Showing posts with label dehydrated. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dehydrated. Show all posts

8.03.2025

Homemade Dehydrated Banana Chips

 Bananas something I've always loved and there's so many ways to enjoy them. I can recall babysitting on Balboa Island in California and our daily walk included frozen bananas covered in chocolate and peanuts oh yeah

Dehydrating bananas is a wonderful and simple way to have them anytime as a snack. Super simple super easy let's go. 



You Begin by taking ripe bananas not overripe and not under ripe just plain ripe. Peel and slice your bananas in about a 1/4 " that's not too thick not too thin. **Please save your banana peels you can dehydrate those crush them and use them as fertilizer for all your plants indoors and out but that's another post.

 




Once you have sliced your bananas place them on to your dehydrating racks.

I have dried my banana chips on both plastic as well as metal racks. I would recommended once they have been dehydrated prior to them cooling off remove the chips. If not they will stick making it a pain in the bootee to remove from the rack.                                                                                                                                    




If you're using a dehydrator with a temperature and timer the temperature is 140 F and the timer should be set at 6 to 8 hours I just checked mine. If you have the dehydrator that has no temperature just blows air just keep an eye on him it takes a few hours.




Once finished make you sure you store them in a jar that has a Tight Seal so no air gets to them they will soften back up pretty fast. Just like any food that we preserve ourselves we want to keep it safe and away from any bacteria. 

Well enjoy your banana chips I know that depending on the banana they can be like a piece of candy or a well-dried banana that might not make sense but once you start doing it you'll understand. Leave any questions or concerns and have a blessed day blessed day.

10.10.2020

Dehydrated Bananas


I love Bananas ! Yup in a bowl of cereal, protein drink anytime snack and a bonus filled with lots of potassium. I love finding new ways to extend the life of my food. I am blessed with a yard that allows me to grow many of my food needed to preserve. 

Dehydrating Bananas you say ! I will once again never go with dehydrated store bought bananas again. The ones I made myself were scrumptious. Dehydrated they are so much sweeter than fresh. I think the whole dehydrating process brings out the sugar.


The one and only reason I did this was because I had three bananas left that looked like they may not make it to the protein drink. So I had been making Beef Jerky and dehydrated Roma Tomatoes all the tools were still out. So let us get started.

Begin by having all your tools and a few bananas. 



No need for a list but there is one thing. I didn't do and that was coat them in lemon. Do not get me wrong I love lemons. I dehydrate Lemons all the time to add to my water and any recipes. The reason people do soak them or coat them in lemon is to keep them from turning brown. Personally I do not care. Also if you look at my pictures you will see they really did not turn brown. Go figure! 





Alright have your cutting board and your dehydrator ready. I use a paring knife my favorite tool. Slice and put your slices on your dehydrator close but not touching each other. They will stick a bit but once your ready to tuen they lift off without breaking.




This is so fast. Ever dehydrator has different times and temperature. Mine is just blow and go.



No temperature just hot air and done. I am not a cook that depends too much on temperature and time with something a simple as this. 

Check your bananas if they are dry to the touch turn them over to dry the underside. They may stick a bit but take care to turn them and continue the drying.






Once you bananas are leathery and dry and sometimes a little sticky to the touch. 

You can store you bananas in an airtight container. They stay fresh for a good two weeks. 

Mine go in a bowl on the counter and they are gone within a few days. 



3.15.2017

Dehydrating Citrus



Citrus Drying,  I know that it seems almost impossible that someone who has been preserving food as long as I have has not Dried Citrus. To dehydrate any citrus is brilliant and so very easy. When I think of all the little citrus that has sat and watched me waiting to be sectioned for Great Marmalade. And as most of you know to make a fresh and great marmalade it takes a lot of time.






I have been a part of a great Challenge this New Year of 2017 through the Food In Jars Website. Even if your not a part of it play along I am learning a lot. And remember Knowledge is power in the canning world!


So last month's project used salt I made some awesome Citrus Salt and it is all the rage in this canning family. 







So I have the gift of living in SoCal and with that comes a bounty of citrus of every sort. Today I got a box of Blood Oranges from a neighbor and I have some Meyer from my own tree's and some limes left from another jam project.





Not so many pictures this round ! But this is a simple and very worthy project for you to do. Never waste anything if possible. In this picture I show you how I take even the ends that are cut off and squeeze the juice from them for jam, drinks or what ever it is easily frozen in jar's.




Alright y then just slice you citrus in 1/4 inch thin slices. Place your slices on your dehydrator shelves and dry on. My dehydrator has no temperature so I dry until my stuff is dry no moisture left. I also will take the tray's and put them on the table for a day or two to let the citrus air dry more. Seal them into air tight container and use in you water, cooking there are so many uses but that is yet another post! 

You could also use your oven. Just take a cookie sheet with a rack and put them in the oven for a few day's. Do not forget them.


I don't recommend a low oven so many do not go low enough to properly dry them but try whatever works for you. I am of the belief that if it works do it.












Well all dried and in their cute little jar's in the Pantry of Wonderful!


Here are some links to help your journey ! Spoon Fork Bacon and  Food in Jars 

4.17.2012

Peppers and Dehydrating



 You can and should dry any kind of pepper you can get your hands on. I have done everyone from Jalapeno to baby sweet peppers. They come in so handy for jam and cooking . The list of things you can do is endless. Just slice them put them on you trays and dry. I use my food saver to store. I have also put them into mason jars.

I have used my dried Jalapeno for Strawberry Rhubarb Spicy Spread  this is super good with some cheese and crackers. They did a spread in the Star about this spread it is famous....How funny is that .....

You can dry your peppers  many way. You can dry them whole just take off the top stem and lay them flat onto the trays. You could crush them of leave them whole after they are done. Go to the bottom of this post for the how to on drying them whole this makes a great gift when tied together and topped with a nice label and a jar of jam to boot!


Peppers are powerful plants. Take precautions when preparing fresh peppers and when drying the pods. Wear protective gloves. And for gosh sakes do not touch you face when cutting or prepping the peppers.

If you have a dehydrating machine use it you can also use the oven. . Remove the stems, then lay out the peppers in the trays so that they do not overlap.

For fast, even drying, I cut the peppers in slices. You will end up with many seeds at the bottom of the drier but that is ok just scoop them out and add them to the jar.
Make sure you place your dehydrator in a well ventilated area no matter what you are drying because there is always a lot of fumes and smells.Follow the temperature setting from your instruction booklet. Your final, intended result will be the same as natural drying.

Leave the fresh peppers whole and be sure to include the stem when you pick them . Use a strong needle & thread to loosely sew the stems together. Be sure to leave enough space between each pepper pod to ensure proper air circulation. Hang the clusters up to dry, preferably in a cool, dark place, but many people choose to hang their pepper clusters in places where they can be seen and enjoyed while they dry, like in the kitchen.

I hope this helped you to enjoy your peppers and make  them last all year long.

6.21.2011

Dehydrated Jalapeno Peppers

I use these little devils all the time so when the season is right I dehydrate as many as possible to carry me through the winter when they are not around locally. So I picked 4 to 5 pounds of them from two different yards. I am really happy when I get these because I use them so much. Yes I am Spice-head...I know I should go to Spice rehab or Spicy anonymous but I think the denial is just to big.....

So I have a little dehydrator from a garage sale  $5.00 sweet.  I am a bargain hunter from the get go....

So I chopped them fresh each day as many as I could pack into the little dryer.
I try to keep the size the same on the slices and not to thick not to thin.
The ends of the peppers (not the stem) it is the last oh say 1/2 to 1/4 inch of the end of the pepper- I put in to Tupperware and when I am all done I do something with them each year it is something different. This year I canned them into little half pint jam jars and covered them with Honey Syrup left from the Plums...moving on

Once they have dried which usually took over night 8-16 hours . I would take them and spread them on a plate or paper towel for a few days. I think this really gets all the moisture out. I am one who is never to cautious when it comes to germs....or mold....etc.

Once they are thoroughly dry I popped them in yet another little jar I snagged at a flea market in Ventura....God bless Garage sales, Flea markets and well I have to admit things in trash cans......






 Now I have them all winter till next season I would say it is a proportion of 10 to 12 slices equal a pepper.....yummy