Making Jelly ::

Every year I grow some Habañero peppers. I started this several years ago on a whim without giving much thought as to what I would do with what is one of the hottest peppers known to man, but somewhere along the way I came across a recipe for Habañero Pepper Jelly so I make a couple dozen pints per year. Most of the hot peppers are late producers and now is the prime time to harvest Habañeros so I spent the late afternoon doing about 14 half pint jars of the jelly.

Oddly, I seldom eat any of it and primarily use it as a glaze on baked chicken. Each 1/2 pint jar of pepper jelly has about 1 cup of sugar and since I'm mildly diabetic I closely watch my sugar intake. More often than not I give the jelly away and one of these jars will go to a co-workers grandmother who really likes it. I also recommend that any small children be given just a tiny bit before their tolerance to the heat is determined.

It is really good with crackers and cream cheese or cream cheese and toasted bagel. I've yet to find anyone who doesn't like the jelly although the reaction to the heat is often delayed!