Earlier this summer I was perusing through a specialty shop in my area and I spotted some jalapeno peach jam.

I’ve been a fan of jalapeno jam for several years now, but I’d never seen it paired with peaches. So I bought some. And I ate it with some Ritz crackers. And then my husband ate it. Needless to say, it was gone in a couple of days.

Well, I wasn’t about to be out of this deliciousness. But I also wasn’t about to buy more because I’ve been helping my mom make peach jam since I was who knows how young. So why not make my own?

As soon as the peaches were ripe on my parents’ tree, we picked some and my mom and I went to work making this peach jalapeno jam.

I didn’t want it too spicy, so I seeded all the jalapenos. Don’t make this same mistake. The jam ended up tasting really good, but it had no heat. Go figure, right? I don’t know what I was thinking. Anyway, so we made another batch, using two jalapenos and leaving ALL the seeds in.

This batch was much better. I’d classify it as mild as far as heat goes. But jalapenos and time ran out, so further batches would have to wait. Three jalapenos would make the next batch perfect as far as my taste goes. But you could certainly add more or less depending on your taste.

Pair this jalapeno peach jam with some cream cheese on a Ritz cracker and you have the perfect appetizer, hors devours, or snack.

Jalapeno Peach Jam

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 pounds peaches, peeled and pitted (about 5 cups pureed)
• 2-4 jalapenos, do not remove seeds
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 (2 ounce) package powdered pectin
• 6 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

1. Sterilize pint jars and lids in boiling water for 10 minutes.
2. Peel and pit peaches. Remove stems from jalapenos and roughly chop. Add peaches and jalapenos to a blender and blend until smooth. (If you like chunkier jam, don’t blend it as long.) You may have to do this in a couple of batches if your blender isn’t large enough for all the fruit.
3. Pour peach and jalapeno puree into a large thick bottomed pot. Add lemon juice and pectin. Stir until combined.
4. Measure out sugar into a large bowl; set aside.
5. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil on high heat, stirring constantly.
6. Add sugar and butter and return to full rolling boil. Boil for exactly 4 minutes.
7. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with a spoon.
8. Pour into prepared jars, filling each to within 1/4 inch of the top. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Place jars in canner and cover with water by 1-2 inches. Cover; bring water to a gentle boil. Process for 10 minutes.
9. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely.

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When the weather starts to get warmer and bulbs start to show their green leaves. I start thinking about Holi. This Simple Whole Masoor Dal is perfect to get ready for Spring! Holi, the Festival of Colors, or the Festival of Spring, is an ancient Hindu festival that is highly celebrated here in Utah. Our Spanish Fork temple has spread caused the holiday to spread out through most of Northern Utah.

For those of you who are unsure of the festival. It’s called the Festival of Colors as everyone throws colored maize powder at each other to celebrate life, good, and the arrival of Spring. I have been celebrating Holi for over 10 years now. This is a dish that my family and I have come to love and want to share with you.

This dish is so simple that it is quite literally its name. Whole Masoor Dal, is simply translated as Whole Brown Lentil. This amazing dish is also very good for you and can fit many diets. It’s dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan! You can eat this dish by itself similar to a soup/goulash, or pair it perfectly with rice or quinoa. The more it cools down the thicker it gets, so it’s really about preference and how much water you add.

Simple Whole Masoor Dal

Ingredients

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Directions

1. Press the saute button on the Instant Pot. Once it’s hot, add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds.
2. Then add the chopped ginger, onion, green chili and mix. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until onions are light golden brown in color. Stir often.
3. Add in the tomatoes and de-glaze the pot by scraping the bottom with a spatula. There shouldn’t be anything stuck at the bottom.
4. Add the spices- coriander powder, turmeric, and garam masala. Also, add the salt and mix. Cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the rinsed whole masoor dal to the pot and toss with the masala.
6. Then add in the water and stir. Close the pot with the lid.
7. Press the manual or pressure cook button and cook on high pressure for 13 to 14 minutes, with the pressure valve in sealing position. Let the pressure release naturally.
8. Open the pot and add chopped cilantro and mix. At this point, you can also add a teaspoon of ghee for extra flavor.
   1. You can also add crushed Kasuri methi or squeeze in some lemon juice.
9. Serve!

Stove-Top Pan Instructions

Chocolate turtles are yummy little treats. Chocolate-covered pecan and caramel, perfectly bite-sized.

Chocolate Turtles

1lb – Caramels
1/2 cup – light corn syrup
2 cups – milk chocolate chips[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Microwave on low the caramels, butter, wat

er, and corn syrup for 3 minutes. Stir after 2 minutes of heating. Heat for the remaining minute. Repeat until smooth.

Use pecan halves as the turtle shell, place on a slab or cookie sheet, use another pecan that is cut in fourths place around the shell as legs.

Pour caramel over the top. Cool.

Dip in melted chocolate set aside to harden. 2 Tbsp – Butter
2 Tbsp – Water
2 cups – pecan halves