alkekengi is perennial in zones 3–9 and, depending on the region, may also be called Japanese lantern plant or strawberry ground cherry. This is the lantern plant we’re talking about.

The other Chinese lantern plant, Abutilon, is better suited to houseplant status in cold climates. It’s hardy in zones 9–11.

How to Grow Chinese Lantern Plants

Look for seeds at a local garden center or Eden Brothers. Start seeds indoors six weeks before your last frost date or direct sow them after all danger of frost has passed. Just be sure you don’t cover the seeds with soil. They need light to germinate and will do so in about two to three weeks. With full sun and well-draining soil, you should have a healthy crop of lanterns by September.

Learn how to read a seed packet before you start.

Tips for Chinese Lantern Plant Care

It’s easy to grow—perhaps too easy. This plant loves to spread by way of rhizomes that form dense mats just beneath the soil surface (think mint) or by releasing seed throughout the garden. Give Chinese lantern plant boundaries by growing it in containers or enclosed beds where it can’t impose its aggressive enthusiasm on other garden mates.

Tools You’ll Need

The post How to Grow a Chinese Lantern Plant—the Mesmerizing Bloom You Need in Your Garden appeared first on Taste Recipes.

How to Choose Cherries

The first step to choosing cherries is knowing how you want to use them. There are several types of cherries, all of which fall under two categories: sweet and tart. For fresh eating, look for sweet cherries like Bing, black and Rainier. Their tart counterparts—Montmorency and Morello—are best used in pies and jams.

When shopping for cherries, pay close attention to the skin. It should be taught and glossy, never dull. Fruit should be plump with no splits or wrinkles. Tart cherries however, tend to be a little softer than sweet varieties.

How to Store Cherries

What countertop doesn’t look better with the addition of a bowl full of cherries? If you want to preserve their freshness, however, we don’t recommend countertop storage. Room temperature storage results in dull-colored skins and soft fruit within a few days. Instead, store cherries uncovered in the refrigerator as soon as you bring them home. This way, they’ll stay fresh for up to a week, if not longer. Before transferring them to the refrigerator, look them over and remove any damaged fruit. Leave the stems intact until you’re ready to eat them.

When should you wash cherries?

Do not wash cherries until you’re ready to eat them. Cherries have a small crevice where the stem meets the fruit, and it’s nearly impossible to dry this area completely. Washing before storing increases the likelihood that your cherries will rot before you can eat them.

Because cherries are often treated with cover sprays to prevent fungal and insect issues, it’s best to rinse them thoroughly right before eating. A good rinse in a collander beneath a cool tap will do the trick.

Once washed, you’ll need to know how to pit cherries. Washed, pitted cherries are the first step to these delicious cherry recipes.

How to Freeze Cherries

When you’ve picked or bought far more cherries than you can consume, freezing the fruit is a great way to prolong their shelf life. When stored properly, frozen fruit is good for about eight to 12 months. Cherries can be frozen with or without pits. Keep in mind, thawed cherries will have a softer consistency than their fresh counterparts. Because of this, they’re best used for jams and other cherry desserts. To freeze cherries, follow these simple instructions:

Step 1: Remove stems and damaged cherries

Give your cherries a good once-over, and remove any that show signs of damage or mold. Remove stems.

Step 2: Line them on parchment

Line a baking sheet with parchment and spread your cherries in a single layer. If you have a glut of cherries, use several baking sheets to prevent them from freezing in clumps.

Step 3: Freeze

Place the cherries in the freezer for at least an hour.

Step 4: Transfer to labeled storage bag

Once frozen, place the cherries in a resealable freezer-safe bag and label with the date and variety.

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