Miracles Happen!

I know it won’t sound like much to those whose cooking skills are normal. But for me, anytime something labor intensive that involves anything in the kitchen is attempted, it lands somewhere between a risky business and total failure. Today’s cooking experiment was indeed a miracle!

It all started with Ronald’s success at growing jalapeños. He has grown them for years and given them all away because they are too hot for us. On a recent trip to my brother-in-law’s house in Illinois, I sampled his jalapeño jelly he had made from peppers Ronald had sent him.

I can’t really taste much since last fall when I was blowing out my lungs and nasal passages by mopping with 30% vinegar, so I can’t really say for sure, but I think his jelly was good. Then again, what’s not good about crackers with cream cheese and any kind of jelly?

After we got home from the trip, Ronald picked another batch of jalapeños.

We decided to try our hand at making jelly but used Stevia as a sweetener instead. I looked through a jillion recipes to find one easy enough that I thought perhaps I could make it work. We worked the afternoon neutering the peppers – the seeds in the recipe would do us in! Amazingly, I followed the recipe. Almost. Pretty much anyway. We called my brother-in law three times for advice.

I still don’t know what ‘simmer’ looks like. I started to put my finger in the pot to see if it was hot enough, but there is no gauge on my finger to register ‘simmer’. I figured what boil looks like, but ‘full boil’ is still a mystery.

At the end of the day, we sampled the jelly before it set. Ronald and my mom thought it was pretty good. Again, crackers and cheese makes me a fan no matter what.

It will be another 10 or so hours before I know if it set. If it didn’t, I’ll just add chia seeds. It will gel for sure then! In the meantime, we’ll have our friends over this evening for a ‘non-family’ critique and a game of dominoes. Cream cheese, crackers, friends, and dominoes. What’s not to like?

Many times through my life, I have experimented with trying  things in which my talents are mediocre to unproven. Some were successes, some were failures, some were rewarding emotionally, none have been successful financially.  I keep experimenting with new projects to keep me out of mischief. Most don’t turn out exactly as planned and certainly don’t keep me out of mischief if it involves trips to Hobby Lobby and Joann Fabrics! And if any project involves cooking or painting, there are bound to be epic messes!

I know this for certain. As long as I am able, I will keep experimenting and challenging myself to keep exploring and testing my skills ( or lack of the same ) in many areas.

Right now however, I need to challenge myself to clean up the mess I made in the kitchen during the day’s process. Sigh.

“In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.” ESV

The Living Bible says, “Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know which will grow – perhaps it all will.”