Full Time Canning Mode

So here is the rundown of my last couple of days: Picking produce, washing produce, paring, coring, and dicing produce, even a little smashing produce, cooking produce, and canning produce. I've mainly been working with muscadines, scuppernongs, pears, and

peppers. I have picked a little okra, but so far haven't done anything else with it.

Funny how we keep changing as long as we live, and yet parts of us always stay the same. If you would have told me twenty years ago I would be all excited about canning produce I would have laughed you right out of town, but I'm really enjoying it! If you would have told me I would be eating pepper jelly, I would have brazenly scoffed, but it's really yummy, especially with cream cheese and crackers!

I tried making a combination pear/pepper jelly yesterday, and it is really good! See the little pieces of pear suspended in the top of the jelly? I'm including the recipe if you want to give it a try.

Pepper Pear Jelly

peppers - I used a mixture of jalapeno, red banana, and bell enough to make 2 1/2 cups cut roughly into 1 inch chunks

1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

3 pears, I used sand pears, peeled,

cored, and chopped into small pieces (mine were about 1/2 in. cubes)

5 cups sugar

6 0z Certo

In a food processor process pepper pieces with vinegar until you reach a fine, but not mushy consistency. (How's that for precise?)

Mix sugar and pears, then combine with peppers and vinegar.

Bring to a boil, and boil for about 5 minutes.

If you have a lot of foam on top of the jelly you can add 1/2 tsp of butter. (I didn't need to do this, but I do sometimes when making plain pepper jelly.)

Cool a couple of minutes and add Certo.

Pour or dip into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace at the top.

Top with hot lids and rings, and process for 10 minutes in hot water bath.

Remove jars and let cool on a towel on the counter.

Check to make sure your jars sealed the next morning. If you have any that didn't seal refrigerate and use first.