Recipe By Yvonne Jones

Here's a simple fruit leather recipe for you! The joy of fruit leather is that it's pretty malleable and forgiving. So any fruit (or two complementary fruits) that weighs about 2 pounds can make a nice batch. And savory additions (mint, basil, brandy) sometimes work a little magic.

Ingredients

• 8 to 10 medium and very ripe nectarines, pits removed and chopped
• Juice of one lemon or lime
• 2 to 3 tablespoons honey, to taste
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 140°. Line a 17-inch baking sheet with cut-to-size parchment paper or a Silpat and set aside.

2. Add lemon or lime juice and honey to nectarines. Add nutmeg if you'd like your leather to have a hint of spiciness. Stir to combine and let marinate for 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Purée fruit mixture in a food processor or blender. You may use an immersion blender if you have steady hands.

4. Pour purée into lined baking sheet. Tilt mixture until it covers pan surface.

5. Place in oven on lower rack and dehydrate for six or seven hours or until 'tacky' to the touch, i.e., more dry than not and only slightly sticky. Ovens vary wildly from house to house, so check on your leather often as it bakes. Yours might take a shorter or longer time to be 'done.'

6. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature. You can do two things now. 1) Peel the fruit leather off the parchment and use a knife or pizza slicer to cut them into strips for immediate snacking. Or 2) slide the parchment onto a cutting board and roll the leather into a tube shape. Slice the tube into 1-, 2- or 3-inch segments (depending upon preferred snack size), and store in a covered jar.