Dehydrating Cucumbers

(partially dehydrated)

Considering I have enough pickles stocked up, I decided to dehydrate the last of the cucumbers.  My cucumber plants are already turning brown.  I have not dehydrated cucumbers before.

I tossed the cucumber slices in chili powder, salt and paprika, to dry for chips.  I will also grind some into powder, for soups, stews, sauces, and dips.

My super chili peppers are being dehydrated today.  They are the only pepper that produced this season, out of all of our 50-some pepper plants.  I have a few habanero peppers on a few plants, but I'm not sure they will amount to much.  The chili peppers were sliced for drying, and then later I will be ground into chili pepper. 

Puttin' Up Jams and Jellies

I recently made a jam with cantaloupe fruit and vanilla bean.  This jam has such an interesting combination of flavors, I had to try it.  If I were to make this again, I would can it in 4 oz. jars, and give as gifts, or sell for $4.00 for the small jar.  In the end, I did not get 3 - 1/2 pints, but 2 1/2.  I followed the recipe exactly, but if you are interested, there is one on-line  -