I pick up the dried peppers whenever I see them. Seem to find
many brands and cheap for what you get. Sorta filthy, :lol: ,and
why I soak them in a saucepan, water to a boil, then turn off the
heat and let soak.
(a few yrs ago a bag in the pantry was full of mealy worms, :evil: )

I now keep them in a big zip-lock together in the freezer.

Once soaked they swell up and soften. A great thickener. For the most
part, the larger ones are sweet and mild. Smaller tiny ones pack some
serious heat. I use them for homemade ketchup, bbq sauce, etc. No need
for any added sugars.

Left pic is a batch of paprika I made. I only soaked a short time to kill the
kooties, then slow dried in the oven on low. Spice grinder to powder.
(lucked out on my new wall oven that starts at 100 lowest temp)

We are lucky and have a wide choice of peppers here, thanks to the hispanic markets and demand for them in general.