Easiest Hot Pepper Jelly

I am not a big "jelly" fan in general, but Hot Pepper Jelly is a staple at our house. When I first discovered hot pepper jelly I wasn't even sure I wanted to taste it..jalapenos and jelly just didn't sound like they went together - how could it be good?!  But I will try almost anything once and when I did I was hooked. I started seeking after all different kinds of  hot pepper jellies and paying a pretty hefty price for small jars to satisfy my cravings. 

I love to cook and contemplated making my own jelly, but I have not really ventured out into the canning world. I don't know, it seems like it might be fun if I had a lot if time on my hands..but right now in my life it's just not going to happen. 

One of the great cooks in my life is my friend Debbie. She and I share a great love for food and she is amazing with the recipes that she comes up with. One day I will do a whole article on Debbie and the things she has taught me in the last 17 years, but this is her recipe that she shared with me for hot pepper jelly. This recipe typifies Debbie and the way she cooks- easy and delicious! Love you Debbie!

Easiest Hot Pepper Jelly

1 (14 oz) jar of apple jelly (the cheapest jar works just fine)

2 to 3 finely chopped jalapenos (or whatever your favorite pepper is)

Spoon out apple jelly into a small saucepan. Add chopped peppers. Bring to a boil. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes to infuse flavors from the peppers into the jelly (this can be done in a microwave as well). You can also add a drop or two of food coloring if you want.. ex jalapenos- green food coloring, Serrano's- red food coloring etc..

Pour jelly mixture into sterilized jars and put the lid on. Turn upside down for 5 minutes, then  upright and it will seal itself..just wait for the pop.*

Or you can do it the lazy way like I do and pour it back into the apple jelly jar (didn't even rinse it out), put the lid on tight, turn it upside down for the 5 minutes and turn it back over and wait for the pop to show that it sealed.*

* Disclaimer: One year I did a bunch of jars with jalapenos right out of the garden, put them in the storage room and they just did fine. However, I discussed this recipe with the Family Consumer Science Agents where I work and they pretty much had a duck that I did that. According to them I need to do the whole canning thing to make sure it is safely done. So just to be on the safe side, though I did it the other ways for years, I only do one jar at a time and keep it in the frig. 

Look for upcoming recipes using jalapeno jelly...yum! Enjoy!

Brie Kisses

I love cheese, all kinds of cheese, even the kind that seem strange to most. Brie cheese is a mild creamy cheese and I love to pair it with a hot pepper jelly. I found this recipe in the local newspaper years ago. It takes three of my favorite ingredients- puff pastry, brie cheese and hot pepper jelly and puts them together in one bite. A Christmas Eve tradition!

Brie Kisses

2/3 lb. brie cheese

2 sheets puff pastry

hot pepper jelly

Cut brie into 1/2 inch squares. Place on dinner plate and place in freezer while puff pastry is thawing at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400. When pastry is thawed, unfold and roll lightly with a rolling pin to remove creases. Cut each sheet into fourths. Cut each fourth in half.  Cut each piece in half again to produce 16 squares of dough. Lightly spray mini muffins cups. Fit each square of dough into each cup with the pointed edges of the dough pointing straight up. Place 1 cube of brie cheese in each pastry cup. Top with 1/4 t. hot pepper jelly. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until pastry is lightly browned. Makes 32.

Bacon Wrapped Pineapple

This is another great appetizer from mom. I think it just screams the 70's, but my kids request it every year.

Really though, it is not a recipe. You get some precooked bacon, wrap it around a canned pineapple chunk, secure with a toothpick and voila, you did it. I put them on a cookie sheet covered with almuninum foil and sprayed. I bake it at 400 until the bacon looks done 10 to 15 minutes. You could probably put them under the broiler too. Fresh pineapple of course would work. Just make sure you use "pre-cooked" bacon or cook the bacon partially first that way you make sure all the bacon gets done. I might dip the bacon pineapple bacon in a bit of brown sugar next time. Yum!

Mom's Sombrero Dip

This appetizer recipe is one that mom served at every Christmas Eve I can remember. I didn't always like it because it had beans in it. As a kid, anything with beans was avoided. Luckily I out grew that stage. 

Mom's Sombrero Dip

1/2 lb - 1 lb. ground beef*

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup salsa

1 1/2 t. chili powder

1/2 t. salt

1 large can re fried beans

1 small can diced olives, drained

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese ( I leave this out for the non-cheese people)

Brown meat and onions. Stir in salsa, chili powder, olives and salt. Add beans and cheese and heat thoroughly. Serve with tortilla chips.

* Can use ground turkey or sausage.

Taco Pizza

One of the appetizers we had Christmas Eve comes from Frances, the family cook extraordinaire. We had this years ago at her home and it has been a family favorite ever since. My kids are puzzled why it is called "pizza" because there is no crust, but who cares... we love it. You can see by the picture we have the half cheese thing going on because two people in the family do not like cheese. I know, I know..don't get me started.

Taco Pizza

16 oz. sour cream (can use light)

8 oz. cream cheese, softened (can use light)

salsa

cheddar cheese

green onions

sliced black olives

Beat sour cream and cream cheese together until smooth. Spread in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Spread with favorite salsa. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and top with chopped green onions and sliced black olives.

Christmas 2008

Merry Christmas! We had a nice white Christmas. At our house we enjoy eating, sleeping and enjoying each others company. It's nice to take a few days off from the daily grind and enjoy the blessings of the season.

Hot Chocolate

I love Hot Chocolate! However, I really love GOOD Hot Chocolate. My tastes have changed and nothing I can purchase in the store will do, they are too weak tasting for me. Most of the Hot Chocolate mixes I have made from scratch have not been that great either. My indulgence is to make a batch of good chocolate ganache and keep it in the frig and scoop from it when I need a rich creamy Hot Chocolate adding hot milk too it. Oh boy, nothing beats that!!! 

It is not always the economical way to enjoy Hot Chocolate so I have found a mix recipe that is pretty dang good. I believe I got from Cook's Illustrated magazine. Easy to make- delicious!

Best-Ever Hot Cocoa Mix

3 cups non-fat dry milk

2 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder*

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

1/4 t. salt

Combine ingredients in a large bowl.  Working in two batches, pulse ingredients in food processor until chocolate is finely ground. Store in airtight container for up to 3 months. Makes 20 servings.

To make Hot Cocoa, stir 1/3 cup mix to 1 1/4 cup hot milk.

*must used Dutch processed cocoa powder for  great taste!