How many ways can you use jalapenos? Well let me count the ways, 1,2,3... When the scare of salmonella came over the news for possibly tomatoes, then jalapenos I thought to myself... "This was the right year to be growing both of these." At least if I poisoned myself it would be my own fault, lol.
The late freeze this year caused me to replant 6 more jalapeno plants. I just "knew" the half-frozen and dead ones just weren't going to make it! Boy, was I mistaken. They not only made it, but are my best performing crop, next to my okra. I've been in panic mode all summer wondering how much stuff I could possibly make with these. I mean, I like jalapenos, but to add them to everything was not going to go over well with the family.
Well, in steps "jalapeno jelly" as project #1. Now I used to be a skeptic as to why in the world would people want to eat this stuff, "yuck"! But now admittedly I'm a convert. Yes, some people still eat it like other jellies - with peanut butter but, to me that's so far not my first choice. Using it as part of an appetizer is now my favorite. You spread the jelly over a block of cream cheese, then serve it with crackers. It's REALLY good that way! It's even appealing to those who don't really like "hot" things too. The taste of the jalapenos is what comes through. The jelly can also be as part of a glaze for meats, especially chicken. Who would've thought?
The main reason I planted jalapenos was for the delicious pico de gallo. How much of that can we eat though? Pass the heartburn medicine..
I have starting stringing the peppers and drying them. I'd heard of doing this for other types of peppers, but hadn't thought of it for these. They turn red like the others and are quite attractive. I plan on using them later on for other things.
Out of desperation I googled jalapeno uses and it seems I've only scratched the surface of pepper possibilities. I may decide to pickle a few..who knows!
This makes me think of the tongue twister, "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers...". I wish some of my peppers were pre-pickled! lol
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