HOT PEPPER JELLY

Steps:

• Cut the bell peppers into 1-inch pieces and in a food processor chop them vety fine. Transfer the chopped peppers to a deep kettle, add the sugar, the vinegar, and the red pepper flakes, and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the pectin and boil the mixture over moderately high heat, stirring, until it reaches the jelly stage (222°F. on a candy thermometer). Transfer the jelly to sterilizes Mason-type jars (sterilizing procedure below), filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the tops, wipe the rims with a dampened towel, and seal the jars. The jelly keeps, sealed, in a cool dark place indefinitely. Serve the jelly as a condiment with grilled meats or with cream cheese on crackers.
• To Sterilize Jars and Glasses For Pickling and Preserving:
• Wash the jars in hot suds and rinse them in scalding water. Put the jars in a kettle and cover them with hot water. Bring the water to a boil, covered, and boil the jars for 15 minutes from the time that steam emerges from the kettle. Turn off the heat and let the jars stand in the hot water. Just before they are to be filled invert the jars onto a kitchen towel to dry. (The jars should be filled while they are still hot.) Sterilize the jar lids for 5 minutes, or according to the manufacturer's instructions.