|
Post by Granny Smith on Jun 13, 2010 9:51:18 GMT -5
Beans have doubled in price here lately, but, even if dried beans are the same price per pound as meat, they're still a good value. A pound of meat is 4 servings, while a pound of beans is 10 servings, once they're cooked.
|
|
|
Post by meemo on Jun 13, 2010 12:10:11 GMT -5
Thats good thinking. Its healthier too. You can control how much fat and salt is in it.
|
|
|
Post by weg on Jun 15, 2010 9:23:33 GMT -5
I bought 15lbs. of blueberries yesterday (grown locally) so I will put them in the freezer today.I picked my first zukes yesterday too so they are freezer bound also.
|
|
|
Post by Granny Smith on Jun 15, 2010 9:54:37 GMT -5
I cut back the herbs yesterday, then dehydrated them. It was a bigger job that I thought it would be. I ended up doing 3 dehydrators full. Before (the bowl that's full is my bread bowl, the biggest mixing bowl Walmart sells)~ After (Most of the quarts are packed as full as I could pack them, so I didn't have to store more jars)~
|
|
|
Post by Valerie on Jun 15, 2010 16:05:32 GMT -5
Got some basil, parsley, and cherry/grape tomatoes in the dehydrator right now. I'm not sure what I'll do with the tomatoes dried, but I didn't want them to go to waste.
|
|
|
Post by Granny Smith on Jun 15, 2010 16:28:31 GMT -5
You can break up dried tomatoes and use them in place of diced or you can powder them and use them in place of tomato sauce or paste, depending on how much water you add. I like to throw some of the powder into chili or spaghetti sauce to make it richer.
You can, also, mix the powder into the spaghetti sauce mix to make instant spaghetti sauce, but I don't know how much to tell you to add because I usually make it with water, then add the powder till it's rich enough.
|
|
|
Post by logfires on Jun 15, 2010 17:48:24 GMT -5
A friend just dropped off a bag of rhubarb After pitting, drying cherries a couple of days ago...I don't know if I want to even look at the dehydrator Had no idea it would be 18 hours before they were dry! Think I'm just going to dice them up and freeze them for now. Maybe can them later.
|
|
|
Post by weg on Jun 16, 2010 10:37:54 GMT -5
Gayle nice pictures.Just got back from picking wild raspberries.Got enough for a pie then quit.I will freeze them with the few I have from my own bramlbes.I dont like picking where there might be creepy crawlies
|
|
|
Post by Valerie on Jun 16, 2010 10:52:44 GMT -5
You can break up dried tomatoes and use them in place of diced or you can powder them and use them in place of tomato sauce or paste, depending on how much water you add. I like to throw some of the powder into chili or spaghetti sauce to make it richer. You can, also, mix the powder into the spaghetti sauce mix to make instant spaghetti sauce, but I don't know how much to tell you to add because I usually make it with water, then add the powder till it's rich enough. Thanks, Gayle! I like the idea of powdering them. I never seem to have tomato sauce or paste on hand when I decide to use some. It's not something I use often, so I don't really keep it stocked. Powder would be a lot handier. Hey! That's what I'll do with that bag of tomatoes I have in the freezer! Dry them and powder them, too!
|
|
|
Post by Granny Smith on Jun 16, 2010 18:17:38 GMT -5
I have a tray of nasturtium blossoms in the dehydrator. I don't know what I'll do with them, yet, but they're pretty. I might add a few to rice to add some color.
I also have 2 trays of blueberries in there. Eventually, they'll be used in muffins or pancakes.
|
|
|
Post by michelle on Jun 17, 2010 7:28:33 GMT -5
I have tomato powder at home. I'll try and remember to grab my conversion notes to post (how much tomato powder + how much water = type of canned tomato product)
|
|
|
Post by Cyngbaeld on Jun 19, 2010 10:09:50 GMT -5
Starting to can the pig today. I'll only do one run a day. If I wait till 4:30 or 5 pm to turn it on, the house is already about as hot as it gets so I won't have to tolerate overheating the house early and having it way hot all day.
|
|
|
Post by Granny Smith on Jun 19, 2010 20:21:36 GMT -5
CC, how many loads will it take to can up the whole thing? Boy, that's gotta be a lot of work!
Believe it or not, I'm STILL drying those blueberries (the same ones) They're nearly done - FINALLY! Next time, I'm going to dip em in boiling syrup first and see if they dry faster. Four days to dry something is a bit much. (And I'm only going to end up with about a pint)
I dried a tray of celery yesterday. It was just the center stalks and some leaves, but they'll add flavor to stocks and such.
I froze 6 cups of beef broth that was left from the pot roast. I put it in ziplocks, 2 cups per bag. I figured that would be about right for gravy. If I need it for soup, I can thaw more than one bag. I probably should have canned it, but there's that thing about using the canner...
|
|
|
Post by Cyngbaeld on Jun 19, 2010 21:21:49 GMT -5
What's the thing about using the canner?
I'll have to keep track cause I'm not sure how many jars it'll take. I gave some meat to my friends and I'm giving some to my sister. I'll be rendering the lard and canning that too. When I boil the bones down, I'll use that to can a bunch more dried beans for Bethany. She really loves them like that. I add onions and bell peppers and celery to the broth, and salt of course.
7 qts today.
|
|
|
Post by Granny Smith on Jun 19, 2010 22:26:38 GMT -5
What's the thing about using the canner? I'm afraid of it.
|
|