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!