Move Over Cream Cheese

Big Guy and I always have jalapenos in the garden.  We love to make fresh foods in the summer inspired by this wonderful vegetable.

When I first started canning, I tried to make jalapeno jelly to bridge into the colder months.  It was a messy affair with chopped jalapeno pieces, green food dye and pectin from a tube.  It was not horrible, but it was not visually pleasing unless your purpose was to make it obvious you were trying pepper jelly slathered over cream cheese.

I searched through my cookbooks and realized that most recipes used pectin and food dye.  So, I ventured to the internet and found my dream recipe at Simply Recipes.  I won’t sugar coat it and say this recipe is less messy, but it uses granny smith apples as the pectin.  Food dye?  No!  This recipe uses cranberries and a red pepper to add a nice hue.

So, give it a try over cream cheese with crackers if you wish to be traditional.  Or, better yet, use it as a glaze on your chicken or shrimp.  You will not be disappointed!

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