What to Do With All the Peppers? Day 398.

Peppers, whether they are jalapeños or bells, have never loved living in one of my many gardens. One or two will grow just enough for me to make a big deal about them, and their bitter, thin flesh would make its way into an omelet or pot of red sauce. This was all the case until this year, the year of the peppers.

The jalapeño, cayenne, bell (of all colors), and even poblanos showed up this year! The plants themselves are as high as my shoulder. I didn’t know what do to with all of them so I had to do some research.

This year I have jars and jars of hot pepper sauce, pickled jalapeños, and about fifteen spice jars of peppers I dried in a dehydrator then pulverized in my Ninja. I even did a mix of jalapeño and cayenne.

This is my true natural element, growing food and preserving it in some way. Our cabinet still holds strawberry jam from the spring and it warms my heart to see Max reach in there and open a new jar for his peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Next year we plan on expanding the garden and maybe growing corn, pumpkins, and strawberries in our back field. We’ll see what the year holds, but I see an even more packed freezer and pantry next winter, and it’s so much fun!