[Nfb-krafters-korner] {Disarmed}dehydratinglistmightbeinteresting to some

Fri Sep 2 21:14:32 UTC 2011

Henrietta,
Thanks. This makes sense. Sounds like something that would be good to eat or used as a seasoning if spiced. I haven't
thought of making roll ups. Guess you would just grate the fruit and spread it out.

I have been drying pears and the other day I accidentally turned the oven up too high. The result was pear crisps that
were quite burnt. In the process of getting my bookie sheets cleaned up they took the finish off one of them. New cookie
sheets and I'm using parchment paper now. Guess I should get one of those electric dehydrators. We plan to make a solar
one this year but just have not gotten to it.

Yogurt? I've never tried that. Just can't imagine that one. I've made yogurt cheese but drying it? What is it like?

Anne

-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Henrietta
Brewer
Sent: Friday, September 02, 2011 5:03 PM
To: List for blind crafters and artists
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner]{Disarmed}dehydratinglistmightbeinteresting to some

Hi,
Yes, I just spread the grated somewhat drained zucchini on the flexable  trays, set them on the hard plastic trays and
let them dry away at about a hundred and ten degrees. It took over night. It forms a thin sheet of lumpy zucchini. Then
I broke up the sheets and put them in the blender. Pulsing so they kept falling to the bottom. Now, after starting with
a whole little table full of zucchini, I have one little pint jar. But when I rehydrate it there will be lots.  If I was
making fruit rollups, I would use a piece of plastic wrap, parchment paper, or the sheets you can buy from the
manufacturer. I would spred the mushy mix of veggies and fruits and seasoning on the smooth paper and let dry. When part
way dry I would turn the product over to dry on the other side. this is important. Once I did yogurt and it stuck to my
plastic sheet and only hot water would remove it.

hth
Henrietta
On Sep 2, 2011, at 4:29 PM, Pretty Crafty Kitty wrote:

> Henrietta,
> So do you just spread the grated zucchini out to dry in a single layer? Guess I'm having trouble seeing this one. 
> 
> We made a dozen half pints of applesauce plus I put another pint in the freezer last night. I think peeling affects me
> more than pitting, especially when I have a lot to peel. I did that this morning and made a pie plus two sheets to
dry.
> 
> I've got to get back to those pears. Dried they are thin but they are so good.
> 
> Anne
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Henrietta
> Brewer
> Sent: Friday, September 02, 2011 1:43 PM
> To: List for blind crafters and artists
> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] {Disarmed}dehydratinglistmightbeinteresting to some
> 
> Hi,
> I add the flavors before I dry. Just like you did.  I used my juicer with the blank attachment to grate the zucchini
> this time. It really went fast and not so messy. Usually I use the grating attachment on my mixer.  I put the grated
> stuff in a strainer and let some of the juices drain off. You could save those juices for soups. I am thinking, oh no,
> that isn't good, that next time I get a few zucchini I will add some sugar free jello before dehydrating. My Husband
is
> having an awful time with what he can not eat right now. That might make a good sweet and healthy snack. I told myself
I
> would not do any more and here I am addicted again. I was so tired after the zucchini and making a gallon of sweet
> pickles last night. lol
> 
> That is how I pit cherries too. But when I am done with the work my fingers ache so much. I hear there is a cherry
> pitter but never got one.
> Henrietta
> On Sep 2, 2011, at 1:02 PM, Pretty Crafty Kitty wrote:
> 
>> Grated? I sliced the ones I did. So how do you do grated? Just lay it out in layers or what?
>> 
>> Cinnamon, now that would be good. I'll have to try that. Do you add the spices before you dry or after? I added the
> salt
>> before.
>> 
>> I've got some kale in the garden so I'll have to try this. Sounds like a great way to add nutrition.
>> 
>> To pit the cherries. First I pull the stems off. If it does not have a stem then I either let a sighted person check
> it
>> or cut out the very end because without the stem they can mold more quickly, especially the tart ones. I also found
> that
>> the tart ones turn colors more quickly than the sweet ones. Anyway, back to pitting. I turn it so that when I cut it
I
>> cut from stem end around to stem end across the flat sides of the cherry. The sweet ones are not totally round but
> have
>> two sides that are very round and two that are more flat. If you cut across the two flat sides then you are cutting
>> across the pit. I cut down to the pit all the way around. Then I take the cherry and with one half in one hand and
the
>> other in the other I give it a twist. And it pops right in half. Takes maybe a quarter twist. Then one side has no
pit
>> and the other has the pit. To get the pit out I take my finger and wiggle it back and forth until it is loose and
then
>> take my fingernail and lift it out. I guess you could use the knife tip but that would be a little more dangerous for
> me
>> without seeing where that tip goes especially when the pit comes out.
>> 
>> Anne
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Henrietta
>> Brewer
>> Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2011 6:01 PM
>> To: List for blind crafters and artists
>> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] {Disarmed} dehydratinglistmightbeinteresting to some
>> 
>> Oh, my green jar is mostly kale and swiss chard. There is some spinach, broccoli, and even a bit of lettuce.
Anything
>> green goes in my green jar. I just dry it, powder it and use it in meatloaf, tomato sauces, or anything I can hide
> those
>> good for you veggie in.
>> 
>> Yes, you can season zucini with lots of different seasoning. Maybe a bbq flavor or even cinnamon. that is good
> snacking
>> especially low in calories and carbs.
>> 
>> Oh, doing cherries? I don't enjoy pitting them. lol
>> 
>> But I did a ton of zucini today. I grated it all and it is dehydrating today. I think I will powder it and give it as
>> gifts this year. I have a couple of girl friends who would enjoy it. Especially the friend who gave me the stuff
> because
>> she wasn't in the mood to grate it. lol
>> Henrietta
>> On Sep 1, 2011, at 8:35 AM, Pretty Crafty Kitty wrote:
>> 
>>> Guess sealed jars would help keep bugs out. We found that we were keeping our bird seed in the house and it was
>> causing
>>> those pesky bugs to get into everything. We keep most o fit outside now.
>>> 
>>> Someone said something about putting some fresh holy basil leaves in the cabinet and letting them dry in there and
>> that
>>> would keep them out. I haven't tried that yet.
>>> 
>>> We have them on the table so David can watch for moisture more easily. In a month or so we will move them to the
>> cabinet
>>> in the basement where we have our canned foods. Or at least this is what I thought. 
>>> 
>>> I have dried some zucchini. It is actually sweet afterwards and seems when fresh and crisp to have less of a
zucchini
>>> taste. I salted some and not some and I think the salted ones taste better as a snack. We have them in a container
on
>>> the counter and we have slowly been eating them. I guess it is time to make more since I have plenty. Plus David
>> bought
>>> some cherries yesterday so I'll dry a cookie sheet or two more of those. Enough to fill the jar I started. 
>>> 
>>> I have never thought about drying greens. What about kale and chard? I may have to do some of that too.
>>> 
>>> Anne
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Henrietta
>>> Brewer
>>> Sent: Wednesday, August 31, 2011 2:18 PM
>>> To: List for blind crafters and artists
>>> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] {Disarmed} dehydrating listmightbeinteresting to some
>>> 
>>> I put my dehydrated things in the freezer so I don't worry so much about bugs and mold. Last year I got an awful
case
>> of
>>> pantry moths here. Not sure exactly why but pretty sure all the dehydrating and preserving I did had something to do
>>> with it. Of course, you can pick those guys up at the grocery store too. I don't have anyone  I can count on to see
>>> problems. 
>>> 
>>> Sealing the jars with a sealer is a very good idea. Keeping the items in the dark might be helpful.
>>> 
>>> Join the list, go into their files and ask questions. That is how Carol and I got started.
>>> 
>>> I slice my fruit a bit thicker. Of course, I do have a machine. The best temps to keep vitamins and minerals at the
>> best
>>> levels is under a hundred and fifteen for fruits and veggies. Meats can be higher.
>>> 
>>> As I mentioned on Monday, I like to take greens, any kind, lettuce, cabbage, beet greens, radish tops and anything
>> else
>>> eatable and dry them and powder them and use the powder in soups, stews, and even barbacue beef or sloppy jo's.
Adds
>>> lots of healthy eating and no one knows. I also do the same with all of those zuccini my friend gives me. lol 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Henrietta
>>> On Aug 31, 2011, at 11:49 AM, Pretty Crafty Kitty wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Henrietta,
>>>> I would appreciate any help you can send. I'm just getting started with drying food and I'm not really sure enough
> of
>>>> what I'm doing. I really wish I could have been there Monday night but we had to finish reworking our fence around
>> our
>>>> bees to keep out bears this fall. With the lack of very much fruit and nuts they are more likely to go after other
>>>> things like bees. We would like to keep ours so we rewired the fence and got a fence charger that actually works
> more
>>>> than a tingle on the arm like the last one was doing.
>>>> 
>>>> I noticed the e-mails you sent and I'm thinking I should be on that list. I really am not sure of what I'm doing
and
>>> I'm
>>>> using the oven because that is what I have. So far what I have dried seems okay. I'm not sure how long it will
last.
>>>> I've dried tomatoes and put them in a Ziploc bag and they are on the counter and have been for about a month. So
far
>>>> they are okay. This week I'm drying pears. I cut them 1/4 inch thick and they dry down to a thin piece. When I can
>> get
>>> a
>>>> bunch more I'm thinking of peeling them and just cutting them in half and taking a couple of days and drying them
>> this
>>>> way.
>>>> 
>>>> I've dried some apples and sweet cherries, wish they had been tart, and they all came out okay. I've got these in
>> jars
>>>> and we are using a pump to draw out the air to seal it tight. We have them on the table so David can watch for
>>> moisture.
>>>> 
>>>> At some point I will need to figure out how to use them, besides eating them straight.
>>>> 
>>>> I know about dried apple pies and cakes, I've made a pie out of some I bought and it was good. Just don't know what
>>>> else.
>>>> 
>>>> I see suggestions of putting them in the freezer but if they are dry then do they really need to be?
>>>> 
>>>> Anne
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
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