Hot Chile Pepper and Basil Jelly

Hot Chile Pepper

and Basil Jelly

50-60 Chile Peppers (depending on size)

½ cup chopped fresh basil

1 ½ cups cider vinegar

6 ½ cups sugar

½ tsp salt

2 pouches (3 oz. each) liquid pectin

2-3 drops green food coloring

Prepare your preserving jars.

Cut the stems off peppers and slice lengthwise.  Bending them inside out will loosen the seeds and they can easily be slid out with the white membrane.  (Wear gloves while doing this.  These peppers are hot and the juice will remain on your hands for 24-48 hours even after you wash them.)

Chop peppers in food processor/chopper until fine and uniformly ground.  Measure out 2 cups. 

Combine peppers, basil, vinegar, sugar and salt in preserving pot.  Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally.  Once mixture is at a full boil, set timer for 5 minutes and stir constantly.  After 5 minutes, stir in pectin and return to a full boil.  Set timer for one minute (exactly- too long will cause very thick jelly).

Remove from heat and stir constantly for 3-4 minutes to prevent peppers from floating to the tops of the jars.  Add green food coloring.

Spoon into hot preserving jars, leaving ¼ inch head space; wipe the rims clean, and seal according to manufacturer’s directions.  Process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes

Yield: 7 8oz jars

** This jelly is perfect at Christmas time, not only for gifts, but spread cream cheese on crackers and a little dollop of jelly on top makes for a festive treat.

© Crackerberries 2012

Fig Grape Jam

10 cups figs, stemmed and chopped and mashed

6 cups sugar

1 cup grape juice (or I used paisano wine)

9 oz grape jell-o gelatin

Combine all ingredients in preserving pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly, but keep a rolling boil and cook for 45 minutes or so; spoon into sterilized jars and process in boiling water bath 10 minutes. 

Yield: 14 8oz jars

This also works great with strawberry jello for strawberry fig jam.  Do not completely mash the figs, leave some in chunks and they will appear as strawberries.

© Crackerberries 2012



Cheesy Chop Suey Bake

6 cups prepared chop suey

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

¼ cup parmesan cheese

Combine parmesan cheese and Monterey Jack cheese together.

Preheat oven to 350º.  Place three cups chop suey in lightly greased 8x8 baking dish.  Cover with cheddar cheese and top with remaining chop suey.  Sprinkle with Monterey Jack and parmesan cheese; cover and bake 350º for 30 minutes.  Remove cover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese bubbles and is slightly golden.  Cool slightly before serving.

© Crackerberries 2012

A Little White Lie

Let me tell you a little white lie,

I don't inhale, and I don't get high.

I caught a fish two feet long and weighed ten pounds,

When you sing, I just love the way your voice sounds.

My hair is not gray, this is all natural,

I've got ocean front property in Kansas I could sell.

My boobs are real, they're not implants

I love to watch the way you dance.

No officer I didn't know I was driving that fast,

It's a blind date, I hope this night will last and last.

Yes, it's my hair, I'm not wearing a wig,

No, those pants don't make your butt look big!

How to Lie

Have you ever told a lie, just a little white lie? A little white lie is often frivolous in nature, but detrimental to character.  Little white lies are often well intentioned, and told to avoid hurting feelings, distress or embarrassment.  Telling a lie is breaking the 9^th commandment.  This sin is committed more than 10,000 times a day with that little member (the tongue) that boasts great things.

Everyone lies.  The tongue is like a flame that can not be put out.  I have heard that years ago, people who were caught lying in the Middle East would have their tongues cut out and be fed to the king’s cats, hence the saying, “Cat got your tongue?”. 

There are many ways to lie.  One may think that lying is simply making an untrue statement with intent to deceive, and creating a false or misleading impression.  That is true.  I will tell you the grass really is blue in Kentucky, yet I’ve never been to Kentucky, therefore, I am lying because I don't really know if it is blue.

If we slander someone’s name, character or reputation this is speaking evil of another, which is lying.  Defaming someone behind their back gives them no opportunity to defend themselves.  There is not one person that is not guilty of lying.

When we swear, these are idle words ... words of no use, and that serve no good purpose.  These words will be brought into judgment by God (Matthew 12:36).  Every careless word, every slip of the tongue carries full potential for all hells evil.

There is nothing more contrary to God than a lie.  God is truth.  The devil is the father of all lies, and all lies flow from a wicked heart.  Lying is the most prominent sin in the world today.  Honesty has been lost.  A man’s word is no longer his bond. Men are liars by nature.  Matthew 5:37 says “Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’, and your ‘No’ be ‘No’…”.

Gossiping is lying.  When we gossip we share personal or sensational facts about others.  Sharing something that we have heard about one person with another person is insincere.

Cheating is lying.  When we cheat, we are violating the rules dishonestly.  We are taking something valuable by using deception.  When we play a game and we interfere with the instruments of the event, this is cheating.  Most people have played a game of checkers and slid their pawn one or two spaces in order to get the upper hand in the game.

Plagiarism is lying.  When we take credit for someone else’s work this is duplicity and disloyal.    

Stealing is lying.  When we steal, we are taking the property of another without having a right to it.  We have probably stolen a candy bar or pack of gum from the store when we were younger… maybe.  This is dishonesty which in turn is lying. Another example would be taking an extra ten or fifteen minute lunch or leaving a few minutes early every day from work.  We are taking our employers time in a fraudulent manner which is lying about our time. 

If we fill out a job application and write down that we have worked at a position for five years when in fact it was only four years, this is lying.  Dishonesty in filling out applications for scholarships, financial aid, medical history, or any other type of petition that you are not honest on is lying.

Unfortunately most people don’t even realize how often they commit this sin that people seem to tolerate and think that it is okay.  Corrupt talk: critical speech, gossip, sarcasm, harsh words, false statements, negative comments, ridicule, insults, and slander, all associated with lies.  I know I’m guilty myself and I am in constant communication with God relentlessly asking for forgiveness.

© Crackerberries 2012



Pasta and Bok Choy

Bok Choy & Pasta

What is Bok Choy?  It is a Chinese cabbage that is similar to turnip although it is leafy.  It is a kind of catch 22.  It is high in vitamin A and the organic compounds found in Bok Choy or Pak Choi have been reported to prevent cancer, however larges doses have also been known to be toxic.

Bok Choy is typically used in Chinese cuisine.  I just happened to have some leftover and thought I’d try something new.

8 oz spaghetti, cooked and drained

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 small onion, diced

¼ cup parmesan cheese

2 cloves garlic minced

1 cup chopped Bok Choy, and 2 cups Bok Choy leaves

½ cup chicken broth

Sauté garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for one minute, add onion and cook 2 more minutes.  Add Bok Choy and chicken broth; cover and cook 8-10 minutes until leaves are wilted and Bok Choy is tender.

Toss spaghetti with one tablespoon olive oil and spoon Bok Choy over top, sprinkle with parmesan cheese. 

© Crackerberries 2012

Corn Relish

10 cups corn off the cob (15-20 ears)

2 cups red pepper, diced

2 cups onion, diced

2 cups green peppers

1 cup finely chopped celery

2 Chile peppers finely chopped

3 cups cider vinegar

4 tsp celery seed

1 tsp curry powder

2 tsp turmeric

3 tsp English Mustard (Colman’s Mustard)

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp Tabasco or Texas Pete

Husk corn and cook in boiling water for 10 minutes.  Put in cold water to cool before cutting corn off the cob.  (Do not scrape the cobs — the milky juice will make the relish cloudy).

Combine peppers, onions celery, vinegar, celery seed, curry powder, turmeric and mustard in preserving pot.  Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for ten minutes.  Add corn and return to boil, simmer another five minutes, stirring often.

Combine cornstarch and ¼ cup of water, hot sauce, and add to mixture stirring constantly to desired thickness.  Spoon into hot, sterilized jars leaving ½ inch head space.  Wipe rims clean, seal and process in hot boiling water bath for 15 minutes.  Yield 8 pints.

© Crackerberries 2012

Hot Dog Pie

1- 9 inch pie crust

4 hot dogs cut into ½ inch pieces

4 small red potatoes, boiled and diced

6 eggs

1 tsp hot sauce

¼ cup parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 Tbsp ketchup

Salt & pepper to taste

Beat eggs well and add hot sauce and parmesan cheese.  Layer with potatoes, hot dogs; squirt one tablespoon or so over top of mixture and cheese; pour egg mixture over top.  Bake 375º for 45-50 minutes.  Let cool slightly before serving.  Cherry tomato chow-chow is a wonderful compliment to this pie.

© Crackerberries 2012