We have grown a mountain of Jalapeño peppers, Hungarian Hot Wax Peppers and other varieties. I pick them and go back the next day and there are twice as many. I usually chop up hot peppers and use in a dish but mostly as addition rather than it’s own taste. These little peppers are so plump and lovely, I’ve been making poppers every other day. The girls love them even though Aubrey Rose doesn’t like spicy things…..

Here is my secret and cheating a little bit – for a great snack to go along with a summer cocktail. 

12-18 Jalapeno peppers

Scrape out the pepper, remove the seeds and pith with a knife or small spoon. Wash your hands! Sprinkle the insides with salt. Using a small knife or spoon, fill the peppers with our cheddar cheese dip (that’s the cheating version) or with the filling below. Lay the pepper in a  use a cast iron pan or you can use a baking pan. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Yum.

Make your own filling:

½ cup cream cheese
½ tsp salt and pepper
½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
4 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoon red pepper finely chopped
½ cup fresh herbs such as cilantro, chives, parsley

Mix together until smooth either by hand or in a food processor. Keep in the refrigerator for 1 week. 

Hot Peppers in a jar

Another easy way to use hot peppers is to slice them, pack in a jar and combine with spices – coriander seeds, mustard seeds, salt pepper corns and sliced onions,, top with a syrup made of vinegar and sugar. Refrigerate for two weeks and enjoy!

8 cups sliced mixed hot peppers
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tsp pepper corns

For the syrup:
1 tsp coarse salt
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups water
3/4 c coarse pickling salt
3/4 c sugar
Mix together sugar, salt, vinegar, water and bring to a boil. Prepare 4 400 ml jars. Pack the jars with the peppers, spices and add hot syrup on top. Cool and refrigerate. For more on canning see: https://www.bernardin.ca/