Home gardening offers ways to trim grocery costs [Survival Today, an on going thread]

Americans finding soaring food prices hard to stomach can battle back by growing their own food. [Click image for a larger version] Dean Fosdick Dean Fosdick

Home vegetable gardens appear to be booming as a result of the twin movements to eat local and pinch pennies.

At the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta this winter, D. Landreth Seed Co. of New Freedom, Pa., sold three to four times more seed packets than last year, says Barb Melera, president. "This is the first time I've ever heard people say, 'I can grow this more cheaply than I can buy it in the supermarket.' That's a 180-degree turn from the norm."

Roger Doiron, a gardener and fresh-food advocate from Scarborough, Maine, said he turned $85 worth of seeds into more than six months of vegetables for his family of five.

A year later, he says, the family still had "several quarts of tomato sauce, bags of mixed vegetables and ice-cube trays of pesto in the freezer; 20 heads of garlic, a five-gallon crock of sauerkraut, more homegrown hot-pepper sauce than one family could comfortably eat in a year and three sorts of squash, which we make into soups, stews and bread."

She compares the current period of market uncertainty with that of the early- to mid-20th century when the concept of victory gardens became popular.

"A lot of companies during the world wars and the Great Depression era encouraged vegetable gardening as a way of addressing layoffs, reduced wages and such," she says. "Some companies, like U.S. Steel, made gardens available at the workplace. Railroads provided easements they'd rent to employees and others for gardening."

Limeade Pie
Posted by: “Richard

Limeade Pie

6 oz can frozen limeade concentrate — thawed
2 cups lowfat frozen yogurt, — softened
8 oz carton whipped topping — thawed
6 inch graham cookie crumb pie crust

In a large bowl, combine limeade concentrate and yogurt, mixing well.
Fold in whipped topping.
Pour into pie crust.
Freeze at least 4 hours or overnight.

The Ultimate Cooking with 4 Ingredients By Jean Coates
Via All Around Cooking

Per serving: 1910 Calories (kcal); 152g Total Fat; (70% calories
from fat); 7g Protein; 138g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 152mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit;
30 Fat; 9 Other Carbohydrates

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2. BUTTERFINGER PIE
Posted by: “Richard

BUTTERFINGER PIE

3 large Butterfinger candy bars
Cool whip
1 graham or chocolate crust

Crush 3 large Butterfingers between sheets of wax paper.
Add to Cool Whip.
Place in graham cracker crust.
Refrigerate or Freeze.
No need to thaw.

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3. TNT Recipe....Cinnamon Chocolate-Apricot Coffee Cake
Posted by: “Starkoski

Hi...
I made this for church coffee hour this past Sunday and it is delicious!!
I have found this website that has coffee cakes, breads, muffins, cookies, etc from Bed and Breakfasts all over the country.....It is going to take a long time to go thru all these recipes! The church is safe for probably the rest of my life!!
Enjoy!
hugs,
peg

Cinnamon Chocolate-Apricot Coffee Cake presented by The Cotton Palace Bed & Breakfast
Vegetable oil spray for misting the pan
Flour for dusting the pan
1 pkg (18.25 oz) plain white cake mix
3/4 cup finely chopped dried apricots or dried cherries
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pkg (3.4 oz) vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil, such as canola, corn, safflower, soybean or sunflower
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsps confectioners sugar
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly mist a 12 cup Bundt pan with vegetable oil spray, then dust with flour. Set the pan aside.
For the streusel filling, place 2 Tbsps cake mix, the apricots, chocolate chips and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl and stir until well combined. Set aside the bowl.
Place the remaining cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase with mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look thick and smooth. Pour 2/3 of the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the rubber spatula. Spoon the filling over the batter in the pan. Pour the remaining 1/3 of the batter over the filling and smooth it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven.
Bake the cake until it is light brown and springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Run a long, sharp knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto a rack to complete cooling. Or transfer the cake to a serving platter to slice and eat while still warm. Sift confectioners sugar over the top for garnish.
The Cotton Palace Bed & Breakfast
Waco, Texas
Originally built in the early 1900s by Waco’s premiere architect, The Cotton Palace is now a 5 guest room B&B.

Recipe source: http://www.bbonline.com/recipe/cottonpalace_tx_recipes3.html

(PEG’S NOTE: I didn’t have any apricots or dried cherries, but I did have cherry flavored craisins (cranberries) and used them…delicious!)

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4. Caramel Rhubarb Cobbler
Posted by: “Beth

Caramel Rhubarb Cobbler
Taste of Home

[Caramel Apple Crisp Recipe]

I came up with this recipe after hearing a friend fondly recall his
grandmother’s rhubarb dumplings. My son especially likes rhubarb, and
this old-fashioned dessert lets those special stalks star. -Beverly
Shebs, Pinehurst, North Carolina

SERVINGS: 6
CATEGORY: Dessert
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep: 25 min. Bake: 35 min.

Ingredients:
7 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar, divided
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1-1/4 cups water
6 cups chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb, thawed
3 to 4 drops red food coloring, optional
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk
Cinnamon-sugar
Whipped cream or ice cream, optional

Directions:
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Add brown
sugar, 1/4 cup of sugar and cornstarch. Gradually stir in water and
rhubarb; cook and stir until thickened, about 5-8 minutes. Add food
coloring if desired. Pour into a greased 2-qt. baking dish and set
aside.
In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and remaining
sugar. Melt remaining butter; add to dry ingredients with milk. Mix
well. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto rhubarb mixture. Bake at 350° for
35-40 minutes or until the fruit is bubbly and the top is golden brown.
Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream
if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts
One serving: (1 each) Calories: 429 Fat: 14 g Saturated Fat: 9 g
Cholesterol: 38 mg Sodium: 357 mg Carbohydrate: 73 g Fiber: 3 g Protein:
4 g

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Caramel-Rhubarb-Cobbler
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Caramel-Rhubarb-Cobbler

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5. Strawberry Fruit Dip
Posted by: “Beth

Strawberry Fruit Dip
Quick Cooking

SERVINGS: 6
CATEGORY: Low Fat
METHOD: Chill
TIME: Prep/Total Time: 10 min.

Ingredients:
1 carton (8 ounces) whipped strawberry cream cheese
1-1/2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon milk
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
Assorted fresh fruit

Directions:
In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, honey, milk and lemon
peel. Serve with fruit. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 3/4 cup.

Nutrition Facts
One serving: 2 tablespoons of dip (prepared with reduced-fat cream
cheese and fat-free milk) Calories: 50 Fat: 0 g Saturated Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 6 mg Sodium: 253 mg Carbohydrate: 8 g Fiber: 1 g Protein: 5
g

http://recipes.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Strawberry-Fruit-Dip-3
http://recipes.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Strawberry-Fruit-Dip-3

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/all-simple-recipes/

Weekend Breakfast Bake
Posted by: “Beth

Weekend Breakfast Bake

Simple & Delicious
May/June 2008 issue
Page: 52

“My family really enjoys this breakfast casserole on weekends or
holidays. It’s so quick to prepare and very filling,” shares Melissa
Ball of Pearisburg, Virginia. Great for those on a low-carb diet, too!

SERVINGS: 8
CATEGORY: Low Carb
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep: 15 min. Bake: 30 min.

Ingredients:
1 pound bulk pork sausage
1/3 cup chopped onion
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
8 eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

Directions:
In a large skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat
is no longer pink; drain. Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in.
baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Combine eggs and soup; pour over
cheese.
Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until a knife
inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before
cutting. Yield: 8 servings.

Nutrition Facts
One serving: 1 piece Calories: 431 Fat: 35 g Saturated Fat: 17 g
Cholesterol: 284 mg Sodium: 878 mg Carbohydrate: 5 g Fiber: 0 g Protein:
24 g

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Weekend-Breakfast-Bake
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Weekend-Breakfast-Bake

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9a. Bird’s Nest Breakfast Cups
Posted by: “Beth

Bird’s Nest Breakfast Cups

Light & Tasty
February/March 2008 issue
Page: 56

“This is a lightened up version of an original recipe that called
for regular bacon and eggs,” writes Aris Gonzalez from Deltona,
Florida. “Everyone loves it and thinks I really fussed, but it’s so
easy! It makes such a pretty presentation that I often serve this to
overnight guests.”

SERVINGS: 6
CATEGORY: Lower Fat
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients:
12 turkey bacon strips
1-1/2 cups egg substitute
6 tablespoons shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Directions:
In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat for 2 minutes on each
side or until partially set but not crisp. Coat six muffin cups with
cooking spray; wrap two bacon strips around the inside of each cup. Fill
each with 1/4 cup egg substitute; top with cheese.
Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes or until set. Cool for 5 minutes
before removing from pan. Sprinkle with parsley. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts
One serving: 1 breakfast cup Calories: 120 Fat: 7 g Saturated Fat: 2 g
Cholesterol: 30 mg Sodium: 515 mg Carbohydrate: 2 g Fiber: 0 g Protein:
12 g

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Bird-s-Nest-Breakfast-Cups
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Bird-s-Nest-Breakfast-Cups

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9b. Re: Bird’s Nest Breakfast Cups
Posted by: “Cary”

Oh I bet these would freeze too!! I need new breakfast items I can freeze and take out as needed so if you have any others anyone please feel free to help me out :) thank you for this one!!!!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/all-simple-recipes/

Alfredo Seafood Fettuccine
Posted by: “Beth

Alfredo Seafood Fettuccine
Simple & Delicious

This rich and creamy pasta dish with three types of seafood comes
together in moments. “When I serve this entree to guests, friends
say I shouldn’t have worked so hard,” says Renae Rossow of
Union, Kentucky. “I never tell them what a breeze it is to
assemble.”

SERVINGS: 4
CATEGORY: Main Dish
METHOD: Stovetop - One-Dish
TIME: Prep/Total Time: 20 min.

Ingredients:
8 ounces uncooked fettuccine
1 envelope Alfredo sauce mix
1 package (8 ounces) imitation crabmeat
6 ounces bay scallops
6 ounces uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon plus 1-1/2 teaspoons butter
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:
Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Meanwhile, prepare
Alfredo sauce according to package directions.
In a large skillet, saute the crab, scallops and shrimp in butter
for 2-3 minutes or until scallops are opaque and shrimp turn pink. Stir
into Alfredo sauce. Season with garlic powder. Cook and stir for 5-6
minutes or until thickened. Drain fettuccine; top with seafood mixture.
Yield: 4 servings.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Alfredo-Seafood-Fettuccine
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Alfredo-Seafood-Fettuccine

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11a. Microwave Fettuccine Alfredo
Posted by: “Beth

Microwave Fettuccine Alfredo
Cooking for 2

“I created this recipe for a young co-worker who used to save up to eat
at a nice Italian restaurant once a month,” writes Bill Hilbrich of St.
Cloud, Minnesota. “Now she can make this dish at home!”

SERVINGS: 1
CATEGORY: Lower Fat
METHOD: Microwave
TIME: Prep/Total Time: 20 min.

Ingredients:
2 ounces uncooked fettuccine
3 tablespoons half-and-half cream
1 ounce cream cheese, cubed
3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon salt, optional
1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Directions:
Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small
microwave-safe bowl, combine the cream and cream cheese. Cover and
microwave at 50% power for 2 minutes; stir in the Parmesan cheese until
smooth. Stir in salt if desired and pepper. Drain fettuccine; toss with
sauce. Yield: 1 serving.

Nutrition Facts
One serving: (prepared with fat-free half-and-half and reduced-fat cream
cheese) Calories: 368 Fat: 11 g Saturated Fat: 6 g Cholesterol: 28 mg
Sodium: 404 mg Carbohydrate: 49 g Fiber: 2 g Protein: 18 g

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Microwave-Fettuccine-Alfredo
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Microwave-Fettuccine-Alfredo

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12. Fettuccine Alfredo
Posted by: “Beth

Fettuccine Alfredo
Cooking for One or Two Cookbook

My 9-year old son earned his cooking merit badge in Cub scouts by making
this tasty dish.

SERVINGS: 2
CATEGORY: Side Dish
METHOD: Other stovetop
TIME: Prep/Total Time: 25 min.

Ingredients:
4 ounces uncooked fettuccine
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened and cubed
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
White pepper, optional

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. In a saucepan, heat milk and
butter until butter is melted. Stir in cream cheese and heat until
melted. Add Parmesan cheese and pepper if desired; cook and stir until
blended and heated through. Drain pasta and transfer to a serving bowl.
Pour sauce over fettuccine; toss to coat. Yield: 2 servings.

Nutrition Facts
One serving: (3/4 cup) Calories: 624 Fat: 44 g Saturated Fat: 27 g
Cholesterol: 123 mg Sodium: 639 mg Carbohydrate: 43 g Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 18 g

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Fettuccine-Alfredo-3
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Fettuccine-Alfredo-3

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13. Bacon Chicken Alfredo
Posted by: “Beth

Bacon Chicken Alfredo
Quick Cooking

“I had a rich pasta dish similar to this at a restaurant,” recalls Dana
Simmons of Lancaster, Ohio. “ It was so unique that i tried to duplicate
it at home a few days later. This is remarkably close, but not as fussy
because it uses ready-made ingredients rather than being made from
scratch.”

SERVINGS: 6-8
CATEGORY: Main Dish
METHOD:
TIME: Prep: 35 min. Cook: 10 min.

Ingredients:
1 package (16 ounces) fettuccine
1 pound sliced bacon, diced
1-1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 jar (16 ounces) prepared Alfredo sauce
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large
skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon,
remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 3 tablespoons drippings.
Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook chicken in the
drippings over medium-high heat until the juices run clear.
Drain fettuccine; stir into a skillet. Add the Alfredo sauce,
spinach, Italian seasoning and bacon. Cook and stir until heat through.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Nutrition Facts
One serving: (1 cup) Calories: 699 Fat: 38 g Saturated Fat: 15 g
Cholesterol: 105 mg Sodium: 1329 mg Carbohydrate: 46 g Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 44 g

Comments
Re: Bacon Chicken Alfredo
Good

jerrilynjoyce
Re: Bacon Chicken Alfredo
This was absolutely delicious!

suzie21

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Bacon-Chicken-Alfredo
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Bacon-Chicken-Alfredo

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14. Chicken ‘n’ Noodle Skillet
Posted by: “Beth

Chicken ‘n’ Noodle Skillet
Quick Cooking

I am a mom of three grown boys,” writes Eileen Hagist of Bancroft, Iowa.
“Back when they were in school and I needed to put a meal on the table
in a hurry, I could always count on this recipe. Served with a green
salad and cold milk, it always filled them up.”

SERVINGS: 5
CATEGORY: Lower Fat
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients:
2 packages (4.3 ounces each) fettuccini and chicken-flavored sauce mix
1-1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 can (4 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 tube (12 ounces) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

Directions:
In a large skillet, prepare noodles and sauce mix according to package
directions. Stir in chicken and mushrooms; cook over medium heat until
heated through. Meanwhile, bake biscuits according to package
directions. Transfer noodle mixture to a serving bowl; top with
biscuits. Yield: 5 servings.

Nutrition Facts
One serving: Calories: 428 Fat: 11 g Saturated Fat: 1 g Cholesterol: 41
mg Sodium: 1254 mg Carbohydrate: 68 g Fiber: 1 g Protein: 24 g

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Chicken—n—Noodle-Skillet
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Chicken—n—Noodle-Skillet

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15. Walnut Cream Pasta
Posted by: “Beth

Walnut Cream Pasta
Taste of Home

I take advantage of the local walnut supply by fixing this
change-of-pace pasta.—Kim Gilliland, Simi Valley, California

SERVINGS: 6
CATEGORY: Main Dish
METHOD: Other stovetop
TIME: Prep/Total Time: 20 min.

Ingredients:
1 package (12 ounces) fettuccine
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Directions:
Cook the fettuccine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a
small saucepan, saute garlic in butter for 1 minute or until tender.
Gradually stir in broth.
In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, whipping cream, salt and
pepper; stir into broth mixture (do not boil). Drain fettuccine and
transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the cream sauce, Parmesan cheese
and walnuts; toss to coat. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts
One serving: (1 each) Calories: 490 Fat: 28 g Saturated Fat: 11 g
Cholesterol: 46 mg Sodium: 510 mg Carbohydrate: 44 g Fiber: 3 g Protein:
19 g

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Walnut-Cream-Pasta
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Walnut-Cream-Pasta

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16. Broccoli Shrimp Alfredo
Posted by: “Beth

Broccoli Shrimp Alfredo
Quick Cooking

After tasting fettuccine Alfredo at a restaurant, I tried to duplicate
the recipe at home. You can’t imagine how pleased I was when I came up
with this delicious version. Not only does my family love the creamy
dish, but my husband prefers it to the one at the restaurant.

SERVINGS: 4
CATEGORY: Main Dish
METHOD: Other stovetop
TIME: Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients:
1 package (16 ounces) fettuccine
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
1 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 package (10 ounces) frozen broccoli florets
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper

Directions:
Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large
skillet, saute shrimp and garlic in butter until shrimp turn pink.
Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, combine the cream cheese,
milk and Parmesan cheese; cook and stir until cheeses are melted and
mixture is smooth.
Place 1 in. of water in a saucepan; add broccoli. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 6-8 minutes or until tender. Drain.
Stir the broccoli, shrimp, salt and pepper into cheese sauce; cook until
heated through. Drain fettuccine; top with shrimp mixture. Yield: 4
servings.

Nutrition Facts
One serving: (1 cup) Calories: 978 Fat: 51 g Saturated Fat: 30 g
Cholesterol: 307 mg Sodium: 1141 mg Carbohydrate: 88 g Fiber: 6 g
Protein: 46 g

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Broccoli-Shrimp-Alfredo
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Broccoli-Shrimp-Alfredo

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17. Shrimp ‘n’ Veggie Alfredo
Posted by: “Beth

Shrimp ‘n’ Veggie Alfredo
Quick Cooking

Bonnie Jost of Manitowoc, Wisconsin relies on a jar of store-bought
Alfredo sauce to toss together this pretty pasta dish. The effortless
entree includes fresh shrimp and colorful veggies for ectra eye appeal.

SERVINGS: 6
CATEGORY: Main Dish
METHOD:
TIME: Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients:
1 package (16 ounces) fettuccine
1/2 pound fresh or frozen sugar snap peas, thawed
1 medium sweet red pepper, julienned
2 medium carrots, julienned
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1-1/2 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 jar (16 ounces) Alfredo sauce, warmed

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large
skillet, saute the peas, red pepper, carrots and garlic in 2 tablespoons
oil until crisp-tender; remove and keep warm. Add remaining oil to
skillet. Saute shrimp in oil until shrimp turn pink. Return vegetables
to pan; mix well. Drain pasta. Place pasta on six dinner plates. Drizzle
with Alfredo sauce and top with shrimp mixture. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts
One serving: (1 cup) Calories: 562 Fat: 17 g Saturated Fat: 7 g
Cholesterol: 189 mg Sodium: 527 mg Carbohydrate: 68 g Fiber: 7 g
Protein: 35 g

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Shrimp—n—Veggie-Alfredo
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Shrimp—n—Veggie-Alfredo

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18. Sun-Dried Tomato & Garlic Dip
Posted by: “*~Tamara~*”

Sun-Dried Tomato & Garlic Dip

Prep Time: 5 min
Total Time: 5 min
Makes: 16 servings, 2 Tbsp. each

1 tub (8 oz.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese Spread
1/2 cup Miracle Whip Dressing
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained, chopped
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients until well blended. Serve with Nabisco Crackers and cut-up fresh vegetables, if desired.

Source: Kraft

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/all-simple-recipes/

Mini Italian Bicuits
Posted by: “Vergie”

Mini Italian Biscuits

2 cups biscuit mix or baking mix
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (finely shredded)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2/3 cup milk

Combine the biscuit mix, cheese, garlic powder, oregano, & basil. With
a fork stir in milk just until moistened.

Drop by the rounded teaspoonfuls onto a lightly greased baking sheet.
Bake at 450degres for 7-8 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve warm.

Messages in this topic (1)
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2. Homemade Bulk Sausage
Posted by: “bakinglist_owner”

Homemade Bulk Sausage

Submitted by: Denise Boyd

In a bowl, I put about 1/8 to 1/4 cup water. To that I add 1 to 2
tsp. sage, a dash of salt & pepper, some garlic pepper seasoning
salt, a bit of rosemary, thyme, & marjoram if I have them, & some
crushed red pepper. I don’t measure things;I just put it in until it
smells right. Sometimes I add onion but most of the time I just put
in a bit of onion powder. Using a spoon & my hands, I mix the spices
& the water until it’s a yucky mess.

Once it’s mixed well, I add the ground turkey or beef or a
combination & mix with my hands until the spiced water is absorbed.
From there, I just shape it into patties & fry it for breakfast or
use it to make sausage dressing or sausage gravy or whatever. It’s
hard to get the spices to evenly mix in the meat which is why I put
them in the water & then add the meat. Doing it that way, the spices
are evenly distributed throughout the meat.

Nectarine Pancakes

4 nectarines, divided
2 cups reduced-fat baking mix
1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice or apple juice
1 egg, lightly beaten
nonstick cooking spray, non-stick, as needed

Chop 1 nectarine to make 1 cup. Slice the remaining nectarines and set
aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the baking mix, juice, and egg until
just moistened. Stir in the fruit.

Coat a griddle or skillet with nonstick spray and heat over MEDIUM
heat. Spoon 1/4 cup of batter onto the griddle, spreading it gently
with the back of a spoon. Cook until bubbles form on top and underside
is golden brown. Turn and cook the pancake for another minute or so
until golden brown. Top with the remaining nectarine slices.

My other groups: favoritefamilyrecipes@yahoogroups.com and moderator of BisquickRecipes@yahoogroups.com.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cookingandbakingmixes/

1. BAD STORMS WHERE I LIVE
Posted by: “sandy
Date: Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:42 pm ((PDT))

I have been off line these past few days because we had terrible storm go through with 90—100 mile an hour winds, knocking out power to 174,000 people (meaning no food, no gas, no air conditioning, no nothing) We have 1000’s of trees and poles down. I am sure my power is going to be temporary as we have a pole in front of my house leaning so bad, plus we have 2 trees that have our street blocked.

There was a little boy killed and his 9 month old sister is hanging by a thread—PLEASE KEEP THIS FAMILY IN PRAYER. Another daughter is in fair condition—this family was camping and this storm came in sooooo fast!!

Love ya all

Sandy

[I do not know where Sandy lives.
How fast a disaster hits us and we are never ready...
granny]

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2. Cheesy Italian Oatmeal Pan Bread
Posted by: “creiki”

Cheesy Italian Oatmeal Pan Bread

2 hours | 1½ hours prep

SERVES 8

2 cups water
1 cup rolled oat
3 tablespoons butter
4-5 cups flour, divided
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 (1/4 ounce) packages yeast
1 egg
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
topping
1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Spray 13*9 baking pan with no stick spray (other pans work as well -
I used a large round baking stone with great success).
Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan (or in the microwave);
stir in rolled oats and butter.
Cool to about 100 degrees (I got impatient and added a couple of ice
cubes to cool it down quicker).
Combine sugar, salt, yeast and 1 1/2 cups of the flour in a large
mixing bowl, blend well.
Add rolled oats mixture and egg. Blend at a low speed with an
electric mixer till moistened, beat 3 minutes at medium speed.
By hand, stir in 1 3/4 cup to 2 1/2 cups flour and the mozzarella
cheese to form a stiff dough.
(*I just put everything in my standing mixer bowl and mixed it with
the dough hook.).
If kneading by hand, knead in 1/2-3/4 cup flour on a floured surface
till dough is smooth and elastic.
(Depending on your flour, humidity in your home, etc., you may need
more or less flour - you want a smooth, elastic dough that is not
too sticky.).
Shape dough into a ball and let rest for 15 minutes.
Punch down dough and press into prepared pan. Using a very sharp
knife, cut diagonal lines 1 1/2 inches apart, cutting completely
through the dough (I didn’t cut all the way through and it pulled
apart just fine).
Repeat in opposite direction, creating a diamond pattern.
Cover and let rise in a warm place till light and doubled in size
(about 45 minutes - less if you use rapid rise yeast).
Heat oven to 375. Uncover dough, redefine diamond pattern if you
like.
Combine parmesan cheese, basil, oregano and garlic powder and set
aside.
Spoon 2-4 T of butter across the dough.
Bake 10-15 minutes.
Brush remaining butter over partially baked bread.
Sprinkle with parmesan/herb mixture. Bake for an additional 10-15
minutes, till golden brown.
Serve warm or cool.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3a. Cherry Almond Bread
Posted by: “creiki”

Cherry Almond Bread (Abm)

makes a 1 1/2 pound loaf

1¼ hours | 5 min prep

1 loaf

1 cup milk
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 large egg
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups bread flour
1/2 cup dried tart cherry or dried cranberries
1/3 cup slivered almond, toasted
4 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons fleischmann’s bread machine yeast

Add ingredients to bread machine pan in the order suggested by
manufacturer, adding dried tart red cherries and almonds with flour.
Recommended cycle: Basic/white bread cycle; light or medium/normal
crust color setting. Do not use delay cycle.

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Drying Herbs

Drying is the easiest method of preserving herbs. Simply expose the leaves,
flowers or seeds to warm, dry air. Leave the herbs in a well ventilated area
until the moisture evaporates. Sun drying is not recommended because the herbs
can lose flavor and color.

The best time to harvest most herbs for drying is just before the flowers first
open when they are in the bursting bud stage. Gather the herbs in the early
morning after the dew has evaporated to minimize wilting. Avoid bruising the
leaves. They should not lie in the sun or unattended after harvesting. Rinse
herbs in cool water and gently shake to remove excess moisture. Discard all
bruised, soiled or imperfect leaves and stems.

Dehydrator drying is a fast and easy way to dry high quality herbs because
temperature and air circulation can be controlled. Pre-heat dehydrator with the
thermostat set to 95°F to 115°F. In areas with higher humidity, temperatures as
high as 125°F may be needed. After rinsing under cool, running water and shaking
to remove excess moisture, place the herbs in a single layer on dehydrator
trays. Drying times may vary from 1 to 4 hours. Check periodically. Herbs are
dry when they crumble, and stems break when bent. Check your dehydrator
instruction booklet for specific details.

Less Tender Herbs — The more sturdy herbs such as rosemary, sage, thyme, summer
savory and parsley are the easiest to dry without a dehydrator. Tie them into
small bundles and hang them to air dry. Air drying outdoors is often possible;
however, better color and flavor retention usually results from drying indoors.

Tender-Leaf Herbs — Basil, oregano, tarragon, lemon balm and the mints have a
high moisture content and will mold if not dried quickly. Try hanging the
tender-leaf herbs or those with seeds inside paper bags to dry. Tear or punch
holes in the sides of the bag. Suspend a small bunch (large amounts will mold)
of herbs in a bag and close the top with a rubber band. Place where air currents
will circulate through the bag. Any leaves and seeds that fall off will be
caught in the bottom of the bag.

Another method, especially nice for mint, sage or bay leaf, is to dry the leaves
separately. In areas of high humidity, it will work better than air drying whole
stems. Remove the best leaves from the stems. Lay the leaves on a paper towel,
without allowing leaves to touch. Cover with another towel and layer of leaves.
Five layers may be dried at one time using this method. Dry in a very cool oven.
The oven light of an electric range or the pilot light of a gas range furnishes
enough heat for overnight drying. Leaves dry flat and retain a good color.

Microwave ovens are a fast way to dry herbs when only small quantities are to be
prepared. Follow the directions that come with your microwave oven.

When the leaves are crispy dry and crumple easily between the fingers, they are
ready to be packaged and stored. Dried leaves may be left whole and crumpled as
used, or coarsely crumpled before storage. Husks can be removed from seeds by
rubbing the seeds between the hands and blowing away the chaff. Place herbs in
airtight containers and store in a cool, dry, dark area to protect color and
fragrance.

Dried herbs are usually 3 to 4 times stronger than the fresh herbs. To
substitute dried herbs in a recipe that calls for fresh herbs, use 1/4 to 1/3 of
the amount listed in the recipe.

Submitted by: Darlene

If you don’t have a dehydrator you can also do this.

Tender Leaf Herbs — Basil, oregano, tarragon, lemon balm and the mints
have a high moisture content and will mold if not dried quickly. Try
hanging the tender leaf herbs or those with seeds inside paper bags to
dry. Tear or punch holes in the sides of the bag. Suspend a small bunch
(large amounts will mold) of herbs in a bag and close the top with a
rubber band. Place where air currents will circulate through the bag.
Any leaves and seeds that fall off will be caught in the bottom of the bag.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FoodPreservationDryingCanningAndMore/

Posted by: “Tina”

Candy Apple Jelly
Submitted by Lynda

4 cups apple juice
1/2 cup red-hot candies (valentine cinnamon type)
1 package (1-3/4 oz.) powdered fruit pectin
4-1/2 cups sugar

Directions:

In a large pot combine the apple juice, candies and pectin. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.

Stir in sugar; return to a full rolling boil. Boil for 2 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat; skim off any foam and undissolved candies.

Pour into hot sterilized jars leaving 1/4 inch head space.

Adjust caps and Process for 5 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Yield: about 6 half-pints.
Messages in this topic (1)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Freezer Raspberry Sauce
Posted by: “Tina”

Freezer Raspberry Sauce
Submitted by: scallopmanca

Ingredients:
3 cups mashed fresh raspberries ( mash in layers as for jam)
3 cups sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 pkg. ( 3oz.) liquid fruit pectin
2 Tbsps. lemon juice
4 cups whole fresh raspberries

Directions:
Combine the 3 cups mashed berries, sugar and corn syrup: stir until well mixed. Let stand 10 minutes.

In a small bowl combine liquid pectin and lemon juice. Stir this into fruit mixture and mix for 3 minutes to distribute pectin evenly through the fruit.

Add remaining whole berries stirring very carefully to distribute fruit but leaving the berries whole.

Ladle into freezer containers; seal and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.

Store in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to 1 year.

Thaw and stir before using. Serve over ice cream, sponge cake, shortcake, waffles or combine with plain yogurt.

Apple Pie Jam
Submitted by: Lynda

This tastes great on toast , waffles, over ice cream etc. Just like apple pie without the crust!

Ingredients:
4-5 golden delicious apples peeled and sliced ( about 2 pounds)
1 cup water
5 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. butter
1 pouch liquid pectin ( 3oz.)
1-1/2 tsps. ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground mace ( optional)

Directions:
In a large pot combine apples and water. cover and cook slowly just until tender.

Measure 4-1/2 cups of apples: return to pot. (discard the rest or save for another use) Add sugar and butter ot pot and bring to a full rolling boil stirring contantly. Add pectin and return to boil stirring constantly for 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in spices. Skim off foam.

Pour into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch head space. Adjust caps.

Process in a boiling-water bath for 10 minutes.

Yiels: 7 half-pints.

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HOW TO DRY FLOWERS

You can make wonderful, lasting flower arrangements with your dehydrator. Flowers must be picked when only half open & it is essential that they be completely dry. The best time to pick them is early in the morning, as soon as any dew has been dried by the sun. Use scissors only, don’t pull or break the flowers off at the stems.

Carnations, daffodils & all types of daisies produce fantastic dried arrangements. Avoid drying white flowers as they turn a dull, grey color.

Spread the flowers on a Mesh Tray in your dehydrator & dry at 105 deg f (Snackmaker - Low) for 6-8 hours. You can also choose to dry them in a bunch, using Spacer Rings to add height to the trays.

When completely dry, arrange in a bunch & spray with hairspray.

Enjoy the smell & beauty of your dried flower arrangement!

HOW TO MAKE POT POURRI

The Summer months are the best for making pot pourri as the aromatic herbs are at their peak & flowers are their most dazzling & fragrant.

Pot pourri can be made using a combination of flower petals, gumnuts, herbs, leaves & fruit blossoms - especially citrus. The most popular flower petals used in pot pourri are apple or orange blossom, geranium, honeysuckle, lavender, nasturtium, roses & violets. Add in herbs such as basil, bay leaves, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, spearmint & thyme.

Additional pot pourri ingredients are fixatives which prevent the fragrance from evaporating. Orris root, sandalwood & dried citrus peel do the job nicely. A couple of drops of fragrant or essential oils also helps to enhance the fragrance.

BASIC POT POURRI

4 handfuls of dried herbs, peels & flowers
1-2 Tbsp fixative (Sandalwood or dried citrus peel is good for this)
1-2 Tbsp mixed spices
A few drops of fragrant oil

Your flower petals need to be completely dry, so gather your flowers for pot pourri early in the day, as soon as the dew has been dried by the sun.

Spread your petals, leaves, gumnuts or pods sparsely on a Mesh Sheet in your dehydrator & dehydrate at 105 deg f for about 6 hours. Dry herbs separately at 95 deg f, also for about 6 hours.

Once finished, allow to cool, then place dried flowers, herbs, peels & any other dried materials in a large glass, ceramic or stainless steel bowl, tossing gently until mixed.

Combine the fixative & oil in a small bowl and then mix in the dried flowers & spices.

Store in a glass jar in a cool, dark place for 4-6 weeks to allow the fragrance to develop. Shake or stir the mixture one to two times a week.

After time this aromatic delight will be ready to be enjoyed!

DRIED FLOWER & HERB BATH BAG

This recipe couldn’t be easier! Simply dry your choice of flowers & herbs and then place 1 Tbsp of dried flowers or herbs, or a combination of both in a small cotton or cheesecloth bag.

To use, simply run yourself a bath & add the bath bag, letting it steep for 5-10 minutes before getting in. Or, place the bag in 1 quart of boiling water. Allow to steep for 5-10 minutes and then add the herb infusion to a full bath.

Remember you can reuse the bath bag - simply empty & dry it, then refill with a new combination of dried flowers or herbs.

LAVENDER ROSE PETAL SACHET

1 cup dried lavender
1 cup dried rose petals
1/2 cup dried citrus peel

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients & fill small cloth pillows. Sew the ends of the sachets closed. The fabric used should be lightweight enough to let the fragrance emerge, but not so sheer that the contents fall through.

Use the sachets to scent clothes drawers & wardrobes as well as your linen closet.

Make sure you experiment with your sachets - these pillows smell fantastic when made of 2 or 3 ingredients, including mint, lavender, rosemary, rose petals, geranium, thyme, violets & lilacs.

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Shaker Dried Corn

2 cups boiling water
1 cup dried corn
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp butter
2/3 cup light cream

Pour boiling water over the corn and let stand 1 hour. Stir in sugar, salt and
butter.

Cook uncovered over low heat about 30 minutes, until most of the liquid is
absorbed.

Stir in cream and heat through.

Serves: 4

Submitted by: Darlene

South of The Border Corn Chips

4 cups sweet corn - fresh or frozen
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp tomato powder

Chop corn in food processor until fine. Add choice of seasonings “to taste” and
process until combined.

On dehydrator tray, spread about 1/8” thick. Score diagonally left to right, then
across right to left into triangles, or preferred shape.

Dehydrate about 5 hours, or to desired texture. These are super, and helpful for
those with a previous “chip” tooth!

Submitted by: Darlene

Yogurt Drops

Thicker brands of commercial yogurt dry best.

Drop flavored yogurt by 1/4 teaspoon onto lightly oiled Fruit Roll Sheet.

Optional: For fun sprinkle drops with chopped peanuts or coconut before drying.

Dry in your dehydrator 8 to 16 hours at 135 degrees F. until chewy. Remove from
sheet while warm. Chill and store in refrigerator or freezer.

Submitted by: Darlene

Zucchini Pudding Cake

1 package pudding-included cake mix (yellow or any other flavor)
1 package (4-serving size) vanilla instant pudding
4 eggs
1/4 cup oil
3 cups grated zucchini (rehydrated)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl. Mix together, then beat at
medium speed of electric mixer for 4 minutes. Pour into greased and
floured Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 50 to 55
minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and cake
pulls away from sides of pan. Don’t underbake.

Submitted by: Darlene

Dehydrator Au Gratin Potato Chips

3 cups potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt

Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix.

Spread onto a Fruit Roll sheet and dry for 4 hours.

With a clean butter knife, lift entire ring off sheet, turn over and dry for 1
hour longer, or until dry enough to break into pieces.

Makes: 6 servings

Submitted by: Darlene

Black Bean Cumin & Garlic Spread

1 - 16 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chicken or vegetable bouillon
salt and pepper to taste
enough water to make it not sticky

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor, adding the water
slowly.

Blend to a paste like consistency. Spread on fruit roll trays and place in the
dehydrator. When dry, crumble and place in a zip locking plastic bag, or other air
tight container.

To serve: add water and stir until desired consistency is reached.

Submitted by: Darlene

Chivy Cheese Chips

1 - 12 oz carton cottage cheese, with chives
1 medium ripe tomato, cut in quarters
1 Tbsp onions, chopped
1 dash cayenne
1 dash garlic powder

In a blender or food processor, blend cottage cheese, tomato, onion and spices
into a smooth liquid.

Pour spoonfuls of mixture (1 1/2 to 2” diameter) onto fruit roll sheets.

Dry at 145 degrees F. for 4 to 6 hours, or until rounds curl up on the sides like
potato chips.

Makes: 6 servings

Submitted by: Darlene

Dehydrator Taco Chips

1 cup whole kernel corn or creamed corn
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup red peppers or green peppers, diced
1 tablespoon onions, chopped
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
salt

In a blender or food processor, blend together all ingredients at high speed.

Spread mixture thinly onto Fruit Roll Sheets.

Dry at 130 degrees F. for approximately 10 hours or until dry on one side.

Lift entire corn ring off of Fruit Roll Sheet, turn over and dry for two hours
longer or until crisp.

Break into pieces.

Makes: 6 servings

Submitted by: Darlene

Dehydrator Spice Rub

5 dried smoked habanera peppers
20 dried smoked jalapeno peppers
10 dried poblano peppers
2 large vidalia onions
5 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp toasted coriander seeds
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup light brown sugar
salt to taste

Smoke Habanera and Jalapeno peppers over slow grill with wet mesquite for about 2
hours (halving peppers decreases time needed and intensifies smoke flavor).

Toast coriander seeds in foil “pan” on grill for 5 to 10 minutes. Use
manufacturers instructions to dehydrate peppers, onions and garlic. Once dry,
grind peppers, garlic, onions and seeds to powder (an electric coffee grinder
works great).

Combine all ingredients and use as a rub for any meat or fish. Comments I love it
on grilled pork tenderloin, or anything else. The brown sugar content can be
adjusted to adjust the heat level.

Submitted by: Darlene

Chili

1/8 cup dried onion
2 Tbsp dried green pepper
1 tsp granulated garlic
1/2 tsp dried jalapeño peppers (or Serrano if you like the heat)
2 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp tomato powder (or soup mix)
1/2 tsp ground ancho chili pepper
dash each of oregano, red pepper, cumin, ground cinnamon, salt
1/8 cup diced tomatoes, dried and crumbled
1/4 cup dark red kidney beans, cooked and dried (canned and dehydrated)
1/4 cup hot chili beans, cooked and dried (canned and dehydrated)
1 lb ground beef, cooked and dehydrated to rock hard

In all ingredients into a freezer bag and pop in freezer.

To serve: Place ingredients into a saucepot and top with boiling water and let sit
for 10 minutes. If camping pour boiling water into freezer bag and place in a cozy
for 10 minutes and serve.

Submitted by: Darlene

Granola

This is a great recipe that can almost have any dried fruit added to it.

4 C old fashioned oats
1 C sunflower seeds
1/2 C sesame seeds
1 C coconut
3/4 C wheat germ
1/2 C bran flakes
1 1/2 C cashews or peanuts
1/4 C non instant powdered milk
3/4 C vegetable oil
1/2 C brown sugar
3/4 C honey
1 tsp vanilla
1 to 2 C chopped dried fruits, your choice

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Grease a large baking pan or sided cookie sheet.

Mix the oats, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, coconut, wheat germ, bran flakes
cashews or peanuts and powdered milk together and set aside.

Mix the oil, brown sugar, honey and vanilla together and toss with the oat
mixture.

Bake for approximately 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes, until mixture turns
golden brown.

Remove from oven, add chopped dried fruits, and spread on wax paper to cool.

Crumble with your hands to separate. Store in an air tight container.

Healthy Salt Substitute

2 bunches celery, plus
1 bunch celery (or as much as your dehydrator can handle)

Cut up the celery into fairly small pieces. Put it in the dehydrator until very
dry. Place it in a blender or mini food processor until powdery. Put it in your
salt shaker and get rid of the salt!

A common misconception that salt in celery raises blood pressure. Salt found in
vegetables as organic not inorganic like the kind found in the ocean and the
ground. Plus their are certain ingredients in celery that have actually been shown
to lower blood pressure.

One of the best ways to lower blood pressure is to eat more celery, which contains
an oil that can lower blood pressure, adds registered pharmacist Earl Mindell,
R.Ph., Ph.D., professor of nutrition at Pacific Western University in Los Angeles
and author of Earl Mindell’s Food as Medicine and other books on nutrition. Celery
oil allows muscles that regulate blood pressure to dilate, says Dr. Mindell, and
scientific studies show that rats who consumed the equivalent of four stalks of
celery a day lowered their blood pressure an average of 13 percent.

Submitted by: Darlene

Hearty Dried Vegetable Soup

2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup dried green peppers
1/2 cup dried onions
1/2 cup dried carrots
3/4 cup ground beef or left over beef
1 - 16 oz can tomatoes
2 cans beef stock mixed with 2 cans water
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp tarragon leaves
1 bay leaf
1 cup cooked long grain rice

Pour boiling water over dried vegetables and set aside for 1 hour.

Brown ground beef in a large skillet. Transfer to a soup pot, add vegetables and
their broth, tomatoes, diluted beef stock, salt, tarragon and bay leaf.

Cover and cook for 40 minutes at a slow simmer. Uncover and stir in rice.

Serves: 6 to 8

Submitted by: Darlene

Marinated Green Beans

Green beans, which are among the tougher dried vegetables, adapt well to this
treatment if they are of high quality.

4 cups water
2 cups dried green beans
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried mustard
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp tarragon vinegar
5 Tbsp olive oil

Place the water and beans in a saucepan and boil for 40 minutes or longer, until
beans are fairly tender. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.

In a small bowl place salt, pepper, mustards and vinegar. Add oil and mix well.

Pour over green beans and marinate in refrigerator for about 20 minutes. Toss
gently before serving.

Serves: 4

Submitted by: Darlene

Pizza Leather

1 - 15 oz can stewed tomatoes - (May substitute Italian or Mexican stewed)
1 - 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 tsp sugar (optional)
3 leaves dried oregano
3 leaves dried basil
garlic salt to taste (or garlic powder)

Drain liquid from stewed tomatoes. Blend drained tomatoes, tomato sauce and
sugar in blender until smooth. Pour tomato puree on an oiled plastic wrap
lined drying tray.

Sprinkle crushed oregano, basil and garlic salt on top of puree. Dry 4 to 6 hours
at 140 - 160 degrees F. until leather is dry and no longer tacky to touch.

Store air tight so it doesn’t absorb moisture.

You may be only familiar with sweet fruit leathers, but tomato leathers make
excellent snacks. Serve Pizza Leather on hor d’oeuvres plates with cheese
and sausage or ham. Or spread Pizza Leather with cream cheese and roll, tie
with a chive blade.

Submitted by: Darlene

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FoodPreservationDryingCanningAndMore/files/Dehydrating%20/Dehydrated%20Foods%20and%20Using%20Them/

Home Dried Potatoes

Potatoes (an amount you find manageable)
Metal vegetable blanching basket, or French fry basket
Colander & Mixing Bowl which is larger than your colander
Paper towels
Several cookie sheets OR Food Dehydrator & trays or racks
Vegetable Oil Cooking Spray

Peel desired amount of potatoes and slice into rounds 1/8 inch thick. (Peeling
is optional- there are important vitamins and minerals stored in the potato
skins, but they look nicer peeled, so choose according to your personal
preference.) This can be done quickly with a food processor or slicer. Bring a
large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Put potato slices into a
vegetable basket and plunge the basket into the boiling water and wait for the
water to return to a boil. Once the water is boiling, start counting off 8
minutes of blanching time. While potatoes are blanching, set up a large mixing
bowl in your sink and fill it with ice water. When the potatoes have blanched
for 8 minutes, plunge the basketful of potatoes immediately into the ice water
and let them sit there for 15 minutes. Spread the blanched potato slices in a
single layer between paper towels and blot them dry.

If you are not using a dehydrator, spray cookie sheets with vegetable oil spray
(do not use regular cooking oil); if you are using rimmed baking pans, spray and
use only the upside down bottoms of these pans to prevent scorching near the
pan’s raised rim; if you are using Teflon cookie sheets, there is no need for
spray. Spread potato slices on the prepared sheets or pans as close together as
possible but in a single layer. Place cookie sheets on oven racks and turn the
oven on to its very lowest temperature. (between low and off) Keep the oven door
ajar so that the air can circulate freely and let moisture escape. Make sure
that the temperature never gets so hot that your hand feels uncomfortable when
held in the oven. This is necessary for thorough drying.

If you are using a dehydrator, place potato slices on racks which have been
prepared with vegetable oil spray, placing potatoes close together, but not
touching, so air is allowed to circulate between them. Turning is not necessary
on vented racks. Dry according to manufacturer’s instructions, or until potatoes
are brittle, somewhat translucent and are not at all pliable. If you have solid
racks, follow the same directions as for turning potatoes dried in an oven:

After 1 hour, turn all the slices over; then turn the slices over every 30
minutes. Drying time will depend largely on your own oven, but you should begin
checking for doneness at 3 hours. The potatoes are done when they become
brittle, somewhat translucent, and are not at all pliable. Their color should be
pale white with a tinge of yellow; do not let them become brown or even dark
amber in color. Some potato slices will dry faster than others, so check every
15 - 30 minutes for slices which are done.

Let the dried potatoes cool thoroughly, then store for up to a year in glass or
plastic jars OR plastic bags at room temperature in a cool, dry place.

**You can use the instructions from your favorite pre-packaged potato mixes to
cook or reconstitute your dried potatoes, or you can use the recipes below to
put together your own mixes for your home-dried potatoes.

Basic Sauce Mix

2 Tbsp. Nonfat Dry Milk
2 Tbsp. Flour
2 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1 tsp. Onion Powder or 1 Tbsp. Crushed Dried Onions
1/8 tsp. Black Pepper

Combine the above ingredients to make 1 package of sauce mix and seal it in a
small zip baggie, removing as much air as possible. When making several mixes to
store or give as gifts, multiply this sauce mix recipe and store in a jar until
ready for use. 6 Tbsp. Sauce Mix is equal to 1 x the above recipe.

Yield: 3 cups or four 3/4 cups servings

Scalloped Potato Mix in a Jar

3 cups dehydrated Potatoes
1 package (6 Tbsp.) Sauce Mix
1/3 cup Nonfat Dry Milk

Place these ingredients into a one quart jar, making certain the sauce mix and
dry milk are first placed into small zip baggies, then sealed with the air
removed. Place the potatoes into the bottom of the jar, then add the baggie of
mix on top. Place lid on jar and store in a cool dry place until ready to use.

Attach the following instructions for later use, or for gift giving:

Scalloped Potatoes

3 Tbsp. Butter or Margarine
2 3/4 cups boiling Water

Pour the potatoes into a medium size ungreased casserole and sprinkle the sauce
mix on top. Dot with butter; stir in the boiling water. Bake at 400 degrees F
for 30 to 35 minutes or until tender. If you are cooking something else at a
lower temperature in your oven, adjust the baking time; at 350 degrees bake 40
to 45 minutes; at 325 degrees bake 50 to 55 minutes.

Skillet Meat and Potatoes Casserole Mix in a Jar

3 cups dehydrated Potatoes
1/3 cup Nonfat Dry Milk
1 package (6 Tbsp.) Sauce Mix
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Beef Bouillon Granules

Place above ingredients into a quart jar, placing milk, sauce mix, pepper, salt
& bouillon granules into a small zip baggie, which will be placed on top of
potatoes in the jar. Place lid on jar & store in a cool dry place until ready to
use.

Attach the following instructions for later use, or for gift giving:

Skillet Meat & Potatoes Casserole

Brown 1 pound of ground beef in a skillet, and drain off excess fat. Stir in 2
3/4 cups water and the ingredients from the jar. Heat to boiling, reduce heat,
cover and simmer stirring now and then, for about 25 minutes or until the
potatoes are tender.

Yield: 4 one cup servings

Submitted by: Darlene

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Apple Pie

3 1/2 C dried apples
2 C water
3/4 C sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Cook apples until tender. The apples will rehydrate during the cooking and
baking process. Add sugar and cinnamon. Fill and top with pie crust and
bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Cherry Pie

3 C dried cherries
3 C boiling water
1/2 C flour
1 C sugar

Cover cherries with water and let soak for 30 minutes. Simmer and add
sugar and flour to thicken. Pour into pie crust and add top crust. Bake at
400 degrees F. for about 35 minutes.

Peach Pie

3 C dried peaches
3 C boiling water
2/3 C flour
1 C sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Cover fruit with water and let soak for 30 minutes. Simmer and add sugar,
spices and flour to thicken. Pour into pie crust, dot with butter, and cover
with pie top. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 30 minutes.

Beef Stroganoff

2 Tbsp Nido whole milk powder
1 tsp butter buds (or use fresh butter / margarine, 1 Tbsp)
1 Tbsp tomato powder (or tomato soup mix)
1 Tbsp cornstarch or flour
dash of pepper
2 Tbsp dried onion
1 cube beef bullion (crushed) (or use low sodium Beef bullion)
1/4 Cup diced dried mushroom slices (or freeze dried mushrooms)
1 Cup cooked & dehydrated egg noodles
1/2 cup dried hamburger

Place all ingredients into a quart freezer bag and store in freezer.

To serve: Cover with boiling water and let sit for 10 minutes. If camping just
pour boiling water into the freezer bag place in a cozy and let sit for 10
minutes.

Serves: 2

NOTE: If you can find it add 1 Tbsp of powdered sour cream also. Yum

Submitted by: Darlene

Instant Guacamole

1 package guacamole mix
2 large avocados

Cut your avocados in half down lengthwise. Take a chefs knife and whack it
gently into the pit. Twist your knife and the pit will pop out. Meanwhile take a
spoon and go under the lip of the peel all around. The avocado meat will pop out
for you. Discard pit and peels.

Put the avocado meat into a glass bowl and mash up with a potato masher or fork
with the dry mix.

On parchment lined dehydrator trays take 1/4 cup servings and spread each
serving thin with a spatula on its own section of paper.

Dry at 135 degrees F. for 7 hours. At 4 hours in flip it over on the parchment
paper so the other side gets heat. At 5 hours peel the paper off. This allows
the backside to get free air movement.

When dry let it cool to room temperature then run each section through a mini
grinder to powder it. Then pack it into snack size bags and mark it. Each 1/4
cup of fresh becomes about 2 Tbsp dry mix. To rehydrate add 2 Tbsp cold water,
seal bag and knead gently. Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes. You may need to add
a bit more water to your texture preference.

NOTE: Due to the natural fat you would want to store it in your freezer and use
up in 3 months or so. I would not recommend carrying the dried guacamole for
extended periods in hot weather due to said fat - it could go off. If you use a
recipe for homemade, be sure it contains lemon juice to prevent browning. Once
you cut the avocado do not stop or wander off until it is all mixed. Avocado
browns fast if you do not treat it!

Submitted by: Darlene

Instant Refried Beans Mix

3 c dehydrated beans, any variety (NOTE)
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp dried minced onion
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)

In blender, grind beans until they resemble flour. Mix all ingredients together
in a medium bowl until they are well blended. Store mix in a large airtight
container / jar in a cool, dry place.

Refried Beans

3/4 c instant refried bean mix
2 1/2 c boiling water

Combine bean mix and water in a medium saucepan. Mix with a wire whisk until
combined. Mixture may be limpy, that’s ok. Bring mixture to a boil, stir
frequently, cover pan, reduce heat to low, and simmer 4 to 5 minutes until
thickened. Mixture will thicken as it cools.

This is a little spicy, so I do different variations, such as omitting the
cayenne pepper at times. Just depends on taste.

NOTE: These are dehydrated canned beans. Or cook dried beans like you normally
would then dehydrate them then powder them.

Submitted by: Darlene

Lemon Dill Hummus

1 - 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp dried dill

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor, Blend to a paste
like consistency.

Spread on two fruit roll trays and place in the dehydrator. When dry, crumble and
place in a zip locking plastic bag, or other airtight container.

To serve: add water and stir until desired consistency is reached.

Submitted by: Darlene

Zucchini, Oat and Carrot Muffins

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup dry oatmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/4 cups shredded, unpeeled zucchini (rehydrated)
1/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup oil

Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Pour into greased muffin tins, with each muffin
cup about 2/3 full.

Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

Submitted by: Darlene

White Bean and Roasted Pepper Spread

1 - 16 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup roasted red bell peppers (drained)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp parsley flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor, adding the water
slowly.

Blend to a paste like consistency. Spread on fruit roll trays and place in the
dehydrator.

Note: This one is likely to stain your trays, so you may want to use parchment
paper. When dry, crumble and place in a zip locking plastic bag, or other air
tight container.

To serve: add water and stir until desired consistency is reached.

Submitted by: Darlene

Tomato Basil Hummus

1 - 15 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 - 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp dried basil
2 tsp olive oil

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor, Blend to a paste
like consistency.

Spread on two fruit roll trays and place in the dehydrator. When dry, crumble and
place in a zip locking plastic bag, or other air tight container.

To serve: Add water and stir until desired consistency is reached.

Submitted by: Darlene

Texas Chili Peanuts

1- 16 oz jar dry roasted unsalted peanuts
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup hot pepper sauce(like Tabasco)
1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp red pepper
1/8 tsp ground oregano

Place nuts in a 9 inch square pan.

In a glass measuring cup combine remaining ingredients. Pour over nuts. Let nuts
sit at room temperature overnight. Drain liquid from nuts; place nuts on regular
drying tray.

Dry in your dehydrator at 145 dewgrees F. for 3 to 5 hours or until nuts are
crunchy. Store in an air tight container.

Submitted by: Darlene

Sun Dried Tomato Dip

1/4 Cup sun-dried tomatoes
balsamic vinegar
1/3 Cup sour cream
1/3 Cup mayonnaise
1/3 Cup plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped (or 1 tsp. dried)
1/4 Cup green olives, chopped

Place tomatoes in a small bowl and add balsamic vinegar until just
covered. Allow to soak for about an hour. Remove tomatoes from vinegar
and drain well. Chop finely and mix with other ingredients. Keep in
refrigerator until ready to serve.

Submitted by: Darlene

Spiced Lentils

1/4 cup (cooked) dehydrated lentils
1/4 cup (cooked) dehydrated rice
1 Tbsp onion flakes
1 tsp vegetable or chicken bullion
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder (optional)
cayenne or red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

Combine all of the ingredients in a zip locking plastic bag.

To serve: Add about 1/2 cup hot water to the lentils and rice. Stir well (the
spices sift to the bottom) and allow to rehydrate before eating.

Single serving

Submitted by: Darlene

Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds usually are left on the flower to dry. The flower may have to be
wrapped with cheesecloth to prevent the birds from eating the seeds.

Seeds may be dried in the sun or in a dehydrator at 100 degrees F. Higher
temperature affects the flavor.

When seeds are dried, they can be roasted in a shallow pan at 300 degrees F for 10
to 15 minutes.

Submitted by: Darlene

Drying Popcorn

Certain varieties of popcorn can be dried at home. The best varieties are Japanese
Hull-less, Hybrid South American Mushroom, Creme Puff Hybrid, White Cloud and Dynamite.

Leave the ears of popcorn on the stalks until the kernels are well-dried.
Harvested ears of corn can be air-dried at a temperature below 130 degrees F. When
the kernels are dry, remove them from the ears and package.

Dried corn will appear shriveled. Pop a few kernels to test. Popcorn will dry down
to about 10 percent moisture. No pretreatment is necessary.

Sibmitted by: Darlene

Drying Pumpkin Seeds

Drying seeds and roasting seeds are two different processes. To dry, carefully
wash pumpkin seeds to remove the clinging fibrous pumpkin tissue. Pumpkin seeds
can be dried in the sun, in a dehydrator at 115 to 120 degrees F for 1 to 2 hours,
or in an oven on warm for 3 to 4 hours. Stir them frequently to avoid scorching.

To roast, take dried pumpkin seeds, toss with oil and/or salt and roast in a
preheated oven at 250ºF for 10 to 15 minutes.

Submitted by: Darlene

Rice

Commercial instant rice is easy to use, cheap and can be found almost
everywhere. So what does it lack though? Simply a deep taste and as well the
texture that good quality rice has. Sadly with commercial instant rice you do
have a major trade off. In burritos or used in soups on the trail it isn’t so
noticeable. But if your rice is the focal point it can come up very lacking.
Drying your own rice can open up a vast array of choice from Jasmine, sticky
rice, brown, black, red and even wild rice. If you can buy the rice at the store
you can dry it up!

In most cases you will want to double whatever is the “serving size” on the rice
package. That is often 1/4 cup dry rice. Figure 1/2 cup per serving of uncooked
rice for trail appetites.

Cook your rice how you prefer making sure you don’t add in oil or fat. For white
rices I often bring 3 cups water to a boil and add in 1 1/2 cups rinsed rice,
bring it back to a boil, stir well and put the lid on. Turn it down to low and
let it simmer gently for 20 minutes. When done fluff the rice up well.

Spread the cooked rice on prepared dehydrator trays - if you have fine mesh
screen use them, if not line your trays with parchment paper. 1 1/2 cups
uncooked rice takes up about 2 trays when cooked. Dry at 135 to 145 degrees F.

If you are drying using your kitchen oven spread the rice on cookie trays and
set the oven to it’s lowest setting. Put the trays in the oven and prop the door
open a tiny bit with a wooden spoon.

Either way, check on your rice every hour and stir it breaking up any clumps. As
the rice gets dry it will become very easy to get single grains.

The time depends on the humidity and if your dehydrator has a fan to help move
off the moisture. Expect to take 4 to 12 hours (this isn’t an exact science!)

For rehydrating use a ratio of 1:1. For 1 serving from above add 3/4 cup boiling
water to the 3/4 cup dried rice. Stir well and put in a cozy for 15 minutes.
Serve as usual!

Submitted by: Darlene

Quinoa

While Quinoa it is a very fast cooking grain (10 to 20 minutes) it usually
requires rinsing and draining it well before you cook it on trail, as the seeds
have a bitter natural coating that must be rinsed away. It can be used in place
of rice or couscous in many dishes.

A standard serving is 1/4 cup dry uncooked. For trail use I would recommend 1/2
cup uncooked. This provides roughly 240 calories, 6 g fat, 10 g protein and 6 g
fiber.

To make the quinoa:

Take a fine mesh colander and pour 1 cup uncooked quinoa in it. Rinse it well
with cold water and drain. Add it to 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring it
to a boil, stir, put on the lid and lower the heat to Low. Let simmer gently for
10 to 20 minutes. It may need up to 20 to absorb all the water.

Once done fluff up and spread on a lined dehydrator tray. Quinoa is very small
and will fall through most mesh liners. I would recommend that you line your
tray(s) with parchment paper. Dry at 135 degrees F. till dry. As with rice be
sure to check every hour and break up any clumps with clean fingers.

Serving sizes, weights and volume:
1/2 cup raw = 3 ounces
Cooked = 1 1/2 cups
Dehydrated = 3/4 cup and 3 1/2 ounces

You might think “well, now it is more volume and weighs a tiny bit more, how am
I saving anything?”. The beauty of it is you don’t need to cook it (saving fuel
and time) and all you need to do is add a 1:1 ratio of boiling water and let it
sit in your cozy for 10 minutes. No cleanup or burnt on messes. Ready to go when
you are!

Use it in any of your favorite recipes. It is nice added to vegetable soups in
winter.

Submitted by: Darlene

Pumpkin Flour

Description: Pumpkin flour is a great substitute for use in just about any
recipe that uses flour. Pumpkin Flour is rich in minerals and vitamins, many of
which are believed to have several medicinal benefits (see below).

Pumpkin Flour most likely originated in Mexico, the origin of pumpkins. It is
popular there today. But, Pumpkin Flour is most popular in Japan and in Asian
countries. We have also found reference to it’s use in Nigeria, Thailand, and
Brazil.

Potential and real medical benefits include:

* Aids gastrointestinal ailments
* Cancer avoidance and treatment
* Kidney ailments
* Diabetes- both helps in deterring the onset of Diabetes, as well as treatment.
* Heart ailments.

Note: If you’d like to try pumpkin flour, but do not want to make it fresh, it
can be hard to find. Try local health food stores, and Asian and Chinese
groceries.

Ingredients:

There’s just one ingredient..........one or more pumpkins.

Preparation Directions:

1. Select one or more fresh, ripe pumpkins. Sugar pie variety makes a good,
slightly sweet flour.

2. Cut open the pumpkin, remove and discard seeds and strings.

3. Remove the skin from the pumpkin. Use a sharp knife for hard skins. A potato
peeler may work on soft shelled varieties.

4. Slice pumpkin into thin slices and set out to dry. A food dehydrator is
helpful.

5. Allow pumpkin to completely dry.

6. Place slices into a food processor and grind into a flour-like texture.

7. Place pumpkin flour into an airtight container, and store in a cool, dry
place.

Using Pumpkin Flour:

Pumpkin Flour can be used in any recipe that calls for flour. Most recipes
suggest substituting pumpkin flour for up to 1/4 of the amount of regular flour.

Submitted by: Darlene

Pasta

Dry at 135 degrees F. for 8 to 12 hours till brittle hard. Smaller types of pasta
dry fastest and re cook in bags at a faster rate. Rehydration is equal amounts of
water to pasta. As a tip, under cook your pasta by one to two minutes, as it will
finish cooking while being rehydrated.

To use: Place in boiling water, and let sit in a cozy for 5 to 15 minutes.

Submitted by: Darlene

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FoodPreservationDryingCanningAndMore/files/Dehydrating%20/Grains%20and%20Legumes/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FoodPreservationDryingCanningAndMore/files/Dehydrating%20/Fruit/

Dehydrating Watermelon

Because of watermelon’s high moisture content, it’s extremely difficult to
sun-dry. Ovens and commercial dehydrators, on the other hand, can do a superb
job of drying melons.

Whatever the drying method, carve the melon into 1/2 inch thick slices
crossways, not stem to stern). Cut the pieces in half and remove the rind, then
fit them snugly (with no overlapping) on a drying rack and place in your dryer
or oven.

When using an oven: set it on the lowest heat and leave the door slightly
cracked. Place a small fan (the smaller the better) near the oven door so that
air will circulate around the slices. Check every hour or two, and when the
pieces start to become leathery, turn them and allow the other side to dry.
Leave the slices in the oven as long as they are sticky moist. When the melon is
no longer tacky to the touch, take out the slices, allow them to cool at room
temperature, and then store in an airtight container.

In a dehydrator: put the slices on the lowest rack, or the one nearest the coil.
If you’re drying a full run of melon, leave the racks in place for three or four
hours, then put the bottom rack on the top and move each rack one step downward.
Keep rotating the trays every few hours until all the melon pieces are uniformly
dry to the touch. Don’t take the melon out while it’s still gummy; if you do,
it’ll cling to your teeth. Instead, wait until it snaps when you bend it, like
bacon that’s been fried to a crispy state.

NOTE: Be warned that dehydrating watermelon can be a time and energy intensive
process. It all depends on what dehydrator you have . But usually Watermelon
chunks will take 6-10 hours to dry them properly. If you have a dehydrator
without a fan and is a low wattage it can take up to 24 hours.

To use the dehydrated watermelon, simply unwrap it and eat it as you would dried
apples or fruit leather - but don’t eat a huge amount of the dried melon, since
it will reconstitute itself while being digested and can make you feel over
full.

Submitted by: Darlene

Strawberries

90% water - Select fully ripe, firm and juicy strawberries.
Wash, then remove caps, hulls, slice into 1/2” slice. Dry
at 150 degrees F. 1 to 2 hours until pliable to crisp.

Submitted by: Darlene

DRYING FIRM BERRIES

Crack the skins by dipping the berries in rapidly boiling
water for 15 to 30 seconds, then plunge them into cold
water.

Remove the excess moisture and dry in a dehydrator
for 12 to 24 hours.

They have dried properly if they are leathery, pliable and
contain no moisture when crushed.

Submitted by: Darlene

Dried Cranberries

It took awhile to get this method down, but now that I know what to do, it’s
easy. The important thing is not to be afraid to squish them down in the first
phase, or they won’t fully dry - the soluble fiber in them “gels” and retains
water unless it’s exposed to the air.

INGREDIENTS:

1 bag (12 oz) fresh whole cranberries
1 C sugar
1/2 C water

PREPARATION:

1. Put cranberries in large skillet, and pick through to remove soft and / or
brown ones.

2. Dissolve sugar in the water. Pour over cranberries and stir.

3. Heat on medium high until cranberries pop - 4-5 minutes or so. Stir every
minute or two. When all seem popped, turn off the burner and let them cool for
10 minutes.

4. Squish them down with the back of a large spoon. Don’t worry if it seems they
are melding together. Let cool another 5 minutes or so.

5. Put in dehydrator and dry at 145 degrees. Spread cranberries on the screens.
Have faith - they will mostly “individuate” again as they dry. If unpopped ones
remain, squish them down now.

6. Start checking after 6 hours. Total time depends upon humidity and probably
lots of factors. It usually takes me about 8 hours. It also depends on whether
you want to dry them to the point where they still have some “give” or whether
you like them “crispier”.

7. Separate them, and store covered (zip-type bags work well).

Submitted by: sbwertz

Cherries

82% water, sour or sweet - wash, remove stems, cut in half
and discard pits. Dry - 158 degrees F. for 2 hours then reduce
temperature to 130 degrees F. and continue drying until leathery
and slightly sticky.

Submitted by: Darlene

Blueberries

Select large, ripe dark blueberries. Wash in cold water, remove
stems. Blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds to “check” skins.
Dry at 130 degrees F. until leathery.

Submitted by: Darlene

Dehydrating Apples

Peel and core, cut into slices or rings 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Peelings may be
left on however they tend to toughen during dehydration. Fruits that are to be
dehydrated are pretreated to prevent discoloration by oxidation, to keep a
fresher color, to have a more pliable texture, and to help retain vitamin A and
C. Each of the following pretreatments perform a useful part of the dehydrating
process and each has merit. Personal preference should be your guide.

Ascorbic Acid: Dissolve 1 Tbsp of pure crystalline ascorbic acid in 1 quart of
cold water. Add cut fruit and soak for a few minutes; remove with a slotted
spoon; drain well and dehydrate.

Lemon Juice: Use 1 cup lemon juice to 1 quart water. Soak the fruit for no more
than ten minutes. Drain and dehydrate. (Lemon juice is only 1/6 as effective as
ascorbic acid.)

NOTE: After pre treating, the apple slices may be sprinkled with cinnamon or
flavored gelatin crystals.

DRYING METHODS

Sun Drying: This method takes 3 to 4 hot days (98 to 100 degrees F). Be sure to
cover fruit with screen or cheesecloth to keep away insects. Bring in or cover
at night to keep moisture from collecting. To “pasteurize” sun dried fruit in
order to prevent contamination from insects, freeze for 28 to 72 hours.

Oven Drying: This is generally the fastest method. The temperature should be no
higher than 140 degrees F., leave the door ajar; place a fan so it blows across
the opening and carries the moisture away.

Dehydrator Method: The temperature should be 150 degrees F. for 2 to 3 hours,
then reduce to 130 degrees F. until dry. Fruit is dry when it is soft and
pliable with no moist area in the center when cut.

NOTE: To insure that sufficient moisture has been removed to prevent molding
during storage, place the fruit in an airtight container for several days. Check
daily for condensation on sides of container. If condensation appears, dry the
fruit a little longer. Properly dried and packaged foods have a very long shelf
life. But for best quality and nutrient content, plan to use within one year.

Rehydrating: Dried apples may be reconstituted and used in pies and cobblers.
Here are some basic methods used to rehydrate: Soak fruit in liquid. Various
fruit juices, cordials and fruit liquors may be used. Boil fruit in water. Add 1
cup water to 1 cup fruit. Use less water for a thicker consistency. To soften
fruit for cookies and cakes, steam for several minutes. NOTE: Do not add sugar
during first five minutes of rehydration because it will hinder moisture
absorption.

Submitted by: Darlene

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FoodPreservationDryingCanningAndMore/files/Dehydrating%20/Fruit/Leathers%20and%20Roll%20ups/

Leathers made from Canned or Frozen Fruit

Home preserved or store bought canned or frozen fruit can be used. Drain fruit
and save liquid.

Use 1 pint of fruit for each 13” X 15” leather.
Puree fruit until smooth. If thick, add liquid.
Add 2 tsp of lemon juice or 1/8 tsp ascorbic acid for each 2 cups of light
colored fruit to prevent darkening.

Applesauce can be dried alone or added to any fresh fruit puree as an extender.
It decreases tartness and makes the leather smoother and more pliable.

Preparing the trays:

For drying in the oven a 13” X 15” cookie pan with edges works well. Line pan
with plastic wrap being careful to smooth out wrinkles. Do not use waxed paper
or aluminum foil.

To dry in a dehydrator, specially designed plastic sheets can be purchased or
plastic trays can be lined with plastic wrap.

Pouring the leather:

Fruit leathers can be poured into a single large sheet (13 “ X 15 “) or into
several smaller sizes. Spread puree evenly about 1/8 inch thick, onto drying
tray. Avoid pouring purse too close to the edge of the cookie sheet. The larger
fruit leathers take longer to dry. Approximate drying times are 6 to 8 hours in
a dehydrator, up to 18 hours in an oven and 1 to 2 days in the sun.

Drying the leather:

Dry fruit leathers at l40 degrees F. Leather dries from the outside edge toward
the center. Test for dryness by touching center of leather; no indention should
be evident. While warm, peel from plastic and roll, allow to cool and rewrap the
roll in plastic. Chances are the fruit leather won’t last long enough for
storage. If it does, it will keep up to 1 month at room temperature. For storage
up to 1 year, place tightly wrapped rolls in the freezer.

Spices, Flavors and Garnishes:

To add interest to your fruit leathers; spices, flavorings or garnishes can be
added.

Spices to try:

Allspice, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, ginger, mace, mint, nutmeg or pumpkin pie
spice. Use sparingly, start with 1/8 tsp for each 2 cups of puree.

Flavorings to Try:

Almond extract, lemon juice, lemon peel, lime juice, lime peel, orange extract,
orange juice, orange peel or vanilla extract. Use sparingly, try 1/8 to 1/4
teaspoon for each 2 cups of purse.

Delicious Additions to Try:

Shredded coconut, chopped dates, other dried chopped fruits, granola, miniature
marshmallows, chopped nuts, chopped raisins, poppy seeds, sesame seeds or
sunflower seeds.

Submitted by: Darlene

Instant Jam

3/4 dried fruit - use a single fruit or combination like bananas and strawberries
3/4 to 1 cup fruit juice or water, heated to boiling
1/4 cup honey or other sweetener, if needed

Cover the fruit with warmed juice and let sit overnight, if possible. Put this in
a blender, and add your sweetener. Puree until spreadable.

Submitted by: Darlene

Apple Cream Leather

6 apples
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1 cup nonfat yogurt (plain)
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Puree ingredients in food processor or blender until smooth. Place fruit leather
sheets in dehydrator trays. Spread puree over fruit leather sheets, 1/4” thick.
Dry until leathery (pliable but not sticky).

Submitted by: Darlene

Cherry Pineapples

Drain canned sliced pineapples and maraschino cherries on paper towels. Place
pineapples on trays with cherry in center of each. Dry 8-10 hours at 135° (off
brand slices with smalled center hole work best).

Candied Strawberries

Slice into 3/8 inch slices. Optional: sprinkle lightly with dry strawberry
jello, powdered sugar, or dip in honey/lemon juice mix (1/4 cup honey mixed with
1/4 cup lemon juice). Place on tray and dry 4-10 hours at 135° until crisp.

Orange Crisps

Slice unpeeled oranges into 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices. Dry 6-15 hours at 135° until
crisp. Rind easily separates from orange meat for snacking or powder rind or
meat for natural sugar or spice flavoring.

Honey & Banana Chips

Simply slice bananas 1/8 to 1/4 thick. Place on trays and dry 8-20 hours at 135°
until chewy. The greener the banana the crisper the chip: the riper the sweeter.
They’re delicious plain and natural. (Option: Dip slices into 1/4 cup honey
mixed with 1/4 cup lemon juice. Pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with
nutmeg. This option will double the drying time).

Cinnamon Apple Rings & Sugar

Slice apples into rings 3/16 to 1/4 inch thick. (Optional: sprinkle to taste
with cinnamon and/or sugar). Dry 4-10 hours at 135° until leathery to crisp.
(Option: for whiter apple rings, drop slices into 1 cup water and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Pat dry before drying).

Natural sugar: Powder dried apples in blender. Sprinkle on cereal, toast, ice
cream, etc.

Dried Fruit Balls

1 cup dried dates
1/2 cup dried calimyrna figs
1/2 cup prunes or dried apricots
1/2 cup raisins (regular or golden)
1 cup crushed walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup flaked coconut

In a food processor, finely chop dates, figs, prunes/apricots and raisins.

In a medium bowl, mix chopped fruit with nuts and seeds.

Stir in lemon juice.

Shape into 1/2-1” balls.
Roll in coconut.

Dry in your dehydrator at 135º for 4 to 6 hours, or until crisp on the outside.

10 servings 30 balls

Submitted by: Darlene

Mango Leather

4 cups mango purée (from about 4 large, unripe mangoes)
1 cup clover honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Preheat electric dehydrator to 140°F. (If not using electric dehydrator, see
“Notes” below.)

Wash and peel mangoes, chop roughly into chunks. Purée in blender until smooth.
Pass purée through a food mill or sieve; discard any coarse fiber extracted in
food mill. Add honey and spices to the purée and mix thoroughly.

Lightly spray two fruit roll tray liners from an electric dehydrator with
vegetable oil cooking spray. Spread mango mixture evenly to 1/4 inch thickness
on the trays.

Position fruit roll liners on dryer trays and place in dehydrator. Dry
continuously for about 10 hours. Maintain dehydrator air temperature steadily at
140°F. (Monitor the dehydrator air temperature periodically with a thermometer.)
Remove trays from dehydrator when purée is dry, with no sticky areas (about 10
hours – this will be highly dependent on the relative humidity of the drying
room). Test for dryness by touching gently in several places near center of
leather; no indentation should be evident.

Peel leather from trays while still warm. Leave the second tray on the
dehydrator while you peel the first leather, or re-warm leathers slightly in the
dehydrator if they cool too much prior to peeling. Cut into quarters, lay on a
piece of clean plastic food storage wrap about 1 to 2 inches longer at each end
of the leather and roll together into fruit leather rolls. When cool, twist the
ends of the plastic wrap tightly to close.

Store fruit rolls in freezer-quality zippered plastic bags or airtight plastic
container for short term storage, up to about 1 month. Leathers should be stored
in a cool, dark, dry place. For longer storage up to 1 year, place tightly
wrapped rolls in the freezer.

Notes: If not using an electric dehydrator:

Electric dehydrators produce the most reliable results. If you want to use an
oven instead, follow the methods below. Your oven should be able to maintain a
temperature as low as 140 to 145°F.

Use cookie sheets with edges (13” X 15” or 12” X 17” pans work well). Line with
plastic wrap, being careful to smooth out the wrinkles, or spray with vegetable
oil cooking spray. Do not use waxed paper or aluminum foil.

Fruit leathers can be poured into a single large sheet or into several smaller
sizes along the cookie sheet. Avoid pouring purée too close to the edge of the
cookie sheet. Set oven at the lowest setting, which should be 140 to 145°F. If
your oven does not a setting this low, it may not be suitable for home drying of
foods. Place the cookie sheets with purée on oven racks. Leave the oven door
open about 2 to 6 inches. Check oven temperature periodically with a thermometer
to keep the air temperature at about 140°F. If the temperature gets too high,
the oven may have to be temporarily turned off, and then turned on again.

Drying time will be longer for the large leather than smaller ones. Drying time
may also be longer in a regular oven than in an electric dehydrator, depending
on temperature control during drying. For a large leather, begin checking your
leather at 8 to 10 hours, however.

Variations:

Reduced sugars If you prefer less sweetness, the honey may be omitted for an
unsweetened mango leather. Color control: If you would prefer a lighter color to
your leather, add 1/4 teaspoon (750 milligrams) of ascorbic acid to the mango
purée (sweetened or unsweetened versions) with the spices.

Orange Julius Roll-Ups

1 1/2 cups applesauce
1 small apple, peeled, cored and chopped
2 teaspoons dried oranges, ground
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons corn syrup

In a blender mix all ingredients until pureed. Pour onto solid fruit leather
sheets; dry at 135º for 4 to 8 hours, or until leathery. Remove from sheets while
still warm. Let cool slightly. Roll in plastic wrap and store in dark , dry cool
place or in the freezer.

4 servings

Submitted by: Darlene

Sun Bars

4 cups sunflower seeds (hulled)
1 cup walnuts or almonds or pine nuts
2 cups pitted dates
2 cups raisins or other dried fruit
1 cup honey
1 cup apple juice
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups coconut flakes (optional)

Place the sunflower seeds and walnuts in a food processor and grind until
uniform in texture. Set aside.

Chop the dates into pieces your blender can handle.

In a blender place honey, apple juice, cinnamon, vanilla and chopped dates.
Blend until a smooth texture is reached.

In a large mixing bowl combine raisins, and nut mix. Then stir in the date
mixture (you may have to use your hands).

When the dough is completely mixed, you can either roll in balls and freeze for
later (tastes like cookie dough), or you can shape dough into 2 inch balls, roll
in coconut and place on dehydrator sheets. Dry in dehydrator for 8 to 10 hours
at 125 to 130 degrees F.

Another option is to take two 9 x 13 inch glass baking pan and sprinkle 1/2 cup
coconut in each pan. Press 1/2 of the dough in each pan, top with remaining
coconut and bake in a oven for 2 hours at 150 to 200 degrees F.

If you use an oven, you need to keep an eye on the bars during the last 30
minutes so they don’t burn.

Makes: 32 bars

Wild Plum Fruit Rolls (Leather)

4 cups wild plum puree
1 package powdered pectin
1 cup sugar

Use fully ripe or slightly overripe plums. Wash and cut away any bruised or
spoiled portions. Pit and puree plums in blender or food processor. Stir the
pectin into puree. Mix well. Add sugar and stir until dissolved.

Coat cookie sheet or dehydrator shelf with vegetable oil. Spread 1 cup puree in
border. Smooth puree with rubber spatula or tilt cookie sheet to evenly spread
puree. Refrigerate unused puree.

For conventional oven:

Set temperature control at lowest setting or 150 degrees F. Two cookie sheets
may be placed in the oven at the same time. Rotate trays after 3 hours. Drying
will take up to 18 hours.

For dehydrator:

Set temperature control at 140 degrees F. and dry for 6 to 8 hours.

For sun drying:

One to two days. Test for dryness by touching center of leather; no indentation
should be evident.

Remove rolls from tray while still warm and either roll each one in one piece or
cut them into 4 to 6 inch squares. Roll in plastic wrap after cooled. Rolls may
be stored up to 1 month without refrigeration. For longer storage, place in
freezer up to 1 year.

Submitted by: Darlene

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FoodPreservationDryingCanningAndMore/files/Dehydrating%20/Vegetables/

Candied Chile Pods

About 1/2 to 3/4 lb. (250 to 340 grams) of fresh chile pods, rinsed and cut in
half or strips (see note below)
2.6 lbs.(1,2 kilograms) regular white sugar
1 Quart (1 liter) water

Day #1

1. Preparing the Peppers: Like with all preserving techniques, only the
freshest, spotless chiles should be used. These are rinsed and patted dry.

To ease syrup penetration, it is recommended to cut the pods in half. You should
also deseed them. Just cutting the pods in half works well for thin walled
varieties like Habanero, Cayenne or Thai. Fleshier chiles like Jalapeño are
better cut into strips.

2. Cooking the Syrup: In a large saucepan, combine 1 quart (1 liter) water and 2
lbs (1 kilogram) sugar. Using the wooden spoon, mix well, then bring to a
rolling boil. Keep boiling and stirring until the mixture takes on a syrupy
consistency, but still stays clear and colorless. This takes about 30 Minutes.
If you are using a ceramics stovetop, watch out not to spill any sugar or syrup
on it, as this stuff burns in fast.

3. Pouring the Syrup: Put the cut chiles into the Mason jar or other glass
container, pour with boiling hot syrup (caution - don’t burn yourself). Leave
enough room to put a small bowl as a weight on top to keep the peppers down, all
covered with in the liquid. Close the container, keep remaining syrup in
marmalade jar(s). Let chiles sit in the closed container for 24 hours.

Notes: To minimize spill cleanup, put a newspaper underneath your jars. It is
also recommended to rinse and clean all cooking utensils right after work.

Various candying instructions recommend to start the pouring with syrup that has
cooled down first. We found pouring the piping hot liquid helps avoiding
spoilage of peppers by fermentation while sitting in the liquid for days. Of
course we could have boiled the pods quickly first, but that might have made
them soft and mushy, losing their shape. Feel free to experiment here.

Day #2: Drain chiles in a strainer, letting the syrup flow into your saucepan.
Put chiles back into the glass container. Bring the syrup to a boil and stir in
an additional 50 g (1.75 oz.) of sugar. Add also the syrup you saved in
marmalade jars, keep boiling and stirring with your wooden spoon for about 10
minutes at high heat. Pour the hot syrup over the chiles again, put on the
weight to keep them all covered in liquid. Also, save the remaining syrup again,
let chiles sit in their closed container for another 24 hours.

Day #3 to Day #5: Repeat the second day’s procedure, including the addition of
50 g (1.75 oz.) more sugar every day. Both the sugar addition and the reduction
by cooking will cause the syrup to become thicker and thicker. And it’s getting
hotter, too, as some of the capsaicin dissolves from the peppers into the
liquid. After Day #5, let sit for 48 hours and have a rest on Day #6.

Day #7: Pour syrup and chilis into saucepan and bring to a brief boil, for just
one minute, then take off the heat. Drain chiles through strainer, catch the
syrup in jars - Keep the syrup for other uses.

Arrange the chiles on a cookie cooling grid or a grid from your baking oven or
baking racks. Be sure to put parchment paper or a newspaper underneath, as you
put the peppers there to let them drip off excess syrup. Count for two hours.

As the pieces will still be sticky, you can finish them off in the baking oven
or dehydrator.

Finishing un the Oven: When using a baking oven, drying should take about 15
minutes at 210 degrees F. to 300 degrees F. with a door lightly open. If
available, turn on the oven’s air, too. Check after 10 minutes, drying should be
finished no later than another 10 to 15 minutes. (To keep the peppers as they
are, we prefer the airflow and lower temperature offered by a dehydrator, which
is a great device for drying peppers in general).

Finishing in the Dehydrator: Either way you should let the chiles cool to room
temperature, then store them in an airtight container. Flat containers like
Tupperware or Gladware allow to place the pieces side by side, rather than
stacking them, and potentially have them stick together.

Airtight Storage: That’s because it can be possible that the chiles are still a
little sticky. If that’s the case, you can coat them with powdered sugar (also
called confectioners’ sugar). The French confectioners glaze their fancy fruits
with a thin sugar coating after candying to keep them soft and moist by
preventing drying out more than desired. But since the aim at producing crunchy
chiles to begin with, you don’t need to do that. These candied chiles didn’t
stick after weeks of storage, and they wonderfully kept shape, color, heat and
aroma.

To retain the candied fruits’ colors, commercial production sometimes involves
the addition of sulphur dioxide, a legal additive. Store your candied chiles in
a dark place, they should keep their colors nicely without any additives.

Note: It is very important to get rid of all humidity and to store the candied
peppers tightly closed in a cool place, preferably in the refrigerator.
Especially fleshy peppers can get moldy after a couple of months if not dried
well and/or stored too warm. Since the thin fleshed varieties get dry more
easily, we found small hot red peppers as well as varieties like Habanero,
Tropical Red, etc. best suited for candying.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FoodPreservationDryingCanningAndMore/files/Dehydrating%20/Vegetables/

Green Beans

Wash thoroughly. Cut in short pieces or lengthwise. (May freeze
30 to 40 minutes after blanching for 2 minutes for a better
texture). Drying time is 8 to 14 hours. Start at 120 degrees F.
for 10 hour then increase temperature to 150 degrees F. When
beans are almost dry decrease temperature to 130 degrees F.
Texture will be very dry and brittle.

Submitted by: Darlene

Green Peas

Steam shelled peas 3 minutes or blanch for 2 minutes. Stir periodically during
drying. Texture will be very brittle and wrinkly and will shatter when hit with a
hammer.

Drying time will be between 8 to 10 hours depending on the type of dehydrator.

Dehydrating temperature: 130 degrees F. (55 degrees C.)

Dehydrated Sweet Garden Peas increase in volume about 3 times when boiled in
water; the weight increases about 3.3 times. Eaten plain, their flavor falls
somewhere between fresh and canned peas. Their texture is more like fresh cooked
peas than canned peas.

Cooked and ready to eat... With salt and pepper and a little butter, it’s really
hard to distinguish them from fresh peas. These peas also have a really nice color
when rehydrated. I don’t think you could tell them apart from fresh cooked peas,
being darker in color than canned peas.

Submitted by: Darlene

Mushroom Leather Chips

2 cups fresh mushrooms, like shitake, or other cultivated, cut into 1” pieces
2 cups of water, divided
2/3 cup chopped onions
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cornstarch

In a skillet, combine 1 cup of the water with the remaining ingredients, except
the cornstarch, over medium heat and simmer until the onions are transparent.

In a cup, whisk together the remaining water and the cornstarch until combined.
Add to the skillet and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, until
bubble break on the surface. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.

Transfer the mixture to the blender and puree until smooth. Spoon the puree,
dividing it into 6 ovals, each about 4 “ long and 3 “ wide, onto lightly oiled
solid leather sheets.

Place the drying sheets in the dehydrator. The drying time will depend on the
make of the dehydrator you are using and the thickness of the mushroom mixture:
Allow about 5 hours for drying the first side. Turn the chips over and dry
another 5 hours, or until they peel off easily.

To Use: Rehydrate a leather chip by cutting it into 1/4” pieces with a pair of
scissors. In a small saucepan, combine the small leather pieces with 1/4 c of
boiling water. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes to rehydrate. Uncover and bring
the mixture to a boil over medium high heat, stirring vigorously with a wire
whisk to break up the leather completely.

Use to flavor gravies, sauces, or soups. Makes 3 Tbsp mushroom flavoring.

Mary Bell’s book on dehydrating.

Submitted by: Darlene

Dehydrating Okra

This vegetable with its southern origins is an excellent addition to Creole
dishes, as well as other chicken and seafood dishes. It is also delicious in
soups.

Selection: Fresh okra should be evenly colored and light green. Its pointed end
should give slightly when pressed.

Preparation: Wash, trim tops and cut crosswise into 1/8” slices. Discard any
tough, reedy pods. Blanch in boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on
size. Arrange in 1/4” layers on cheesecloth covered trays.

Drying: Heat oven or dehydrator to 130 degrees F. and place okra in it for about 1
hour. As soon as okra takes on a slightly dried appearance, increase the heat to
140 to 150 degrees F. Towards the end of drying time reduce the heat to 130
degrees F. and watch carefully to avoid scorching. Stir frequently during drying.
Okra dries in about 2 to 3 hours in a dehydrator and can require up to 6 hours in
an oven.

Test for dryness: Okra will be tough and brittle.

Submitted by: Darlene

Onions

Wash, remove outer paper skin. Remove tops and root ends, slice
1/8 to 1/4” thick. Blanch 4 minutes and dry until very tough and
brittle. 158 degrees F.

Submitted by: Darlene

Oven Dried Sweet Peppers

Begin by washing and drying the peppers. Cut off tops and remove the
stems and seeds, as well as any of the white ribs. Quarter peppers and
lay out, insides up, in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet.

Place in the oven and set the temperature on the lowest possible
setting, ideally somewhere between 100 and 150 degrees F. If you have
an older gas stove with a larger pilot light, you may not even have to
turn on the oven. Also, if you need to leave for a while, you can turn off
the oven and allow the peppers to sit in there for several hours and
then return to drying by turning on the oven again.

Turning them over every hour or so for even drying, allow peppers to
dry in the oven for about 8 hours, until all noticeable moisture is gone.
Don’t allow them to become overly brittle. Remove from oven and allow
to cool before placing in a paper sack and hanging up to dry in your
kitchen for a few days to remove any remaining moisture.

Place fully dried peppers in a zip lock bag or tin and store in your
cupboards. To reconstitute, soak in hot water for three to five minutes.

10 smallish peppers yielded about 1 cup of dried peppers

This is a wonderful way to use up leftover peppers in your garden or if
you find a great buy at the market.

Submitted by: Darlene

Peppers of all Kinds and Pimentos

Sweet Peppers: Wash and remove stem and seeds. Cut into 1/2 inch strips or dice.

The texture will be pliable when done. This will take 8 to 12 hours depending on
the dehydrator.

Hot Peppers: Wash and slice in 1/4” x 1” pieces and dry until crisp. Crush or
grind if desired.

Temperature to start to dry at is 140 degrees F. (60 degrees C.) after 3 hours
turn down to 130 degrees F. (55 degrees C.) and continue drying until done.

Rehydrated in cold water, the raw peppers have nice color and the flavor is good
enough to use in dishes that use uncooked peppers such as the raw salsa that some
people like. Not quite as crisp as fresh.

Cooked in a casserole, soup or stew, I don’t think you’d be able to tell the
difference between fresh peppers and dehydrated peppers.

Submitted by: Darlene

Root Vegetables

How would you like to have “instant” mashed sweet potatoes and yams on the trail
or with dinner on one of those nights your too tired to cook? With a little prep
you can!

Peel, cut up and steam your favorite variety (2 lbs will give you enough for 4
servings). When done, drain and mash. Flavor how you like, but leave the butter or
oil out. Maple syrup is very good to add, along with black pepper.

Spread on dehydrator roll up sheets and dry. Once dry you can grind up and
package. Tp rehydrate just add boiling water and stir till thick and heated
through.

Dry at 135 degrees F.

Submitted by: Darlene

Summer Squash

Wash, trim and cut into 1/4 inch slices. Steam for 2 1/2 to 3
minutes or blanch for 1 1/2 minutes. Place on dehydrator racks
and dry 10 to 12 hours depending on the type of dehydrator.
The texture should be leathery to brittle. Dry at 130 degrees F.

Submitted by: Darlene

Summer Squash and Zucchini

Wash, trim and cut into 1/4 inch slices. Steam for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes or blanch
for 1 1/2 minutes. Place on dehydrator racks and dry 10 to 12 hours depending on
the type of dehydrator.

The texture should be leathery to brittle and yellow.

Submitted by: Darlene

Sun Dried Tomatoes

Tomatoes
Salt
Optional Herbs

Slice tomatoes in half, place on screen. Sprinkle with salt and optional herbs.

In dry, arid climates, place in the sun until dry. This could take 4 days to 2
weeks. Keep covered with raised cheesecloth that does not touch the tomatoes. This
will keep out insects and animals while still providing ventilation. Bring
tomatoes in at night to avoid the moisture of evening dew. In cooler, humid
climates dry tomatoes in a dehydrator for 8 hours or in an oven for 6 to 12 hours.

Oven: Preheat oven to 140 degrees. Use an oven thermometer to keep the oven
between 140 to 160 degrees F. Stack trays of food into oven. Keep oven door
slightly open so that moisture may escape. Rotate trays to provide even drying.
Stir food every half hour. Do not use a broiler as food will dry too quickly.

Dehydrator: Preheat to 125 degrees F. Stack trays of food into the dehydrator.
Slowly increase the temperature to 140 degrees F.

Shelf Life: These will keep for about 6 months if dried and stored properly. Store
in an air tight container in a cool dark area. Also good to freeze.

Drying Sweet Corn

Husk and trim the ears. Blanch in steam for 5 to 6 minutes or in water
for 4 to 5 minutes.

Cut corn from cob after blanching. Dry 2 to 4 hours in a dehydrator or 4
to 6 hours in an oven.

Submitted by: Darlene

Sweet Potatoes or Yams

Select thick orange potatoes free of decay ot blemishes.

Wash, peel and slice into 1/4” thick slices. Steam blanch for 3 minutes.

Initial drying temperature is 158 degrees F. for 1 to 3 hours then reduce
temperature to 130 degrees F. and continue drying till brittle in texture.

Submitted by: Darlene

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