Autumn is spaghetti squash season!

Spaghetti squash is such an unusual vegetable – technically, of course, it’s a fruit, since the seeds are INSIDE – but it’s also a very tasty and versatile food to work with.  So much can be done with spaghetti squash!

Spicy Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash

1/4 cup romano cheese

2 tbs. chopped sage

2 tsps. melted butter

Texas Pepper Jelly, any flavor

What to do:

Preheat your oven to 350.  Cut the squash in half and remove all of the seeds.  Do NOT butter the rind.  Place the squash halves cut side down in a baking dish with sides, and bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until the squash is soft.  Remove baking pan from oven, and while the squash is still hot, take a large salad fork and scrape the inside flesh form the squash rind; the flesh should be stringy and look like spaghetti.  Mix all of the other ingredients into the “spaghetti” and serve!

I usually reserve the Pepper Jelly, put several kinds out on the table, and let my family choose their own to mix in.

This is a really fast and simple recipe, and very good on those crisp fall nights.  It’s also almost impossible to find spaghetti squash any other time of year.  It’s a seasonal treat, so enjoy it!

Jambalaya is such a versatile thing; to be quite honest, you can add almost any kind of leftover you’ve got to this recipe and it will just get better and better.

The meat is also optional, although it’s not really “jambalaya” without it.  Jambalaya is almost a “chili,’ but not quite.

Ingredients:

8 ounces sausage, sausage links, or any other kind of meat your family likes – cooked and drained

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1 minced garlic clove

1 15.5-ounce can kidney beans, drained

1 15.5-ounce can black-eyed peas, drained

1 14.5-ounch can diced tomatoes, drained

1 bottle Texas Chipotle Habanero Finishing Sauce

1 cup crushed tomatoes

3/4 cup water

3/4 teaspoon thyme

What to do:

Put everything in your crockpot, cover, set on “low,” send the kids off to school and go to work yourself.  When you get home that night, turn off the crockpot. Throw some cornbread in the oven.  When it’s done, call everybody in for supper.

IF there’s any left over, it’s even better the next day.

It’s been raining cats and dogs here for the past three days, and the weekend forecast doesn’t look much  better.  Is there anything better, on a cold, wet autumn night, than a bowl of Texas Millet Chili?

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Sweet Ginger Garlic Habanero Hot Sauce

1/2 cup Texas Habanero Salsa

2 chopped onions

2 stalks celery, diced

1 large carrot, diced

1 green pepper, diced

2 minced garlic cloves

1 medium can diced tomatoes with juice

2 cups vegetable stock (or tomato juice – your call)

1 cup millet

2 cups pinto or chili beans

1 cup corn kernels, drained

1/2 pound cooked sausage, hamburger, or a combination of the two – if desired

What to do:

Throw everything into a large pot; bring to a boil.  Turn heat down, cover, and simmer slowly for four hours.

You can also make Texas Millet Chili in your crockpot!  Set it on “low” and don’t give it another thought for 6 hours.

Mmmm, either way you cook it, it’s awesome.

This tangy, spicy sweet potato and sausage meat ball hash is one of my family’s favorite brunch dishes!

Ingredients:

1/2 pound mild or hot sausage – any kind

1 chopped red onion

1 chopped red bell pepper

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup Texas Habanero Salsa

What to do:

Shape sausage into marble-size meatballs.  In large skillet, brown meatballs over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for about five minutes.  remove sausage and set on paper towel layers to drain.

Discard any excess fat from the sausage, spray the skillet with nonstick cooking spray, and add the onion, bell pepper, and sweet potato.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, about six minutes until the sweet potato cubes are partially tender.  Add sausage and salsa, and cook five additional minutes without stirring, until the hash is lightly browned on the bottom.

This recipe is also delicious with any of our Texas finishing or grilling sauces, in place of or in addition to the Texas Habanero Salsa.

Shhh, don’t tell my mama that I’m giving you this hint!

But, the next time you fix yourself a Bloody Mary, add a few squirts of Texas Habanero Salsa to it.

You’ll never drink a plain Bloody Mary again, and that’s a promise.

It’s FANTASTIC!

Indian Summer brings us some of the most beautiful weather of the year.  It can also bring us some of the hottest weather, beating out Summer.

This time of year also means tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers.  Sometimes, far too many; how can we possibly use them all?

Twisted cucumber and onion salad is a good way!  There’s just nothing like a cold salad for lunch at the end of summer.

Ingredients:

One sliced cucumber (score it with a fork before slicing to make it all purty)

1 large purple or yellow onion, sliced

1 green pepper, sliced

1/2 cup Texas Pineapple Habanero Pepper Jelly

1/3 cup sour cream

1/4 cup French or Thousand Island salad dressing

What to do:

Mix everything – except the cucumbers – together in a medium bowl, cover, and let it ’set’ for about 2 hours; it will get really juicy.  Add the cucumber just before serving.

Without the cucumbers, this salad will keep in the refrigerator for several days.  Once you add the cucumbers, though, it must be served right away.

This cold salad is really refreshing, as well as nutritious and a bit “different.”  It’s perfect for lunch on a hot day.

It’s Wednesday, and we’ve got another yummy crockpot meal for you!  This one is reeeealy simple, too.

Two ingredients – that’s it!

Ingredients:

2 pounds country style pork ribs

1 jar Texas Pineapple Habanero Pepper Jelly (5 oz)

What to do:

Put the ribs in your crockpot.  Pour the pepper jelly over them. Set the crockpot on “low.”

Put the lid on the crockpot.

Go to work.

6-8 hours later, turn off the crockpot.

Serve with our Pineapple Habanero Potato Salad and some corn on the cob.  This will become one of your family’s all-time favorite meals.  My family would eat it every night if it were up to them!

The days might still be warm, but cooler weather is definitely creeping up on us!  When the weather turns cold, there’s nothing like a hot crock-pot meal to warm your family from the inside-out.  This winter, you’ll find many awesome crock-pot dishes right here on the Texas Pepper Jelly blog!  Our products are ideal for crockpot cooking!

For working people, especially, crockpot meals are convenient, simple, and a way to serve your family wonderful hot meals without having to hurry home after work to get supper started.  With a crockpot meal, you’ll throw it all together before you leave in the morning, or even the night before, and when you walk in the door after work, you’ll be greeted by yummy smells of a dinner all ready to serve!

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 minced garlic clove

4 cups tomato juice (or crushed tomatoes with juice)

3 cups cooked black beans (canned beans work just fine)

3/4 cup water

1/2 pound cooked ground beef, sausage, or a mixture – if desired.  This chili is good vegetarian-style, too!

1/4 cup Texas Chipotle Habanero Hot Sauce

What to do:

Throw all of the ingredients into your crockpot, give them a quick stir, set the crockpot to “low,” and get on with your business.

When everybody gets back home in 8 hours or so, dinner will be ready.

My family likes a toasted cheese sandwich with their chili.

It’s even better the next day, but don’t count on having any then.  Texas Black Bean Crockpot Chili is usually devoured, right down to the last drop.

(Sometimes, I put some in a Tupperware container before I serve dinner, and hide it in the ‘fridge to take to work the next day.  No, I don’t feel the least bit guilty about doing that, but thanks for asking.)

Looking for an easy, inexpensive, healthy snack for when the kids get off the bus, or when unexpected (or expected!) company drop in?  Easy Texas Vegetable Dip fills the bill!

Just get all the fresh vegetables out of your refrigerator, cut ‘em up, and lay them out on a big plate.

Then, put a bowl of our Easy Texas Vegetable Dip out with them, and stand back!

Ingredients:

2 cups mayonnaise or Miracle Whip

2 tbsp. Texas Habanero Salsa (or Texas Raspberry Chipotle)

2 tbsp. grated onion

2 tbsp. Tarragon vinegar (any vinegar will work, but my family likes tarragon best)

1/8 tsp. curry powder

1/5 tsp. thyme

2 tsp. chopped chives

1/2 cup Texas Pepper Jelly (use any kind; you’ll have a fresh, new recipe every time!)

Combine everything in a medium-size bowl.  Chill, and serve with your raw vegetables, nacho chips, pretzels, or whatever anyone wants to dip into it!   It’ll hold the kids until suppertime!

This novel chili is different and delicious!  It’s unlike any chili you’ve ever had before, anywhere, I’m betting.

It’s also sooooo good, and good for you, too.

It doesn’t take very long to make, either.

Ingredients:

Approx. 1/2 pound chicken, cut into chunks and cooked

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and also cut into chunks

1 16-ounce can kidney beans

1 tsp. olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

3 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. chili powder

1 large can diced tomatoes, plus juice

1/2 cup Texas Halapeno Salsa

What to do:

Put the sweet potato chunks in a large saucepan; cover with water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until ALMOST tender.(about six minutes)  Drain, and add everything else.

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer.  Simmer uncovered for about ten minutes.

Serve with crackers – I use rye crackers with this recipe.

Stand back, because people will be making a dive for a second helping!