Showing posts with label fruits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fruits. Show all posts

4/14/2012

Fruits of the Midwest - A Cookbook and Guide from Harvest to Table Review

Fruits of the Midwest - A Cookbook and Guide from Harvest to Table
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I have spent New Years Day happily reading this wonderful book cover to cover. It was a true delight to imagine a summer day with the vivid colors and heady scents of the freshest fruit while pure white snow was just outside my window. I love this book!
Debbie has practical, clear tips for selecting, handling and storing fruit. There is such a variety of recipes with simple and direct instructions. With the addition of fresh apples, frozen or canned fruit, most of the ingredients are already in my pantry. I am able to have summer tastes on my table tonight!
The book is thoughtfully laid out with special hints and tips on the same page where needed. Debbie tells you the differences in varieties of the same fruit, and then writes what works best for her. She tells you what her family prefers as well as valid reasons why others may prefer a different texture or sweetness or way of preserving the fruit. Convenient tabs mark the beginning of each new section. She has valuable lists of substitutions and equivalents.
The photo of Debbie's grandmother on the cover of her book could be my own grandmother or great grandmother and evokes warm, sweet memories for me. It is a "feel-good" book. There is something in here for everyone!
Tonight's dessert will be Debbie's "Hurry-up Apple Dumplings".
Thank you, Debbie, for sharing your wisdom and wealth of information. This will be a treasured and well-used cook book!


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Many consumers are rediscovering the superior flavor, nutritional quality, and wholesome goodness of fresh locally grown fruit from their own garden, a Farmer's Market, or picked fresh from a local U-pick farm. "Fruits of the Midwest - A Cookbook and Guide from Harvest to Table" has been written to answer the questions many people have about how to harvest, handle, store, and preserve fresh fruits commonly grown in the Midwest.Written in an easy to use format, with individual sections devoted to apples, blackberries, blueberries, cherries (sour), peaches, pears, raspberries, strawberries, and more, it provides help, information, and over 250 kitchen-tested fruit recipes.Additional sections address canning and freezing basics, jam and jelly making, and information on ingredient substitutions/equivalents and pan size/volume comparisons. The author operates a U-pick berry farm in Missouri where her customers frequently ask for the types ofinformation and recipes provided in this book.

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3/29/2012

Raw Foods for Busy People: Simple and Machine Free Recipes for Every Day Review

Raw Foods for Busy People: Simple and Machine Free Recipes for Every Day
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I've read over 10 books on raw food lifestyle, and for the size of this one, it is one of the best I've read so far.
simple, easy, delicious, quick. what more could you ask for??
great as a gift for someone new to or considering eating raw/living food


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Enjoy and prepare simple raw foods, the healthiest foods nature has to offer, while living a busy lifestyle. This book is perfect for raw food beginners, busy people, health-conscious slackers, and those on temporary cleansing programs. It makes a great gift for the raw-curious as well, since it is the simplest and least intimidating raw food recipe book on the market. It includes over 120 recipes, almost half of which are or include machine-free options. The 2nd edition includes a weekly organization chart, 3 new recipes, and updated references.

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1/30/2012

The Joy of Jams, Jellies, and Other Sweet Preserves: 200 Classic and Contemporary Recipes Showcasing the Fabulous Flavors of Fresh Fruits Review

The Joy of Jams, Jellies, and Other Sweet Preserves: 200 Classic and Contemporary Recipes Showcasing the Fabulous Flavors of Fresh Fruits
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I am giving this cookbook 5 stars for originality and information, and only 3 stars for ease of use.
If you are a beginner, I recommend Ball Blue Canning Book #21400 for your first tries. While these recipes require pectin, they do not require the more extensive methods required in this book, and the information is a little less intimidating. Most of my first tries came from this book.
If you have a little experience under your belt, this is an AWESOME book.
It begins with the history of canning and preserving and a great deal of information on why it all works. This information is expanded at the beginning of the chapter on each fruit. That information is necessary, since all of these recipes are designed to avoid the use of pectin except what is naturally occurring in the fruit. As a result, most of the recipes require additional steps to ensure success.
Ms. Ziedrich is an experienced cook and incorporates many advanced techniques and equipment that the "newbie" probably does not have in his or her kitchen, including a food mill and steam juicer, however, she offers simple alternatives that you can use instead.
While the title calls this book "sweet preserves," there are a number of vegetables included: carrots, pumpkin & winter squash, and even a method for preserving zucchini. It also includes items you won't find in normal preservation books - I didn't even know bananas, kumquats, or cantaloupe COULD be canned! The recipe for Coconut Caramel Jam starts with instructions on opening a coconut!
AND this is not simply a "canning" recipe book. It includes recipes for fruit leather (you need a dehydrator for these), cherry flavored brandy, methods for preserving nuts, and many other original ideas.
Our county fair just ended (I got 3 blue ribbons this year), but I have found several recipes here that I WILL be using in next year's fair! I am grateful that I had the chance to try this through the Amazon Vine program, and I have a couple of friends I will be buying this for come Christmas.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Joy of Jams, Jellies, and Other Sweet Preserves: 200 Classic and Contemporary Recipes Showcasing the Fabulous Flavors of Fresh Fruits

Homemade preserves are the perfect way to enjoy a favorite fruit all year long. They're also inexpensive and, in this book, are made without commercial pectin or other artificial ingredients. For novices, a thorough guide to equipment, techniques, and safety is followed by essential recipes such as Raspberry Jam, Apple Butter, and Concord Grape Jelly. More experienced preservers will be delighted at innovative offerings including Blackberry Vinegar, Red Grapefruit Marmalade, and Brandied Peaches with Vanilla.

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1/04/2012

The Busy Person's Guide to Preserving Food: Easy Step-by-Step Instructions for Freezing, Drying, and Canning Review

The Busy Person's Guide to Preserving Food: Easy Step-by-Step Instructions for Freezing, Drying, and Canning
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I used to feel intimidated about preserving fresh vegetables. I thought all sorts of expensive equipment and a vast knowledge of preserving were needed in order to successfully preserve food. Then I purchased a copy of The Busy Person's Guide to Preserving Food and was delighted to find that I could almost effortlessly preserve many of the fresh vegetables I grew and still have good results with the finished product. Now, I look forward to a healthy crop of green beans, yellow squash, zucchini, and tomatoes and no longer wonder what I'll do with all of the produce.

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10/23/2011

Deni Food Dehydrator - Five Stackable Trays -Dehydrater Review

Deni Food Dehydrator - Five Stackable Trays -Dehydrater
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I don't see any info about an adjustable thermostat. This looks a lot like one I got for a birthday. I can't use it because the drying temp is higher than allowed for raw foods, so if you are looking for something with an adjustable thermostat for raw food dehydrating, stick with the Excaliber, or at least something that you can adjust the temp on, instead of going for something that is being compared to Excaliber as though it is better.

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8/15/2011

Waring Pro DHR20 525-Watt 5-Tray Food Dehydrator Review

Waring Pro DHR20 525-Watt 5-Tray Food Dehydrator
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It makes great beef jerky, dried eggplant, carrots, fruit etc.. I make sure the lid is closed (no holes) and it takes about 8 hours for three racks of food to dry. Powerful, quiet. Ordered with Marys complete dehydrator cookbook, great book for people just getting started and those who didn't know eggs and milk (and other cool stuff) can be dehydrated. Looking forward to healthy snacks for some time to come. I love the trick of dipping fruit and veggies in o.j. or lemon juice so they don't shrivel or get brown from oxidation. working on making leather or fruit roll ups with applesauce and yogurt, cant wait! great kitchen tool, to use extra food from dinner and snacks. Doggies love the jerky as well as the man!

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Fun and easy to use, this countertop food dehydrator makes delicious beef or turkey jerky, homemade trail mix, fruit snacks, dried herbs, and more in a matter of hours instead of days--it can also be used to make potpourri and dried flowers for any occasion. The unit's five locking trays offer a generous capacity for drying small and large batches alike, with a stackable design that saves space for energy efficiency and convenience. Equipped with a powerful 240-watt motor and top-venting system, the dehydrator features a simple on/off toggle switch; a control knob with low, medium, and high heat settings; and a tinted clear-view cover for monitoring the drying process at a glance. It also provides a fruit roll-up sheet for creating healthier versions of favorite fruit snacks and fruit leather. A smart way to process wild game from hunting trips, put up vegetables and fruits from the garden, or simply embrace a smart alternative to the salt- and preservative-laden dried foods available commercially, the food dehydrator measures approximately 11-3/5 by 13-3/5 by 15-2/5 inches, and its motor carries a five-year limited warranty.

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7/30/2011

Nesco FD-75PR 700-Watt Food Dehydrator Review

Nesco FD-75PR 700-Watt Food Dehydrator
Average Reviews:

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I had been researching dehydrators for months and finally decided on this one. I am happy I did. I have dried veggies, fruits, made jerky and fruit leathers so far. It is easy to use, has great recipes and works well. It is nice to be able to give the kids snacks that are not full of sugars and things no one can pronounce. I only wish it had a timer. I will probably use a regular timer and plug it into that.
Pros: *fan not in bottom of unit - allows for more uniform drying
*temperature control
*size - fits nicely on a kitchen counter
*availability of accessories
*ease of use
Cons: *no timer
*no on/off switch - you have to unplug the unit to turn it off

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Dry fruit, vegetables, and jerky in hours instead of days with this 700-watt food dehydrator. The unit's patented Converga-Flow drying system forces air down the exterior pressurized chamber, then horizontally across each individual tray, converging in the center, for fast, even, and nutritious drying. Flavors don't mix, and there's no need to rotate the trays. Its top-mounted fan eliminates the worry of liquids dripping into the heater chamber, and an opaque Vita-Save exterior helps block harmful lights in order to retain more of the food's nutrients and vitamins during the drying process. The unit's adjustable thermostat ranges from 95 to 160 degrees F, providing the flexibility needed to ensure excellent results. Five trays come included, but the unit can be expanded to up to 12 trays (additional trays sold separately) for drying larger quantities at one time. Accessories include two fruit roll sheets, perfect for drying semi-liquids like soups, sauces, and fruit rolls; two Clean-A-Screen flexible screens, which allow for easy drying of small items such as herbs, spices, and potpourri; and three original jerky spice packets for making jerky. A 52-page recipe and instruction book also comes included. With a sleek, contemporary design, the food dehydrator measures approximately 13 by 13 by 10 inches. From the Manufacturer
NESCO/American Harvest - "The Best Food Dehydrators in the World."

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