Sometimes we all need a shortcut, especially for those of us who were just on (ahem) vacation for two weeks and then, in addition to catching up on life in general, have to immediately run the school book fair upon our return. Sometimes convenience food is, well, convenient, and that convenience factor far, far outweighs any other considerations.
Related: I really, really love fruit leather.
I know it's processed, I know it's full of sugar (naturally occurring fruit sugar!), but when I'm pressed for time - as I am this week, goodness - I love dropping them into the kids' snack bags for school. There's a no-squishability factor, plus the added bonus of no washing, slicing, or packing up. Not to mention the fact that I love them myself.
Lately I've been considering combining my love of, shall we say, the culinary arts with my love of dehydrated fruit, and perhaps purchasing myself my very own food dehydrator. Remember that old Friends episode where Chandler gets a (crazy) new roommate who starts dehydrating everything? That, THAT is a watermelon! I'm slightly worried that I'll end up like that, but I'm not letting my eventual descent into insanity via food dehydrating deter me. I could make my own fruit leather!
My mother-in-law has a dehydrator; it's of the vintage of very well-made and long-lasting small appliances. Remember those days, when a toaster would last a lifetime? In any case, she makes her own raisins and other dried fruits. I think, as a project, this is something I could really get behind, if I could just figure out what kind of dehydrator is best. Any recommendations?
The problem is that by making my own fruit leather, I'm kind of eliminating the convenience factor that is one of my favourite attributes of fruit leather. It's simple and easy to make granola bars, but one of the reasons I buy granola bars is for backup when I don't have time to make something from scratch. Well, there's no reason I can't do both: purchase a box of fruit leather AND make some for fun. The best of both worlds? I think so.
I haven't bought fruit leather for a long time.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm. Maybe time to add it back into the rotation.
And I know what you mean about granola bars. I could make them, but the point is that I DON'T WANT TO.
That's exactly it. I know it's easy but NO. I draw the line somewhere.
DeleteYou can also make fruit leather in your oven. I have seen tons of recipes for it. Basically puree fruit, spread it in a cookie sheet and bake it low and slow. Not too hard, and who knows, if you like it then you could buy a dehydrator.
ReplyDeleteREALLY? I am totally going to try this! Thanks!
DeleteI have always wanted a dehydrater, too. Sisters! Buuuut I have many, many other small appliances that I desperately wanted at one time or other and so I don't know if I can justify it from a counterspace perspective.
ReplyDeleteMy poor kids never get fruit leather as a snack. They generally get little cups of applesauce, day in and day out, because their father - who does the groceries - thinks that is probably the most likely Beck-pleasing snack. When I recovered from being so sick a year and a half ago, I found out that he'd been packing them Ding Dongs and pudding cups EVERY DAY, which they now look back on wistfully as the halcyon days of their youth.
I really don't know if I'll have room on my countertop either. I am trying to think of all sorts of schemes for it - the pantry! the basement! - but wouldn't it be fun to dehydrate things? SO MUCH FUN OMG.
DeleteOh, I do not like fruit leather - never have. That weird roof-of-the-mouth coating that gets left behind just... ew.
ReplyDeleteBut my kids might like it, I don't know. I don't think they've ever had it. I'll have to give it a try, especially during the winter months when fresh fruit is expensive.
I really, really like it. I like those fruit bars too, but haven't had it in forever.
DeleteNicole, I have an Excalibur (which might be a little too much dehydrator for someone like me) but if you can ever find one at a garage sale, snap it up. They are kind of the Cadillac of dehydrators. And another thing - they have these flat nonstick sheets that you can use to make yogurt leather with too.
ReplyDeleteThe Excalibur! I like the sound of that. I also like the idea of flat nonstick sheets - thanks Rene! I'm going to look into it! *pulls a sword from a stone, or a dehydrator from a, um, shelf...*
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