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!

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.

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!

This spicy Texas-style casserole is yummy good, and is ready to put on the table in less than an hour, start to finish!

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, shredded or cut into small pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/2 cup chopped red pepper

1 cup chopped onion

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 1/2 cups Texas Habanero Salsa

1/2 cup sliced ripe olives

6 tortillas, cut into halves

2 cups shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

What to do:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wok; add the peppers, onions, and garlic powder. Stir for a few minutes, then add the chicken.  Cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes.  Stir in the salsa and olives, and remove from heat.

In a large baking pan, place the tortilla halves and top with  the chicken mixture and cheese. Cover and bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Serve with sour cream, if desired.

There won’t be any leftovers.  My family loves this casserole especially, when it’s raining outside.  No particular reason; they just do.  So will yours.

It’s summer.  I hope you’ve been able to go fishing!

What could be better than fresh-caught fish, sizzling over an open fire?  The next best thing would probably be that same fresh-caught fish sizzling over your kitchen stove.

It’s the batter that “makes” the fish fillet, and our batter is the BEST!  It’s also quite unique; I bet y’all have never used batter like this.  Once your family tastes it, you’ll never make any other kind.

Ingredients:

1 pound fish fillets, whatever kind your family likes best.  Be sure the fillets are completely thawed.

2 cups pancake mix (Not baking mix – PANCAKE mix)

1/4 teaspoon pepper

5-ounce jar of any Texas Pepper Jelly – alternate until you’ve tried them all!

Oil for frying

What to do:

Put the pepper jelly in a shallow bowl; put the fillets in there and let them stand for about fifteen minutes.  Be sure the fillets are covered with pepper jelly.

One at a time, remove the fillets from the bowl of pepper jelly and coat with pancake mix.  Sprinkle with pepper.

In a large deep skillet, heat about a quarter inch of oil and fry the fish for just 2-3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes with a fork.  Drain thoroughly.

The pepper jelly will give your fish fillets a flavor like none  other – absolutely delicious!

(After you’ve marinated all the fish, discard the pepper jelly.)

Sometimes it’s the super easy tips that can turn an ordinary everyday food into something EXTRAordinary and EXTRA delicious!

This one is really simple.

To make a can or jar of store-bought spaghetti sauce taste zesty, fantastic, and homemade, just add a few spoonfuls of Texas Pepper Jelly to it and mix well.  Yes, that’s all it is!  The difference will be unbelievable; your family will never guess your secret unless you tell, or forget to hide the “evidence” in the trash can.

Use any flavor of Texas Pepper Jelly you wish; I’ve experimented with almost all of them, and my husband genuinely believes each batch of spaghetti sauce was homemade.  I won’t ever tell him, either.

Summertime is grilling time, and this recipe for Orange Habanero Grilled Chicken is destined to become one of your family’s favorites!  It’s certainly one of my family’s favorites!

I mix the salsa the night before; it makes the grilling go faster!

Orange Habanero Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:

1 cup Texas Orange Habanero Pepper Jelly

1 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup sliced red onions

1/4 cup olive oil (no substitutions!)

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (those frozen boneless chicken breasts you buy in a bag are great; just thaw them first)

What to do:

In a medium-size bowl, combine the Orange Habanero Pepper Jelly, cilantro, onion, oil, vinegar, and salt. Cover tightly and chill for at least two hours.  I usually do this part the night before and let it “blend” overnight.  In the morning, you’ll have a kind of salsa!

Grill the chicken, turning frequently, for 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is done – no longer pink in the middle.

To serve, just put a chicken breast on each plate and top with the orange habanero salsa.

Put a platter of corn on the cob and a bowl of pineapple habanero potato salad on the table, and what else could you possibly need?

Sometimes, it’s the simplest things that turn out to be the best of all!  We all glaze and bake a ham at least once a year, and why not glaze it with Texas Pepper Jelly?  What a fantastic difference!

You don’t even have anything to mix together; you can use the pepper jelly right out of the jar.

The only difficult thing about Pepper Jelly Glazed Ham is deciding which flavor of pepper jelly to use!  So far, my family’s favorites are Pineapple Habanero and Mandarin Orange Habanero.

Want a treat for those extra-hot summer days, when nothing is cold enough for you, and nothing in the freezer appeals?

Just shave some ice into a big cup and stir some Pineapple Habanero pepper jelly into it!

While it’s still icy, spoon it up and let the cold fruit and spicy peppers glide over your tongue, cooling down your whole body.  When it starts to melt, suck it up through a straw.

Yup, there’s nothing like a pepper jelly snow cone when it’s hot outside!

You can use any flavor of pepper jelly, of course, but I like my spicy summer slushies best with pineapple pepper jelly.

Blueberry Chicken Surprise gets its name from the fact that nobody expects chicken and blueberries to go together.  Guess what, though; they do!  And the combination is irresistible!

Blueberry Chicken Surprise

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 tbs. vegetable or olive oil

1/2 cup Texas Blueberry Jalapeno Pepper Jelly (use the habanero version if you like your chicken HOT!)

3 tbs. Dijon mustard

1/3 cup vinegar (any kind you like)

1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Hot cooked brown rice

What to do:

In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil over medium heat on each side until lightly brownded.  Combine pepper jelly and mustard; spoon over the chicken.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until done.

Remove chicken with a slotted spoon.  Add vinegar to skillet, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about three minutes or until sauce is reduced by a third, stirring occasionally. Stir in the blueberries.  Pour over the chicken and rice.  Eat.  Eat some more.  Discuss.

I wasn’t sure about this combination at first, but now I’m a believer.  It’s FANTASTIC!