Powdering (or dicing or chopping) mushrooms...

A Moment of A-ha! Not the band...the mushroom!

As we've discussed, I'm adding the Cabbage Soup Diet into my low-carb eating plan for the next week. It's all in an attempt to help a cocktail dress fit a little better. That and it's kind of fun to embrace a fad diet for a few days. 

While I was making my soup/stew I had the most amazing kitchen epiphany. Why wait until the dehydrated mushrooms have re-hydrated in hot water before dicing them?

Let's back up...

I decided to add some mushrooms to the soup and opted to use the dehydrated mushrooms from my pantry.

I had two kinds. The trumpets are kind of big.

I tossed those in a bowl so I could add boiling water to re-hydrate them.

I reached in and started breaking them up with my fingers since I knew I'd be dicing them later. It was something to do until the kettle heated. 

And then I giggled...it was maniacal laugh. If I had a mustache I would have twirled it. 

I took my bowl of dehydrated mushrooms and dumped them in my mini chopper and pulsed them until they looked like this...

The ones on the bottom (it's hard to see in this picture) are super tiny.

You can pulse them as finely as you want. 

Heck, you can completely powder them and add it by the tablespoon into just about anything. 

I still wanted mushrooms that were chopped looking. You can also go for a dice or a mince depending on how much you process it.

I am never dicing mushrooms again for soup.

I'm guessing this will finally be the way I can sneak mushrooms into sauces without my husband looking for fungi invaders before he takes the first bite. I'm going to keep an eye out for other dehydrated foods that I use often and especially those that get a good dice before going into soups or casseroles. I'm also going to suggest this to my brother-in-law as he's always working to have his girls eat healthier foods. This is a great way to incorporate (ok, sneak or hide) vegetables. The smaller you make it the harder it will be for picky eaters to identify in a dish.

Pantry Confidential and Uses for Powdered Drink Mixes

A little area in my pantry is dedicated to drink mixes. You know, Kool-Aid, Crystal Light, those nifty instant coffees from Starbucks that I keep in case zombies stop by for coffee?

I used the Kool-Aid brand for this. You can use any brand of unsweetened  lemonade. You'll find the unsweetened kind in the tiny packets, not in the big packets or tubs.

I finally got around to trying a cool trick using Lemonade powdered drink mix to clean the dishwasher. Don't try grape or any other flavor. It's got to be plain unsweetened lemonade. It's the citric acid that does the trick.


Step #1: Pour powered Lemonade drink mix into door.


Step #2: Start the dishwasher and make sure the drying cycle is engaged.


Important: No dirty dishes or soap. Run this through an empty dish washer. The citric acid neutralizes soap scum and soap in general, so adding washing soap and trying to wash a load of dishes at the same time will just be like washing them in lemony smelling water. No bueno.


I haven't tried this method with a load of already washed plastic storage containers (they sometimes absorb odors) or a load of (washed and clean) soap spotted glasses. I did empty a packet into a load of hot water in my washing machine. It was too diluted and didn't really do anything. Instead of trying it again with even more lemonade I will use it to clean out my coolers. I hate opening a cooler and smelling bleach. Bleh!


I've mentioned before how I have to get my pantry under control for when we move. I'm all about planning for emergencies and having enough food to feed us for a few weeks in case of the zombie apocalypse or (even more unlikely) a snow storm in Atlanta.


I'm all about emergency preparedness. 


Until it's time to move and I have to deal with it all.


Where's a zombie or snow storm when I need one?


In addition to all of the other projects that need to happen, I'm trying to use the stuff in my pantry instead of making a ridiculous donation of capers, artichoke hearts and seven kinds of gourmet vinegar to the local food bank. (They'll get the more practical canned goods if there are any left.)

I have issues...and capers for days.