Hi, y’all!

I know it’s been about a month since my last post. Boy, have we ever had a plate full!  That said, what is left of the veggie garden were tomatoes and jalapeño peppers. After all the rain we’ve had, the cukes and squash basically drowned.

Two nights ago, the hubs and I shelled a peck of field peas. Last night we blanched, bagged, and froze them. Prior to the blanching, however, I wanted to make some jalapeño jelly, since my mom gave me a recipe for it a couple of weeks ago, and it’s so yummy on top of cream cheese on whatever you’re serving it on. 😉

Here is the list of ingredients for a six cup yield. (I made half a recipe last night.)

Julie’s Mom’s Jalapeño Jelly

• 2 medium green bell peppers, chopped
• 14 jalapeño peppers, stemmed & chopped, with some seeds left (the more seeds you reserve, the hotter the jelly)
• 7 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup apple juice
• 1 (6) six ounce package of  liquid pectin
• a few drops green food color (optional) I used two drops for a half recipe.

In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients EXCEPT pectin and food coloring.

Heat over medium-high/high heat (depending on your stove) and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add pectin, and bring back to a rolling boil, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from heat.

Strain into a large bowl and discard pieces.

Add food coloring, if used, and mix until blended.

Pour into containers. Let mixture gel at room temperature for about an hour, cover, and store in the fridge.

Photos as follows:

And here is a quick and dirty field pea blanching method:

Got Peas?

Shell and rinse peas. Boil about a gallon of water.

Blanch(e)-it’s not just a 50’s lady’s name, anymore. 😉

When water is boiling, add peas…please know, that if you add too many? Your pot boil-eth over. No bueno. Just saying.

Let water return to boil.

Blanch peas for two minutes once water returns to boil.

Remove from boiling water, and cool quickly. Ice water bath works well!

Ready to freeze!

Drain well, and place into freezer bags and leave about 1/2 inch at the top. Get as much of the air out of the bag as you can prior to sealing.

Place bags in freezer.

Let me know if you cook and try either of these and let me know how you like it.

Remember – the more seeds the hotter the jelly gets!