That Old Flame of Mine

by J. J. Cook

  SWEET STUFFED PEPPERS

  12 jalapeño peppers

  1 pound ricotta cheese

  1 cup sugar

  1⁄4 cup semisweet chocolate chips or candied fruit

  1 teaspoon vanilla

  Chocolate syrup

  If using fresh peppers, wash them and cut off the tops about ⁄ inch down from the base of the stem. Clean out the seeds and ribs. (You can buy our peppers already prepared in this way in some produce sections.)

  For the filling: In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, sugar, and chocolate chips or candied fruit. Stir in the vanilla. Fill the peppers with the ricotta mixture—it’s best to use a pastry bag for this.

  Swirl chocolate syrup over the filled peppers and enjoy!

  SPICY BROWNIES

  1⁄2 cup butter

  2⁄3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

  4 large eggs

  1⁄2 teaspoon salt

  2 cups sugar

  1 teaspoon vanilla

  1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour

  1⁄4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  5 jalapeño peppers

  Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray or vegetable oil.

  Melt the butter and chocolate chips together in a microwave safe bowl, stirring occasionally, about 1 minute. Blend all the ingredients together. Dice the peppers and fold them into the batter. Pour the melted butter and chocolate into a large bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Stir well. Put the batter into the greased pan.

  Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top is firm to the touch.

  SWEET JALAPEÑO RELISH

  This is a dish best served cold.

  5 jalapeño peppers, chopped, with seeds removed

  1 cup chopped sweet green peppers

  1 large onion, chopped

  1 cup white vinegar

  1 cup sugar

  1 6-ounce bottle of fruit pectin, such as Sure-Jell Certo

  Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the fruit pectin, to thicken the mixture. Allow it to cool for at least one hour. Serve as you would any type of garnish.