How making pepper Jelly got started.

This is 10 Ghost Peppers in a jar of vinegar.
Run that first line past your brain one more time. I'll give you a "mo". Yes it's starting to sink in now,isn't it.

Do you know what I do with this?

No I don't put it on greens. I use it in my Christmas Jelly. This jelly has become a tradition in my house in just 3 years. The first time I made it "As written" and reviewed it. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/red-and-green-christmas-jalapeno-jelly/detail.aspx

Then I tweaked it. Then I made it super low sugar and submitted it for publication.

http://allrecipes.com/personalrecipe/62508737/low-suger-hot-pepper-jelly/detail.aspx if you make it please review it.Thank you.



I make the full sugar version for gifts and save the low sugar one for MIL and me. The first year I made it for extra gifts and little happies for teachers and bus drivers. The people you didn't think would get you a gift but did. My mother and grandmother taught me to keep some little something under the tree wrapped and tagged with  messages like "Just for you","Because you made me smile","Thank You" and "From our house to Yours, Happy Holidays." The charm of southern grace is not looking like it was planed. This was a lesson I learned by watching my Mom make people feel welcomed in our home with just a smile. She had a way with people.



So I Started making the Jelly to keep  for those unexpected visitors that bring gifts. The next year some of them sent the jars back with notes. Others just showed up again with a little better "surprise gift". My sons were caught rutting around under the tree for the jelly gifts for teachers and just to keep in the house. Because " Mom you give away the best stuff!" I got the hint. 

I had to change the "Wise Men Gifts" ,what my Mom called the extra gifts under the tree. I guessing because they were the first ones to show up with unexpected gifts.  That year the "wise men" that showed up got  Banana

                 Nut Bread or Cranberry Orange bread. Still a nice gift but you could tell it was a disappointment. So, I just channeled my mother. Smiled and said "I so hope you like it, I used some of our pecans from the tree out front."

This lesson I learned from my High School physiology teacher. Most people will try to please a gift giver if the giver makes them feel like their approval is important to them. 
I credit my high school physiology teacher but my grandmother could also have taught me this . She was good at the guilt trip also.

So most went away happy with their bread.  Next year I didn't get as many last minute visits.  He who never gets his way remarked no this and I smiled and said "Well you know how hectic things get this time of year." He smiled and said " Right,I'm sure it didn't have anything to do with the gift switch from Jelly to Bread."  I was caught. We had a good laugh and a wonderful chat.

This year I started early. He who never gets his way was in a canning mood. Why pass that up and I have got sooo much extra to do this year.               

 I make the Jelly and he helps can. I love having the help, and he seems to like being needed. This years Jelly making went like this. I used half regular vinegar and half ghost pepper vinegar. 1/4cup Red Jalapeno peppers. 1cup green bells,1/2 cup red bells, and some orange sweet peppers, for color.   I chopped the peppers using my left hand to hold them and my right to hold the knife. Washed my hands very carefully and was sure I had gotten all the pepper juice off my hands. I didn't spill and of the vinegar so I was quite happy with myself.

 Imagine my surprise when my face right under my right eye started to itch and burn. Well I could not stop now the jelly was in the second stage of cooking and I could not take time to fix the problem that would surly get worse if I mucked around with it now, and I'm wearing contacts oh goodie. 

My mind said "Umm Robin baking soda and water paste on that will get you through the cooking and canning." So I said thank you keeper of my jumbled filling system and made a paste of baking soda and water and smeared it on. It looks so stylish don't it yuk yuk yuk. I Soldier on with the jelly making.     

 

He who never gets his way ,came in from his shop just in time to help with the canning and tell me I had something under my eye . I explained it to him and he said "Hummm thats why I always were gloves." I remember to turn away befor rolling my eyes. I do tell him that next time I will, and ask him to help me finish up the Jingel Bell Jelly.

Lids...check









Jars at the ready. I moved the hammer before we started.  What don't you have a kitchen hammer? I had used it to wack some frozen hash browns for breakfast. So sue me I was trying to save time and clean up so we could do jelly before lunch.

I have no picture of the jelly filling, it's a two person operation at our house and no one was left to take the picture.

 The watched pot was boilling befor I put the jars in so does that rule still apply? 

My cousin one time asked if a tree fell in the forest making no noise how would you know? I'm still not sure if he was that zin or just lexdiscik like me.

I some times wonder "If a tree falls in the forest dose it have to hit a man on the head before he knows."  All the women will get that and the men who do are keepers.

.                                                                                                                                                                     The jelly came out wonderfull I had about 1/2 a jar leftover so I put it in the frig. Want not; waste not. not to mention the jelly is sooooo good on cream cheese and crackers or grilled chicken. Oh now I'm hungry better go get lunch.

Tune in next time for.....

OMG my eye ,or I'm blind ;son of  &$%(*&#@!

The story of a girl her contacts and hot pepper in the eye!