It’s Not Candy, It’s Dried Fruit Leather

No matter when you have too much fruit, whether it’s because of a bountiful harvest in your back yard or a huge sale at the market, you can preserve it for future use by drying. But, you don’t necessarily have to save it. You can dry the ripe fruit, even over ripe fruit and give it to the kids as a nourishing snack that will make them think you’re giving them a treat instead of adding beneficial fruit to their diet.

Fruit leathers are a homemade version of the rolled up fruit snacks that are so expensive in the grocery store. They seem popular with kids who would otherwise pass on fresh fruit. Tasty and chewy, they are also easy to make and to store.

The following directions are for a 13” by 15” fruit leather.

Ingredients:

·         2 cups of chunked fresh fruit

·         2 tsp lemon juice or 1/8 tsp ascorbic acid

Other items needed:

·         Oven proof tray to dry the fruit leather

·         Plastic wrap

1.       Simply put the fruit in the food processor along with the lemon or ascorbic acid and puree it until the mixture is smooth.

2.       Line the trays with the plastic wrap. Smooth out any wrinkles

3.       Pour the puree and spread it evenly on the tray. It shouldn’t be thicker than 1/8 inch. Don’t let it get too close to the edge.

4.       Dry the leathers in a 140 degree oven for about 18 hours. If you’re using a food dehydrator instead, it will only take about 6 to 8 hours to dry.

To be really frugal, the fruit leathers can be dried to satisfaction in a couple of days if left in the sun.

Test the fruit wraps at the center. They dry from the outer edges inward, so if your touch leaves an indentation, the leather still needs more drying time.

Once the fruit is completely dry, peel it off of the plastic wrap and roll it up. When it’s cool, wrap it in fresh plastic wrap to store.

The kids will probably eat the fruit leathers up before you decide how you will preserve them. If you’ve made several batches, they will last for up to a month at room temperature.

If you’ve turned an entire harvest into fruit wraps, wrap them tightly and you can keep them in the freezer for up to a year.

Can I Skip the Blanching Before Freezing?

Preserving food can be time consuming and we’re all busy. Sometimes we’re tempted to take short cuts, but if you’re trying to improve your families diet don’t take a chance on serving them foods that are as safe and tasty as you can make them.

If you’re going to freeze your vegetables, blanch everything except green peppers and onions. Not only does it clean the vegetables, it slows the loss of vitamins and brightens the color. Blanched vegetables are also easier to pack.

The most important reason to blanch the vegetables is because enzymes that help make the vegetables grow in the garden can continue to be active in the vegetables even in the freezer. This will make the veggies tough and contribute to a change of color and flavor.

Pay special attention to the blanching time recommended for each type of vegetable. If some aren’t blanched long enough, it will cause more problems than would occur if the entire blanching process were skipped. Under blanching only serves to make the enzymes more active. Over blanching will contribute to the loss of vitamins and minerals, color and flavor. Yuck. You might as well just buy canned veggies and put up with the additives. Just kidding.

You can blanch the vegetables in boiling water, in the microwave or even by steaming.

Blanching Vegetables in Boiling Water

The boiling water method is the best way to blanch most vegetables that you plan on freezing. You need a wire basket that will fit into a kettle with a lid unless you have a blancher with a basket.

For each pound of vegetable, use a gallon of water. Lower the basket of produce into the kettle of boiling water. The water should continue to boil. Place the lid on the kettle and start timing according to the recommended time for the vegetable. If the water stops boiling as you add the basket, don’t start the timing process until starts boiling again.

Steam Blanching

Sprouts and grated summer squash are best blanched by heating in steam. Steam can also be used for sweet potatoes, winter squash, pumpkin and broccoli.

Steaming takes a little longer than boiling. You need a lidded pan and a basket that will hold your veggies a minimum of 3 inches from the bottom of the pan. Lay the vegetables out in a single layer. Place the rack or basket into the pan with one to 2 inches of boiling water. Cover and start timing.

Blanching in the Microwave

All microwaves are different, so choosing this option means you have to follow the directions that came with the appliance. If you plan on storing the vegetables in the freezer for an extended period of time, you might want to consider using the boiling method. The enzymes might not be inactivated when blanched in the microwave.

Many people are successful with this method, though.

Cool Immediately

Plunge the vegetables into cold water as soon as the blanching time has been reached to keep them from cooking. Change the water as needed so that the vegetables continue to cool as quickly as possible.

Then, drain and pack for freezing.

Why Do We Bother?

If your mom or grandmother preserved their harvest, chances are you either follow in their footsteps or have at least tried to follow at times. With the availability of food in the grocery store, you may have wondered if preserving food at home is worth the effort.

The reasons people can, dry or freeze food to be used later are varied. Some people have large gardens that produce more than they can possibly consume. Others do it because at harvest time, produce is so inexpensive that they buy up all that they can to save money on their favorite fruits and veggies during the off season in their area.

Then there are the label readers. These wise shoppers have discovered that a lot of canned foods, prepackaged foods and foods processed in other ways contain ingredients that we've never heard of. The thought of feeding our families safe and nutritious foods makes the effort of preserving fresh foods well worth it.

Check out the label on a can of green beans from the grocery store. There can be up to 500 mg of sodium in the 2 cups of beans that the can holds. We all know that there is no sodium in fresh green beans. Why add all of this to our families diet when we are struggling to lower the daily consumption of sodium?

No matter what your reason for preserving your fresh bounty, you want to do it safely. There is a proper way to put up food for the future so that it is safe to feed your family at a later date.

Make sure everything you use is clean and without defect. Make sure you mark the date on all packages and know how long they can be safely stored. If the container has been damaged during the storage time, don't take chances serving it to your family. Dispose of it.

Have you learned some time saving tricks or devised new recipes for foods you preserve? Why don't you take a minute and share them in the comments section. One of my personal favorites is dropping a teaspoon of my own raspberry jam into the holder before adding my cupcake batter. It's an easy way to add a special touch, and I know exactly what's in the tasty treat.