I'm not exactly sure what a "peck" is, but dang I've got peppers running out of my ears! I've stuffed them into peaches, I've put them in with my stewed tomatoes, and I've given some to my Daddy, who loves anything spicy. I still have left overs! My Mister loves hot and spicy things, too. I mean, he did marry me, didn't he? Heehee. I know, I'm too much. 

Well, Mister requested that I pickle some. So, I turned to the Blue Book for help. I already messed up some cucumber pickles since I didn't have a good recipe and I didn't want these peppers to share the same fate. To the book I went. Here's the recipe I used:

1 1/2 pounds banana peppers
1 pound jalapeno peppers
1/4 pound serrano peppers (one of our favorite peppers!)
6 cups vinegar
2 cups water
3 cloves garlic, crushed
Ball pickle crisp (if you want)

Leave peppers whole or cut into 1 inch pieces. Mix peppers together. Combine vinegar, water, and garlic in a large saucepot. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer five minutes. Discard garlic. Pack peppers into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Add pickle crisp to each jar. Ladle hot liquid over peppers, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Adjust two piece caps. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water canner. 

Now, I said I used this recipe... not that I actually followed it to a t. I didn't. I didn't have jalapenos. I didn't have serranos. And I like LOVE garlic. LOVE. How could I discard garlic?! Who does that!? Not this girl! Anyways... I had plenty of banana peppers and cayennes and (DUN DUN DUUUNNN!) ghost chili peppers. Oh, yes, the ghost chili... the pepper that will send you running home to your mama crying and you'll just hear her say, "I told you so." I also added a wedge of onion and a crushed garlic clove to each. So, while my list of ingredients varied a little from the original recipe, I ended up with a great looking mixture of what I had on hand. Here's my peppers. *I cut an inch long slit in each pepper and cut off any bad spots*
And here is the size pieces of ghost chilis we dared to stick in with them.

And then, on my way out the door to the porch (where we do most of our canning) my eye caught a glimpse of something. Something I have never seen in person before. I have taught a lesson on it, though, during our life cycle unit at school. That's how I knew what it was. Well, that and the fact that Mister is an expert fly-fisherman and these little critters are nothing short of heavenly to such a person... have you guessed it yet?! Look! It's a Mayfly! How in the world one ended up on our porch I don't know. Mister thought it fitting we pose it with his Tibor reel... heehee! 

After the Mayfly excitement it was already time to retrieve the peppers from the canner. I ended up with six pints of these bad boys! Yummy!
Also, stay tuned. It's getting closer to back to school time in these parts. Ugh. I can't believe I just reminded myself of that fact. But I'm planning on doing a few new things to my classroom that I'm pretty excited about! Happy Monday, y'all! Wait! It's Monday! Get yourself over to the Barn Hop! You can link up at the Homestead Revival, the Prairie Homestead, and New Life on a Homestead.