Five-Pepper Jelly

Serve this jelly with corn bread or over cream cheese as an appetizer. Try prepared pineapple cream cheese, available at the supermarket.

Yield: 7 pints (one hundred twelve 1-ounce servings)

• 1 large green pepper, seeded and chopped

• 2 large red bell peppers, seeded and chopped

• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped fine

• 4 jalapenos, seeded and chopped very fine (wear rubber gloves)

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 2 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted

• 1 whole, small red chile pepper

• 5 cups sugar

• 1 1/2 cups Downing's Apple Cider Vinegar

• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 6 ounces liquid pectin

1. Combine the green and red peppers, onion, jalapeños, and 1 teaspoon salt in a colander about 3 hours. Drain well and press pepper mixture with the back of a spoon to remove moisture. (Wear rubber gloves.)

2. Make a spice bag of the cumin seeds and whole red chile pepper.

3. Combine peppers above with sugar, spice bag, vinegar, lemon juice, chili powder, cayenne, and remaining salt. Bring to a boil in a 6-quart saucepan. Stir and simmer 10 minutes.

4. Add pectin and return to a boil. Boil exactly 1 minute. Remove from heat. Remove the spice bag.

5. Ladle into sterile jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Cap and seal.

6. Process 5 minutes in a boiling-water-bath canner.

Adapted from The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest by Carol W. Costenbader.  One of my most favorite books on preserving.