Peach and Pepper Grilling Sauce

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Brush this sweet pepper and fruit sauce over grilled or roasted meats or brush on beef, pork, or chicken during the last 5 minutes of grilling.

2 cups chopped red sweet peppers
1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 pounds fresh peaches or 3 (16 ounce) packages frozen
    unsweetened peach slices, thawed
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 (5 1/2 ounce) can peach or apricot nectar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a large skillet cook sweet pepper, onion, crushed red pepper, and garlic in hot oil just until tender. Remove from heat.

Wash fresh peaches, if using, Peel and pit peaches. Place half of the fresh or frozen peaches in a food processor bowl or blender container. Cover and process or blend until peaches are very finely chopped. Transfer chopped peaches to a 6-quart Dutch oven or kettle. Repeat with remaining peaches (you should have 7 cups finely chopped peaches). Process or blend the pepper mixture until finely chopped. Transfer to the Dutch oven with peaches. Add brown sugar, nectar, vinegar, lemon juice, soy sauce, ginger, and salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes or until desired consistency, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Immediately ladle hot sauce into hot, sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Process the filled jars in a boiling-water canner for 15 minutes (start timing when water returns to boil). Remove jars from canner; cool on racks.

Makes 7 half-pints sauce (fifty-four, 2-tablespoon servings).

To Present This As a Gift: You will need a ruler; scissors to cut metal; brass crafting metal; paper punch; silver eyelets and eyelet tool (available in the sewing notion department of crafts, discount, and fabric stores); and 18-inch length of 1/4-inch-wide ribbon. Measure the height and circumference of the jar lid. Cut a strip of brass this size. Use a paper punch to make a hole in the center of the strip every inch. Use an eyelet tool to secure an eyelet in each punched hole. Thread the ribbon through the eyelets. Tie the ends into a bow, securing brass ring around lid. Include preparation directions, below, with gift. For the tag, cut a small tag from brass. Add a hole and eyelet at the top. Thread onto the ribbon before tying into a bow.

Also Try This: Use colored leather cording or shoelaces instead of ribbon.

Nutritional facts per serving calories: 63 , total fat: 0g , saturated fat: 0g , cholesterol: 0mg , sodium: 31mg , carbohydrate: 15g , fiber: 2g , protein: 1g , vitamin A: 13% , vitamin C: 20% , calcium: 1% , iron: 1%