Wednesday

crazy craisins ~

As I had posted the other day, my attempt at making homemade craisins (dehydrated cranberries) ...


I did everything the way they were suppose to be done.  Wash the fresh cranberries, put them into a boiling pot of water until the skins cracked, letting out a popping sound, tossing them in sugar (I used a sugar substitute) and onto the dehydrator tray.

I'm thinking that I had too many in the hot water at one time; because only half of them had cracked skins.

Well...
After 16 hours in the dehydrator ... those little buggers just were not getting done.

 
What to do ... what to do?

I was ready to take the whole works and toss them to the birds!  Some days I just feel like everything is against me and I'm running on a short fuse.

Thinking cap time Mel ... think!!!

I'm a pretty frugal person and I really didn't want to waste these cranberries (although the birds and deer I'm sure would have enjoyed them).

So...
I went and grabbed the food processor and tossed them in.  Pulse ... Pulse ... Pulse and I had a slurry of cranberries.

I spread them out on waxed paper and back into the dehydrator.  I decided I would give them 2 more hours of drying time and if they weren't ready by then ... forget it!

An hour later ...


CRANBERRY FRUIT ROLL-UP'S 
aka. Fruit Leather 
aka. Cranberry Jerky!!

They taste good too :)

Next time I'm going to do this in the first place.  

Until next time ...
So it goes in my neck of the woods.
~mel

14 comments:

  1. Awesome save. You have a genius of a thinking cap! Those look mighty tasty.
    (Love the cursing beaver. lol)

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  2. GREAT idea. I think I like it better too.

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  3. U B 1 smart cookie. What an idea. They sure look good and do look like jerky. Yep pretty darn smart..... Good on you..

    'Mother of invention' they say...

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  4. Wow, that was a fantastic idea. Bet they are delicious. Now you have me wondering, if that could be done with other fruits. Bet the kids would gobble them up in no time. Sucks to be the deer and birds. But I think they are well provided for at your place.

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  5. Ain't you clever, sister girl. those look pretty enticing. I'll bet you take a pocket full to your hunting shack. Healthy too!!!
    Have a good time this weekend.
    Prosper and be Safe.
    Life's a Hoot~

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  6. I have to say those look more appetizing than the craisins. I'm sure you will enjoy them more than the deer and birds, especially while sitting in your deer stand. You will have to eat them with the windows open on the stand so the deer can at least smell them lol. Love ya and good luck hunting this year!

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  7. What a GREAT idea, Mel. A good thing and I bet the kids would love them- xo Diana

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  8. Oooh fruit leather! Good save! It would be so neat to make your own. A dehydrator has been on my wish list forever!

    PS - Thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting :)

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  9. the cartoon beavers hold my opinion of this snow that's still hanging around! ****it!!!
    shucks, Life is Still Good

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  10. Wow this is great ...you sure know how to make the most of cranberries !

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  11. Those cranberry fruit roll ups look great! Thanks for coming over - it was wonderful seeing you and I sure enjoyed the laughs while playing board games. I already miss you!
    'love & hugs from afar'

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