New Mexico Red Chile Powder

Rinse and dry chile pods, stems removed (remove seeds, if desired).

Place chile pods on a cookie sheet in a 250 degrees F oven for approximately 10 minutes or until dry. Turn chile pods several times to avoid scorching (the chile pods will turn a deeper red).

Place 3 pods in a blender or food processor and finely grind them on low speed. Add more pods until the lower portion of the container is full. Empty container and continue to process until all pods are ground.

The toasted chile pods may be used for red chile powder, or chile sauce.