Enjoy summer produce all year long.

Pepper Jelly The fruits and vegetables of summer can be with us all year if we do a little work right now. Here are some recipes for preserving Kentucky produce at its peak.

Peach preserves
5 pounds unpeeled sweet firm-ripe peaches
6 cups sugar
1/4 cup bottled lemon juice
1/4 cup orange juice
Slice peaches in half at the seam line, and remove pits. Gently mix with sugar. Because of their unique texture, preserves benefit from steeping before canning. Gently mix the raw fruit and sugar in a non-reactive bowl until all the sugar has liquefied. Cover the fruit mixture, and let steep in a cool place for 4 to 8 hours or in the refrigerator for as long as 24 hours.)
Stir lemon juice and orange juice into the peaches. Cook in two batches. Boil rapidly, stirring frequently, to the jelling point. (Use a candy thermometer and cook to 220 to 222 degrees.) Remove from the heat, and skim off any foam. Ladle into hot jars. Leave 1/4-inch headspace, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Bread-and-butter pickles
2 1/2 pounds pickling cucumbers
1 pound 2- to 2 1/2-inch onions, preferably red
3 tablespoons salt
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 teaspoon celery seeds
3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Wash cucumbers, then slice 1/8-inch from the ends. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Peel the onions, then cut the same way. Combine the onions and cucumbers in a large bowl with salt. Mix well to dissolve the salt. Cover with a clean wet towel, then top with 2 inches of ice. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours. Discard the ice; drain the vegetables, rinse and drain again. Combine in a 4-quart or larger microwave-safe bowl (or a saucepan if using stovetop) vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, pepper flakes, celery seeds, turmeric and cloves.
Stir until sugar is dissolved. Cover with waxed paper and microwave on high (or cook uncovered on a burner) until the syrup boils. Add the vegetables, stir to mix and microwave on medium-high until the syrup just begins to boil. Using a slotted spoon, pack the hot slices into hot pint jars and then add the hot syrup. Leave 1/2-inch headspace, and process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner. Makes about 5 1-pint jars.

Pepper jelly
1 pound ripe sweet red peppers, cored and seeded
8 ounces jalapeno peppers (remove seeds to make them less hot)
1 1/2 cups white wine vinegar
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 ounces liquid pectin
Mince or grind peppers. Combine peppers and their juices in a large, heavy saucepan with vinegar. Stir and bring to simmer over medium heat until the peppers are thoroughly soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Strain. Expect about 2 cups of juice, adding water if necessary. Return the pepper juice to the saucepan, adding 2 1/2 cups sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add liquid pectin. Boil hard for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, and skim off any foam. Pour the hot jelly into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace and process in a boiling-water bath for 5 minutes. Makes 3 1/2-pint jars.

Spicy tomato salsa
6 pounds tomatoes (about 12 large)
9 dried hot chilies, seeds removed
15 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3 cups diced red onion
6 jalapeno chilies, seeded and diced
1 1/2 cups chopped cilantro, packed tightly
1 tablespoon salt
3/4 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
3/4 cup red wine vinegar, 5 percent acidity
Prepare jars and closures according to manufacturer's instructions. Peel, seed and dice tomatoes into 1/2-inch size pieces. Place chilies in a small bowl. Pour boiling water over chilies just to cover. Secure plastic wrap over bowl and allow peppers to steep for 15 minutes. Drain half the water from chilies. Puree chilies and remaining water in blender for 1 minute or until smooth. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepot. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until mixture has thickened. Carefully ladle hot salsa into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles with a non-metallic spatula. Wipe jar rim clean. Place lid on jar with sealing compound next to glass. Screw band down evenly and firmly just until a point of resistance is met, fingertip-tight. Process 15 minutes in a boiling-water canner. Makes about 6 pints.
Note: When cutting or seeding hot peppers, wear rubber gloves to prevent hands from being burned.

Blueberry peach jam
1 pint blueberries
1 1/2 (about) cups sliced fresh peaches
1 package fruit pectin
5 1/2 cups sugar
Roughly puree blueberries in a blender or food processor. Pour into 1- quart measure, then add enough peaches to fill. Place fruits in deep heavy pot, sprinkle on fruit pectin, and bring to a full rolling boil. Add sugar and cook 1 minute, or until sugar is dissolved. Skim off any foam, pour into hot sterilized jars, and seal. Makes about seven half-pints.

Brandied peach conserve
3 1/2 cups peeled, pitted, finely chopped peaches
1/2 cup dark seedless raisins
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 box (1 3/4 ounces) powdered fruit pectin
5 cups sugar
1/2 cup brandy
1 cup sliced almonds
In 3-quart casserole, blend peaches, raisins, lemon peel, cinnamon, lemon juice and pectin. Mix well. Cover. Place in microwave oven and cook 10 minutes on high, stirring after 5 minutes.
Add sugar to hot mixture, mixing thoroughly. Cover. Return to microwave and continue cooking 6 to 8 minutes, stirring after 4 minutes, until mixture reaches a full boil. Stir, then time for 1 additional minute of boiling.
Remove from microwave and immediately stir in brandy and nuts. Skim off foam if necessary. Fill sterilized jar. Process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

This recipe can be made while you're at work or asleep. It's cooked in a slow cooker for as many hours as you like.

Apple butter
Core and quarter apples. Do not peel. Cook until soft in slow cooker or on top of stove. Place cooked apples in blender or food processor to puree. Pour into slow cooker and add sugar to taste. Amount of sugar depends on sweetness or tartness of the variety of apple. You should use about 1 cup of sugar for each quart of puree.
The cooking time is flexible. The mixture can cook anywhere from 8 to 15 hours. Cook until thick on low.
About 2 hours before you are ready to can, add ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg to taste. If you want a stronger flavor, add cinnamon oil.
Pour into sterilized hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch of head space. Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath.

Pickled peppers
4 quarts long red, green or yellow peppers (Hungarian, banana or other varieties)
4 quarts water
1 1/2 cups canning salt
10 cups vinegar, 5 percent acidity
2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
2 cloves garlic
Wear rubber gloves to prevent burning hands. Cut 2 small slits in each pepper. Dissolve salt in 4 quarts water. Pour over peppers; let stand 12 to 18 hours in a cool place. Drain; rinse and drain thoroughly.
Prepare home canning jars and lids according to manufacturer's instructions. Combine remaining ingredients in a medium sauce pot. Simmer 15 minutes. Remove garlic. Pack peppers into hot jars and carefully ladle liquid over peppers, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust caps. Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath canner. Makes about 8 pint jars.