BOTTLED HELL

When we decided to plant hot peppers, I don't think either of us gave much thought to what we planned to do with them.  I am pretty sure we expected them to grow tons more than we are currently getting, but thank goodness we are not really getting any more than we are.  I have oodles of banana peppers and serranos and a modest amount of small jalepenos.  I have already posted the jalapeno jelly recipe.  I made a second batch which is just as sweet, maybe a little too sweet and just a tad hotter.  I would recommend leaving a few membranes in some of the peppers, maybe a quarter of them.  In an attempt to use up the zillions of serranos I have aquired I dug up a recipe that I was given years ago by my ex-husband's older brother.  He was an asshole,  but his hot sauce is not too bad.  I remember it being hotter when I have made it before.  Today I left a few membranes in and it made a medium hot sauce to be true "BOTTLED HELL" I  should have left more than half the membranes in and perhaps a few seeds.  My kids will see this as a weak attempt, but since I am middleaged and my stomach will no longer allow me to burn holes in it with volcanic foods. I tripled the recipe and got 14 half pints.  I plan to give it as Christmas gifts along with the jalapeno and apple jellies, perhaps I will tie the recipe to the jar.  What do I put it on.  I think anything you would put hot sauce on... eggs, maybe in chili or other recipes.  I don't use a lot of hot sauce but I will definatley have a quality sauce the next time the need arises.  Probably the most time consuming part of this recipe is the cutting up of the peppers.  WE used our handy tupperware chopper ( well Don did) to pulverize the peppers. So without further ado... the bottled hell recipe


                                  BOTTLED HELL

2 Cups chopped hot peppers
1/2 Cup vinegar
1 1/2 Cups of vinegar
2 12oz. bottles of ketchup

    Mix 2 cups fhopped hot pepper with 1/2 cup vinegar, let stand about 30 minutes.  Add another 1 1/2 cups vinegar and 2 bottles of ketchup.  Simmer 15 to 20 minutes and pour into sterilized jars.  The recipes says to cool then seal, why the heck would you cool it then waste time and energy bringing it all back to boiling.  I just ladeled it into half pint jars then processed 20 minutes in a boiling water bath.