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What Are You Dehydrating Today?
June 2, 2010
9:26 am
BuckeyeGirl
N.E. Ohio
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This may be a bit off topic, but I've always thought the berries in most cereals like Special K etc are freeze dried, not dehydrated.  I'm not sure though so maybe some investigation is in order… hmmmmm, now I'm off to snoop!

Located in N.E. Ohio
June 2, 2010
9:52 am
blueberrylu
Michigan
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I dehydrated some strawberries last year and they turned out very tasty.  They were great in cereal and oatmeal and they kids loved to snack on them.

June 2, 2010
9:54 am
CindyP
Hart, MI
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Oh, they probably are freeze dried, Deb…. I just love them and wish the dehydrated ones were like that!laugh  I could get a certain someone to eat way more fruits throughout the winter that way!

“Learn all you can from the mistakes of others. You won’t have time to make them all yourself.”  ― Alfred Sheinwold
June 5, 2010
7:20 am
kellyb
Mighty Chicken
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9 trays of sliced stawberries and 5 trays of strawberry/applesauce leather.  I only dehydrated a few strawberries last year because I wasn't sure if I would like them.  I loved them.  I'd mix them with yogurt before I'd go to be and in the morning, it would seem as though I was eating yogurt with fresh berries.  Used them in muffins also. 

June 14, 2010
2:42 pm
JeannieB
Columbia, South Carolina
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I have a very old round dehydrator (Mr Coffee) that has 4 trays, this weekend I chopped Vidalia onions and ran it two times.  I now have 2 qts of dried onions, and will make more next weekend. 

Don't cry because it's over—smile because it happened!
July 23, 2010
6:02 pm
Woodwife
Houston-ish, TX
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I dried a sack of onions, came out to not quite a quart. I'll be working on bell peppers today.

It's like herding cats . . .
July 23, 2010
8:11 pm
CindyP
Hart, MI
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Did you ladies do the onions inside?  I did some this winter and it about drove us out of the house!!!!  I'm going to do some this summer -- outside!

“Learn all you can from the mistakes of others. You won’t have time to make them all yourself.”  ― Alfred Sheinwold
July 23, 2010
9:09 pm
Woodwife
Houston-ish, TX
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CindyP said:

Did you ladies do the onions inside?  I did some this winter and it about drove us out of the house!!!!  I'm going to do some this summer — outside!

::laughs:: yes, I do mine inside during the summer, it's too humid to do them outside. The house smells like a deli for a while.
 

I've found that if I refrigerate the onions first it cuts down on the smelly-ness. It makes them less likely to make you cry when you cut them up too.

It's like herding cats . . .
July 23, 2010
10:15 pm
CindyP
Hart, MI
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Well, it's not usually this humid out….maybe in fall I will do a whole load.  I did really enjoy those dried onions, it didn't take long to go through the quart jar I had.

“Learn all you can from the mistakes of others. You won’t have time to make them all yourself.”  ― Alfred Sheinwold
July 24, 2010
12:10 am
wvhomecanner
North Central WV
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I usually do mine outside. I have a covered back porch and the Excal needs to go out there tomorrow because I have a couple of quarts of diced onion left over from a picnic today. I have done them inside and we all love onions so no one had an issue with it. Now, hot peppers and ramps definitely get done outside. Very humid here right now too – as they local weather guy said an hour ago  – we have "air you can wear" bug-eyed

 

dede

If common sense were truly common, wouldn't there be more evidence of it?
July 24, 2010
3:50 pm
kellyb
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I've got 9 trays of peach fruit leather drying.  I hope they're drying.  The heat index here is 105 degrees.  Like Dede, we've got "air you can wear".  In the other dehydrator, I've got 2 quarts of yogurt incubating.  I really questioned whether I even needed to put it in the dehydrator but I did.  I figured the fan moving the air around would help it. 

 

Earlier this week I did 9 trays of peaches, more fruit leather and 9 trays of herbs.  It's taking so long because the humidity is out of control.

 

Stay cool folks.  I'm hitting the creek in a little while.

July 24, 2010
5:58 pm
CindyP
Hart, MI
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We're wearing the air here, too, but the dehydrator is working!  I put all of the stuff left from my steam juicing cherries in there today to use for potpourri filler.  A little bit to go yet and I'll see how it all works out!

“Learn all you can from the mistakes of others. You won’t have time to make them all yourself.”  ― Alfred Sheinwold
July 25, 2010
11:08 am
kellyb
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2 trays of sage, 3 trays of lemon basil and 4 trays of lemon balm.  I normally hang some of my herbs to dry but all I got last week was a moldy mess.  I guess you can't expect things to dry if the humidity is 80% or higher.

 

DH just brought in a tub of peppers, beets, onions and squash.  I'll make sure some of the goodies have an appointment with the dehydrator!!

July 29, 2010
10:30 am
Pete
WV
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Trying an experiment here today.  Have two trays of the left over tomato seeds, peels and pulp from the strainer in the dehydrator, one on the solid plastic liner and one with the mesh liner on the tray.  Not sure that either is needed because this stuff is pretty thick!  I didn't lubricate the trays and hope not to regret that decision.

When dried, I plan to run the dried tomato leavings through the blender to pulverize it.  Hoping that the powder will make a good addition to soups, stews, and such during the winter months.

Anyone have any suggestons about temp?  It's sitting at 125 right now.  Probably would have rather done it at a lower temp, but it's very humid here today so compromised at a slightly higher temp – really for no particular reason!

Any ideas?

Anulos qui animum ostendunt omnes gestemus!
July 29, 2010
1:34 pm
Carolyn at WalnutSpinney
Shenandoah Valley
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I start my dehydrator out on the high side of whatever temp range I'm using, then lower it after a couple of hours.  With the humidity, I'd probably err on the side of caution for something thick so wouldn't drop below 115ºF. YMMV

I love using dried tomato powder to thicken and flavor everything from ketchup and spaghetti sauce to taco meat seasoning.  I even add a small amount to fresh salsa if it's on it's second go-round as I find it can become watery after sitting in the fridge for a day or two. 

Even when I've dried the tomatoes to a brittle crispness and then ground, the powder tends to take up moisture -- not enough to mold or cause other food safety issues but enough to make it difficult for me to remove from the jar.  If I have food-safe dessicant packets I'll use them in the vacuum-sealed jars but have found for me it's just as easy to use a little electric coffee grinder to grind powder as needed. 

September 11, 2010
12:13 pm
tsmith
Arizona
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I'm so excited.  I just got a dehydrator for free.  It doesn't have a manual, but it is in the box.  I will have to go online and see if I can either order or download a copy.  Oh, well.  Can't argue too much…. it was free.  BTW.  My husband thinks I am totally CRAZY for wanting and using a food dehydrator.

September 11, 2010
12:38 pm
CindyP
Hart, MI
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That's the best kind tsmith!  happy-feet  Now you can get in on the fun!!!

“Learn all you can from the mistakes of others. You won’t have time to make them all yourself.”  ― Alfred Sheinwold
September 11, 2010
2:16 pm
Pete
WV
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Gonna try to get some Vidalia onions into the dehydrator in a bit.  And some tomatoes.

We've had so many cukes this year that I just may try drying some of them, and maybe discover a new snack chip?  Tried that last year with summer squash, and they are delicious to munch on in the dried state.

What the worst that can happen?  Maybe end up with some dried cuke rounds which can be hydrated later to use during a facial?? 

Anulos qui animum ostendunt omnes gestemus!
September 11, 2010
2:25 pm
CindyP
Hart, MI
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Well, Pete, I just googled cucumber powder………. $6.36/oz or another site for $77.64/lb!  Used for many different formulas; masks, creams, lotions, toners, etc.  Cucumber contains a high silica content, which helps to soften the skin,
moisten dry skin and smooth wrinkles for a younger and brighter-looking
complexion.  Cucumber cools. When used externally, Cucumber relieves sunburn,
swelling under the eyes, scalds, sore eyes, conjunctivitis, dermatitis,
insect stings and poison ivy. 

 

You may be onto something here!

“Learn all you can from the mistakes of others. You won’t have time to make them all yourself.”  ― Alfred Sheinwold
September 11, 2010
2:41 pm
Carolyn at WalnutSpinney
Shenandoah Valley
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May 2, 2010
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I dry cucumbers and use them to make great dips for chips or veggies, salad dressing, tzatziki and benedictine spread.  I do peel cucumbers before drying, unlike the zucchini and summer squash, because when I first dried cukes I thought I detected a slight bitterness in the dried peel.

Dried cucumbers are really nice to have on hand in the winter because I don't have to buy hothouse cucumbers that have traveled from afar ;) and the dried cucumbers don't make my dips watery.  I can forgo any salting and draining I might have to do with fresh cucumbers…

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