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Post by cajunlady87 on Jun 4, 2012 4:23:20 GMT -7
Saturday I found a sale on shallots and bought quite a few bunches. Yesterday I separated the green tops from the onions. Then I cut up the green tops and instead of using my electric dehydrators I decided to use free solar power. I placed my table in full sun, spread them out, then covered them with cheesecloth. Every few hours I stirred them up for an even drying. At the end of the day I had a half pint of dehydrated onion tops. For those who don't like the oniony smell inside and are trying to save money on their electric bill, this is the way to go.
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Post by wtrfwlr on Jun 4, 2012 6:50:29 GMT -7
It just doesn't get any easier than that now does it? Great tip CL! Makes for a super easy way to just add a little to whatever.
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Post by cajunlady87 on Jun 4, 2012 6:59:52 GMT -7
It just doesn't get any easier than that now does it? Great tip CL! Makes for a super easy way to just add a little to whatever. At this time of year I'm all for introducing less heat in the house and using those electric amps for other sources. BTW, the container was half a pint sized canning jar, not a ziploc.
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Post by wtrfwlr on Jun 4, 2012 7:02:07 GMT -7
Have you tried using the tops of the wild onions that pop up all around?
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Post by cajunlady87 on Jun 4, 2012 7:16:20 GMT -7
Have you tried using the tops of the wild onions that pop up all around? I have harvested and cooked with them many times, big plus as Cajuns cook with a lot of onions. I've never tried dehydrating any though and it's too late to try this year 'cause they're all dried out. I did pick up some dried seeds though to save.
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Post by wtrfwlr on Jun 4, 2012 7:20:02 GMT -7
Good to know thanks!
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Post by cajunlady87 on Jun 4, 2012 7:22:54 GMT -7
Just as a reminder which ColcordMama told me about. The wild onions have a look-alike cousin that is toxic. When picking wild onions, if it doesn't smell like an onion, that's the toxic one.
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loshali
Learning the ropes
Posts: 23
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Post by loshali on Jun 4, 2012 9:41:22 GMT -7
I planted about 500 yellow, red and white onions in a bed, then about 400 more all around tomatoes, kale, peas, etc for companion planting pest control. I'll go thru and clip off one frond or so from a lot of the plants to keep the energy in the bulb instead of the green, which makes the bulb bigger. The green fronds are nice and tall and very full so that energy needs to go downward. THe fronds grow back faster than I can keep them clipped. I"ll snip enough to get a dehydrator full, dice them up and dehydrate for wintertime use. Easy Peasy and FREE!!! I wind up with 4-5 quart jars of dehydrated green onion shallots that'll barely last me thru the winter. Great in Baked potatos, mashed potatoes, in rice, stews, soups, beans.....
Loshali
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Post by cajunlady87 on Jun 4, 2012 10:16:45 GMT -7
Sounds like you have a lot going on with your onions. What I learned is using the sun to dry my onions is so much easier and cheaper than using the dehydrator and for those who don't own one, this is an outlet for them to accomplish it.
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Post by orly152 on Jun 4, 2012 14:33:26 GMT -7
That's great cajunlady...I love onions and the smell of it Mmmmm. I will have to try that
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