Too Hot to Handle!

*Dont forget to enter my giveaway! Cloth wipes that can be used for anything and would make a great gift! And they are super cute!

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 So we all know what these little darlings are, yes? 

A few weeks ago I found a recipe on Pinterest for bacon, jalapeno and cream cheese poppers.

YUM.

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I made them for a party and they were a huge hit. 

So when our squadron's August social rolled around, I thought these would be perfect

to bring. Everyone always brings a dessert, so I really wanted to make an app. 

When I made these the first time, I used sliced jalapenos from a jar since that was all that

I had on hand. When I attempted to make them the second time, I bought fresh jalapenos

since that's what the recipe called for and they looked so good. 

I began by cutting up the jalapenos- ten of them- and then frying the bacon. As I was frying 

the bacon, a couple of the fingers on my left hand began to tingle. 

I thought it was weird, but maybe the grease was just popping up on me? 

After cooking the bacon, I started hand washing the dishes.
That's when my left hand began to burn.

BURN.

And that's when I realized that it wasnt the bacon grease.
It was the jalapenos!

Ive been cooking with jalapenos for years people, and have never worn gloves while
handling them. While I realize that peppers can cause chemical burns on skin, it never even
occurred to me that they might burn me.
Because they never have.
Until now.

I have never felt a fire burning pain like that before. It felt as if I was constantly
holding my hand over an open flame or a hot stovetop.
My entire left hand, centered in the palm and
bases of my fingers, was covered in a horrible chemical burn from these jalapenos.
Im thinking that either my skin is super sensitive due to pregnancy,
or those were just some ridiculously hot peppers.

When the burning intensified shortly after I realized what was going on, I immediately
ran to my favorite medical source:
Google.

I could have easily looked in my own medical books, but my hand felt like it was ON FIRE
and thinking rationally wasnt high on my list.

Thankfully I found a website with extensive information and advice on the occurrence
of chemical burns from jalapenos with tons of first hand recommendations.

For the next FIVE hours, I tried every home remedy listed.
Multiple times.
I even called my OB doctor, my parents and my best friends asking for advice.

Let me tell you what didnt work:

Egg whites
Alcohol
Soap and water
Yogurt
Lemon juice
Baking soda and water
Milk
Baking soda and milk
Sugar scrub
Ice
Tylenol

Finally, after five hours of failed attempts, I found something that did work.

Palmolive and Germ-X.

I soaked my dry hand in Palmolive for several minutes, washed it off and dried it, used the Germ-X,
let it dry and then did the whole thing over again.

The pain instantly decreased and slowly faded away after a couple of hours.
My hand was sore for the rest of the night and for the next two days,
it peeled. It was an awful sight to see my entire palm and the skin on all of my
fingers peeling off, but at least it wasnt burning.

So, moral of the story?

Wear gloves when cooking with jalapenos.

Just do it.
The searing, burning pain just isnt worth chancing it.

Happy Labor Day!