There are many options. You can dry them by laying them out on a cookie
sheet in an area that is warm and dry (a kitchen counter works well) without
the direct sun hitting them (bright light is o.k.). Once they are
completely dried, store them in a ziploc or glass jar and seal.

You can freeze them in ziploc bags for later use. Just throw them in whole
and seal the bag. Try to get as much air out as possible. I use a straw to
draw out most of the air and then seal.

You can pickle them in a vinegar solution. I just clipped an article from
our local paper yesterday that talks about preserving veggies and herbs in
vinegar. One of the recipes used red wine vinegar, fresh oregano, 2 peeled
cloves of garlic, and 6-12 dried red chilies.

It says that after washing and patting the herbs dry, you can steep them in
vinegar slowly or quickly. The slow (and more traditional) method tends to
create fuller tasting vinegars. Add about 1/2 cup fresh herbs or 8
teaspoons dried herbs to a quart of cold vinegar in a bottle. Close the
bottle tightly, place it in a warm location that is not in direct sunlight.
Allow the mixture to steep for 2-3 weeks, shaking the bottle occasionally to
stir the mix. The best vinegars to use are red or white wine vinegars. The
vinegars should be used within 1 year. The more ingredients you use in the
vinegar, the less acidic it becomes, which loses its power to preserve the
ingredients over a long period of time. You can sprinkle the vinegar on
salads, fish and meats.

Penny
Zone 7b - North Carolina
"Kevin Miller" wrote in message
...
What do I do with my chili peppers?