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1:05 am
December 7, 2009
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WalnutSpinney said:
Dried beets (and skins) are good for coloring food and drinks, too. Doesn't take much and lets me avoid using all those red dye #___
Yes, I was thinking of that when I next make up some soap. Good to know someone else has tried it, and it works.
As an aside, when I was peeling the beets, my puppy tried to get into something, so I grabbed the back of her neck, and now she has beet stains on her scruff – lol! (She's a black and white dog, and her neck is bright white…with a little pink now!) 
8:28 am
June 2, 2010
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WalnutSpinney said:
kellyb said:
Beet skins, never would have thought of that. I love this forum.
Dried beets (and skins) are good for coloring food and drinks, too. Doesn't take much and lets me avoid using all those red dye #___
WalnutSpinney,
It's too late in the year for beet skins for me but I'm going to remember this for next year. I definitely want to give this a try.
8:32 am
June 2, 2010
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Nine trays of shredded zucchini and 9 trays of green beans. I've got pumpkin puree in the fridge waiting for the dehydrator, lots of apples and peppers waiting. It has been a bit chilly here so we moved the dehydrators into the kitchen to take the chill off.
1:57 pm
November 23, 2008
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I JUST received my Excalibur 3900. I'm so excited! I purchased it from their website, it is a refurbished one with a 10 year warranty.
I opened a pint of apple butter and a pint of applesauce and already have the fruit rollups in the machine.
I sold a bunch of purses I haven't carried in a LONG time to get the cash together for this and I have NO regrets.
Like Christmas! Yay!
3:15 pm
June 2, 2010
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mschrief,
You will love your Excalibur. I've got 9 trays of peppers going right now and butternut squash waiting it's turn. Keep us posted on your successes.
9:45 am
September 7, 2009
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I think I want to try this (dehydrating food), but I would like to hear more about how ya'll actually use the food in recipes. I am so afraid I won't get the most out of it.
11:52 am
June 2, 2010
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lizajane said:
I think I want to try this (dehydrating food), but I would like to hear more about how ya'll actually use the food in recipes. I am so afraid I won't get the most out of it.
lizajane,
I made soup for dinner before I left the house this morning. I used dehydrated potatoes, celery, onions, red peppers, carrots and corn. The base was chicken broth I had canned. I threw in a few pieces of leftover ham from dinner last night. Everything went in the crockpot set on low. When I get home I'll add some milk and season to taste. It will look just like I spent all morning chopping veggies and will taste terrific.
I take dehydrated fruit and mix it with plain yogurt before I go to bed. In the morning I have yogurt with fruit and some granola for breakfast. It tastes just like fresh. I make yeast breads and quick breads with dehydrated fruits and veggies. I will powder some fruits and veggies and add it to the batter. A good way to sneak some goodies into my family.
check out this website: http://www.dehydrate2store.com She's got lots of videos on how to dehydrate and use the foods. Once you start you'll be addicted. Search the recipes here as well. Dede from Canning2 is also a dehydrator and they discuss dehydrating there as well.
I dry almost anything I can get my hands on, including my DH & DD's cell phones. They dropped them in water. Still working today.
3:43 pm
September 7, 2009
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Wow, Kellyb! That site was very helpful. Thank you so much!
5:04 pm
November 15, 2010
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I can't find an Excalibur dehydrator in Ottawa, but a local health food store has "good4U" dehydrators, which they replaced the Excalibur with. Has anyone had any experience with these types of dehydrators? Are they any good? It's a chunk of money, and I don't want to be stuck with a dud….but really am interested in starting to dehydrate food.
5:30 pm
June 2, 2010
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justdeborah2002 said:
I can't find an Excalibur dehydrator in Ottawa, but a local health food store has "good4U" dehydrators, which they replaced the Excalibur with. Has anyone had any experience with these types of dehydrators? Are they any good? It's a chunk of money, and I don't want to be stuck with a dud….but really am interested in starting to dehydrate food.
My suggestion would be to check ebay or the excalibur website. Excalibur has refurbished models that come with a 10 year warranty. I have 2 and they work wonderfully. I don't know anything about the "good4u". I like the Excal because I can use it to proof bread, make yogurt and dry large items because of the way the door fits and the trays can be removed. That was a big plus for me.
8:57 pm
November 15, 2010
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thanks….I'll keep trying to find an Excalibur
9:36 pm
February 10, 2009
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I was just reading up on them and it seems that you really need to have all the trays in the good4U one because it doesn't have a door. that means that it's hard to use it with anything taller so you want to use every other tray or no trays so you can put a bowl in it etc. I don't think that'd bother everyone though. There's good reviews and bad ones on the various sites, I'm not sure that's enough to go on though.
10:19 pm
September 9, 2010
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mschrief said:
I JUST received my Excalibur 3900. I'm so excited! I purchased it from their website, it is a refurbished one with a 10 year warranty.
I opened a pint of apple butter and a pint of applesauce and already have the fruit rollups in the machine.
Oh, I so want to order one of these Excalibur's. I had seen the link for the refurbished one's but didn't know of anyone who had purchased one. I didn't realize they had a 10 yr warranty too. Do they get really hot? Do you need to watch what it is setting on due to the heat? I think I'd really use it since everyone has shared what they are making in it. Thanks and keep sharing it's uses please!
1:30 am
August 20, 2010
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justdeborah2002 said:
thanks….I'll keep trying to find an Excalibur
Here you go!
You can purchase direct from an international distributor:
http://www.excaliburdehydrator…..tm#dealers
7:13 am
November 15, 2010
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thank you so much for the links…I'm definitely going to check it out. But I still am peaking around for a used one…
1:11 pm
November 23, 2008
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I just love my Excal dehydrator. IT is perfect, nothing wrong with it, etc. I figure it is a pretty simple machine, a motor and a fan. The 10 year warranty sold me.
I ebayed some purses to get it, don't miss them one little bit and am so proud of the dehydrator. Guess I'm getting old and fashion isn't important anymore.
It gets warm…I didn't notice it getting hot. I've dried grapes (raisins), apples, banannas and fruit leather. This weekend I'm drying sliced potatoes and some tomato-fruit leather.
I didn't pay much attention to the machine when it was on. I keep it in my laundry room so I can shut the door and not hear it. But curiosity would get the better of me and I'd check progress.
Mary K
Maribeth said:
mschrief said:
I JUST received my Excalibur 3900. I'm so excited! I purchased it from their website, it is a refurbished one with a 10 year warranty.
I opened a pint of apple butter and a pint of applesauce and already have the fruit rollups in the machine.
Oh, I so want to order one of these Excalibur's. I had seen the link for the refurbished one's but didn't know of anyone who had purchased one. I didn't realize they had a 10 yr warranty too. Do they get really hot? Do you need to watch what it is setting on due to the heat? I think I'd really use it since everyone has shared what they are making in it. Thanks and keep sharing it's uses please!
7:56 am
November 15, 2010
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ok…so I didnt hold out for an Excalibur….bf bought me a Nesco instead….I'm taking it for a test run…so how do I know how long something should take to dry? I've had orange and grapefruit slices, 1/4" thick at 135*F, drying for ornaments for 12 hours and they arent done yet? Is that in the right time frame? Help, anyone??
10:14 am
August 20, 2010
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I have an Excalibur, but the Nesco should be similar in regard to drying times. Times also depend on relative humidity, the thickness of the cut and the water content of the food. I haven't dried citrus slices, but being juicy (and sliced thick), they may take another 6 to 12 hrs.
Here's a chart to help (only citrus peel is on this) with other fruit drying times, and one for vegetable drying times.
The only way to really know when they are done is to dry them until you are satisfied!
5:43 pm
November 15, 2010
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Many thanks for the reminders to be patient…16 hours for the grapefruit, 14 for the oranges. And thank you for lending some expertise…there is no one around who is interested in becoming self-sufficient, at least that I know, so alot of times I am flying blind.
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