When I lived in New York I fell madly in love with a brand of freeze dried red onions. I know, it sounds gross, but oh how I loved those freeze dried onions!

I have looked for them everywhere since, all to no avail. Online searches only turn up the apple version of the snack, and only for wholesalers.

Last week I was inspired to make them myself. How hard could it be? I researched freeze drying online and found page after page of easy instructions on how to freeze dry fruits and veggies at home. I was a little skeptical, but if it worked, I would be the happiest freeze dried onion eater on the planet.

To freeze dry fruits and veggies at home you’ll need the following:

• A cooler
• dry ice
• thinly sliced fruit and veggies
• freezer bags
• a small cookie sheet or bread pan (optional)

First slice your fruits and veggies and put them in a freezer bag. Try to leave as little air in the bag as possible.

Then layer the bags in the cooler – dry ice/ fruit bag/ dry ice / fruit bag/ dry ice. Be sure to top every thing off with dry ice. CAUTION: Never touch dry ice with your bare hands! It’s something like -70ºF which can do serious damage to tissue. This should go without saying, but also NEVER swallow dry ice.

Leave the cooler closed for 30 minutes. Then check the fruit/veggies every 5 minutes thereafter until they are completely frozen solid. Store them in your freezer.

Another way to freeze dry stuff is to put a layer of dry ice in the bottom of a cooler and place thinly sliced fruits or veggies on top of the ice in a tray or bread pan. This way actually seemed to work a little better. Simply transfer the fruits and veggies to a freezer bag when they’re frozen solid. Supposedly they will keep in your freezer indefinitely.

Sadly, my onions did not end up turning out like the onions I have been pining for. When unfrozen they were basically just rubbery, raw onions. Not sexy.

If anyone knows how to make them crispy let me know!

The bananas, on the other hand, have been a great hit.

We didn’t let all that dry ice go to waste. We made a witch potion!!

Dry ice from Theprimamomma on Vimeo.

CAUTION: Again, never touch dry ice with your bare hands, and carefully monitor children near dry ice – be sure they don’t touch it or swallow it.

Tune in next week, when I’ll let my kids play with fire and venomous snakes!

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