Jalapeno Jelly

Jalapeno Jelly
by Joyce Moseley Pierce 468 words

Need a quick treat for those upcoming holiday
office gatherings? A few years ago I was introduced
to the combination of Wheat Thins(TM), cream cheese and
jalapeno jelly! Don't let the jalapeno scare you.
There are two ways to combat the "fire" you feel on your
tongue caused by these hot peppers, and that's with milk
or bread. Whoever created this Southwest delicacy knew
what they were doing. The cream cheese and cracker are
there to calm the nerve endings in your tongue so you can
enjoy the blend of flavors.

The kick in this jelly is a delicious way to open the eyes,
as well as the taste buds, of your friends and co-workers.
Just place a block of cream cheese on a festive holiday
plate and pour the jelly over it. Put the crackers
within reaching range, but not close enough that they
get soggy from the jelly.

You can buy the crackers and cream cheese at any
grocery store, but you may have to search specialty
shops for the jelly. Sometimes you can find it at
Cost Plus or Marshalls in their food section.
However, if you really want to impress your friends,
try making your own. If you've never handled raw
jalapenos before, let me offer a word of warning.
The skin of the pepper is safe to touch - it's the seeds
that produce the burning sensation. Use plastic gloves
if you're worried about handling them. If you choose
to brave it without the gloves, keep your hands
away from your eyes while working with the peppers -
even the slightest bit on your fingers will send you
screaming if you get it in your eyes.

Pepper Jelly
14 hot peppers (jalapeno)
4 sweet peppers (red)
3 cups white vinegar
10 cups sugar
2 pouches pectin
2 tsp red (or green) food coloring

Cut peppers. Discard seeds and stem. Grind peppers
in blender with vinegar. Move this mixture to a
large pan and place on your stove burner. Add sugar,
bring to boil, and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from
heat and skim. Add 2 pouches pectin and food coloring.
Boil hard for one minute. Seal hot.

One year for Christmas I canned the jelly in half pint
jars and gave them as gifts. I made a label with a
jalapeno on the front and tied a holiday ribbon around
the lid. You might also add a Southwest fabric to lay
under the screw top lid. One friend was so excited
she grabbed a spoon and ate it right out of the jar!

In addition to being great for dipping with crackers,
it's great on toast or as a ham glaze. It adds a
"kick" wherever it's used. You may even find yourself
reaching for a spoon!