What Do Dehydrated Peppers and Chocolate Chip Cookies Have In Common?
So, what do dehydrated peppers and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies have in common? No, it's not a riddle. No, its' not a brain teaser. And no, it's not a trick question. It's actually how I spent part of my early morning hours today in the kitchen.
I started my day out on the garden, trimming and bringing in a few pablano, habarnero early peperoncini and small jalapeno peppers. I had originally planned on tossing together some refrigerated pickled peppers for later this week. But, as I was washing them, I thought instead, I would make some dehydrated mixed peppers for future chili making days. After all, autumn is not far away here in the Midwest. And what's better than a nice spicy pot of chili cooking. Oh, I can almost smell the aroma now!
So, I clean the membranes and seeds out of the peppers and got them ready for the dehydrator and figured, why not, I'll just through a few pickings of basil I had picked yesterday to fill the spots. Can never have enough dried basil in the pantry.
Then I took the dehydrator outside to do its magic in the shed. I learned a valuable lesson last year when I dehydrated hot peppers inside. NEVER again! Although it did help clear out my sinuses that day. But today I was not in the mood for runny nose or burning eyes.
That is how I do my garlic and onions to make garlic powder and minced onion or onion powder. Again, lesson learned last year. Unless you want your house to smell like an Italian restaurant.
While the peppers were doing their thing, I popped open three packages of refrigerated cookie dough I had bought at the grocery store yesterday. Normally, I make my own, but these were $1 a package. What a steal! They were reduced at my local store so I scooped them up. I hope my grandma can forgive me for not making homemade cookies this one time
But mini chocolate chip cookies were no match for me. I just took two to make one regular size cookie. So instead of having 120 mini cookies, we ended up with 60 regular ones. That'll work!
Spent a few hours in the garden and kitchen getting these fun tasks done today and it was nice. I actually found myself humming as I worked. Nothing more therapeutic!
Haha, those peppers make interesting stories. My grandma made cookies for us when we were kids. When we ate them we kept telling my parents they were spicy! Turns out my grandma had used this plastc bowl for hot peppers awhile back and the oils seeped into the plastic. Lol. Good times. Funny with the shed.
I can guarantee no cross contamination lol
Great post Goldi. The dehyradtion is so interesting, there is so much to learn. Gardening and growing your own food seems to just be step one, what to do with it all other then eat it is the unknown for me right now. So these posts are great! Love your banner things you have created at the bottom of your post. I think my steem vote just became worth 2c lol :) I must check just noticed.
Thank you about the two badges but I can't take credit for them @daddykirbs makes them for homesteaders- check out his profile for more info.
Yes! I love the whole process. Save the seeds, or start with heirloom seeds, plant, grow, harvest, can or dehydrate, freeze... so many aspects of preserving food.
My husband LOVES when I make my teriyaki jerky. I told him no more jerky until he goes hunting this fall for a deer. Nothing as good as venison teriyaki jerky or chili.
Thanks for steem vote!!! you're awesome!
Wow! I wouldn't have thought about the fact that dehydrating peppers indoors would burn your eyes and nose, but it totally makes sense. I'm glad I read it here before I made the mistake myself.
Believe me- you only do that once. Remember the onions and garlic too. Not as bad but the aroma lasts FOREVER!