Freezing Lemon Juice and Our Favorite Uses ~ Citrus Series

If you have read this blog for some time, then you may already know that we have an abundance of free citrus fruit during the winter season (thus the reason for this citrus series). Hating to waste anything, here is another way to use your lemons. Freeze your fresh squeezed juice in ice cube trays and try the following:

Homemaking Hint:  One cube = approx. 2 tbsp's of lemon juice

• Simply thaw and use as lemon juice in your favorite cooking and dessert recipes.

• Instead of buying commercially purchased Fruit Fresh, use lemon juice to keep your fruits from browning when freezing pie fillings and such. It is also helpful in treating fruits that are prone to browning for dehydrating and making fruit leathers. To make your own citric solution, simply add two cubes of lemon juice to every quart of water (stir until dissolved). Let your fruit soak in the solution for at least 5 minutes prior to draining (keep apples in liquid until you are ready to use them).

• Use cubes to make a buttermilk or sour cream substitute. Drop one lemon juice cube into a glass measuring cup (let it thaw), add enough milk to bring the liquid up to the two-cup line and let sit five minutes. Use as much of this "buttermilk substitute" as your recipe calls for. 

• Use your surplus in canning recipes when it calls for lemon juice (though I must add that the canning authorities claim you need to use commercially packaged lemon juice).

• Use the thawed juice to make "honey lemon cough syrup" when the need arises.

• Thaw your extra juice for many of these "basic household uses".

• When the weather warms, place them in water as ice cubes to quench your thirst or make a batch of lemonade with them.

• Blend cubes up with water, honey and frozen fruit to make lemonade slushies.

• Add the lemon cubes to flavor and chill a pitcher of iced tea.

What do you do with your excess lemon juice?

This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: Modest Mom Monday's, Make it Yourself Mondays, Homestead Barn Hop, Natural Living Tuesday's, Teach Me Tuesday, Raising Homemakers, Make Bake Create, Wise Woman Link Up, Christian Homemaking, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Whatever You Want Wednesday, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, Homemaking Wednesdays, Homemaking Thursdays, From the Farm Blog Hop, Farmgirl Friday, Clever Chicks Blog Hop and Deep Roots at Home. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. Idea for the buttermilk substitute was found  here.