The comprehensive handbook for dehydrating foods at home. Dehydrating is one of the most effective ways to preserve food for maximum nutrition at very low cost. Sales of dehydrators are soaring as many cooks reject the suspect ingredients in commercially prepared foods. Dehydrating with the recipes in this book is one way to control all ingredients and please the whole family. Recipes for dried ingredients include herbs and seasonings, fruits, fruit leathers, vegetables and beef jerky. These nutritious ingredients are included in delicious recipes such as: Beef and potato stew Chicken pot pie Vegetable lasagna Zucchini and red pepper fritters Dried tomato and basil polenta Mushroom, herb and white wine sauce Strawberry rhubarb tarts. These recipes appeal to a wide array of tastes, feature contemporary ingredients such as whole grains and work equally well in a home kitchen, on an RV, on a boat or at a campsite. Recommendations for buying a dehydrator and storing dehydrated foods are also included. Easy-to-follow instructions with specific time guidelines and best practices and the latest data on food safety make this the ideal dehydrating guidebook and cookbook.

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A new update of the bestselling book in its field -- 100,000 in print.

Whether grow-your-own, bought locally from a farmer's market, or fresh from a regular supermarket, seasonality still affects the quality, abundance and price of good food. It just makes sense to preserve food quality for those times when it's not as plentiful or not available at all. Dehydrating food with this terrific book is easy and creates tasty food year-round.

Incorporating the age-old practices of food dehydration takes full advantage of what nature offers. All the wonderful recipes are still here and there is a bonus section on everything from pet treats to crafts and homemade gifts. What has changed is that the "Everything You Need to Know About Dehydrating Foods" section has been expanded to include even more comprehensive and complete information about dehydrating foods along with even more tips and techniques.

There are more than 150 recipes for dehydrating everything from herbs and seasonings to fruits, vegetables, meats and fish, plus more than 250 delicious recipes that actually use the dehydrated foods as ingredients. Putting home-preserved food to work for home, RV, boat or campsite has never been easier.

The easy-to-follow drying instructions along with time guidelines make even a novice cook feel like a seasoned professional.

Planting a few extra rows of tomatoes or beans, picking many strawberries at their peak or buying that big basket of freshly harvested carrots can really pay off later. Loading up the dehydrator will provide personally dried foods the whole year through.