If you did not plant peppers this year I am sorry, but it is too late. Peppers require a very specific climate and grow best when it is warm. The farmer’s markets will soon be full of juicy ripe specimens.

Last year I watched for peppers. I have several recipes that take peppers and I wanted to put some into the freezer. When I freeze peppers I cut them into pieces so they are ready to add to whatever I choose. I use them in my chili as well as in other soups such as stuffed pepper soup and red pepper soup. I bag them with just the right amount for each recipe, then, double bag those bags.

When you see different colored peppers they are all from the same type of plant. The sweetest peppers are the red ones. They stay on the plant the longest and have more Vitamin C as well as lycopene and astanthin. The green peppers are actually the immature ones. They contain the most chlorophyll. The yellow and orange ones develop between the red and green ones. The yellow ones contain lutein and zeaxanthin and carotenoids. The orange ones contain alpha, beta, and gamma carotene.

Years ago I received a recipe for Shirley Sauce. I guess probably a woman named Shirley with venison. It is also very tasty with beef. Your kitchen will smell wonderful while it is cooking. For all you cooks out there who enjoy trying my recipes, I include it here. The sauce is a tad hot but not so that you are uncomfortable eating it.

Shirley Sauce – recipe

shared with my mother-in-law

12 large tomatoes, peeled

2 c. sugar

2 sweet green peppers

2 c. cider vinegar

1 hot pepper, seeded

2 T. salt

2 medium onions

Scald tomatoes to remove the peels. Chop tomatoes and peppers. Add onions and chop them. To chopped vegetables add sugar, vinegar, and salt. Bring to boil, and then simmer over medium heat for two hours. Pour into sterile pint canning jars. Apply two-piece lids. Process in hot water bath for 5 minutes. Remove from canner and allow to cool. Store in cool dry place.

As I began to research the growing of peppers and their subsequent preparation I visited many websites. The majority of what I am sharing came from the Farmer’s Almanac site. I also found a complete guide on youtube.com so if you have Internet access and are curious you might visit that site.

Earlier this year I wrote about making foods lighter in calories. I gave a recipe for stuffed peppers with buzzed up cauliflower instead of rice. They are delicious. If you missed the recipe simply substitute the cauliflower for the rice. Everything else can remain the same. If you want to create a vegetarian entree, omit the ground beef and add more vegetables such as summer squash and zucchini.

I had no idea that you could dry peppers in a home method, but I found some directions. I will most certainly try this with my peppers this fall. My freezer gets pretty full so this will help. They will also be ready to add to the dishes that I want to add them to. The Farmer’s Almanac describes the method this way. Wash, core, and remove the seeds from sweet peppers. Cut them into one-half inch strips. Steam them for 10 minutes. Spread them out on cookie sheets and dry them in your oven at the lowest temperature possible. They are done when they are brittle. One they are dried store them in air tight bags or containers.

While I am discussing the preservation of garden things may I point out that herbs dry easily in your microwave. Gather your herbs as the season closes. Put them on a paper towel and run the microwave by 15 second intervals until they are dry. Watch them closely as they will burn.

I promised to report on the new method I found for sauerkraut that I found when I visited Amish country last year. I am happy to report the method works very well and it does not matter if the jars seal or not. The sauerkraut is still good. This recipe makes 10 quart so cut it down as you wish for the quantity that you wish to make.

Homemade Amish Sauerkraut (recipe from Emma Miller, Middlefield, Ohio)

Cut one head of cabbage as for sauerkraut. I just used a knife and a chopper to obtain the result I wanted.

Heat brine – 1 gallon water, 1 c. vinegar, and c. salt. Sterilize jars. Pack cabbage into the quart jars. The ones with the wide lids work the best. Pour the hot brine over the cabbage and apply the two-piece lids. Let set for a minimum of six weeks before you use. Open the jars and use as you would sauerkraut.

The days are getting shorter. We know that fall is on the way. Hope I have given you some hints that will help you clean out your garden and prepare for winter.

Ann Swanson writes from her home in Russell, Pa. Contact at hickoryheights1@verizon.net