Pickled Hot Peppers

I make Italian Beef in the crock pot at least once a month in the winter, and that usually includes chopping some peppers and onions for packing the meat full of flavor.  Peppers are so fresh right now, and I had a ton of them! So, I decided to pickle them so that I've got a pint ready to go as when I make the next Italian Beef dinner (probably Sunday, but whatever...)!

Pickled Hot Peppers


Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds of fresh mixed peppers (I used all kinds of hot peppers and also some bell peppers)
1/2 onion, sliced into thin strips
9 cloves of garlic, crushed and peeled
3 cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
1 Tbsp pickling spice
3 pint jars with lids and rings

Instructions


Slice all the peppers and trim off ends.  If you want them to be milder, you can remove all the seeds.  If you want them to be hotter, you can leave all the seeds...  I left some in, and took some out for medium heat...  To ensure that I had an even mix of pepper types, I used three bowls and distributed each pepper among the three bowls so that I knew I had a good mix in each batch.

Separate the sliced onion into even portions among the three bowls.  Put 3 crushed cloves of garlic into each bowl, as well.

I should tell you that I like my peppers a little crisper, so I opted to put them straight into three sterilized pint jars.  The jars are packed very tight, and they barely fit - use a spoon to push them down.

In a pot, mix the vinegar, water, and pickling spice and put on the stove on high heat.  Bring the liquid mixture to a boil, and then reduce heat to simmer for 5 minutes.  Using a ladle, transfer the hot liquid over the pepper mixture in the pint jars, leaving just about a half an inch of headspace in the jars.

Wipe off the rims of all three pint jars, and place the lids and rings tightly on the jars.  place the jars into a large stock pot and cover completely with water.  Bring the jars to a boil on the stove over high heat, and boil for a total of 15 minutes.

Remove the jars from the hot water, and allow to cool completely. Makes 3 pints.  Store in a cool dry place, and refrigerate after opening...

Delicious!

Spicy Cuke Salad

In case you were wondering:  still finishing up last week's delivery.  With Abby and Mark both out of town, I am going to have to cook vegetarian to ensure #novegleftbehind happens...   

However, Mark and I fell in love with the cucumber this spring in Costa Rica.  At our hotel (really reasonably priced if you are considering going), they would keep filling your glass with cucumber-infused ice water while you lounged at the pool.  It was heaven... 

Anyway, we got a green cucumber and a white cucumber, so I started remembering that trip.  And, that made me want to combine the refreshing cucumber with something spicy and Latin-American-ish...

Ingredients
1 medium green cucumber
1 medium white cucumber (Can't find this?  Just use another green one.  The taste is identical.)
3 small ears of sweet corn
1 medium-to-large tomato, diced
1/4 green bell pepper, diced
1/4 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 orange bell pepper, diced
1/4 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/4 small red onion, sliced
1 tsp minced garlic
3 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar

Instructions

Bring a small pot of water to a boil on the stove.  Add the corn to the boiling water and boil for 5 minutes. 

Meanwhile, cut your cucumbers in half and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon.  Chop the remaining cucumber and add to a bowl.

Remove the corn and cut the kernels from the cobs and into the bowl with the cucumber.

Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and toss with the Red Wine Vinegar.  Chill for at least two hours before serving...  Ideally, it's best when it's had a night to combine and soak into the vegetables.  It's crunch, spicy, and somehow cool and refreshing at the same time...  YUM!  This would be perfect for a barbeque side...

Serves 6