In the Kitchen...

I've been busy in the kitchen this week!  

Sweet and Spicy Pickles:

We're anxiously awaiting the 2-week mark so we can crack these open and see how they turned out!  Also, I had a bunch of banana peppers so I sliced them and canned them in some of the extra brine.

• 3 pounds pickling cucumbers, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices
• 2 cups sliced onions
• 1/2 cup pickling salt
• 6 cups water
• 3 cups white vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 3 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 4 whole cloves
• 10 tablespoons roughly chopped garlic
• 24 dried cayenne peppers

Directions:

Place cucumbers, onions, pickling salt, and water in a large, glass or plastic bowl. Cover and allow cucumbers to soak for 2 hours. Drain the water from the onions and cucumbers through a colander and rinse well for 5 minutes. Drain well and set aside.

Combine the vinegars, sugar, mustard seeds, turmeric, cloves, garlic, and peppers in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and add the cucumbers and onions. Bring to a simmer and remove from the heat.

Fill each of the hot sterilized pint-size jars with the pickle mixture, dividing them evenly, and enough of the liquid to come within 1/2-inch of the top.  Process the jars in a hot-water bath for 15 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before removing jars from canner.  Let the pickles age for at least 2 weeks before using.

Jalapeno Jelly:

This jelly is seriously delicious!!!  Sweet with just the right amount of heat, it's really good on a peanut butter and jelly sandwch.  For a great appetizer whip cream cheese with a hand mixer, pile onto the middle of a plate and pour jelly over the top.  Serve with crackers.

• 12 jalapeno peppers steamed and seeded
• 2 cups vinegar
• 6 cups sugar
• 2 pouches of liquid pectin
• ( The jelly turned out a bit thick so I'll be trying 1 1/2 pouches next time)
• green food coloring

Pour 1 cup of the vinegar in a blender, add peppers and puree.  Mix puree and remaining vinegar and sugar in a sauce pan. Bring to a rapid foaming boil for 10 minutes stirring constantly. Add pectin and continue to boil for 1 more minute. Add 2-3 drops of green food coloring to mixture. This will make your jelly a really pretty emerald green. Place mixture into clean and sterile jars. Process jars in a hot-water bath for 10 minutes.

 

Apple Pie Moonshine:

Freakin delicious but it sneaks up on you! 

• 1 gallon apple cider
• 1 gallon apple juice
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1cup brown sugar
• 8 cinnamon sticks
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 liter bottle of 190 proof moonshine or pure grain

In a large stock pot, combine the cider, juice, sugars, cloves and cinnamon sticks. Bring it to a boil, then remove from heat and allow it to cool. Add the liter of high proof liquor.

Strain through cheesecloth or a jelly bag. Pour into mason jars and add 1 cinnamon stick to each*.  Screw lids on tightly.  You can drink this right away but it gets better after a couple weeks. Remember to shake jar before you pour a drink.

*Remove cinnamon sticks after 3 days.