Red Hot Lover

Where I used to work we would on occasion bring food to work to share with each other. One day Steve brought one of his favorite holiday snacks. It was quite simple: club crackers, cream cheese & jalapeno jelly. Being an Oklahoma Girl I know it's hard to believe but I had never had jalapeno jelly. I loved it, especially with the crackers and cream cheese.

Last December I was planning a Christmas Eve Hors d'Oeuvres buffet and wanted to include this little treat. Working full time makes Christmas shopping a challenge but I managed to make it to all three grocery stores in town looking for the brand of jalapeno jelly Steve had served. I could only find what looked like an off brand. I reluctantly purchased two jars; one was green and the other red. I was not satisfied and didn't want to chance ruining the little yummies with some nasty tasting stuff but I was literally down to the wire on time.

While at work I had emailed Rebekah complaining about our grocery stores. She quickly responded and told me that Petty's Fine Food in Utica Square had a really good jalapeno jelly. She said the name of it was...Red Hot Lover. She also dared me to walk in there and ask if they had a Red Hot Lover. Now, you know me...

The plan was made. Kim and I had just enough time at lunch to zip into Tulsa and get that Jelly! Plus, have a wonderful fun time in the process. We giggled all morning and I practiced saying it without smiling or laughing but the morning turned into afternoon and the work kept piling up. About 2:00 we knew we wouldn't be able to go.

THEN my sister Suzan calls me. She called to tell me that she was over at Sam's Club and wanted to know if I needed anything from Sam's as it would be her last time in Tulsa before Christmas. We talked briefly about our to-do-lists and Christmas shopping and just as we were getting ready to hang up the phone the light bulb turned on in my head.

I'm going to pause this story to tell you a bit about my sister Suzan. She is three and a half years older than me. Much to her dismay, I have looked up to her my whole life. We are polar opposites...one could say she is the good daughter and I am the...let's just use the word ornery daughter. Another way, she is the typical oldest child and I am the typical middle child. One of my great delights in life is to torment her with teasing and joking...I guess mostly because, bless her heart, she just doesn't get most of it.

So, back to the story and that light bulb.

"Oh, Suzan, are you going to be over by Utica Square?"

"Yes, I can just get off the highway, do you need something?"

BINGO! "Do you know where Petty's is?"

"Yes"

I had been rehearsing this all morning...

"Could you go in there and ask if they have a Red Hot Lover?"

Silence...thought I was busted but she didn't let me down.

"I've had that before and I have one at home that I made and it is a lot better and cheaper..."

I really never heard the rest of what she said and she will never live down this story!