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??!!

***

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