I thought I was done with all my food preservation this year, but circumstances were out of my hands.
Really.
Take one of the last days of sunshine Oregon is likely to see for the next five months. Add in the irresistible allure of ripe, juicy apples. Season it all with the beautiful phrase “35 cents per pound” and, at no fault of my own, I end up with more apples.
One-hundred-and-one pounds of more apples.
So I donned my lovely apple apron
and got to work.
Today’s apple delicacy?
Dehydrated apple rings!
I love dehydrated apples. They are wonderful on oatmeal or in salads (make a simple olive oil and apple-cider vinegar dressing), if they last that long. We usually end up eating the whole lot before I can do anything else with them.
And just check out that funky-cool dehydrator. Don’t you just love the screens? They look like little window frames.
When I heard that an acquaintance from church was giving this baby away, I jumped in my car and drove right over. I had been searching for a good used dehydrator for awhile.
I tried to borrow my mom’s, but she told me that she had thrown it away. Apparently, she had loaned to someone else and it came back reeking of marijuana. And the smell wouldn’t come out. (Did I mention that we live in Oregon?) She did the right thing; my mom is nutty enough without throwing in some freaky kind of olfactory contact-high.
But back to my dehydrator. It looks old but it works great. And smells pretty good too. And it churns out a gallon-sized ziploc of apples per batch.
Tomorrow I’m making apple sauce and apple pie filling.
I’d ask my mom for canning jars, but…I’m too afraid.
Hi. I’m Heidi.
I write books, like these:
And sometimes I cook.
OK I am so wanting an apple right now! 🙂
The Roosts last blog post..Remnants of Fall
Oh my. I clicked the link you put in to the May 8th post about your mom. I guess I hadn’t read that one before. I have tears rolling down. Oh my, the funnies you can tell!
Melissa R
Makes me miss Oregon! My mom’s dehydrator looks just like yours. My favorite is dehydrated pears.
I am so jealous of your dehydrator that I am foaming at the mouth. My mom has the same kind and I can’t get interested in the newer versions when I like the screen kind so much! You can make fruit leather on those things! So awesome! My grandma make awesome plum fruit leather. Mmmmmm….
Amber Haiders last blog post..Halloween Festivities
My mouth is watering and when I sit down for my bowl of oatmeal tomorrow morning, it will seem desperately lonely. Enjoy. I love Oregon.
Jolenes last blog post..Random Pics From Halloween
Wow. Those apples look good. Coming from someone who doesn’t really cook…. look at all the funky gadgets! I missed apple picking this year. Maybe next year.
Corinas last blog post..My guffaw and snort moment
That is a hilarious story! My mom had a dehydrator similar to that one. We loved dehydrated pears. I could really use some of those about now, yum!
frugalisfabs last blog post..Redbox Code 11/10/08
I am coveting your dehydrator. Really. But I think I have the same kind of mirror as you.
Your apples look so tasty! (that could almost be taken the wrong way)….but I do mean the dehydrated ones. Your story made me laugh!
I miss picking apples in the fall. We did that every fall with the kids and my parents when we lived in Indiana. Now we live in Houston, Texas and there aren’t many apple orchards nearby…in fact, I haven’t found even one yet. Boo hoo!! Have fun with all your apples.
Melanie Wards last blog post..Heaven help me!
How lucky to have all those apples to work with! There is nothing like homemade applesauce, I am so bummed that I did not get to doing it this year!
Maybe next year!
PS – Love your apron! Too cute!
Carries last blog post..Not Good Enough
Are you kidding me? You were given an Excalibur dehydrator? I just bought mine this year and I love it!