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    Home » Blog

    Blog

    How to freeze tomatoes - 3 methods

    April 11, 2023 By Laura Leave a Comment

    How to preserve tomatoes without cooking, canning or bottling them, here are 3 easy methods for freezing them for use all year long! Methods for whole tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and diced tomatoes.

    Container of frozen cherry tomatoes

    If there is one thing I can never grow enough of in my summer garden, it is tomatoes. There is nothing that tastes more like summer to me than a fresh tomato on a piece of sourdough bread. But what I really love about tomatoes is that they are such a versatile ingredient - particularly if you love to preserve like I do!

    They are something we use year round in so many meals, so once I've finished making all the salsa, pasta sauce and tomato jam that I can manage, I always love freezing some tomatoes to use year round.

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    Christmas Tree Pull Apart Bread

    December 13, 2022 By Laura Leave a Comment

    Pull apart bread in the shape of Christmas tree with wreath next to it

    For a Christmas appetizer or as a side dish to the main meal, you can't go past this cheesy, pesto Christmas tree pull apart bread. Make it ahead of time and freeze or bake fresh on the day.

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    Bacon Hock and Vegetable Soup (slow cooker and instant pot)

    August 11, 2022 By Laura 2 Comments

    Bowl of bacon bone and vegetable soup on table with slice of buttered bread

    Hearty, healthy bacon hock soup using a bacon or ham hock or bones and and any vegetables you have on hand. Make it in the slow cooker or instant pot and serve with fresh bread for a warming winter meal!

    Bowl of bacon bone and vegetable soup on table with slice of buttered bread

    Bacon hock soup is a classic winter soup and is a fabulous way to pack loads of nutrition into one bowl. It's also one of those recipes that everyone makes just a little bit differently - the way my Mum and Granny make it is different to how Josh's Mum and Nana make it and then I make it slightly different again! But that is the joy of a soup like this, it is never exactly the same twice and you can change it up to suit your families tastebuds!

    Try as I might, soup just doesn't pass as dinner for my meat and veg loving husband (although my Mexican Chicken Soup just scrapes through!) so we save this one for weekend lunches, served alongside a buttered piece of fresh sourdough or no-knead bread.

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    Ingredients

    Ingredients for bacon bone soup on wooden chopping board
    • Bacon hock - the bacon hock (also called a ham hock in some places) is like a mini ham and is perfect to use in this soup as you will get plenty of meat off the bone. You can also use bacon bones which is what I usually use as this is what we get with our homekill pork.
    • Soup mix or split peas - this is what bulks up the soup and makes it super thick and filling. I prefer to use a pre bought, unflavoured mix of lentils, split peas and barley.
    • Vegetables - this soup is a fantastic way to clear out the fridge of all the odds and ends of vegetables that need to be used. I like using onion, garlic, carrot, celery, grated kumara or pumpkin, silverbeet or spinach, but anything goes!

    Instructions

    Collage showing ingredients for bacon bone soup on a wooden chopping board and in the Instant Pot
    1. Slice, dice or grate all vegetables into desired size. Because I have kids of various ages, I prefer to very finely chop or grate my vegetables making it easy for them to eat (and not as obvious how many vegetables are hiding in there!)
    2. Add all soup ingredients to your slow cooker or instant pot/pressure cooker. Cook for time specified in recipe card.
    Collage with shredded bacon bone meat on chopping board and cooked bacon bone soup in Instant Pot

    3. Remove bacon hock or bones from the soup and shred the meat.

    4. Add the shredded meat back into the soup and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir through fresh parsley.

    Hint: Grating vegetables makes them almost disappear into the soup which is a great way to get kids to eat a whole lot of veggies that they might otherwise turn up their nose at!

    Storage

    Cooked soup keeps in the fridge in a sealed container for 1 week. Any leftovers can also be frozen and will keep in the freezer for 6 months.

    Top tip

    I like freezing soup in individual portions for a quick, healthy meal for myself during the day or if I'm home alone for dinner. Empty plastic peanut butter jars or margarine containers are excellent for this! Or freeze portions in silicone muffin tins (see them in action here), pop them out and transfer to a large snaplock bag or freezer proof container.

    FAQ's

    Can I use other types of meat in this soup?

    Definitely! This method works really well with beef shin bones or chicken too or with the leftover Christmas ham bone!

    Where is the best place to buy a bacon hock?

    We get ours with our homekill pork but you can easily pick them up from the supermarket or ask at your local butcher.

    Does this soup freeze well?

    It freezes extremely well, I like freezing it in individual portions for a quick lunch or lazy dinner!

    Are there any vegetables I shouldn't use in this soup?

    I have used almost every vegetable in this soup at one stage or another and they have all been good! My favourite ones to use are actually anything that is left in the bottom of the fridge looking a little sad - such a great way to use them up!

    Two bowls of bacon bone and vegetable soup on table with slice of buttered bread

    If you want more simple + delicious made from scratch recipes, subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram

    Bowl of bacon bone and vegetable soup on table with slice of buttered bread
    Print Recipe
    5 from 10 votes

    Bacon Hock and Vegetable Soup (slow cooker and instant pot)

    Hearty, healthy bacon hock soup using a bacon or ham hock or bones and and any vegetables you have on hand. Make it in the slow cooker or instant pot and serve with fresh bread for a warming winter meal!
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time8 hours hrs
    Course: Lunch
    Cuisine: New Zealand
    Servings: 6 people
    Calories: 232kcal
    Author: Laura

    Ingredients

    • 500 grams bacon hock or bacon bones
    • 3 cups vegetables grated or finely chopped
    • 1 ½ cups soup mix lentils, split peas, barley
    • 8 cups water
    • Salt & pepper
    • 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped

    Instructions

    • Add bacon hock or bones, vegetables and soup mix to the inner pot of a slow cooker or instant pot or to a large stockpot on the stove. Cover with water and place the lid on.

    Slow cooker

    • Cook for 8 hours on low or until the meat is starting to fall off the bone.

    Instant Pot/Multi cooker

    • Ensure the valve is in the sealed position and cook on high pressure for 40 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release for 15 minutes before quick releasing any remaining pressure.

    Stovetop

    • Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer with the lid on for 2 hours or until the meat is starting to fall off the bone.

    All methods

    • Use tongs to transfer the cooked bacon hock or bones to a chopping board. Use forks to remove all meat from the bones and shred. Discard the bones and return the shredded meat to the soup and stir through.
    • Taste the soup and season well with salt and pepper and stir through fresh parsley.
    • Serve immediately with fresh bread.

    Notes

    1. You can use any combination of vegetables you like - I love using onion, carrot, celery, kumara, pumpkin and silverbeet or spinach.
    2. Store leftovers in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for 6 months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 4809mg | Potassium: 627mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 4742IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 2mg

    Overnight Waffle Recipe

    June 24, 2022 By Laura 9 Comments

    Plate of waffles topped with berry sauce and cream

    This yeast leavened overnight waffle recipe is mixed up the night before and stored in the fridge, ready to make fresh waffles in the morning with next to no effort required! It takes 5 minutes to mix up the batter and it is all made in one bowl.

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    40+ Beef Mince Recipes

    June 6, 2022 By Laura Leave a Comment

    There is no denying it, beef mince is an absolute staple ingredient to base meals around. It's cheap, tasty, kid friendly and incredibly versatile!

    If you are a farmer like us and have a freezer full of homekill beef mince, you will always be looking for new ways to use it!

    Here are more than 40 amazing recipes using beef mince that you can try when you need inspiration. Some are favourites from my website, others are new ideas from around the web. All of the recipes are linked, so you can easily click through and find something for dinner now!

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    How to Bottle Peaches (water bath method)

    March 21, 2022 By Laura 4 Comments

    A step by step guide to canning/bottling peaches using a water bath canner. Perfect for beginners, home canned peaches are a delicious way to enjoy in season peaches year round.

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    How to bottle diced tomatoes

    February 16, 2022 By Laura Leave a Comment

    Pint preserving jar with diced tomatoes

    A step by step guide to canning/bottling diced tomatoes, perfect for beginners - they are a pantry staple and the perfect way to preserve an abundance of tomatoes in the garden.

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    Life with Finlay - 1-2 months

    December 30, 2021 By Laura Leave a Comment

    I just cannot believe how perfectly Finn has fit into our family! Maybe because he's the third baby and he doesn't have a choice but also probably because he is such a content, peaceful baby that unless he's hungry or mid nappy change we barely know he's there!

    Although in saying that, he is not getting left alone for one minute - between the girls wanting to cuddle and kiss him all day long and me making the most of every sleepy newborn cuddle I can get, this baby is barely ever put down!

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    Introducing Finlay Colin

    November 18, 2021 By Laura 13 Comments

    Our baby is a boy!!!

    We are so excited to share that this handsome wee man, Finlay Colin MacDonald (Finn), joined our family on Monday 25th October 2021 at 10.23am weighing in at 8lb 4oz. We could not be more excited to have him here!! And still sort of in shock that after 2 beautiful girls we have a little boy!

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    Mum's Chocolate Truffles

    July 6, 2021 By Laura Leave a Comment

    Chocolate truffles on white plate, one with bite taken out. Strawberries in background.

    Simple to make, this easy recipe for decadent chocolate truffles will be your new go to when you need to take a plate. Made using pantry staples with only 30 minutes hands on time, they can even be made ahead of time and frozen! They are the perfect no bake dessert.

    Chocolate truffles on white plate, one with bite taken out. Strawberries in background

    When you think back to your childhood, is there a particular recipe that just stands out? For me, it is definitely my Mum's famous chocolate truffles. No family event was ever without a huge plate of them for good reason - they are an absolute treat, popular with adults and kids alike and are just SO darn good!

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    Sadie turns 4!

    June 5, 2021 By Laura Leave a Comment

    Our smart, curious, kind and loving big girl Sadie is 4!! And what a year it has been!

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    Boysenberry & White Chocolate No Bake Cheesecake

    May 14, 2021 By Laura 16 Comments

    Simple but impressive, this no bake cheesecake is a real crowd pleaser. The white chocolate and boysenberry flavours make it an absolute treat!

    Disclaimer: This post is a paid partnership with Countdown Supermarkets. All content and opinions are my own.

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    Pesto Cheese Pull Apart Bread

    April 1, 2021 By Laura 9 Comments

    Loaf of pull apart bread with piece pulled off on white background

    Pull apart bread is such a useful recipe! It makes a great side dish for dinner, goes perfectly with soup for lunch and is the best thing to take to a potluck!

    It's been a while since I've shared a new bread recipe, so why not get everyone back into bread making in time for the cooler months of comfort food with a made from scratch bread challenge! This is the April "made from scratch" challenge - if you missed the last ones, you can check out all of the previous challenge recipes here.

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    Peach Cobbler

    March 22, 2021 By Laura 4 Comments

    Peach cobbler with scooped vanilla icecream in a white pie dish

    This fruity peach cobbler is the easiest dessert to make. Use any fruit you have and enjoy all year round!

    Peach cobbler with scooped vanilla icecream in a white pie dish

    Oh hey there dessert lovers! It's been way too long between delicious desserts around here so I'm back with one that is going to knock your socks off!

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    Chicken Fried Rice

    March 12, 2021 By Laura 2 Comments

    Chicken fried rice in a bowl with chopsticks and pan of fried rice in the background

    Chicken fried rice is a quick and easy meal that the whole family will love. It comes together in less than 30 minutes and is a really budget friendly meal!

    Disclaimer: This post is a paid partnership with Countdown Supermarkets. All content and opinions are my own

    Chicken fried rice in a bowl with chopsticks and pan of fried rice in the background

    When it comes to dinner, especially after a busy day I am all about something that is quick, easy, healthy and that my kids will actually eat. This chicken fried rice is exactly that!

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    Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce (for canning)

    March 2, 2021 By Laura 16 Comments

    6 pint jars of homemade tomato basil pasta sauce

    The perfect sauce to make the most of fresh summer tomatoes and basil. You can bottle it, freeze it or eat it right away. Perfect for pasta, on pizza, with meatballs, in spaghetti bolognese or in lasagne.

    6 pint jars of homemade tomato basil pasta sauce

    It's the March "made from scratch" challenge! If you missed the last ones, you can check out all of the previous challenge recipes here.

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    Homemade Tomato Salsa (for canning)

    February 26, 2021 By Laura 6 Comments

    4 half pint jars of homemade salsa

    A simple recipe for canning tomato salsa - easy to follow step by step instructions, even if you are a newbie canner!

    First up, a HUGE thank you to Mel from Mel's Kitchen Café for allowing me to share this recipe here - it is Mel's original recipe that I have been making for a few years now, I've just adjusted the ingredients and measurements to make it easy to follow for anyone in New Zealand. Make sure you check out Mel's website for an unbelievable collection of tried and true recipes!

    4 half pint jars of homemade salsa
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    Beginners guide to water bath canning/bottling

    February 16, 2021 By Laura 11 Comments

    Cans in waterbath

    A beginners guide to using the water bath canning / preserving method. Equipment needed, why it is important and how to do it!

    Cans in waterbath

    I know, I know, back in the day our grandmothers all just filled up their jars, popped a lid on and called it a day. Nobody died (we hope!) and it was all good.

    Well fast forward to today and we now know just a little bit more about how to process food safely to help it store longer and taste better.

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    Stromboli

    February 11, 2021 By Laura 1 Comment

    Sliced stromboli on a plate with dipping sauce

    Make pizza night more interesting with stromboli - a pizza roll stuffed full of meat and gooey cheese that makes the perfect dinner and lunch leftovers!

    Disclaimer: This post is a paid partnership with Countdown Supermarkets. All content and opinions are my own.

    Sliced stromboli on a plate with dipping sauce

    It's that time of year when we are suddenly back into routine but still want to feel like it's summer for a little bit longer!

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    Homemade Pasta

    February 1, 2021 By Laura 5 Comments

    Oven tray with nests of homemade pasta

    A simple recipe for homemade pasta - 4 ingredients and options for using a pasta machine or by hand.

    Oven tray with nests of homemade pasta

    We eat a lot of pasta in our house. It's my favourite and of course, toddlers pretty much love nothing more than plain pasta, right?!

    So it was only natural that eventually I was going to need a homemade pasta recipe that I could fall back on and make with whatever I had on hand.

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    How to freeze blueberries (and other berries)

    January 30, 2021 By Laura 1 Comment

    Ball mason jar of frozen blueberries on white background

    A simple method for freezing in season blueberries (and other berries) using the free flow method. Perfect for using in smoothies, baking or just enjoying as a healthy snack!

    Ball mason jar of frozen blueberries on white background

    Something I have learnt about preserving food over the last few years is that the number 1 rule is to preserve what you will eat!!

    If you have a glut of tomatoes but don't like tomato relish, there is no point in making jars and jars of it. But if you use tins of tomatoes in meals all the time, it makes sense to can diced tomatoes (method coming soon!)

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    Simple Homemade Strawberry Jam

    January 9, 2021 By Laura 1 Comment

    Jar of strawberry jam with strawberries in background and spoon

    How to make simple homemade strawberry jam from scratch! Only 2 ingredients and easy to follow step by step instructions to help you master homemade jam!

    Welcome to the first monthly made from scratch challenge! At the start of each month I will post a new recipe (or project) that you can make from scratch along with me! The whole point of this challenge is for me to learn something new to make from scratch and share it with you and for you to hopefully be encouraged to try something new. You can find all the details in this post.

    This delicious strawberry jam is enough to convince any jam hater - and even if you have never made jam before, the step by step instructions should make what can seem like a daunting process, very simple!

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    Monthly Made From Scratch Challenge

    January 8, 2021 By Laura 5 Comments

    When I first started sharing recipes on my website back in 2015, I set myself a challenge to take something I would normally buy from the supermarket and make it from scratch. One thing per week, for the whole year.

    It was such a fun challenge to set myself and some of those recipes have become the most popular recipes on my website, so I thought I would bring back the challenge but with a few changes (one per month because I have kids now!) - and encourage you to participate too!

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    A Beginners Guide to Bottling/Canning Food

    January 6, 2021 By Laura 7 Comments

    Do you want to start bottling/canning food but are not really sure where to start? No problem! This post covers all the basics you need to know and equipment you need to get started preserving food!

    Jars of refrigerator pickles on a grey background

    I have such fond memories of preserving food with my mum and Grandma when I was a kid. Mum would buy boxes and boxes of Golden Queen peaches, Grandma would come and stay and over the course of a few days, they would work together to put them all in jars, ready for us to enjoy all winter long. And yes, these days you can buy a tin of peaches for next to nothing, but they don't even compare to the homemade version!

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    Hi, I'm Laura!

    I live on a farm in rural New Zealand with my husband Josh, our kids Sadie, Macey & Finlay and our black lab Sage. We're all about simple & delicious, family friendly recipes that are made from scratch as well as tasty treats! Read More…

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