Peach Leather

Another great way to use all those peaches! Peach leather is a delicious and healthy treat at our house. It’s even more fun when you can make it with your kids at home! You can try using other types of fruit too!

Recipe

5 cups peaches (blanch if the skins don’t come off easily)

2 tbsp. sugar or honey

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Puree in blender or food processor until combined. Pour onto dehydrating trays made for making fruit leather 1/4 – inch thick or line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper and spray with Pam. In dehydrator, dry at 130 degrees for 8-10 hours or in the oven at the lowest setting (about 170 degrees) for 5-6 hours. After 3-4 hours and the edges are firm and easy to lift, flip over and continue drying. Leather should be done when there aren’t anymore soft spots left, but still flexible. Tear into large pieces and store in large gallon plastic bag.

September 5, 2013

Homemade Onion Powder

When I first learned that I could make my own onion powder I was amazed at the simplicity of it. I had to laugh a bit because I hadn’t thought of it before! I harvested all my onions the last few weeks and kept the larger ones for cooking and the smaller ones I chopped into half moon shapes and dried. Here is how I did it!

Wash onions well and cut off stems so the onion is flat on one side (don’t cut off the root side). Cut the onion in half directly through the root end. Turn the onion so it’s sitting flat and cut in half moon slices. Place on dehydrator trays and dry over night at the highest temperature setting. This can also be done in the oven. Set the oven to the lowest setting (about 170 degrees or lower if you can). Onions may dry faster than overnight so keep an eye on them.

Once the onions are completely dry remove from dehydrator and pulse in blender or food processor. Store in a clean glass jar. Use for all your favorite savory dishes!

August 13, 2013September 4, 2013

Oven Dried Tomatoes

Its that time of year when the temperatures start to cool off a bit at night and the tomatoes and other plants really start to set fruit! I’m a little crazy about tomatoes! They are the essence of summer… along with peaches and basil and okay any other delicious fruit, herb or plant you can grow in your own backyard! 🙂 This year I started my tomatoes from seed under lights in February and planted them under walls of waters at the first of April. 18 different kinds of heirloom tomatoes all in the space of a 4×14 garden box! That’s a lot of tomatoes and not really a lot of space. They are doing well and I have to say I have been pretty proud of myself this year! As the tomatoes come on more and more I have often wondered in the past what to do with them all. There really hasn’t been enough at one time to can and there’s too much to eat all at once. So I came up with this recipe and have been loving and enjoying every single tomato I grow for a few years now! It’s so simple and delicious you may just eat an entire bottle in one sitting! … not that I’m guilty of that or anything… do ta do. 🙂

Recipe

Chop 5lbs. tomatoes into fairly large pieces (they will significantly decrease in size). I usually cut my large ones into 4-6 pieces and cut the smaller ones in half. Place into a large gallon size ziplock bag.

In a large ziplock gallon size bag drizzle about 1/4 cup olive oil, 3-4 T. Balsamic dressing, sprinkle about 1 T. Italian Seasoning and add Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper to taste.

Gently toss the tomatoes inside the bag making sure everything is distributed evenly. Place in fridge for 6-10 hours and allow to marinate.

Strain the tomatoes through a slotted spoon and place on a jelly roll pan. Bake in the oven at 200 degrees for 8-12 hours depending on how big the tomato pieces are. Cook until they have shrunk in size and have caramelized a bit.

Once finished place into 2 pint jars. Drizzle a little bit more olive oil on them (1 T.). Keep in fridge for 2 weeks (if they last that long) or the freezer for several months. I use my oven dried tomatoes for pasta, pizza, bruschetta and lots of other things!