Ingredients:

• 5 pounds of ripe but still firm bananas, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
• 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice
• Dehydrator

Instructions:

1. Toss sliced bananas and lemon juice into a baking pan. Give those banana slices a little turn in the juice to get them all coated.
2. Lay out the banana slices on the dehydrator trays in a single layer, letting them barely touch if they have to.
3. Dehydrate at 135 degrees until they feel dry but still kinda bendy, about 8 to 10 hours (your dehydrator may have different instructions), depending on how humid it is and your dehydrator; just be around to keep an eye on them during the last couple of hours.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of soy sauce
• 1/2 cup of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 1 teaspoon of onion salt
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper
• 2 pounds of lean round or flank steak, sliced super thin
• Dehydrator

Ingredients:

• Cotton fabric, 4 inches wide by 24 inches long
• About 1 cup of silica gel beads
• Pinking Shears
• Wooden chopsticks (don’t break them apart)
• Sewing Machine

1. First up, grab your fabric and fold it in half lengthwise, keeping the wrong sides touching. Now, whip out a straight stitch and sew down the long side and across one end. Boom! You’ve got a long, skinny tube with one end all closed up.
2. Take a tablespoon and scoop in some silica gel beads, keeping the tube standing so the beads settle at the bottom. Grab your chopsticks to hold those beads in place like a makeshift clamp; just slide them down the tube and sew across the tube near the chopsticks to seal it up.
3. Next, go ahead and stitch another seam across the tube, roughly 3/4 inch away from the first one. These two seams will keep the beads nice and tight, plus they’ll form a cute little “pocket.”
4. Grab another tablespoon of beads and throw ’em in the tube. Use those chopsticks to keep things in line and sew it up just like you did earlier.
5. Keep on adding beads and sewing those double seams until you reach the end of the tube.
6. Grab your pinking shears and snip right between those double seams. You’ll end up with around 12 little desiccant packs!
7. Use those pinking shears to snip the sewn edges so they won’t fray.
8. Finally, toss your homemade desiccant packs into containers of dry goods to soak up any sneaky moisture.

Makes about 4-5 pints! Just pop those sealed jars of jelly on the shelf and they’ve got a cozy spot for up to 2 years; once you crack one open, just toss it in the fridge.

What you’ll need:

• 1 box of Pomona’s Universal Pectin
• 4 cups of grape juice (homemade or 100% bought from the store)
• 1/4 cup of lemon juice
• 1/2-1 cup of honey
• 4-5 pint-size jars
• Water bath canner

1. Whip up the calcium water by tossing 1/2 teaspoon of the calcium powder from the little packet in Pomona’s Universal Pectin package and 1/2 cup of water into a small jar with a lid. Give it a good shake before you use it!
2. Grab a big stockpot and mix together the grape juice, lemon juice, and 4 teaspoons of that calcium water. (Stick the leftover calcium water in the fridge for next time you make jelly.)
3. Grab a small bowl and mix together the honey and 4 teaspoons of Pomona’s Universal Pectin.
4. Heat up that pot of fruit juice until it’s boiling, giving it a good stir every now and then. Toss in the honey mix and stir it up real well to get that pectin dissolved. Once it’s bubbling again, take it off the heat!
5. Pour that hot mixture into the jars, leaving about a quarter inch from the top. Give the rims a quick wipe with a damp cloth. Pop the flats onto the jars and screw on the rings. Just use your fingers to tighten them nicely, but don’t go overboard!
6. Just toss it in a water bath canner for 10 minutes!

Makes 10 pints. Slather that chow chow on your sandwiches or pair it up with some roasted meats. If you’ve sealed the jars, they’ll chill at room temp for about 2 years, but remember to pop them in the fridge once you crack them open!

Makes 7-9 pints. Perfect for snacking with chips, tossing into your chili, or adding to your soup. If you keep those jars sealed, they can chill at room temp for up to 2 years; just pop them in the fridge once you open one!

What you’ll need:

• 14 cups of chopped tomatoes
• 3 large red or yellow onions, chopped
• 6 jalapeño peppers, diced & seeds removed (use gloves)
• 4 banana peppers or other mild pepper, diced & seeds removed
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 cups fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Optional for thicker salsa: 1-2 (12 oz) jars of tomato paste
• 7-9 pint-size canning jars
• Water Bath Canner

Instructions:

1. If your tomatoes are super juicy, just drain some juice off until they have the texture you’re going for in your salsa. The juiciness you put in the pot is what you’ll get in the jar, so keep that in mind!
2. Toss all the ingredients into a big stockpot. Crank up the heat and bring it to a boil, then turn it down and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, giving it a stir now and then.
3. Pour that hot salsa into 7-9 jars, depending on how much you made, and make sure to leave about a 1/2-inch of space at the top.
4. Pop the flats on the jars and screw on the rings. Just using your fingertips, tighten each ring good and snug—but not overly tight!
5. Pop it in a water bath canner for about 15 minutes.

Soup Broth

Save those turkey and chicken bones to whip up a delicious broth! For beef broth, just toss the bones in the oven to roast first.

Throw some roasted bones or a leftover carcass in a pot, and you can either use a crockpot or just stick it on the stove. Cover it all with water and let it chill on low for 24 to 48 hours. When it’s done, strain it, and don’t forget to sprinkle in some salt!

To whip up some broth:

1. Pour that hot broth into jars, making sure to leave about an inch of space at the top.
2. Grab a damp cloth and wipe down those rims, then pop the flats on the jars and add the rings. Use your fingers to twist the rings on nice and snug—just don’t go overboard and make them too tight!
3. Just toss it in a pressure canner at 10 pounds of pressure. If you’re using pint jars, let it go for about 20 minutes. For quart jars, give it 25 minutes.

Makes 2 quarts

If you’ve got a ton of cucumbers hanging around, why not whip up some pickles? They’re super easy to make and totally jazz up any sandwich or potato salad. Plus, you can stash those homemade pickles in their juice in the fridge for over 6 months!

Makes 2-3 pints

These crunchy pickled green beans pack a little punch! They’re perfect for munching on or tossing into your favorite Bloody Mary. Grab yourself 2-3 pint-sized jars, depending on how snug you want to pack those beans in. Just pop the unopened jars in the fridge, and they’ll keep for 6 months or even longer!

What you’ll need:

• 3 pounds of green ends, ends trimmed
• 1 cup chopped fresh dill
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 3 whole jalapeño peppers
• 2 cups white wine vinegar
• 4 teaspoons of sugar
• 2 tablespoons of salt

Makes 2 quarts

Grab any fresh, blemish-free veggies you’ve got lying around for these zippy pickled goodies. Carrots, cauliflower, green beans, and sweet peppers are a solid start. Want a little heat? Just toss a whole hot pepper into each jar. This recipe’s meant for 2 quart-size jars, but you can totally use 4 pint-size ones or any other jars that seal tightly. These chilled pickled veggies will stay good in the fridge for 6 months or even longer!

What you’ll need:

• 2 tablespoons of black peppercorns
• 6-8 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 tablespoons of pickling spice (you can grab this at a good grocery store)
• 8-10 cups of fresh veggies, just give ’em a wash and chop or slice ’em into bite-sized pieces.
• 2 cups of apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of salt
• 2 tablespoons of sugar

Instructions:

1. Split the peppercorns, garlic, and pickling spice between 2 quart-size jars.
2. Stuff those jars with the veggies!
3. In a pot, mix the vinegar, salt, and sugar with 2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil, then turn down the heat and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
4. Just pour the hot liquid into the jars, making sure to cover those veggies completely.
5. Screw the lids on the jars and just let them chill until they’re cool enough to handle.
6. Pop it in the fridge and give it a week before you dig in!

Makes 6-8 Cups, Store for ups 3 months in the refrigerator

Kimchi is a classic Korean side dish that’s usually made with Napa cabbage and daikon radish, and trust me, there are tons of variations out there!

This fresh garden twist may not be the real deal, but it’s got that spicy crunch and is a super fun way to dive into home fermenting!

What you’ll need:

• A big half-gallon jar or any large container that seals tightly
• 1 head of nappa cabbage
• About 3 small bunches (around 4 cups) of bok choy, roughly chopped up
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1 cup of shredded daikon radish
• 1 cup of carrots, thinly sliced or shredded
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of sea salt
• 10 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (1-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled & minced
• 1-2 tablespoons of red pepper flakes, totally up to how spicy you want it!
• 1 glass fermenting weight

Instructions:

1. Keep one outer leaf of that cabbage whole and just chop up the rest roughly.
2. Grab a big bowl and toss in the chopped cabbage, bok choy, green onions, daikon, carrots, and a pinch of salt.
3. Grab a pounding tool or the back of a solid wooden spoon and go to town smashing those ingredients until the veggies shrink down by about half.
4. Toss in the garlic, ginger, and the red pepper flakes.
5. Pour the mix into a half-gallon jar and really press those greens down until they’re soaked by the juice. At first, it may seem like there isn’t much, but trust me, once you mash everything down in the jar, you’ll be amazed at how much liquid ends up coming out.
6. Place the reserved cabbage leaf on top of the kimchi to keep all those little bits below the surface. Then, toss a glass fermenting weight on top to hold everything down. It’s super important that everything stays underwater, so if the juices don’t cover the veggies completely, just add a splash of filtered water to top it off.
7. Seal up the jar. If you’ve got one with an air lock, awesome! If not, just remember to crack that lid open a bit every day to let out any gases that build up.
8. Let the kimchi chill at room temp for about a week. Taste it as it goes! Once you’re loving the flavor, dig in and enjoy!

Makes 6-7 cups

If you’ve ever let unpasteurized apple cider sit around for too long, you know it can get a little fizzy, turning into hard cider. Leave it a bit longer, and bam, that alcohol becomes vinegar! You can totally do this at home by making your own vinegar. Just make sure to wash your apples really well to get rid of any gunk before peeling them. If you don’t have enough apples to whip up a batch right away, just freeze your apple scraps until you have enough. When you’re covering those apples with cloth, go for fabric—nothing too open. A napkin works great because it lets the vinegar breathe but keeps the bugs out; fruit flies can sneak through cheesecloth. Once you’ve got your vinegar, you can stash it at room temperature forever.

What you’ll need:

• 6 cups of apple scraps (like cores, peels, &/or 1-inch apple chunks)
• 3 tablespoons of sugar
• 1/2 gallon of filtered water
• 1 clean, wide-mouth half-gallon jar
• 1 glass fermenting weight
• sealable bottles for finished product

Makes about 3 quarts

Kombucha has been around for ages and is loved for its health perks! Making your own is super cheap and you can totally play around with your favorite fruit flavors. Just keep in mind, you’ll need to grow, borrow, or buy a SCOBY to get started. Make sure to use bottles that are meant for fermentation to dodge any messy explosions. Grolsch-style glass bottles (you can find them at kitchen stores) work great, as do clean, repurposed swing-top bottles from beer or other fermented drinks. Oh, and skip the non-round swing-top bottles like those maple syrup ones when making kombucha! If you keep the sealed bottles in the fridge, they can last for weeks.

For continuous brewing, just follow steps one to three on the day you kick off the 2nd ferment, and you’ll be starting another cycle!

What you’ll need:

• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of loose black tea
• 1 SCOBY
• 2 teaspoons of honey, divided
• 14 cups of fresh soft fruit like blueberries, raisins, strawberries, or you can swap in 4 tablespoons of your favorite fruit juice.
• 1- 1 gallon wide-mouth glass container, 4-quart-size swing-top bottles, funnel

Instructions:

1. Heat up 3 quarts of water in a big pot.
2. Let it cool a bit, then mix in the sugar and the tea. Let the tea chill out until it’s cool.
3. Pour the sweet tea into a glass container and toss in the SCOBY.
4. Grab a thin piece of fabric and stretch it over the top of the jar with a rubber band. This way, air can get in, but bugs can’t. Just let it chill at room temp for about a week.
5. Take out the SCOBY from the big jar and toss it in a bowl with half a cup of the liquid.
6. Kick off the 2nd ferment: For each of those quart-size swing-top bottles, toss in about 1/2 a teaspoon of honey and a handful of fruit pieces, or just go with 1 tablespoon of fruit juice.
7. Grab a funnel and fill those swing-top bottles with tea, making sure to leave about 2-3 inches of space at the top. Pop the lids on tight and stash the bottles in a cool, dark spot at room temperature for a week.
8. Chill some cool bottles in the fridge, then kick back and enjoy!

Cocktails

Great Flavor combos to try:

• Apple & Cinnamon
• Peach & Ginger
• Strawberry & Basil
• Cucumber & Mint
• Blackberry & Thyme
• Strawberry & Blueberry
• Pear & Ginger
• Cranberry & Orange
• Lime & Mint
• Peach & Vanilla

What you’ll need:

• Grab 2 cups of chopped fresh fruit or whole berries, and just give ’em a little smash with a wooden spoon.
• 2-3 cups of 80- proof vodka
• Cheese Cloth or fine sieve
• A 750ml bottle that’s got a narrow neck or something similar, with a lid that seals tight.

Instructions:

1. Toss the fruit into a quart-size jar or any other container that seals up tight.
2. Just splash that vodka over the fruit until everything’s all soaked, then toss the lid on the jar.
3. Place the jar in a cupboard & let the flavors infuse, tasting daily until it achieves your desired flavor, 2-5 days. (Don’t let it go for too long or it will create a harsh flavor.)
4. Strain the vodka using cheesecloth—maybe even do it twice to get rid of any pesky fruit bits. If you really want a crystal-clear infusion, go ahead and strain it again with a fine mesh coffee or tea strainer.
5. Pour it into that skinny bottle (keeps the air out!) & cap it tight.