Ingredients

2 1/2 lbs granny smith apples (Aguilar Farms)

1 1/2 lbs honey crisp apples (J&E Farms)

1 1/2 lbs red Anaheim peppers (J&E Farms)

3 – 4 inch piece of ginger root

12 oz. frozen cranberries

3 cups water

3 cups distilled white vinegar

1 packet or 6 tbls powder pectin

1 2/3 cups honey (Novo Bees LLC)

1/4 tsp butter (optional) decreases jelly from foaming

Makes five 8 oz. jars

Directions

1. In boiling water place clean canning jars and screw top bands. Cover with water and boil for about 10 minutes to sterilize jars while preparing the jam. Remove sterilized jars and ring lids once pectin has been added, step 5. Place hot jars on a towel.

2. Clean apples, peppers and ginger root. Quarter apples and then cut the opposite direction leaving core attached. De-seed the peppers and cut in 1 inch strips. Slice ginger root, no need to peel.

3. In a large pot add cut apples, peppers, ginger, cranberries, water and vinegar. Cook on medium to high heat for 30 to 40 minutes or until apples are tender. Stir occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. When tender, using a potato masher smash until pulp consistency. If to thick add one to two cups of water.

4. Spoon pulp into a fine mesh sieve or a couple of layers of cheesecloth suspended over a large bowl for several hours to extract all the juice. You will need 4 cups of juice. Take jars out of hot water bath. Keep the water hot to use in processing jars with jelly.

5. Add juice, honey, pectin and butter to a large pot. Stirring constantly, bring juice to a rolling boil for 1 minute. With a metal spoon, skim any foam off the top.

6. Ladle immediately into prepared jars. Fill each jar to 1/4 inch from the top. Clean tops of jars to remove any sticky residue. Place flat lid on jar and add screw band, tighten fingertip tight.

7. Carefully add jars to boiling water. Add more boiling water if needed to cover jars one inch above lids. Cover, bring water to a gently boil, process for ten minutes.

8. Carefully remove jars from hot water, place upright on the towel. Lids will make a popping sound when sealed. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lids with finger. If the lid springs back, lid has not sealed, and jam will need to be refrigerated. Screw lids tightly down before storing. Sealed jam can last up to one year in a cool dry place, such as a pantry.

9. This is a mild pepper jelly. For more heat replace Anaheim peppers for red jalapenos or add a red habanero pepper. This jelly is good on pork, chicken or with cheese and crackers.

–

Federal Way resident Vickie Chynoweth recently published a cookbook called “Well Fed: Easy-to-Follow Recipes.”