Is a food dehydrator worth buying?  Yes!!  One of the best decisions and purchases I ever made was buying my food dehydrator.  The main reason I bought my first dehydrator (stacking version) many many years ago was to make beef jerky - the cost of jerky at the grocery stores was and still is outrageous!  Making my own was easy and it never lasts more than 1 or 2 days in the household.  I buy a round steak (the cheapest cut), slice it up into pieces, add terikayi marimade and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator and then add it to the dehydrator the next day.

Now all my extra garden harvest that is over my limit (after the family has their fill, the neighbors have seen enough and I have canned all I need for the winter months and gift giving) I dehydrate.  Tomatoes are excellent dried - my version of sundried tomatoes!

   Tomatoes loaded and ready to dry   Dried chives, beef JERKY, blueberries and mushrooms

Herbs, vegetables, fruits and even flowers can all successfully be dried in the dehydrator.   I have taken some produce a step further and after drying in the dehydrator have used a coffee grinder to make them into powder - hot peppers, garlic and even celery.  Here's a look at the garlic powder I recently made.                    

Now on my second dehydrator - an Excalibur - I waste very little food.  Bananas used to get dark, grapes would start to shrivel, mushrooms would get slimy and I would end up tossing all in the compost bin.  Then I realized the Excalibur was an excellent means to save these foods for later - either for snacking or for cooking.  Having the machine on the countertop helps tremendously as a daily reminder!  I also take advantage of the clearance rack at the grocery store and stock up the dehydrator; strawberries on sale, pineapple, melons, grapes .... the list is endless.  The dehydrator has more than paid for itself.  I have come a long way since those early days with my first dehydrator.
       Pineapple, strawberries
    Blueberries, grapes

I have added the Excalibur to My Picks on the Craft page of the website along with some good books on the subject.  I do own Mary Bell's book Complete Dehydrator Cookbook and you will definitely find tons of great ideas and recipes there!  Ask for a dehydrator for Christmas!!


Till next time,
the girl @ TheRunningGarlic