My Mom’s Cornbread
Mom’s Cornbread
I have made a lot of versions in cornbread in my life, but this one might just be my favorite. Perhaps because it is my Mother’s recipe.
The secret? She put a layer of shredded cheese between layers of batter. She also added cream style corn to some of the batter. You get a cornbread that is full of flavor. It is very tender and crumbly, but not dry. I baked mine in a cake pan, but there is no reason you could not bake this recipe in cast iron, if you prefer.
I served this version of cornbread with a vegetable soup a few nights ago. I had a friend in for dinner. My friend loved it.
I was so pleased. I hadn’t made Mom’s version of cornbread in awhile. I will definitely be making it more often from now on.
Mom’s Cornbread
1 c. cornmeal
1 c. flour
2 T. sugar
4 t. baking powder
¾ t. salt
2 eggs
1 c. half and half
¼ c. oil- or melted butter or bacon fat
4 oz. pepper Jack cheese, shredded
1 c. cream style corn
Grease a 9-inch square pan and set aside. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl, and set aside. In small bowl, combine eggs, half and half and oil and beat until smooth. Stir egg mixture into dry ingredients, stirring until combined. Don’t overmix. Pour half of the batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the batter in the pan. Combine remaining batter with the cream style corn. Pour this mixture over the cheese in the pan. Bake 20-25 minutes. Serves 8-9.
Peanut Butter-Coconut Shortbread – Vegan
Peanut Butter Coconut Shortbread
Friends are coming in for the holiday weekend and I wanted to bake some cookies. My friends are vegan, so butter and eggs were out.
I ended up making shortbread cookies. I needed to change them though, to make them vegan. Rather than using butter, I used a combination of crunchy peanut butter and coconut oil.
They came out just right, with the crumbly, dry texture of a traditional shortbread and the added flavor of the peanut butter, coconut and vanilla.
I used crunchy peanut butter- it was what I had. I like the bits of peanuts in the cookies. I could see adding a few more chopped peanuts the next time I make these cookies
Peanut Butter-Coconut Shortbread
1 c. sugar, plus 1/4 cup extra for sprinkling
1 c. peanut butter
1 c. coconut oil
4 c. flour
2 t. vanilla
Cream together sugar, peanut butter, coconut oil and vanilla. Stir in flour until mixture forms into a dough. Press into 9×13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle extra sugar over the cookies dough, and cut into squares. Bake in a 300 degree oven for an hour or until light brown around edges. Re-cut while warm. Makes 4 dozen.
Spicy Golden Beet Soup – Vegan
Spicy Golden Beet Soup
I had picked up some beautiful golden beets at a local farm market. I wanted to do something fun with them. I am also spending a few days with some friends, who are vegan.
Since it is going to be chilly, I opted to make a soup. I added other veggies to add more flavor- and a generous amount of hot sauce. The soup has a nice kick of heat- perfect for a chilly evening. This soup can also be served chilled- so it works no matter the weather.
I used my immersion blender to puree the soup. That way I didn’t have to remove the hot soup from the pot to puree it. Using a blender is fine, but be careful when pureeing a hot liquid. It will splash up in the blender. To prevent a mess and possible burns, remove the center piece of the blender lid. Place lid on the blender. Place a folded kitchen towel over the hole when blending. That way, when the liquid splashes up, the towel will prevent it from going everywhere. Also, don’t try to mix too much at a time. Several smaller loads are easier.
The 2 quarts of stock should be plenty, but depending on how much your soup cooks down, you might need a little more. How thick you like your soup is a personal preference. If you like a thicker soup, use less stock, or allow it to cook down more. Once the soup is pureed, you will know.
Spicy Golden Beet Soup
4 T. oil
2 onions, chopped
5 carrots, peeled and sliced
3-4 golden beets, peeled and cubed – about 2 lbs.
1 medium cauliflower, chopped
8 c. vegetable stock – you might need a little more- if finished soup is too thick
1 c. tomato sauce
2 T. Tuscan seasoning* recipe follows
¼-⅓ c. Sriracha sauce- or to taste
handful of fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
In large pot, heat oil and cook onions until tender. Add carrots and cook a few minutes longer. Add remaining vegetables, stock, and seasonings (except the parsley) and simmer, covered for an hour or longer. Add the parsley, then puree soup in a blender in batches until smooth. You can also use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Return to pot and add more stock, if needed. Adjust seasonings and serve. Makes a lot of soup – but freezes well.
*Tuscan Seasoning
½ c. dried basil
½ c. dried oregano
½ c. dried marjoram
3 T. dried minced onion
2 T. dried minced garlic
2 T. dried rosemary
2 T. dried parsley
1 t. crushed red pepper
Combine all ingredients and store in an air tight container. Use this blend in tomato sauce or other Italian dishes.
A Bounty of Summer Salads
Purple and Pink Potato Salad
If you are looking for a salad for the holiday weekend – or any time – I think you will find one here that you and your family will enjoy.
Between cookouts and picnics, it seems there is always a need for more salads. Maybe, something you haven’t made before. And of course, a recipe that the family will like.
These are some of my favorite salads. Some are pretty traditional. Others are a little different. I am sure you will find one that is just right for your family and friends.
Purple and Pink Salad
1 lb. purple potatoes
1 lb. red onions
1 c. apple cider vinegar
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. water
salt and pepper to taste
1 t. celery seed
1/4 c. oil
Bake potatoes until tender. I used the microwave and it took about 7 minutes, but you can bake in a conventional oven, too. While potatoes are baking, peel, then slice onions thin and place in a saucepan with the rest of the ingredients, except the oil. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 5-8 minutes until onions are just tender. Some of the liquid will cook off. Peel and cube potatoes and place in a bowl. Drizzle with the oil. Add the onion mixture and stir gently. Adjust seasonings, if needed. Chill. Serves 4.
Curry Cauliflower Salad
1 head cauliflower, cooked
½ c. chopped green onions
¾ c. mayo – or less or more depending in the size of the head of cauliflower
1 T. curry powder- or to taste
1 t. hot sauce, or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 c. peanuts
First break the cauliflower into florets. Cook the cauliflower any way you like. I steamed mine for about 5 minutes. You could roast it, or sauté it in a little oil. You want it tender, but still a little crisp. Don’t cook it to mush. I would also advise against boiling it, as it gets too wet. Once the cauliflower is cooked, let it cool down before proceeding. Combine the cauliflower with the green onions, the mayo and seasonings. It was hard to be exact because your head of cauliflower might be bigger or smaller than mine. I could have said 5 cups of cooked cauliflower- but would that really help? Then you’d have leftover cooked cauliflower. Or perhaps not enough. So add a little more mayo, if needed, and adjust the seasonings to suit your taste and the amount of cauliflower you have. Chill and toss the peanuts in closer to serving time. They are fine, even when in the salad for a while, but the peanuts crunchier when first put in.
Curry Cauliflower Salad
Succotash Salad
Cauliflower and Broccoli Salad
Sweet Potato Salad
Multi Bean Salad
Cucumber and Carrot Salad
Pesto Potato Salad
Artichoke and Edamame Salad
Cucumber and Carrot Salad
This refreshing salad combines carrots and cucumbers in a simple dressing. So easy and fast. Perfect side for your picnic or barbecue.
4 cucumbers, peeled, leaving strips of skin
1 c. coarsely shredded carrots
1 c. thin sliced sweet onion
1/3 c. vinegar- I like cider vinegar in this dish
2 T. Balsamic vinegar
¼ c. oil
1 T. sugar
1 ½ t. salt
Fresh ground pepper
Slice cucumbers. Combine vegetables in bowl. Combine dressing ingredients and pour over the vegetables, tossing to coat well. Chill at least 1 hour before serving, Spoon over lettuce, if desired. Serves 4-6.
Cornbread Salad
A little different- people always seem to like this salad. A nice way to use up stale cornbread, too. ?
4 c. crumbled cornbread or corn muffins
1 c. shredded mild cheese
1 sweet red pepper seeded and diced
1 c. diced celery
½ c. diced green onion
4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped
¼ c. chopped parsley
1-1 ½ c. mayonnaise or salad dressing, sometimes I use potato salad dressing or even slaw dressing
2 c. diced fresh tomatoes
1 c. toasted pecans
paprika for sprinkling on the top, optional
Place cornbread and next 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in dressing until desired moistness is achieved. Chill and stir in tomato and nut just before serving. Sprinkle with paprika if you like. Serves 6.
Note: You can add whole kernel corn also if you like.
Sweet Potato Salad
A nice twist on potato salad.
3 large sweet potatoes
2 c. corn kernels, fresh off the cob preferred but frozen is O.K.
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 sweet onion, diced
1 c. sweet pepper, seeded and chopped
2-3 T. fresh parsley
1/3 c. oil
1 t. Dijon mustard
3 T. apple cider vinegar
1 T. lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
½ c. cashews
In medium saucepan boil or steam potatoes until tender, about 20-25 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and place in a large bowl of ice water. Add corn to saucepan and cook until just tender about 2-3 minutes. Drain corn and add to ice water with the potatoes. Once the vegetables have cooled down drain them and peel and cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Place potatoes and corn in a mixing bowl with remaining vegetables. Combine remaining ingredients, except cashews, in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake well before pouring over the sweet potato mixture. Toss to blend and chill until ready to serve. Add cashews just before serving. Serves 6.
Multi- Bean Salad
1 lb. cooked green beans, sliced
1 can lima beans, rinsed and drained
1 can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
1 c. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. oil
2 T. Italian seasoning- or whatever herb blend you like
1 T. hot sauce, or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine beans with onions and parsley in a medium bowl. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the bean mixture. Stir well and chill a couple of hours before serving. Serves 8.
Pesto Potato Salad
2 lbs. Boiling potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
1 c. basil leaves
3 T. pine nuts, walnuts or pecans
3 T. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste
Cook potatoes until tender. Cool. In blender combine remaining ingredients, except 1 tablespoon of the nuts. Pour blended mixture over potatoes and sprinkle with the reserved nuts. Chill. Serves 6-8.
Just in Thyme Potato Salad
2 lbs. boiling potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces*
½ c. olive oil
¼ c. red wine vinegar
1 T. fresh lemon juice
2 t. fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook potatoes until tender. Drain and toss with the rest of the ingredients and serve right away or chill to serve later. Serves 6-8.
* You can really use any potato you like. I often bake the potatoes whole and then peel and cut up. Cook them any way you prefer.
Mustard Potato Salad
4 lbs. potatoes- I used Klondike Rose and I did not peel them
4 hard cooked eggs, peeled and chopped
1 sweet pepper, seeded and chopped
1 c. mayo- maybe a little less
1/4 c. prepared mustard
salt and pepper to taste
dash of hot sauce
Bake whole potatoes until tender and allow to cool. Cube potatoes into large bowl and combine with remaining ingredients. Chill until ready to serve. Serves 8.
Artichoke and Edamame Salad
1 lb. edamame (fresh soybeans)*
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 c. cooked corn
1 c. chopped sweet onion
1/3 c. olive oil
1/2 c. cider vinegar
1 t. sugar, optional
fresh chopped parsley
fresh chopped basil
salt and pepper to taste
To prepare edamame steam them, in their pods, until tender, about 8 minutes. Place in cold water. Once cool enough to handle slip the edamame out of their pods. Discard pods and place edamame into a mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix well. Chill until ready to serve. Serves 4-6.
* A lot of stores have them in the freezer section. They are in the pods. The pods are not edible. If you don’t have edamame you can substitute fresh lima beans.
Cauliflower and Broccoli Salad
1 small head cauliflower, trimmed and broken into bite- sized pieces
2 broccoli crowns, cut into bite- sized pieces
1 sweet pepper, seeded and chopped
1 c. shredded cheese- I used a sharp cheddar
8- 10 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
1/2 cup of mayo – or more according to your taste
salt and pepper to taste
Steam the cauliflower and broccoli until just tender/crisp. About 5 minutes in a microwave steamer, 6 minutes in a conventional steamer. Place in a bowl to cool down then combine with remaining ingredients and stir to combine well. Adjust seasonings, if needed. Serves 6-8.
Smoky Succotash Salad
1 lb. lima beans, cooked and cooled
4 c. corn off the cob, cooked and cooled
1 sweet pepper, seeded and chopped
1-2 c. cooked ham, diced
Dressing:
2/3 c. sour cream
3 T. apple cider vinegar
2 T. sugar
1 t. grated ginger
1 t. hot sauce, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste
Combine veggies with the ham in medium bowl. In small bowl stir together dressing ingredients until smooth and toss with the veggie mixture. Chill until ready to serve. Serves 6.
Dehydrating Tomatoes
Tomatoes after 12 hours in the dehydrator
Tomato season always seems too short. This season more than most. A lot of us want to save as many of them as possible. Canning is great and freezing, too. Still, I enjoy “sun-dried” tomatoes so much I always make sure to dry plenty of them. In warmer, drier climates tomatoes really can be sun-dried. Not possible where I live so I use a dehydrator to dry mine. It’s easy and only requires a little patience.
To prep tomatoes for drying just cut them in half- for small tomatoes and plum tomatoes, or slice larger ones. Remove the seeds- I use a spoon for small tomatoes and just squeeze larger tomatoes after slicing in half. Then I slice the larger ones. They will stick to your dehydrator tray unless you oil it first. I use a non-stick spray or dip a paper towel in oil and rub it over the trays. Start tomatoes cut side up for the first 12 hours or so. This will help with the sticking problem. Then you turn them over and continue drying until crisp. Time will vary with the size of the tomatoes and with individual dehydrators. My small dehydrator has a pre-set temperature so I just leave them in. My larger one has temperature controls so I start my tomatoes for the first couple of hours at 150 degrees then reduce heat to 130 until dried. Drying normally takes a day or two. Once dried, I store my dried tomatoes in the freezer. Left at room temperature tomatoes tend to reabsorb moisture and will darken. Edible but not pretty. You can also use moisture absorbing packets, vacuum seal and store at room temperature.
You can also powder some of the dried tomatoes. I use the tomato powder when a recipe calls for a small amount of tomato paste. I just mix a small amount of water in with the powdered tomatoes until I get the consistency desired. I also like to add the tomato powder to sauces and soups for extra flavor. It is a nice addition to salad dressings, too.
Oven drying is possible. Oven should be set at 130-with the door cracked to allow moisture to escape. I don’t recommend it because of the time required and the heat it generates- with the oven door cracked open. I do have friends that dry in their ovens all the time and say its fine. Would love to hear if you have oven dried tomatoes.
The tomatoes when I put them in. Note how much they will shrink.
Ratatouille Salad
Ratatouille Salad
I had all the ingredients for ratatouille, a lovely French vegetable stew. I had eggplant, tomatoes, summer squash, peppers, onions and fresh herbs. But I was in the mood for a salad. I decided to use the same ingredients that I would use for the ratatouille, but transform them into a salad. It came out quite nice. I could see serving it on toasted bread, or using it like a dip. It reminded me of caponata, in a way.
I decided to cook the eggplant and onion, but leave the rest of the vegetables raw. I also decided to leave the skin on the eggplant. I did not salt the eggplant beforehand. The eggplant was fresh and tender- I saw no need for peeling or salting, but you could do both, if you like.
I also always have roasted garlic on hand. I make a big batch and store in smaller containers in the freezer, until needed.The directions are after the recipe. If you don’t have roasted garlic, you could add several cloves of garlic, peeled and minced. I invited a neighbor to try it- and she ended up taking the rest home.
Ratatouille Salad
1 medium eggplant, cubed. I had about 3 cups of eggplant.
3 T. oil
½ t. salt
1 medium onion, sliced
2 T. roasted garlic*
½ c. red wine vinegar
1 med. zucchini, cut in matchstick pieces, about 3 cups
1 sweet pepper, seeded and diced
1½ c. diced fresh tomato, seeded, if desired
Dressing:
1/3 c. red wine vinegar
1/3 c. olive oil
2-3 T. honey, or to suit your taste
2 T. chopped parsley
1 t. chopped basil
2 t. thyme leaves
Hot sauce to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
In skillet, heat oil and saute eggplant until tender and just starting to brown. Season with salt. Remove from skillet and set in a mixing bowl. In same skillet, saute onion and cook until wilted and tender. Add the garlic and vinegar to the skillet and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. While liquid is cooking down, place remaining veggies in mixing bowl with the eggplant. When most of the liquid is cooked off, place onion in mixing bowl with eggplant mixture. Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar and whisk to combine. Pour over the eggplant mixture and toss to coat. Adjust seasonings. Chill until ready to serve. Serves 6-8 as a side.
*Once you have roasted garlic on hand for cooking, you will wonder how you did without it before. I get large amounts of freshly peeled cloves. Place the peeled garlic cloves in a roasting pan and pour a generous amount of olive oil over the garlic. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350 until garlic is tender and golden. This will take at least 30 minutes, but up to 40 minutes. It depends on how much garlic you are roasting at a time. Be careful not to burn it. Once cooled, place the garlic cloves, and oil, in small freezer containers. Store in freezer.
Beet Relish
Beet Relish
Beets are one of those foods that people either love- or hate. I love beets, and enjoy them in all sorts of dishes. One of my favorite beet recipes is this relish.
It is a great way to preserve beets to enjoy all year long. Beets are in season, and I thought I would share this recipe. I love this relish, and make several batches every year.
Beet relish is like a sweet pickle relish, only made with beets. You can add it to sandwiches or salads, and if you put some in your chicken or pasta salads, it turns them the nicest shade of pink. Yummy on a hot dog or hamburger, too.
I like to serve beet relish with cheeses and crusty bread as an appetizer. If you love beets like I do, you might want to try it.
While I have always made this relish with traditional, red beets, you can also make it with golden beets, if you prefer.
Beet Relish
1 qt. chopped cooked beets, about 12 medium
1 quart chopped cabbage, about 1 small head
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped red sweet pepper
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 T. prepared horseradish
1 T. canning salt ( non-iodized)
3 c. vinegar, white or cider- I prefer cider vinegar
Combine all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes. Bring mixture to a boil. Pack hot relish into hot jars leaving 1/4 -inch head space. Seal jars and process in a boiling water bath 15 minutes. Yield about 10 half-pint jars.
Source: Ball Blue Book
Zucchini Bread Pudding
Zucchini Bread Pudding
I had some extra zucchini bread and wanted to do something different with it. I ended up making this zucchini bread pudding. It came out even better than I thought it would. Rich, not too sweet. A simple, classic dessert.
I felt it needed some sort of topping or sauce. I made a vanilla caramel sauce to dress it up a little. It worked great. Ice cream or whipped cream would have worked, too.
I guess I should really call it a zucchini bread bread pudding. After all, it is bread pudding made from zucchini bread. My spell check hates it when I type the same word twice, so zucchini bread pudding it is.
I know this would also work with other quick breads, like pumpkin or banana bread.
So here is the recipe- for the bread pudding, the zucchini bread and the caramel sauce.
Zucchini Bread Bread Pudding
6-8 cups cubed zucchini bread- recipe follows
8 oz. cream cheese- cubed
2 c. half and half
3 eggs
1 T. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon
Vanilla Caramel sauce- recipe follows
Butter a 2-quart casserole. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place half the cubed zucchini bread in the prepared pan. Add half the cubed cream cheese, scattering over the bread. Repeat with remaining bread and cheese. In bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, beating until well mixed. Pour over the zucchini bread mixture. Place casserole in oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until bread pudding is set. Allow bread pudding to cool a little before serving. Serve with the vanilla caramel sauce or top with ice cream or whipped cream. Serves 8.
While often served warm, this bread pudding is tasty served chilled, too. Heck, I just had some for breakfast.
Zucchini Bread
3 c. flour
3 eggs
2 c. sugar
2 c. shredded zucchini
1 c. oil
1 c. chopped nuts or raisins
½ c. sour cream or strained yogurt
1 t. each vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and baking soda
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 2 (9×5 inch) loaf pans. Set aside. Place flour in large bowl. Beat eggs and add with remaining ingredients to flour, mixing well and scraping bowl. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until browned and toothpick in center emerges clean. Cool in pans on wire rack. Freezes well. Makes 2.
Vanilla Caramel Sauce
1 c. sugar
¼ c. water
4 T. butter
2 t. vanilla
¼ c. half and half
Pinch of salt
Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the remaining ingredients. Stir until smooth.
Homemade Granola
Easy Homemade Granola
One of the advantages of making stuff from scratch, is that you get to control what goes in it. This is really true for granola. The stuff in the store is often full of way too much sugar for my taste. The base for granola is toasted oats, but after that you can get creative. I use plenty of nuts and seeds, sometimes coconut, and finish it off with an assortment of dried fruits.
I prefer my granola less sweet than most commercial brands. By making my own, I get to control what, and how much, sweeteners to add. For my granola, I use honey to sweeten it. You can more or less to suit your taste.
I know granola is most often thought of as a breakfast food, but it makes a great snack, and sprinkled on yogurt it can also be a tasty choice for lunch. Great to take along when hiking or road trips. I actually like to sprinkle granola on ice cream, too.
I was teaching a dehydrating class the other night and we made granola in class. I used dried fruits I had dehydrated earlier. For the version I made in class I used a combination of dried cherries, pineapple and strawberries and raisins. Use the fruits you like.
Easy Homemade Granola
3 c. rolled oats
1/4 -1/2 c. each of any of the following to equal 1-2 c. total
Sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, wheat germ, peanuts, pecans, almonds, hazel nuts, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, coconut… you get the idea. Don’t forget to chop up any big pieces.
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. orange peel
1/2 t. nutmeg
pinch of salt, optional
1/4 c. oil
1/4 c. honey- or add a little more if you like a sweeter granola
2 t. vanilla
Dried fruit to equal 1 -1 1/2 cups. Some choices could include: raisins, dried cranberries, cherries, pineapple, dates, figs, apricots, bananas, strawberries, blueberries etc. Cut up larger pieces.
In large bowl combine oats with seeds and nuts and toss well with seasonings. Heat together oil, honey and vanilla and pour over oat mixture, tossing to coat evenly. Spread on a cookie sheet and bake in a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes. Halfway through the baking time stir mixture so the edges won’t burn. Remove from oven and return to large bowl. Toss with the dried fruit and allow to cool before storing in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Use in 1 month or store in freezer or fridge to keep longer. Makes 5-7 cups.
Dehydrating Vegetables
Dehydrated Vegetables
I have dehydrating on my mind this week. I taught a couple of dehydrating classes, and I bought a new dehydrator. Nothing like a new toy to get you excited about doing something.
I preserve a lot of food by dehydrating it. Once you get over the initial investment in a dehydrator, the cost to dry food and to store dried food is pretty minimal. I just got a very nice dehydrator for $30. Not a big investment at all.
Dried fruits are probably the most common home dried foods. Apples, grapes, pineapple, strawberries and cherries are among my favorites. But the dried vegetables are so useful and versatile, I enjoy them as much as dried fruits. I think you will, too.
Drying Vegetables
Most vegetables should be dried at the lower range if you have an adjustable thermometer on your dehydrator-around 125-degrees. The big thing to know with vegetables is that some of them need to be blanched first. Blanching is just steaming the vegetables for a few minutes and draining, if needed, before drying. Blanching kills certain enzymes, prevents browning and assures a better end product.
Vegetables that need blanching include green beans, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, greens, winter squash, corn and beets; this is not a complete list, but a good start.
Vegetables that do not require blanching include onions, celery, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, spinach, zucchini, cucumbers and garlic and also herbs.
Broccoli and cauliflower do not dehydrate well.
Tomatoes are probably the best vegetable to dry for the home gardener and cook. They are so easy to make and so tasty. Just cut plum tomatoes in half and scoop out the seeds. Lightly spray the trays with non-stick spray and place the tomatoes cut side up for the first 12 hours. Turn them over after that until they are dried. I like them pretty crispy, but keep them in the freezer to keep their color and flavor longer. After a year they will turn black if stored at room temperature. Larger tomatoes can also be dried. Just cut them in slices and squeeze out the seeds. Cherry tomatoes are just cut in half and squeezed to get out the seeds. With small cherry tomatoes I just make a cut large enough to get out the seeds and leave them whole.
How do I use them?
Veggie chips-zucchini and cucumber slices can be used instead of chips in dip.
Powders- Tomatoes, celery, onion, pumpkin and garlic can all be powdered and used to flavor soups, stews sauces, cheeses, dips and more. I add powdered veggies to pasta dough. Mushroom powder is one of my favorite ingredients.
Reconstituted as fresh- potatoes in casseroles are wonderful.
Dips- Peppers, onion and celery all add great flavor.
To thicken sauces- Shredded zucchini, peppers, onions celery and tomatoes all work well this way.
Soups and Stews- most any dried vegetable is most often used this way. Easy to just let them simmer together until tender and all their flavors will enrich your stock
Chowders- Corn and potatoes are great in these dishes
Dried vegetables are best stored in a cool, dry place- I often freeze them for best shelf life.
Vegetables in photo: Starting left with bright green and going clockwise: Celery, potatoes, red peppers, mushrooms, carrots, cucumbers, onions and tomatoes. In the center- mixed sweet peppers.
