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.

After consuming a delicious jar of homemade Kosher dill pickles, you're left with the brine. It seems a shame to waste a perfectly good concoction, and that's when pickled mustard eggs are created! These eggs are both sweet, tangy, and spicy, and have a flavor reminiscent of the Appalachian favorite deviled eggs.


To make these eggs, you'll need:

1/2 jar pickle brine (pickling salt, pickling spice, dill, sugar)
10 hard boiled eggs
Mustard (to taste)


Hard boil the eggs, wait for them to cool, then peel your eggs. Next, dissolve the mustard in a small amount of brine. Add the solution to the jar, mix well, and taste. I used a spicy mustard, and depending how sweet your brine it already you could use a sweet mustard as well. Place the eggs carefully in the jar and cap. Let sit two weeks in the refrigerator, gently shaking now and again to redistribute spices that have settled on the bottom. Enjoy!