It’s that time of year again. Time to make the hot sauce!
This year I wanted to do a little twist on my usual plain old jalapeño hot sauce. And to be honest, I wanted to use up the pineapple juice that I had stashed away in the pantry that I was using to make popsicles for the littles all summer. But mostly it’s because pineapple and jalapeño are a fantastic flavoring pairing and I knew that adding the pineapple to the hot sauce would only be a great idea.
A great idea it was.
This hot sauce is basic. Hot peppers, vinegar, and a little onion, garlic, and salt. The pineapple juice adds more body, some sweetness, and just a nice undertone of pineappleiness that you didn’t know you really wanted. It is really really good. And about the jalapeños. They are one of those peppers that can be pretty mild but also can get pretty dang hot. I am not sure of the variety that I have been picking at that farm for the past few years (that is where I get my peppers), but they are always on the pretty dang hot side so my hot sauces always have a good amount of kick to them. If you find your peppers to be a little too mild for you, well go ahead and add a few habaneros to the mix.
Now to the hot sauce!
The stuff. Jalapeños of course (green, red, or both. I picked both), an onion, a couple cloves garlic, pineapple juice, white vinegar, and salt.
Chop onion and garlic up into chunks on the small side.
Jalapeños. Chop them up. You want to get rid of the stems and depending on how hot you want your sauce, you might want to remove the seeds and ribs. I don’t bother because we like it hot, but also it’s annoying. HA.
Note. When dealing with any hot peppers, make sure to not touch your face during or after. You will feel it. They are hot.
Toss it all into a pot. Sprinkle with salt and add a splash of water. Place on stove on medium heat to give the peppers and onion a little head start on cooking.
After softening the peppers and onions for about 10 minutes, add the liquid.
Partially cover with a lid and simmer the peppers until they are fall apart tender. Probably about 35-40 minute.
Peppers so soft, ready to go.
Let it cool a few minutes then dump it all Into a blender. Blend until completely blended.
Smooth as smooth can be.
Taste it (like dip a carrot of a piece of bread into it) and add more salt if nessacery. Also, if it is too thick for your liking, add a little water to thin it out.
Now bottle it up!
Hot hot hot sauce for the taking.
And look here, enough for you and maybe even a friend or two… Holidays are coming!
Enjoy the sauce!
-C
Pineapple Jalapeño Hot Sauce
makes between 5-6 cups
25-30 good sized jalapeños (green or red or both)
2-3 cloves garlic
1 medium yellow or white onion
2 cups pineapple juice or puree
2 cups white vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
water
Cut the onion into small chunks and roughly mince the garlic. Grab jalapeños and remove stems. Remove seeds and ribs if you want less heat in the sauce, then chop into small pieces. Place the onion, garlic, and peppers into a big pot with a splash of water. Sprinkle with salt and stick on stove on medium heat and cook for 5-10 minutes or until you can smell the onion and peppers starting to cook.
Dump in the pineapple juice and 1/2 the vinegar. Stir and bring to a boil. Once boiling, partially cover then reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 30-40 minutes or until peppers are very tender.
NOTE.. Have a window open or exhaust fan going.. the fumes are spicy!
Once peppers have soften, remove form heat and let cool a few minutes. Dump or scoop the contents of pot into a blender. Add in the remaining vinegar and blend until very smooth. Once blended, taste and season with more salt if needed. Also if the consistency is to thick for your liking, add in a little water to thin out.
And then bottle it. Whatever sized jars you like, just make sure the lids are not metal if you can avoid it. The acidity of the vinegar will corrode the metal.
Add a label, stick in fridge, and eat on whoever the heck you want! (Also makes a great gift and there is defiantly enough here to give some away!)
Note. It only gets better with age!
I had to share the last of the 5 pineapples cause if I didn't, that would mean I ate 5 pineapples by myself. (I ate 4 pineapples by myself)
The stuff. Flour, salt, and the baking soda whisked together into a bowl. Fresh pureed pineapple, milk, egg, melted butter, and white sugar. Than there is more melted butter, brown sugar and fresh pineapple for the upside down. 
This batter is pretty simple, just make sure to whisk all the dry really well. Dump all the wet stuff into the dry and mix until combined. Don't over mix!
Grease the donut pan really well and mix the brown sugar with the remaining melted butter
Drizzle the bottom of each donut round with the butter/ sugar mix then layer thinly sliced pieces of pineapple around the hole maker. (not as perfect as a pineapple ring, but still pretty)
When donuts are all nice and golden brown, remove from oven and let sit and cool for about 5 minutes to give the donuts time to cool and the brown sugar to thicken. Dump donuts out onto a wires rack
And serve them all upside down like. Maybe with a scoop of whipped cream or ice cream or nothing. 
Last week pineapples were on sale everywhere……So I bought 5.
Stuff for the goodness. We got the kale, some avocado because all salads should have avocado and some cooked lentils because, well, all salads should have lentils (or beans or nuts.. so you could totally something else) Then a few sprigs of fresh dill, a clove of garlic, red wine vinegar, salt and a bowl of chunked up pineapple. 
The pineapple, dill, garlic, red wine vinegar, a splash of water and a pinch of salt get blended in a blender or whatever blending device you use. Go as smooth or chunky as you like, I recommend going smooth, but leaving a little chunk, like half blended.
So good……So so good.