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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!
Copyright 2002 Joyce Moseley Pierce
Joyce is a freelance writer and owner of Emerson Publications. Her latest release is “24 Days of Christmas,” to help families center on the birth of Christ during the holiday season. She is also the creator of “All They’ll Need to Know,” a book that will be invaluable to your loved ones when you can’t be there to guide them. Visit www.emersonpublications.com for lots of good family-friendly information.