Red Pepper Jelly

With red peppers plentiful and inexpensive, now is the time to make that Red Pepper Jelly for those holiday appetizers and gifts. Served on crackers with Cream Cheese or as a garnish on those tiny quiche it is always a hit. We also love red pepper jelly served with grilled sausages. It also makes a great glaze for a pork tenderloin, hot wings, or salmon.

Whatever you do, don’t forget to wear gloves when you chop the peppers. I learned the hard way that even mild bell peppers, if you chop enough of them, will burn your bare skin, not to mention more sensitive areas like eyes and lips. Not fun.

Red Pepper Jelly

2 cups finely chopped red bell peppers
5 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 or 2 finely chopped jalapeno peppers *
1 pouch liquid Certo

*If you're not a fan of heat, you can use 1/2- 1 teaspoon Tabasco Sauce may be substituted for the Jalapeno pepper.

Cut open and take seeds out of 2-3 red bell peppers and the Jalepenos.

Chop fine in food processor or blender.

Place peppers, sugar, red wine vinegar and water in large dutch oven over high heat.

Heat and stir until it boils.

Remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes.

Place pot back on heat and reheat to boiling.

Add lemon juice and liquid Certo and Tabasco Sauce stirring well.

Bring to a full rolling boil and boil 1 minute.

Cool 5 minutes, stirring occasionally

Pour into clean, hot 1/2 pint canning jars

Top with hot lids and screw bands