A few weeks ago I purchased a large bag of jalapenos for our household week of Mexican food. In going through my food reserves today (this week is Ethiopian food week), I noticed and excessive amount of aging peppers I wouldn't be able to get through. The obvious answer? Pickle them!

Since this was simply to save what I had rather than buying quantity, I got two pint jars worth of tasty jalapenos that will save me from purchasing them again for a while. I cut the peppers into disks and rinsed them thoroughly to remove many of the seeds. To each jar I added 2 crushed cloves of garlic and a heaping tablespoon of Mexican oregano. After packing the pepper wheels in the jars as much as I could, I covered them with hot brine made of white vinegar, pickling salt and water. I processed them for 20 minutes. They will be ready in two weeks. Christmas jalapenos!

Although canning is most useful done in teams and in large quantities, it can also be a great way to save what you have.