your dehydrated foods - what you dried, and how you used them

[annmedford]

Dehydrated some kale and sage from the garden. Haven't used them yet.
recently ordered the prepper excalibur on special, can't wait for it to arrive. I have a dying old round dehydrator on it's last legs, and a lame solar dehydrator-- maybe lame because I'm in humid Maine?
I samples some spiced dehydrated onion rings, gluten free vegan things that were called rimgs of fire-- spicy but not really that hot, loved everything about them except the $$$ spendyness of them. Am working on reverse engineering the rec. Will post on my success or lack thereof.

[annmedford]

Yesterday I did an experiment with Kale.  Recently flavored Kale Chips have become very popular as a snack food.  We had a bag in the office so I scoped out the ingredients.  Basically the coating was made from nuts, vinegar and spices. 

I harvested a large bowl of kale.  Then I mixed some almond butter, apple cider vinegar and a couple of tablespoons of this Taco seasoning I mix from time to time to have on hand.  The mixture wasn't quite thin enough, but tasted as vinegary as I wanted, so I mixed in a bit of water.  I tossed the kale in the mixture until it was evenly coated and then dehydrated it.  It came out great.  The store bought Kale chips are currently my 15 month old grandson's favorite snack.  I need to do a grandma drop by and give him some of mine.

LG

that sounds like an awesome use for my kale abundance!

[annmedford]

Yesterday I did an experiment with Kale.  Recently flavored Kale Chips have become very popular as a snack food.  We had a bag in the office so I scoped out the ingredients.  Basically the coating was made from nuts, vinegar and spices. 

I harvested a large bowl of kale.  Then I mixed some almond butter, apple cider vinegar and a couple of tablespoons of this Taco seasoning I mix from time to time to have on hand.  The mixture wasn't quite thin enough, but tasted as vinegary as I wanted, so I mixed in a bit of water.  I tossed the kale in the mixture until it was evenly coated and then dehydrated it.  It came out great.  The store bought Kale chips are currently my 15 month old grandson's favorite snack.  I need to do a grandma drop by and give him some of mine.

LG

I really like the paleo passage blog! thanks for blogging

[annmedford]

s

first, I would be very wary of attempting bacon jerky from raw bacon.  Pork really does need to be cooked thoroughly.

second, about those lemons.  by all means, dehydrate some.  have you been to www.dehydrate2store.com yet - she does lemons.  but I would, instead, recommend another method of lemon preservation.  Moroccan lemons.  I posted a tutorial here: http://thesurvivalpodcast.com/forum/index.php?topic=22990.msg252815#msg252815
check it out, do a quart jar of them this year, just to try it, and then be prepared to do twice that next year.

if you have extra lemons after all that, try making your own lemon pepper.  that is the best lemon pepper I have ever had.

I love lemons, and wish I lived in a place where a lemon tree can grow outside.  I have a potted one, but it still has not produced any lemons

share a lemon pepper recipe please....

[annmedford]

I'm gluten sensitive, so I've been very glad to dehydrate my own food and combine fugality with health.  Here are some recipes I found.  I especially liked the "hamburger rocks".  Enjoy!

Apple Pie
3 1/2 C. dried apples
2 C. water
3/4 C. sugar
1 t. 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.
Cherry Pie
3 C. dried cherries
3 C. boiling water
2 Tbs tapioca
1 C. sugar
Cover cherries with water and let soak for 30 minutes. Simmer and add sugar and tapioca. Pour into pie crust and add top crust. Bake at 400 degrees for about 35 minutes.
Peach Pie
3 C. dried peaches
3 C. boiling water
3 tbs tapioca
1 C. sugar
2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg

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

Creamed Corn
1 C. dried corn
4 C. boiling water
2 t. sugar
1/2 C. milk
1 T. margarine
salt and pepper to taste
Add corn to water and let stand for 30 minutes. Simmer corn until tender. This may take as long as an hour or so. Drain and add remaining ingredients. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid prevent scorching.

Cooked Fruit
3 C. dried fruit of your choice
2 C. boiling water
1 t. cinnamon
Sugar to taste
 
Let fruit soak in the boiled water for 20 minutes. Simmer for another 20 minutes and add cinnamon and sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved and serve.

Vegetable Soup
1 C. diced cooked meat
3 C. dried mixed vegetables
salt and pepper
Cover dried vegetables with boiling water and soak 1 hour, then simmer for 2 hours or until tender. Remember you can add fresh vegetables, in case you don't have a particular dried one, to the pot as well.
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. This is delicious.
Dried Fruit Stew
1 cup dried fruit (I like to use a combination of fruits like apples, pears, peaches, raisins, cherries
1 cup boiling water
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 to 1 teaspoon spices to taste. Try: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger.
Combine all and let set until it softens. For a dessert, sweeten with honey and serve with shortbread cookies. For breakfast, stir in a little yogurt and honey.
?
Dried Veggie Seasoning
Powder dried vegetables in the blender in any combination you like. Add to boiling water for instant vegetable broth, or put in a shaker and use at the table as a seasoning for vegetables, pasta, and rice.

Banana Bread made in a dehydrator
1/2 cup cashew or almond butter
3/4 cup agave nectar or date paste (dates blended up to form a paste)
1/2 cup raisins
1 tsp. fine celtic sea salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla extract or vanilla bean
1/2 cup walnuts (soaked for 7 hrs. and blended up in a blender to form a cream)
1 1/2 cup almond flour (just powdered almonds)
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Blend all the ingredients together (except the chopped nuts), and put into a loaf pan lined with wax or parchment paper. Top the batter with the chopped nuts and place in the dehydrator for 6-12 hrs. Enjoy warm right out of the dehydrator!
Banana Macadamia Nut Fudge Cookies (no cook)
1 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts
1 cup macadamia nuts (chopped into big pieces)
1 cup bananas (chopped up)
In food processor blend raisins and walnuts until smooth. Add in macadamia nuts and bananas. Dehydrate for 8 to 10 hours.
Classic Gorp
1/2 c. dried apples
1/2 c. dried apricots
1/4 c. dried peaches
1/2 c. dried pears
1/2 c. dried pineapple
1/4 c. coconut flakes
1/2 c. golden raisins
1/2 c. cashews or blanched almonds
Cut apples, apricots, peaches, pears and pineapple into 1/2" pieces. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Package in airtight plastic bags and store in a cool dry place. Use within 3 to 4 weeks. Makes about 3-1/2 cups.
Tangy Sunflower Seeds
2 T. vegetable oil
1 T. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. celery salt
Dash cayenne pepper
2 cups dried shelled sunflower seeds, raw
Preheat oven to 300 F. In a medium bowl, mix oil, soy sauce, paprika, celery salt and cayenne pepper. Add sunflower seeds. Stir until seeds are evenly coated. Place mixture in a shallow baking pan. Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Drain on paper towels. Makes 2 cups.
Peanut Butter Bites
2 cups coconut
2 cups dried apples, peeled, cored and chopped
2/3 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well.
Shape into 1/2-1" balls.
Dry at 135º for 4 to 5 hours, or until firm and crisp on the outside.
Hangdog Oatmeal
•   2 1/2 cups oatmeal
•   2 Tbsp brown sugar
•   1/2 cup dried bananas, powdered
•   3/4 cup chocolate chips
At home: Mix ingredients into zip lock bag.
On the trail: Boil 4 cups of water into separate pan. Stir in contents of zip lock bag and reboil. Remove from stove and set aside until cool.
Makes 1 serving Recipe courtesy of Backpacker Magazine; April 1996; Pg 45
Cranberry Orange Rice
•   1/4 cup instant rice
•   1 Tbsp dried cranberries
•   1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
•   1 packet True Orange
•   1 Tbsp powdered milk
•   1 tsp brown sugar
Note: True Orange is also available at www.truelemon.com or some grocery stores. You can also substitute 1 teaspoon citrus juice or zest per packet.
Cherry Almond Oatmeal
•   1 packet instant oatmeal
•   2 Tbsp dried cherries
•   1 Tbsp slivered almonds
•   1 Tbsp powdered milk
•   1 tsp brown sugar
At home: Combine everything in a freezer zip lock bag.
On the trail: Add 2/3 cup boiling water to oatmeal (or more if you like a thinner cereal).
Makes 1 serving
This recipe courtesy of One Pan Wonders
Chocolate Banana Oatmeal
•   1/3 cup instant oatmeal
•   1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
•   2 Tbsp powdered milk
•   2 tsp brown sugar
•   1/4 cup freeze-dried bananas  (finely crumbled dehydrated works, too)
•   Chocolate cookies, crumbled (optional)
At home: Combine everything except the cookies into a zip lock bag. If you are bringing the cookies, package them separately.
On the trail: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil, add the oatmeal mix and stir. Simmer until the oatmeal is cooked through. Serve topped with the cookies.
Makes 1 serving
This recipe courtesy of One Pan Wonders
Bacon Polenta
•   1/2 cup instant polenta
•   2 Tbsp shelf-stable bacon
•   1/2 Tbsp dried onions or dried onion flakes
•   2 tsp butter powder
•   1 tsp chicken or vegetable broth powder
•   1/4 tsp paprika
•   2 packets Parmesan cheese
At home: Combine everything, except the Parmesan, into a quart size freezer zip lock bag.
On the trail: Bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil. Add the polenta and simmer until cooked and creamy. Top with the Parmesan cheese.
Makes 1 serving
This recipe courtesy of One Pan Wonders

Emergency Essentials Recipes using dehydrated /freezedried products http://beprepared.com/recipes.asp_Q_ai_E_1_A_c2r_E_tn_A_name_E_Recipes

 
Jars of canned butter & hamburger rocks.
"Hamburger Rocks" are small chunks of cooked, dehydrated, fresh beef. They will store effectively for two or more years. Once rehydrated by soaking one cup of rocks in two cups of boiled water, the pre-cooked meat can be used in any recipe. It is delicious for tacos, spaghetti sauce, hamburger helper, tamale pie, lasagna, or your favorite recipe. It is very difficult to distinguish from fresh hamburger in a meal!
RECIPE FOR HAMBURGER ROCKS
1. Using a large skillet (cast iron is great), brown and fry 5 pounds of ground beef. When thoroughly cooked, transfer the meat to a colander. Rinse under hot running water to remove the fat. Then clean the skillet with paper towels to remove excess fat from the first cooking.
2. Place the washed meat back into the wiped skillet and fry it again over medium/low heat, stirring often until you see no more steam. Keep the heat/flame low once the rocks are browning up nicely.
3. Place the "twice cooked" rocks into an oven roasting pan. Turn the oven to 200 degrees F, stirring and turning occasionally as the meat continues to dry. One to two hours should finish the job. Remove from the oven and check for dryness. When cool, pack into zip lock bags or mason jars. Pack tightly, expelling as much air as possible. Store in pantry drawers or shelves.
4. To "can" the hamburger rocks for long term storage, preheat canning jars in the over at 250 F, simmer the lids as usual, put the "rocks" into the jars while still hot, then seal the jars. After 15 minutes or so the jars will cool and you will hear the jar lids "pop" as they seal in place.
 
Carrot Pecan Burgers
•   4 Carrots
•   1.5 C Pecans (or another nut or mix in some seeds also)
•   1/2 C shredded zucchini (dried off a bit in paper towel or a towel)
•   2 Tbsp cilantro (fresh)
•   2 green onions (more if you like)
•   1.5 Tbsp olive oil
•   1/2 tsp curry powder
•   1/2 tsp salt
•   1/4 tsp pepper
Blend carrots first.
Add rest of ingredients and blend.
Form into burger patties. Note that the larger you make them, the longer they take to dehydrate. Place the patties on dehydrator trays.  If necessary, use parchment paper on trays to keep mix from dropping through.
Dehydrate about 7-8 hours, take them off trays, turn them over and put on mesh sheet. Dehydrate them until you like the consistency.

I realize this post is a little old, but there is tons of great info here. Thanks for posting!!!

[LittleOwl]

We do chopped carrots, onions, leeks, plantain (the wild green), celery, cabbage and peppers all mixed together in about even amounts. We label it soup flakes, but use it in meatloaf, stirfry, Bannock, omelets, and anything else we can. We also powder it as a seasoning.

[annmedford]

We do chopped carrots, onions, leeks, plantain (the wild green), celery, cabbage and peppers all mixed together in about even amounts. We label it soup flakes, but use it in meatloaf, stirfry, Bannock, omelets, and anything else we can. We also powder it as a seasoning.

Great idea of using plantain, I'll be adding that for sure! Thanks!

[d3nni5]

My 8 tray dehydrator was full of basil leaves when I started.   I finished them up tonight, and ended up with this much.   This was a jar of mushrooms, so what..about and ounce maybe two?

[oktheniknow]

Ever make plantain chips? Those suckers are delicious. Can't eat just one...

[Erica/NW Edible]

Most recent dehydrator experiment: fruit leather.

This year was insane for apples, but many of them weren't the highest quality for storage. So I ran massive batches through the steam juicer, kept the juice for cidering, and then food milled the pulp. It was very thick so it was good for the fruit leathering. I did sweeten and add acid and spices to compensate for the juice I removed. Dried the leather and it turned out GREAT - kids basically are trying to eat nothing but this stuff and I have to lay down the law WRT how much they can have. But, man, fruit leather is labor intensive. Between the juicing, food milling, spreading, cutting, and wrapping it was a process. Plain dried fruit is way easier.

[Frugal Upstate]

Sounds good!  I've dried some tomatoes & herbs, but that's it.  Pretty much out of the food preservation game due to injury this year.  Now that I'm better it's too hectic.  I'll have to make some apple leather though...kids do love it!

[Morning Sunshine]

new one: POPCORN

pop your popcorn in your favorite way.

sweet option: powder your dried berries (we have used both strawberry and blackberry.  cannot wait to do raspberry and blueberry.  or a mix.  YUM!).  about 1/4 c powder + 1-2 T powdered sugar (optional, but I think it cuts the tang of the berries) + 1/4 t salt.
pour melted butter and mix into popcorn and THEN slowly pour berry powder as you mix.  It helps to have 2 people.

savory option: add 2 T melted butter to 1 T lime juice.  incorporate into your popcorn.  Then add 2 T crushed dried cilantro and 1 t dried lime zest.  mix well.

[TwoBluesMama]

Although I am a popcorn purist - a little butter & a little salt only thank you - this sounds like something my grandkids would love. And if I open a can of dried fruit from Thrive or somewhere it seems like there is always "fruit powder" in the bottom of the can which is good on oatmeal and ice cream) but here is another use.  Thanks MS!!

[Ms. Albatross]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017KSBYHC/ref=gbps_img_s-3_5402_30598d67?smid=A2LM6ZPY06LT1N&pf_rd_p=2558495402&pf_rd_s=slot-3&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=gb_main&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=R1PR1BNCCP0RD7GQ61ZE

This is one of Amazon's Deals of the Day today.  I haven't used this product and know nothing about it.  (61 Amazon reviews Most are 4 & 5 stars)  But I thought some in this forum might be interested.  $79.99 today only.  It says the normal price $120.

[Stwood]

Finished up some sweet taters and pineapples the other day in our new Excalibur

[Redman]

I got some Poblano peppers this morning and strung them to hang until they turn red, hopefully, and then I plan on drying them. If it works out I'll use them in Pozole.

[Carl]

  Great pepper KARMA

[Stwood]

I got some Poblano peppers this morning and strung them to hang until they turn red, hopefully, and then I plan on drying them. If it works out I'll use them in Pozole.

50#??? 

I've got a dozen Ancho's planted

[Redman]

Just go 6 green poblano peppers. $0.99/lb. That's as cheap as they get. Ripe and dried the bloody things run around $5/$6 for 1/2 to 3/4 lb.

[Night Walker]

Always have some "Mixed Veggies" dried and ready to add in soups, stews, meatloaf, etc. I get frozen bags of mixed corn, carrots, peas, and green beans. Put 'em in my Excalibur and let it run overnight.

We've also got some jars of each of those individually, along with smaller amounts of dried celery, bell pepper, parsley, and other herbs.

Tried dehydrating potatoes in various forms. The Mrs. is still deciding if she likes home canned or reconstituted dried potatoes best. Until then I call it a "tie" and we keep some of each!

Apple rings and dices handy for snacks, trips, baking, desserts, etc.

Not a dehydrated food, but I also use our Excalibur regularly for making yogurt.

[Fixit]

I think the most interesting think that I dehydrated lately was buttermilk but what else would you do with 40 gallons of buttermilk?

[Stwood]

Make cheese 

[Redman]

Outstanding Spaghetto. Copied the link to my favorites. I do a similar dish of linguine used home canned salsa, dried bell pepper, commercial pasta sauce, ground beef and brown sugar.

Just finished the last bit of a large pot of it for breakfast this morning.

[PorcupineKate]

I made my first raisins. 
My seedless concord grape vine produced grapes for the first time and we had way more than we could eat fresh so I made raisins.  I have a quart and a half of them in the pantry. 

 

[Morning Sunshine]

I made my first raisins. 
My seedless concord grape vine produced grapes for the first time and we had way more than we could eat fresh so I made raisins.  I have a quart and a half of them in the pantry.

ni-ice!


I am making pear wedges again today.  We ended up getting a good deal on SEVEN bushels.  I filled my 2 9-tray and my small 4-tray Excalibers.  Then sent my son on a journey to gather friend's dehydrators.  We currently have 7 running in my kitchen - I hope I don't trip the breakers!
I still have 3 bushels....

[Stwood]

I made my first raisins. 
My seedless concord grape vine produced grapes for the first time and we had way more than we could eat fresh so I made raisins.  I have a quart and a half of them in the pantry.

 

If we could assassinate all the jap beetles around here so ours could produce grapes....

[Stwood]

ni-ice!


I am making pear wedges again today.  We ended up getting a good deal on SEVEN bushels.  I filled my 2 9-tray and my small 4-tray Excalibers.  Then sent my son on a journey to gather friend's dehydrators.  We currently have 7 running in my kitchen - I hope I don't trip the breakers!
I still have 3 bushels....

Awesome