Oh my freaking peppers!

Will has been whining and whining and whining about doing something with the jalapeno peppers before they ruined. So, I made bread and butter jalapeno peppers. I found some a few years ago at the grocery store and bought several jars. Every year I find them in the spring and buy several jars to last him through the year. This year we planted jalapeno plants so we could make them because, according to Will, homemade would have to be better than store bought (yeah, I could hear the sucking up as he was saying it). I told him he would have to help. And help he did! He sliced all the jalapenos with even a single whine, packed the onion and jalapenoes in jars, put the lids on the jars, and dumped the water from the hot water bath. Did I mention he did this without whining? That was quite an accomplishment! hehe! Anywho, the day after I made them he had to try them. Apparently mine are hot and the ones from the store are just sweet. But he professed to like mine better. I think he just likes sleeping in his bed and eating food he did not have to cook but he's stuck with them. hehe!

Here is the recipe I used. We had 5 pounds of jalapenoes but I did not increase the onion. I made two batches of the syrup to fill all of the jars and still ended with a few being a little short on juice. Plus, I ended up with 4 quarts, 9 pints, and 3 half pints. Not sure where all the extra came from. Maybe we did not pack the jars or something. Who knows. I don't like hot stuff but Will ate about half of a 1/2 pint jar so, apparently, they are good.

Bread and Butter Jalapeno Peppers

4 pounds jalapeno peppers
2 pounds onions
3 cups vinegar
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons mustard seed
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons celery seed
1 teaspoon ginger

Wash and cut jalapenos and onions into thin slices and cold pack into jars.

Place remaining ingredients in large saucepot and bring to a boil.

Pour hot mixture into jars, leaving one-fourth-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Adjust caps.

Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath.

Yield: about 7 pints.