Dehydrating Garden Produce

 Carmen Peppers, my Favorite!

So rather than going to the work to manually chop my Carmen peppers from my garden, I decided to use my new KitchenAid food processor. Great idea. It would have been an even greater idea if I had read the instruction manual. I did not. I have an aversion to that sort of thing because a)usually I can figure it out myself and b)often the instructions are written by someone whose first language is not English, or someone who is not a good tech writer.

So I winged it.

I ended up with Carmen puree.

Which I put into the dehydrator on screens.

But I do like how all the pepper dust looks in this pretty little vintage canning jar.

Then there were the apples.

McIntosh, from the sturdy little tree in our yard...

In the Dehydrator

Using my trusty 'Back to Basics Apple Peeler' (and corer and slicer - yes, you need one!), the job went fast. The tasty apple slices are dry and yummy! AND, I also dry the peel to use in my Frosted Apple Spice soap. (See below.)

Lavender, for my handmade, vegan soaps

Yes, after their turn in the dehydrator

Hot little Cayenne Peppers
No, not for my soaps
although I bet I'd get some interesting feedback!

The cayenne I do not put in the dehydrator. Instead, I pull up the entire plant, tie a string around the bottom above the roots, and hang it upside down in the corner of the kitchen. As fall gets drier, the cayenne totally dry out and when done, they look like this: (below)

Oh. I forgot to mention the rosemary. That gets a turn in the dehydrator too.

This year I'm going to pull up my oregano plant and hang it up to dry (in the kitchen, next to the cayenne). I saw Lydia (from Lydia's Italy) with a bunch of dried oregano which she wrapped in paper and then slightly rolled the paper between her hands and shook out the amount of oregano needed for the recipe. She likes to use dried, rather than fresh, oregano. So I'll try that too. We'll see what happens!

Ever notice how she makes everything she does look so fun and interesting??!!

***

Buy Any Five, Get One FREE!

'Frosted Apple Spice'

...and more! Check out all my handcrafted soaps at

Our Etsy Shop

and at

HomemadeSoapnSuch

This post may be linked to one or more of the following: Mop it Up Monday  and Mosaic Monday and  Get in My Tummy and  Cure for the Common Monday and  Clever Chicks Blog Hop and  Barn Charm and  The Marketplace  and  Mix it up Monday and Make it Pretty Monday and    Making the World Cuter Mondays and Make the Scene Monday and  Something I Whipped Up Monday and  Motivate Me Monday and  Making Monday Marvelous and Get Your Craft On and Efforts and Assets and   You're Gonna Love it Tuesday and Knick of Time Tuesday and  Creative Showcase and Memories by the Mile and Crafty Texas Girls and  Tweak it Tuesday and  Coastal Charm Tuesday and  Take a Look Tuesday and  Tasty Tuesday  and Love Bakes Good Cakes and Mom on TimeOut  and Adorned from Above and Wildcrafting Wednesday and   Cast Party Wednesday and  We Did it Wednesday  and Whatever Goes Wednesday and  All Things With Purpose and Home & Garden Thursday and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Artsy Corner Thursday  and The Girl Creative, Thursday and  Creative Things Thursday and Be Inspired and Time Travel Thursday and Thrifty Things Friday  and  Friday Fences and  Thursday's Inspiration and  The Self-sufficient Home Acre and  I'm Lovin' it Thursday and Creative Things Thursday and   Mandatory Mooch   and Foodie Friends Friday and Freedom Fridays and From the Farm and   Anything Blue Friday and Junkin' Joe and  Serenity Saturday and Get Schooled Saturday  and Inspiration Friday(ThursNite) and Vintage Inspiration Friday and Photo Friday and Share Your Creativity and   A Favorite Thing Saturday and Sunny Simple Sunday and Sunlit Sunday and  Market Yourself Monday and  Saturday Nite Special

Pin It