Who knew Chipotle Chile Peppers and Peaches would make such a great pair?  This jam is one of the things I have stumbled upon in the past year since my canning crusade started a couple years ago.

Fabulous on a toasted bagel, but even more so when it is plopped on cream cheese on a cracker as an appetizer.  Your guests will be clamouring for a jar of this sunny goodness at your next get-together.

Ingredients

7 Cups Sugar
4 Cups finely chopped, peeled ripe peaches (about 8 large peaches)
2 finely chopped, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
¼ Cup Lemon Juice
1 foil pouch (3 oz.) of liquid fruit pectin (half of a two-pack box)

Directions

In a 6 to 8 quart heavy pot, combine sugar, peaches, chipotle peppers and lemon juice.  Bring to boiling, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves.  Using an immersion blender, pulse to desired consistency.  If you like a chunkier jam, leave some pieces intact.

Quickly stir in pectin.  Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly.  Boil hard for one minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, skim off foam with a metal spoon.

Ladle in hot, sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving a quarter-inch head space. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids and screw bands down fingertip tight.

Process filled jars in a boiling water canner for 5 minutes (start timing when water returns to a boil).  Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks.  To re-distribute fruit, cool for about 20 minutes, then gently turn and tilt jars without inverting them; repeat as needed.

Let sit at room temp for 24 hours to set.  Makes about 8 half-pint jars.

*Variation: for Sweet Basil-Peach Jam, prepare as directed above (omitting the chipotle peppers) and stir in 1 cup snipped fresh basil after skimming off foam.