Mary, thank you so much for posting the recipes! They all look so good, I wouldn't know which one to try first!! I already have them copied and put in my new recipe folder. Beth

I found some really heavy Roma tomaotes at the Farmers' Market to try this recipe. I sliced the tomatoes into 1/4" rings. I even behaved myself and only used cheap-ish Merlot to soak the tomato rings. I dried copious amounts of basil, parsley and oregano -- herbs dry here overnight on the counter. After soaking I found that the skins were literally peeling off the rings... so I took them off. After drying in the dehydrator I had rings that weren't much more than a circle of string.... no body at all. I was soooo disappointed! The herbs were fine, so I tossed them into my mixed herb pot for future reference. So, what should I do next time so I have a more traditional dried tomato?

Yes some are better than others and typically paste tomatoes are the best since they are closer to your goal in being low in moisture. Juicy tomatoes tend to be the more difficult to dry in a timely manner and hopefully without spoilage. It will probably just take more time. Most dried toms I seem to buy are plumb halves and I would suggest slices of bigger ones. I have not dried a Toms yet but I have applied my Nesco to herbs, garlic, onions and apples and I do plan to dry some Toms this year with it in the Fall. In a similar but related subject I will eat paste tomatoes "fresh" but I like to broil them usually just enough to make what is a bit drier more juicy and it works very well for bruschetta. So you can usually cross purpose any tomato if you know what you are trying to do.

Just put some on some pasta and make it gone....or make a pizza crust and spread some on that....ass onions sliced thin and some cheese for a veggie pissa or an appetizer. I'll see your sundried tomato pesto and raise you a bag of hot pepper dried mango. Linda C