Chili Mint Jelly Food

BETTY'S MINT JELLY

Steps:

• Disolve sugar in the vinegar. Use a small amount of this mixture to disolve the gelatine. Add the disolved gelatine back into the vinegar sugar mixture. Add finely chopped mint and green food colouring if needed.
• Pour into steralised jars and store in the fridge.

CANNED MINT JELLY

Steps:

• Mix the mint, water, vinegar, and sugar together in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat; quickly bring to a boil while stirring. Immediately remove from heat; stir the food coloring and pectin into the mixture. Return the pan to the heat; bring to a full boil for 30 seconds. Immediately remove from heat. Strain the mixture through 2 layers of damp cheesecloth.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the strained liquid into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat; carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 15 minutes.

MINT JELLY

Steps:

• Blend mint and the water in the jar of a blender until mint is finely chopped. Transfer to a saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; let steep 45 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve into bowl; reserve liquid (1 3/4 to 2 cups). Discard mint.
• Return liquid to saucepan; add lemon juice and sugar. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. Add pectin, and return to a boil; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in food coloring. Skim surface. Transfer to a large container; let cool completely. Cover; let chill overnight. Transfer to a serving dish, or store in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

MINT JALAPENO JELLY

Steps:

• Combine the peppers through salt in a large sauce pan and cook over medium heat until warm and sugar dissolves.
• Pour the mixture into blender and blend for 5 seconds.
• Return the mixture to the pan and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that rises.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add the pectin, stirring to combine; bring back to a rolling boil and cook for exactly 1 minute.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool, the jelly will set as it cools.

JALAPENO MINT JELLY

Steps:

• 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.

MINT-CHILI SAUCE

Steps:

• Purée all ingredients in blender. Transfer to bowl. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature.)

MINT JELLY

Steps:

• Rinse off the mint leaves, and place them into a large saucepan. Crush with a potato masher or the bottom of a jar or glass. Add water, and bring the mint to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes. Strain, and measure out 1 2/3 cups of the mint.
• Place 1 2/3 cups mint into a saucepan. Stir in the lemon juice and food coloring. Mix in the sugar, and place the pan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once the mixture is boiling, stir in the pectin. Boil the mixture for a full minute while stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and skim foam off the top using a large metal spoon. Transfer the mixture to hot sterile jars, and seal.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.

CHILI MINT JELLY

Steps:

• Comine all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk to mix.
• Note: The sambal oelek can be substituted with a Vietnamese or Thai chili paste or your faborite chili jelly or hot sauce.

FESTIVE MINT JELLY

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring water and mint to a boil. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 15 minutes. Strain, reserving 3-1/3 cups liquid (discard remaining liquid)., In a Dutch oven, combine sugar, lemon juice, food coloring and reserved liquid. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 1 minute. Add pectin; return to a boil. Cook and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes., Skim off foam. Ladle hot liquid into hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight. Place jars in canner with simmering water ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process 10 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

MINT JELLY

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, bring mint and water to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and pour though a fine sieve, reserving mint liquid. Discard leaves. , Return liquid to pan. Add the sugar, vinegar and butter; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Quickly add contents of both pectin pouches; bring to a full rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; skim off foam. Add food coloring. , Carefully ladle into hot sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. head space. Remove air bubbles; wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 5 minutes in a boiling-water canner. , Or, cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Cover and let stand overnight or until set, but not longer than 24 hours. Refrigerate or freeze. (Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 12 months.)

MINT JELLY

Steps:

• Crush mint leaves (I did a rough chop). Add water. Bring to a boil.
• Remove from heat, cover and let stand 10 minutes. Strain and measure 3 cups of mint infusion.
• Add food coloring and lemon juice. Add Sure-Jell, dissolve and bring to a rapid boil.
• Add sugar. Cook fast, stirring occasionally until it comes to a rapid boil that cannot be stirred down, then cook 1 minute more.
• Pour into sterilized jelly glasses and seal. I processed in the steam canner for 10 minutes to insure a good seal.

OLD FASHION APPLE-MINT JELLY

Steps:

• Wash the apples and remove the stems and dark spots. Quarter but do not peel or core. Place in a medium size enamel pot.
• Add just enough water to half cover the fruit. Cook over low heat until fruit is soft (about 1 hour) place cooked apples in a jelly bag and drain out the liquid. You will get more juice if you squeeze the bag but the jelly will be cloudy if you do.
• Measure the juice. Add 1/2 c honey for each cup of juice. Boil until jelly is done.
• To test if your jelly is done remove the syrup from the heat and scoop up a small amount of jelly with a cold metal spoon. Raise it about a foot above above the pot away from the steam and wait about 20 seconds. Tip the spoon so that the syrup slides off the side of the spoon. If the syrup forms two drops that flow together and slide off the spoon in one sheet the jelly should be done. If it slides off in several separate drops cook it longer.
• Add 1/4 c mint leaves for every quart of juice. Stir and allow to cook 1 minute further.
• Remove leaves and ladle into hot sterile jars. Seal and process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes or as according to canners instructions.
• For special occasions you can pour hot jelly into buttered molds.

SPICY RED-PEPPER JELLY

Steps:

• Sterilize jars and lids:
• Wash jars, lids, and screw bands in hot, soapy water, then rinse well. Dry screw bands. Put empty jars on a rack in a boiling-water canner or a deep 8- to 10-quart pot and add enough hot water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, covered, then boil 10 minutes. Remove canner from heat, leaving jars in water, covered. Heat lids in water to cover by 2 inches in a small saucepan until thermometer registers 180°F (do not let boil). Remove from heat. Keep jars and lids submerged in hot water, covered, until ready to use.
• Make jelly:
• Pulse bell peppers with red-pepper flakes in a food processor until finely chopped. (Mixture will measure about 2 1/2 cups.)
• Whisk together pectin and 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl.
• Stir together pepper mixture, vinegar, butter, salt, and remaining 3 cups sugar in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot. Bring to a vigorous boil over high heat, then continue to boil vigorously, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Gradually add pectin mixture, whisking constantly. Return jelly to a vigorous boil, stirring constantly, and boil, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes (mixture will thicken slightly). Remove from heat.
• Carefully remove jars and lids with canning tongs, then drain jars upside down on a clean kitchen towel and quickly dry lids. Invert jars and immediately ladle hot jelly into jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at top. (Last jar may not be full.) Run a clean plastic spatula between jelly and sides of jars to eliminate air bubbles. Wipe off rims of filled jars with a damp clean kitchen towel, then firmly screw on lids with screw bands.
• Seal and process jars:
• Put sealed jars on rack in canner or pot and add enough hot water to cover by 2 inches. (If you have a jar that is partially full, do not process it. Cover it with a lid and screw band, then keep in refrigerator.) Bring to a full boil, covered, then boil jelly, covered, 15 minutes. Transfer jars with canning tongs to a towel-lined surface to cool. Jars will seal; if you hear a ping, that means that the vacuum formed above the cooling jelly has made the lid concave. Remember that you may or may not be around to hear the ping. The important thing is for the jars to eventually have concave lids. Jelly will thicken as it cools.
• After jars have cooled, 12 to 24 hours, press center of each lid to check that it's concave, then remove screw band and try to lift lid with your fingertips. If you can't, the lid has a good seal. Replace screw band. Put any jars that haven't sealed properly in the refrigerator and use them first (along with jar that was only partially full).