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Tag: Drying

Make Fruit Leather for a Sweet Treat!

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Fruit leather
Use lined food dehydrator trays to easily dry fruit leather. Photo: NCHFP

Looking to add more fruit into your diet? Use fresh berries to make fruit leather for a handy snack. Berries are in season, so now is a great time to make fruit leather.

When fruits are dried, moisture is removed which concentrates the flavor and caloric value. The same is true when the fruit is in the form of a leather. Fruit leather tastes sweet without additional sugar and are a good source of energy. Use as snacks (children of all ages love them) or include with hiking or camping supplies.

For instructions, go to the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Source: Penn State University Food Preservation

 

What to do with Runny Jam or Jelly

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee
Fruit leather
Photo: NCHFP

Sometimes, is spite of best effort, the result of making a tasty jam or jelly is a runny mess. While it may be possible to remake runny jam or jelly, it may not be worth the effort. Just don’t waste it!

Runny jam or jelly can be used for pancake/waffle syrup or ice cream topping. Add it to a fruit smoothie along with extra fruit. How about making it into fruit leather? If you have a food dehydrator, this makes it easier to do. But it can be done in the oven. For jam, it is best to puree it in a food processor or blender to get a smooth product and it is easier to dry. For both jam and jelly, add some extra fruit for more flavor.

Information on making fruit leather from Washington State University gives good guidance on this project for all ages.

Source: University of California Cooperative Extension, El Dorado county

 

Mind Your Peas and Carrots!

Posted on by Karen Blakeslee

Spring gardens may be bursting with fresh peas and carrots. So how can they be preserved beyond the spring season?

Both vegetables can be preserved by canning, freezing and dehydrating. Carrots can also be pickled. Always start with fresh picked produce at the peak of maturity for best results. Wash with water. Use small sized carrots, scrub and peel to remove areas where dirt and bacteria can hide. Edible pea pod varieties are best frozen. Green and English peas can be frozen, canned or dehydrated since they are removed from the pods.

If freezing or dehydrating peas and carrots, both need to be blanched to achieve the best quality, texture, color and flavor.

For canning and freezing peas and carrots, see Preserve it Fresh, Preserve it Safe—Vegetables.

For dehydrating peas and carrots, see https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/uga/uga_dry_fruit.pdf.

Peas and carrots must be pressure canned. Pickled carrots are water bath canned. Learn more at www.rrc.k-state.edu/preservation/index.html

 

Reference to any specific commercial products, process, service, manufacturer, or company does not constitute its endorsement or recommendation. Paid for by Kansas State University