Jalapeno Mint Jelly

As a child my grandma would serve this at Thanksgiving dinner over cream cheese. It was a yummy dip for wheat thins. I have a huge mint bush in my garden and wasn't sure what to do with it all. So, I made lots of this and bottled it. I then made it as a glaze for meat instead of a jelly (see instructions below). It is yummy stuff. As a glaze it goes best with pork or lamb. I think it would also be great with meatballs!! By the way, it is not hot or spicy. My young children inhaled it.

Jalapeno Mint Jelly

• 1 3/4 cups mint, finely chopped, divided
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
• 1 (8 ounce) envelope liquid fruit pectin

Glaze Instructions: Make jelly according to directions below but omit pectin. Pour over meat and bake in the oven. When meat is done, remove liquid and place in a sauce pan. Add 4-6 Tbsp of corn starch to 1/4 cup water. Stir into mixture and bring to a boil. Add a couple pinches of salt. After it is brought to a boil remove from heat and stir as it thickens. Glaze your meat and grill for 60 seconds on each side. Arrange on a serving platter.

Jelly Instructions:

Bring 1 1/2 cups mint and water to a boil in a small saucepan. When I am in a hurry I do not "finely" chop the mint at this point. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 30 minutes to steep. Strain through a lined sieve pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible; discard mint.

Combine mint liquid, sugar, vinegar, lemon juice and peppers in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a full boil over high heat and boil hard for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in pectin and remaining finely chopped mint.

Ladle into sterilized jars and process in water bath for 5 minutes or pour into jars and invert for 5 minutes. Turn back and you should hear the seals pop close.