We are only one month into winter, and if you live in a cold climate like I do, you may already be pining to feel the sun on your skin again. If a trip to a tropical locale isn’t in the cards any time soon, how about warming yourself up from the inside out? As the Stonewall Kitchen Family of Brands expands, so too does the number of peppery products on the shelves. From the sweet and mild Red Pepper Jelly to the fiery Ghost Pepper Queso, there’s something for everyone. Here are my five favorite spicy (and tasty) picks that will warm you right up while the temps are low!
1. First up is the Carolina Reaper Salsa. I’ll admit, I had to psych myself up before digging into this one since I’m not usually one to pick anything beyond medium heat. But don’t be intimidated by the flaming chili pepper on the side of the jar – this is one of the tastiest salsas I’ve ever tried! Its lingering heat warmed me to the core (mission accomplished) and was great simply paired with tortilla chips, but even better on top of a big plate of nachos. This one is for the more daring spice-seekers out there but it is worth the heat!
2. My favorite meal of the day is hands down “Second Breakfast.” It’s a perfect late-morning opportunity to combine sweet, savory, and spicy flavors and Hot Pepper Peach Jam is my current condiment of choice. Red jalapeno and black pepper give the sweet peaches some kick but don’t overpower the flavor. I paired it with waffles (using the Farmhouse Pancake and Waffle Mix of course), plant-based chicken tenders and lots of hot sauce for my go-to dish of homemade chicken and waffles. I’ve found that hot pepper jams are great alongside breakfast proteins, whether you like the real thing or prefer veggie alternatives like I do.
3. Pizza is undoubtedly the ultimate comfort food, and my husband and I always keep our favorite frozen variety from a local pizza shop on hand for those nights when we have the winter dinner blahs. Sprinkled on a hot-out-of-the-oven pie, the Urban Accents Hot Cha Cha Pizza Seasoning adds a nice punch of heat plus a surprising bit of zesty tang from dried lemon peel. This seasoning doesn’t burn the tongue but you feel it tingling on your lips afterwards. I think it’s also a perfect spice mix for potatoes, so I can’t wait to sprinkle this on a big batch of home fries!
4. Living in New England, I am surrounded by amazing seafood, but prefer to eat vegetarian. Luckily, by what I assume is some kind of sorcery, there are fish substitutes that taste very close to the real thing. What makes them taste even more realistic is a great sauce! Enter Legal Seafoods Chipotle Tartar Sauce. When I put this on my faux fish tacos, I couldn’t even tell that it wasn’t the real thing. The sizzling, smoky chipotle flavor mingled nicely with lime juice and cilantro and transported me to a summertime state of mind.
5. What’s better than a warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie? If you answered “a warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie a la mode with cherries on top” you are correct! My father-in-law is absolutely obsessed with all the Tillen Farms cocktail cherries and has been known to pile them on top of full fat yogurt for a sweet treat at the end of the day. I took it a step further and paired a few Fire and Spiced Maraschino Cherries with a classic chocolate chip cookie and a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Don’t be afraid to drizzle on extra syrup from the jar! The red-hot cinnamon flavor pairs so well with chocolate but would also be amazing in a belly-warming Old Fashioned cocktail.
There are endless ways to spice up your everyday dishes. If you have any fun ways to turn up the heat this winter with Stonewall Kitchen products, be sure to share and tag us on social @stonewallkitchen!
