BLOG.ARMADILLOPEPPER.COM

Bear-Man Chunky BBQ Sauces and Oven Pulled Pork

2010-03-04T13:55:00Z

There is an old legend that bears can dance. Don't believe it? Not long ago, Barry Conway was on a camping trip and making some barbecue. Lured by the scent of the homemade sauce, a family of black bears found Barry's sauce and started lapping it up. Overjoyed with their tasty find, the bears rose of their hind feet. Then it began.....each bear starting wiggling their bare behinds. And, that is how the Legend of the Black Bear Boogie began.

Whether you buy into Barry's Black Bear Boogie or not, the folks at Bear-Man have come-up with some incredible BBQ Sauces and a special Tummy Rub. Winners of several awards including 3rd place in the NBBQ Association's Fruit/Spicy BBQ category and 2nd place in the 2007 NASFT Outstanding Cooking Sauce category.

These BBQ Sauces are distinctly different from many sauces that you will find. The label reads, "Contains Bits of Fresh Ingredients".

Not only can you taste these fresh ingredients, but they are quite visible as well.

Bear-Man has three different BBQ Sauces and one Dry Rub:

Black Bear Boogie BBQ Sauce - this is a sweet and tart sauce with just a minor kick.
Growlin' Grizzly BBQ Sauce - this is a tangy sauce with a savory bite.
Sap-Happy Golden Bear BBQ Sauce - of the three Bear-Man sauces, this is most unique. It is a maple sauce made with pure maple syrup. It's sweet and not-too-hot. In fact, there is more maple syrup in the sauce than any other ingredient.
Tummy Rub - this seasoning and dry rub is an all-purpose BBQ rub. use on chicken, fish, roasts, ribs and even steak.

We've already tried these BBQ Sauces with pork chops, Cornish hens and ribs. It's hard to pick a favorite, except the Sap-Happy does really stand-out on pork chops (see Bear-Man Maple Pork Chops Recipe).

Bear-Man Oven Pulled Pork Recipe

Ingredients

Bear-Man Tummy Rub
Black Bear Boogie or Growlin' Grizzly BBQ Sauce
5-7 lb pork roast
12 hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls
Cole Slaw

Procedure

Generously coat meat with Bear-Man Tummy Rub. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Overnight is better.
Place pork roast in a roasting pan and bake in a 300 degree oven for approximately 6 hours or until done. The thickest part of the roast should read 170 degrees. Bear-Man suggests cooking until the roast is falling apart.
Remove pork from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. While pork is resting, deglaze the baking pan over medium heat with 3/4 cup water, scraping with a wooden spoon to pick up all of the browned bits. Reduce by half. Pour a bottle of BBQ sauce into pan and simmer for 5 minutes.
While the pork is warm, "pull" the meat by using 2 forks as follows: Using 1 fork to steady the meat, use the other fork to "pull" shreds of meat off the roast. Put the shredded pork in a bowl and pour the BBQ sauce mixture over the pork and mix well.
To serve, spoon the pulled pork mixture on your buns or rolls and top with Cole slaw.

If this has your mouth watering, then check-out the Bear-Man's Meatball recipe, Barbecue Beef Sandwiches recipe and Tummy Rub Oyster Crackers recipe.

Turkey Jerky, Venison Jerky, Buffalo Jerky, Salmon Jerky, Elk Jerky Now Available

2010-02-02T14:35:00Z

Climax Venison Jerky

ArmadilloPepper.com is excited to announce that wild game jerky has arrived in our store. In addition to our beef jerky, you can shop for Buffalo Jerky, Elk Jerky, Turkey Jerky and Venison Jerky all from Climax Jerky in Colorado. We have also added Salmon Jerky made from Grade A, Wild Coho Salmon, fresh from the docks in Ketchikan, Alaska.

Jerky continues to grow in popularity due to its health benefits. Jerky is low in cholesterol, has virtually no fat, is high in protein and very flavorful. A typical 30 gram portion of beef jerky contains:

10-15 grams of protein
1 gram of fat
0-3 grams of carbohydrates

Nutritional Information for ArmadilloPepper.com Wild Game Jerky

Type	Fat	Protein	Carbohydrates	Cholesterol
Buffalo, Smoked	0.8g	11.7g	2.3g	28mg
Elk, Peppered	0.8g	11.7g	2.2g	31mg
Turkey	3.6g	11.4g	4.3g	33mg
Venison	0.8g	13.2g	2.3g	31mg

Making jerky is one of the earliest known food preservation techniques. In fact, its origins date back to at least ancient Egypt. A pound of meat or poultry weighs about four ounces after being made into jerky. The drying process removes most of the moisture and therefore, it does not require refrigeration.

Climax Turkey Jerky

If you haven't tried some jerky lately, get out and enjoy some of its many benefits:

Convenient and a great energy booster
Enjoying the great outdoors - backpacking, hiking, fishing, camping, bicycling, ATV riding
Take on a road trip - keep some in the car as a snack for you and the kids
Great snack during the day, especially for those on the Atkins Diet or anyone actively engaged in an exercise/work-out program
Shred dome jerky on top of your favorite salad
Try heating some in the oven at a low temperature for a new taste experience

Organic Hot Sauces Have Arrived!

2009-12-25T19:22:00Z

If you have ever had the opportunity to read our About Us page, you know that we spend a significant amount of time tasting and selecting products. In our unceasing quest to find the tastiest gourmet delights for our customers, the Armadillopepper.com team recently uncovered another hidden gem when we discovered a boutique hot sauce company located in Long Beach California called Organic Originals. These guys make some incredibly flavorful sauces!

After our initial visit to their very entertaining jungle-themed website: (www.organicoriginals.org), we were intrigued, but after taste-testing their product we were convinced. Owned and operated by Papa Georgio and Gramma Dee (so named by their grandchildren), Organic Originals boasts hot sauces made from hydroponically grown, rare peppers from the Yucatan Peninsula, Central Africa, India and Mexico. They use only the finest organic ingredients, no pesticides or chemicals of any kind, and lovingly make each sauce one small batch at a time.

Who are these guys? Gramma Dee (AKA DeeDee Rescher, an actress best known as the bus driver in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and as recurring characters on TV’s King of Queens and The Nanny, among many other credits) and Papa Georgio (a boat painter and raconteur of 30 years) started planting peppers and tomatoes in their home garden just as a hobby. Their efforts were so successful that, very soon, harvest time became a challenge: “What to do with all the fruits of our labor?” At this point, Papa Georgio began what would become many years of perfecting what’s known today as his “signature sauce,” Pura Vida! (Spanish for “pure life”). It was immediately a huge hit among friends and family. Then, one day on impulse Papa G brought his sauce to the highly regarded restaurant, Bear Flag Fish Company in Newport Beach, CA.

“It was a whim,” he notes. “Just for fun, we made a label for the restaurant with their logo. They put a bottle on each table and set up a concession to sell individual bottles to customers. After only a few months we were getting orders for cases of the stuff on a weekly basis! The owner of the restaurant called me and said, ‘What’s in this stuff? People are lining up at the door for it!’ It was then that we knew we had to bring it to the world market.” And here it is!

We were especially drawn to the “green” message they are sending with their organic ingredients and biodegradable packaging. Plus they have an irresistible charitable angle: a percentage of every bottle of Organic Originals hot sauce sold goes to a wildlife sanctuary, Fundacion Sanruario Silvestre de Osa, situated on the Gulfo Dolce in Costa Rica. The sanctuary is a local non-profit enterprise wholly committed to providing wildlife rescue and rehabilitation for orphaned and injured animals indigenous to the southern zone in Costa Rica. Each bottle of Organic Originals sauce features a photo of one of the many colorful and engaging creatures saved by the sanctuary.

We know that, like everyone else, you’ll love all four flavors of these flavorful, truly different and versatile chili pepper sauces.

At ArmadilloPepper.com we are excited to introduce our customers to our newest discovery and offer all four of Organic Originals Chili Pepper Sauce flavors:

Pura Vida - with jalapenos and habaneros. This is the mildest sauce. Members of our taste team that are not big hot sauce fans loved this sauce - even eating it with just chips.
Hotte Chololatte - with chocolate habanero peppers. Using the chocolate habanero combined with cocoa powder and cherries make this one of the most unique chili pepper sauce flavors you will find.
Femme Fatalii - with the African fatalii pepper. This hot sauce has a nice bite, but with a fruity flavor from the organic pineapple and orange juices.
Fantasma - with the world's hottest pepper: Naga "Bhut" Jolokia (a.k.a "Ghost Pepper"). What can we say? Everybody wants the Ghost Pepper these days and Fantasma is a hot, flavorful pepper sauce blended with blue agave, orange juice and pineapple juice.

Purchase individually or save when purchasing the Organic Originals Chili Pepper Sauce Variety 4 Pack.

Serving suggestion? Use on everything! And when you do, keep in mind the exuberant advise from Eddie Bueno:

“It’s a jungle out there! Somebody’s got to flavor it!”

Apple Crisp with Honey-Bourbon Sauce

2009-12-13T15:27:00Z

My mama has made this variation of apple cobbler for decades. She made it when we had unexpected guests drop by for supper, as an easy dessert for a pot luck or dinner on the grounds at church, as a treat for us kids, and, probably, as an aphrodisiac when she was trying to woo my dad as it seems to have had that effect on someone else I know. I don't know where this recipe originated from but I do know it's very old. You can find variations of it in just about every Southern cook's favorite recipes. It's quick, it's easy, and it's very versatile. You can make it with any other fruit you would use in a cobbler and, if you're really reaching, I guess you could describe it as "semi-nutritious"...after all, it does have fruit, oats, cinnamon, and honey...all ingredients that have been touted as "healthy". (And that, my friends, is known as"rationalizing".)

Ingredients

- Apple Crisp

4 medium Red Delicious apples
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup oats
1/2 cup butter
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Vanilla Ice Cream

- Honey Bourbon Sauce (this amount is for 2 servings)

2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp Bourbon

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. While oven is heating, peel, core and slice apples.

3. In a separate bowl, mix brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon and nutmeg.

4. Spread apples evenly in the bottom of a nine inch baking pan. Sprinkle remaining ingredients over apples.

5. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

6. In a small sauce pan add the butter, brown sugar and bourbon. Place sauce pan on the stove using medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and cook for two more minutes while stirring constantly.

7. Serve apple crisp with vanilla ice cream and drizzle sauce over ice cream.

Pepper Jelly Contest Winner Announced

2009-12-11T21:22:00Z

We are pleased to announce that James E. Good won the Pepper Jelly Contest. James will receive a Mossy Bayou Pepper Jelly Variety Pack. It includes 3 jars and shipping. This is a $23.95 value. The variety pack includes:

1 Jar of Strawberry Pepper Jelly
1 Jar of Award Winning 5 Pepper Fiesta Jelly
1 Jar of Raspberry Pepper Jelly

The contest winner was selected using the random.org random drawing generator. Original entry requirements and contest rules are available at Pepper Jelly Contest.

Congratulations to James and thanks to everyone that participated in the contest!

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Maple Bacon Fudge

2009-12-08T01:07:00Z

This weekend my 10 year old daughter wanted to make me a dessert. I don't make desserts, so this was a real treat. Confectioners sugar, vanilla extract, semisweet chocolate and condensed milk all confuse me. There is no charcoal to light or grill tongs to use. I just don't get the whole dessert making thing.

As fate would have it, a friend recently forwarded me this recipe for Peanut Butter-Chocolate Maple Fudge from "Bacon Gets Its Just Desserts" over at NPR. Believe it or not, the bacon and chocolate combination are just as delicious (but, in a different way) as bacon and raspberries. Bacon, chocolate and a 10 year old princess all available and ready to go to work meant fudge for Jeff!

Ingredients

12 strips maple-smoked bacon, with 2 strips reserved for garnish
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon maple extract

Procedure

1. In a largeskillet over medium heat, cook bacon, turning several times, untilbrowned and done. Move to a paper towel-lined plateto drain. After the bacon cools, chop finely. Reserve 2 of the chopped slices for garnish.

2. Combineall ingredients except bacon in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.Stir continuously until chips and butter are melted, and mixture isthick and smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in bacon.

3. Coat an 8-inch-square baking pan with cooking spray. Pour intoprepared pan. Sprinkle the reserved chopped bacon on top and lightlypress with your fingertips. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in therefrigerator until firm, at least 4 hours.

4. Sliceinto equal rows and columns to create squares.

It was not that long ago when I got excited over traveling to anew country or taking a vacation to the mountains. These days whatexcites me seems to have changed quite a bit. Someone making me a dessert (in this case a very special daughter) seems about as good as it gets.

Get Your Bobotie On!

2009-12-03T02:01:00Z

Bobotie without Egg Topping

Last week it was Armadillo Balls, next week it's Turkey Balls, but today it's Bobotie! Perhaps, a phase of non-traditional dishes and recipes. With that said, traditional Bobotie (you will also see this spelled as "Babootie") is originally from South Africa and consists of spiced minced meat, fruit, curry powder, an egg topping and is served with rice. It is an African version of our Shepherd's Pie.

Babootie with Egg Topping

For those of you who are not fans of much spice, don't be alarmed by the curry powder. I've served this dish to friends who are "anti-spicy" and they enjoy the complexity of flavors with the curry and fruit.

Each year at the Masters Championship Golf Tournament, the reigning Masters champion hosts a dinner gathering and usually creates a menu featuring special foods from his home region. South African native and 2008 Masters Champion, Trevor Immelman, selected Bobotie as the featured menu item for the"Champions Dinner" in April 2009.

Bobotie is very easy to prepare. If you opt for the ground beef it is an expensive meal. Using your favorite search engine will result in several variations of a Bobotie or Babootie recipe. I will offer two versions here:

Bobotie with the egg topping that is baked in the oven
Bobotie without the egg topping and prepared in a Crock-Pot

Ingredients

1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 lb ground beef (you can also use lamb or pork)
1 can diced tomatoes, 16 oz - NOTE For Crock-Pot version, also add a 16 oz can of tomato sauce
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tbsp brown sugar
4 tablespoons apricot pepper jelly
1 apple, cored, peeled and chopped
2 bananas, peeled, sliced lengthwise and then sliced across
¼ cup almond slivers
2 tsp kosher salt
½ cup raisins
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
½ tablespoon Datil Pepper Hot Sauce
Rice
For Egg Topping Version
- 1 cup milk
- 3 eggs

Procedure - Oven Baked Bobotie with Egg Topping

1. Using the olive oil, sauté the onions until they become translucent.

2. Add the garlic and ground beef. Cook until the ground beef is brown.
3. Reduce heat to a simmer. Add the curry powder, apple, raisins, brown sugar, almond slivers, salt and hot sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Add the bananas and the can of tomatoes. Stir thoroughly and then move the entire dish to a baking pan.

5. Whisk the eggs and milk together in a bowl. Pour over the mixture in the baking dish. Bake on 350 degrees for 40 minutes. After the first 10 minutes start your rice, so that it is ready when the Bobotie pops out of the oven.

Procedure - Oven Baked Bobotie with Egg Topping

1. Repeat steps 1 and 2 above.
2. Move onion, garlic and ground beef to Crock-Pot.
3. Mix remaining ingredients in Crock-Pot.
4. Cook in Crock-Pot on high heat for 60 minutes (begin the rice 30 minutes after starting the Bobotie).

I served each version to the same group on two different occasions. Now, no one from the group was from South Africa, but the verdict was unanimous......everyone preferred the non-casserole version without the egg topping.

Hot Sauce Gift Idea

2009-11-25T17:12:00Z

If you are shopping for the pepper head lover in your life, then you might want to consider this trio from CaJohn's Fiery Foods:

Magma - the world's first ever "lava-like" hot sauce; see the video below. A full 1 million Scoville units of Oleoresin of Capsicum floats atop the vinegar. It hides under the shrink sleeve until you turn it over. WARNING - Only use as a food additive during cooking and do not apply direct to already prepared food.
Remember the Lava Lamp? Well, that is the effect when you turn Magma Hot Sauce over. Shake it up and Magma changes color and looks like molten lava. Set it down and the capsaicin settles back to its hiding place.
Holy Jolokia - made from the world's hottest pepper, the Naga Jolokia a.k.a. "Ghost Pepper" and so recognized by the Guinneess World Records. The Naga Jolokia clocks-in at over 1,000,000 Scoville Units. 2010 Golden Chile Winner.
Frostbite - the world's first ever white hot sauce. Adds heat to your cocktail without changing the flavor or color! Makes a fantastic "hot" martini, add fire to a margarita, or heat up your frosty cold beer! Made with 500,000 SHU extract.

And, by the way, these three hot sauces are not for the faint of heart. All three of these hot sauces pack EXTREME HEAT.

CaJohn's may hold more awards than any other hot sauce manufacturer with over 200 international, national and regional awards. They offer over 150 products including Salsas, Hot Sauces, Barbecue Sauces and more. Cajun, Southwestern, Asianand Caribbean cuisines are all represented.

All-natural and preservative free, carefully prepared in small batches, and monitoredto insure a high level of quality and a consistent taste. CaJohn's uses only the finest ingredients and they process their own fresh chiles every fall to use exclusively for their products.

Magma Hot Sauce Video

http://blog.armadillopepper.com/2009/11/25/hot-sauce-gift-idea.aspx

We offer Magma, Frostbite and Holy Jolokia in our hot sauce store. You can't go wrong with this choice for your favorite hot pepper lover!

Fried Zucchini and Yellow Squash with Pepper Relish

2009-11-25T01:11:00Z

It is the end of the growing season which means zucchini and yellow squash are on the cheap right now. Squash is $0.99/pound at my local grocery. For a couple of bucks and just a small amount of pepper jelly or pepper relish you can be in business.

Often, the problem with fried squash is that the texture is way too soft. The key for crispy fried squash is cutting it into small "chunks"instead of slices. You will want to cut the pieces into 1/2" to 3/4"chunks. The small chunks combined with quickly deep frying results in a nice and crispy outside with a nice,firm texture on the inside.

This recipe is really simple and quick. You can use the fried squash as a side item with dinner or as an appetizer. The last time I made this it was the very first item that disappeared. You can try several different condiments including pepper jellies and various types of pepper relish.

Ingredients

2 small zucchini squash
1 small yellow squash
Minorcan Datil Pepper Spice to taste (probably less than 2 teaspoons, but we will come to that later).
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 cup yellow corn meal
Serving condiment. My first choice is a pepper relish. You can also serve with pepper jelly or a mild chow-chow relish.

Procedure

1. Cut the squash into into 1/2" to 3/4" pieces.

2. Combine the egg and milk in a bowl. Whisk thoroughly. Place a handful of squash in the mixture.

3. Mix the flour and cornmeal on a large pan or you can use wax paper. Spread out in a thin layer. Sprinkle the Minorcan Datil Pepper Spice over the top of the breading mixture. There is no need to measure. Just make sure you cover the breading lightly. This will give your squash a nice 'bite". The Minorcan spice is made with Datil Peppers and Seville Oranges. Yes, we do sell it in our store, but this is more than just a plug. This is a great, all-around spice that you can use on everything from meats to vegetables to popcorn.

4. Remove the squash from the egg and milk mixture, roll-around in the cornmeal/flour to cover all sides.

4. Heat a deep fryer to 375 degrees. Carefully lower the breaded squash into the deep fryer. It only takes 2 to 3 minutes to brown. Repeat the process for the remaining squash. NOTE: Prior to breading the squash each time, re-sprinkle the Minorcan Datil Pepper Spice over the breading.

5. Serve with your favorite condiment. Our favorite for this dish is the Cran-Datil Pepper Relish. For me, the jalapeno relish is a close runner-up.

Fried Squash with Cran-Datil Relish, Jalapeno Relish and Pepper Jelly

Don't forget to enter our contest to win 3 Jars of Pepper Jelly! Hurry, contest ends December 9th. No purchase necessary. Have a great Thanksgiving!

Armadillo Balls

2009-11-24T01:17:00Z

It is that time of year when you might be hosting a party or responsible for taking a dish to a gathering. Meatballs and more specifically Armadillo Balls are a perfect choice. They are easy to prepare and to keep warm for extended periods of time without becoming too dry.

When it comes to meatballs there are about as many different names as there are countries. In Portugal and Brazil, meatballs are referred to as 'almôndegas'. In Italy, polpette are generally made from beef, pork or turkey and eaten as a main course or in a soup. In Germany, Frikadelle or Klopse can include anchovies or salted herring. In Finland, lihapullat can even be made with Reindeer.

So, what are Armadillo Balls?

Video: How to Make Armadillo Balls

http://blog.armadillopepper.com/2009/11/23/armadillo-balls.aspx

Armadillo Balls with Cranberry Datil Sauce are a perfect choice for a party appetizer. Easy to make. Using your Crock-Pot, they are simple to cook and keep warm without getting dry.

Ingredients

Armadillo Balls

1 pound ground beef
½ cup Chipotle Ketchup. Use regular ketchup if you don't have Chipotle.
1/3 cup onions, diced
1/3 cup breadcrumbs. Note – 1/3 cup will make soft meatballs. If you prefer the more traditional firm texture, then use 2/3 cup breadcrumbs. You can also brown the meatballs in a frying pan prior to cooking in the crock pot/oven.
1 tablespoon Bourbon Molasses Dry Rub
¼ teaspoon Cracked Pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced
½ teaspoon Kosher salt

Cranberry Datil Sauce

2 jars Minorcan Cran-Datil Pepper Jam
½ cup chili sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar

Procedure

1. Mix cranberry datil sauce ingredients in a pan.

2. Place on stove, stir and heat on medium until Cran-Datil Pepper Jam is melted.

3. In a separate bowl mix the Armadillo Ball ingredients. Mold ground beef mixture into 1 to1.5 inch balls.

4. Place Armadillo Balls in a Crock-Pot.

5. Set Crock-Pot on high and add Cranberry Datil Sauce.

6. Cook for 1 hour or until Armadillo Balls are done.

Huli-Huli Chicken Wings

2009-11-23T21:56:00Z

In my previous life I gave many presentations to different executives including CEO's, General Managers and Vice Presidents at Fortune 100 companies. This never really bothered me and it certainly didn't prepare me for what was ahead. This past weekend I was faced with a very daunting and scary task. A challenge more frightening than the tax collector and potentially more stressful than a sinking ship.

I agreed to let my daughter have a "sleep-over" party for her 10th birthday!

So, here I am -- Mr. Logic, Mr Black & White, Type A, fearful of a house full of 10 year old girls. It was just a couple of years ago that we had a big birthday party for her and even with my mother's assistance it was stressful. There was the bickering, the arguing and the "she-said" "no, she said" ordeal. What had I done?

In advance of the party, my daughter decided that she wanted a pinata and some games for the activities. She wanted to go out to her favorite ice cream parlor instead of a birthday cake. We also agreed on the specific snacks, drinks and menu which included grilled chicken and homemade potato chips for her posse. At least with my kids and their friends there can be some finicky ones, so I decided on "plain ole" grilled chicken and Huli-Huli chicken. I have made Huli-Huli chicken wings a few times. My son really likes it and at least around here, when I find something they will eat that is not "plain" then it's a great day.

Huli-Huli Chicken traces its roots back to 1955 when the head of Pacific Poultry in Hawaii, Mr. Ernest Morgado, made some teriyaki chicken for a group of farmers. Mr. Morgado decided to barbecue chickens that had been marinated in his mother’s special teriyaki sauce. The chicken was a hit with the farmers and it left them wanting more. Morgado realized he had discovered a hidden gem and started marketing his mother's teriyaki chicken sauce. Morgado barbecued the large quantities of chickens between two grills. After one side of the chicken was cooked, someone would shout, "huli,"Hawaiian for "turn", and then the other side would be barbecued. He eventually trademarked the name. Anyone who has ever visited Oahu has probably witnessed the Huli-Huli roadside stands on the weekends.

There are many recipe variations for Huli-Huli chicken. Some call for wine, some call for frozen pineapple concentrate. Because the original Huli-Huli recipe is proprietary, I don't know if anyone knows the authentic version. I have tried several incarnations and the kids seem to enjoy this Huli-Huli recipe the best. You can use this same sauce on chicken breasts and you can bake or grill. I have done both and either works well. One other comment, I have marinated the chicken for several hours in the Huli-Huli sauce and I've also prepared by just simply basting during the last 15 minutes of cooking. I prefer the basting method as there doesn't seem to be any noticeable difference by going through the extra step of the marinating process.

Ingredients

3 pounds of chicken wings
1/3 cup Ketchup
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon dried ginger. I prefer to use fresh ginger root, but didn't seem to have any for this occasion.
4 cloves of garlic, diced small and then crushed
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
OPTIONAL: When I make this for the "big kids", I add a tablespoon of chili sauce or a mild hot sauce (not this time, because of the children).

Procedure

Combine all ingredients in a pot and whisk.
Cook the wingettes for 45 minutes on the grill at medium-high heat. While the wingettes are grilling, bring the pot of mixed ingredients to a slow boil, then reduce to a simmer until it is ready to baste the wingettes.
After 45 minutes, baste the wingettes with your sauce. Turn frequently and make sure the heat is not too high at this point. Due to the sugars in the sauce it can burn or overcook very quickly. It takes about 15 minutes depending on your grill temperature.

The kids loved the potato chips. Homemade chips were new to all of the them. The Huli-Huli Chicken.....well, my son ate most of those wingettes when the girls weren't looking.

The party wasn't scary at all. It was probably the best group of 10 year old girls I had ever been around. No fussing, just a lot of candy eating, ice cream eating and fun. Am I getting older and more tolerant or are they just growing out of one of those younger phases? All I know now is that you might be surprised how aggressive a group of sweet girls can be when you hang a defenseless pinata in the air. They even beat that thing after all the candy had fallen to the ground!

Grilled Jalapeno Potatoes

2009-11-19T15:56:00Z

If you have ever sliced some potatoes, added some butter, wrapped them in foil and cooked on the grill, then you will be very familiar with this approach to Jalapeno Potatoes.

I like to use Idaho's finest and one of the USDA's top 20 foods for antioxidants --- the Jumbo Russet potato. For those of you that drink orange juice for the vitamin C, pay attention. A single 5.3 oz serving of a Russet potato provides 45% of your daily need for Vitamin C. They don't stop with the Vitamin C --- 6% Iron, 8% Thiamine, 8% Niacin, 6% Folate and 10% Vitamin B6. The potato in the picture weights 1 lb 1.4 oz. Where I am from in Kentucky that is 17.4 oz / 5.3 oz serving size = 3.3 servings. Continuing with the Kentucky math --- 3.3 servings x 45% means eat one potato and that is 148.5% of the Vitamin C you need today! Now, I am not suggesting that a Russet is better than an orange, but I am suggesting that it's high in Vitamin C and tastes better with bacon than an orange.

The following recipe is for 1 jumbo Russet potato, which easily serves 3 people as a side item. Simply increase the ingredients by the number of potatoes that you are preparing.

Ingredients

1 jumbo Russet potato per person. A jumbo Russet makes about 2 1/4 cups of diced potato.
1/2 cup onion
1/2 of a Jalapeno, seeds and membrane removed and diced
1 teaspoon Chipotle Dry Rub
1 teaspoon Cracked Pepper
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon parsley

Procedure

1. Dice the potato, onion and jalapeno half. Chop the parsley. Cut the butter into pieces.

2. Place the diced potato on foil. Add the onion, jalapeno, cracked pepper, Kosher salt and Chipotle Dry Rub.

3. Mix well, then place the butter slices on top.

4. Close the foil and twist the top. I opted to have the entire Jalapeno Potato for myself. If serving this as a side item, separate into 3 separate foil wraps.

5. Place on the grill on medium-high heat for about 40 to 50 minutes. Depending on your exact grill temperature, the time will vary. Do not cook with a high flame because the bottom of the potato will burn inside the foil. 400 degrees works well. You can also bake these in the oven.

A variation of this recipe that I make includes substituting green bell pepper for the jalapeno, adding two piecesof fried, crumbled bacon and 1 tablespoon Datil Pepper Spice. Antioxidants + protein = a great meal all by itself. Besides, as we all know.............bacon makes everything better!

Inspiration for this recipe came from The Pioneer Woman Potato Bundles recipe.

Spicy Breakfast Burrito with Pepper Jelly

2009-11-16T16:51:00Z

Breakfast Burritos have been around for a while now. The cafe, Tia Sophia's, located in Sante Fe, New Mexico is credited with inventing breakfast burritos in 1975. Their first breakfast burrito included bacon and potatoes rolled in a tortilla with chili and cheese.

The nice thing about breakfast burritos is that you can include a complete breakfast inside a single tortilla. Part of the fun is experimenting with a few different ingredients each time you make these. This recipe is for a breakfast burrito I made last Sunday.

Ingredients

3 eggs
4 to 6 strips of fried bacon - I typically lean towards 6 strips of bacon
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
Few dashes of hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 red tomato
4 tablespoons Mexican shredded cheese
2 large tortillas
1 green bell pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons pepper jelly for each burrito. Tomato Pepper Jelly is always my fist choice, but you can substitute Jalapeno Pepper Jelly or Haba Naga Pepper Jelly.
Optional: 4 tablespoons Jalapeno Pepper Relish
Optional: 1/4 cup onions

Procedure

Fry bacon.
Dice green pepper - only use 1/2 of the pepper. If you are including onion, then dice it.
Put eggs and milk in a medium-size, microwave safe bowl. Whisk together thoroughly.
Crumble bacon after it has cooled.
Add bacon, salt, cracked pepper, hot sauce, green bell pepper, optional onion and Worcestershire sauce. Stir thoroughly.
While oven is heating, place egg mixture in the microwave. Cover with a paper towel and heat on high for 2 minutes. Stir mixture and then heat for another 30 seconds. Every microwave is different, so you may need to cook a little longer or less.
Fill each tortilla with the cooked egg mixture. Roll-up tortillas and place in a microwave safe dish.
Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of pepper jelly down the top of the burrito. Top with the diced tomatoes, optional pepper relish and cheese.
Heat in the microwave for about 20 seconds or until the cheese starts to melt.

BLT's at Fernandina Beach and Being Thankful

2009-11-15T01:51:00Z

I had a couple of hours to spare on Saturday, so we headed out to Fernandina Beach located on beautiful Amelia Island in the northeast corner of Florida. The primary route to Fernandina Beach is A1A. If you've never been you start to wonder what you are getting yourself into on the way there. Traveling over the John Shave bridge, you see the first glimpse of a beautiful paper mill with smoke rolling out its stacks and blowing direct over the Intracoastal Waterway. However, once you arrive, it's a quaint town with an eclectic shopping district in the downtown area. You can shop for jewelry, clothing, pottery and just about any type of artwork.

We parked and started our walking tour around the town. Immediately we discovered the Federation of Petanque world championship tournament. People had flown in from around the world to play this French version of the "Bocce like" game (although I was advised not to mention Bocce too loudly). We soon learned that Petanque is a game where you stand with your feet together in a smallcircle and then throw hollow metal balls with the object of getting the metal balls as close as possible to a smallwooden ball called a cochonnet (jack). It looked like a good way to spend a sunny afternoon outside.

From there we strolled around the docks and then it was time to get some grub. We stumbled upon the Happy Tomato Courtyard Cafe and BBQ restaurant. As an avid BLT lover and the words "happy tomato", I felt that I had found my destiny.

This is an outside eatery and although it was the 14th of November, the temperature was 75 degrees and perfect for an afternoon, patio lunch.

The atmosphere is very casual and welcoming. You order at the counter, receive a number and find a table of your liking in the courtyard. When your fare is ready, it's delivered to your table.

Hmmmmmm, what to order? The Happy Tomato menu includes a wide variety of salads and sandwiches along with rib, chicken, pulled pork and turkey from their on-site smoker. In fact, when we approached the counter they were plating some fresh BBQ ribs right off of the smoker. Should I order the Trio Salad with pimento cheese, chicken salad, tuna salad, egg and crouton? BBQ? The Plain Jane vine ripe tomato sandwich or my favorite sandwich of all time?

Predictably, I ordered the BLT. After all, doesn't bacon make the world go around? There are several side order options including potato salad, macaroni salad, chips and coleslaw. Our orders were delivered in hardly any time and the sandwich was as delicious as it looked. I decided on the macaroni salad with my sandwich which included squash, broccoli and cauliflower.

As we were finishing lunch the owner, Richard, brought us a sampling ofhis pulled pork and homemade mustard-based BBQ sauce. All I can tellyou is that although I thoroughly enjoyed the BLT, I was wondering if Ishould have ordered the pulled pork!

Being the sauce entrepreneur that I am, I immediately learned that if you want to enjoy this BBQ sauce then you have to visit Richard's restaurant (it's not available for resale).

By now you've concluded that I am not one of those restaurant reviewers that has mastered the use of culinary adjectives, but I can tell you this......If you are ever in Fernandina then you might want to stop by The HappyTomato Courtyard Cafe and BBQ for a nice, leisurely lunch out on thepatio. The staff is very friendly, the food is great and you certainlycan't go wrong with the BLTs or Pulled Pork.

Our visit to Fernandina and discovering a great little place to eat was wonderful but, what really occurred to me was how lucky I was just to have the opportunity to experience this afternoon. It was a reminder for me to be thankful.

At a time when our nation's unemployment has surpassed 10%, home foreclosures at all-time highs and with the children of mother's and father's defending our freedom in places like Iraq and Afghanistan it is sometimes difficult to be thankful. It's easy to find 10 other people that have it better than myself, but if you take the time to look it is not hard to find 20 other people with struggles.

What I am thankful for these days has certainly changed from what I might have been thankful for earlier in my life. These days enjoying a camping trip with my kids or spending a nice, pleasant afternoon in Fernandina with great company brings me reason to be thankful. Is that what my grandparents referred to as wisdom? I hope you find reasons to be thankful this holiday season and every other day of your life. I certainly wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving........Southern Style.........

2009-11-12T20:30:00Z

Time for a procrastination break. I’ve been working on a project that’s due tonight and my brain is starting to cramp. My mind keeps wandering to thoughts of Thanksgiving. My mom called me yesterday to confirm what dish I would be bringing for Thanksgiving dinner at her house and I’ve been trying to decide what I’ll cook.

First, I guess I should explain how we “do” Thanksgiving dinner in my family. The first and most important thing to know is that THERE IS NO ACCEPTABLE EXCUSE FOR MISSING IT! One year I was sick with the flu. I literally had a fever of 103 and could barely lift my head. Mama called me three times while they were eating to see if I didn’t want to “just come eat a bite and then go back home”. Bless her heart. I know she just wanted to have the whole dysfunctional family together but all I wanted to do was curl up and die. Food was the last thing on my mind.

Second, our family is so big, (I only have three siblings but between spouses/significant others, kids, grand and great grandkids, aunts, uncles, friends etc. we usually have 20 – 30 people) we all contribute a dish or two (or more) to the meal rather than put the whole burden on one person (i.e. mama).

Third, this is a culinary EVENT. There is somewhat of a friendly, unspoken rivalry that goes on, mostly between my sisters and me, but when I say “event” I mean my family is slammed full of fantastic cooks. To have Thanksgiving dinner at my mama’s is to experience Southern Cooking Nirvana. We each have our favorite signature traditional dishes that we bring but we also usually bring something new. And it’s not just the women in my family who can cook…my Granddaddy Fred knew his way around a kitchen as well or better than any woman (Jeff tells me this flies in the face of all that is Holy…that Grandmas are supposed to be the ones who whip up the family favorites, but this was not the case in my family.)

Granddaddy passed away many years ago but we still have men in the family who possess his culinary skills. My brother-in-law, Donald, is a whiz on the grill. My brother, Michael, can make homemade yeast rolls that rival anyone’s grandmother. My son, Jacob, is a budding chef-in-the-making and I haven’t tasted anything yet that “Chef Jeff” has made that hasn’t rocked my taste buds (okay, maybe ONE thing…the smoked salmon jerky was not my cup of tea).

Smoked Salmon with Chutney and Potato Cakes that turned out to be Salmon Jerky!

Mashed potatoes are my “assigned” dish to bring this year (and most years for that matter). And by mashed potatoes I mean the traditional kind…no “fancy” seasonings like garlic….just potatoes, milk, butter, salt and pepper. I haven’t decided yet what I’ll make as my second dish….maybe my “MO” cake…a layer of creamy cheesecake nestled between two layers of moist, dense devil’s food and topped with chocolate ganache frosting that tastes like fuuuuuuuudge. YUM!!! It gives me the shivers just thinking about it! I’ll let you figure out what “MO” stands for but suffice it to say certain members of my family have declared eating it to be the most pleasurable experience they’ve ever had….so much so that they have to have “multiple” pieces. I tell the faint of heart and the easily offended that we call it that because it’s so good you’ve just got to have "some mo"!

That’s how we do Thanksgiving on the Georgia/Florida border. How do you do it in your family?

Do you have any unusual traditions or dishes that make it uniquely your own? Or recipes that would blow my sisters’ out of the water and position me as the Culinary Queen for the next 365 days? Is it a big family event or just you and your kids? Do you spend it alone or with friends? We’d love for you to share your favorite recipes, time-saving tips or even memories. And if, in the process, I glean some sort of knowledge that gives me a distinct advantage over the other cooks in my family…well, so be it.

Here’s wishing everyone a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!

Contributed by Donna W, Official New Product Taste Tester & Marketing Director, ArmadilloPepper.com

New Contest - Win a Gourmet Pepper Jelly Variety Pack!

2009-11-09T22:27:00Z

Contest Duration and Overview

This contest begins on Nov. 10th, 2009 and will run through the end of day December 9th, 2009, Eastern Time. The contest is valid in the USA only. No purchase is necessary.

The Prize

The prize is a Mossy Bayou Pepper Jelly Variety Pack. It includes 3 jars and shipping. This is a $23.95 value. The variety pack includes:

1 Jar of Strawberry Pepper Jelly
1 Jar of Award Winning 5 Pepper Fiesta Jelly
1 Jar of Raspberry Pepper Jelly

How to Enter - All Entries Start on November 10th

There are 2 different methods that you can use to earn entries in the contest.

Method 1 Blog Commenting - You will earn 1 entry for each comment you leave on this blog. For a comment to be a valid contest entry, you must comment on any of our blog entries that use Pepper Jelly as an ingredient and tell me your favorite jelly flavor or your favorite way to use jelly as part of your comment. You can comment about pepper jelly or fruit jelly.
Method 2 Blog Mention - You will earn 1 entry per day if you mention this contest in your blog. You must send me the location (sales@armadillopepper.com) of each entry, so that I can confirm it.

How the Winner will be Selected

Each entry will be assigned a number in sequence. The independent, third-party random number drawing service from random.org will be used to select one random entry as the winner. The more entries you have, the greater your chances of being drawn as the winner.

The winner will be announced on December 11, 2009 in a post on this blog. Just in time for Christmas Delivery!

Family members and employees of ArmadilloPepper.com are not eligible for contest entry.

How to Make Homemade Potato Chips

2009-11-08T23:56:00Z

Saturday my alma mater, Florida State University, had a football game and as everyone in the South knows -- College Football is a religion. The weather was nice, almost 80 degrees, so we needed some foods that would stand up to everyone coming-and-going and munching as they wanted.

We had four teenage boys over and potato chips seem to be quite popular with that crowd. How do you know if your chips turned out good or if they were just another plate of fried potatoes? When four, 13 year old boys devour the chips before anyone else gets to try one, then you can assume the chips were at least "okay".

The biggest problem people seem to have when making homemade potato chips is that the chips turn out like fried potatoes. There are 2 precautions that you can take to prevent fried potatoes:

Don't slice the chips too thick.
After slicing the potatoes, soak in water for 3 to 4 hours. This draws-out the starch and helps to make the chips crispy when deep fried. You can actually feel that the raw potato slices have become more rigid when you remove them from soaking.

Ingredients

Jumbo Russet potatoes. If you are cooking for teenagers, I recommend at least 1 potato for each kid.
Your favorite oil for deep frying. I use Canola oil.
Seasonings for the potato chips. It can be as simple as salt or something a little different. We used Kosher salt and Chipotle Dry Rub seasoning for today's chips.

Procedure

1. Wash potatoes. You can peel or leave the peel on. My son is a bit picky, so I removed the peels.
2. Slice the potatoes. I used this old grater that I have had since the dinosaurs were still here. The slicer in the middle provides the perfect thickness, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Some people prefer a mandolin slicer. These are adjustable slicers that you can adjust for a more precise thickness.

3. Slice potatoes and place in a bowl of water. Next, place in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours.

4. Heat deep fryer to about 375 degrees. While the deep fryer is heating, pat the potato slices dry with paper towels. Water and oil do not mix!

5. I have a small deep fryer and I tend to include too many potato slices in the basket at a time. You can take a fork and carefully separate any chips that are sticking together.

6. Depending on how many times I lifted the top to the deep fryer and the amount of slices I fried at a time, cooking time varied between 9 and 12 minutes per batch. The oil tended to stop bubbling as the chips become done.

7. Remove the chips from the deep fryer and let drain on paper towels.

8. Season the potato chips. This is part of the adventure.

You can change the flavor of your potato chips by varying the seasoning. Football season goes on for a few more weeks. We would love to get some new ideas for seasoning the chips. What seasoning do you use?

Rosemary Pork Chops with Peach Chutney and Honey Glaze

2009-11-07T00:19:00Z

This recipe for Rosemary Pork Chops with Peach Chutney and Honey Glaze is another really easy and quick meal to prepare. The keys to making this dish delicious and easy are 1) marinating and 2) using the already prepared Peach Chutney from Prissy's of Vidalia, Georgia.

15 minutes to prepare
2 to 4 hours for marinating. You can even prepare the marinade in the morning before work, place in the refrigerator and it will be ready to cook when you return home in the evening.
15 minutes to cook.

Ingredients

1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup honey
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 (4 oz. each) boneless center-cut pork chops
Rosemary Seasoning - about 1 tablespoon
Prissy's Georgia Peach Chutney - 1 to tablespoons for each pork chop.
1 to 2 peaches

Procedure

Place pork chops in a baking dish and sprinkle Rosemary Seasoning on pork chops - both sides.
To create the marinade, combine lemon juice, honey and soy sauce in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly.
Pour marinade over pork chops, but reserve 8 tablespoons in a separate bowl. Cover and refrigerate pork chops and separate marinade 2 to 4 hours.
Remove pork chops from marinade and broil pork 4 to 6 inches from the heat source for about 15 minutes. Turn pork chops over after 7 minutes. Apply reserved marinade. By the way......you could also grill the pork chops. We chose to broil for our friends up North and it's November.
While pork chops are marinating, cut peaches into about 1 inch pieces.
During last 3 minutes of broiling, place peaches on top of pork chops until finished broiling.
Remove from oven. Spoon on Peach Chutney and serve. I like to serve with white rice and either green beans, broccoli or asparagus.

Pork chops are one of the few meats that my kids will eat. So, please let me know if you have some other easy pork chop recipes!

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

2009-11-06T22:10:00Z

Jambalaya originates in New Orleans and has long been a staple in Cajun country. The work "Jambalaya" comes from the word "jambalaia" meaning mish mash or mix-up and also meaning a pilau or pilaf of rice.

There are many different types and styles, but Jambalaya commonly includes sausage, rice, chicken or shrimp. Creole Jambalaya includes tomatoes whereas Cajun Jambalaya does not. The Creole style is from the French Quarter and Cajun style is from the rural swamp areas where wild game, crawfish and oysters are readily available.

Each year Gonzales, Louisiana holds a Jambalaya Festival. In fact, the folks in Gonzales claim they are the Jambalaya Capital of the World!

The fun part of making Jambalaya is that you use the fundamental recipe components, but then vary some of the ingredients each time for a new and wonderful Jambalaya dish. Perhaps, the most memorable Chef and author to create Jambalaya dishes was Justin Wilson. This guy was making great spicy dishes before the Food Network was ever an idea.

Jambalaya is easy to prepare. This recipe takes 20 minutes to prepare and then simmers about 1 hour. I have made many variations of the years depending on what is in the refrigerator. I've included some options in the ingredient listing.

Ingredients

1 cup diced celery or green bell peppers
1 cup Vidalia onion
1 lb chicken breast, diced into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces
1 lb link smoked sausage cut into 1/4 to 1/3 inch pieces
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Assmann's Fanny Rub or other Chicken Spice
1 tablespoon Chipotle Dry Rub
2 cups rice
8 cups water or chicken stock (opt for the chicken stock if you can)
1 - 16oz can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon Mad Cow Naga Jolokia Hot Sauce if you like it very spicy or 1 teaspoon of Datil Pepper Sauce for a milder version
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh Cracked Pepper
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup canola oil

Procedure

Apply the Fanny rub/chicken spice to the chicken.
Using a cast iron skillet or other large frying pan on medium heat, brown the chicken in the oil. Stir often to prevent sticking/burning.
After chicken is brown, remove it from the pan and let drain on paper towels.
Add the celery, onion, garlic and Chipotle rub to the pan. Saute until the onions are translucent.
Add the sausage and brown.
Move all ingredients from the pan to a large pot. Add the chicken, parsley, salt, tomato, cracked pepper, water and hot sauce to the large pot. Stir well.
Bring to a boil and cook until about half of the liquid is gone.
Cover and simmer about 1 hour, until the rice is done.

Remember Mr. Wilson's only rule for entertaining, "Plenty to eat, plenty to drink, then let your guests enjoy themselves".

Easy to Make Crudite

2009-11-03T15:50:00Z

The holiday season is quickly approaching and that means entertaining with friends and family. With kids in school, work and other demands who has time to prepare everything for the perfect party? If you are looking for a easy appetizer, then you can prepare this wonderful Crudite in less than 30 minutes and have it ready in 1 hour.

Just a couple of comments before we dive into the details.

Traditional French Crudites do not include pickled vegetables. However, I typically only prepare a single vegetable or relish tray and liketo include some pickled items for my guests.
Similarly to the first point, I also like to include some crackers.

Ingredients

Dill Dip Mix - I like to use Dill and Cucumber. Green Onion or Garlic Ranch and Bacon are other great choices.
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
Leaf lettuce of your choice. I like to use Romaine.
Raw vegetables such as grape tomatoes, carrots, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, bell peppers and radishes. It is not necessary to include all of these on your Crudite. I usually select from what looks best at the grocery and always opt for lots of color.
Black olives and/or green olives
Pickled veggies. I like okra and asparagus.
Optional: Crackers
Optional: Fresh rosemary sprigs. If you use these, you will need to have sprigs that are slightly "woody" instead of soft. As rosemary grows, the stem toward the ends is very soft. However, the lower stem portion, which is older, gets slightly "woody" or stiff. More on this later.

Procedure

Prepare Dip Mix as follows: Stir dip seasoning package into 1 cup of mayonnaise. Add one cup sour cream. Mix and chill in the refrigerator 1 to 2 hours.
Wash all of your vegetables and pat dry.
Arrange leaf lettuce around your vegetable tray.
Add your favorite vegetables
Optional - Prepare rosemary skewers (which takes a little more time). Notice in the lower part of the picture that the stem is darker or brown in color, whereas the top part of the sprig is a lighter color and more green. The darker area of the stem is harder and you can use this part to skewer your vegetables as follows: Using the woody rosemary sprigs, skewer one green olive, then black olive, then grape tomato. You can serve these on the side of the Crudite or you can stand a few up in the dip mix. The really nice thing is that the tomatoes will absorb the rosemary flavor. As guests eat the tomatoes from the skewer they are pleasantly surprised with the rosemary.
Optional - add crackers if you are including this option.
Serve.

At ArmadilloPepper.com, we can provide a gourmet flavor for all of your holiday entertaining without hours of preparation. You can select from a variety of dip mixes including Dill and Cucumber, Garlic Ranch and Bacon, Green Onion, Spicy Garlic, Hot and Spicy Habanero, and Sundried Tomato Basil.