Fruitcake and Ezekiel bread

We are seeking “the best” MOST NUTRITIOUS FRUIT CAKE RECIPES for fruit cake that can be stored along with other “prepper” food supplies that have the greatest food value. We are non-drinkers but have no concerns about using rum or wine or other beverages in the cakes or in other baking goods. Finally, we seek your thoughts regarding Ezekiel Bread, especially in regard to food preppering.

James & Frances Wyatt
Cleveland, Tennessee

Although I don’t regard fruitcake as a “most nutritious” prepper food, here’s my favorite recipe that will store long term without soaking in rum periodically.

WORLD’S BEST FRUITCAKE

4 cups walnuts
2 bags mixed candied fruit
1 lb. pitted, chopped dates
1 cup raisins
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking powder
6 eggs
½ cup orange juice
1½ Tbsp vanilla

Combine nuts and fruits. Sift dry ingredients. Add to fruit mixture and mix well. Beat eggs, orange juice and vanilla. Add to mixture. Turn into waxed paper and greased 9″x13″ pan. Bake on low center rack of oven at 275 degrees for 2 hours or until done. Cool 30 minutes. Remove from pan onto cake rack. Cool. Cut into equal sized bars, about 3 inches wide by the width of the pan. Wrap with plastic wrap then aluminum foil. Store in a cool, dark place. This stores for months for us (it doesn’t last longer as we really love it!) and I’m sure it’d store for years.

As for the Ezekiel bread, it is very nutritious and would be easily baked from ingredients in your long-term storage pantry. It does not store well, unfrozen, though. Have you tried it? We like it but have talked to a lot of folks who find it way too dense for their liking. So if you haven’t baked any, why not try a few loaves to see if it appeals to your taste. — Jackie

Dehydrating tomatoes

We are getting tons of tomatoes and I am dehydrating them … but something is going wrong. I sliced them about 1/2 thick per the directions, loaded up the trays (6) and have been running the dehydrator but some have white fuzz on them. Of course I am tossing them, but do you have any ideas on what could be going wrong before I do another set? I have a round bottom-fan dehydrator. Maybe I should ask for an Excalibur for Christmas.

Natalie

I think you’re slicing the tomatoes too thick. I slice mine about 1/4 inch thick and have much better luck. That white fuzz is mold. And maybe if you only load four trays, you will dry them faster as some dehydrators don’t like to be loaded so heavily with such wet produce as tomatoes. Good luck with getting the Excalibur … I haven’t gotten mine yet! — Jackie

4 COMMENTS

  1. Good luck to all of you on getting an Excalibur dehydrator. I’ve had mine about 3 years and its the best investment I’ve ever made. I’ve dried just about everything in it with no problems. One recommendation: When you get one, get the big dehydrating instruction book. Its full of great information including how long something will take to dry. I have a round dehydrator but its in the yard sale stuff. One of the great things about the Excalibur is that when drying tomatoes you don’t have to ruin your manicure to get them off the tray, just lift the screen and sort of roll it up and everything comes loose ready to store. Watch for a sale so you can get extra stuff and be sure to get the 9 tray one with the timer and thermostat. Its very much worth the little extra cost.

  2. Perhaps using plum tomatoes, and removing the seed portion, would have less moisture from the get go. Just a thought. Or if no plum tomatoes, trying to remove a large portion of the seeds area of the regular tomato varieties.

  3. I think the slices are too thick for the type of dehydrator. The round fan-bottom dehydrators do not seem to be as powerful as the Excalibur. (I’m hoping and dreaming for an Excalibur too!)

    As Jackie says (and she is a wise woman!), try cutting them much thinner and leave more space for the air to circulate around them. You may also try blotting the excess moisture off both sides of the slices with a cloth or paper towel before putting in the dehydrator.

    Hope these suggestions will help.

  4. You should blanch them first. Steam blanch slices to kill bacteria then dehydrate.

    Good luck and have fun.

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