Mulberry Chipotle Sauce/ Raspberry Chipotle Sauce Recipe

I love the mulberry tree in my yard, and I realize that Christmas is not the time of year for mulberries. However, I just happened to have a baby the week that the mulberries were ripe this year, and they have been sitting in my freezer, all lonely, waiting to be turned into something delicious until this week. This mulberry chipotle sauce is amazing! It is the perfect mix of sweet and spicy. After putting this over cream cheese on a cracker, I'm pretty sure I will never go back to pepper jelly again, as much as I used to like it. 

I first got the idea for this recipe when my husband planned a picnic lunch for our anniversary with crackers,  wine, cheese, summer sausage, chocolate, and a variety of spreads. Beautiful scenery and exceptional company- a girl couldn't ask for more!

One of the sauces was a roasted raspberry chipotle sauce that was out of this world. It cost $3 for the 2.5oz jar, and we both loved it so much that I decided to make a batch for us with a mulberry twist! And it turned out so delicious that I had to make another batch with raspberries. Both good!

Quick disclaimer for this recipe: I hardly took any pictures at all. Canning is not something you can really stop in the middle of once things get rolling, but I had to put a certain little girl down for a nap at the beginning...and then get her up again at the end (what are you doing awake again already?!?!). All of that to say, the pictures just didn't happen this time. Use your imagination!

What you'll need:
- jars (4oz, 8oz, or 16oz)- yields 42 oz. so divide it up as you will
- canning supplies
- 6 cups mulberries or raspberries
- 3 cups sugar
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 box Sure-jell

What to do:
1. Rinse and mash the berries. Mulberries are pretty hard to mash, but it doesn't have to be perfect. If you are using raspberries you can you a food mill to remove the seeds, but I just left them in.
2. Blend the chipotle peppers, garlic, and red wine vinegar in a food processor until smooth. (If your baby is sleeping in the room right next to you, get creative and take the food processor outside and plug in it in the carport...)
3. Combine the pepper mixture and berries in a large pot on the stove.
4. Stir in the Sure-jell and turn up the heat.
5. Stir continuously until the mixture boils while stirring.
6. Add the sugar, return to a boil, and keep a rolling boil while stirring for one minute.
7. Pour the mixture into your hot and sanitized jars.
8. Process jars in a water bath for 5 minutes.

All done! Actually no, next you have to enjoy some with some crackers and cream cheese! Sweet at first and then it finishes with a kick! I love it! This spread is also great on grilled meats and appetizers. Bon apetit!