Jalapeno Jams -- the PCR Keeps Going Up!

Yesterday, I canned 10 half-pints of blackberry
 jalapeno jam and 9.5 pints of candied jalapenos. 
I really need my Excel-expert DH to make a nice
little project-completion rate graph for me.

Maybe even a Power-Point presentation?
Visuals are good, you know.

Ever wonder how many jalapenos one needs

to make 9.5 pints of candied yumminess?
(one cel phone pic coming up...)

Observe the large 8-qt kettle up there.  Yeah...
(Best prep method here?  Put on a movie--and gloves--and start dicing.)

Now, if you're thinking these sound odd, wait. 
You really need to try them.

 I'm not even a big jalapeno fan.

But once I tried them, I was hooked. 
And so are my brothers and brothers-in-law
who get them for Christmas. 

(so, yay, I can now mark them as "done" on the Christmas list!
And it's not even Halloween.  Boo-yah!)

No, you do not eat these like normal jams. 

You simply put a softened brick of cream cheese

on a serving platter.  Pour jalapeno sauce of choice
 over the top and serve with tortilla chips. 
EASY PEASY and sooooo yummy! 
Great "football food"!

I've made strawberry and blackberry jalapeno jams

and the regular candied jalapenos but I'm really

thinking something with cranberries would be
festive and quite nom.

For the jams, I use this recipe:

Jalapeno Strawberry Jam

But I put a good cup or two of jalapenos in it,
leaving the seeds in for heat and texture--
makes it better for dipping.

(is it me or is that an anaheim chili in the pic--not a jalapeno??)

I grow my own peppers, strawberries and
blackberries so it's a gift with a lot of heart in it. 

Happy harvesting, cooking, canning, 
home-making, gift-making...
Aw, heck.  Happy fall.  :o)


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